Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 188, 11 August 1931, Page 6

Town Talk

Petrol Down Petrol prions were reduced Id per gallon, both first and second grade, in Wanganui yesterday. First grade petrol is now retailed at 2s Id, t.nd second grade at 2s. Late for the Jury After telling him that the line could be £5, Mr Justi > Blair told Mr H. 8. Harman yesterday that he would give him a lesson in punctuality, and lined him £1 for being late when called for the Grand Jury. Mr Harman said that he had been detained at the office. No Licenses Fines with costs were infli’ ted upon the following at the Magistrate’s Court at Wanganui yesterday morning, for driving motor ears without drivers licenses: Arthur L. Dannatt, .10s; Peter Paul, £1; Thomas Perawiti, £1; E. Dewsom; 30s. Water in the East “The water in the far East is very disappointing,” said Mr Cranleigh Barton at the Rotary Club yesterday. “It is not clear at all but has the colour of mustard and is very muddy on account of its being used too much for irrigation. ” Matters of Misfortune In setting down yesterday the times when the different cases should be heard during the current sitting at the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Blair said that he always took such matters as mortgagor’s relief in chambers, and not in the open court, as such applications were “matters of misfortune.’'’ Sheep to the Acre “A case involving the carrying can acity of farms always take longer'than one day, and frequently longer than two days,” remarked Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court yesterday when fixtures were being set down, and one case involving the carrying capacity of farms was under notice. Stolen Notes “1 do not suppose that he gave them to the Patriotic Fund or the Unemployment Fund. It looks fairly obvious where they went,” remarked Air Justice Blair, when the jury at the Supreme Court had brought in a verdict of guilty yesterday with regard to the obtaining of eight £5 notes by a man by a false pretence. Tree Planting Tree planting engaged some twelve members of the Wanganui Rotary Club lust Saturday afternoon when they planted 600 pines on the new health camp at Castlecliff. One or two of them discovered that they were not as young as they used to be, but they were revived with afternoon tea which was made by Mrs A. H. Wall, Mrs II D. Robertson and 31 rs Carver. No Money. “How is it that yon have the money to run a motor-cycle but that you have no money to pay for a license?”’ asked Mr J. H. Salmon of a defendant at the Magistrate’s Court at Wanganui yesterday afternoon. The defendant replied that he was out of employment but that he had used the cycle to col- 1 lect firewood on the beach. A fine of 1 £l with costs was inflicted. Books and Travellers i “1 think that a person who travels . with his nose in a book is to be pitied,”' . said Mr Cranleigh Barton when ad- ■ dressing the Wanganui Rotary Club at j its weekly luncheon yesterday. The : speaker said that many people who ; travelled carried books with them con- 1 corning historical places or buildings of 1 particular interest, which they were ; visiting. To his mind they lost a lot : of enjoyment. Escaping Rates When addressing the Rotary Club yesterday Mr Cranleigh Barton said ( that there were an extraordinary num- ; ber of people who lived on the water in the East. Most of them lived in , small boats. The speaker said that he t had once seen a native standing in * water nearly up to his shoulders shav- , ing himself. His mirror was tied on to ( his boat. “I don’t know* why the na- ■ fives live on I’ie water in such num- c bers, but probably it is something to - do with the rates and taxes.” he said ; amidst laughter. > A Burden Transferred. ' A Wanganui landowner who had a small section in a King Country town, ‘ in which the rating on unimproved values was in force, was at a loss to ' get rid of the burden. He could not 1 sell the land and could not give it t away to any resident. Finally, a “happy’’ transfer was made to a man who, two months later, left for shores afar. To-day this individual’s appears on the rate book with the illuminating little note of information beside it—“address unknown.” No one pays the rates on that poor section now. Sequel to Accident Evidence was given at the Magistrate’s Court at Wanganui yesterday that the accident in which a car driven by Kenneth Dawson, of Auckland, had collided with a motor lorry at the inter- ■ section of Wilson and Ridgway Streets in November of last year, was caused by Dawson driving too quickly. Mr J. H. Salmon said that Dawson had himself to blame for the injuries which he had sustained. The extraordinary speed at which he had crossed the intersection had cause! the accident. Dawson was fined £5 and costs with witnesses’ - expenses. Straying Stock. Complaints were made at yesterday ’s meeting of the Waitotara County Council that stock were continually allowed to stray on a certain section of the main North Road, and it was pointed out in reply that the owner in question was probably driving them to a paddock. The chairman (Cr. W. Morrison) said that the council had proceeded against a man who raised that defence, but the Magistrate had ruled in favour of the county in.view of the fact that the stock were not being driven fast enough. It was decided to draw the attention of the ranger to the stock in question. Looking for Work “Last week my mate and 1 were riding about the country on bicycles looking for work,” said R. C. Sundborn at the Magistrate’s Court at Wanganui yesterday when appearing for failure to keep up his payments on a maintenance order. “It appears to me that you would be better off if you registered to obtain relief work.” said Mr J. H. Salmon. The Magistrate said that the defendant had not been a very useful husband and had done little to support his wife and two children, the wife having had to borrow money Ito pay the rent. He gave Sundborn warning that unless he registered for relief work and kept up his payments he. would get into trouble.