PATEA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 107, 9 May 1933, Page 3

PATEA

GENERAL. Wintertime Sunday hours are to be observed in the telephone exchange during the next five months. Subscribers are therefore asked to note that the hours will be only from 9 till 10 a.m. and 5 till 6 p.m. on Sundays. This change was made yesterday, up till then the hours being much longer. Vital statistics for the month of April for the Patea district are as follow. with those of the corresponding month last year in parentheses:— Births, 7 (S); marriages 4 (1), deaths, 1 (2)WOMEN’S INSTITUTE. An instructive address and attractive art work formed the programme for the monthly meeting of the I’atea Women's Institute last Friday', Mrs. W. 11. Walton presiding over a good attendance. Mr. E. F. Hemingway addressed the members on “education” giving interesting details and outline of work on the education boards, and school committees. Mrs. F. C. Jenkins gave a demonstration' on the art of handwork in silks, her beautiful range of colours and her manipulation of them being greatly admired. Mrs. A. A. Carey, the secretary, reported on the Federation conference held at Eltham last month, attended by Mrs. Walton, and herself officially, while several other members were showing their keen interest. A roll call of “Recipes” was held, =ome most useful and novel ones being exchanged. A competition also for the best darned sock was judged, Mrs. Walton being the winner. Afternoon tea served by tne hostesses, Mesdames Horner, Lelson, Masters, Papps and Mays, brought the meeting to a close. harbour board. Two new members were welcomed to the table when the Patea Harbour Board held its monthly meeting yesterday, Mr A. T. Christensen presiding. Those welcomed were Messrs Corrigan and Blake, who were returned, unopposed, and Messrs Back and Southcombe, who were newly elected by the electors of Patea Borough and Waverlev Township. Others present were Messrs W. H. Watkins and A. Pearce. Messrs Hamel and Rutherford submitted their opinion on whether the board could remit penalties on unpaid rates, and stated that this could be done for the past year only, all matters considered. Harbourmaster’s Report. Work has been continued on the eastern wall making blocks, stated the harbourmaster (<apt. W. E. Barnes), in his monthly report. Procuring the shingle took most of the time, the actual making of the blocks taking only a few hours. A bad leak opened up in this wall early in the month, but this was now stopped, and as far as can be seen, the wall is tight, and there is no sign of leakage in the western wall. Strong westerly winds and heavy seas had prevailed for the greater part of the month and for one period, from April 14 to 26, no vessels moved in or out of port. On April 10, the dredge was put on the beach as high as possible and although the beach was hard then, the continuous bad weather and heavy freshes-had put a big deposit of silt round her and softened the beach, and so impeded the work. There had been 12 arrivals and 11 departures, the bar being unworkable for 16 days. Mr Christensen in speaking to this report and to the dredgemaster’s, which covered the same ground, stated that although the month had been a bad one for shipping, the number of arrivals and departures had been better than generally at this time, of the year. If it had been known that this bad weather was going to impede work on the dredge as it had done, the dredge would have been sent down to Wanganui during the jfine weather. CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW Parishioners of St. George’s Church held a sale of work and "chrysanthemum show last Saturday, which was well attended. Despite the coldness of the weather, the display of flowers was beautiful, and the interest taken was a tribute to the exhibitors. Mrs Staite, of Maxwell, won first prize for the best collection, and Mrs C. K. Honeyfield for the best arranged bowl of flowers. PORT STATISTICS For the month of March, the following figures of the port statistics are very revealing as to the difference in the value of dairy exports between this year and last: — Imports.—l3s tons (231 tons). Exports.—277o tons (2760 tons). Value of Exports.—£l6o,s9o (£276,000).