Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 286, 4 December 1933, Page 6

Town Talk

Dislocated Shoulder. 'thrown off his motor-cycle on Saturday, Charles Perretl, aged 25, of Liverpool Street, suffered a dislocated shoulder and was admitted to the Wanganui Public Hospital. He is reported to be progressing favourably. Grass Fire. A grass lire beside the railway line at the College Street crossing was the cause of the Wanganui Central Fire Brigade having to turn out at 3.12 p.m. on Saturday. No damage was done by the blaze. Threa Boats Shelter. Owing to being unable to work the Palea bar on Saturday morning, the luaha, Hawera and Kapuni, bound from \\ ellington to the South Taranaki port, put into Castlccliff for shelter just after noon. The Ina ha and Hawera left yesterday to resume their voyage, but the Kapuni will not leave until to-day, by which time at least one cargo of butter will have been lifted from Patoa.

Choice of Foods. “Why don’t you stick to your 4, own food?” asked Dr. E. E. Porritt, vicepresident oi the Wanganui Automobile Association, of a native at the opening of the Ruapirau Bridge on Saturday. The Maori in question was tending the hagis (ovens in the ground), where sucking pig, geese and lambs were cooking. As he worked he munched an ice cream. “Kapai te pakeha food,” he replied. “You would be better off if you stuck to your own food,” the ooctor told him. “You would have better teeth.” “Hang te teeth,” said the native. “Kapai te ice cream.”

Long Journey. An up-river settler who was present at the opening of the Ruapirau bridge on Saturday afternoon undertook a long journey after the important function, the reason being his interest in a horse racing at the Fcildiug Jockey Club’s meeting the same afternoon. It was not till well after mid-day that he left the scene of activities over 30 miles up the river, but he was able to reach the racecourse, over 40 miles from Wanganui, in plenty of time to sec his horse run the race —and, incidentally, lead the field home. The owner must have felt amply repaid for his long journey.

Trainers’ and Jockeys’ Cricket. Arrangements are being made by the Wanganui Jockey Club to procure a shield for a cricket match to be played next February, the contesting parties being the trainers and jockeys who will be in Wanganui for the autumn race meeting. The match is to be played on the Friday, the “off” day between the two days of the meeting, and is thus set down for February 16. The satisfactory result which attended the benefit match held last Fcbiuary has led to the general committee of the Wanganui Jockey Club donating the shield to encourage the cricketers among the visiting trainers and jockeys. Native Rates.

••1 pray that you do nut press too hard on the natives lor payment of their rates,” said Mr. Parete Wereta, the old chief who spoke first in welcoming the Minister of Public Works on the occasion of the opening of the Ruapirau {Stream bridge un {Saturday. Replying, the Minister said that he took from what had been said that the first request the Maoris had to make was in regard to the burden of rates. Personally, he hoped that with the turning of the tide, which was indi-

cated by the rise in wool and meat, those who had not been able to pay would be better able to do so than ever

Up-river Mails. “The Government fell that it should play the game with the present River Services Company in regard to the mail contract,” said Mr. Alex. Stuart, ALP. for Rangitikei, speaking at the opening of the Ruapirau Stream bridge on Saturday. “1 Know there are many who think that the mails ought to be carried by road, but the Government has concluded very satisfactory arrangements with the Rivet Servicces, and the contract has been renewed for a period of three years at less than 50 per cent, of what th© recent tender was. \Ve quite realise that the River Services have given good service and it was up to us to play the game. Automatically, it will come about, of course, that the mails will be carried by road later on.” Not •‘Bodyline.”

It was not a case ut “ budyline bowling, but an incident on a Wanganui cricket ground on Saturday afternoon afforded spectators mu h enteriuiunieiit. A left-handed batsman had the misfoitunc to get part of ins anatomy m the way of a bumping ball, with painful results. The next bad also caught him in the hip, much to his disgust. A bright idea struck him. and he decided to try a right-handed stance. Unfortunately, the ball 11 up again an once mure the batsman was struck. Back he turned to the lefthanded stance, and the fieldsmen who had patiently taken up their places to suit the ucw style once mure crossed over to resume their original positions. Finally, the batsman managed to “carry his bat,” being unbeaten at the drawing of stumps.

Tho Government Defended. Speaking at the opening of the Rua pirau bridge un Saturday, the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. Biichcner, said that when the depression had passed and this country was approaching its normal state, people would realise that they had a lot to thank the Government tor. He referred tu the raising of the rate of exchange, and the benefits, he said, it had conieried on the couiiuy. The Government hoped, later, to reduce the rate of exchange. Mr. Alex. Stuart, M.P. for Rangitikei, also defended the Government against criticism. He could never understand why it was that the wage-earners uf this country had got it into their heads that the Government was against them At a caucus of the Coalition Paity, when all deliberations were strictly in committee, he had hoard the prime Minister say that the Government would not take advantage of the unfortunate position that had arisen, but would play the game with the wageearners. And the Government was honestly striving to solve the problems of the day. Yet the Labour Party kept talking, day after day, that the Gov ernment was trying to put the wageearner and the man with a small income out of existence. “The Government has had a lot of unpopular duties to perform,” Mr. Stuart added, “and in doing its duty it has never thought of popularity at all. The work had to bo done and the Government did it. That is all.”