Bands’ Carnival Commences.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 288, 6 December 1933, Page 6

Bands’ Carnival Commences.

All three Wanganui bands were to be seen marching and playing last evening in Victoria Avenue and Ridgway Street. Their appearance marked the beginning of their carnival, which is being held for the purpose of raising funds to send all three to the annual contests Io be held in Wellington next Cyclist Injured. Three cyclists crashed on the AJarten Park last evening when competing in the half-mile handicap held in conjunction with the first meeting of the Galpin Cup scries. One of them, R. Alaiden, broke a collarbone, and was attended to by the St. John Ambulance Brigade before being escorted from the grounds. The races were, in most cases, very evenly .contested. Hospital Patients. Satisfactory progress toward recovery is being made at the Wanganui Public Hospital by Mr. Gordon Smith, the lorry driver who was admitted last Wednesday after having had an almost miraculous escape when his lorry went over a bank on the Parapara Road near Kakatahi. A motor-cyclist, Air. C. Perrett, who dislocated a shoulder on Saturday, was abl c to proceed to his home yesterday. Support Local Industries! “J. think everyone in Wanganui should ask for Wanganui-manufactured goods,” said Air. G. H. Pownall at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui and District Development League. His con tention was that by doing so, more employment could be given for Wanganui citizens. “I think we ought to make every post a winning post to get the people of Wanganui to purchase locallymade goods,” he said. Past tho Flush. Reports from dairy factories and the country districts state that the milking season is now slightly past the flush, and a small drop in production has been noticed lately, the recent spell of dry weather not being without its effect. Large quantities of milk and cream are being dealt with daily, however. The price paid by buyers for butter in the Wanganui district is stated to be on a par with that in England at the present time, namely B}d per lb., or 73s per cwt. It is understood that the Wangachu factory sold 1000 cases at this price recently.

“The Beauty of Wanganui.” One ot the attractions arranged for the great opening night of the carnival proper in Wanganui next Rcbruary is a ballet by “the beauty of Wanganui.” Between 50 and 60 girls are being trained for this display, which is to b c danced on the bottom concrete step of the main grandstand at the racecourse. The full width of the stand will be taken up and a most spectacular scene will result when these young ladies move to a spirited tap dance. Miss Audrey Hughes Johnson and Miss Shirley Cramond have the matter in hand, having volunteered their services to the carnival executive, an action which was applauded at a meeting of that body last night. Stubborn Calves. One of the prettiest sights in a show ring in a country like New Zealand is a smoothly-paraded ring of calves, each animal led by a child. At various schools along tho coast during the past week, where judging of boys’ and girls’ calf club competitions has been in progress, suA rings have been seen frequently. Bill it often happens on these occasions that usually well-behaved calves become stubborn and rcfus e to be led quietly. In consequence they lose marks at the hands of the judge of condition and roaring. More often than not, however, tho stubbornness develops ibccausc of ineffective tuition in tho halter. When judging at Alton. Kakaramea and Afanutahi schools yesterday, Air. W. J. Cooper, Rapanui. gave the boys and girls a useful tip. “When teaching your calf to lead,” he said, ‘‘but a bucket down somewhere, then put the halter on and lead tho calf up to it. If you do that a few times the calf will soon make a good leader.” Useful Birds. There was a time, and not long ago. when farmers in the Wanganui district were very apprehensive of the rapid increase in birds, particularly thrushes, blackbirds and sparrows. To-day there is a feeling among a good many of those same formers that they were unduly hard in their condemnation of the feathered species mentioned, and a conviction has grown that there are too few birds along this coast. “Years ago,” when I opposed the use of poisoned wheat, farmers laughed at me,” said Air. T. W. Lonsdale, of the Fields Division of the Department of Agriculture, in conversation with a ‘ ‘ Chronicle ’ ’ reporter yesterday.

“Many of the same men have come to me recently and said that I was right. The birds were pests, it. is true, but with fewer birds about other pests that, are far worse have grown. There are far too few birds about now and I have always advocated that they be protected.” Air. J. B. Hogg, agricultural instructor in the Wanganui education district, supplemented Air. Lonsdale’s observations by pointing out that schools were encouraged to protect birds, and whore pupils had taken up that linn action woe betide the boy who robbed a nest.