Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 298, 18 December 1933, Page 6

Town Talk

Yesterday's rain, which was the first since the morning of December 2, was welcome to a very parched countryside. There has been practically no rain in the Wanganui district since November 23, except half an inch which fell on the night of Dccembei I and morning of December 2. An old resident says that it is 11 years since this locality experienced such a lengthy dry spell prior to Christmas. Up to nine’o’clock last night 15 points of rain had fallen, less than a quarter of an inch and. in farming parlance, “not enough to lay the dust.” When th* “Chronicle” went to press the sky was overcast and the signs were sufficient to encourage hope that there would be more. Death of a Child. After suffering ill-health since birth a child named Margaret Mary. Falconer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.' A. R. Falconer. Hinau Street, Castlecliff, died yesterday afternoon, aged nine months. An inquest will be necessary. Teachers’ Social Function. Male teachers in the Wanganui primary schools held their annual social gathering at the Elrick lounge on Friday night. Mr. R. N. Wilson, headmnstei at Wanganui East, presided, and a most enjoyabfte time was spent. Pretty Sails. Yachting has definitely taken on in yesterday morning, off the end of Carlton Avenue, was similar to the daily outlook over harbours in the main centres. Eight craft were under sail, travelling gracefully in a moderate breeze. Free Ambulance. Three cases were served by the Wanganui Free Ambulance yesterday, all of them being medical. The ambulance was called to Marton twice, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. The third call was from within the city. This makes a total of 151 eases that the ambulance has attended since it was instituted. Cooking in Hangi. A Fordell resident and his family often adopt the method of the Maori and cook their Sunday dinner in an oven in the ground—a hangi. He says that the food cooked this way is very tasty and the method of cooking does away with the inconvenience and discomfort of a hot kitchen in the summer time. Football Trophy. The Wanganui Technical Old Boys' Football Club has presented to the Technical College a trophy for interhouse competition. This was handed over at the prize giving on Friday, by Mr. E. F. Laws, who said that the club desired to be definitely linked with the school in sport. He appealed to the pupils to support the old boys’ organisations after they left. The gift was received with cheers. Schools to Break up. Primary schools throughout New Zealand break up on Wednesday of this 'wee?, for the Christmas and New Year holidays. As a general rule the breakup day is a Friday, but this year, largely on account of Christmas •falling on a Monday, the term has been made to terminate in the middle of the week. This will permit teachers who reside at great distances from their hoinis a chance to join their family gathering for Christmas. Week-end Fire Alarms. At 10.45 a.m. on Saturday the. Wanganui Central Fire Brigade turned out to a grass fire beside the railway line at the College Street crossing. No damage was done. A justifiable, false alarm was received at. 3.47 a.m. yesterday, a passerby being under the impression that smoke issuing from a building near the intersection of Guyton Street and St. Hill Street indicated that a building was ablaze. Magpies. are multiplying rapidly in the Wanganui district and are spreading. A few years ago these birds confined themselves to certain localities, but latterly they have spread to almost every district along the coast. At nesting time the magpie is a determined bird. Both the male and female will go to extremes to defend their young. It is on record that a lad at Westmere tried to rob a magpie’s nest, but was chased out of it by the two parent birds, who were, so incensed that for days afterwards the lad could not stir from the house without either the male or the female swooping at him. Fordell School. A varied programme has boon arranged to celebrate the jubilee of the Fordell School on Friday. It is anticipated that the celebrations will attract many old residents te gather and discuse old times. A procession of oldtime vehicles is to open proceedings, and as the personnel involved will bo garbed in the dress of the time represented, this item on the jubilee programme will be well worth seeing. The gathering of ex-pupils and friends in the school grounds will be a happy function. Recollections of days gone by will serve to direct attention the more closely to the school’s history. The Examination. “I am not one of those who believe that a school should be judged by its failures or its successes in examinations,” said Mr. I. E. Newton, M.A., principal of the Wanganui Technical College, on Friday. “The examination system favours those children who remember well and see things quickly, but they do not always turn out the best people. It often happens that those pupils who take a long time to see a thing, and think a lot before they say they understand it. turn out best in the long run. The real thing for a school to do is train children io habits, and to su a an outlook on life that they well become useful citizens in their dav.” Castlecliff Beach. * C&stlecliff beach was well patronised over the week-end. A heavy wild throughout the greater part of Saturday afternoon made conditiius less pleasant than usual, but towards evening when tin* wind moderated, the surf was excellent. Yesterday, the at tenounee of the Port silver band, from Wellington, at traced a large crowd to the beach, and i.i spite of the rain, which commenced to ‘all, just after mid day, the band played a pleasing programme to an audiencj that lister cd from motor-cars convenientlv parked near the rotunda, an 1 iron, she’ll red vantage points about the beach. The visiting band was assisted by the Queen’s Own. “The only complaint I have to make aoout your Cast?cliff beach is the presence o' Ko many dogs.” a visitor rem like i y( rterday. “Surely some control can be oeicised by whichever local body is in charge. .Perhaps the surf club w.u.i 1 take the matter up.”