25 YEARS AGO

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 208, 3 September 1934, Page 6

25 YEARS AGO

REVIVING OLD MEMORIES. (From the “Chronicle,” Sept. 3,1909.) Speaking at tho conference of local bodies held yesterday afternoon to consider the question of protecting tho Taylorville bank of the river, the Mayor said the boxing of the Town Bridge cylinders had proved that that work had been necessary. It was found that the river bed had so scoured away that the cylinder on the Taylorville side was only six feet in the ground. It had now been sunk thirty or forty feet further down. It had also been , found that the cement in the central cylinder was badly damaged. At the bulb show to-day a number of , selections will be given on the old ; museum organ, which has stood silent for so many years in the hall. This organ is at least over 150 years old and came out to New Zealand in 1823 for the use of the veteran missionary, the Rev. Archdeacon Williams, of Pail hia, Bay of Islands. The instrument t is New Zealand’s first church organ ; and very likely the first missionary in- ■ strument, with the exception of those I manufactured by the Maoris. In spite i of its age, it plays the old-fashioned tunes fairly distinctly and those who have not yet heard this quaint instru- , ment should not miss this opportunity. Messrs. Chrichton and McKay, architects, are calling tenders for the erection of a branch bank at Wanganui for the Bank of New South Wales.