Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 209, 4 September 1934, Page 4

Town Talk

Making Sure. “Do you run to a time-table?” was a question put to a witness before the No. 5 Licencing Authority at Wanganui yesterday. "No,” was the reply, "we don’t work to„a time-table but we always get there before, so as to make sure. ” River Road Service. Application was made by the Wanganui River Services, Ltd., to the No. 5 District Licensing Authority at Wanganui yesterday, for the renewal of a licence to carry goods between Wanganui and Pipiriki. In view of another application to be made later in the sitting, the Authority reserved its decision. A*Busy Committee. A meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Wanganui Agricultural Association was held last night, Mr. A. R. Donaldson presiding. It was a long meeting in which a great deal of business in connection with the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee Show was discussed. There were 50 items on the agenda paper. Badminton Championships. Badminton players from all over New Zealand will congregate at Wanganui to-morrow for the New Zealand badminton championships, which will be held in the Drill Hall from to-mor-row until Saturday. The finals will be held on Saturday night. Good entries have been received, and interesting play is anticipated. Steamer to Nelson. A reply was received hy the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce last night from Nelson to the suggestion that direct steamer connection be established between Wanganui and Nelson during the summer season, to cope with holiday traffic. It was stated that the suggestion had been sympathetically received in Nelson, but so far as the shipping company was concerned there were difficulties to be faced which were not apparent on the surface. Miniature Police. A representative of the Police and Press Committee visited the Queen’s Park School yesterday for the purpose of recruiting a miniature police force iu connection with next Saturday’s match. The headmaster, Mr. C. W. Liggins, asked all those boys who wanted to be policemen to .stand up. Every boy in the room got to his feet. Such is the interest being taken in the Police and Press movement by the younger generation. Itinerant Traders. Further reference to the activities of itinerant auctioneers and traders was made at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. A letter was received from the Wanganui Drapers, Furnishers and Boot Retailers’ Association, pointing out that this subject had long been one of concern. That body was of opinion that legislation should be amended to empower local bodies to charge a much higher licence fee. The sum of £25 was mentioned. Any resolution coming from the Chamber of Commerce would materially help to achieve the object in view. The letter stated further that the same matter had been taken up by the Master Grocers’ Association, but, so far as that body was concerned, the house-to-house hawker was the worst offender. Mr. A. S. Burgess: This is a national, not a local matter. I move that a suitable remit be forwarded to the annual conference of the Associated Chambers. This was carried. The History of Pensions. Pensions, and the history of their institution iu New Zealand, were dealt with by Mr. L. McKinnon in an address to the Wanganui Rotary Club yesterday. He recalled that it was in 1894 that the late Sir Janies Carroll moved, in the House of Representatives, that a committee be appointed to discuss the question of making provision for old age. Eventually a Royal Commission was appointed, and a Bill came into force in 1899 to provide for old age pensions. From that time on several alterations and amendments had been made, while widows’ pensions, miners’ pensions, family allowances, and provision for the blind had also been made. Mr. McKinnon drew attention to the fact that the Victoria Cross carried with it a life pension, as also did the New Zealand Cross, which had been awarded for deeds of valour during the Maori wars. To-day, however, there were few holders of the New Zealand Cross alive. Carriers’ Licences. It is the custom of transport companies serving a wide district to establish depots at the various centres, and to have the goods deposited distributed to the destinaions. This disribution is carried out by smaller lorries than those which operate over the long distances. The difference in the attitude of the Wanganui city authorities with regard to the licensing of the smaller vehicles as compared with the views adopted by the Wellington, Palmerston North and Hawera authorities, was revealed in evidence heard by the No. 5 District Licencing Authority yesterday. Whereas Wanganui required the company to take out heavy traffic licences only and not carries’ licences for the smaller vehicles, it was state I that the other centres required the companies to take out carries’ licences as well as heavy traffic licences, it is understood that an opinion as to whether Wanganui’s attitude is right or wrong is to be secured. Married Men in Camps. The opinion was expressed by Mr. S. J. Goodey, at last night’s meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, that the creation of camps for married relief workers was wrong in principle. Mention of the work of improving the Parapara Road raised the subject. Mr. Goodey: Does this chamber advocate married men’s camps? The president (Mr. A. S. Burgess): Yes. Mr. Goodey: Then I’m voting against it. Mr. Burgess: I am told that the married men’s camps in this district have been quite successful. The men have earned good money. Mr. Goodey replied that the single men should go to camps. “So far as I am concerned,” he said, “I think it is quite wrong to take married men out of their homes and put them in a camp on the Parapara Road. It seems to me we are losing all our old ideas about home. Mr. Burgess: The married men are willing to go. It is purely voluntary. Mr. Goodey: If they are prepared to go, all right. I’ve got no more to say. But if they don’t want to go I think we ought to stand and help them fight the camps.