Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 169, 22 July 1935, Page 6

Town Talk

I tits Own Landlord. The Wanganui Clie.-s Club owns the clubhouse which it uses. Jn this con neclion the club is < lanned to be in a unique position, for no other chess club in Now Zealand or Australia is its own land lord. IWaitotara Hill. ; Progress on the i ccun.-l i net mn and i realignment of the main highway al the hill immediately north of Waitotara has been interrupted by the recent wet weather, but it is anticipated that operations will be pushed forward in the near future. By cutting oil' twu awkward corners the considerable im procement is being efTected al the northern entrance lo Wailolara. Ania’gamation of Bands. Proposals to amalgamate the two Wanganui bands, Garrison anti Queen \s Own. have reached a deadlock, in that neither band desire that such a step should bo taken. The matter wa> placed before the members of each band and they decided to oppose the suggestion. It is understood that the I trustees will meet, in the near future to decide whether any further steps should be taken. Chess Revival. A revival in the interest displayed in the game of chess was predicted last week by a prominent member of the old-established Wanganui Chess Club, who stated that he had noticed many recruits to the ranks of chess players in recent, weeks. Jt is not generally known that the Wanganui Club is well on the way toward celebrating its diamond jubilee, for it was established over 55 years ago. With a view to capitalising the renewed interest shown, a drive-is being matte to double the club’s membership. Adaptable Birds Some New Zealand nativi birds, which 30 years ago were thought to be nearing extinction, had increased greatly in numbers in recent years, said Mr L. W. McCaskill iu an address on “Native Foivsts and Native Birds,” in Christchurch recently. The bellbird, which was now to be heard in almost every part of New Zealand, was a case in point, he said, and it seemed as if the birds had now s-‘. cssfullv adapted themselves to the changes that hail Lome to Now Zealand since its colonisation and civilisation. Four Conductors Meet. There was an interesting gathering of band conductors last Wednesdav when the band of the WcflTngton West Coast Regiment held ’its weekly practice. In addition to Captain J. Trussell. Each had a special ‘mission—to conduct the band in preparation for next Sunday night’s farewell concert to Mr. 'rum Gray. Mr. Crichton has a great, record as a conductor and the Regimental Band is deeply appreciative of the interest he is taking in it. During tho time he held the baton of the Garrison Band that famous combination won J 3 first places and seven seconds. Horses Travel by Motor. 'Though it is generally maintained that the motor-car is ousting the horse iu many directions, those who attended the point-to-point steeplechase meeting at Waverle.y on Saturday were provided with evidence that, horses and motors are often on very friendly terms. Al any horses engaged at, the meeting travelled thither in wheeled floats which were drawn as trailers behind the owners’ motor-cars. In this manner an owner, during the season, found it possible to attend the fixtures of the hunt without risking the chance of injury to his horse through ridingon the bitumen surface of the highway. Arts and Crafts. At the annual meeting of the Wanganui Arts and Crafts (Society held on Friday the following officers were elected:—President. Dr. H. D. Robertson; vice-presidents, Messrs. C. 1.. Duigan, Hope Gibbons, I. E. Newton, Geo. Murch, N, G. Armstrong, W. .L Rogers. Miss Tizard. Mesdames A. H. Wall and H. D. Robertson; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. Orren BalesCouncil, Messrs. K. James, S. Spencer Smith. Vivian Smith, T. Ho’.lowuv. O. Hay-Campbell, Mrs. \’. E. ‘Whiteman and Miss Montgomery Moore; and honorary auditor, Mr. W." M. Falconer. F.1.A., N.Z. On the motion of the president it was resolved to place on record the society’s appreciation of the services of Mr. C. Hay-C'impbell, who has acted a? secretary for the four years. Keen Barracking. It was refreshing to participate in the barracking at Spriggens Park la.-t •Saturday, when the teams in the major match, Kaierau and Marist, battled until the final minute of play ix points all. Ln that crucial last 60 seconds Kaierau scored and won by nine to six. Before the deciding iry was scored the shouting on the touchline was incessant, most of it, naturally, being for green. Kaierau ha.s long held supremacy in Wanganui football, and there was a hope that the maroons would be beaten. 'I hat hope lives every vear In the uiinds ol the Wanganui Jtugbv public.. It is not because they have any bitterness against the maroons, but because they have always been looked upon as champion-, ami when anybody can down a champion he becomes an idol. The close nature of the game, plus the knowledge thal Marist, had taken a leaf out of Kaierau’s own book and trained solidly, will rekindle inter est iu the competition. ‘Wangnnui • ~d Old Buys and Waxerley still have to play Kaierau before the boll on ihe cup is definitely decided. Kakingo at Town Wharf. Big steamers trom Gvdii<'\ and ' Melbourne are not to be seen at the' I own M harf very often, bin on occa sions such as •Saturday, when the Kalingu was loading timber for >s Vl | ney, the appearance uf an intercolonial vessel presents a marked contrast with the smaller ships w'.ich Hade between coastal ports. Berthed a short distance abaft the Kalingu was the a.m.v. ll ;i n turn, while at No. I shed t| le •Sturm, a fairly large coastal steamer. Dwarfed between the two steamers the motor-vessel from Onehunga appeared very small indeed, particularly al high water when the Kalingu, with \ e7y litt.e cargo in her holds, was toweling above the wharf. The intercolonial steamer sailed on Saturday night for Greymouth, from which port she will proceed to •Sydney- on Friday. The last overseas vessel to berth at the 'Town W htirl was the James Look, which arrived on April |6. In February tho Ireighlei Abel Tasman also loaned at Ihe Town Wharf. Il i> intcrc>ting to note that there is very litle difl'ereneu in the sizes of flic three intercolonial steamers mentioned. The James Cook, howei’er. is the largest ami when she arrived in April established a new record fur the i- rt.