Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 183, 7 August 1935, Page 6

Town Talk

Basketball Tournament. At a basketball tournament io be held in the Drill Hall to-night approximately 200 players will partici Date, At this tournament there will be announced the selection of the rep resentative team to make the trip to Wellington tor the New Zealand riiain pionship fixture. i Choice of Play. Giving advice last night l 0 those interested in the promotion of the Wanganui Drama Festival, the adjudicator, Miss Helen Gard Tier, of Welling ton, said that while she liked original plays, it was bettor to choose tried and tested work for competitive pur poses. The experience and finish of the perfect playwright helped the characters to carry their parts along natu rally. Rugby in the Rain. Stock and station agents appreciated the rain which fell yesterday afternoon, for it enabled their representative .Rugby team to draw with the banks’ fifteen in a match on the racecourse grounds. Each side scorcTT JI points, though it was anticipated that the stock firms’ representatives would be better suited by the weather conditions and would thus be able to account for their opponents. ‘‘Popular Club’’ Contest. It is understood that a sum in the vicinity of £4O was nettl’d as a result of the "Popular dub’’ competition held by the Wanganui Basketball Association. This was concluded last night, but the official announcement o! the result will not be made till tonight, when the winners will be proclaimed at a tournament at the IDrill Hall. The total received represents, at one penny a vote, an aggregate of close on 10,000 votes. It is expected that the announcement of the voting will dis close the fact that the leading f.lireo teams polled very evenly. Keen Demand.

A keen demand, it is reported, exists for the tickets for the Police-Press Rugby match, which is to be played on Spriggens Park on Saturday of next week Oae of the local police force has already sold 41 books of tickets, and as there are eleven in a book he has been responsible for disposing of 451 tickets. This is a splendid record and should prove encouraging to those interested in the sale of the tickets. The majority of retailers in Wanganui have offered assistance in the disposa.’ of tickets and have been supplied with books for customers who are desirous of assisting in the effort. Cattle for Picton. The Anchor Company’s l.s.m.v. Alexander called at 'Wanganui yesterday and took on board a consignment of cattle for Pieton. The motor-ship arrived early in tho afternoon and sailed for the southern port after loading at the cattle wharf. Tho Alexander was last here about two weeks ago, when she brought a cargo of cement from Tarakolie. Shortly before her arrival yesterday, the same company’s steam collier Titoki cleared port, also for Pieton. The Titoki arrived on Saturday night and was discharging coal at the Gas Wharf on Monday and at the Town Wharf yesterday morning. Venus and Moen.

The close approach between the moon and the planet Venus provided an interesting spectacle after sunset on Saturday, when an exceptionally clear sky permitted a good view of the conjunction to be obtained. The crescent moon was a few days past new and the darker portion was faintly illuminated by light reflected from the earth. Slightly lower in the sky and directly under the moon, Venus was shining with a brilliance almost rivalling that of the moon. Tho evening star is now at its maximum brightness, but is rapidly drawing in towand the sun, in whoso light it will shortly be hidden. Degree Students.

History was made by Air. D. W, McElwain and two fellow-pupils of t_hc Wanganui Technical College when they obtained their B.A. degrees, recalled the principal, Mr. 1. E. Nswtun, at a farewell funetieu yesterday. "It is the first time in the history the school that students have passi’a their final B.A. degree examination while attending the secondary school,’’ said Mr. Newton, who slated that Mr. McElwain bad gamed his "finals” examination together with two other Technical College students. Misses Brenda Hunt and Doris McClymont. A presentation was made to Mr. McElwain yesterday prior to his departure to further his studies in England. Off-stage Effects. Home excellent off-sialic effects were appreciated by the large audience al the opening of the Wanganui Drama Festival last night. One scene depicted a roadside in rural Wales, and the characters included a bishop, two poachers and a game-keeper. One poacher had a weird love for things of the wild, and the bark of a dog, the neighing of a donkey, the croaking of a frog and the hooting of an owl were sounds which brought happiness to him in his open-air home. All effects were reproduced realistically. A dog, offstage, was made to "speak up” at the right, moment. Who did the croaking, the neighing or the hooting was left to the imagination of the audience, but the bishop was sadly reminded of a very recent church conference, where they made speeches (long speeches), by the croaking of the frog.