Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 282, 2 December 1935, Page 6

Town Talk

Band Music on the Beach. Members of the Queen Alexandra’s Own Band assembled at the rotunda at Castlecliff beach yesterday, and entertained the crowd there to various bright and musical selections, which were much appreciated, adding a pleasant touch to the beautifully warm afternoon. Variegated Thistles. Prolific growth of variegated thistles is causing a great deal of extra work for farmers this season. Seed has apparently blown from afar and ridge tups and hillsides have provided excellent ground for germination. The wet season has undoubtedly facilitated growth, and in many instances tracks have to be cut to enable sheep to be driven through. Trailing the Skies. “There is something fascinating, indefinably so, in the star-twinkling skies; something which provokes thought and conjecture on what mysteries lie millions of miles above our own planet—whether we humans will ever solve them.” »So mused an observer last night when the spectacle of a meteor traversing a magnificent arc across portion of the western sky was probably seen by Wanganui residents. Silver-white, the meteor gleamed, and its rocket-like tail was a sight of splendour.

Stone’s Directory. The current issue of Stone’s Directory is now to hand. This is the 45th issue of the directory, and, like its predecessors, the present edition has been added U- and improved in various ways and the work as a whole will bear favourable comparison with, any similar publication wherever produced. The names and addresses have been compiled by means of house-to-house canvass, and the G-thcr information has been obtained from official and other reliable sources. The directory will be found to be of great value to businessmen. Father Christmas Arrives. ►Saturday was a big day for the kiddies of Wanganui. With all traditional pG'inp and ceremony 1 ather Christmas arrived in Victoria Avenue, on a decorated motor truck, shortly after 2.30 p.m. He met with a hearty welcome from the dozens of children who lined the street and later departed for an unknown destination. Owing to the half-holiday .observed by all shops on election day, many of the stores remained open on Saturday afternoon. Consequent upon this and the arrival of Father Christmas, an unusually large number of people were in the city. Meat Ships to Load. Now that the new season has opened, overseas vessels will be fairly frequent callers in the Wanganui roadstead. Three ships arc scheduled to load frozen meat and dairy produce uff Wanganui between now and early next nrc-nth. The motor-ship Port Alma, due at Bluff to-morrow .from Australia, wiU call iu the roadstead next month and will be followed by the steamer Cornwall, due about the middle of the month and the motc-r-ship Port Curtis, expected at the beginning of January. Towards the end of the present mouth further allotments will probably be made and January snould see the new season's operations in lull swing.

Wanganui Aero Club. Two more cups, one for bombing and the secund for landing, have been donated by Mr. H. Y. Lethbridge for a series of monthly competitions to be conducted on the first Sunday of each month by the Wanganui Aero Club. Tub first competitions of the new series wire held under good flying conditions at the airport yesterday. Miss E. I'arkinsc-n was placed first in the landing, while Miss Bumnici’cll was second, and Mr. I’. Tennant was third. Jn the landing competition, Mr. J. Strachan was first. The other placings were Mr. J. R. Franklyn second, and Miss E. Parkinson 3. The competitors will be held for six months, at the end of which period the two flyers gaining the most points will be awarded the trophies. Ideal Sailing Conditions. Yesterday was an ideal day for sailing and full advantage was taken of the steady southerly wind which prevailed. Several of the Wanganui bailing Club's boats took the water and remained out all day, cruising between the Town Bridge and CastleclifE. Conditions w-ere perfect for good sailing. Many owners of Takapuna boajs took the opportunity of sailing their craft single-handed. On Saturday, however, the wind failed completely and a race had to- be cancelled. This contest, which was to have been for the Motor Boat Ciip, will now be held next Saturday it the wind is favourable. Owners of speed boats and motor launches also availed themselces of yesterdays weather for cruising on the ,Wanganui Eiver. A Visitor’s Impressions. The features which hat e most impressed a visitor to Wanganui, so he said to a “Chronicle” representative yesterday, were the excellence of street signposting, and the comprehensive system of direction posts throughout the Wanganui Automobile Association’s territory. The many cropped lawns fronting residences m the city also impressed the visitor. These lawns, he said, were perfect, and reminded him very much ot the famed English turf sward. Wanganui, he said, was a well laid-out city, with many picturesque views. Borne panoramic views he had obtained while sightseeing, were reminiscent of the smaller cities in America and places or correspondin'- size in England. He thought Wanganui one of the prettiest “river cities' iu th-- world. Lighter for Overhaul. The Imlay Ughim Munn Ims been Slipped at ’Butmi for M extensive overhaul. It is ettstcmaiy to puce these small vessels on the ome year for cleaning, painting and "but on this occasion thv i-xam.. * ' a completely stripped t*f he* * The machinery, which is of 1 ••>-- 1: - reciprocating, triple expans'.c-n •I i ♦, l,„ u i-n" * f' - rcc-jii;Ltjon-has been taken tt. i.l ing and before being repmeed wi*l b* thorougmy (.r:amined. tne i* an oid vessel of tons gross and before being engaged exclusi«ly in the lightering service hotween immv -n.. the overseas vessels which anchor in the roadstead, she was employed m tte New Zealand coastal trade. .--ie has distinguished herself on more than one occasion, notabiy when she sank at the Castleclift Wharf and when she rescued the Chinese crew of t.ie Cyrena. A heavy sea was running when the rescue was carried out.