Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 12, 15 January 1936, Page 6

Town Talk

I Road Deviation Necessary Owing to wet weather having hindered the metalling operations now in progress on the Bulls-Hunterville Road, a portion of the highway is nut open to traffic and a deviation must be, made from Curb’s Bridge. Traffic will thus pass through Crofton and Marton. The deviation, however, will not involve a great deal of extra travelling for cars proceeding to Hunterville and the Main Trunk. Moutoa Gardens. Gi'cen lawns and foliage and large pohutakawa trees laden with crimson blossoms make the -Moutoa Gardens, fronting the Wanganui Courthouse, a pretty scene at the present time. During the. corresponding month of last year the lawns were parched, and brown and the trees and Howers were devoid of beauty as the result of a.i exceptionally dry summer. This year there has been a plentiful supply of rain during the rummer months and not only Moutoa Gardens but all the city reserves arc in excellent condition. Gilbert and Sullivan Opera A tour of the. New Zealand centres by the J. C. Williamson Gihbert and Sullivan Opera Company io planned to commence at Auckland on February 18. Mr Claude Kingston, who xvas in Wanganui yesterday, said that the company would visit the city for a season of three or four nights after appearing at Auckland, Hamilton and New Plymouth. Already keen interest was being taken in the tour and enquiries had been received from al] parts of the Dominion concerning the opcias to be presented. Congratulations to M.P. Thanks for the motion of congratulation extended lu him at the Decemirer meeting of the council oil his election to Parliament were expressed by Cr. J. B. Cottcrill, ALL’., at last night's meeting of the Wanganui City Council. Cr. Cottcrill assured his fellowcouncillors that at all times he would work in the interests of Wanganui and district. ‘‘Personally, 1 think it in to the advantage of the council,” he said, “to have one of its members a Member of Parliament. .1. feci that L can. be of considerable assistance to the council in many ways in my now office. ’ ’ Chilled Beef from Patea The first shipment of chilled beef to be sent, from Batea is now being prepared at the Batea Freezing Works. Killing operations were commenced on Monday and the consignment, will be conveyed by rail to Wellington, where it will connect with the C. and D. freighter Bort Wyndham, which sails on Saturday for London, via Cape Horn and Dakar. The shipment comprises 130 head of excellent steers from the properties of Messrs 11. 11. Birch and F. Sarten, the Studhohnc Estate, and Mr A. E. Symes, and includes two-year-olds frum. Air AV. H. Reid’s Maxwell property. It will be conveyed in wagonis built specially bv the Railway Department to cope with chilled beef rcquii emen-ts. Dangerous Cycling. The opinion that cyclirts were taking a risk in cycling down the track leading frum the Aramoho Bridge tu Anzac Parade was expressed by Cr. A. E. Halligan at last night's meeting of lhe Wanganui City Ce-uncil. Recently, he said, a cyclist came down the track and just brushed a motor-car proceeding along the roadway. He considered that a notice chould be erected prohibiting cycling on the track, but 'councillors pointed c-ut that such a notice xvas already in position. Cr. J. B. Cottcrill, ALP., suggested that the problem could be mc€ by the ■erection of a bridge at the foot of the hill. On the motion of Cr. Halligan, it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Works Committee. Coastal Shipping Delayed At least three coas’tal vessels expected at Wanganui this week have been delayed by hpavy rain in the South Island. The t.s.s. Rata, whi'ch has 260 tons of coal from Westport and Greymouth, was to have worked New Plymouth yesterday and Wanganui to-day, but was delayed by rain at Greymouth. The Rata is now due at Wanganui to-morrow. Heavy rain at Dunedin on Alonday caused a cessation of work on the waterfront, with the result that the Cant anbury Company's motor-yhip Gale, and Holm and Company’s s.s. Holmdale, both of which were loading for Wanganui and via ports, were unable to soil on Monday nighit. These vessels wctc originally clue here on Friday, but will not now arrive before Saturday, Masport Cup Race Over sixty speed-boat enthusiasts will journey from Wanganui to Picton next week to witness the race for the Alasport Cup, which is to be held on Anniversary Day. This annual contest never fails to attract a great deal of interest in Wanganui. On this occasion two local boats, ATiss Ethel 111., and Aliss Wanganui, will take part in the race and will probably be shipped to Picton to-morrow in the Anchor Company’s motor-ship Alexander. The former speed-boat has a 300 h.p- His-pano-Suiza engine and is owned by Mr J. Pa ba mountain. Aliss Wanganui is Lhe property of Air F. Freeman and is powered with a 300 h.p. I'iat motor, which at one time was in Air R. Hatrick’s Kotuku, a former competitor for the Al asport Cup. This tropny, incidentally. has. on occasions, been won bv- Wanganui boats. It was held for live vears by the Aiderton Brothers’ J. and J-, and was also won by Mr A. Hatrick's Aliss Virginia. Relics of Bishop Pompallier. The alter on which the first Holy Alass was celebrated in New Zealand nearly 100 years ago, and the writing desk of Bishop Pompallier, were included in a collection of relics of the early days of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand, displayed at St. Alary 's Convent, Fonsonby, on Wednesday fur the benefit of the delegates to the annual conference of the Catholic Teachers’ Association of New Zealand, says the N. Z. Herald. Alost of the relics have been collected by Bishop Liston, and are valuable records of the Church in its infancy. There is an historical and statistical note on the results of the mission to New Zealand, written by Bishop Pompallier, and published in 1849; the first register of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, dated .1841; the receipt for the sale of the Bishop's schooner, Queen of Peace, with its ink faded to a Dale brown with age; the Bishop’s missal and rochet; and scrap books and photographs dealing with the pioneer priests of the Dominion.