Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 59, 10 March 1936, Page 6

Town Talk

I County Rates. In answer to a question at yesterj day's meeting of the Waitotara County Council the clerk, Mr. T. Dix reported that the rates had conic in well this yoar and the position wais better than usual. Waitotara County Meeting. As its next monthly meeting date falls on .Easter Alon day, the Waitotara County Council at its meeting yesterday decided .to hold the April meeting on the first Monday of the month. The holding of the meeting on the Tuesday or Wednesday was considered but it was pointed out that these dates would mean a break of six weeks between meetings. J Surf Club's Collection. Approximately £8 10s was collected ; at the West Coast (North Island) , surf life-saving championships at : Castlecliff Beach on Sunday afternoon. ' The collection was made on behalf of i the Castlecliff Surf Section of the i Royal Life-Siaving Society, who edn- | trolled the championships. The amount : collected will be sufficient to meet the expenses incurred. Observing the Moon, To tho initiated it would appear that the best .lime for observing the moon through a telescope would be at full moon. However, one of the numerous persons who visited the city observatory on. Saturday night was informed by an amateur astronomer present that the best telescopic lunar views were obtained during the first quarter when the rays of the sun threw the contour of the moon’s surface into relief. Horticultural Societies. As the outcome cf the resolutions of the Wanganui and Suburban Horticultural Societies to amalgamate, a general meeting of the members of both societies will be held in the City Council Chambers on Thursday night. The meeting will discuss the adoption of a constitution and proposals governing the future activities of the society and will elect officers and a committee. Air. N. G. Armstrong will preside. Ferry Punt Lost. During the high flood in .the 'Wanganui River on February 2 the punt at the I'pokongaro ferry was swept away and has not been discovered yet. The matter was brought before, yesterday’s meeting of the Waitotara . County Council by Cr. A. A. Win wood, who suggests that us it was the property of the council it should be advertised for. Ho had been informed by one ratepayer that he was prepared to give £5O to £6O for the punt on account of the kauri of which it was constructed. It was decided to communicate with the Wanganui County Couii- ; cil on the matter. Surf Buoys Lost. Six buoys which 'were anchored on the surf at Castlecliff Beach on iSatur- 1 day afternoon for use in the West Coast (North Island) surf life-saving championships on Sunday were washed away on Saturday by the heavy seas which were pounding the coast. Two of the buoys were painted white and green and the remaining four green, yellow, black and red. respectively. They were attached to a length of 180 yards of one and a-half inch rope and when last seen were drifting up the Wanganui River on the tide. Anyone finding any of the buoys is requested to communicate with Air. AV. Broadhead, of the Waitotara County Conn- . Free Ambulance Service. * The first donation to be made in connection with the St. John Free Ambulance annual appeal, to be held early’ in April, was received by the organis- t ing-secretary (Mr. D. E. Gullery) yes- ] terday. The Wanganui ]‘)rivers’ Union j forwarded a donation of 10s (id. The , appeal will be on similar lines to last year’s effort when a house-to-house canvass was carried out. Arrangements for this year's appeal are now £ well in hand and the secretary stated last night that fullv .100 volunteer col-

lectors would be required. The St. John Free Ambulance members are faced with a big task ami would welcome the assistance of other supporters i of the service. Wanganui Hospital. Plans for the additions and altera- j tions proposed in respect to the Wanganui Public Hospital have been returned from the Department of Health and,’generally speaking, have met with approval. Immediately’ the Hospital Board minutes its approval, such ad- ( justments of detail as the department thinks should be made will be attended ] to when, subject to the necessary finance being obtainable, fenders will be •caled for the work. The additions include a new operating theatre block, an out-patients’ block, accommodation for the bacteriologist and extra bed ’ accommodation occasioned by the encroachment of the additions referred to on existing wards. It is intended ■ to provide the new ward space by the erection of additional storeys in. two i cases. The McGregor Fund. Reference to- the fund which has been opened for t'he dependants of the late Squadron-Leader• Al. C. A'l.cGregor was made at last night \s meeting of the Wanganui Aero Club, when the secretary read a. letter from tire New Zealand Aero Club asking for assist- i ancc in connection with this matter. The letter stated that the fund will be open until Alarch 31. Th-e chairman, Air. J. R. Franklin, who was acting in the absence of Air. A. S. Burgess, remarked that the caure was one deserving of full support. Alenibers present unanimously’ ■endorsed this opinion ami a committee comprising Alessrs. A. S. Burgess, J. R. Franklin and E. J. Strachan was appointed to go into the matter with a view to obtaining support for the fund in Wanganui. City Observatory, During the three nights of the High Jinks carnival at Cook’s Gardens the Wanganui Observatory was opened to the public and was visited by several hundred people. On Thursday night after the conclusion of the programme of motor-cycle stunt events more than 150 people visited the observatory to peer through the giant telescope at the moon. Several keen astronomers were in attendance and were willing to pass on their knowledge to those who desired enlightenment, to explain the use of the various instru ents and to answer the innumerable questions that were asked. Alany of those who visited the observatorv were hitherto un- < aware of its equipment and a number were surprised to learn that the telescope is one of the largest of its type in the southern hemisphere. On Saturday’ night there were many visitors but a cloudy sky was responsible for only a few*’ persons seeing the moon through the telescope.