Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 126, 29 May 1936, Page 6

Town Talk

Collegiate School Re-opens. The Wanganui Collegiate School will commence its second term of the 1936 academic year to-day. The first term holidays were commenced on April 29. Old Girls’ Donation. A donation of £2 2s in appreciation of the use of the school facilities for their annual ball was received from the old girls of the Wanganui Girts’ College at yesterday’s meeting v f the Board of Governors. The meeting decided that the secretary should icknowlodge the donation which is being transferred to the piano fund. South African Veterans. To commemorate Vereniging Day and Empire IDay a parade of South African veterans will bo held in Wanganui on Sunday morning. The “ fall in” will take place outside the Farmers’ Unioz office in Ridgway Street at 10.30 a.m. and will proceed to Cook’s Gardens, via St. Hill Street. After a wreath has been laid on the memorial dedicated to the South African veteran the men will march to Christ Church. It is hoped to have the Queen Alexandra’s Own Band in attendance. Members of the Wanganui Returned Soldiers’ Association will also participate in the parade. Departure of the Queen Mary. The broadcast description of the departure of the giant Cunarder Queen Mary, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, was listened to by many radio enthusiasts in Wanganui yesterday afternoon. The broadcast on short-wave from Daventry was an electrical recording, and was relayed by the Wellington station, the rebroadcast commencing about 4.30 p.m. Reception on short-wave receiv l ers was reported as excellent while the rebroadcast by’ 2YA was equally as clear. Girls’ College Additions. A report from its architect on the proposal to add a second storey to the gymnasium building was received at yesterday’s meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wanganui Girls’ College. The architect reported that the proposal was possible but the cost would almost be as great as the erection of a separate building. Three classrooms would be provided and the cost of the work would be £l4OO. The chairman, Mr. G. S. Gordon, wondered whether it was worth while spending such a large sum on the present site. It was decided to request the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, to visit the city as soon as possible. Wanganui Girls’ College. The principal, Miss A. C. Tizard, reported to yesterday’s meeting of the Board of Governors of the Wanganui Girls’ College that the roll comprised 357 secondary pupils, 49 preparatory students, 88 piano, five singing ami two elocution. Three secondary school girls loft at the end of last term and five new' pupils were entered. In the preparatory school, four girls left at the end of the term and one new pupil was enrolled on the re-opening day. Thirteen girls, J2 of whom were from the secondary school, sat for the proficiency examination at the end of the term and nine were successful. One gained a competency certificate and three failed to pass. Rural Mail Fees. “That in view of the buoyant state of the finances of the Post and Telegraph Department, the Government be requested to abolish all rural mail delivery fees” was the text of a remit moved by Mr. J. H. Bremner on behalf of the Pahiatua branch at the interprovincial conference of the Farmers’ Union in Feilding yesterday. He stated that with the improved outlook, he considered this concession could be granted. The remit was unanimously approved. Mr. T. Currie (Brunswick) moved a remit that the P. and T. Department be approached to extend the rural mail delivery service to backblock settlers without a penal rate. Air. Claud Smith (Brunswick) supported the remit, stating that it merely asked for improved facilities. The remit was carried. Inadequate Punishment. Protesting that the sentences imposed on persons convicted of sheep stealing were inadequate, Mr. G. L. Marshall (Marton) drew attention, at the interprovincial conference of the Farmers’ Union at Feilding on Wednesday to the recent sentence of six mouths’ imprisonment imposed on a man found guilty of such an offence. Mr. Marshall said that some two years ago the same man was sentenced to 18 months on seven charges. After his release he became engaged in the same crime and, on 13 charges, received only six months’ gaol. The speaker felt. that it was time some protest was re* gistcrcd against the inadequacy of the punishment. He moved that the conference ask the Dominion executive of the union to take the matter up with a view to protesting against the inadequacy of the sentences imposed on those convicted of wool stealing. The motion was carried unanimously.