Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 135, 9 June 1937, Page 6

Town Talk

Tug Leaves for Wellington, Under the command of Captain r. Taylor, a member of the pilot station staff, the Wanganui Harbour Board’s steam tug Kahanui, sailed from Castlecliff for Wellington last evening to undergo her annual overhaul ana cleaning. Visit by Minesweeper. The imperial minesweeper attached to the New Zealand Naval Station, H.M.S. Wakakura, the smallest commissioned unit of the Royal Navy, is to pay a visit, to Wanganui on Sunday. The vessel, which paid a brief visit to Castlecliif several weeks ago, is due from Wellington, but inc length of her stay is not known. Anniversary of Notable Balta-. Monday was the 20th anniversary of one of the most notable engagements during the Great War, in which the New Zealand Division took part, the Battle of Messine.s. Early in the morning of June, 19 mines were exploded under the German front line. The British troops advanced, the New Zealand Division being allotted the task of clearing the intricate fortifications at Messincs. The objective aimed at was gained by midafternoon, some 7000 prisoners having been taken. Schedules Altered. Two Home liners listed to load at Wanganui this week have been altered through delays at other ports owing to rough weather. The Federal freighter longariro, en route from Port Chalmers, is now expected to arrive in the roadstead this morning and is to sail about Saturday for New Plymouth, Opua, Gisborne and Auckland. The New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer Westmoreland has been held up owing to rough weather at Gisborne, and is now scheduled to arrive at Wanganui on Saturday. She will sail about Tuesday next for Timaru and Bluff. Phoenix-like Attachment. When a school building, in a more or less isolated district is burnt down, the Education Department, before rebuilding, looks carefully at the question of consolidation to F.ee whether the school could be dispensed with and and the children brougnt into some more centrally situated ana better equipped school. When this fact was mentioned by the Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser) at the special meeting of the Wanganui Education Board on Monday, the chairman (Mr. E. F. Hemingway) said that he had noticed that tho local attachment for a school continued stronger than ever, alter a fire—an attachment strength* ened by flames. Southern Cargo. Two coastal vessels with consignments of general merchandise from Dunedin and way ports, via Picton, arrived at the Town Wharf yesterday morning. The Holmdale loaded al Dunedin last week and on her way north called at Oamaru, Timaru, Lyttelton, Wellington and Picton. After discharge she was to have sailed for Wellington and south. The Canterbury Company’s Breeze called at the same number of ports and also had general cargo on board. No further cargo from southern ports is expected before Friday, when the Canterbury Company’s steamer Storm is due at the Town Wharf. The Storm is at present en route from Dunedin and is scheduled to load at Wellington, tomorrow. Appreciation Expressed. A letter of appreciation from Dr. M. H. Watt, Director-General of Health, has been received by Mr. C. R. White, assistant town clerk and secretary of the committee* responsible for the organising work in connection with the Government’s free milk for school children scheme in the Wanganui district. The letter reads as follows: “I thank you for your very full reports detailing the steps taken by your committee in regard to the inauguration of the milk in schools scheme in Wanganui as from the Ist instant. I note also that the arrangements made in the schools are proving quite satisfactory. Will you kindly convey to the Mayor and the committee my best thanks for the good work which has been done. I trust that you will have equal success in extending operations of the scheme as extra milk may become available.” New Monoplane at Airport. One of Union Airways two new Lockheed Electra low-wing aeropla«fs for use on the WellingtonAuckland air service paid a short visit to the Wanganui Airport yesterday afternoon. The machine was flown from Palmerston North by Mr. W, Moye Stephen, the Lockheed Company's test pilot who came to New Zealand to test the machines and to instruct the company’s pilots. He was accompanied by several of the com--1 pany’s senior pilots, who carried out practice in landings. The Lockheed iiiiectra is a low-wing monoplane powered by two radial engines and with a cruising speed of 180 miles an hour —three miles a minute-and a top speed of 21U miles an hour is the fastest type of 'plane in New Zealand. The low wing of the Lockheed Electras give them a smaller appearance than the four-engined D.II. air-liners in use on the Palmerston North-Dun-edin service, but the .Lockheed carries the same number of passengers. A characteristic feature oi the machine is its twin rudders.

Beautifying Durie Hill. A deputation representing the Durie Hui Beautifying Society waited on the Works Committee of tne Wanganui City Council last evening to place a scheme before the council for the beautifying of the suburb and the approaches to the city. The deputation, which comprisea Messrs T. W. Lonsdalq, Ratliff, and E. H. Grcager, was introduced by Mr \V. J. Gibson Hughes, president of the Wanganui Tourist and Development League. Mr Lonsdale outlined tne scheme and the areas which required beautifying. These, he said, included the area below Braeburn on the river bank, the entrance to the steps and lift, Taylor Street to the top of the zig-zag, and Hipango Terrace. The council was asked to contribute the trees and shrubs required and to assist in preparing the areas for planting and to do something of a permanent nature to beautify the entrance to the steps and lift. Several suggestions were made for the improvement of Hipango Terrace, including a footpath and an improved right-of-way behind Braeburn. Attention was also drawn to the dilapidated state of the buildings on the Taylorville frontage. The deputation received a sympathetic hearing from the council.