Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 246, 16 October 1937, Page 8

Town Talk

Opening of Rowing Season. The official opening of the Wanganui Rowing Association’s 1937-38 season is to be hold to-day fortnight. The opening ceremony will take place at Lhe Wanganui Rowing Club’s shed, and wil be followed by sprint fours racing. Now “Starling’’ Cliff. Because starlings are rapidly taking possession of what was known as Sparrow Cliff, on the road from Wanganui to Upokongaro, the steep face will soon become known as Starling Cliff. Both species of birds nest their regularly, and although the ledges of years have been swept away the nest hunters are carving out their own and new nooks and crannies arc appearing. Tourist League Prospects for the next year’s activities are bright, according to the president of the Wanganui Tourist and Development League, Mr W. J. Gibson Hughes, who states that at the annual meeting next Monday night it is hoped to infuse still more enthusiasm into jhe work of the league. The operations of the league over the past twelve months will be reviewed by the president at the meeting. New Shipping Beacon. The service of the new radio beacon established at Baring Head, Wellington, commenced yesterday. The apparatus, which is by far the most advanced of its kind in the Dominion, will act as a wireless fog signal and beacon. During fogs or weather of poor visibility, between sunrise and sunset, the signal group will be transmitted continuously; during clear weather, between sunrise and sunset, the signal will be made half-hourly. During all weather at night the signal will be transmitted continuously.

Progress of Maori Triplets. The Rangiheata Maori triplets arc reported to be progressing favourably at the Stewart Karitane Home where they are spending the first months of their young Jives. The matron of the home, Miss M. Murphy, reported in a letter to the Hawera branch of the Plunket Society this week that all three babies were flourishing and were very healthy. The babies are now three and a-half months old and from 51bs 4ozs., 51bs. and 41bs. 14ozs. respectively. May has increased 101 bs. 4ozs., Anne 91bs. 12ozs. and Violet 91bs. 12ozs. They are given as much fresh air as possible and enjoy thoroughly their daily exercise in the “kicking pen.” Interested in the River.

Accompanying a party of Wanganui Harbour Board members up the Wanganui River yesterday to the quarries, Saptain Sogimoto, of the Japanese vessel Chifuku Maru, which is now in port at Castlecliff, found much to interest him. He asked many questions about the Wanganui River and look Several photographs, notably at the quarries , themselves, the tier-like faces of shell rock looking not unlike the frontal portion of Gibraltar. The scenery along the river, a mixture of vivid green of willows in the spring and the golden blooms of kowhai, caught Mr. Sogimoto's fancy, and he returned to the city highly pleased with a morning’-: jaunt off the beaten track. Good Scones.

There is something more than inviting in a camp cookhouse to a town dweller, a sort of novelty and very satisfying. Probably a break in the fresh air has something to do with it. Yesterday morning members ot the Wanganui Harbour Board, inspecting the work at the quarries al , Kaiwhaiki, did not fail to include the cookhouse in their round. The cook, Bill Easton, had some splendidlybaked scones prepared. They were so appetising that the party suggested that he should enter for the home industries section at the approaching Wanganui show. The hospitality ot the camp was greatly appreciated by the visitors. Faithful Cats Following a paragraph which recently appeared in the “Chronicle” regarding a cat which made daily trips to a shop with his mistress, a correspondent writes stating that he had a pet which would outdo this one. He finished work at an early hour in the morning and was in the habit ol going home whistling in blithe fashion. The cat, which was a large tortoiseshell tom, upon hearing the whistle of his master would travel distances up to a-quarter of mile to meet him. Bad weather did not deter the animal and wet or line he invariably made the journey upon hearing the whistle. “Ginger” was always the recipient of a snack in return for his friendliness. School Film’Screenings.

The screening of educational films at the Marist Brothers School is popular with the students and has been attended “with marked success. A further screening was held at the school yesterday afternoon when the programme included “Jungles of the Amazon” which deals with an expedition into the wilds of Peru, Ecuador and Brazil. Another educational film entitled “Silk" dealt with the manufacture of this useful commodity. The programme concluded with a Charlie Chaplin comedy entitled “The Fireman,” which found favour with the students. At the conclusion of the screening, the Rev. Father Oswyn expressed the thanks of the boys to the Rev. Father Brice for his lantern lectures during the year depicting Bible history. Rest for Politicians. “We have a wonderful health resort and rest place in Mount Egmont,” said Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., at the opening of the new rennet laboratories by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, at Elthem recently, when expressing the hope that the Minister would on some future occasion find time to make : longer visit to Taranaki. “A day or two there might do him and his colleagues a world of good,” Mr. Wilkinson added amidst laughter. Replies to Advertisements. Replies to advertisements awaiting col action at the “Chronicle" Avenue office include: —Jl6O, JlOO, Jl3l, J 46, Jl9, J2l, J3O, J 142, J 147, Jl7l, J 162, KI. K 5, KlOB, Kll2, K 125, K 127, Kl3l, K 132.