Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 249, 20 October 1937, Page 6

Town Talk

Placements. Placements at Wanganui since April 1 to October 16 were:—Permanent 378, casual 627, temporary 113. Bequest to Orphanage. Under the will of the late Mr C. W. Poynter a sum of £lOO has been provided for the Wanganui Orphanage. All-Wanganui Broadcast.

Under the auspices of the Wanganui Tourist and Development League an all-Wanganui programme is to be broadcast from Wellington on November 7. All the artists contributing will be drawn from Wanganui. The Milford Track. In anticipation of a ogrist season, the Milford Track is to be opened on November 16 this year, two weeks earlier than in previous years. Every preparation is being made to have the track in readiness for the arrival of the Australian tourists by the Maunganui on its second trip from Melbourne on November 28. Petrol Steamer Due.

Bringing a large quantity of petrol for the storage tanks at Castlecliff, the Shell Oil Company’s 1060-ton motor tanker Paua is due at Castiecliff this morning from Wellington. The Paua, which is under the command of Captain D. R. Paterson, visits Wanganui at intervals to discharge petrol.

Quick Air Mail Service. When the Matson liner Monterey arrived at Auckland on Monday its consignment of mail included a quantity of English air mail which left London on October 2. The sixteen days taken tiy the ma’l is the quickest time possible for an air mail to reach New Zealand from London. Air mail despatched on September 29 was also brought from Australia by the Monterey. Japanese Steamer Departs.

When the Yamashita Kosen Kaisha steamer Chifuku Maru cleared Wanganui at 9.30 p.m. yesterday evening she took from Castlecliff more than 100 bales of wool purchased by Japanese buyers at last season’s Wanganui sales, and between 30 and 40 tons of tallow. The Chifuku Maru sailed for Lyttelton, where she is to load sheep and wool for Japan. The steamer discharged 1500 tons of sulphur at Wanganui. West Coast Trade.

Following on a suggestion from the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce in a recent letter, the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce intends to make endeavours to establish a trade connection between Wanganui and the West Coast of the South Island and thus obtain an improved shipping service. The chamber is convening a meeting of manufacturers and others interested to-morrow in the rooms of the Wanganui Employers’ Association, when the proposal will be considered fully.

Visiting Aircraft. Visitors to the Wanganui Airport yesterday were the Union Airways Lockheed Electra Kereru, which was flown from Palmerston North by Commander B. A. Blythe, with Commander K. Brownjohn as co-pilot, and Flight-Lieutenant H. B. Burrell, of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who arrived from Auckland en route to Wigram in a Percival Gull lowwing monoplane. The Percival Gull was the machine formerly belonging to Mr Ernie Clarke, who flew it from England to New Zealand last year.

An Old Clock. An old clock that for many years ticked off the hours in the office of Messrs. Taylor and Watt has been presented to the Wanganui Museum by Mrs. Stewart, of Halcombe. The clock was given to Mrs. Stewart by her uncle, Mr. W. H. Watt, as a wedding present 50 years ago, and has been in her possession ever since, having kept perfect time all through the years. Messrs. Taylor and Watt were Wanganui’s leading traders in the early days and for many operated a shipping service between Wanganui and Sydney.

City Water Supply. The opinion that unless rain was experienced soon it would be necessary to impose restriction on the use of water for hosing purposes was expressed by the Mayor of Wanganui, Mr. W. J. Rogers, at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council. On his motion the question of imposing the restriction was left to the Mayor, the chairman of the Works Committee and the city engineer. The engineer, Mr. L. F. Row, said that the position was rather acute. Yesterday the reservoir near the city was at a dangerously low level but it was hoped that the position would. pick up within a few days. Yesterday 2,600,000 gallons of water had been used in the city. There was still a large amount of water at Okehu but it would not last long. The chart for yesterday showed the highest draw for the past five years. It might be necessary to impose some restriction right away. Cr. J. J. Scott pointed out that a large volume of water was lost through defective taps and water systems. The engineer said that the high pressure of the water in Wanganui was hard on taps and leaks were frequently caused by it. Facilities at Castlecliff. Reference to complaints voiced recently that the coTxveniences and dressing sheds were not available at Castlecliff during the past three week-ends was made by Cr. J. J. Scott at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council. Cr. Scott said that there had been large - crowds at Castlecliff during the past three week-ends and no facilities were available for them. He considered that the sheds and conveniences should be opened at week-ends even if they were locked-during the week. The town clerk, Mr. G. Murch, said that the policy of the council had been that once the sheds and conveniences were opened they should remain open for the remanider of ,the season. The sheds and conveniences were always opened the Saturday before Labour Day week-end. The sheds would be available next week-end. The council, he said, had to keep the conveniences locked until the opening of the season or vandals would get to work.