Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 252, 23 October 1937, Page 8

Town Talk

Extra Day’s Holiday. As has been usual in Wanganui, under the local conditions of the Retail Shop Assistants’ Award, those shops governed by the award that remained open on the morning of Easter Saturday last, must close their shops on Tuesday next, the day following Labour Day. Appeal to Drovers. The last event of the season's activities for the Wanganui Harrier Club is to be held on Monday, when the annual relay race from Marton to Wanganui is to be run. Last year in this event runners in one section were harassed by some cattle which took fright on their approach. An appeal is made to drovers to keep their stock under control when the harriers approach, which will be between noon and 2 p.m. Shipments of Coal. Large and frequent shipments of coal are still being brought to Wanganui from the West Coast collieries and, in addition, a shipment of Newcastle coal, a portion of which was for the gas works, was unloaded in the city recently. The t.s.s. Rata discharged West Coast coal at the Town Wharf on Thursday and is expected back from Westport to discharge a further supply. In addition, two other coastal vessels are expected from the West Coast with coal during the coming week. The Union Steam Ship Company’s intercolonial freighter Kai ingo is to load coal for Wanganui at Newcastle about the middle of next month and also will bring a quantity of general cargo. Art Loan Collection. The keys of the containers of the art loan collection of pictures have been received by the town clerk together with a publicity tile connected with the collection. This tile has been compiled of extracts from journals where the pictures have been shown in Australia and New Zealand, and is of considerable interest. Although it is not generally known, a special Bill was promoted in the House of Commons granting the director of the English National Gallery power to lend the collection for exhibition outside the United Kingdom. The pictures were on display at the opening of the National Art Gallery at Wellington and after this they were shown in the Australian States. They came to Auckland, and will be on display in Wanganui shortly. From here the collection will travel to the South Island.

Renovation of Building The Native Land court building at the present time is undergoing alterations and renovations, and presents a much improved appearance. The exterior of the building has been painted with a shade of cream which is a direct contrast to the drab grey of the concrete. A new “shadow effect” has been applied to cornerings with a most attractive result, while the base is to have a shade of brown applied. The interior has undergone extensive renovations. All rooms are being redecorated and in some instances new carpets are being laid. The tile room is being rearranged and a unique system of slides to facilitate access to papers has been installed. Four garages are being constructed and facilities for housing a good number of bicycles have been built. When viewed from the exterior the effect is striking and gives the building that, “futuristic” appearance. The work is being carried out by the Public Works Department.

Herd Testing in Wanganui. “If some of the other districts in New Zealand had done as much as Wanganui during the last eight or nine years the production of New Zealand’s dairy herds would be much higher than to-day,” declared Mr. C. M. Hume (supervisor of the herdtesting section of the dairy board) in an address in Wanganui on Thursday evening. “In the Wanganui district for some years at least one third of the cows in New Zealand were under test.” In Denmark during the last four years more than 40 per cent, of the herds were under test. In New Zealand during the depression there had been a decrease in the number of cows tested but there had been no such reduction in Denmak during the same period. He looked forward to the day when the great dairy industry of New Zealand would be built up on herd testing a service organisation would be developed which could be used in many other ways.

Federated Flying Club. As the result of rumours current in New Plymouth this week of the disintegration of the Western Federated (N. 1. Flying Club which comprises the Wanganui and New Plymouth Aero Clubs since the withdrawal of Hawera, a statement setting out the position was made on Thursday evening by the secretary, Mr. W. G. Watts. The story circulated in New Plymouth was that the two clubs comprising the Western Federated (N. 1. Flying Club were to make a complete break in the interests of efficiency and economy. Mr. Watts stated that there was no intention of breaking up the federation. It was true, he said, that a reconstruction of the working of the federation was under consideration. This was purely an internal matter, the details of which would be of little interest to the public. When the reconstruction was completed, however, a statement would be made.

Imported Butter Boxes. The fact that the board had ordered 500,000 butter boxes from Sweden owinjJ to the decreasing supplies of white pine available and in order to guard against any hold-up was mentioned by the chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Board, Mr. J. A. Murdoch, at a conference in Wanganui on Thursday evening. A quantity of the boxes was already on the water and probably would be slightly cheaper than the New Zealand box. He thought that more could be done by the importation of English fibre boxes in which a quantity of produce had been shipped and opened up in very good condition. He considered these containers would prove satisfactory and that more of them could be utilised. The board did not wish to interfere with the local industry, but every producer would agree that no stone should be left unturned ot prevent a hold-up. Great Britain was New Zealand's only satisfactory market for primary produce and it was the duty of the Dominion to support her industries to as great an extent as possible. Replies to Advertisements.

Replies to advertisements awaiting collection at the “Chronicle” Avenue oflice include:—Jl62, Jl7l, J 147, J 142, J 44, J3O. J2l, Jl9, J 46, JlOO, Jl3l, Jl6O, KI, K 5, K 6, KlO, K2B, K 33, KlOB, K 132, K 139, Kl4O.