Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 306, 27 December 1937, Page 6

Town Talk

Savings Bank Closed. The Post Office Savings Bank wiil be closed to-day and next Saturday, New Year’s Day. Far East Relief Fund. A donation of £5 from “Farmer” has been received by the “Wanganui Chronicle” for the Far East Relief Fund. This list now totals £l5 19s. Teeth Lost in Surf. At least two sets of false teeth were lost in the surf at Castlecliff Beach yesterday by swimmers. Each summer quite a number of swimmers are unfortunate in this respect, the molars soon being washed away by the swirling waters. R.S.A. Christmas Gifts On Friday morning the Wanganui branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association made its annual distribution of Christmas gifts. Food, including meat and groceries, and toys were distributed to the families of members of the association. Cars in Collision. Two motor vehicles were damaged extensively in a collision in Somme Facade at 12.30 a.m. on Christmas Day. A woman passenger in one of the vehicles received slight injuries, and after being treated at the Wanganui Hospital was able to proceed to her home. Motor-cyclist Injured As the result of a fall from a motor-cycle on Heads Road, near the soap factory, about 5.15 p.m. yesterday, John Linaker, aged 21 years, of Carlton Terrace, received head injuries and was conveyed to the Wanganui Hospital by the St. John Free Ambulance. His condition last evening was reported as satisfactory. Parking Area, at Hospital The Wanganui Hospital Board has completed the construction of a useful parking area near the main entrance gates, the tar-sealing of the area being completed on Christmas Eve. The new area, which should relieve the present congestion near the entrance gates, will provide accommodation for approximately 60 cars. A drive has also been laid from this area to the main drive. Transpacific Air Mail Air mail for Pago Pago, Honolulu, U.S.A., and Canada by Pan-Americqn Airways Clipper closes at Auckland at S p.m. to-morrow. The mail closes at Wanganui at 6.30 a.m. to-day. A supplementary mail, for which 2d a pound extra postage is required, closes at. 7.30 a.m. to-morrow. To meet the convenience of people using this service stamps will be on sale at the telegraph counter of the Wanganui Chief Post Office to-day between 9 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Beaches and Excursions Yesterday's warm conditions, despite an overcast sky, attracted a large number of city dwellers to the Castlecliff and Kai Iwi beaches. At Castlecliff during the afternoon there was a crowd of several thousand people, many of whom had brought their lunch with them. Conditions in the water were warm. Picnic spots along the Wanganui River and in various parts of the district were well patronised. During the afternoon a large party was conveyed on an upriver trip and last evening a packed boat made a moonlight excursion. Today an excursion is being run to Hipango Park.

Thousands of Telegrams. “We’ve got thousands more,” remarked a Wanganui telegraph messenger on Christmas Eve, when a resident of the suburbs inquired whether the huge bunch carried was all he had to deliver. The staff certainly had a busy time, delivering telegrams, mostly the popular greetings, till close on midnight, and then had a “breather” till 8 a.m. on Christmas Day, when the full staff, including boys from the suburban ' flices, set to work to endeavour to cwar up the arrears. A few telegrams remained undelivered owing to the addresses being insufficient., and it is expected that traffic will be back to normal tomorrow till the New Year rush sets in. Dusty Streets.

When the Christmas Eve celebrations had concluded on Friday night —or rather Saturday morning—Victoria Avenue presented a sorry spectacle. The roadway and footways were littered with rubbish and ground-up rice, the lust of the latter appearing like snow under the blue electric discharge lamps. Pounds and pounds of rice must have been sold on Friday evening just to be thrown away to waste. On Christmas morning council workmen were on the job at an early hour cleaning up the streets, their task being a difficult and unenviable one. After Friday’s spirit of carnival, the city had a deserted air on Christmas morning. Week-End Fires. On Friday at 5.24 p.m. the Wanganui Fire Brigade received a call to an outbreak of fire in a dwelling in Cornfoot Street, Castlecliff. No damage was done. At 10.20 p.m. a malicious false alarm was received from the Dublin Street Bridge. On Christmas Day, at 11.52 a.m. the brigade was called to ah incipient lire at 182 Guyton Street. At 2.06 a.m. yesterday a call was received to 26 Duncan Street, Wanganui East, where a car and garage belonging to Mr. J. Johnston were on lire. Both the car and the shed were badly damaged. At 7.19 p.m. yesterday the brigade answered a call to a fire in the roof of Boldt's bakehouse in Bignell Street. Although a portion of the roof was damaged, the brigade made a good save. Popularity of Motoring. Thousands of New Zealand motorists this year are spending the Christmas and New Year vacation on the road. From late on Friday afternoon there has been a continual stream of heavily luggage laden cars through the city, the number plates indicating that some of the vehicles have come from far-distant centres. A feature of the traffic this year is the number o£ trailers and some of the latter being very luxurious affairs with many of the amenities of home life. The Aramoho Park camp site is again drawing a large number of visitors and each evening is a hive of activity. Although the majority of the campers spend only a night at the camp and then continue their journey bright and early, there are quite a number who are spending the whole of their vacation at the camp. As in other years, .he accommodation in the old trams has been at a premium and booked up wel in advance.