Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 101, 2 May 1938, Page 6

Town Talk

Cyclist Injured An elderly man named William Hardman suffered slight injuries on Saturday evening at about 6.45 p.m.. when he was struck by a motor-car at the intersection of Bell Street and St. George’s Gate. Both cycle and car were proceeding in the same direction, toward Guyton Street. Ducks on Wanganui River Large numbers of grey duck were noticed on the Wanganui River yesterday. Prospects for the opening of the shooting season to-day are bright. Weather conditions looked to be settled last night, and so long as a high wind does not rise it should be a good morning for ducks. Increased Costs. It is disclosed in the report submitted with the 1938 estimates to the Wanganui Hospital Board by the man-aging-secretary (Mr. L. V. Kerby), that a rise of a halfpenny per loaf of bread has added £3B to £4O in hospital expenditure. An increase of 2d per gallon for milk has added £lO6 to £llO per annum. Truck Hits Pole A new motor-truck, on its way from Wellington in charge of a motor vehicle dealer, struck a telegraph post on the No. 1 Line, just south ol Wanganui, on Saturday night. The body was damaged on one side and a load of several cases aboard the truck were scattered well about the road. Nobody was injured and the truck could be driven away under its own power. Hospital Domestic Staff Anticipation of an award covering the domestic staff at the Wanganui Public Hospital has been shown in the estimates for the current year. The managing-secretary (Mr L. V. Kerby/ in a report to the board, stated that porters’ wages will be raised at least to the basic rate of £3 16s a week. At present the hospital is paying £2 7s 6d and keep, or £2 15s for those who live out. Basketball Interest Evidence of the interest which is being displayed in basketball during the 1938 season is furnished by the number of ladies’ teams participating in the opening day’s play on Saturday. Thirty teams took part, being divided into four grades for the purpose of conducting championship competitions. In addition to these there will be a large number of teams in the men’s competitions. Rainfall at Okoia, The rainfall at Okoia during the month of April was the heaviest in any month over the past 11 years at least, according to records which have been kept by Mr. F. Pratt, Okoia, since 1927. The fall, spread over 23 days, totalled 9.55 inches, as against 3.87 inches in ten days of April last year. The heaviest rainfall recorded in April at Okoia previously was 8.87 inches in February, 1936. For the four months of 1938 the total rainfall is already 19.05 inches, which is about half the average annual fall. Flower Show Points Prizes. At the Wanganui and Suburban Horticultural Society’s autumn show last week the following prizes were gained: Chrysanthemum classes’. Amateur, Mr. K. H. Kitney; intermediate, Mr. C. E. Eades; McGruer’s Cup (12 distinct varieties), Mr. K. H. Kitney. Cut flowers: Mr. M. J. Smart. Decorative: Mrs. J. Nixon; Moorby challenge vase (most points in decorative section during year), Mrs. J. Nixon. Young Farmers’ Tour Four members of the United Kingdom Young Farmers’ Clubs, affiliated with the International Federation of such organisations, are to visit Wanganui to-day in the course of the first, tour of that nature to be made in New Zealand. The party will be rm at. Wanganui by members of the Waverley Young Farmers’ Club and conveyed to Waverley, where they will be met by Mr J. E. Davies, who will take them to Hawera. A tour of Taranaki and Waikato will follow. A National Dish. “Is ham and eggs a national dish in New Zealand?” asked a waiter in a well-known Sydney restaurant of one of the Wanganui members of the ex-servicemen's contingent which is returning to-day after attending the impressive Anzac Day service in Sydney last Monday. The “Digger” replied in the negative and asked' why the question had been asked. He was told that New Zealanders who had visited Sydney hardly troubled to read a menu; they simply scanned it and ordered ham and eggs.

Shooting Licences A resident of Fern Flats, Marton, writes to say that he was charged 25s lor a licence to shoot game during the season which opens to-day. He inquires whether that amount is correct, in view of the annual report of the Wanganui Acclimatisation Society stating that the fee is £l. The position is that the five major societies of New Zealand, which include Wellington, Auckland, and Rotorua, charge 255. In the Wanganui district the fee is £l. The writer of the letter is resident within the Wellington district. Car and Cyclist Collide. A cyclist whose machine was involved in a collision with a motor-car at the foot of St. John’s Hill about 8 o’clock on Saturday night was admitted to the Wanganui Public Hospital. The victim of the accident was Edward Madden, aged about 20, of 4 Tarata Street, St. John’s Hill, and the motor-car was proceeding from London Street Extension into London Street, travelling in the direction of St. John's railway station. The cycle struck the left-hand door of the car. Madden was removed to the hospital by the St. John Free Ambulance. Last night his condition was stated to be satisfactory.

Rugby in Wanganui A fair attendance of the public at the opening of the Rugby season in Wanganui on Saturday took a close interest in the new Spriggens Park. The ground will be ready for playing on when the Cup series of matches begin on Saturday next. Comment on the work done was very favourable, indeed, and if the surface stands up to the play, the change will be all to the good of the game. “The improvement is one which will not only benefit Rugby,” said the president of the Metropolitan Rugby Union (Mr J. Moye) to the “Chronicle.” “This is one of the best open-air sports [arenas in the Dominion. Few towns iof similar size are as well equipped.”