Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 56, 8 March 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Firemen Visit Museum. Judging from the attendance, one of the most popular attractions among firemen visiting Wanganui for the deomnstrations is the Alexander Museum. Several hundred have visited the museum in the last few days, and high praise has been bestowed on the institution. Head-of-the-River Rowing. The annual head-of-tpe-rivci senior and junior eight-oar races will be held on the Wanganui River this evening and to-morrow evening. The junior event, in which all three clubs will be represented, will start at 6 o'clock to-night and the course of a mile and a-half will finish at Calver's Corner just aoove the Dublin Street Bridge. The senior race will be rowed to-morrow evening at the same time and over the same course.

Camp for Pilots. The Wanganui Aero Club intends to hold a camp for club members at the Wanganui Airport during the Easter vacation, when a programme of lectures and ground and flying instruction will be carried out under the direction of the instructor, Mr. H. L. Tancred. The camp will open on Thursday, April 6, and close on the afternoon on Monday, April 10. In order to encourage club pilots., special reduced rates have been agreed to by the committee.

Rainfall at Raetihi. The rainfall at Raetihi for February was less than an inch—.9l of an inch to be exact —according to the official observations taken for the Meteorological Department. Rain fell on onlyeight days and the maximum falls were two of .27 inch on February 3 and 18. The rainfall in February, 1937 was 5.7 inches, and in February 1938, 4.1 inches. Last month was the driest month recorded at Raetihi since

official records were commenced in 1936. The pastures are showing the effects of the prolonged dry spell and rain is urgently needed in the district.

New Coastal Vessel. The Anchor Shipping Company's new twin-screw motor-vessej Puriri, which was expected to sail from Wanganui last night after discharging coal from Westport, is the most modern vessel of its size on the New Zealand coast. The Puriri was launched at Leith on October 24 by Mrs. A. Irving Brown, of Nelson, and arrived in New Zealand waters in January. Known as the Robb coaster type, she is 180 ft. long, with a beam of 35ft. Her gross tonnage is 927 tons, and net tonnage 423. Fully loaded, the Puriri has a speed of more than ten knots. Dredge Kaione. Good work has been done during the fine weather of the past few weeks by the Wanganui Harbour Board’s dredge, Kaione. She has been working near the entrance. On rough days the dredge has been able to pump spoil from the turning basin over Meuli Wharf. It is believed that, for the efficient working of the dredge and to suit the vagaries of the weather, a permanent pipe line ashore would be of great help. It would then be possible to quickly divert the Kaione to work in the channel whenever the weather conditions are suitable. When they arc unsuitable she could bo worked conveniently within the basin. The Nelson Harbour Board is to hire the Kaione from the middle of March for six months. Trombone Flayer Tripped. Four dogs off the leash near Guyton Street last night, rushed round the Wanganui Garrison Band as it marched un Victoria Avenue at the head of the firemen’st jrocession. A trombone player in the front rank of the band tripped over one of them, and. but. for quick presence of mind, would have fallen on the asphalt. "The incident, may have been amusing to the public,” a member of the band said afterwards, "but that player ran the risk of seriously injuring his mouth. The instrument he was playing was a new one, valued aj £25 oi move. That, too, would have been severely damaged had he fallen. Il is a pity that the owners of dogs have not more respect than to allow them loose in such a crowd." Fire Brigades’ Conference. Invitations to hold the 1940 conference in their districts were received from the Blenheim and Whangarei Fire Brigades, at the annual conference of the United Fire Brigades’ Association of New Zealand which closed yesterday. The acceptance of invitations was left over from the first day so that Wellington or Auckland could apply for a demonstration in 1940 if they desired. Yesterday the Blenheim and Whangarei delegates agreed to withdraw their invitations in order to give Wellington or Auckland an opportunity of applying for a demonstration at a later date. If the city brigades make no application then the invitations of the Whangarei and Blenheim brigades will be considered by the executive. Under normal circumstances the next demonstration would be held in 1940. Wangaehu Valley Road. No definite undertaking has yet been given by the Public Works Department to repair the broken link of the Wangaehu Valley Road, above Mt. View Station. This road formed a direct, link between Wanganui and Karioi, but the heavy floods of four years ago washed away a considerable portion of papa bluff and the road slipped into the river. A proposition was put to the Hon. R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, a year ago and

he promised to find the necessary funds to repair the broken length if the Wanganui County Council found a share. The Wanganui County was agreeable Io finding a proportion of the cost, but difference of opinion arose over the type of deviation necessary. The Public Works engineers are to confer on the site in a week or so, and it is probable that a route over a hill, which will require a fairly steep grade, will be favoured. It will mean getting right, away from the long length of papa bluffs which are likely to give trouble in the future.

Replies to Advertisements. The following replies to advertisements are awaiting collection at the "Chronicle” branch office, Victoria Avenue:—A2. Al 6, A 23. A 24. A 25, A 27. A3O, AlOl, Al 18. A 124, A 136, A 139, Al4l, Al4B, A 149, A 152.