Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 113, 16 May 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Dismantling; of Wharves. The dismantling of the cattle and oil wharves is being undertaken by the Wanganui Harbour Board. At yesterday’s meeting the engineer, Mr. R. R. Dawson, reported that the dismantling of t’he cattle wharf would be finished in a few days. A start would then be made on the oil wharf. The Hand of Justice “Better that fifty guilty persons go free than one innocent person be convicted,” said His Honour, Sir Hubert Ostler, in the Supreme Court at Wanganui yesterday, when a jury came back to say that it could not agree. The jury retired again and brought in a verdict of not guilty. Chinese Radio Stations. Inquiries from a number of listen-ers-in for the wavelengths of Chinese short-wave radio stations led Mr. Nanking, of Wanganui, to seek further information. He now advises that XGOY Chungking broadcasts specially to New Zealand and Australia in English on 25.2 metres (11.09 megacycles) at 10.50 p.m. and again at 1 a.m. Youth Work. Mr. Rounthwaite, general secretary of the Y.M.C.A. in Wanganui, was the speaker at yesterday’s luncheon of the Wanganui Rotary Club. Mr. Rounthwaite’s subject was “Youth Work.” In dealing with the work of the Y.M.C.A., Mr. Rounthwaite added that the activities of the association had been extended by the formation of a branch of the Y.W.C.A., the two organisations to co-ordinate their work. Building Harbour Moles. A comparison in the cost of shell rock and the concrete blocks used for the construction of the harbour moles was given by the chairman, Mr. N. G. Armstrong, at yesterday's meeting of the Wanganui Harbour Board. From October 1 until the present time 4926 tons of shell rock had been transported from the board's quarries at a cost of 8s 4.2 d a ton. The cost of' the 10-ton concrete blocks was 16s 3d a ton, the cost of smaller blocks being greater. Harbour Board’s Dredge. A lengthy report on the condition of the Wanganui Harbour Board's steam dredge Kaione, which recently underwent its annual survey and overhaul at Wellington, was received from the engineers at yesterday’s meeting of the board. “I am pleased Io report that the condition of the dredge, its machinery and equipment i.s very good,” stated the report. “This report is very satisfactory,” commented the chairman. Mr. N. G. Armstrong, when the matter came before the board. Competition Trophies. The following Wanganui competitors were successful in winning special trophies at the Manawatu competitions at Palmerston North last week: P.D.C. trophy for skipping and tap dance 10 and under 12 years, Therese Griffin. N.Z.I. trophy for elocution under 9 years, Beulah Gibson. N. D. Stubbs Ltd. trophy for vocal solo girls 14 to 17 years, Olga Hodge. Borham Ltd. trophy for violin 14 to 18 years, Margaret Sicely (Marton). The Ida Matthews Memorial Cup for the most promising dancer under 10 years was won by Beverley Matthews (Wellington). Driving Long Distances “It is not negligence for a motorist to drive from Wellington to New Plymouth in one day,” observed Mr. R. J. O’Dea, of Hawera, defending counsel in a negligent driving case heard at the Wanganui Supreme Court yesterday. “If a motorist was to drive from Wellington and keep on going until he got to the North Cape, that would be an act of negligence, as at some part of the journey he would feel the need of sleep.” His Honour, Sir Hubert Ostler, who presided, said that a motorist who felt the need of sleep was negligent in not stopping. “He falls asleep at his peril,” he said. Supreme Court A short criminal calendar at the Supreme Court at Wanganui was disposed of yesterday, two trials being finished. His Honour, Sir Hubert Ostler, has three prisoners to come before him for sentence. This morning he is to sit and hear a civil claim for damages for injuries caused by alleged negligent driving. A jury will be necessary to hear the claim, which is for more than £2OOO. Yesterday, because of the speed with which the criminal business was dealt with and the time taken by juries to consider verdicts, two juries were out at the one time. It is 15 years since that, has happened at a sitting in Wanganui. Chamber of Commerce Membership. As a result of the new campaign for members launched by the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce at the beginning of May, ten business firms have made application for membership, and sevcial others have signified their intention to join up. The next meeting of the Chamber of Commerce is to be held on Monday, June 12, by which date it is hoped the number of new members will have considerably increased. Those business anci* professional men who have received invitations to become members will assist the appeal by the early completion of the application forms, which should be returned to the secretary when completed. Port of W anganui. The deputy-harbourmaster, Captain F. G. Taylor, reported to yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui Harbour Board that 25 coastal vessels, seven overseas ships (three in roadstead) and 75 lighters of an aggregate of 61,895 tons arrived during April. The departures were 24 coastal vessels, eight overseas ships and 75 lighters of an aggregate of 66,216 tons. The Celtic Monarch discharger! 3552 tons of phosphate, the Aymeric 441 tons of newsprint, the Willowbank 3624 tons of phosphate, and the French steamer Neo Hebridais unloaded 603 tons of guano and loaded a quantity of wool. The Port Brisbane loaded 34 lighter loads of frozen produce, the Fordsdale 16 lighter loads and the Port Gisborne 25 lighter loads.