Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 144, 21 June 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Closing of Petrol Stations. A suggestion has been made that petrol stations in Wanganui close earlier. Members of the Petrol Resellers’ Association have been asked to express an opinion on the following hours: 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. on week days, 8.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Left Book Club. A well-attended meeting of the Wanganui Left. Book Club was held in the Union Bank Chambers. The book for discussion was G. E. Pt. Gedye’s startling work “Fallen Bastions,” the lead being taken by Mr. W. Adams. It was decided to discuss “Empire or Democracy” by Leonard Barnes, at the next meeting. Gooff Rifle Shot. A 12-year-old boy, son of Mr. R. H. Wilkie, Turakina, shooting on the open range last Saturday with a .303 rifle, made a total score of 100 out of 105. He shot at three ranges, 300, 500 and 600 yards and scored 33, 33 and 34 respectively at, each range, coming second to the veteran rifleman. J. Kelly, who put up a total score of 101/ j Short Council Meeting. ■ Last night's meeting of the Wanganui City Council was the shortest held stnee the election of the present council more than a year ago. The meeting opened at 7.40 p.m. and members adjourned at 9.5 p.m. Meetings of the present council have been very lengthy and the majority of them have gone until past midnight. Gas Display at Centennial. On the recommendation of the Gas Committee, the Wanganui City Council last night agreed to contribute £2OO toward the cost of the display at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition. The committee reported that the combined gas undertakings of the Dominion proposed to make a full range display of gas appliances. The council’s payment would be spread over two years. Wanganui Health Camp. The Wanganui Health Camp Board, desirous of keeping the camp up to full strength, is inviting parents of children in" the Wanganui district to make application for their children to be placed under care there for the specified term. At present there are 40 children in camp and there are vacancies for It) more. Miss J. C. Livingstone, who was the first, matron of the camp, has been appointed matron of St. Oswald’s Hospital, Kaitaia, and Miss V. Stanton, Auckland, is to be matron at Wanganui and has taken over her new duties. Shortest Day. To-morrow, when the sun reaches its most northern point, the wintef solstice will occur. Maximum altitude above lhe horizon of the sun this week will be 29i degrees, compared with the 76-L degrees attained at the summer solstice, and therefore the hours of sunshine will be at a minimum. For that reason the winter solstice is always referred to as the shortest day. In a week or so the days may be expected to lengthen appreciably as lhe sun begins its southward movement. Stamp Enthusiasts Meet. About nine men and six women members of the Wanganui Philatelic Society visited 20 members of the Hawera Society on Saturday night. The Hawera president, Mr. J. M. Gabbie, welcomed the visitors, and Mr. B. A. Beswick replied. There was a general display of stamps and a special collection of New Zealand stamps belonging to Mr. D. Malcolm. Eltham, was exhibited together with a similar set shown by Mr. Beswick. Following supper, served by lhe Hawera women members, collectors sold stamps by tender.

Pedestrian Crossings. “I have observed that pedestrians lend to make use of the crossings, but. they, like motorists, appear to be in doubt as to what is the right procedure when using them,” said Mr. li. A. Green, chief traffic inspector, in a report to the Hastings Borough Council, when commenting on the introduction of the new traffic regulations and particularly the new marked-out pedestrian crossings. “I am of the opinion that as soon as a loudspeaker system is made available 1 shall be better able to instruct both motorists and pedestrians as to what, is expected of them while using the streets.” In lighted Street Lamps. The co-operation of. householders in reporting street lamps which are not functioning was .sought in a letter from the Wanganui-Rangitikei Power Board, received at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council. The letter stated that the board desired to give an efficient service and for that reason would welcome the co-operation o£ the public, who had been apathetic toward making reports in the past. Mr. W. J. Rogers, Mayor of Wanganui, said that a bi-monthly inspection of the street lighting system was made, but the lights could easily fail after the inspection had been made. Floral Work At Hospital. Flushed, eager little faces were to be seen in the crippled children’s ward at the Wanganui Hospital yesterday, when the Children s Garden

Circle held the first of a series of classes of instruction in floral and decorative work. This popular innovation is to be held weekly and the work of the children will in all probability be exhibited at the circles spring show. The demonstrators at the hospital yesterday were Mesdames D. A. Garner and A. Burston, whose instruction on petal work in floral saucers met with a ready response from the boys and girls, many of whom soon showed a natural aptitude for the work.

Returned Soldiers’ Conference. The annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers will be opened in the Wellington Town Hall to-day, by the Governor General, Viscount Galway. During the morning the delegates will march to the Wellington Citizens’ War Memorial to place a wreath on the Shrine of Remembrance and to-night a social gathering has been arranged by the Wellington Association. The main points for discussion at the conference will be defence, discharged soldiers’ land affairs and pensions. Delegates from Wanganui will be the president of the Wanganui branch, Mr. W. H. Cannan i and one of the vice-presidents, Mr. R. G. Taiboys.