Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 258, 1 November 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Repertory Theatre. The members of the Wanganui Repertory Theatre movement will hold their usual “club night” to-mor-row evening, when three one-act plays will be presented. Grass Fire. The Wanganui Fire Brigade re> reived a call at 3.50 p.m. yesterday to a grass fire in Drew’s Avenue, adjacent to the old museum building. The fire, was suppressed in time to prevent damage. Rowing at Aramoho. The first trophy of the rowing season so far as the Aramoho Boating Club is concerned will be finalised this evening, this being the- Mitchell Shield. ITw o races were decided on Monday • and two more last evening, leaving the | final to be row this evening. Port Bowen Inquiry I A magisterial inquiry into the stranding of the Port Line steamer Port Bowen at Castlecliff on July 15 will begin in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, to-morrow, at 10 a.m. Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., will preside, and lhe assessors will be Captain L. C. H. Worrall, Wellington, and Captain A. JJ. Charman, Christchurch. Meat Grading. The writer of the letter over the initials “5.5. T. which appears on this page, will be attending the Wanganui Show next week. He has had considerable experience in the meat trade and will make that experience available to any who desire to further their knowledge. He may be approached through the secretary of the Wanganui A. and P. Association, Mr. A. R. Donaldson. Show Entries Increase. So far there has been an all-round ! increase on last year in lhe entries received by the Wanganui Agricul-' tural and Pastoral Association for the annual show on Wednesday ana Thursday of next week. Entries in all sections close at the secretary’s office at 5 p.m. to-day and intending exhibitors are urged to forward them early to avoid congestion. Children’s Library. Membership of the children’s branch of the Wanganui Public Library became free from October 1, and in the intervening period the number of members rose from just under 500 to nearly 1700, the number ' of children joining during October being 1223. During lhe month 6222 books were issued in the children’s branch, as against 1456 in October of last. year. Mourning for Katana Headed by (he new leader of the movement, Mr. H. T. Ratana, M.P., a large party of Maoris from the Ratana settlement visited the Parihaka Pa, Taranaki/ last week-end, to take part in further obsequies of the late Mr. T. W. Ratana. Among those who also attended the gathering were Mr. P. K. Paikea, M.P. for Northern Maori, and many South Taranaki followers of the movement. When Speaking of the Dead "When we speak of the dead we are apt to distort the truth.” said Mr. R. E. Jack, addressing a jury in the Supreme Court at Wanganui yesterday. quoting the well-known observation of an employee, who listened to the fulsome oration at the graveside of his employer, and turned to his mate and asked if they were at the right funeral and was it really the boss they were burying? Fine Remitted. A juryman who was late for attendance at the sittings of he Supreme Court at Wanganui, when they were resumed yesterday morning, was fined £2 by His Honour, Mr. Jutice Smith, but was given leave to appear before lhe Court and explain his conduct. In the afternoon the juryman appeared before His Honour and explained that he had become confused as to times and had not heard the C-'art crier's announcement the day before. His Honour remitted the fine. Bands Sunday. Bands Sunday will be celebrated at Cook’s Garden on Sunday next, when three brass bands and a oipe band will provide the programme cf music and marching. Sc'ections and quickstep marching will be provided by the Wanganui Garrison, the Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles Band and the Wellington-West Coast Regimental Band. The Wanganui Highland Pipe Sana \;i]l play their quickstep march and will also be seen in their spectacular drum-major’s display. Supremo Court Two more cases listed on the criminal calendar before the Supreme Court at Wanganui were disposed of yesterday. Another of the remaining four will be called this morning and jit is expected that, the jury emIpanelled in that case will be able to retire by lunch time, or soon afterwards, to consider its verdict, and another case will be taken in the afternoon. That will leave two more to be finished before Friday morning, when His Honour, Mr. Justice Smith, intends to take matters in bankruptcy and matters in divorce and such other matters as have been arranged

Centennial Tower. On the occasion of (he centennial ball, which was held in (he Festival Hall of the Exhibition buildings at Rongotai last Friday, the centennial tower was lit in all its dazzling splendour for the first time. Previous lighting trials have been held, but on these occasions the tower has not been fully lit, and on Friday night its great heights of 172 feet was painted in red and amber against the black outline of Wellington’s hills. Its strikingly beautiful contrast was the most outstanding feature of the grounds and could be seen for many miles around. Manawatu Assessment Court It is not expected that the Assessment Court to hear objections to valuations in the Manawatu County will sit until the middle of November. It was intended to hold a sitting earlier, but it had to be delayed on account of the number of objections which had been lodged and in light of the pronouncements made by the Court when dealing with objections heard from property-owners in the Wanganui County. As the Manawatu Show is being held this week it is unlikely that a start will be made in Manawatu until next week at the very (earliest. Mr. A. McLachlan will be jchairman of the Court, Mr. H. E. iLeighton, of Wellngton, the Govern[ment assessor, and Mr. H. J. Duigan, nf Wanganui, county assessor.