Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 300, 20 December 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Renovated City Building. It is believed that the renovation of the Wanganui city engineer's building in St. Hill Street, which was damaged by fire in October, will be finished by February. Comforts for Soldiers. A donation of £1 15s 3d from the employees of the Wanganui Woollen Mills has been received by the treasurer of the fund for the provision of comforts for soldiers belonging to the Special Military Forces. Busy Postmen. Yesterday was a busy day for postmen with the arrival of an overseas Christmas mail in addition to the usual heavy loads to carry on their bicycles. For the remainder of this week postmen will have an unenviable task, especially if the present spell of hot weather continues. On Board the Achilles. Another Wanganui boy who is on board the British cruiser H.M.S. Achilles is Mr. A. Bush, son of All C. Bush, formerly of Springvale. He was a pupil at Tawhero and Mossion Schools. There are thus at least five Wanganui men on the Achilles. Next X.Z. Library Conference. The Wanganui City Council, on the recommendation of its Library Committee, has decided to invite the New Zealand Libraries’ Association to hold the 1941 North Island libraries’ conference in Wanganui. The 1940 conference is being held in Wellington in February. Mr. .1. Siddells, chairman of the

Wanganui Public Library Committee, Miss A. M. Blackett, chief librarian and the assistant librarian, Miss K. Glenn, have been appointed Wanganui delegates to attend the annual conference of New Zealand libraries in Wellington beginning on February 21. Busy Red Cross Helpers. A particularly busy day was spent xo'tcrday by the Red Cross V.A, members and helpers in preparing a special consignment of bandages and other requirements for troopships which, will shortly be leaving for overseas. Some of the members and their helpers were on duty all day, havingbrought their lunches with them. Beautification Work. Speaking at a meeting of the Wanganui City Council last night, Cr. J. Siddells complimented the superintendent of parks and reserves, Mr. S. 1. Cox, on the beautification work done in the Queen's Park environs, round about the city library and I museum. Cr. Siddells said that the grounds there were a credit to the I city and w ere appreciated by visitors.

Vengeance on the Town Clerk. An attitude towards town clerks in general the reverse of eulogistic, was mentioned by Cr. J. J. Scott at a fare-, well to the Wanganui town clerk, Mr. G. Murch, last night. He said that he once received a blue paper, a summons for a penalty on rates. It was at such a time that one felt inclined to “screw the town clerk's neck,” Cr. Scott said. j Motor-cycle Trial. ■ The Wanganui Sports Motor-cycle | Club's Christmas reliability trial was i held during the week-end and attracted a good muster of members. Conditions were ideal for the 85-mile route, but dust proved an obstacle for riders who did not have goggles. Close times were recorded al the checks and the final results were as follow: A. Parkes 1, D. Lawrence 2, G. Richards 3. No Mention of Fort. Bowen. “1 hope that when the model comes to he improved with the inclusion oi la few ships, nobody will include the I Port Bowen." said a member o- the Wanganui City Council last nignl, when it was reported that the modei of Wanganui at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition is to be made more realistic with the building of I another bridge and the introduction of I a ship or tw o to the harbour. Rubbish Receptacles. The Wanganui City Council is to examine a suggestion that receptacles for rubbish used bv householders in Wanganui be made uniform. Cr. .J. J. Scott urged that rubbish should be put into receptacles which are uniformly easy to handle. Cr. D. W. Earle thought there might be repercussions if that was put into effect. The Works Committee is to obtain a report, from the engineer, and if thought fit, bring down a recommendation.

Good Fishing at Rotorua. Several limit bags of trout have been taken in the last few days in the Rotorua district. At Hamurana a limit bag was secured by a local fisherman within four hours. The average weight was 51b. and the largest 81b. The same sportsman gained a limit bag in Lake Rotoehu in four hours. Using the dry fly at Rotoiti, Mr. C. A. Whitney took nine fisn one day this week, and Mr. A.bert Samuel, of Auckland, took seven from Okataina. The heaviest fish in that catch was 81b. Two rods below the Huka Falls took 16 fish recently. “A Bad Risk.” “We will be looked upon as a bad risk if we have any more of these fires,” said Cr. R. E. Cuthbertson to a meeting of the Wanganui City Council last night, urging that an investigation be made of the fire whicn occurred in the council’s hot mix plant recently. He said that the council had had three major fires all within a comparatively short time—in the Opera House, city engineer's department and now the hot mix plant. Replying, the city engineer (Mr. L. F. Row) said that the investigation into all fires was one for the police and they had taken this enquiry in hand m the usual way. Reduction of Public Debt. Pointing out that the finances of the Wanganui-Rangitikei ElectricPower Board had been so well founded by the late Mr. P. H. Smith, the original secretary, that it had been able to pay off half its public debt in about 14 years, Mr. Hope Gibbons, a member of the board and a past Mayor of the city, speaking at a farewell to the town clerk, Mr. G. Murch, last night, said that the work of the Wanganui City Council, in reducing its debt in the same way, is to be commended. 1 don't know how long the city will take doing the job,” Mr. Gibbons said. “What the Power Board has done is something of a record.; Sometimes I wonder whether we are knot going ahead too fast and that the 'time for paying off should be longer.”

CRITERION HOTEL Mr. N. Davis, Mr. W. B. Manning, Mrs. G. Waite, Mr. K. A. Waite, Mr. L. Winchcombe (Wellington), ?Y.s. M. Waite, Mr. P. Morrison (Auckland), Mr. N. E. Baigent (Palmerston North), Mr. and Mrs. Dudson, Mr. K. Dudson (Wanganui). Mr. B. Addenbrooke (Mangamahu). RUTLAND HOTEL Mr. V. Roberts, Auckland; Mr. and Mrs. Dewar, New Plymouth; Mi. L. Jakich, Otorohanga; Mr. M. Borich, Hamilton; Mr. J. Vodanovicn, Te Kuiti; Mr. T. Hurley, Tokaanu; Mr J. Williams, Mr. R. Mitchell, Wellington; Mr. and Mrs. Stone, Auckland; Mr. T. Stratford, Mr. and Mrs, Robertson, Napier; Mr. T. Anderson Stratford.