Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 301, 21 December 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Flag Day Donation i A donation of £2 to the Flag Day appeal is acknowledged from Mr. and j Mrs. C. F. Millward. Girl Cyclist Injured As the result of a collision between her bicycle and a motor-car, Alison Dear, aged 17 years, of 4 Carlton Avenue, was admitted to the Wanganui Public Hospital last evening suffering from a broken collarbone, head wounds and concussion. The accident. | occurred at about 5.10 p.m. The girl's icondition was reported last night to I be quite satisfactory. Postmen’s Busy Day. Yesterday was another busy day for Wanganui postmen, when a heavy volume of Christmas and overseas mail was handled. Postmen were late in returning from their morning ' rounds and some were not finished i their afternoon rounds until almost i dark. Other branches of the Post ; Office are also experiencing a similar rush of work which will reach its . peak to-morrow. Rowing Club’s Launch. The Union Boat. Club’s launch was used last night for the first time to pace the club’s eight-oar crew. Two members of the eight were absent and their places.were taken by R. Blackmore and W. Phillips. The launch enabled the coach, Mr. C. A. Healey, to travel alongside the crew and to change from side to side and had no trouble in keeping up with the craft. The eight will start training in earnest after the Christmas and New Year holiday for the season's engagements, which will include races with the eight-oar crew from Australia. Hours of Service Stations. The following hours for service stations during the Christmas holidays have been fixed by the Wanganui Petrol Resellers’ Association:- Christmas Eve (Friday), 7.30 a.m. to 12.30 a.m. the following day; Saturday, 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Christmas Day 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Boxing Day, 7.30 a.m. Io 9 p.m.; Wednesday, 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 7.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Similar hours will be observed during the New Year I period. Patriotic lunds. The appeal for patriotic funds in Wanganui has resulted in the collection of £llB 17s to date, £lOO of this amount having been donated by the Wanganui City Council. Lists have been opened at the City Council office and at Die office of the Wanganui and Waitotara County Councils and at. the offices of the "Chronicle” and Herald. All Ihe funds collected in ihe Wellington province will be spent on men from the province. Of the City Council’s contribution, £75 i.s to be spent on Wanganui soldiers. Old Identities and Centennial. Arrangements are well in hand for the old identities’ part in the Wanganui centennial celebrations next March, one of Ihe features of which will be a profession from the post office to Cooks Gardens, where the school children will also take part. It is proposed to issue a presentation souvenir brochure containing some account of the history of the Wangai nui Early Settlers’ Association, in- ' eluding a roll of old people. Old people who are unable to walk wil'l be taken to the function in motorcars. Former Policeman’s Funeral. Two old members of the police force who have been on the retired list for some time, attended the funeral of the late Mr. D. Wilson, which took place al Ihe Aramoho cemetery yesterday afternoon. They were Mr. J. Siddells, formerly a detective sergeant in Wanganui and Mr. T. Bourke, formerly senior sergeant in Wanganui. The Mayor of Wanganui (Mr. W. J. Rogers) was also present. The service, both at the house and the graveside, was conducted by the Rew A. C. McLean. The pallbearers were: Messrs. T. Morgan, J. Vesty, G. Howes (repre-! senting the police force), C. Jackson, L. McKay and A. H. Hurley. Whisky in the King Country. In the Police Court at Taumarunui! yesterday Constable C. J. R. Bisset t. i giving evidence in a case in which three men have been accused of stealing liquor from a locked police’ cell, said that one of the men had been questioned as to how certain liquor found in bushes near his house had come into his possession. "He stated that he Lad bought the three bottles which had contained whisky from a ‘dropper’ together with three or four other bottles of whisky,” said I Constable Bissett. “Lie said he did I not wish to disclose the name of the | j person who sold him the whisky, but i I said that he had paid 25s a bottle for j r Humour of the War. The grimness 01. war is always! j lightened by ihe humour of Ihe fight-; ' ing forces. Dr. H. D. Robertson, of I , Wanganui, who is at present in Lon- I 'don, has retold two of the excuses' given bv men of the Royal Air Force ' who were bought before their commanding officer for explanations as to ' Hights over Germany dropping leaflets. The first man was late in rei turning to his base. Asked why, he ’.said that things “were so quiet in Germany we popped down and put the leaflets under the door!” 'i’he second pilot was back at his base too soon. His reason was that, in his excitement, he had dumped the whole cargo of leaflets over in one 101. "Good Heavens man, you might have killed somebody!” declared the commanding officer. The Longest Day. There is inevitably confusion as to which day is the longest day, and all three days between December 21 and 23 are claimed for that distinction. This year it is on Saturday next, December 23, that the sun reaches the most southern point in his apparent journey; the.rel.ore, astronomically speaking, December 23 is the longest day. As a matter of fact, the actual time that the sun is above the horizon is practically the same for several days about now. Although the sun will be rising a minute or so later towards the end of this week than it did at the beginning, its setting time still continues to get later, and it will be well on into January before the sun sets any earlier in the evening than it docs now. Hence there need be no misgivings just yet about the days begin- j ning to draw in, and experience shows ( that most of and the best summer weather comes after rather than before the longest day. Two complete ; summer months have yet to run their j (course before it is time to think about p Autumn. - i