General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 32, 7 February 1941, Page 4

General News

Rotary Club Speaker. The speaker at Monday's Rotary Club luncheon will be Mr. E. A. Watkin. Huntervillo Fire Brigade. A gift of i'2 2s was made to the Hunterville Fire Brigade at the monthly meeting of the Rangitikei County Council yesterday. Wanganui Airman to Broadcast. Flight-Lieutenant A. C. Deere. D.F.C., with bar, of Wanganui, will broadcast over the Empire Service of the 8.8. C. to-day. Building Permits. Sixteen building permits were issued by the Wanganui City Council last month. The total value was £31,097. The value of permits issued in January of last year was £1194. Returned Soldiers. The financial membership of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association on December 31, 1940, was 34,272. an increase of 7822 on that for the corresponding date of the previous year. It is expected that membership will reach 40,000 by March 31. County Advertising. The “Wanganui Chronicle" was appointed the official advertising medium of the Rangitikei County Council at its meeting in Marton yesterday. The next meeting of the council will he held on Thursday, March 6. Shortage of Dog Collars. A report that it was impossible to obtain supplies of dog collars for the current year on account of the loss of a shipment of buckles was made by the Town Clerk, Mr. T. R. Congalton, at a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council this week. The contractor to the council was 26,000 collars in arrears, and was unable to indicate when supplies would be forthcoming. Rotary Conference. The Wanganui Rotary Club will be represented at the annual Dominion conference in Wellington on March 11 and 12 by the president, Mr. S. R. McCallum, vice-president, Mr. G. N. Boulton, and the secretary, Mr. E. H. Poynter. The conference will be of a business nature. The name of the district-governor-designate, in sucsession to Mr. D. A. Ewen, will be announced there. Noxious Weeds. “So far in the past two seasons inspections in the northern ridings of the Rangitikei County Council have revealed small trace of ragwort,” stated Mr. J. Robinson, in a report to the monthly meeting of the council yesterday. Work is in progress on the eradication of all weeds growing on the Main Trunk Line from Ohingaiti northward.

Mast From Old Wreck. The discovery has been made on the coast near Karekare of a mast believed to be from H.M.S. Orpheus which was wrecked on the Manukau bar on February 7, 1863. A vessel of 21 guns, the warship carried a complement of 259 officers and men, 189 of whom lost their lives. A strong wind on the west coast last week moved a sand bank and bared a portion of the mast. Subsequently several feet of it was revealed. The wood is partly rotted, but the copper fittings are in good condition.

Artificial Respiration. A-treatise on artificial respiration, in the Jorm of a six-page pamphlet has been issued by the Department of Health in co-operation with the Department of Internal Affairs. Clearly written and illustrated, it is intended to be a manual of essential instruction in the treatment of asphyxia caused by the blast of highexplosive shells, pressure on the chest among demolished buildings, the inhalation of sand or dust when injured, waves of intense smoke, broken gas pipes, and contact with broken electric wire. The pamphlet, which is number H—H.3., no doubt will be sought after particularly by Civil Guardsmen. Fire Drill.

More than 80 attended the public demonstration at the Wanganui Fire Station last night of the use of bucket fire pumps in case of emergency. The demonstration was given by Superintendent N. M. Ross, and it was watched with keen interest. The test was given in actual fire work and showed the efficiency that can be accomplished under expert guidance. Instruction in the use of the garden hose was also given and showed how a fire of good dimensions could be controlled in the space of a few seconds. Later, Superintendent Ross gave a lecture to those present. Mr. A. E. Halligan, chairman of the Wanganui Fire Board, expressed appreciation of the large gathering. Superintendent Ross was given a vote of thanks. Duty of Rotarians. “We must act and make up our minds what job we are going to do. Let us prepare for the time when Britain gains a victorious peace, so that each of us can have a clear conscience that he has done his part.” said the president of the Napier Rotary Club, Mr. E. N. H. Stewart, when drawing attention to the following utterance by the president of the Auckland Rotary Club, Mr. F. Winstone: “Rotary calls for service. Few of our members will be called on to serve overseas, but there are many avenues of service at our doors, and it. i behoves us all to answer the call to duty in whatever form it may come.” Mr. Stewart said there was no question but that members owed a debt to Rotary. Through Rotary they received an opportunity to serve which, as ordinary citizens, would probably not come their way.