General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 221, 19 September 1941, Page 4

General News

Twelve Months Ago. Twelve months ago to-day the R.A.F. attacked, Italian bases in the Dodecanese with success. Other bombers renewed offensive on Channel ports. Heavy night raids on London, several famous buildings being hit. New Caledonia joined General de Gaulle's movement. Call to Fire.

The Wanganui Central Fire Brigade responded to a call yesterday to Mr. F. W. Wilson's residence, Somme Parade, where a small fire had occurred. No damage was done.

Home Guard Weapons. Large numbers of German machineguns which were captured in the last war have recently been adapted in New Zealand for the use ot British ammunition, and it is expected that they will shortly be available for the Home Guard.

Friendly Games. Friendly games in Rugby, hockey, basketball, and soccer were played between Wanganui Intermediate School teams and teams from Queen's Park, Wanganui East, Gonville, Tawhero, and Aramoho Schools on the Intermediate ground yesterday.

Miners Want “Shouts.” A beer strike is at present in operation at Burnett's Face mining township on the West Coast. The strike was instituted at a further meeting of miners to protest against the recent cutting out of the third beer for a shilling in hotels in the Buller district.

White Butterflies Again. Bugbear of gardeners, the white butterfly has made its unwelcome appearance in Wanganui during the past few days. Although not yet in any great numbers, the vanguard of this gardening menace is serving as a reminder to raisers of cabbages, etc., to be vigilant against its depredations. Children's Hospital. A further donation of 5s from “Sympathiser” is acknowledged towards the fund being raised for the restoration of a hospital for sick children. Great Ormond Street, London, which was bombed and destroyed by the Germans. Donations may be left at the “Chronicle 1 ’ office.

Eclipse of Sun. On September 21 there will be a total eclipse of the sun, said the director of the Wanganui observatory, Mr. W. H. Ward, yesterday. This eclipse, however, would not be visible in New Zealand, but a partial eclipse would be seen in the Northern Territory of Australia and in Northern Queensland.

Good Runs of Fish. Phenomenal runs of fish in one stream in the Wairarapa district—to the extent of hundreds weighing up to five and six pounds—were reported to the meeting of the council of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society this week. Conditions in the Manawatu area were also said to be satisfactory, with a good augury for the opening of the season. Harrier Club Event.

The Wanganui Harrier Club will have their final run of the season tomorrow, when a relay race will be held from the Aramoho Boat Club's shed and round the Aramoho and Dublin Street Bridges. At the end of the contest, afternoon tea will be served, followed by the presentation of trophies. Aurora Australis.

Between eight and nine o'clock last night the phenomenon of Aurora Australis was seen over the southern horizon, according to the director of the Wanganui Observatory, Mr. W. H. Ward. The streams or beams of light, usually seen in the aurora, were not in evidence. The display took the form of a bluish-white light, varying to purplish blue. A bank of clouds obscured the display later.

National Military Reserve. Routine orders of the Eleventh (Wanganui) Company of the National Military Reserve, issued yesterday, contain the promotion of four n.c.o’s. —Corporals D. G. Strachan, G. H. C. Jones and G. A. McDonald to be lance-sergeants, and Lance-Corporal P. R. Kennedy to be corporal. Tomorrow the company will hold a halfday parade for grenade and petrol bomb practice on Landguard Bluff near the airport.

“There is a War On.” People must begin to understand that there was a war on, and that it was absolutely necessary to conserve petrol, remarked Mr. T. J. Griffin, a member of the Taranaki Education Board, this week, when during a brief discussion on(school conveyance it was stated that (some parents in a certain area were concerned because there was not room in the school bus for their children. , "After children have been taken to School by bus for some time it is difficult to gel them used to walking to school again,” commented a member.

Fewer New Cars. In spite of the petrol restrictions the “get-you-home” service returns were up on last, year, it was reported to the Automobile Association (Wanganui) executive committee meeting on Wednesday night. ‘"This does not mean that there are piore cars on th" road,” said Mr. P| D. England, president. “We have to bear in mind that there are fewer new cars and parts, and most of thL cars in use last year are still in use, one year older, thus increasing the demand on the service.”

Leave Trains From Waiouru. “On one or two occasions we have taken up with the Railway Department the question of fi better train service between Taihapfe and Waiouru and have also requested the department to run excursion trains to Waiouru on Sundays, so that local residents could have an opportunity of visiting the camp.” states the annual report of the Tffihape Retailers' Association. “We did not get any satisfaction in our first request for an improved train service on Saturdays, but as soon as the number of men warranted it the department did run special leave trains, and this resulted in a large number of men from the camp coming into town. We hope that when the Soldiers’ Club, now being built, is. completed, these leave trains will again be run on Saturdays,” adds the report.