General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 296, 16 December 1941, Page 4

General News

Twelve Months Ago. Twelve months ago to-day. during Phe British offensive in the Western Desert. Solium and Fort Capuzzo were captured, and the battle for Bardia began. R.A.F. again raided the Italian fleet in Naples harbour. In the Albanian campaign the Greek Army entered Tepeleni. Curtailed Servire Beginning from to-day (Tuesday), a skeleton bus service will be run on the St. John’s Hill route on ail w'eek days, including late nights and Saturday Tiu- Sunday afternoon service to Virginia Lake will be suspended. New Members Since the annual meeting of the Wanganui branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society 234 new’ members have been enrolled. The total membership of the Wanganui branch is 474. Scout* to Make Net*. At the request of headquarters of the Boj Scout movement. Scouts intend to remain in operation during the holidays for making camouflage nets. This important work is being pushed on with ail possible haste throughout lhe Dominion. Advertising in America. 1 John A. Garber, instructor of advertising at the University of Pittsburgh, took a survey of 92 department store* in cities ranging in population from 50,000 to 1,000,000, and [found lhe average department store spending 3.45 per cent, of its gross in< ome for newspaper advertising and 0.27 per cent, on radio promotion.

Patriotic Tennis The Wanganui Lawn Tennis Association will hold a three-day patriotic tournament on the Wanganui Club’s courts on January 1. 2, and 3. Because of the petrol restrictions it is likely that many players in Wanganui and suburbs will remain in the city over the holiday period, and will enter for the fixture, which last year resulted in a nett profit of £73 being handed to the patriotic authorities. Waste-Paper Drive. As a result of the campaign for the reclamation of waste paper in Wanganui, 21 tons had gone forward to Wellington up io last night. Il is stated that receipts at the depot al tne corner of Campbell and Guyton Streets have fallen off in lhe last few days, petrol restrictions and a certain degree of laxity on lhe pari of the public being the chief factors in the decline. Harbour Depths. Reporting to lhe Wanganui Harbour Board at its monthly meeting yesterday, the harbourmaster, Captain R. D. Stewart, stated that during November soundings taken at the entrance revealed a depth of 20ft. 9ins. (high water, ordinary spring tide). The depth from the mole ends to Castlecliff Wharf was 2211., and from Castlecliff to the Town Wharf, Ifl. Bins. At low water, ordinary spring tide, lhe depth at the entrance was 12ft. Dins. Collective Training. Because of the mobilisation of Territorials this week lhe First Baltallon Taranaki Regiment, and Second Company. Engineers. Wellington, have gone to Palmerston North for collective training. Both were lo have gone into camp in Wanganui early in the New Year. So far no regiments are listed for training in Wanganui next year. Improvements are being carried out lo the cooking facilities both on Spriggens Park and on the Racecourse, should they be required for military purposes. Civic Officers’ As part of lhe Wanganui City Council’s plan to effect drastic economies in lhe use of petrol, official cars are not being driven more than i absolutely necessary. An example of this principal was seen in Wanganui yesterday when the city engineer, Mr. L. F. Row, lhe assistant engineer, Mr. W. J. Frethey, the superintendent of park* and reserves, Mr. S. I. Cox, ana tne foreman of streets, Mr. M. Winter, travelled about lhe city during the afternoon on cycles, when normally they would have used motor transport for their official business.

Slid I Rock Supplies. "The supply of shell rock has been well below average for the past month.’’ reported lhe engineer, Mr. R. R. Dawson, al the monthly meeting of lhe Wanganui Harbour Board yesterday. He added that it was expected that regular supplies would again be received in lhe New Year, when mechanical means would be employed at the Kaiwhaiki quarries for the removal of stripping. Approximately 150 tons of rock had been placed on the Castlecliff Wharf in readiness for supporting the sheathing and this work would be commenced immediately.

Discovery of New Zealand The 299th. anniversary of the discovery of New Zealand by Abel Tasman occurred on Sunday. The first European to set foot in New Zealand. Tasman arrived at West land, rounded Farewell Spit and anchored in Golden Bay. This inlet was named Murderers’ Bay by the navigator, because four of his crew were killed by Maoris during the stay there. He next called at Cape Maria Van Diemen, which was given its name in honour of the wife of the Governor who had appointed Tasman on his mission. The Dutch made no attempt to colonise New Zealand and in their opinion. Tasman’s voyage was a complete failure.

Sales of China in Britain The rising income tax in Britain is having the result of releasing from private collections for wider appreciation overseas more and more of the beautiful porcelain of England. Th" 1 recent London sale of one private collection disclosed the astonishing fact that the owner was regularly using more than 100 dinner, tea and (iesert services of the finest porcelain. Prices vary amazingly. A Worcester dinner set, specially painted for the Prince Regent in Waterloo year by Humphrey Chamberlain was knocked down for £3BO. In other days It might well have fetched twice that amount. On the other hand a private collection from Walton Hall. Warrington, went up to £2136. Chinese (Nanking) de|orated in the Lowestoft tradition brings in £3 a piece and. as a good set will run to anything between 110 and 275 pieces, the cost is impressive.