General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 40, 18 February 1943, Page 4

General News

Friends’ School Picnic. Pupils of the New Zealand Friends’ School, St. John’s Hill, held their annual picnic at Takahuri. Wanganui River, yesterday. The journey was made in the Wanganui River Services' paddle-vessel Waimarie. Rotary Occasion To farewell the district governor of Rotary, Mr. F. Hall-Jones, at the end of his tour of the North Island a Rotary "get together" is to be held in Palmerston North on March 6 and 7. It is the intention of several Wanganui Rotarians to be present at the gathering.

Secondary Departments. There are eight secondary departments under the control of the board, stated Mr. E. H. Lange, instructor in agriculture to the Wanganui Education Board, in a report to the monthly meeting on Tuesday. The majority were visited at least twice during the year. Science equipment is generally good and the instruction proceeds along satisfactory lines, stated the report.

Not “According to Hoyle!” A young Wanganui soldier serving in the Middle East had the misfortune to lose his tunic and paybook, according to word received by relatives. Appearing before a court of inquiry he was reprimanded and lined the sum of 22s 6d. Thinking this was a bit "over the odds” he asked permission to put the following question: “Singapore cost over £60,000,000! What was the man fined who lost that?” Later, the tunic and paybook were recovered, but when application for a refund of the fine was made the soldier was told that this could not be done. Payment of Rates

With the last day to-day before the imposing of the 10 per cent, penalty on unpaid rates this week has been a busy one for the staff of the Wanganui City Council. The city treasurer, Mr. F. Best, said yesterday that at the close of business on Tuesday night the sum of £110,830 had been paid, compared with only £lOB,540 on the same day last year. The levy struck this year, which is the same as last year, £133,800, includes the Harbour Board figure. To assist ratepayers the Wanganui City Council’s office will remain open during its usual mid-day closing hour today. Souvenir Hunting. Souvenir hunting is an important sideline with Allied troops in New Guinea, said an American, wounded at Buna. "We saw some Australians go into action, and it was good to watch them. They were always on the look-out for one of those little Japanese officers who would wave his men on with grandiose sweeps of his sword. A Digger would pause for a few seconds, and then a shot would drop the Jap. Sometimes there would be a concerted rush to get his sword. It was a case of possession being nine points of the law. American soldiers willingly offered £4O and more for one of them. A bugler who list his bugle in a rush advance said: “Later we heard a Jap. bugler sounding the retreat. He had hardly played a few notes when one of the boys got him and later brought his bugle to me, insisting that it should replace the one I had lost. It was strange at first, but now I am used to it I would not be without it.”