General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 35, 11 February 1944, Page 4

General News

Power Consumers. It was reported at the monthly meeting of the Wanganui-Rangitikei Electric Power Boartj that, the number of consumers totalled 12,366. The board’s area includes Wanganui, Marton, Hunterville, Bulls, Waverley, and Taihape. Dominion-made Glass Cups. Glass cups and saucers are now to be produced in New Zealand by a factory at Penrose. Many have recently been imported from Australia, but the Auckland company has now acquired the necessary machinery for their manufacture. The company has for some time been making tumblers. “G.I. Boys.” Reference to American soldiers as "G.I. boys” during United States radio programmes to their troops have : puzzled many listeners. An explanation has been furnished. Goods and chattels are either personal private property or Government issue, which the soldiers abbreviate to "G. 1. With their characteristic expressiveness the Americans have dubbed soldiers as "G.I. boys.” Destructive Schoolboys. Many Wanganui business firms displayed flags and bunting outside of their premises in Victoria Avenue yesterday in honour of the return home of members of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Whether out of sheer devilment or otherwise, boys on their way from school could not resist the temptation to jump up and tear the flags or bunting from a number of the premises. National Savings Success. Every district in the Dominion raised its full quota of National War Savings last week. This is exceptionally good. Usually one or two districts fall a little short of their targets, although in the aggregate the sums saved are generally sufficient to meet the full Dominion quota of £BO,OOO. The last occasion on which all areas were successful was in early December. Individual towns attaining or exceeding their local quotas totalled 191, and all the principal centres were successful.

Gift Parcel Appeal. A Press appeal for more gift parcels for service personnel overseas was instituted by the secretary of the Wanganui-Waitotara District Patriotic Committee, Mr. C. R. White, eiirly in the week and resulted in 62 parcels, oi’ their equivalent in cash, being received. This still left 381 parcels to be collected to fill Wanganui’s quota of 1625, which closes to-day. Taken on a cash basis of 7s 6d for each parcel the sum of £142 17s 6d is required. The Wanganui district has never yet failed to reach its objective voluntarily, and though the sum required by to-night is a large one the committee is hopetui that it will be on hand. Changeable Weather. Wanganui had a variety of weather yesterday, ranging from periods of calm and spasms of bright sunshine ; n the morning to a fresh south-westerly wind at noon. After slight overnight rain a few passing showers were experienced in the morning. The sky was overcast in the afternoon but the evening was calm and mild. Theie was a considerable sea at Castlecliff. During the 24 hours ended at 6 p.m. yesterday, the total rainfall recorded at the New Zealand Friends’ School, St. John’s Hill, was only .02ins. The maximum temperature was 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and the minimum 50 degrees. Noisy Welcome Home. Locomotive whistles contributed their full share to the vociferous welcome given men of the 2nd. N.Z.E.F. furlough party when the special train arrived at Wanganui late yesterday afternoon. First to crow a welcome, as if of right, was the “Ab” class engine hauling the special, an example quickly followed by the fussy little “Wf” assisting engine. She emitted a series of shrill shrieks which were soon outdone by the deep, full-throat-ed blare of a “Ka.’’ waiting to depart from the loop with a freight train for Marton. Then from far and near and all points of the railroad yards came whistles of varying cadence, drowning all other sound,. Not to be outdone, a band on the station platform continued playing a lively march, but scarcely a note was heard.