General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 303, 24 December 1945, Page 4

General News

. . . “The Chronicle’’ will not be published to-morrow, Christmas Day. It will appear as usual on Wednesday (Boxing Day).

Holiday Cricket. Three holiday matches are scheduled for the Wanganui cricket team during Christmas and New Year. They arc: v. North Rangitikei. in Taihape on Boxing Day; v. Rangiikei in Wanganui on Saturday and Sunday; v. Taranaki in New Plymouth on January 1 and 2. Diploma of Banking. In a list of successful candidates who sat for University of New Zealand diploma in banking examinations appears the name of G. G. Jackson (Wanganui), who passed in economics.. A. D. Murray (Army Post Ofllce 361) passed in banking (2), economic history and economic geography. Vandalism in Marton.

Marton has not escaped the epidemic of vandalism which has been prevalent throughout the Dominion lately, says the “Chronicle’s” Marton correspondent. When the pavilion on the county cricket ground was opened on Saturday a heap of broken glass and about a dozen stones littered the floor of a room. Eight panes of glass had been smashed, only two being left undamaged.

Special Christmas Cake A large three-tier Christmas cake : was specially prepared for the civic reception and complimentary luncheon held in the R.S.A. Hall on Saturday for men of the Navy, Army and Air Force, who returned to Wanganui and district recently after service i overseas. The cake, iced and appropriately decorated, was wheeled into the room and in the words of one i guest, “heartily partaken of.” The balance is to be distributed among re- ; turned men in hospital. Undertow at Castlecliff.

“Conditions were tough, even for experienced swimmers,” said a member of the Castlecliff Surf Section, reporting on a dangerous undertow which made its presence felt at the Castlecliff beach yesterday afternoon. The weather was fine but there was a stiff westerly, which made the undertow particularly bad between the lookout and the north mole. The majority of the swimmers kept fairly close to the shore and there were no untoward incidehts but the life-saving patrol said that bathers should exercise caution and take heed of instructions as to dangerous areas.

Warm Summer Weather After three days of high westerly winds, the weather returned to typical mid-summer conditions yesterday, when there was a refreshing breeze and continuous sunshine. Temperatures were very warm and the hot sun early in the afternoon was responsible' for lifting the tar on the sealed portion of Anzac Parade between Helmore Street and the Dublin Street Bridge. The City Council rectified the trouble, however, by spreading metal over the road. The tine weather yesterday was greatly appreciated and many people spent the day out of doors. The barometer was steady at 30.27in5. Tobacco Situation

An indication that by February the tobacco situation may have improved was given by the president of the Wanganui Returned Services’ Assocla. tion, Mr. C. S. Smith, when asked on Saturday to comment on a suggestion by the Invercargill R.SA. for a tobacco ration for returned servicemen. “This service is already available,” said Mr. Smith, commenting that no immediate action was proposed by the Wanganui branch. “In any case the Wanganui executive will not have a meeting till January. Furthermore, I am certain that, by February the position will be greatly improved as import licences have been granted for tobacco and cigarettes.”

Christmas in Port Two coastal vessels are ip port at Wanganui for the Christmas holidays. They are the Holmdale, which arrived yesterday morning from Dunedin and way ports, and the Foxton, which arrived on Saturday. Both are at the Town Wharf, where they will remain till next Thursday. The Homdale has general cargo from Dunedin, Oamaru, Wellington and Picton, and the Foxton is to load dairy produce for Wellington. She left Wellington on Friday for Patea, but was unable to enter the latter port on Saturday because of the westerly swell. The Taupata, which left Wanganui early yesterday morning, will spend Christmas in Wellington, after which she loads for Lyttelton.

Christmas Eve Shopping Large crowds are expected to be in Victoria Avenue to-night when a late night will be observed for Christmas Eve shopping. Retail firms will remain open till 10 o’clock and qs this will be the first peace-time Christmas for six years the crowd is likely to be : n a carnival mood. The City Council has issued a warning, however, that it is an offence to throw or discharge missies to the danger of any person or property. Vehicular traffic will be excluded from Victoria Avenue between Taupo Quay and Guyton Street from 7 p.m. till 10. Special time-tables have been drawn up by the Corporation Tramways Department and extra services will be run on all routes to cater for the large crowds expected.

Motor Camps Booked Up Though ample room is still available for tent and caravan parties, cabin and hutment accommodation at the Aramoho Park motor camp is fully booked as far ahead as next March and reservations are already in hand for Easter. Several parties were in residence last week, but during the past two days there has been a large influx. Campers also began to arrive at Castlecliff last week and the custodian reported on Saturday that it was expected that the majority would have arrived by Christmas Day. At the week-end there was room for a few more caravans only, but this will most likely be occupied by the time the holiday period reaches its peak. Within recent weeks a new hutment has been built at Aramoho Park to replace some old trams which were demolished, but the accommodation available remains unchanged. Because a building permit could not be obtained for new material, the City Council used timber from a building which was scrapped at the corner of Carlton Avenue and Alma Road.

Heavy Express Trains Express trains running between New Plymouth, Wanganui and Wellington were particularly heavy on Saturday, northbound traffic being even greater than that going south. To relieve congestion on the southbound express, a relief train departed from Wanganui at 11.35 a.m. on Saturday. There were seats to spare leaving Aramoho, but most of them had been reserved by people joining the train at intermediate stations. Two locomotives, 11 cars and a van were required for the ordinary express to Wellington, but the express from Wellington to New Plymouth was the longest train to pass through Aramoho so far during the present rush. Running an hour late, this express had 13 cars and a var and required three ocomotlves, one of them acting as a “pusher” at the rear from Turakina to Maxwell. The number of passengers arriving at Aramoho was 587. Also an hour late, the relief express from Wellington to New Plymouth had the same number of cars arriving at Aramoho and 52Q. passengers. Four cars for Wanganui were detached at Aramoho.