GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 July 1947, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

J-Force Draft. Wanganui and Taranaki members of the draft of returning J-Force personnel on the Dunera, which is scheduled to arrive at Wellington on Sunday morning and berth at Aotea Quay, will leave by special train at . 10.30 a.m. 1 Flying Nev.s. < With .its navigation lights burning, J a low-flying Dakota . aircraft passed • over Wanganui early last night bound for Ohakea. The Gloster Meteor jetpropelled fighter which was loaned to . the Royal New Zealand Air Force by the Royal Air Force, is now in long- j term storage at Ohakea. R.S.A. Annual Reunion The annual reunion of the Return- 1 ed Services Association (Wanganui < branch) will be held in August. It I is anticipated that th e gathering this 1 year will be the largest held and will < better last year’s reunion, when 600 returned servicemen were present. Good and Bad Employers “We admit that there are good and 1 bad employers just as there are good ■ and bad workmen,’’ said Mr. S. J. ' Sullivan, president of the Wanganui Employers’ Association, at a meeting i this week. "That is no reason why all should be condemned and caused i to suffer because the trade union philosophy is at fault." Wandering Stock. Many complaints had been received regarding stock wandering on roads in the Rangitikei County, stated the noxious weeds inspector, Mr. J. Robinson (Hunterville) in his report to the council, adopted at the monthly meeting yesterday. He added that during Juno eight letters were written to the owners of stock found on roads. Power Cuts to Remain at Present. Questioned by the "Chronicle ’ yesterday, regarding the possibility of there being a further easing of the power restrictions, the engineer to the Wanganui-Rangitikei Electric Power Board (Mr. H. Webb), said that the distlct was being treated very leniently, and that there was no chance at present of relieving any of the existing power cuts. There is only one evening power cut in force in the district at the present time. Stock Feed for Wairarapa A special committee has been set up by the Federated Farmers for immediate assistance for farmers in the flooded areas of the Wairarapa dis- I trict, according to advice received in Wanganui yesterday. An urgent appeal has been made to farmers in the Wanganui district in common with other neighbouring districts to notify ,thc Department of Agriculture of any surplus hay which could be made available immediately if required. Just Missed "Hole in One.’* One of the lady golfers at the Belmont links yesterday just failed to 1 perpetuate what is regarded in golfing parlance as the "perfect shot.” • Mrs. Turner, of the Taranaki team, . landed her see shot at one of the short 1 holes, Terawhiti, well on the green, the ball stopping on the lip of the hole. What penalty would have been ■ levied had the ball fallen in was not revealed, but probably the feat would have been suitably celebrated at the conclusion of the match. Durie Hill Elevator The Wanganui City Council’s application to the Price Tribunal for a 25 per cent, increase in the price of concession tickets on the Durie Hill ele- , vator will be opposed by the Durie ‘ Hill Residents’ Association. Opposition will be based on the fact that the elevator is showing a profit and that , there is no alternative means of transport. The profit from the elevator last year was £99 and for the previous year £293. The lowest profit was £42 in £1944-45. New Band Instruments Instruments to the value of £l2OO 1 have been ordered by the Hawera 1 Municipal Band from a Wellington 1 firm. It is hoped that delivery will 1 be made before the next New Zealand ( championships, to be held at Dunedin ( in February, 1948. The old instru- 1 ments will be distributed among the 1 auxiliary band and its surplus instru- ; ments will be used by the local school • bands. Application has been made for ' permission to hold an art union to 1 help meet the cost of the purchase. < Clearing Noxious Weeds Though most farmers had made ; liberal attempts during the past two years to clear their properties ot gorse and blackberry, progress had ; been slow, mainly because of their ' inability to obtain labour, said the noxious weeds inspector, Mr, J. Rob- , inson (Hunterville), at the monthly meeting yesterday of the Rangitikei County Council. Some Maoris had ! been engaged for this class of work and more would be available when released from wool stores and freezing works this month. Mr. Robinson added. Gorse and barberry hedges were also being trimmed. Farmers and Rehabilitation. "That this meeting expresses its confidence in Mr. J. Collier, as farmers’ representative on the Rehabilitation Committee and is agreed that if land is to be acquired compulsorily in the district, the properties of absent land owners and Crown lessees bo the first to bo investigated, and that as a prelude to any compulsory action we consider that, an adjustment of taxation necessary.” This was the text of a resolution carried at a meeting of 'he Taihape branch of the Federated Farmers. The question of rural mail neiiveries was deferred to the next meeting. Independence Day. To-day is the 171st anniversary of the signing of Declaration of Independence in the American Congress when the thirteen States of the Union broke their Colonial allegiance to Great Britain. The resolution of independence was actually adopted by Congress on July 2. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and slightly amended by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. 'J’he first colony to give official countenance to separation as a solution of colonial grievances was North Carolina and the first colony to instruct its delegates to take the actual initiative was Virginia. Much Rain in June. June was an abnormally wet month in the Bulls district, the rainfall being well above the average. Records kept by Mr. K. W. Dalrympio (Parewanui) show that 7.691 d. fell on 20 clays, the average for June over a period of 50 : years being 3 28in. In the period under 1 rqview June rainfall has ranged from < .44in in 194*' lo 9.58 in. in 1906. On one < day in Jun', 1905, the fall was 2.76 in. < In 1929 th > total for the month was 1 .77in. and i 1943 it was 6.03 in. So far this montl . rainfall in the Bulls distrist is 18.4 lin., compared with 18.50 in. for the first six months of 1946. Last month rain fell on 13 consecutive days i (June 16 Io 28). 'Phis was the longest spell of w' ( *t weather since August, ( ■‘.39, when there were 21 consecutive | C.ny> of rain. G.G4in>. 'wring recorded. I 'flic avera.go fall per day, however, i was .27in.. as against ,37in. during |; June of th ( is year. I