GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 October 1947, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

Museum Inventory An inventory of the publications! and pamphlets at the Wanganui Museum is being carried out by two members, Dr. G. W. Harty, and Mr. W. Christie. The publications and pamphlets will be catalogued when the work is completed. Pilfering of Cargo “I think that a lot of the pilfering is being done on the boats. We are lucky if we get a shipment of goods which has not been tampered with,” said Mr. C. S. Jeffs at last night's meeting oi the executive of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. Many Keen Swimmers Although the weather since the beginning ot the month has not. been very like summer, the swimming I baths in the city have been fairly well I patronised, especially by children. Even on Sunday afternoon when the weather was wet. there was a fair attendance of children who did not seem to mind the cool water. Food Parcels For Britain | “The position is getting serious. In j Wanganui w e are sending three full waggon loads of parcels for Britain each week,” said the Chief Postmaster (Mr. W. R. Stuckey) at last night’s meeting of the executive of th e Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, when the sending o£ parcels of food io Britain was under discussion. Passenger Vehicles. The Transport Licensing Act re " quired passenger vehicles to be licensed not only because they had to be up to a regulation standard, but also because passengers would be covered by insurance in the event of an accident, said Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M.. in the Magistrate's Court, Wanganui, yesterday. He was summing up in a case of a man charged with carrying on a passenger service without a licence. Jay C Convention Praised Tribute to the manner in which the week-end convention of Junior Chambers of Commerce had been conducted by the Wanganui organisation was expressed by the president, Mr. S. R. McCallum, at last night's meeting ot the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. Mr. McCallum said that the convention had been a worthwhile gathering. The executive decided to send a letter of congratulation to th e Wanganui Junior Chamber of Commerce. Motor Track Shortened. To conform to Auto-cycle Union standards, officials of the Wanganui Sports Motor-cycle Club have shortened the length of their 525-yard grass track at the Wanganui East showgrounds to 440 yards. There has been no actual instruction to do so, but the A.C.U. had hinted that they would view the circuit with far more favour of it was shortened. For practice runs, however, the old circuit will be used, as the ground is expected to be considerably cut up during the grass-track events of the club’s threeday Labour week-end meeting, which will include the New Zealand road hill-climb championships Patea Rowing Club Pleasure at the affiliation of the Patea Rowing Club during the past season is expressed in the annual report of the Wanganui Rowing Association. “The members of this club have worked hard to secure funds to erect a clubhouse and to purchase plant," states the report. “Although greatly handicapped by their inability to purchase boats, the club has been given some old boats by sister clubs. When they are overhauled and repaired the club expects to be able to make a start, in coaching and training its members." The colours allotted to the new club by the New Zealand Rowing Association are black and gold quarters.

Many Traffic Offences An unusually large number of cases came before Mr. J. H. Salmon. S.M., when the Monday morning sitting of the Magistrate’s Court, Wanganui, was held yesterday, but all involved traffic offences. The only two cases brought by the police, also concerning motor vehicles, were adjourned and the rest, of the informations were laid either by the Transport Department or the Wanganui City Council's traffic department. Breaches of the regulations dealt with included failure to vield the right, of way, incorrectly adjusted headlights, excessive speeds, failure to have warrants of fitness and defective silencers on motor-cycles. All the City Council cases, however, followed a check up made by inspectors in Wanganui on motorists exceeding the 15-minute parking limit in city streets, fines ranging from 25s to £2 being imposed. Old Telephone Directory The telephone directory for Wanganui for 1895, a copy of which is possessed by the Wanganui Museum, consists of only one sheet of paper as the subscribers totalled only 108 and comprised mostly business houses. Few of the firms listed in the directory, which was correct to March, 1895, are still in business in the city today but there are quite a number of familiar names. The telephone hours are given as from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on week days and the charges as sixpence for a line under six miles in length and Is for a line over six miles in length. These charges were for a three-minute conversation. the charge being double if the conversation extended to six minutes which was the maximum period a subscriber was permitted to use the telephone. Saving of Petrol

"I do not think that the people ot New Zealand realise the seriousness of the position,” said the president, Mr. S. R. McCallum, at last night's meeting of the executive of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce when the question of petrol rationing was under discussion. The Chief Postpaster said that the saving in petrol under rationing was more than 50 ner cent. In reply to a question Mr. Stuckey said he could not give the ratio of the consumption of private ears to commercial vehicles. Mr. S. J. Sullivan said that Government departments were the worst offenders in wasting petrol. Mr. Stuckey replied that Government departments were reducing their petrol by 33 1-3 per cenl. "Not when civil servants arg, driving thei- ca’’ s home to lunch," said Mr. Sullivan.