GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 December 1947, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

Flying Activity Yesterday the Wanganui Aero Club’s instructor, Mr. G. A. Delves, was engaged in giving dual instruction to members of the Air Training Corps recently selected to receive 18 hours dual instruction and 12 hours solo. Yesterday morning a New Plymouth Aero Club Tiger Moth flown by Mr. S. G. Kyle paid a brief visit to the Wanganui Airport while en route to Wellington.

Price of Bananas. A price order issued by the Price Tribunal and published in the New Zealand Gazette fixes the retail price of bananas in the metropolitan areas at 7id a peund as from yesterday. The Drice elsewhere will be 8d a pound. Special maximum prices can be authorised by the Price Tribunal, where extraordinary charges, such as freight, are incurred by the retailer. A price order In December, 1942, fixed the price of bananas at 7d a pound in the main centres and 7id elsewhere. Anniversary of Flight The tenth anniversary of the arrival of the Imperial Airways Empire class flying-boat Centaurus in New Zealand was last Saturday. Under the command ot Captain J. W. Burgess, a New Zealander, the aircraft made a survey flight over the flyingbeat route between Hythe (England) and Auckland, and made tne first link over the route between England and New Zealand. When in the Dominion the Centaurus flew over Wanganui and created great public interest. Fewer Fishermen

Usually at this time of the year the Castlecliff wharf is crowded with fishermen, many of them young visitors from cutside districts. Because of the infantile paralysis epidemic and fewer people travelling, combined with the ban on children under the age of 16 being present at motorcamps, there has been a marked falling off in the number of visitors to the waterfront. The weather at the week-end acted as a deterrent, but even on fine days during the holiday period comparatively few parties have spent their leisure fishing from the wharves.

Few Taupo Visitors. According to a Wanganui resident who has returned from a holiday visit to Taupo, the well-known resort experienced its quietest Christmas for 40 years. Hotel accommodation had been fully booked months ahead, and recent cancellations due to the outbreak of infantile paralysis have usually been filled from waiting lists. However, cancellations of sites in the Municipal camping grounds have been heavy and in comparison with up to 300 tourists In past years, only 50 campers made use of the grounds on Boxing Day. Tents were prominent round the lakeside as usual, he said.

Weather Improves After a boisterous week-end with strong north-westerly winds and heavy seas at Castlecliff, the weather improved yesterday. The wind was still fresh from a westerly quarter, but the day was warm and sunny with a moderate sea on the bar. After dropping to 29.70 in. late on Saturday night, the barometer started rising next day and at 4 p.m. yesterday was still rising at 30.10 in. The strong winds on Saturday and Sunday, however, affected attendances at beaches and other recreational resorts in the Wanganui district.

Patea Bar Unworkable Due to the Patea bar being unworkable as a result of high westerly winds, the small coastal motor-ship Tiroa, which left Wellington at 2.5 p.m. on Sunday was unable to enter the South Taranaki port. The Tiroa arrived off Patea early yesterday morning, but it was decided to come down the coast to CJstlecliff for shelter. ihe vessel remained in port yesterday and the Patea trip has been cancelled in the meantime. As an alternative she loads dairy produce at Castlecliff today for Wellington. Wool Going Forward Large quantities of export wool are still going forward from Wanganui and apart from breaks for the Christmas and New Year holidays the port is experiencing an exceptionally busy period. Some vessels are making two and three trips in succession. Loading at Castlecliff yesterday were the Holmburn and Melva, both of which were to have sailed last night for Wellington. The Melva is due back tomorrow for a further load. Dredge Laid Up The Westport dredge Maui, at present on loan to the Wanganui Harbour Board, is laid up at Castlecliff for the holidays and will resume work on January 14. The crew of the dredge returned home before Christmas after good progress had been made with clearing out siltation which had occurred in the berthages. Originally the vessel was to have sailed for her home port earlier this month, hut because of the amount of dredging required at Wanganui the Marine Department agreed to extend her stay. When she resumes on January 14 the vessel will start at. the lower end of No. 1 Wharf and work back into the basin

Burnt-out Wagon The steel chassis and wheels of a large double-bogie wagon destroyed by fire at Fordell nearly two weeks ago are still on a sidinng there awaiting transport to the East Town Railway Workshops. The wagon was on its way from Wellington to New Plymouth attached to a mixed train when it caught fire near the Fordell station. Efforts made to save the wagon and contents failed because of no water being available, and only the charred chassis and wheels remain. The wagon will have to be lifted by crane and transported to the workshops on another truck of the long platform type. Southern Cargo Due Bringing consignments of general merchandise from Lyttelton, via Wellington, the Canterbury Company's coastal motor-ship Storm is due at CF.stlecliff today and after discharge loads wool for Wellington. Further cargo from Lyttelton is due early in th? New Year by the same company’s m.v. Breeze. The Holmdale, which maintains a regular service between Wanganui and Dunedin, was divertor! before Christmas to Tarp.kohe, where she loaded cement for Wanganui. Subsequently the vessel carried wool from Castlecliff to Wellington. She is scheduled to leave there on New Year’s Eve for Dunedin, where she loads for Wanganui. The Holmglen, due at Wanganui tomorrow from Wellington, will bring timber and afte’* discharge loads general cargo for Dunedin direct.