LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11541, 25 April 1905, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Captain. .Edwin ,telegraphed at 12 p.m. as follows: — Moderate to strong wiiuia from between north-west and west and south-west ; glass fall, but rising ; con ; tides moderate; sea rough; rain probable.

Though tho weather yesterday was somewhat unsettled, the sky on.* the whole remained clear, and large numbers of holiday makers went out of town on the various excursions provided.

At the Police Court this morning, before Mr J. H. Keesing, J.P., a man named Patrick Doddy was fined £1 and costs for drunkenness? Accused was fined only yesterday on a similar charge. Two firstoft'ending drunks were also convicted and discharged this morning. In the case of Doddy, Mr Keesing gave accused some sound advice, and the Inspector intimated his intention of taking out a prohibition order against him in the Taihape dstrict, from whence the accused came.

■Owing to extreme pressure on otir space we $.re compelled to hold over several letters"to the editor and other reading matter: 1 ' The cricket match between Auckland and Taranaki, played at Auckland on Saturday and Monday, resulted in a victory for the home team by an innings and 150 nln».

The sailing race at Castlecliff yesterday resulted in a win for the Nyoola, which completed the course in lhr 39min, Sandy Hook being second 4' minutes behind, and Clipper 11. filling third place', 4 minutes after the second boat.

Evidently very little interest was taken in the meeting called on Sunday evening for the purpose of forming a local branch of the Bible in Schools League, only 40 attending. The motion for the formation of a local branch was Voted for by only 8 persons. The meeting was addressed by Mr R. A. Wright, organising agent of the League.

At the prize giving in connection with the Collegiate School sports last evening, Mr Empson gave the result of the Empire Schools' shooting competition, in which the Wanganui Collegiate School was placed 14th, out of some 70 schools, of which Charter House (England) was first. The New Zealand schools scores were — Wanganui Collegiate School 453-, -Wellington College 289, Auckland Grammar School 280, Marlborough High School 259, Southland High School 242, St. Patrick's College 229, Palmereton North High School 168.

News has just been received from Trinity College, London, that Miss Dora Carroll, a pupil of the local Convent, has won an exhibition in singing. Miss Carroll has been trained by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and the fact of her carrying off an exhibition in the intermediate division when only two are offered for New Zealand, is an honour for the Convent. as well as for the town itself. Miss- Dora Carroll is only 16 years of age, and is ' the only candidate in the intermediate division who lias been so successful in New Zealand. We heartily congratulate the young lady and hope it is only the forerunner of many future successes.

The Wanganui Garrison Band von golden opinions by their playing during the Easter camp at New Plymouth, and amongst others who complimented the conductor was Colonel Webb, officer commanding the Wellington District. O.nductor Crichton was introduced to his superior officer by Colonel Watt on Sunday after church parade,- when Colonel Webb remarked that he was charmed by the Band's playing-, and it was the first time he had heard the church parade music played as it should be. Ho was pirtifuilarfy delighted with the rendition o> "The Lost Chord," and said he felt sorry '-.hen it was -finished. By special request this beautiful number was repeated at Ihe camp in the afternoon, when several thousand people were present and listened v.ith wrapt attention to a select programme played by the Band. Notwithstanding the unsettled state of the weather during the Easter holidays, there were an exceedingly large number of excursionists travelling by the railway, nearly all the trains both' North and South being packed. Yesterday both the trains to and from Feilding were overcrowded, and in every carriage several people had to stand the whole journey. It is not to be wondered at that this caused a large amount of grumbling at the want of consideration shown by those responsible in not providing more carriages. In many instances' people with first-class tickets could not obtain seats, and several ladies had to stand oh the platforms of Ihe carriages in' the cold wind and rain, their experiences being far from pleasant under | the circumstances. It sounded like the irony of fate to hear the guards singing out at each station "Seats, please," when there was not a seat to be had — standingroom even being at a premhim. While it was bad enough going down to Feildijig, it was much worse coming back at tight. A number of people had to crowd into covered-iii trucks provided, the draught being fearful, and the unfortunate occupants were nearly frozen. Visitors to Patea had much the same sort of experiences to undergo, in fact right throughout the holidays the passengers on all the trains have had good reason to complain of the inconvenience and discomfort they Have been put to through the insufficient number of carriages provided by the Department. Of course, some allowance has always to be made on race-days, but oven so there was something radically wrong with the management on this occasion. Travelling .has become very popular of late years consequent on the cheap fares, but the majority of people would prefer to pay a little extra and be able to ensure having some degree of comfort when on an excursion. Seeing that the railways are paying so handsomely, it is at least due -to the travelling public— who provide the revenue — that better arrangements are made in future. It is only fair to the local traffic manager's staff to say tliat they have* been put to their wits'' end to provide the accommodation there '/fas, owing to the great demands on rolling stock, the supply of which was inadequate to cope properly with the demand upon it. The Department should certainly see ±o it that a larger emergency supply is placed at the disposal of the Wanganui staff.