LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13338, 29 March 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The time for the closing of tenders for additions to the tramway power-house and plant has been extended till June 1-.

Additional interest is added to Hipango Park, as it contains the famous Potakataka Pa, This pa was often attacked, but was never taken, the position and entrenchments being very strong. 'Die fortifications have not been damaged to any great extent, and visitors to the park should imake a point of seeing this historical spot. The suburban municipal rolls close on April 12th, not April 2nd as stated, owing to a misprint, in last evening's issue. The Wanganui borough roll closed to-day, with a large number still left off, owing to the neglect of many people to apply for enrolment. They will not, of course, be allowed to vote at the elections next month.

Mr J. J. Boyd last evening forwarded a letter to the Borough Council offering to sell the Aramoho Zoo for XIO,OOO, saying that if the opportunity were not taken he would remove the animals to Auckland. The sum mentioned appeared to settle councillors’ minds at once, and it was resolved to inform Mr Boyd that the Council had no intention of making the purchase.

Residents of Spier Street will be glad to know that the Borough Council is moving in the direction of having a proper railway crossing in that street. Whether the Railway Department will accede to the request is, however, another matter; the present heads of the Department seem anxious to do anything rather than reasonably study public bodies’ convenience, as is shown by its attitude over the Guyton Street crossing. The Commission to inquire into the matter of the control and maintenance of the town bridge, and the allocation of the cost of same among the various local bodies, will si,t in the Council Chambers, not in the Courthouse as originally intended, the day of opening being Tuesday* May 2, at 10.30 a.m. In order to assist the Commission, the Wanganui Borough and County Councils decided on taking a tally of the daily traffic, in order to show what districts those using the bridge redide in. The County Council, which took its tally' the other day; found that the pedestrian traffic alone averaged 5000 daily. '

There are 15,000 acres of 'good dairying country within three rriiles of Raetlh.i. Some tamers in the district are said to be making £SOO a year with 200 acres. In South Canterbury water has to be carted in many districts for considerable distances for tile nso of stock, and winter as well as summer feed has disappeared. Most of the vegetable gardens around Dunedin are blighted, and a shortage in output is predicted. Cabbages and cauliflowers are expected to be dear shortly.

In another column will bo found the first report submitted to the Council by Mr W. T. Mansfield, the new Borough i'jnginccr. It is an interesting document, and will repay perusal.

The Licdertafel and the Garrison Band will serenade Mdllc Antonia Dolores, the famous singer, at Chavannes’ Hotel this evening It is understood that Mdllc, in accepting this compliment to herself, will also sing one of her songs in return. A few days ago a passenger on the trams was found attempting to travel on a worker’s ticket at an hour at which workers’ tickets are not available. As there have been already too many attempts by passengers to “dodge” their obligations, the Council is prosecuting the offender in question, and it is to be hoped that any others who may be similarly disposed will take the hint and mend their ways. At a meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board on Monday evening, the harbourmaster reported that the bar was getting into a very bad state, there bo in? only 6ft of water at high neape, and there will only be Sift at high water springs; the river is in good order from the bar to the wharf. It was resolved to write to the Wanganui Harbour Board and ascertain whether they could allow their engineer (Mr Howarth) to go to Foxton to give advice re river improvements.

Some good sport should be provided members of the Wanganui Gun Club and their friends on the club’s ground at Pntiki to-morrow, ladies’ trophy day. The club offers the following prizes, to be competed for by members only, at handicap distances:—First prize, lady's trophy, value £7 7s: second, lady’s trophy, value .£4 4s; third and fourth prizes, trophies worth j£3 3s each ; fifth, sixth, and seventh prizes, trophies worth i!2 2s each. The shooting, which will be at inanimate birds, will start at 1.30 o’clock. Afternoon tea will be provided by the club for ladies introduced by members. Of all the distinguished figures present at a recent imposing function in London (writes a correspondent) no one was more impressive than Queen Mary. She look"d every inch a queen—magnificent, stately, and dignified. Though somewhat pale, the Queen never looked more handsome. Her princess gown of black brocade embossed with velvet was panelled down the front, and at each side, with magnificent trimmings of jet and diamonds. From head to foot she literally blazed with diamonds She wore a small diamond crown, around her neck was a superb collar of diamonds, beneath this hung a necklet and pendant of diamonds, a rope of the same precious stones encircled her waist, and from the centre of the corsage blazed the famous Cullinan diamonds. The robe of crimson velvet was embroidered with gold, and lined with miniver. On her bodice were worn the two greater and two lesser star# Of Africa and the Order of the Garter.

That a cat has more than one, if not nine lives, is clearly proved by an incident which has occurred on the steamer Kaikonra, which arrived at Auckland from London on Sunday last. The ship’s cat, of the Persian breed, was missed shortly after the vessel loft Capetown, and these on board had concluded that the animal had strayed ashore while the vessel was lying at that port. While the vessel was discharging explosives on Monday last in the powder ground at Auckland, great was the surprise of the men who were working in No. 4 hold when they came across what was apparently a shrivelled up ball of fur. On investigation it proved to be tho ship’s pet, more dead than alive. The poor animal, as was evident from its appearance, had not tasted food or water for 29 days. The officers state (says the Herald) that it was impossible for the cat to get anything to oat or drink, as not a sign of a rat or any other rodent was visible when the magazine was emptied.

Nothing is more distinctively American than the use of “chewing gum.” Once a pastime of youth, it has now taken possession of every age in the great Republic. and has become a widely-spread habit. Why it is indulged in would puzzle even devotees of the aromatic substance to state. No doubt most of the gum ehewers follow their darling vice as inveterate tobacco smokers do—just to provide some automatic means of occupying spare time and surplus energy. It is not a pretty habit, but it is apparently extremely engrossing once it has been contracted. The foundation of the masticatory substance is resin. The original gum which was chewed came from the spruce forests of Maine, and a delectable resin it was. Occasionally spruce may be obtained, and it has a delightful aromatic flavour. The country passed through a period when a compound made largely of paraffin wax. was in vogue, and now has come to the age of the resin derived from the Mexican chicle, which is imported in sufficient quantities to satisfy the United States demand.

Some time ago Mr .T. J. Boyd, proprietor of the Aramoho Zoo, complained to the Borough Council that it was not giving him enough encouragement, and suggested that it ask the Garrison and City Bands to give concerts in the Zoo. Tim benefit to Mr Boyd was left to be inferred, but it was pointed out that the attraction would probably be to the advantage of the tram traffic. As the Council subsidises the Bands, it considered it had a right to ask their assistance in the matter, and apparently in somewhat of a hurry, and without due consideration of all the points, the Council asked the bands to play sometimes at the Zoo. This both bands raised a decided objection to do, and pointed out what did not seem to have occurred to the Council, viz., that however much it might benefit the trams, the primary object of the concerts was to benefit a private individual. Both bands thought it would he establishing a dangerous precedent to make such a thing one of the conditions of a municipal subsidy, and they further pointed out that they were wanted to play at the Zoo on Sundays to benefit Mr Boyd, though that was the very thing they were forbidden to do in aid of their own funds, as their Sunday concerts must be free, and any collections taken thereat purely voluntary. Renrescntatives of both bands waited last night on the Council, which agreed that some new light had been thrown on the situation, and referred the matter to the Opera House Committee to go into.