WANGANUI, July 27: All railway traffic between Wanganui and Marton was suspended this morning owing to the flooded state of the country side at Whangaehu, but was resumed again this afternoon. A block at Kaitoke necessitated all traffic being diverted through the Warrengate. The main road from Okoia to Wanganui was rendered impassable by deep streams which crossed the highway in several places. Across the river the road to Raorikia slipped away on the hill opposite Kawhaiki, the settlers higher up being cut off. The Kakatahi and Mangamahu roads are blocked by floods, slips, and washouts. Farmers at Kauangaroa are also isolated. Over on the Pauls’ estate at Wanganui East the flood waters reached the tops of fences. Warehouse managers on Taupo quay kept vigil during the night, and with the assistance of their staffs removed perishable goods to higher levels in expectation of the river invading their premises. [Missing Credit]No Caption Provided King eologises Marie Theomin Sir Truby King, referring to the late Mrs D.E. Theomin, said that her home at Royal Terrace had been an open house to a host of friends and visitors for the last 20 years, and never more so than during the recent Exhibition. Mrs Theomin would be equally missed as one of the ablest and most far-seeing of the original founders of the Plunket Society, and as one of its most unremitting workers and devoted helpers and supporters ever since. Indeed, as treasurer at Dunedin and as a leading member of the Central Council for the whole Dominion, the loss of Mrs Theomin would be recognised everywhere as quite irreparable. Fellow delegates to the society’s general conference, who arrived in Wellington only on Sunday morning, had still hoped she would be there in time for the opening of the conference. A telegram from Dunedin announcing that Mrs Theomin had died the previous evening came as a painful and profound surprise and shock. The Plunket Society has never, said Sir Truby King, sustained a greater loss or one which will be more widely felt. A powerful argument There has been a good deal of misinformed criticism of the proposal that the City Council should accept the generous offer of Mr and Mrs Sargood to present the Exhibition Art Gallery to the city with a view to the collection of pictures and objects of art, now the property of the public, being permanently housed there. The Art Gallery in Cumberland street and the whole of its contents belong to the city. Any expenditure that may have to be incurred in repairing or re-conditioning or extending the gallery must be borne by the City Council. Estimates have been furnished to the Corporation of the cost of necessary repairs. If the art collection should be retained in Cumberland street, a considerable sum would have to be spent in providing additional wall space to accommodate the pictures, valued at £6000, that were acquired during the Exhibition. Now, it is on the City Council that all this expenditure must fall. It is obvious that the bulk of it will be avoided if the collection is transferred to Logan Park, where there is a gallery large enough to provide ample space for the pictures and so admirably lighted as to enable them to be displayed to the best advantage. In other words, it will cost the City Council very much less if the gallery is removed to Logan Park than if it remains where it is. When to that consideration is added the fact that there is really no comparison between the gallery at Logan Park and that in Cumberland street — that the former attracts by its design and its scheme of lighting, whereas the latter repels by its gloominess and coldness during the winter months — the argument in favour of the acceptance of Mr and Mrs Sargood’s offer will be recognised as very powerful indeed. — editorial — ODT, 28.7.1926
