On this occasion the Caledonian Ground was selected for holding the sports, and the attendance of persons of more mature years was much larger than usual. The presence of so many youngsters made the scene a very animated one, and it was bordering on the marvellous to see the ceaseless rapid movements of the boys and girls, and to hear the incessant, excited chatter all round. Of course the sound of so many tongues all going at once gave the man with the megaphone, and others striving to make themselves heard considerable trouble, but it was treated as trouble of by no means a disagreeable character.
Turning the water on
The wide public interest taken in the important extension of the Southern Reservoir was indicated by the huge crowd that gathered there on Saturday afternoon. The occasion was the turning on again of the water which has been cut off for some two years past, to enable the reservoir to be extended to three times its original capacity. The big work was completed only last week. Saturday was a perfect afternoon, and several hundred people made their way to the reservoir either by car or on foot. Perhaps the ceremony was scarcely as spectacular as some had imagined, but the whole scene was of great interest and gave an opportunity that will not occur again of seeing the nature and extent of the work actually done.
Repairs to main trunk line
The restoration of the southern approach to the Mihiwaka tunnel has now been completed by Mr C. Benzoni (district railway engineer) and his staff. The embankment has been considerably strengthened, and trains can go over it at the regulation pace.
Flooding fears abate
A heavy thunderstorm which was of short duration passed over the city about 7 o’clock yesterday evening. The lightning was particularly vivid, and the thunder was followed by a deluge of rain and hail, more especially in the northern part of the town. In the area in the vicinity of the lower portion of St. Andrew street many householders, with a vivid recollection of the April flood, became uneasy as the water quickly collected on the streets and rose towards the doorsteps, but the rain ceased as suddenly as it had started, and fears were quickly set at rest. The tram service was held up at the comer of George and Frederick streets and also at the corner of Princes and Maitland streets, several cars being delayed while the silt which had been washed on the line in a sufficient quantity to cause a blockage was removed. As far as can be ascertained, no damage of a material nature was sustained in the city. Heavy rain showers fell at intervals during the day. A severe thunderstorm passed over the Taieri late yesterday afternoon, accompanied by a heavy downpour of rain and hail. Some of the hailstones were as large as birds’ eggs, and did a considerable amount of damage to fruit trees, young plants, and flower gardens. The hail fell so thickly that in the open spaces the ground had the appearance of a coating of snow. The weather, which was showery all day, moderated considerably towards evening.
Dunedin’s future peachy
An Ashburton Guardian reporter learns from a trustworthy source that one of the large fruit-preserving firms of the dominion lately purchased a site in Dunedin for a canning factory. It has a fund of £20,000 waiting to build and equip the factory as soon as market conditions, recently affected by Australian dumping, become normal.
— ODT 29.10.1923
