PRESENTED by Mildura and District Historical Society and compiled by Judy Hyde for Mildura Rural City Council Libraries.
100 YEARS AGO
SCOUTS – For some considerable time the Mildura troop of the Boy Scouts has been greatly handicapped through the lack of a hall for the purposes of training. However this difficulty has been overcome and the troop has purchased the shop of Mr Smith in 7th Street, which is to be shifted to a more central position in town. The money to pay for the hall, it is hoped, will be raised by subscriptions and other efforts as on Friday a picture night was held in the Town Hall – the programme given by the Star Theatre.
BREAD – From next Monday the price of bread in Mildura and district will be increased to 1 shilling and 2 pence for a large loaf delivered and for same over the counter 1 shilling. This is an increase of 1 penny per large loaf. Bakers state that they have been compelled to take this step for more than one reason, flour has gone up from 10 pound 12 shillings and sixpence to15 pound 18 shillings. The bakers are also compelled to adopt the cash business scheme which bought about by the present financial stringency.
RAILWAY – At a meeting of the Wentworth Council, Alderman McLeod, one of the Curlwaa representatives on the Council said that he had been informed that there was the possibility of the railway station site at Abbotsford being fixed at a point distant a mile from the site of the proposed bridge over the Murray River making the carrying of produce longer so he proposed that the railway station site be bought closer to the bridge site.
75 YEARS AGO
NURSE – The manager of the Mildura Base Hospital, Mr Ewan Evans said “We had two male nurses for a few weeks two months ago and they were entirely satisfactory”. Male nurses were only allowed to attend male patients in Australia, but overseas some were even obstetric nurses.
CAMP – To protest against proposals to use the University Branch buildings as a Displaced Persons’ Camp, and to put forward alternative suggestions, a public meeting will be held at the Town Hall on Wednesday 7 September. The decision for the meeting was reached after discussions between representatives of the City and Shire Councils and requests had been received from several organisations that something must be done and quickly.
HOMES – Some State Rivers and Water Supply Commission employees at Red Cliffs are living in homes which were constructed in sections at Sandringham and transported to Red Cliffs by road, a distance of over 350 miles. Over 441 have been completed and transported to various places, turning out one a day of the prefabricated pre-cut duplex homes, measuring 40ft by 25ft and built by the State Housing Commission. One half contains the lounge and main bedroom, the other half a second bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and laundry – a front porch completes the design.
50 YEARS AGO
GOVERNOR – On a visit to Mildura, a local drinker at the Workingman’s Club described Sir Henry Winneke as a thorough gentleman – the kind of person you can talk to – and a bloody good bloke. The governor and his party was being shown through the Club, by Mr J. Leary, outgoing president, who described the occasion as his “swan song”. Sir Henry also told of the benefits of Vitamin C – then accepted enough citrus to almost fill the boot of his Rolls Royce after visiting the Mildura Cooperative Packing Co.
MILK – Mildura district farmers would be placed in an impossible position if they were not exempted from a scheme to equalise milk prices in Victoria. Mildura farmers must deliver their own milk to Mildura Milk Board agents at a cost of about 4 cents a gallon.
BOWLS – Red Cliffs Spring Bowling Carnival began on Monday and the weatherman turned on the best of Sunraysia spring weather for it. The tradition of playing the first kitty and bowl was performed by two Port Pirie bowlers who had not missed a carnival for many years. A short contest was then held to allow the visitors to play for trophies of district produce donated by the Red Cliffs Tourist Committee.
25 YEARS AGO
VETERANS – A group of ex-servicemen and women, largely forgotten over the last half-century, will be recognised when a special Korean War Memorial is dedicated in Canberra next April. The memorial is under construction to mark the 50th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War – some 339 Australian Army, Navy and Airforce were killed and 1216 wounded – it was a war that solved nothing.
RIDERS – The 1999 Southern Australian Cycling Classic that starts in Merbein, winding through much of Sunraysia and culminates with a lightening pace in Mildura will have a field of 107 riders. The top 10 finishers of the Tour of Sunraysia will automatically qualify for the Herald Sun Tour. A crowd of people turned out in Merbein to see the start of the event including 500 schoolchildren who lined the streets in the heart of town- many on their bicycles – it was also the 90th anniversary of the Merbein township.
RAIL LINE – Stopping the rail line east of Mildura would dramatically hinder major expansion of drylands cropping planned for Yelta and south-western NSW. It is hard to support a line through Mildura just to please Merbein was one comment, as the majority of freight that is moved by rail from there comes from all over the district- even from Robinvale. Red Cliffs would seem the ideal place and the development of the Mildura riverfront is long overdue. Another comment was to leave the riverfront as is for all the people of Sunraysia, rich or poor – redeveloping it is only for the fat cats of Sunraysia with hotels and shops.
