100 YEARS AGO
SAVINGS: Taking advantage of the facilities offered by the State Savings Bank for opening accounts for school pupils, the Mildura High School received first deposits from a number of pupils. Altogether 95 pupils made deposits totalling 3 pounds, 3 shillings and 6 pence. Deposits are received weekly at the school, when any sum from 1d (penny) up to £5/- may be deposited. Each pupil has the usual passbook, and the whole of the weekly deposits are banked in one sum. The work of receiving deposits, keeping passbooks and paying in is carried out by members of the school staff.
MANTIS: A magnificent specimen of the giant praying Mantis was bought into Sunraysia Daily office from Red Cliffs where it had been found by Mrs P Wilmott of block 954. The mantis which was eight inches long was being attacked by a sparrow when first seen and it died from the effects of a well-placed peck under wing. Apparently the bird resented the hypocrisy of the insect’s pious attitude while waiting to butcher some other smaller insect.
NOT A TRUANT: During an afternoon session of Koorlong School, a certificate was presented to Harold Turvey for six years’ regular attendance. During this period he has not been absent a half day, even for sickness, although for the last three-and-a-half years, he has had to travel almost three miles. The head teacher, Mr Wolstenholme, commended him upon such a credible performance.
75 YEARS AGO
KENNY: No name, not even that of Elwood Mead, Director of Agriculture, stands out more prominently in the early history of Merbein settlement than that of E. J. Kenny, “Father of Merbein”. Although nearly a quarter of a century has passed since his passing on Saturday, July 14, 1923, the memory of one of nature’s most kindly gentleman and the guide, philosopher and friend of the settlers in Merbein’s pioneering days remains ever-green with those who were privileged to know him. Edward Joseph Kenny was born in Melbourne in 1863 and joined his brother in partnerships. A large number of contracts were carried out in the days prior to Melbourne’s land boom in the early 1890s including the Kenny Bros construction of cable tramway lines.
BUILDINGS: A bronze plaque, prominently displayed in what is now the ANA Hall at Merbein, (but for many years it was the Merbein Public Hall), states that the Hall was built by early Merbein settlers in 1912. The first land board meeting to allocate buildings at Merbein was held in August 1909. The first Post Office established at Merbein was a contract one, with Mrs Elizabeth Fisher (later Mrs W. Simpson) in charge as Post Mistress. The building was about 12ft by 10ft in Commercial Street adjoining Fisher’s stores – residents had to wait outside while the mail was sorted.
WATER: The first land board constructed to deal with applications for allotments in the White Cliffs (Merbein) Irrigation sat at Mildura Court on Wednesday, August 18, 1909. There were about 30 applicants and 21 allotments were allocated. After conferring in private Messrs Selk and Gregson announced the names, allotment number and acres. Those successful were: W. Hillier, J. F. Dean, J. F. McCarthy. W. Bennett, F. G. Cane, C. C. E. Mitting, W. J. Bennett, J. A. Hamilton, A. Bruce, P. A. Lee, A .B. Maynard, Emily Heywood, T. C. Cannan, .P V. Appleby, F. Henderson, J. W. Jamieson, O. Manns, R. H. Williams, T. McCarthy, E. R. Tyson and C. H. Martin.
50 YEARS AGO
WOMAN OF THE WEEK: Interviewed yesterday was the daughter of a pioneering family of the late Mr H. R. Curtis. Mrs Gwen Jenner, one of six girls and four boys was educated at the Merbein West Primary School, Merbein Central and St Joseph’s College. She took up fabric painting which is good for people who suffer with nerves and recently attended a convention of 150 instructors in Melbourne. She paints on all types of materials – wood, plastic and leather – she also has a delightful collection of nursery rhyme plaques and dolls from many overseas countries.
CANS: Mildura people who are sick to death of all the empty food and drink cans around their homes will have a chance to be rid of them soon. Mildura Rotoract, a young people’s service club, has decided to run a can collection to raise funds. Members will distribute collection bags to households and schools around the city – the cans will then be sent to two companies in Melbourne which recycle used materials – both steel and aluminium cans which hold beer, soup, soft drinks, fruit and other foodstuffs provided they are clean, are accepted.
YARDS: Mildura Shire Council now boasts of new steel cattle yards at the abattoirs. The cattle will be examined before going interstate. The yards were installed at an estimate cost of $5000 – a special crush race has also been installed.
25 YEARS AGO
PARTIES: The “Teenage Parties” brochure, to be officially launched on Monday is a reaction to some of the problems associated with alcohol and gate-crashing at teenage parties in Sunraysia. The brochure will be accompanied by a letter and forwarded to families by each district secondary school, some schools initially intend to target the families of students who are approaching a 16th or 18th birthday and may be contemplating a party for their son or daughter.
PARKING: Motorists will no longer be able to park on a section of Mildura’s riverfront between 11pm and 6am after Mildura Rural City Council last night moved to crack down on unruly behaviour in the area. Council decided to erect 25 parking restriction signs prohibiting parking in Hugh King Drive for that period following complaints about “general drunken, language and loutish behaviour, people pouring oil onto the roadway and doing “burnouts” by spinning their wheels of their vehicles on the bitumen.
RIVERFRONT: Sunraysia is witnessing one of its most exciting periods of growth, both in and around the district as it prepares to enter the 21st Century. In addition to the mineral sands mining and the booming wine and dried fruit industries there are man-made developments such as the new Mildura Base Hospital and proposals for other substantial developments worth thousands of dollars. The growth of the city is already heading towards Irymple which during the coming century is destined to become more of a suburb of Mildura. A containerised freight depot could be established at Red Cliffs where there are potential existing facilities and the ability to cater for the Wemen mineral sands. The remaining rail line between Yelta and the 13th Street crossing would focus attention to Merbein where there is potential to establish a transport museum covering rail, air and road – this adding the potential to provide tourists with a rail ride to Merbein, visit a museum and a return trip by paddle steamer to Mildura as a good day’s outing.
