100 years ago
FRUIT CROPS: Owing to the fruit fly scare, some of the district’s finest old fig trees are being sacrificed by their owners, being completely destroyed. The loss to some of these settlers can well be estimated when it is known that Mr Dick Sobee’s giant tree at Koorlong is one of the victims of the axe. This tree had a branch spread of 40 feet, 6 inches, was 22 feet, 6 inches in height, and was 7 foot, 7.5 inches around the butt, 18 inches from the ground. It was, at time of sacrifice, carrying three quarters of a ton to a ton of fruit. Mr Sobee had other large old trees planted over 30 feet apart but it was so vigorous that the branches interlaced. His loss this year would be over 5 tons of figs.
COURT APPEARANCE: In the Mildura court yesterday morning, Robert Cairnes was charged with playing two-up on Saturday. Constable Counsel said that about 4.30pm on Saturday he was informed that a game of two-up was being played in a lane at the rear of the Grand Hotel. He went down there and saw the defendant surrounded by a group of men. He had a kip and two pennies in his hand. The witness watched them for half an hour and saw that the men were betting on the fall of the coins. Mr Paul JP said, “This game is getting too popular among a certain number of people in this town.” Cairnes, who pleaded guilty to the charge was fined £10, in default three months’ imprisonment.
CARNIVAL CHEER: Yesterday morning a deputation representing the Chinese residents of the Mildura district waited on Mr JH Nichols, president of the Mildura Grand Carnival committee, and explained that they desired to assist the Mildura Hospital at carnival time by putting on a big fireworks display. The speakers stated that the Chinese residents would organise, conduct and pay for the whole show themselves but would like the assistance of two or three members of the carnival committee during the proceedings. Mr Nichols, after expressing thanks to the deputation for its kind offer of assistance, promised to bring the matter before the meeting of the committee and he expressed the opinion that it would be favourably received.
75 years ago
UNFRIENDLY LOCALS: In a letter to the Editor, five visiting pickers suggest that local girls could be more friendly to harvest hands. They write: “May we, through the medium of your paper, express out views on the attitude toward pickers of the various cliques of young ladies we have met at the local dances, in particular the Old Mill and the Town Hall. These bright young wall-flowers prefer to decorate the walls of the halls rather than dance with anyone but a local. This attitude, we are happy to say, is not as noticeable in Irymple, but the situation exists there to a lesser degree. We find this hard to understand after hearing glowing reports of the socialibility of residents of Sunraysia. Now sir, this letter is not all grouch. We wish to send a bouquet to the most helpful friendly group of ladies it has been our pleasure to come in contact with, namely the nurses of the Mildura Base Hospital. In appreciation of this spirit we are forwarding a small donation to a most worthy cause, the Base Hospital Nurses’ Home Appeal.”
FULL STEAM: Twenty years ago when paddle steamers and cargo ships were commonplace sights on the Murray, a familiar scene was that of the paddle steamer Wanera slowly moving along the river. After being out of commission since 1928, Wanera underwent a preliminary testing run on the river this week, reconditioned and modernised to meet the present-day conditions. Two years ago, owner of steamer, Mr JL Searles, completed arrangements to have a diesel engine brought to Australia. Work of installing the engine was completed last week. Mr Searles said his aim was to “change from the old to the new and put a steamer on the river that will compare with other river and ocean diesel steamers”. The official trial run of Wanera will be held some time next month, when additional work has been completed on the ship.
NO CLOSURE: Mildura City Council on Thursday night decided not to agree to a recommendation from the Works Committee that the City Baths be closed at 6pm during the picking season. In a report from the baths’ attendant it was stated that the area in the vicinity of the baths was frequented by drunks and drinking parties and the language used could be heard in the baths. The baths’ attendant also stated that attendance at the baths at this time was not large enough to warrant the expense of opening the baths. Councillor W J Christie said he thought council owed a duty to the ratepayers and the baths should not be closed because of a few larrikans. “We should get the police to take action. I move that the recommendation be not agreed to,” he said. Councillor AR Mansell told council that he would support the motion provided something was done to clear up the area. “Why should children and their parents have to put up with such conditions and language?” he asked.
50 years ago
BOOK CLUB: The Shire of Mildura library at Irymple has formed a book club to help the young with their reading. The library is a delight to children who are fond of reading or even looking at picture books. A unique idea to help the young has been the formation of a library club, called The Early Bird. It takes children from Grades 2 to 7. At present there are 15 active members who meet each month in the library. They have an Early Bird badge and must take a book and read it to be a member. There is a printed newssheet each month with notes on the last talk given by a member who has read a particular book. It also contains contributions from members including riddles, puzzles, short stories, poems or sketches, each with the contributor’s name. The Irymple library was the first of the shire libraries to cater for children. It now has 4782 children’s books covering fiction and non-fiction and some lovely picture books.
DISEASE CAUTION: Fear of encephalitis has forced the cancellation of two important events planned for Sunraysia at Easter. The fixtures – a vintage car rally and visit from the Melbourne based bowls team, the Demons – would have brought more than 350 people to the district. But both the Vintage Drivers’ Club of Melbourne and the Demons have decided to call off their visits because of the scare. The Melbourne Drivers’ Club intended hiring a special train to bring 50 to 60 vintage vehicles to Mildura for Easter. About 150 to 200 Melbourne people were expected to travel here for the event, with another 100 from Swan Hill and Loxton. Club president Mr Warwick said, “They have been told by the media that if they stick their noses within a hundred miles of the Murray Valley they will catch encephalitis. My club feels the same as the rest of the community – that this thing has been blown up out of all proportion.” Mr Warwick said the club was “very disappointed” at the cancellation of the first major rally in which it was taking part.
BODY BREAKTHROUGH: A blue-green overnight bag holding personal papers and belongings of a seasonal worker has been found and may help establish the identity of the Murray River body. The body was found floating in the river near Euston on Sunday March 3. It was badly decomposed and may have been in the water for some weeks. On March 7 police asked for help in finding the whereabouts of Keith Ellis Brewer, 55, of the Geelong district, who had been in the Euston area between February 11 and February 22. Police believe the body could be that of Brewer but they have nothing else to work on. All they can give for a description of the body was that it was of a man about 5 foot, 10 inches, to 6 feet tall, and from 12 stone to 13 stone. A smallpox vaccination scar was on the left upper arm. The body was naked when found in the river.
25 years ago
CRICKET DREAM: Ten Mildura Primary School students will live out every young cricketer’s dream today when they play on Australian cricket’s hallowed turf, the MCG. The Grade 6 students flew out last night to represent Sunraysia in the Milo 8 Kanga Cricket State Titles in Melbourne. Mildura Primary School emerged victorious from the district competition, knocking of 10 teams on their way to the top and a berth in the state championships. Once in Melbourne the students will play a series of games against school teams from around Victoria. School principal Ross Murray said several games would be played simultaneously on the huge MCG.
SUPERMARKET REVAMP: Demolition works will begin at the Deakin Avenue Fishers supermarket site next week, making way for a long-awaited expansion of the store. The plan had to be put on hold for several weeks because of a technicality, but proprietor Alan Fisher was confident the project could now move ahead. The expansion plan includes a deal whereby Fishers will build a new community multipurpose centre. In return, Fishers gets to demolish the current Senior Citizens’ Centre which is next to the store and in the way of expansion.
TORCH BEARERS: Mildura and district residents have the chance to recognise local heroes and quiet achievers by nominating people for selection as community torch bearers for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch Relay. To be a community torch bearer a nominee must have performed major feats of individual accomplishments against the odds, made outstanding acts of generosity or kindness, made a contribution to the benefit of his or her community, been a role model or mentor, undertaken voluntary work or made a contribution to lives of others or embodied pride and community values.
