100 YEARS AGO: 1924
PARTY TIME: The guests at “Emohruo” an up-to-date establishment recently opened in Mildura by Mrs Longmores held a housewarming on Monday evening. About 25 were present and a very enjoyable evening was spent, dancing and music being the form of entertainment preferred. “Emohruo” is the result of must expenditure of taste. The dining room is set out with several small round tables, and everything is daintily fresh and attractive. In the afternoon a piano and deep, inviting chairs provide for comfort and enjoyment and the scheme of colouring is restful and subdued. The sleep outs are equipped with a maximum amount of comfort and snugness.
CHEERS: The poll taken to determine whether a Mallee victualler’s licence should be granted for Merbein was held at Merbein on Saturday last and resulted in a three to one majority in favour of a licence being granted. In November 1918, when a licence was granted to the Grand Hotel, Mildura, the licensing court visited Merbein and receive a petition that a poll be taken to decide whether a licence should be granted for Merbein. The electors, at the poll taken subsequently by a narrow majority rejected the proposal.
EXPLORE: On November 17, one hundred years ago, Hume and Hovell were the first white men to set eyes on the river Murray at a spot close to Albury. To celebrate the centenary of the discovery of the river Murray there will be extensive rejoicing at Albury from November 16 to 22 next, when all old residents are expected to come back to their hometown. The celebrations will be on a lavish scale.
75 YEARS AGO: 1949
BIG PLANS: Six boys under the age of 15 will appear before Mildura Children’s Court as a result on inquiries by First-Constable L J Ryan, of Mildura Police, into a number of cases of theft. Four boys have been questioned by First Constable Ryan in connection with the theft of harness from a block, a riding saddle and harness from Weir’s Dairy, Mildura, and several horses from Buronga Common. First-Constable Ryan said they told him that they were planning to ride to Kosciusko and had obtained provisions for the journey. At 2am on Thursday, camped a few miles from Gol Gol on the Euston Road after their first day, they had decided to give up because it was too cold, he said. Police have recovered all the missing property.
WARM: Eight hundred pounds of wool, the last of five tons distributed throughout Victoria, has been allotted to Mildura in the Woollies for Britain appeal. The appeal is for women to knit garments for children under the age of six years. The wool which was purchased with a 10,000-pound grant from the State Government, will be distributed free from a depot at Bowrings. Members of Mildura CWA will conduct the depot.
POWER: Businesspeople and householders in Mildura district were commended by City Council officers yesterday for their immediate and full co-operation in conserving electricity. The attempt to bring the peak load on the powerhouse down to 2000 kilowatts from the normal week-day peak of 3000 kilowatts was successful. The Acting Town Clerk (Mr A K Harvey) said everybody was co-operating very well in cutting down on power consumption and helping to save fuel. Besides a 20 percent cut in industry’s power, electricity may not be used in advertising signs, exterior floodlights, lighting shop verandas, shops fronts and windows or display cases. In residential premises between 8am and 5pm no electrical radiators or fires are permitted. (2.7.1949)
50 YEARS AGO: 1974
STALL: District people will be able to sell their produce at a new Mildura market. “Craftsman’s Market” will open next Tuesday. It will be located in the front of the Ballerina in Lime Avenue. It is designed to provide an outlet for district people to sell home made goods, crafts, preserves and confectionary of all types. Suppliers of goods will price their work and the shop will add 25 percent to cover rental costs and shop expenses. People providing articles for sale will be given a number and a receipt book. Each item must be entered in the book with the price of the article. Payment for all articles sold would be made after the third day of each month. If after 12 months, an article had not been sold, it would be returned to the maker.
HISTORIC: The discovery on Mungo Station of a complex cultural society believed to be about 40,000 years old has been hailed by US, French and British archaeologists. The findings, near the Walls of China sand formation, 70 miles northeast of Mildura is the oldest positive site for modern man in Australia. Mungo is one of a chain of lakes which dried up about 16,000 years ago. The Australian National University is conduction research on the excavation site. Professor D J Mulvaney of the ANU said that with further excavations it would be possible to determine the culture’s entire environment. “We are not saying modern man originated in Australia – we believe it is possible he came here by way of South-East Asia.” “But what we are saying is that these findings are among the oldest in the world.”
CALLING IT: Umpire Darryl Smith arrived by plane to umpire at No.3 oval on Saturday and just about needed a helicopter to leave. He completely confused everyone with his queer interpretations of the rules and the freekick he gave a minute and a half AFTER the final siren was the daddy of them all. Steve Fitzpatrick was lining his shot up for goal when the final siren went. He went back for a deliberate shot for goal. His shot fell short, but umpire Smith decided he had to have the final say of the game and gave South Mildura’s 19th man Walsh, a free kick in the goal square. He could not say he had not heard the siren as he indicated to the timekeepers he had. His exit from the ground was hazardous enough, but his umpiring display did not warrant the louts who pelted the beer cans in his direction. (1.7.1974)
25 YEARS AGO: 1999
SET SAIL: The acquisition of a 20-horsepower steam engine has brought the restoration of PS Ruby at Wentworth a vital step closer. A combination of luck and good will enabled Councillor Reg McKenzie to contact a Sydney based steam artefacts collector, who sold the Robey engine to the Ruby interest at a heavily discounted price. The engine which ended its working days at a sawmill in the Blue Mountains, was in excellent condition, considering it’s working life. Work on the hull is approaching completion, with a workforce provided through a government sponsored Work-For-The-Dole scheme. (30.6.1999)
DO A KICKFLIP: Sunraysia skateboarders have been given their first and final warning – the former Mildura Post Office site is off limits. The site owner has regretfully made the decision public only after weeks of turning a blind eye to the skateboarders and after vandals caused an estimated $3000 damage to the building. The building had been broken into over the Queen’s birthday weekend, hinges had been broken off doors, a roller-door had been damaged, telephone wires had been ripped from connections and graffiti sprayed on walls. Skateboard wheel marks on the vinyl floor were clear evidence that those responsible had been riding skateboards inside the building. (1.7.1999)
RECOGNITION: Mildura Rural City Council chief executive Leonie Burrows was this week declared on of six finalists in the Telstra Victorian Businesswomen’s Awards. The awards highlight and celebrate the individual achievements of businesswomen in both the private and public sectors, and in turn encourage other women who are striving to achieve their goals in the world of business. “I am delighted to have been among the finalists,” Mrs Burrows said. “I was shortlisted last week and had to attend a series of interviews as part of the final judging. The eventual winner was from the University of Melbourne”. (1.7.1999)
