Peeps into the Past – August 3 to 9: carrying the torch

100 YEARS AGO

AVENUE: In submitting a suggestion that an avenue of trees should be planted from the Pumps Hill into the township of Merbein as manorial to the late Mr E. J. Kenny, Mr I. Hetherington, speaking at the annual meeting of the Merbein Progress League said that the Melbourne Argus had characterised Deakin Avenue as one of the finest avenues in the Commonwealth. If the suggestion he had to offer was accepted, the Kenny Memorial Avenue would commemorate the worth of Mr E. J. Kenny in the same manner as Deakin Avenue helps to commemorate the memory of the late Alfred Deakin.

MILK: At a well-attended meeting of the Mildura Branch of the Australian Labour Party held in the Returned Red Cliffs Memorial Hall, the following resolution was passed ‘That action of the town council in deferring the milk pasteurisation scheme as it shows total lack of consideration for the health of the community of Mildura’.

BILLIARDS: At Thursday night’s meeting of the Mildura Recreation Club’s board of management one member suggested that the billiards committee of the club be requested to consider the engagement of Miss Ruby Roberts, the world champion lady billiard-player, to give an exhibition at the club. The further suggestion was made that the club should provide facilities for lady members to play billiards. The action with which the proposal was received developed into laughter. After a brief discussion the matter was referred to the billiards committee.

75 YEARS AGO

DISTILLERY: Nearly 100 dried fruits growers decided in Mildura last night to immediately go ahead with plans for the establishment of a co-operative distillery estimated to cost 227,000 pounds. “Tonight, we have made the most progressive step the district has known since Mildura was founded by the Chaffeys,” said the president of the Vine Fruit Growers Progress Association, Mr J. Connolly. It was felt the distillery would act as an insurance to growers disposing of rain-damaged fruit at a good price during bad seasons.

LAND: Mildura Shire Council has about 30 properties on its rate book from which it cannot collect rates because the owners of the properties are unknown. Some of the properties were bought when Sunraysia was first established and in many cases the rightful owners have never seen them. Rates have been charged by council since its establishment and some of the properties have as much as 70 pounds in arrears against them. It is believed the properties were bought in England after the circulation of the Chaffey Red Book and that some of the original owners, probably dead many years, never reached Australia.

HOSPITAL: A baby born on Thursday morning to a new Australian from the Mildura Migrant Centre was the last child to be born for possibility many months in the Midwifery Wing of the Olinda Private Hospital, Mildura. The wing will remain closed until sufficient staff is found to care for the seven mothers it was designed to accommodate. Sixty expectant mothers were listed on the hospital’s reservation book, they were removed and mothers were sent letters informing them they could not be accommodated because of extreme staff difficulties.

50 YEARS AGO

CROP: Many growers were able to start good cover crops last summer. The good fall of rain over the past few days will encourage these established crops into vigorous growth. There are many advantages is slashing back a dense cover crop now. The bulk of vegetation will be reduced making it easier work the cover crop into the ground in spring. The growth that is slashed back will be incorporated into the soil by the time of the spring clean-up. The self seeding medics such as Harbinger and snail medic will set better seed crops after slashing back excessive growth.

DOCTOR: Merbein will have a full-time doctor from Tuesday. The new MD is Dr K. Sheety, 32, who graduated in India in 1970. He has worked in hospitals in Katoomba and Broken Hill and is registered in Mildura. Merbein owes a great deal of gratitude to the two doctors who have spent almost their entire medical careers in Merbein. Dr Ernest Spargo and Dr Curwen-Walker who have served the community well for many years.

APPRENTICE: The Mildura area provided a good training ground for apprentices, said Mr Don Harkins, a Mildura Technical School teacher. He commented Apprentice Week that more than 200 young people are now undergoing apprenticeships in various trades in Sunraysia. The scheme involves about 130 employers and 25 Technical School instructors. Tradesmen are now striving to improve their knowledge and skills.

25 YEARS AGO

RAAF: The proposed RAAF No 2 OTU Museum at the Mildura Airport has received a windfall donation of memorabilia. Mr Ernest Low, in his 84th year has donated his ex-RAAF dress uniform and summer uniform also a regal of memorabilia highlighting his war-time service. At 25 he entered the service in 1941 with high hopes to become a pilot but because his legs were too short he had to be content with becoming a wireless air-gunner. On one raid to Dilli while flying with two other aircraft a Japanese Zero fighter attacked them and killed the pilot of the plane next to them – they later dropped a life raft and rescued the crew who were later rescued by an Australian naval vessel. He participated in 26 bombings over Japanese occupied Dutch East Indies – he was also seconded in the Netherlands East Indies RAAF No.18 Squadron flying in B25 Mitchell Bombers.

REMEMBRANCE: Jean Smith was only five when her parents, Ted and Isobel Hughes, bought her and her younger brother to Mildura in 1920. They had a newsagency in Racecourse Road, Flemington, (Melbourne) and that was not a good area to raise children so they moved to Mildura – as far away as they could from Squizzy Taylor. They bought a newsagency in Eighth Street and lived at 141 Madden Avenue, walking to the Mildura Central School. They walked bare-foot in the gutters because it was soft and sandy – we were all bare-footed in those days. The newsagency was run for nine years, the two Melbourne trains bought the papers up twice a day, Ted would collect the papers and magazines sent up by suppliers. A magazine stall was operated at the Mildura Station opening it upon arrival and departure of trains. Ted used a motorbike and sidecar to deliver newspapers – he did have a horse and cart, but couldn’t stand the horse – the motorbike also doubled as a family vehicle.

HISTORY: The locals who will be running into history when the Olympic Torch passes through Mildura include a retired nurse from the Mildura Base Hospital and Sunraysia Hostel and many other community groups is Pat Martin. Also a Red Cliffs Secondary College student, a talented basketball player and athlete – Emma Lynch. Joining them will be Brad Wishart, a former student of Mildura South Primary school now part of the St John’s Ambulance and Country Fire Association – and avid sports follower, lastly Jill Mazzini and active swimming instructor for 23 years and involved in Mildura Life-Saving Club, and the Christie Centre also a triathlon competitor.