Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 29 September 1917, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:
GOOD NEWS! – The whole community of Moruya and its dependencies will be delighted to hear that the voting for the three young ladies now contesting for Queen of the War Chest Fund Day are running so closely that the betting is even on each. One of Miss Jean Lynch’s nominators has taken out something like £50 worth of tickets which are being disposed of like hot cakes, whilst the friends of Miss Brown are working with a determination that she shall be the crowned Queen of the contesting trio, whilst the admirers of Miss Maggie Heffernan are getting in such nice fine work for their nominee that the Royal contest promises to be the closest that has ever taken place for a similar purpose.
SOCIAL EVENING. – A social evening including dancing will be held in the Centennial Hall next Friday night, the special function being the crowning of the elected Queen.
CROWNING OF THE QUEEN. – The ladies of the district are requested to kindly supply refreshments for the social evening and dance next Friday night.
ASTOUNDING CURES. – Mr. Mehl, of this town, is reported as having effected some extraordinary cures of long standing complaints through the use of galvanism, magnetism and massaging. Patients are arriving from as far as Sydney, and already Mr. Mehl is said to have over 30 cases under his care. If any of these astounding cures he is making are of a permanent nature, we will give a list of them in a future issue.
NERRIGUNDAH. – Our correspondent writes. – John Baldwin, was before, G. S. Shepherd Esq., Police Magistrate, at the Nerrigundah Police Court on the 26th inst., charged with careless use of fire. On account of the defendant’s solicitor meeting with an accident, and being unable to attend the court, the case was postponed until the 24th October next. Excellent rain has fallen this week which will do a great amount of good. Gold prospectors are doing well locally.
RAINFALL. The rainfall on Sunday and Monday last totalled 90 points which, added to recent showers, makes so far 203 points for the present month. A good Spring is now assured, which, with a cessation of the strike and victory for our Allies, “everything in the garden will be lovely.”
ACCIDENT. – On Sunday last, about midnight, Mrs. Stewart, a widow, living with her son, Mr. Henry Stewart, opposite the Steamer’s wharf, who is in her 79th year, whilst endeavouring to get out of bed fell and injured herself to such an extent, that Mrs. P. J. Gannon, who had been previously doing little kindly acts for the old lady, and with her husband had been called in, at once sent for Dr. Quilter. On arrival the Dr. found one of the patient’s hips greatly swollen and, apparently, put out of its place. At 10 a.m. the doctor again attended, ad with the assistance of Mrs. Gannon and Mr. Stewart, had the sufferer removed to the Moruya Hospital where she still remains.
OUR BOYS. – Mrs. J. Colbran of Mantle Hill, has received the following from her son Private Will Colbran: -
No. 11 Durrington Camp,
Salisbury Plains,
22/7/1917
My Dear Mother, - You will be pleased to see by these few lines that Sam and I have arrived safely at Salisbury Plains, England, after 73 days voyage. As we were coming through the Great Australian Bight the S.S. Benalla sprang a leak and they had to send divers down to mend her. We had an exceptionally calm trip through, excepting passing through the tropics it was very hot, especially in Sierra Leone. They call it the “White Man’s Grave,” and I don’t think they are far wrong. About a week after leaving Sierra Leone a couple of boats were sighted. Our Cruiser chased them but found they were British ships. So after that we had to keep our life-belts on night and day which wasn’t very pleasant.
About a week before reaching England our escort sank a German submarine, we were lucky she did not sink our boat. I suppose you know Frank Costin. He was picked up at Cape Town so we are trying to keep together.
Goodbye from your loving sons Walter and Sam.
Eighteen 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1916 are available ($5 ea) from the Society’s rooms. Copies of local newspapers from the 1860s to date can be viewed at the Society’s Family History Research Centre (Ph 4474 3224) situated at the rear of the Museum in Campbell St. Moruya (www.mdhs.org.au).
