Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 16 March 1918, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:
MEDICAL EXAMINATION. – The school medical officer Dr. Thomson is now in the district, and examining the pupils at the various schools.
At the local Police Court, before S. B. Gunn P.M., on Thursday last John Joseph Donovan, fined 10s and 6s costs for being found drunk.
NEW CAR. – Mr. George Chewying, of the People’s Stores, has purchased a new 25 h. p. Overland Motor Car which he is placing at the service of the public for special hire. Read the announcement in this issue.
HOTEL CHANGES. – Mr. Hyland has sold his hotel business at Tilba to Mr. Alex Sutherland, of Dignam’s Creek. Mr. Hyland has now purchased the business and freehold of the Narooma Hotel, for some time conducted by Mr. F. F. Smith. The sale of the Tilba Hotel was affected by M. and J. O’Reilly.
MILK FEVER. – Mr. J. R. Milne, who some time back lost a fine milking cow through an attack of milk fever, was on the verge of losing one of his champions last week through the same complaint. The animal appeared to be past all hope, when Mr. Bede Heffernan, who had been despatched for in all haste, arrived on the scene, and under his air-pumping system soon had the cow all right, to the great delight of her owner. Several of the heaviest milkers in this district owe their lives to our local cattle doctor, Mr. Bede Heffernan.
PUBLIC BATHS. – The local temporary baths, situated near the town wharf, and which are convenient and highly appreciated by the public, are sadly in need of dressing sheds, as those temporarily erected by the Council, of canvas, have been literally torn to pieces, and the scores of regular bathers are in a sad plight for some sort of covering to hide them from public gaze whilst changing their costumes. A new covering around the present frames, and substantial reward offered for the detection of anyone detected mutilating it, might answer the purpose during the remaining months of the popular bathing season. Now “Harry,” wake up.
MORUYA – ARALUEN ROAD. – This road, taking that by the Burra, is now in remarkably good order. Taking the road to and from Moruya and Araluen over Moggendoura Mountain, known as “Larry’s Mountain,” which is the favourite route by motorists as it is more expeditious and less nerve racking than the intricate curvy one via the Burra, where the Illawarra Co.’s local agent found so many snakes and iguanas with their backs broken. We found that there are some very necessary improvements required by motorists and others who prefer travelling by this route. Two or three box culverts and a little top dressing are all that is at present required.
NERRIGUNDAH. – (From our Correspondent).
It is my sorrowful duty to have to once more report the visitation of that grim reaper Death to our little village. This time to claim one of our highly esteemed and most charitable residents, Mrs. O’Keefe, at the age of 60 years. Mrs. O’Keefe came to Nerrigundah as a child with her parents in the early sixties when the little valley first opened its golden treasure to the public, and since then has been a constant resident, having married Dave Roach in 1880 and carried on an hotel business in the Free Selector’s Inn for a number of years. Her husband after a short illness died in the Moruya Hospital in 1896 leaving a family of three sons and two daughters, vis., William John and David Sylvester of Nerrigundah; Thomas Henry, of Sydney; Mrs. A. Graham and Mrs. A. E. Daniels, of Sydney. A few years later Mrs. Roach married Thomas O’Keefe, and has conducted a boarding house up to the time of her death. From the second marriage she leaves a daughter, Nellie. In the death of Mrs. O’Keefe Nerrigundah has sustained a loss that will be hard to fill. Her genial, kind, and charitable nature endeared her to everyone who had the pleasure of her acquaintance.
Nineteen 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1917 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).
