Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 14 December 1918, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:
VISITORS. – Xmas visitors are flocking into Moruya in galore, and on one special night during this week, it is said that the service cars arrived with fully fifty souls aboard. Amongst the arrivals there are several residents who have been away in the Big Smoke for some time, included in which were Mr. G. H. James and Mrs. Henderson, of the Manse, Misses Elsie Keith and Ita Quilter.
DONKEY HILL MINING. – Mr. Charlie Stubbs, jnr., brought to our Office on Monday three nice ingots of pure smelted gold, the result of 18 tons of stone taken at the 205 foot level from his Donkey Hill Mine and treated by his own battery and cyanided plant. The ingots weighed in all about 40 oz. worth, on average, £3 18s per oz, and the result of seven weeks work by two men. Mr. Stubb’s mine was originally owned and worked by Mr. Harry Wenden, who took several hundred pounds worth of gold from it. Geologists inform us that if some of the reefs discovered along the auriferous belt of country at Donkey Hill were followed down to settled country, tons of the precious metal would be discovered. Many practical miners are of the same opinion, but unfortunately they have not the necessary capital to follow the reefs to a sufficient depth.
CIRCUS. – The Circus which opens in Moruya tonight (Perry’s) is well spoken of by our Southern exchanges, and being the first to erect a circus and menagerie in Moruya for such a lengthy period of time, it goes without saying that it will be largely patronised.
BUSH FIRES. – Moruya has so far fortunately escaped the ravages of bush fires, which have devastated large portions of our neighboring districts. Braidwood, Araluen and Nelligen have suffered severely; many have had big losses in grass and fences; and several have had their outbuildings, and several their dwellings completely demolished. Mr. and Mrs. Backhouse of Currowan Creek, Clyde Road, lost everything except a little cash.
LATEST CABLES. –
3200 British troops have arrived in Cologne.
A Hague message says the Dutch Premier announces that no Power has so far objected to the ex-Kaiser’s stay in Holland which is regarded as only temporary.
PERSONAL & OTHERWISE. –
Lost a Post Office box key with a ring attached. Finder will oblige by leaving name at “Examiner” office.
Mrs Moffett, of Melbourne, nee Miss Lizzie, a twin daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. Storman, Snr. Of Eurobodalla, has been over on a month’s holiday visit to her parents and friends.
Mr. Hooper’s Pictures were screened in the Mechanic’s on one night last week when some very fine films were unreeled. The attendance, however, was not nearly as large as the show deserved.
Mrs. John Emmott and her daughter, Mrs. Gregg, when leaving Miss William’s private boarding house, where they had been staying during the past week, were surrounded by quite a crowd of warm-hearted friends, who, after expressions of good wishes, hand-shakes and kisses, gave three hearty cheers for Moruya’s departing Florence Nightingale and her much loved daughter.
BODALLA. – (From our Correspondent).
Mr. Nixon, teacher of the Public School, should be well satisfied with the result of the Ball, held on Friday evening December 6th in aid of the School Honor Board. The sum of £15 was raised, clear of all expenses.
After a long absence, Dick Hooper’s Pictures again visited Bodalla and screened an excellent programme. Unfortunately the attendance was rather small but all present spoke in glowing terms of the show.
NERRIGUNDAH. – (From our Correspondent.)
Another of Nerrigundah’s old and respected residents, Mr. Charles Pitfield, died at the residence of Mr. H. O’Toole, at the ripe old age of 90 years. Deceased was one of the first settlers to take up land on the Tuross River, where he selected in the early sixties the farm now occupied by Mr. T. Templeman.
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).
