Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 11 January 1919, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:
DAME MELBA. – Our Australian Queen of Song, Madame Melba, was on Monday invested by the Governor-General as Dame of the British Empire.
MAJOR’S CREEK RACES. – Nominations for the Major’s Creek annual races, which are advertised to take place on the Club’s safe little course, near the town, on 27th inst., close with the secretary Mr. Cook, at 8 o’clock tonight (Saturday).
SUCCESSFUL FARMER. – Mr. George Turner of Deua River, is an example of what can be done by intelligent farming. Some years ago Mr. Turner bought the late Mr. Edward Brown’s farm at Deua River with a debt hanging over his head of something like £900, but with intelligent industry and determined perseverance has not only cleared off the debt of his then purchase but has since erected a new comfortable residence and bought and paid for the Coman fine farm at the Burra, paid into the bank £1000 in the Seventh War Loan and is now on the look-out for a decent residence in town.
MILITARY. – The parents or guardians of all boys who will reach the age of 14 years during the next year must register them during January and February for compulsory naval or military training. Forms for registration are available at post offices. Failure to register incurs a penalty of up to £10.
SOLDIERS’ WIVES ARRIVING. – One hundred and thirty five soldiers’ wives and 87 children of men of the A.I.F. are returning to Australia by the Zealandia, due to reach Hobson’s Bay, Victoria, this week. Some mismanagement seems to have characterised arrangements in London, three cabled requests by the Repatriation Department here for the names of those on board eliciting no reply from the High Commissioner’s office. No details are therefore available here, and a good deal of resentment is felt. Many of the women and children will now arrive in Australia with nobody to meet them.
RAINFALL. – Only 26½ inches of rain for the year ended 31st Dec. 1918, were registered at the local Shire Office, 12 inches of which were recorded in the two first months of the year.
REPATRIATION. – Mr. T. Flood, president, and Mr. W. Jermyn, hon. secretary, of the local Repatriation committee, will attend the first conference of the committee, which will be held in Sydney on 21st inst.
PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. –
Hearty congratulations to Cr. T. Flood on his unanimous public election.
One hundred and thirty thousand French prisoners of war are still in Germany.
It is estimated that there were 24,000 British prisoners of war in Germany on December 29. Of these 5000 have been released.
A further 8000 prisoners are expected to reach Holland within a few days. Seven thousand are being repatriated this week.
Baron Aberconway states that there are now 270,000 unemployed in England, chiefly demobilised soldiers and munition workers.
In Thursday’s terrible bush fire the Kameruka Estate is reported to have lost 80 milch cows.
Buckenboura Estate was offered in three lots on Wednesday by John Bridge and Co, Auctioneer, but each lot was passed in without a bid.
General Botha (South Africa), Sir Robert Borden (Canada) and Mr. W. M. Hughes (Australia) will represent the Dominions at the Peace Table.
Mr. A. D. Burns has received word that his son, Trooper Stanley Burns, a brother of Mrs. J. Jenner of Newstead, is dangerously ill in the Hospital at Port Said, suffering from malarial fever.
A huge sunfish has washed up on Pambula beach, and has created considerable interest among the people in the locality. The monster measures 12ft from tip to tip of the fins, while the body is 7ft long. It is estimated to weigh two tons and the flesh is snow white in color.
Twenty 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1918 are available ($6 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/publications.html).
