Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 8 March 1919, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:
HELD UP. – Owing to the embargo on travellers, through the scare of flumonia a fair number of commercial travellers were held up in Moruya during the last week or so
SHOW ABANDONED. – The Moruya Show has finally been abandoned for this year, the last straw that sank the annual function being a fear in the mind of some members that pneumonic influenza might break out again with sufficient virulence as to cause the Government to once more veto the holding of outdoor amusements.
LATEST TELEGRAMS. – Sydney, Friday.
Seven fresh cases of influenza, including four at Binalong.
Nine deaths and 233 new cases in Victoria.
Hall, Attorney General, visited Albury regarding the alleged bad conditions of the Quarantine Camp. He promised to amend the proclamation to allow people on the Victorian side and Upper Murray to come to Albury to do business, provided they came from a clean Country.
RETURNED. – Corporal Jack O’Reilly, eldest son of the late chemist J. J. O’Reilly, at one time of this town, has returned from the front, and although wounded on more than one occasion and gassed is whole in body and evidently in heart. When asked by us if he had brought back an English or French wife, Jack replied, “No thanks, my Australian sweetheart waited for me over three years, and I want none better.” Congratulations Queen of Moruya, Katie Heffernan.
Pte Gilbert Jessop, of Nerrigundah, better known as “Toots” Jessop, a creek batsman, is among the Australians repatriated to England from a German prison camp.
BATEMAN’S BAY. – (From our Correspondent)
On Friday night a packed hall gathered to welcome home Messrs. H Strong, Alf Barclay and John V. Patrech. These men have recovered in wounds and honours from hazards of war. The reception took the form of a social, the chair being taken by Mr. E. Lunn. Former returned soldiers who were afforded a place on the stage were Messrs. Ray Guy, Brown, T. Lawler, and H Seton.
We are glad to hear that the Pebbly Beach Saw Mill has once more commenced operations. Mr Guy had the bad luck to have the Boiler burst. However a new boiler has been brought down from Sydney – and after considerable difficulty landed at Pebbly Beach by the “Bermagui.” This has now been properly installed.
RAINFALL. – The rainfall of the week has been as follows: Monday 48 points, Tuesday 35 points, and Wednesday 39 points. The weather on Thursday and yesterday (Friday) was fine, the sky clear, the sun pleasantly warm and the atmosphere delightfully refreshing and free from the humidity of the previous week or ten days.
LUCKY MORUYA. – After reading in our exchange the extent of damage done by the floods of last week in many of our neighbouring districts, we can exclaim – Lucky Moruya. With the exception of damage done to some of the corn paddocks and fencing the man on the land in this district has escaped almost scot free.
STITCH IN TIME. – Our local maintenance men believe in the old saying that “a stitch in time saves nine,” and as the timbers were being carried down the river as the flood waters rose they were out regardless of the elements, and with hooks and poles kept the Moruya bridge clear of debris and heavy logs, a very small quantity of which, however, was in the swim on this occasion.
“INGLEWOOD”. – Mr. R. J. Anderson has purchased Miss Mary Brown’s pretty residence, “Inglewood” with 20 acres of land attached, immediately overlooking the Moruya Park.
Twenty 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1918 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).
