Author: Cameron McCullough

THE election to fill the seat so long occupied by Mr Downward is exciting an extraordinary amount of interest. The reason is on the surface. Mr Downward, in allying himself with the Labor Party to defeat the Government, lost the support of a great body of electors. Of those electors some were Nationalists, some were supporters of the Country Party, most were men and women with no respect for the wirepullers, paid organisers and touts of any party organisation. All were, however, agreed on a few simple points. They want a Government which will develop the resources of the State…

THE Port of Hastings Authority has been fined $20,000 at Frankston Magistrate’s Court for unauthorised vegetation removal in February 2020. The 7200 square metres of foreshore cleared was adjacent to the Crib Point jetty. The port authority was prosecuted by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council after the authority failed to gain approval for the clearing. The court was told that representatives of the Port of Hastings Authority and power company AGL – which planned to establish a now-abandoned gas import terminal at the jetty – had met with a council arborist in mid-2018 to discuss removal of some vegetation around the…

“TRAVELLER,” Frankston, shows what can be done under a system of intense culture: To the Editor. Sir, The visitor to Frankston indeed must be struck with the display of fine fruit, vegetables and other farm produce offered to the highest bidder as the market day comes round. There the frugal housekeeper without the middleman, may provide supplies to keep the family in clover until the next current cash falls due. The grower here has to be content with what he can get in the local market according to supply and demand. The Mornington Peninsula has a great future. Nature has…

A FRIEND of mine sent me a text message asking if I’d had any adverse reaction to the vaccine. “I didn’t,” I typed. “But since getting it, I have been able to speak fluent Pirahã, which I’m told is the native language of a near-extinct tribe living in the Amazon basin”. In reply my friend sent me a “thumbs up”. He didn’t seem to think it odd that I had become instantly bilingual with an exotic language spoken by only a few hundred rainforest dwelling hunters in Brazil. That, it seems, was plausible. You see, in this Year of Our…

A MOST successful smoke social was given to its members on Saturday night, 23rd July, by the Hastings Branch of the Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia. After the toast of The King had been honored, the President, Mr Russell, in proposing the League, made it clear to those present, the great advantages to be derived by its members from the organisation if they would only stick together, attend the meetings regularly, and keep at heart the welfare and progress of the League, which should not be judged by what it bad been, but by what they could…

TRAGIC results followed the wandering of two little twin boys, Bertie and Jackie Guy, aged 4½ years, from Frankston on Wednesday. The sons of Mr and Mrs A. Guy, of Berry Street, Richmond, they had been on a visit to their uncle, Mr Ahrens and his wife at Frankston. The children had recently been patients at the Infectious Disease Hospital at Fairfield. During Wednesday afternoon they were missed from their uncle’s house. A search in the neighborhood proved unsuccessful, and at 5.30pm police aid was sought. The fire bell was rung, and the greater part of the male population of…

ON Thursday night, July 14th, the delegates of the Mornington Peninsula Football Association met at Copsey’s Hotel, Somerville, when the President (Cr P. McArthur) presided. Crs Rigby, Stephens, and Griffeth, and Messrs H. McCulloch, Cameron, Firth, Simcock, Wilkinson, Carigg, G. McLear, P. Floyd and Morphett were also present. Mr E. Laging (Carrum) wrote objecting to the repeated appointment of White as umpire for matches in which Carrum played. It was stated that White had umpired three Carrum matches successively – against Somerville and Hastings at Carrum and the match at Dromana. It was alleged that White permitted rough play without…

MRS Hannah Rose Griffith, who passed away after a brief illness on the 10th inst at “Danby Lodge,” Somerville, was born nearly a century ago at Bangor, Wales. She was one of six daughters of the late James Courtney Cottingham. She had two brothers, one being Judge James Cottingham, of Manchester, and the other, Christopher Cottingham, the Editor of the “Mercantile & Shipping Gazette,” London, whilst her cousins were Sir Hercules Robinson (later Earl Rosemead) and Sir William Robinson, Governor of NSW and later of Victoria. Her early life was spent in Dublin. She was tutored with her friend, Lady…

DEAR Sir, On behalf of property owners interested in the district adjacent to “The Fernery,” I am presenting at the forthcoming meeting of the Frankston and Hastings Shire Council a petition signed by practically the whole of those immediately concerned in the welfare of the locality. For your information, copies of the petition and the covering letter accompanying same are appended hereto. I am further directed to say that in the event of our petition being unsuccessful with the council, we shall institute legal proceedings. This, however, we trust will be unnecessary. Yours faithfully Bruce T Mellor WE the undersigned…

SUNDAY 11 July started with such promise. Reignite Democracy Australia Party’s Mornington Peninsula chapter were gathering for an anti-vaxxer ‘rally’ and organisers had promised “tonnes of parking” and “toilets close by”. Maybe it was the dismal turnout, but attendees quickly turned their attention to The News’ esteemed photographer, who was equally dejected having rushed to Dromana, on The Lord’s Day no less, on the promise of a ‘rally’ with its connotations of huge crowds, megaphones, and possibly capsicum spray. What appeared before him was a gathering at best. But really just a few random people standing around. “We don’t give…

ON Saturday last, the little six year old son of Mrs Roberts, of the Dromana Tea Rooms, was drowned at Dromana. The little fellow was seen near the pier in the afternoon, and the body was found next morning 300 yards away. His father was killed at the war. *** MR Joseph Unthank’s reply to “Retribution” come to hand this morning too late for publication in today’s issue. Appears next issue. *** MR Nankervis, stationmaster at Frankston, left this week for Sydney, where he will spend his annual holidays. Mr Nugent is the relieving officer. *** AT the Criminal Court…

LAST Sunday, a pony, the property of Mr Bennett, fell down a narrow well at “Cleveden,” Kars Street, but, fortunately, the pony was rescued by a number of willing workers. It is not known how long the animal had been in the well before it was discovered, but he was down about 10 feet, with his head just out of the water. The pony is not much the worse for its adventure. *** VISIBLE expression of recognising the birthday of our beloved Prince was conspicuous by its absence on the 23rd inst. The heads of the two State institutions (State…

OUR special representative at Tyabb writes: There was a fair attendance of spectators at the match between Langwarrin and Tyabb on the Tyabb oval last Saturday. The local team played far superior football than against Hastings the week before, and were never hard pressed by their opponents. Some nice hand ball passing by the maroons, especially by their forward men, was witnessed. The game was of a very fast and friendly nature; hard knocks being given and taken with true sporting spirit. The outstanding feature of the day’s play was the large number of behinds kicked by the local team.…

TO the Editor, Sir, I had set out the other day to see the district, and took my cue from the finger post near the Post Office and the shore end of the main street. Step by step along the Hastings Road, I could not but admire the view here. Practically in the virgin bush. I stood on an excellent road within 25 miles of Melbourne. The vista reminded me of a distant panorama the other side of the equator. The difference was that the bareness of that land had driven many of its best sons to this side of…

MR and Mrs James Liddle, who with their family, arrived in this district about ten days ago, from Hopetoun, have had an unusually sad experience. Two members of the family, a boy and a girl, aged six and three years respectively, were suffering from severe colds on arrival here, unfortunately these developed into bronchial asthma, and despite all that could be done by Dr Griffiths to save them the girl passed away on Sunday and the boy on Wednesday. It is stated by Dr Griffiths that the sudden climatic change from the Mallee district to the prevailing cold temperature here…

A SWEDE turnip, weighing 7½lbs grown by Mr Cooper, of Frankston, was brought to ‘’The Standard” office on Wednesday. It was grown in sandy soil. *** IN the “Standard” of the 20th inst. it was stated that Miss Florence M. Vines, of Somerville, had secured third prize for soprano solo at the A.N.A. Competitions. This was incorrect, as the competition has not yet been concluded. The fact is that competitors are arranged in sections; that in which Miss Vines sung being the first of six sections. The names mentioned in the Press are those securing the highest number of marks…

REPLYING to a series of questions by Mr H. Gregory, M. P in the House of Representatives, the Minister of the Navy stated that the estimated expenditure on the Flinders Naval Base at Crib Point for the current financial year was £105,075. This was made up of £87,486 under the Works and Railways Department and £17,589 for the Navy Department. The expenditure for works included provision for sewerage, power station, coal elevators, water and fire services, hot water system and boiler house, laundry, drying rooms, residences, roads, footpaths and dredging. The Navy Department provided for expenditure in connection with the…

TO the Editor, Sir, I very much dislike controversy in the Press. But, I feel that I ought to reply. If you will allow me space in your columns, to statements concerning myself, made by the Soldiers’ League, and reported in your last issue. The first statement is that I received an invitation from the Frankston Branch of the Returned Soldiers’ League to take part in their United Service on Anzac Day in Frankston this year and that I did not reply to it. I did NOT receive such an invitation and therefore, of course, could not reply to it.…

AN extraordinary shooting tragedy took place on Sunday last, the victim being a little boy, Don Marcel Kirkham, aged five years. At the time we write, there is not much information available, beyond the fact that Clement George Eyles, aged 22 years, has been arrested on a charge of willful murder. It appears that Eyles, who is a farm laborer, and John Gervasoni had been batching at Thompson Street, Carrum, and Mr Kirkham and his little boy came to visit them. Eyles had been cleaning a room at the house, and placed a gun on the verandah. Kirkham and Gervasoni…

AT the request of the Moorooduc Progress Association the Country Roads Board has decided to reconstruct Quinn’s Bridge over the Balcombe Creek, at an early date. It will be remembered that a steam roller crushed through this bridge some months ago. *** THE Country Roads Board has accepted Mr. H. H. Bell’s tender of £2,501/1/4 for the construction of the Nyora Mile section of the Pt. Nepean road. The work lies within the Mornington Shire. *** IT is freely rumoured that, with the advent of the electrification of the railway, thereby bringing Frankston closer to the city, several prominent city…

A MEETING convened by the Frankston Branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, was held on Monday night. Mr. H. Vicars (president) was in the chair, and the visitors included Crs. Oates and Wells, Messrs. Jennings, Manson, Wells, Young and others, who were present by invitation. It was decided to hold a memorial service in the Honor Avenue at 3 o’clock of Monday afternoon, 25th inst. On the motion of Mr. L. Corlett, seconded by Mr. R. Burton, it was arranged to make the distribution of British war medals on the same day. A list of the men entitled to receive…

DURING shunting operations on Tuesday night last, when a train of over 1000 tons weight was being manoeuvred, an accident occurred, resulting in a loaded 10 ton truck leaving the rails and mounting the platform. At the time the staff was working at full pressure in order to clear the “down” road for the passenger train. Owing to the darkness, and the curve in the road, great difficulty was experienced in signalling the crew. A train of this weight acquires very great momentum, and a driver requires ample time in which to pull his train up but owing to the…

A VERY fine sample of potatoes has been brought under “The Standard’s” notice by Mr A. E. Lasslett. These potatoes, grown merely as a hobby for private use by Mr Lasslett at the State Savings Bank, Frankston, were of the Carmen variety, and two weighed about 2½ lbs each, whilst the whole plot is likewise good. The seed was not prepared or inoculated in any way, which is further proof of what the soil is really capable of in this district. *** MR Tom Perridge, the Tooradin sportsman, had another successful day at the Mornington gymkhana with his fine mare,…

RESIDENTS and holiday makers at Cowes, Phillip Island, were awakened on Good Friday morning by the droning of an aeroplane, and a favored few received “hot x buns” from the clouds. Mr H. McColl, baker, and storekeeper, of Cowes, realising his inability to supply the needs of the large parties of campers on the isle, arranged with Messrs Borer & Co, the Port Melbourne bread manufacturers, to supply him with 100 large loaves, and a bag of buns by aerial delivery. Pilot Graham Carey, accompanied by Mr H. Stranaghan, left the Port Melbourne aerodrome on Thursday afternoon with their novel…

The bitter wrangle between local and state governments over the designation of the Mornington Peninsula as “metropolitan Melbourne” has reached crisis point with local authorities reaching out to officially become part of Tasmania. The move follows unsuccessful attempts to have the Mornington Peninsula redesignated part of Regional Victoria. “The issue really came to light during the Covid-19 lockdowns,” said local businessman Jeremy Turnstingle. “Being lumped in with metro Melbourne was a huge blow. “If you remember, we were forced to lock down, despite having no cases, while Regional Victoria were able to stay open.” The decision sparked an outcry on…

AT the Moorooduc Stone Quarries on Monday, an employee, Mr Charles Darcey, had a narrow escape from death. He was riding on a truck which was conveying stone from the quarry face to the breakers, when the wire rope controlling the vehicle snapped. The truck immediately gathered momentum and sped down the incline at a terrific speed. Before it reached the bottom, Mr Darcey sprang to the ground and in so doing, struck his chest against a stump. He was very badly shaken, but appears otherwise to have escaped serious injury. *** THE Easter holidays start tomorrow. Already a great…

MR Mark Brody (who says he is “not a councillor”) has written to “The Standard”: I am loathe to rush into print, but the circumstances warrant it. It is a crying shame and disgrace the neglected look of that fine double row of trees planted in memory of those brave boys who assisted (and succeeded) in keeping the detestable Hun from our shores (and God help us if they had succeeded). I am more than astonished at the attitude of parents whose sons paid the supreme sacrifice. On looking over the Avenue, one will see several fine ones with an…

To the Editor Sir, I would like to express my disgust at the criticism by one young person at the concert held in the Institute, Somerville, on Saturday last. This concert was held in aid of a new curtain, and all the artists gave their services free. During the whole performance this heartless criticism went on in the hearing of some of the relatives of the performers. This person, apparently, has not even been educated in common decent manners. We have amongst us two beautiful talented young singers, Miss Vines and Miss Doris Unthank; “Digger’’Nairn, a finished violinist and elocutionist;…

IN criticising the Westernport Development and Decentralisation League, a Melbourne journal says: “As regards Westernport, the land sharks have cut up and sold to the credulous, ‘desirable residential and factory sites’ by the thousands, so they at least have ceased to have any interest in the place …. There has never been any sincerity behind any of these decentralisation proposals.” All we can say is that there ought to be, for Westernport is one of the most neglected of all the natural ports in the world. *** SPEAKING of the dangerous air currents in certain parts of Australia, Major T.…

SOME time ago the Mornington Shire Council refused the use of the local park for picnic purposes to the Sheet Metal Workers’ Union on account of objectionable features at the last two picnics. At the last meeting of the council, the union secretary, Mr. De Gruchy, attended as a deputation, and succeeded in having the embargo lifted. The party has been visiting Mornington since 1885, and the trouble has been caused by a minority, which always will be found wherever a crowd assembles. The union has guaranteed to deal with any of its members who indulge in acts of rowdyism…