THE many friends of Mrs George Shepherd, of Somerville, will be pleased to learn that she is again at home and slowly recovering from the painful operation which she recently underwent.
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MESSRS Brody and Mason will sell on Thursday next 8th last at “Sunnyside” Mornington Road, contents of 10 roomed villa, on account of Mrs A. S. Panter. Owing to this property having been sold, everything will be unreserved.
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A GRAND cencert in aid of the funds of the Frankston Methodist Church will be held in the Mechanics’ Hall on Wednesday evening next.
We understand that a good programme is being arranged, and as there will be good moonlight, there will doubtless be a good attendance.
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IT is to be hoped that a good number of willing hands will respond to the call for volunteers to assist in clearing the Frankston cemetery of the rubbish that is so rapidly overgrowing everthing else and rendering it peculiarly liable to be swept clean by any fire that may start in the vicinity.
Those willing are asked to be at the cemetery this afternoon.
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ALFRED Johnson, a foreigner, who claimed to be a Finn, and who had been making himself objectionable to the townspeople for a couple of days by stopping pedestrians and begging money, with which he afterwards obtained liquor, was arrested a Frankston on Wednesday.
He appeared before Caps Sherlock J.P, on Thursday morning on charges of offensive behaviour and vagrancy.
Const Ryan informed the magistrate that Johansen was an alien with no papers to show his nationality and no passport, as required by the War Precautions Act.
He had, as well as stopping people in the street, visited numerous houses, demanding money etc.
At houses where no men were present the female inmates were alarmed by the prisoner, who was generally drunk.
He was drunk when arrested, and on the way to the watch house he violently resisted and used atrocious language.
On the first charge the prisoner, who pleaded guilty was fined 20s or 7 days imprisonment, and on the second charge he was given 14 days imprisonment.
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A SEASIDE FATALITY. – DISAPPEARANCE OF TWO BOYS.
A commission of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of two boys named Montgomery Robinson 18, and Andrew McNeil, 17, at Carrum, on Saturday, 1st April, 1916, was held before Mr Cohen, P.M. at the City Police Court on Wednesday.
Constable P. B. McDonald, Chelsea, stated that after he received news on 2nd April of the fact that the boys were missing he went to Carrum to assist in the search, and also instructed Const Pattison to go.
He could not notify the neighboring police stations as the telephones were not available on Sunday, and he considered that the other stations would be unable to do more than he was doing.
He did not see the necessity for hiring a boat to search the water.
Senior Const. McCormack, who was notified at Frankston of the fatality at 9am on 2nd April, said he patrolled the beaches where it was expected the boat would be washed up.
He searched on Sunday and Monday.
Const Pattison also gave evidence of having searched the beaches for traces of the missing boys.
William Vagg farmer said that the boys asked him for a loan of the dinghy for the purpose of fishing.
He assisted them to launch the boat and saw them at various times about a mile and a half from the shore.
The water was perfectly calm. After dark set in Mr and Mrs Robinson came to him and asked him about the boat.
He told them that the boys were alright, as the boat could not be sunk or capsized.
He remained on the beach until daylight on the Sunday morning with Mr Robinson.
Witness said that, in his opinion a piece of rope which was produced in court and which had been attached to the anchor of the boat, was cut and not worn away.
Mr Jones: was the boat seaworthy?
Witness: I would not risk my life
in it unless it was.
Thomas Alexander Robinson, 35 Burnley Street Burnley, father to one of the boys, said the failure on the part of the police to conduct a proper search appeared to be due to the absence of telephonic communication on Sunday.
Rachel Elizabeth Robinson, wife of the previous witness, said that she accepted the assurance of Mr Vagg, that the boat was seaworthy. Had she seen the boat before it was found on the beach she would have had grave misgivings.
After other evidence had been given, the inquiry was closed. Mr Cohen will forward his report to the Governor in Council.
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Our Letter Box.
TO THE EDITOR.
Sir, Having spent several months in your interesting little town, may I crave space in your widly-read journal, to comment both eulogistically and critically on a certain very popular patriotic body – The Frankston “Wattle” Club.
I was told this club was composed of mostly ladies, who spared neither time nor effort to entertain and cheer such of our gallant soldiers who found their way Frankstonwards, and also, managed and catered for numerous social evenings in aid of various patriotic objects.
This sounded admirable and I immediately took steps to cultivate the acquaintance of the workers in what is rather a unique institute.
I found the ladies worthy of all praise, cheerful, and painstaking, most of them having more than a superficial interest in-as-much as nearly all have their nearest and dearest in the dread danger zone; so they work not only with their head and hands, but with hearts deeply stirred as only they can who have given their loved ones to risk all in our glorious cause.
So much for praise. Deeply regretting the need of any adverse criticism of such an otherwise splendid movement, I must point out one serious defect. Unless I have been misinformed, sincerely do I hope I may have been, upon the committee of the “Wattle” Club there is a young man, unmarried and apparently eligible for active service.
Surely, so glaring an incongruity would not be tolerated.
Could the wives, sisters and sweethearts of our gallant boys, sit in friendly confab with one who could, yet would not go to their assistance. Is it not rather an insult to those heroes to even suggest such a thing.
Yes, Mr Editoir, the idea is too ridiculous, My informant must certainly have been mistaken. However, as the belief is fairly general in your district, and is distinctly detrimental to the Club’s interests, pethaps I may be forgiven for thus making the rumor public and allowing these worthy ladies the opportunity of
contradicting the mis-statement, if such it be. Yours faithfully, A.I F.
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From the pages of the Mornington Standard, 3 February, 1917