Compiled by Cameron McCullough
THE official opening of the new Shire Hall was performed by Mr. C. Calder, chairman of the Country Roads Board, on Friday afternoon last in the presence of a large number of ratepayers.
The pupils of the Frankston school were also present, in charge of Mr. J. D. Jennings, headmaster, who arranged for the cheering reception which was given Mr. Calder.
The Shire president (Cr. F. Wells) introduced Mr. Calder, and said that the Council was very pleased to see him present to perform the ceremony.
They were glad to have him because of the good work performed throughout the shire by the C.R.B.
There were still a number of roads required, and it would be a long while before the Council could maintain them.
The extra road on the west side of Melbourne Road, and the Three-chain road were works which are urgently needed.
Cr. Wells said the C.R.B. had executed a wonderful lot of work, both in this Shire and throughout the State of Victoria.
They were pleased to see Mr. Calder present to thank him for the assistance given to the Shire of Frankston and Hastings. (Cheers).
Mr. Calder (who was received with cheers) said he was delighted to see such a large number of children present. These were the future citizens, and he considered it a great compliment for them to participate in the opening of the new chambers.
The president had given a recognition to the Board that was not often extended to them. The Board sincerely appreciated the sentiments expressed.
Frankston had almost got beyond an outer town and was becoming a suburb. (Applause). It was the king pin to the Mornington Peninsula, which undoubtedly had a big future.
The Peninsula was easily accessible to Melbourne; it had a good climate and was wonderfully productive.
The scenery was as good as any on the southern coast of Victoria. (Cheers).
The Board was gratified to know that Frankston had a laudable civic pride.
Of course this shire, like many others, had passed through strenuous times, but it did not do to be poor and look poor (Laughter).
The people of the district were endeavouring to make the town look attractive. This building was a good investment, and the location was one of the best in the town.
Mr. Calder reminded those present of the men who were giving their time, which was valuable, to the building up of the Shire.
Councillors’ efforts were not always appreciated by the people as they should be. The one day a month given by them in attending council meeting, etc., was equivalent to the sum of £100 per year.
The average ratepayer was loath to part up his money for rates, but if he was asked to give one day a month, as these were doing, he might be justified in complaining.
Continuing, Mr. Calder said:- “I am going to ask you to free your streets and roads of the bill-board nuisance.
The municipalities have power to abolish them. It is an outrage on public taste to have these boards erected on our roads”.
The C.R.B. would co-operate in having these signs removed from the main roads.
Your president informs me that there are strict building regulations in force throughout this shire. That is very creditable to the council. This place will be a city some day. (Applause).
I firmly believe that the rosy-faced children around me are an excellent advertisement for Frankston”.
In speaking to the children, Mr. Calder said “This is your civic centre, and I feel sure your teachers will instill that into your minds.”
He exhorted the children to obey their parents and to always do the right thing. Mr. Calder in turning to Cr. Wells said he congratulated the council on the substantial building which had been built at a moderate cost. He had much pleasure in declaring the new hall open, and wished them all a prosperous future.
(Loud cheers).
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“Let Frankston Flourish!”
It is easy enough to make such all appeal, but it is another thing to be able to make the people of the district see that by answering that appeal in a proper way they are succoring local enterprise, while, on the other hand, by adopting a declinatory attitude towards it, they are stifling, not only such enterprise, but their own interests as well.
Our local Traders and Progress Associations are forever urging the residents of Frankston and the surrounding districts to purchase only from local business houses, and rightly so, too, for the very stout, solid, and sensible reason that such businesses are owned and controlled in the main by local residents or ratepayers, contributing to the municipal revenue from profits arising from the sales of their wares.
Here we have a true, and only reasonable way of fostering and saving from incorruption, our fine township and its business houses, and that way is by shopping locally.
On the other hand we find that on market days a certain amount of our main roadside and footpath is occupied by “foreign” competition, to wit, by a vendor of plants of various kinds who, besides obstructing our main thoroughfare to some extent, is not swelling the Council’s coffers with his £.s.d. as are local, bona-fide resident vendors of like goods, and money which should, and would be spent, in the district and circulated again therein is now taken away.
Here, then, we have the true way of starving and stifling local enterprises. Is it fair? Is it reasonable? What has the local Council to say concerning this grave state of affairs?
Let us hope that their reply to “kerbstone” vendors’ of goods will be a clean-cut “notice to quit.”
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Fire station site – request to retain present position
Capt. D. H. Petrie and other members of the Frankston Fire Brigade waited on the Council last Friday and asked that permission be granted for the brigade to retain the present site, and also that additional land be given for the erection of an up-to-date fire station. The building would be of brick and fully equipped.
Cr. Wells said at last Council meeting a request was received from the Boy Scouts Parents’ Committee for this site, if vacated by the Fire Brigade. The brigade had now decided to remain, if possible.
They had been in occupation for the past 40 years to my knowledge, said Cr. Wells, and are a very important body in the town.
The fire premiums on policies have been considerably reduced since the water has been laid on, concluded the speaker.
Cr. Brown: What about the policies throughout the Shire which are on properties in the town.
Capt. D. H. Petrie suggested to the Seaford councillors that they arrange for a branch of the Fire Brigade at Seaford, or else a Seaford Fire Brigade, which would, of course, cost much more to maintain.
Cr. Brown: Yes, a branch of the brigade at Seaford would be a very good move. We want to feel at Seaford that the brigade would be of some benefit to us in the reduction of our policies.
Crs. Brown and Oates moved that a plan of the whole block of ground be submitted to the Council, and the sites asked for be shown on same.
Carried.
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From the Pages of the Frankston and Somerville Standard, 11 June 1926
