A ‘roarty” time in a Cadillac – One hundred years ago- March 1914

Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of this time in 1914, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:

LIGHT HORSE – Sergeant-Major Holman is expected in Moruya early next month to swear in all those willing to join the corps of the Australian Light Horse.  Now’s your chance boys!   14/3/1914

TRIP TO BRAIDWOOD – The Moruya contingent who visited the Braidwood show and races per Mr. Harrison’s splendid Cadillac motor car, had a “roarty” time, as on the return trip, in the afternoon, no less than 27 bottles of champagne were “popped” off.  Thanks, Mr. Patrick Coffey! May your shadow never grow less.   14/3/1914

PICTURE PALACE – Mr. J.T. Brogan has just completed Mr. A.H. Weatherby’s new Picture Palace in Church Street.  The building is 65ft. overall  x 20ft., floored and seated, with a centre passage running from the main entrance in Church Street.  The seats are raised in tiers towards the back, winding up with a gallery with chair room on each landing.  Over the door is erected the electric lantern, which is fed by a dynamo outside on the eastern end of the main building.  The pictures are thrown onto a white-painted tin screen which gives the audience an uninterrupted view from all parts of the house.  There are escape doors on each side and the Palace will be splendidly ventilated, having a movable canvas covering.  Altogether Mr. Weatherby is to be congratulated, as is also his trusty builder, Mr. Brogan, on the up-to-dateness of “Moruya Picture Palace.”  The building is illuminated with electricity and acetylene gas, the latter being installed by Mr. I.S. Wilson.    14/3/1914

NO CHANGE – Mr. Wilson, of the Government Meteorological Bureau, stated recently that neither rainfall not temperature showed any change compared with what it was 50 or 60 years ago.  Also that our old men think our summers are warmer because they are aging and less able to stand hard work, and they think it colder in winter because their medical advisers tell them to wrap up and nurse their rheumatism.   14/3/1914

BATEMANS BAY (From Our Correspondent) – On Friday last, Dr. Johnson and party arrived at the Bay, all the way from Parkes.  Having heard out there of the plentiful supply of fish and oysters at Bateman’s Bay they decided to sample them, and since their arrival at the Clyde Hotel they have not wasted much time in their endeavours to slaughter the fish, and by the bye it is truly wonderful how fish grow after death.  Dr. Johnson (a real good sport) caught a flathead on Saturday, when drawn into the boat its weight was 4 ½ lbs, and on Monday amongst the general topics in Parkes it was ascertained that its weight was 17lbs.  Parkes should be a good place to breed fish…   14/3/1914

UNIVERSAL TRAINING – All boys who reach the age of 14 during 1914 are obliged to register themselves in accordance with the universal training scheme during the present month.  Registration forms are obtainable at post offices.    14/3/1914

Sixteen 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1913 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 Pioneer Museum in Campbell St. Moruya (mdhs.org.au).