One hundred years ago today – May 16

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

MINING – From the annual report of the Mines Department, just to hand, we take the following records of district mining results for 1913: Cobargo, 4ozs alluvial and 2ozs quartz, value £24; number of men employed 6. Moruya, 660ozs quartz, value £2350, number of men 58. Pambula, 210ozs quartz, value £655, men employed 33. Wolumla, 215oz quartz, value £864, men employed 12. Yambulla’s return for the year is a complete blank. Nerrigundah still has a kick left, and yielded 265 ozs of alluvial and 241 ozs of quartz for the year, value £2,226, and employed 28 men. But Araluen is still the best field in the southern districts. “The Valley” yielded 124ozs. alluvial, and 10,346ozs by dredging, value £40,549, and employed 125 men. Braidwood’s yield for the year was 1,031ozs, value £4,009, and 128 men were employed, including 25 Chinese.   16/5/1914

SAWMILL – Mr. G. Barling intends erecting a sawmilling plant at Gundary, and for that purpose purchased an allotment of land, opposite the site of the old flour mill, from Mr. W. McIntosh.   16/5/1914

BATEMAN’S BAY (From our Correspondent) – The leading residents of Bateman’s Bay held a meeting to discuss the prospects of the Coastal Shipping Co-operative Co., Ltd., making Bateman’s Bay a port of call, the manager (Mr. Buckley) who was in town was asked to address the meeting. He briefly explained that his visit to the Bay was to fix up the delivery of timber from two of their local mills, which they were going to draw from. He was pleased to see the feeling that existed along the coast respecting his Company, which was on the co-operative basis, being a combination of storekeepers and farmers. They endeavoured to make every shipper a shareholder and kept their share list open for that purpose. On being asked what the Company would do in the event of the I.S.N. Co. trying to run them off by cutting freights, etc, he stated that his Company was quite prepared, and would meet them, and if such an attempt was made they were in a position to run their steamers to various ports and force the opposition to make the same reduction right along the coast as far as Eden. The other Company would be the only loser. He pointed out that it was quite impossible for the shareholders to lose, as by a reduction in freights they saved money, and if there was no reduction they had a profitable business that would show them a good dividend. Owing to his Company’s competition freights were reduced between Sydney and the nearer ports, and he saw no reason why the people at the more distant ports should not participate in reduced rates also. He would bring their desire before the directors, and trusted to be soon running a weekly service to their port….. 16/5/1914

SPORTS! SPORTS! – To Celebrate Opening of – New Cheese Factory – AT – BERGALIA – on Wednesday 10^th June. The New Factory will be opened on the above date, when a day’s SPORTS will be held. PROGRAMME. – £4 Handicap, 75yds. First prize £3, 2^nd 15s, 3^rd 5s. Nominations 1s, must be in the Secretary’s hands by last three performances. Acceptance 2s.

HOP-STEP-AND-JUMP 15s,

THROWING AT WICKET 10s,

FLYING HANDICAP, first £1, 2^nd 5s.

Other events if time permits. First heat of footrace will start at 11 a.m. Admission to Ground 1s, Children Free. Luncheon Obtainable on the Ground.

GRAND BALL in the Old factory At Night… 16/5/1914

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).