Harvest Festivals and Agricultural Shows – a time of plenty

Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of this time in 1915, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:

FESTIVAL – Harvest Festival services have been arranged for Sunday next at St. John’s Church, both morning and evening. The special preacher at the evening service will be the Rev. Canon Macdonnell, of Goulburn. The parishioners are invited to send gifts of cereals, fruit and vegetables to decorate the church and the useful things will, after the services, be donated to the local hospital. Considering the bountiful season this district has experienced, these services ought to appeal to everyone, and a hearty response made to the request for gifts.   13/2/1915

MORUYA A. AND P. SOCIETY. – 41^ST ANNUAL SHOW – …The Moruya Annual Show of 1915 was held on Wednesday and Thursday last under the most favourable auspices. Arrangements having been made with the Government to allow the Society £300 for removal expenses in lieu of the old Show ground of 8 ½ acres near the River, the committee at once set to work, and during the year removed the whole of the buildings, ring and yard fences to their present picturesque position on the Moruya Park. The Pavilion is erected on the eastern side of the Race Club’s Saddling paddock and the horse ring just in front of the Grand Stand, the cattle yards, pig pens and fowl coops having a lovely position on higher ground at the rear.

OFFICIAL OPENING – Just prior to luncheon on the second day the ceremony of officially declaring the new Pavilion opened was performed by our Federal member Mr. Austin Chapman. Mr. D. Hutchinson, president of the Society, in introducing Mr. Chapman referred to the removal of the Show appointments from the old to the present new site. The change he said had cost about £400, about £300 of which had been given by the Government – and for which he had to thank the Labor Government – the balance having been expended by the Society. Captain Millard, our State member was also deserving of much kudos for the way he had worked the Government to vote the £300.

On rising, our Federal Member was greeted with a round of applause. He eloquently congratulated the Society on the improved change it had made from the old to the new premises. When at Berry he had expressed the opinion that the Berry Show ground appointments were about the best in the State. Since seeing Moruya appointments and the beautiful position it occupied he would have to retract that statement, for he now considered Moruya took the belt in that connection…Mr. Chapman dwelt on the great possibilities of the Moruya district and the probabilities of a coastal railway in the not far distant future…. Mr. Chapman then declared the new Show Ground opened.   13/2/1915

QUEEN STREET BOOT HOSPITAL – F. BENNETT has purchased the BOOT-REPAIRING BUSINESS recently carried on by Mr. E. Vaughan, in Vulcan Street. By using only the Best Material, combined with Good Workmanship, Attention to Business, the Prompt Delivery of Repairs entrusted to his care, and Moderate Charges, he hopes to merit a fair share of Public Patronage.   13/2/1915

Seventeen 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1914 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  – http://www.mdhs.org.au.

Our latest publication Kiora Kith and Kin, by Shirley Jurmann is also now available from the Society for $20.