Carols, Holidays, Rain and War News – all from 100 years ago.

Featured Image: Opening of the old Moruya Cheese Factory at Kiora (MDHS Collection)

Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 18 December 1915, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:

CAROL SINGING – We hear that the Methodist Church choir intends singing carols on Xmas Eve.

FACTORY RETURNS – Kiora Factory returns for November: Gals. Delivered 6087 (last year 13,660) ; pounds of cheese made, 5255 ( last year 12,254).

PRESENTATION TO PRESIDENT C. MURRAY – President Murray, (on behalf of Mrs. Murray and himself) at the meeting of Clyde Shire Council yesterday, was the recipient of a handsome silver revolving butter dish, the presentation being made on the occasion of his recent marriage. Councillor James Watt, who made the presentation, spoke in felicitous terms of the President and Mrs Murray. The present was given by the councillors and staff. The President suitably thanked the donors.

RAIN – Following up the nice showers of last week when 68 points were recorded, there was a splendid fall on Tuesday night of 155 points. This nice down-pour after such a very long dry spell will be of incalculable benefit to our farmers, and with a few more intermittent showers to keep surface moist, our dairymen will feel the beneficial effect in an increased supply of the lacteal fluid.

HAY MAKING – The heavy rains of Tuesday night caught a number of our farmers with their hay crops cut down. The hay will be injured to a greater or lesser extent, but the owners are not grumbling.

WRECK – A wire was received on Thursday by Mr. G. H. James, agent for Allen Taylor and Co. stating the Company’s timber boat “Wandra” with 50,000 ft of sleepers and girders on board, had gone to the bottom in a gale near Jervis Bay. The “Wandra” was a steamer of 200 tons register, and only left the Moruya wharf on the preceding day.

PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE
– Schools break up this week.
– Ireland has sent a quarter of a million men to the front.
– The Narooma total subscriptions for Allies’ Day was £29 6s 4d.
– Dr. Quilter has removed from Campbell Street to Mr. J. Emmott’s residence in Page Street.

DEUA RIVER – (From our Correspondent.)
– Rain, the want of which has been keenly felt for some considerable time, has come at last. Commencing with a thunderstorm on Tuesday evening it rained incessantly all night and Wednesday morning. This happy visitation which has just come in the nick of time, ought to benefit and revive everything in general. At the time of writing the sky was heavy and threatening more rain.
– Mrs “Teddy” Behringer, of Yarraggee, Moruya, accompanied by her bairn, is spending the Christmas holidays with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rankin, in the upper Deua River.
– It is not very often that one discovers a reefing stone impregnated with gold in one’s housewood. Miss Annie Nevin made this sensational and unique discovery last week. The stone in question has been shown to your scribe, hence it is no canard; more, your scribe would entertain no doubts concerning the veracity of the people by whom it was found. Who knows but that there is not a Mt. Morgan in our midst.
– Angling on Sundays is becoming a popular pastime. On last Sunday quite a few, including a number of Araluenites, were seen rod fishing along the banks of our river.
– Dingoes have been playing “Old Boots” among Mr. Neil Waddell’s sheep. It is reported that Mr. Waddell sustained a pretty heavy loss as a result of nocturnal incursions on his flock from this specie of canine.

TWO ADDITIONAL HOLIDAYS – AS Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on Saturdays this year, civil servants and other employees who usually enjoy the Saturday half-holiday would, if the statutory holidays only were observed, really have only 1½days for the Christmas vacation and half a day for New Year’s Day. To overcome this and at the request of the associated banks, the Government has decided to appoint Tuesday, December 28, and Monday, January 3, additional holidays.

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 Museum in Campbell St. Moruya (www.mdhs.org.au).

A New DVD entitled Soldiers of the Eurobodalla, Stories of our Locals is also now available from the Society.