50 Years Ago – 9 April 1976

Frank Sutherland has been awarded Life Membership of the Moruya Amateur Swimming Club. He worked tirelessly for years before the pool was constructed in fundraising activities for that project. Since the pool opened and a club formed in 1966, Frank has served for six years as the president, three years as vice-president and one year as treasurer. Besides his official duties, Frank was a trojan worker on competition nights and was instrumental in having heating equipment installed at the pool.

Emmotts store in Bateman’s Bay was broken into and goods stolen for the second time in about six months. Thieves entered the store on Sunday night by smashing a fibro wall and stole goods and cash to the value of $3,000. The goods included cigarettes, liquor, watches, cassette tapes and other small electrical items. Bateman’s Bay Detectives are investigating.

Although there has been much controversy and heated debate over the establishment of a library in Moruya, it is not widely known that the town already has a small library. The Moruya Historical Society decided some years ago to give up a room in its museum to provide a library service and it now has over 3,000 technical, children’s and adult fiction books available for borrowing. Society secretary, Mrs. Zandorff, said that books can be borrowed for a small fee of which half is refunded when the books are returned.

The death occurred recently of Mrs. Ellen Beathe, wife of the late Harry Beathe, of Moruya, aged 81 years. She lived at Nerrigundah, later moving to Moruya. She is survived by nine children, Merle (Mrs. Louttit, Moruya), William (Kingsford), Mavis (Blacktown), Beryl (Auburn), Joan (Greenacre), Doris (Moruya), Jean (Seven Hills), Gladys (Sefton) and James (Penrith), and twenty-one grandchildren.

Rick Muir is to manage the new Retravision store in Moruya that that was officially opened on Wednesday. Rick has lived in the district for 14 years and started with Emmotts, carrying boxes in the grocery warehouse for two and a half years. He was then promoted to the menswear department of the Bateman’s Bay store where he managed it for 18 months. As his sales assistant he has his sister, Marcia Cooper. Marcia was recently married to a local man, Robert Cooper, and will help Rick by offering as much assistance and advice to customers as she can.

Bateman’s Bay Bowling Club held its first Sponsor’s Day last Thursday and it was a huge success. The day was sponsored by W.D. & H. O. Wills who supplied all the wonderful trophies. The trophy winners were 1. L. Southwell, G. Stevenson, L. Goodman; 2. J. Cochren, H. Morris, J. Brumley; 3. G. Ferguson, M. Neal, G. Phillips.

Extracted from local newspapers by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc. If you are interested in history why not join us and become a volunteer at the Museum or our library. Check us out at https://www.mdhs.org.au