Presented by Mildura and District Historical Society

Compiled by Ann Ziguras for Mildura Rural City Council Library100 years ago

ANZAC DAY: An Anzac memorial service is to be held in the public hall, Merbein, on Sunday morning next at 11am. All returned men are specially asked to be present, and, where possible, in uniform. The parade will assemble opposite the Merbein police station and, headed by the Mildura Band, will march to the hall. The band will play throughout the service. The Oddfellows Lodge has accepted an invitation to be present on the occasion. The preacher will be the Rev G.E. Menlove. Anzac Day (1915) will be commemorated by a civic service, which is to be held in the Mildura Shire Hall on Sunday, April 25, at 8.30pm. The speakers will be Rev O.R. Linden (representing the Mildura Branch of the RSSLA) and Rev O.W.S. McCall. Other ministers will also take part in the service and the District Band will be in attendance. Seats will be reserved for returned soldiers until 25 minutes past eight. The stores and shops of the town will be closed throughout next Monday in view of Anzac Day sports. (24.4.1920)

SPORT: The annual meeting of the Mildura Golf Club was held last Thursday evening at Risbey's Chambers. The president of the club (Mr H.A. Pegler) presented the balance sheet and yearly report, which showed that the club was in a good sound financial position. During the year the club purchased 50 acres of land, which brings the total club holding up to 103 acres. The greens' committee has been authorised to spend 50 pounds on "bunkers" and improvements on the fairways. Mr Walter Baldwin will, as previously, act in the position of professional coach of the club. Some 22 new members were proposed and elected. The Mildura Golf Club will run special events on Monday. There will be a 36-hole scratch event and 18-hole handicap (in conjunction) in the morning and other handicaps in the afternoon. The Mildura Cricket Club is finishing up the season with a masked, plain and fancy dress ball, which is to be held in the Shire Hall to-morrow evening. A large number of dancers are expected to assemble. The football league is holding a meeting of delegates to-morrow evening when arrangements for the coming season will be made. With an early start and four teams in the field football should boom this winter. The rifle shooting season commences on Saturday next with a prize shoot at 200 and 300 yards. Rifles will be supplied for novices and they will be put in the way of becoming first-class marksmen. (21.4.1920)

ADVERTISEMENTS: Owing to the increased cost of newspaper and of lighting charges, coupled with a substantial advance in the wages of Linotype operators, compositors and machinists, advertising charges will now increase. The charge for standing advertisements will be increased 10 per cent. The rate for casual advertisements will be 4/- per inch for a single insertion; if appearing more than once, 3/- per inch for each subsequent insertion. The rate for popular advertisements will be one penny per word for a single insertion, and one halfpenny per word for each subsequent insertion. The rate for paragraph advertisements will be nine pence per line: Henry C. Lapthorne, managing proprietor. (24.4.1920)75 years ago

MEMORIES OF ANZAC: A striking interlude on the programme at the Ozone Theatre last night was a musical tableau entitled Memories of Anzac, presented by the Mildura Choiristers and the Mildura Concert Orchestra, in conjunction with the Ozone management under the baton of Mr F. Zaetta. Soloists were Mesdames Hope and Gebhart and Messrs Jenkins and Trethowan. Vocal items included Land of Hope and Glory and Nearer My God to Thee interspersed with appropriate lines by Mr Val Anderson. The presentation concluded with the national anthem. Mr P. Ferguson was responsible for harmonious lighting effects, Mrs K.E. Fregon for the musical direction and the stage direction was in charge of Miss E. Miller. (19.4.1945)

ACTIVITIES: Miss Beryl Whitford, prominent Highland dancer of the Mildura district, is opening a class for the teaching of Highland and national dancing at Merbein. The class will be held in the ANA Hall, Merbein, on Saturdays from 10am till 12.30pm, the first session beginning on Saturday next, April 21, at 10am. At a meeting of the YWCA Basketball Association at the Mildura Community Centre last night, it was decided to commence matches for this season on Saturday, May 19. Among teams entered this season is one comprised of girls from Smith's Laundry. The association decided to affiliate with the Victorian Women's Basketball Association. At its annual meeting last night, the Irymple Tennis Club decided to open its courts for this season on Saturday, April 28. New members and visitors will be welcomed. Girl citizens will hold their usual club night tonight. They will conduct a moonlight hike, leaving the community centre at 7.45. (19.4.1945)

ANZAC DAY: The committee of the Mildura Highland Pipe Band would like all kilties to assemble at the Memorial Hall at 2.15pm tomorrow to take part in the Anzac Day march. The Pipe Band will lead members of the Second AIF in the march, and the children of members of the band who are now prisoners of war in Japanese hands will march with the band. (24.4.1945)50 years ago

VIETNAM WITHDRAWAL: The Prime Minister (Mr Gorton) is expected to announce the withdrawal of 900 Australian combat troops from Vietnam tonight. He is expected to face an immediate demand from the Federal Opposition Leader (Mr Whitlam) to pull out the entire Australian task force by June. Government MPs are expected to raise Australia's plans for a partial withdrawal at a Liberal Party meeting this morning. The issue is also likely to be further discussed by Cabinet before Mr Gorton makes his announcement at 8pm. Mr Gorton is regarded as certain to stick to the contingency plan already worked out for the reduction of Australia's force. It is understood this will involve pulling out the Eighth Battalion – about 750 combat troops and 150 support soldiers – several months before their 12-month tour of duty is scheduled to end in November. Mr McMahon, on his return to Canberra from an Asian tour last night, welcomed a suggestion from the Indonesian Foreign Minister (Mr Malik) for a meeting of Asian countries. (22.4.1970)

ANZAC DAY: Marches will take place at Mildura, Red Cliffs and Merbein today, as part of Anzac Day commemorations. Those participating in the Mildura march are requested to assemble at the Memorial Hall at 1.45 this afternoon. The marches at Red Cliffs and Merbein will move off at 10.30am, from the Water Commission offices and the Merbein RSL clubrooms respectively. Those taking part are requested to be at the assembly points at least half an hour beforehand. (25.4.1970)

GIRLS NEEDED: The National Services Officer, (Mr A.J. Daunt) said yesterday that about 20 girls were required by the Kraft Walker Cheese Company, Melbourne. Rail warrants were available for those accepted. Full particulars may be obtained from the National Service Office, 91 Langtree Avenue. (23.4.1970)25 years ago

EVENTS: Field Days are nearing: This year's Mildura Gadget and Machinery Field Days are gaining momentum with local and national commercial business interest in the annual event. This year the 44th Mildura Gadget and Machinery Field Days will be held on May 23 and 24 at the Irymple TAFE Farm. Organising secretary, Tom Crouch, said he had been overrun with applications for sites more than one month before the opening. More than 5000 people attended the field days last year and organisers are anticipating similar attendance figures this year. Entries for the gadget section will be received up until the beginning of the gadget days with cash prizes awarded to successful entries. Former Victorian Premier Joan Kirner yesterday officially launched the Australian Conservation Foundation's Save the Darling campaign. The launch ceremony took place on the banks of the Darling at Ellerslie, north of Wentworth. Mrs Kirner said she was aware that there were projects currently being undertaken by local organisations which were addressing these issues, but they needed national support. Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay riders headed off from Mildura, including some Edenhope riders, after dunking the front wheel in the Murray River and completing the race with a dunking in the Moyne River. (24.4.1995)

ANZAC DAY: All Scout troops in the Sunraysia country are invited to take part in today's Anzac Day march at Mildura. The troops are asked to assemble at 1.45 and troop flags can be carried. The 1st Mildura Wolf Cubs are also asked to assemble at the Scout Hall at 1.15 today in order to participate in the Anzac Day march. Full uniform is to be worn and no medals other than Scout medals. (25.4.1995)

AUSTRALIAN TROOPER: Mr Bob Griffiths, will be among friends today at the RSL Club for the Anzac Day celebrations. Bob signed up for WWII in Sydney when he was 19 and served in Greece, Crete, Syria, Palestine and Egypt, before parachuting into Borneo. Bob's parachute became horribly tangled as soon as he leapt from the plane but he managed to untangle it and gently glide to the ground. "Amazingly, 43 years later I was sent a photo of the jump." Originally from Barmedman near West Wyalong, Bob was selected by the unit leader in Borneo to build an airstrip in the northern section of what was known as Dutch Borneo (now part of Indonesia). Bob claims the local tribes were efficient soldiers and happy to fight against the Japanese, who had been brutal in their occupation of the country. "The planned landing strip was a rice field, so we had to drain it first of all." In 1948 Bob stopped for a break during a trip to Western Australia, where he planned to settle down. He fell in love with Mildura immediately and has lived in the district since. (25.4.1995)