THE TRARALGON & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC |
EXTRACTS FROM THE TRARALGON
"JOURNAL" - 1936
Taken by John W. Davidson
January 1936 |
| Mr. Robert Elliot Buntine died in January, in Western Australia. He grew up in Toongabbie, and went to W.A. in about 1896 where he joined G.M. Munn as a Surveyor. The town of Buntine is named after him. |
| The Traralgon Band played at the New Year Sports at Carrajung. |
| The last service was held at the old St. Michael's Church on Sunday 5th January. |
| Mr. Harold Williams, of Warracknabeal was appointed Postmaster, 20th January, in succession to Mr. Hewitt who went to Coburg. |
| John Manton Flinn late of Flynn's Creek, died in January, also Angus McMillan, sole surviving child of Angus (senior) at Sale. |
| King George V died, and a Memorial Service was held on Sunday 26th January. |
February 1936 |
| On 16th February, 200 railway families picnicked at LeRoy reserve. |
| Ten cases of Scarlet Fever were reported 17th February. |
| W.A. Purvis took over from Layton Bros., 2nd March, with Wally Skeels as Manager, and Roy Coates at the Glengarry branch. Roy used to work for the Traralgon Journal. |
| It was a sad day for Traralgon when the Refreshment Room at the Railway Station closed at the end of February. |
| Bush fires were close to Traralgon in late February and early March, in the Traralgon West area. |
March 1936 |
| Bishop Ryan, of Sale, laid the Foundation Stone of the new Catholic Church on Sunday 8th March. |
| A gas chamber, at the Gas Works, was used for stray dogs for the first time, in March. |
| There were 21 further cases of Scarlet Fever in March. |
| Canberra released information that the death of Mrs. Scarff in 1934, at the age of 109, was a record for Victoria. |
| The Sale Hospital could handle no further cases of Scarlet Fever and for the first time, on March 23rd, cases from Traralgon were sent to Warragul. (I was later hospitalized there for 7 weeks. J.W.D.) |
| The Traralgon Journal changed hands on 30th March, and on 31st March Mr. I.T. Serjeant ceased connection with Bruce and Frost Samuels, after joining the staff in 1925 when he replaced his father who first began in 1897. |
| April 1936 |
| Mr. A.J. Trood, Dentist, left for Melbourne in July after 37 years in Traralgon. Mr.G.Elder Berwick, of Morwell, took his place. |
| The "'Asia" Bank celebrated its Diamond Jubilee having opened on 21st April, 1876, in Kay Street. Mr.S.A.Edmonds was the first manager and Mr.Oswald Marriage, with a flowing beard, was the first customer. |
| May 1936 |
| Lime Kilns opened at Tyers, with 14 employees, in May. |
| June 1936 |
| The School Mothers' League Ball was held on 19th June (and I received a pocket watch from Herbert Hyland, for Fancy Dress Boy J.W.D.) |
| 100,000 pairs of rabbits were sent from Traralgon in a period of 8 weeks by the end of June. |
| Another 500 pine trees were planted at Switchback by Grey Street school pupils, 26th June. |
| A forest giant tree, 240 ft., fell through the dressing shed at LeRoy in June. |
| July 1936 |
| Sen.Const. Raven transferred to Murrumbeena, lst July, after 5 years, and Sen.Const. Sloane, of Geelong, took over. |
| A.A.Errington took over the Drapery house from Layton Bros., in July. |
| Traralgon Band continued its community singing concerts on Sunday nights in the Traralgon Town Hall. Words of the songs were projected on to a screen. |
| "London Cafe" opened in Franklin Street, 17th July,by Tony Tonopoulos. . |
| August 1936 |
| A new footbridge was built over Traralgon Creek, 165 ft. long in August-September. |
| Mr. Harry Johns cut 393 posts from a giant Yellow Box tree at Glengarry, in August. |
| Mr. Walter Chappell former Editor of The Journal who had arrived in the first year of The Journal with the founder Mr. T.A. Pettit, died at Hampton. |
September 1936 |
| Mr.U. M. Billingsley took over the "Sunnyside" Dairy from Les Trembath on lst September after 4 years. |
| Parish Priest, Father McLoughlin left for Bathurst in September after 29 years and Father 0'Mara from 0rbost took his place. |
| Councillor Robert Farmer took over as Shire President from Mr.R.Canfield in September and, at his own expense, treated local children to a free afternoon at the Town Hall Talkies. |
| Kings Scout, Ross Berwick, and his brother, Alwyne, assisted Pastor Leith in the formation of a scout troop at Glengarry, in September. |
| Jean, daughter of Bob Cole of Gormandale, lived 7 miles from school, and up to her Merit year, had travelled 18,700 miles on the one horse. |
| The young Louis Battista, from Italy, sang in his native tongue at the Band Sunday Community Singing, in September. |
| The 13th Light Horse troop was formed under Lieut. T.E. Williams, September. |
| October 1936 |
| Up to 0ctober, Mr. Kerin Brady had cycled 20,000 miles to the Traralgon South School from Traralgon over 9½ years. |
| On 21st October, Mr. Edward Barbor was farewelled by the Anglers, and on 22nd by the Tourist League. A public farewell was held later that day. He was also presented (by Mr. Hyland from Premier Dunstan) with Credentials, bearing the red seal of the Victorian Government, which will take him anywhere in the world. The Traralgon Band farewelled him on 8th November. Mr. Barbor was commissioned to lay a wreath at Whitehall, London, on behalf of the Traralgon R.S.L. |
| Mr. Peter Von Dahren retired in October. He introduced potato growing to the Callignee district and was one of the first to drive a team of bullocks between Yarram and Traralgon. |
| The Traralgon Show was held Thursday, 19th October, with a £260 gate. |
| November 1936 |
| Miss Hazel Blair, Queen of Transport, was crowned at a Coronation Ball in the Town Hall, 5th November. Marjorie Crawford, Queen of Industry, was 2nd and Josie Grace, Queen of Trade, was 3rd. Miss Blair attended a 2-day carnival atWarragul, 7th and 8th November, to compete against other Gippsland Queens at a Big Band contest when 8 Brass Bands marched in the night parade. |
| The Traralgon Athletic Club disbanded on 10th November. |
| The Catholic Church was dedicated and opened by the Rev. Father Ryan, Bishop of Sale, 29th November. The building cost £5,200 and furnishing £1,300, helped by a bequest of £3,200 from the late John Dwyer. The freestone came from Briagolong. |
| December |
| John Campbell of Traralgon named the Haunted Hills which were originally known as Campbell's Haunted Hills. |
| There was a Public Holiday on l4th December (Monday) for the King's Birthday. |
| Scouts Don Hunter, Ian Tucker and Reg Topp went to Adelaide Centenary Jamboree at the end of 1936. |
| The year 1936 was an interesting one and the Journal reported in April that "Traralgon is looking up. Victoria is pretty well out of the doldrums again and Australia - if not quite, is back to normaI once more. At Traralgon there has been considerable work for all and building has commenced again." |
| There were rumours that a Paper Pulp Mill might be built and on 14th December it, was confirmed that the mill would certainly be established, at Traralgon West. This was great news for local residents of both Morwell and Traralgon. |