LETTERS
Proud to be Australian in troubled times I would just like to pass on to readers of The News how proud I am to be Australian in these troubled times. As we look around the world today, whether it be Germany, France or Spain we see countries divided by not only politics but internal regions as well. Of course the most glaring of these is the United States, with President Donald Trump in his own unique way, leading a country divided on so many different levels. How different are things here? With the national cabinet leading the way, we have all felt included in the decision making and in 99.99 per cent of cases we have been compliant with its decisions. The leadership shown by the prime minister, state premiers and state health officers has been strong and decisive. Sadly, there have been losers too. Opposition Leader Anthony Albaneese running around sticking his hand up shouting “What about me?” certainly isn’t helping, and the same goes for state Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien who needs to just let the elected leaders do their job. John Cain would use Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s faith and his children to score a cheap point (“Looking back” Letters 21/4/20 ). You are better than that, Mr Cain. Michael G Free, Mount Martha
Amazing Morrison Could we really have been in quarantine a couple of days earlier if the Prime Minister Scott Morrison hadn’t decided to allow Hillsong to hold its convention (all other conventions and events for the rest of this year were cancelled on March 15) and watch his beloved Sharks play (“Looking back” Letters 22/4/20)? So he was the sole decider of when the quarantine period
was to commence? No consultation with state premiers and their chief medical officers? No consultation with his cabinet or the federal chief medical officer? What a load of rubbish. He did not attend the Sharks game and he did not tell kids they had to attend school, he merely recommended that they do. The premiers had the final say on that one. Regarding “his brood were safe and sound at home with private tutors” – he wants his daughters to attend school as soon as they are allowed, John Cain did not need to use such patronising language. Naturally, Mr Cain decided to have a go at the PM over his arrival back in Australia when the fires got really bad. Well, it would take a person with little else to discuss because you had to hark back on a deeply regretted incident about which our PM has been truly sorry. Since returning to Australia and moving into the current disaster, Scott Morrison has been amazing, but all someone like Mr Cain, and other bottom feeders, can do is criticise and mock the one man who is doing so much good for this country. The remainder of Mr. Cain’s letter castigates other Liberals ad nauseam and praises [former Labor leader] Kevin Rudd, probably our worst ever prime minister. A huge budget surplus, compliments of the Howard/Costello government turned into a huge deficit. Kevin Cahalane, Mornington
Time for change Glib politicians keep telling us that things will be better on the other side, after this coronavirus pandemic. Is this deliberately ambiguous? I know that things will be better for me on the other side, God help me, but for some politicians I think this is optimistic.
It is no use to blame the plague for the economic woes we find ourselves in, the economic depression had started before this and things will not be back to normal for an eternity. We once had earthly paradise for the proletariat in Australia, but our leaders succumbed to temptation and decided to manufacture nothing, import everything, make bigger profits, and use unlimited credit and debt to pay for everything. After our economy is wrecked we will be presented with a unique opportunity: resurrect our industrial base and bring back paradise. Our economy is based on huge and expanding debt, public and household, with grossly overvalued assets like housing ruining the economy, not helping it. People are economic slaves. A crash is inevitable. Vital industrial assets, like electricity generation and supply being treated as a market is a definition of insanity. All utilities need to be state owned, with a government owned bank as well. Intense immigration keeps on compounding the problems. Tourism is no way to sustain an economy. Instead of exporting red dirt and gas to China, process it here and export iron and steel and steel products. To achieve this miracle a complete political upheaval will be necessary, since no major party has the required philosophy, independence, or testosterone to discard the failed past. Brian A Mitchelson, Mornington
Hold up hands now Victorian council elections are scheduled to be held on Saturday 24 October. With less than six months to go, it is now time for potential Mornington Peninsula Shire Council candidates to decide whether they will stand for election. Hopefully, we can get a few exceptional local candidates to stand for election! Bill Holmes, Sorrento
Rest time solved There is no need to worry about not being allowed to rest during during a walk in public
while we are all enduring COVID-19 “Break from reality” Letters 22/4/20). Halve the length of your walk and take your three-minute rest at home. Then repeat your walk, same result. Ian Dale, Rosebud
Vegans go too far People who wish to impose veganism on the broader population will always find imaginative ways to cast doubt over the meat industry, but this time they’ve gone too far (“Kangaroos contaminated” Letters 22/4/20). To twist the devastating coronavirus crisis in their favour to continue their unwarranted attacks on the upstanding commercial kangaroo industry is an affront to Australian people. The federal government has clearly stated that kangaroo meat poses absolutely no health risk to those in the industry nor consumers. Each year, a small portion of certain abundant species of kangaroos are harvested in the wild in the most humane way possible as advised by scientists and animal welfare experts. They are transported and processed in compliance with strict health and safety regulations and comprehensively tested for bacteria by independent laboratories and overseen by the federal government. There has never been a documented case of illness due to e-coli or salmonella from the consumption of kangaroo meat anywhere around the world. The commercial kangaroo industry in Australia plays an essential role in the sustainability of kangaroo populations as well as the preservation of our natural ecosystem. Ray Borda, chair, Kangaroo Industries Association
Letters - 300 words maximum and including full name, address and contact number - can be sent to The News, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or emailed to: team@mpnews.com.au
100 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK...
Walter Leach sent to reformatory prison Compiled by Cameron McCullough AT the Court of General Sessions on Monday, before Judge Dethridge, a young man named Walter Edward Leach, 18 years of age, pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault upon girls. There were four counts relating to Hampton, Black Rock, Middle Brighton, and Frankston on different dates between October, 1919, and March, 1920. Accused also admitted a prior conviction at the Children’s Court at Brighton on July 4, 1918, for an aggravated assault upon a female child, when he was released upon probation for a year. Mr E. C. Kelly, on behalf of Leach, said that the case presented some extraordinary circumstances. In nearly every instance accused followed the same plan. He would linger around a State School, and pick out a girl about 10 years of age, whom he would induce to go away with him. At another time he would speak to some girl he met in the street. He would take the girl to some isolated place, on the beach or among the ti-tree, and behave indecently towards her; but in one case only did he attempt to interfere with a girl’s clothing. The accused, counsel submitted, ought not to be dealt with as being an ordinary criminal; but as being a man suffering from some obscure form of lunacy, The evidence of Dr W. J. Denehy, who had examined him, was that his physical condition was such as would be likely to predispose him to commit
offences of this character but certain remedial methods had been suggested, and accused was willing to undergo treatment. In the circumstances, counsel asked the Court to deal with the case in some special manner with a view to the young man’s reform, contending that no good purpose would be served by simply sending him to gaol for any length of time. His honor said that he thought the better course to adopt in regard to accused would be to commit him to a reformatory prison. He would not impose any stated term upon him; but ordered that he be detained during the Governor’s pleasure. The case would of course come under the review of the prison officials from time to time. *** REV. Angwin was entertained at a welcome social at the Methodist schoolroom last Tuesday evening. *** AN important conference between shire councillors and the committee of the Frankston Soldiers Memorial Committee took place yesterday, when an understanding was arrived at on the question of site. Full details will appear in next issue. *** AN Anzac Memorial Service will be held in the Frankston Park next Sunday, at 3 o’clock. The Rev. Geo. Cox will deliver the address. There will be special singing, and the Frankston Brass Band will play a selected programme. *** EXTRA seating accommodation is be-
ing provided to meet the requirements of the record attendance expected at the Frankston Hall next Monday night, 26th inst. The presentation of 1914 Military stars will naturally prove a great draw, and in addition, provision has been made for a high-class concert programme, contributed entirely by the pick of Melbourne’s professional artists. The box plan may be seen at Messrs Brody and Mason’s. *** Frankston Movies. Last Wednesday night the Frankston Pictures again attracted a large audience. Next Wednesday the attraction will be Mary Pickford in “How Could You Jean”, and Wallace Reid in “The Man from Funeral Range”. *** MESSERS G. E. Rogers and Son’s grocery department is now under the management of a first class grocer, with a lengthy city experience. *** Heard in the Train Orange blossoms at Somerville attracted a notable gathering of the clans last Wednesday. Visiting soldiers will be entertained at Frankston by the Wattle Club on Sunday, 2nd May, when the Frankston Brass Band will supply the musical programme. Councillors have agreed to support the site chosen by the committee for the Frankston Soldiers’ Memorial. A deputation from Seaford intend waiting on the Frankston Progress Association next Tuesday night, to
discuss the Kananook Creek improvement scheme. Major Conder will take his place in the football field tomorrow with the Frankston boys in the match, Frankston v Somerville. Next Sunday, Anzac Memorial Services will be held in the Frankston park at 8 o’clock. *** FERRETS. (2) for sale. Champion Workers, complete with nets, carrying boxes and hutches. Kananook Pines, Melbourne Road, Frankston. *** The Electric Light To the Editor. At last we have the truth. I have received the following letter from Mr. Ditchburn, the managing director of the Electric Light Co: “Your letter of 14th inst. to hand. My objection was that this office was not made acquainted with the complaints, and if it had, explanations would have been forthcoming, which should have rendered unnecessary a letter to the press. The difficulty of maintaining a service at all during the past few months has been no easy matter. Coal was only made available a short time before the Easter holidays, and it did not give us a chance of preparing a stock of gas for gas supply and running the electric plant; and to meet the big demands for the Easter consumption. To pull through we had to exercise caution in the use of gas for the running of the electric plant. Coal then, and still, is controlled by
the Navy Department, and we have to take what is apportioned to us or leave it. Some of the coal we had was low in gas value, which added to the trouble. We are now building up our gas stock in holder. A matter we have also in hand is to add another electric generator which would enable us to give a larger and better supply, but so far we have not been able to find one. It is impossible in a small works with limited staff to approach a city service. Our staff have had a good deal of hard work and difficult conditions to meet of late, and if complaints have not received consideration it is because they could do nothing to remedy same. Take, for example, the water supply reticulation now being proceeded with; our staff have to constantly be on the tracks of this work to prevent, as far as possible, damage to our gas mains and services. We have over 10 miles of mains to look after, and only as many consumers on the lines as a city or suburban service would have in a street half a mile long, which can easily be patrolled. Branches of trees and scrub swaying by the wind often affect the service. I have written you very fully so that you and others may to some extent realise our position.” *** FROM the pages of the Mornington Standard, 23 April 1920 Frankston Times
28 April 2020
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