Eggs Thrown After Pro-Conscription Meeting – News from the Moruya Examiner of 1 December 1918

Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 1 December 1917, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:

NO-CONSCRIPTION – On Tuesday night Mr. Cecil Whitmore, a nonconscriptionist organiser, addressed fairly large gathering in Page Street, immediately in front of the Mechanics reading room, against Mr. Hughes’ Referendum proposals. At the same time Senator Oakes and Captain Millard were holding a conscriptionist meeting in the Mechanics’ Hall. We have received no report of Mr. Whitmore’s meeting but judging by the loud cheering which punctuated his lengthy address, the audience must have been most sympathetic and appreciative.

EGG-THROWING – A number of youths, whose fathers should tie them up to the bedpost and flail that portion of their anatomy upon which they are supposed to sit, followed the chairman of the conscriptionists meeting on Tuesday night and, we are told, pelted him with eggs. Whether the hen-fruit was green or over-ripe makes very little difference, the action was a decidedly cruel one.

DEATH – During the week, not only the town, but the whole district mourned the loss of one of its most popular citizens. We refer to Mr. Crayton Burns, whose untimely death took place at his residence, “Sunnybrae,” Mullenderree on Monday evening, at the comparatively young age of 48 years. Mr. Burns was a native of Moruya, having been born in Queen Street, where his father, the late Mr. William Burns, kept a general store, on the allotment that Ryan’s Club House Hotel now stands. A few years after the family removed to Parramatta, where Mr. Crayton married. About four years ago he returned to Moruya and took up a position at Emmott’s Beehive Store.

NERRIGUNDAH ROBBER – A man who has committed several robberies, commencing at Tilba, has been leading the police a merry chase across the Victorian border. He is said to have out telegraph wires between Eden and Orbost, and committed robberies at private homesteads on his way down through Nimmitabel and Bombala districts to Rockton. A number of police and trackers were on his trail, and hit upon several of his deserted camps. At one of these some books on military matters and explosives were found. It is surmised that the man is a Russian deserter from the military camp in Sydney, if so he is described as 27 years of age, dark, and with hazel eyes. – Candelo “Record.”

LETTER HOME – Pte Phil Knight in writing home on 29th September, says: –

I expect long before you receive this you will have both the official and Aunt’s cable telling you I am wounded. I was wounded on Sept. 20th, about 36hours after we had “hopped over,” consolidated, and were holding our strong point. We were to be relieved and with six others were going as advance guards to the dug-outs in reserve just behind the lines. I had just given over my ammunition, bombs, etc., and was stepping over a chap lying in the bottom of the trench trying to get a bit of sleep, when I was cracked on the leg and fell on the chap at the bottom. My leg doubled up a treat. The same shell got two others also. The boys in the trench were most kind to me and sent immediately for the stretcher bearers, who soon had me to the dressing station, and from there to the casualty clearing station where I went under chloroform. The piece of shrapnel was extracted and given to me. I expect I will be here some time and then go to “Blighty,” so they tell me. This hospital is an American one and the sisters are very nice and kind.

HARBOURS AND RIVERS – Mr. Vowell, Chief Engineer of Harbours and Rivers south of Wollongong, passed through Moruya on Wednesday for Narooma, whither he has gone to inspect the entrance to the harbour there, reported to be almost silted up.

MUSICAL EXAMINATION – At the London College of Music Examination held at Bermagui on November 24th, the following girls passed successfully:- Senior – Eileen Bishop, Jessie M. Mercer; Intermediate – Marion A. Bate, Edna M. Taylor; Elementary – Stella McMillan, Norah Storman and Winnie Bate, all being pupils of Mrs. Preddy, A.L.C.M., of Wagonga.

Eighteen 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1916 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).

The Moruya Museum houses a collection of furniture, books, artefacts and memorabilia that is intended to show visitors something of the lives of the ordinary people of this community from the middle of the nineteenth century. Most items on display were donated by local families.

To explore the museum’s online collection click HERE.