50 years ago

PROPOSALS for a community chest to handle fundraising for charity in Hamilton met a cold response at a public meeting on Monday night. However, a spokesman for the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, which proposed the community chest, yesterday described the meeting as a farce. The spokesman, Mr Richard Beks, said the final vote against the proposal on Monday night was not representative of the feeling of service clubs or the majority of charities. Mr. Beks said he was disappointed that two major charitable organisations “saw fit to kill an in-depth study of the proposal”. They did this out of a fear that some of the not so well organised charities would get a larger slice of the cake.

THREE star recruits to Western Border football cannot play this Saturday unless they can gain a clearance from their minor league clubs. The three up-and-coming stars are Graeme Moyle (Hamilton), Alan Kenna (Imperials) and Bill Picken (Heywood). The three have been playing in the WBFL on one-day match permits, but they have now used the maximum number and can only continue in the league if cleared. There should be few problems over a clearance for Kenna (St Mary’s) or Picken (Macarthur) but Dunkeld has not been keen on the idea of clearing Moyle. Meanwhile, Collingwood this week has been showing a lot of interest in Picken, who played for Macarthur on Sunday.

25 years ago

EXTENSIVE upgrading of the Wannon and Nigretta falls reserves is now possible following a $300,000 grant from Parks Victoria. The unexpected windfall is linked to Southern Grampians Shire Council taking over management of the two falls and their reserves. Facilities at both areas – especially toilets – have been constantly criticised for their below-par standard over many years. The main fear was a concern the Hamilton district tourist icons were being badly neglected by controlling authority, the Department of natural Resources and Environment. The grant is a major bonus for the council which recently had its application for a $160,000 Federal Government grant to carry out works at the falls, rejected. 

HAMILTON Imperials will go into today’s Western Border Football League game against West Gambier at Melville Oval without the services of three vital players. Midfielder Brad Cooper, wingman Bernie Porter and utility Jason Bourke will be all missing from the Bulldogs line-up that defeated Portland on Monday. Earlier this week, Imperials president, Gerard Sheehan, said Cooper was suffering from general soreness after playing two games in three days in difficult conditions last weekend. Bourke has an ankle injury while Porter has a hamstring complaint. Also going out of the Dogs’ senior team is Jason Batson, who has been dropped. Consistent performers in the reserves, Matt Waters and Ross Milne, come into the team, although Milne and Adam Manson, named on the interchange in the senior team, have both been named in the reserves squad as well.