50 years ago
HAMILTON City Council, although it has not openly publicised the fact to its ratepayers, is already committed to proceeding with the city’s proposed artificial lake scheme. Although the council has only agreed in principle with the lake scheme so far, the town clerk, Mr. Tim Neville, has conceded to the Spectator that the lake is virtually “signed, sealed and delivered”. A submission currently before the Minister for Local Government for re-zoning of 164 acres of land, virtually commits the council to proceed with the artificial lake once the Minister’s approval is given. As this is the case and the Minister’s approval is almost certainly assured, Hamilton City Council is practically committed to the lake once Ministerial approval is received whether it likes it or not.
TWO of the district’s top bowlers will be missing when the Far Western Bowling Association pennant matches start on Saturday. Ern King has been transferred to Port Fairy and Peter Phyland to Auburn. Both were among the outstanding players in the district and will be a loss for Hamilton and Balmoral. All teams in Division 1 have reported that several of their members have had little chance to prepare for the opening, so a few rusty performances will come as no surprise. Groundsmen at most clubs have been hampered in their early efforts to prepare the greens by the wintery conditions, but this has given greens the chance to develop into first class strips in the near future.
25 years ago
A NEW report from the South West Municipalities Group has proposed that $2.2 million be spent upgrading Western District road systems. The Hamilton-Port Fairy, Coleraine-Codah, Coleraine-Edenhope, Casterton-Penola and Portland-Casterton roads are among those identified in a report as being in need of works because of their importance to the south-west. A report on the proposal was tabled at a South West Municipalities meeting held last week, which was attended by Minister for Roads and Ports, Geoff Craige. A further four road systems in south-west Victoria were included in the report which was devised after the nine municipalities making up the group - Southern Grampians, Moyne, Glenelg, West Wimmera, Corangamite, Colac-Otway, Pyrenees, the Rural City of Ararat and Warrnambool City - nominated their five highest priority roads.
HAMILTON Imperial Football Netball Club has reappointed Dean Jenkinson as the club’s senior coach for the 1999 Western Border Football League season. Jenkinson, who will be in his third year as coach of the Bulldogs, has guided the seniors to a grand final and a preliminary final in his two years at the helm. The explosive little rover was a key member of Imperials’ 1993 premiership side under Mick Edmonds, and also won Western Border league’s best and fairest award in 1995 while at Heywood as that club’s assistant coach. Rugged centreman, Brad Cooper, has been appointed as the club’s senior assistant coach, while reliable defender, Jason Batson, will be in charge of the under-18 side.
