50 years ago
WHAT may prove to be one of the most significant meetings in the Local Government sphere in decades will be held this afternoon in Warrnambool. Representatives from 17 municipalities in South-Western Victoria are expected to form the South-West Region to qualify for Federal finance through the Grants Commission. However, fears have ben expressed in some quarters that with Federal and State parliamentarians expected to attend, the meeting may become little more than a political platform. And it is not yet certain that all municipalities within the proposed region will be represented at the meeting. Warrnambool City Council is hosting the meeting, and the town clerk, Mr. Keith Arnel, said yesterday only 10 councils had indicated they would attend the meeting.
OFFICIALS of umpiring associations have finally got the message from the WBFL – a panel of senior umpires will be given to the league in time to allow an early decision on local umpires for ALL senior games next season. A majority of Western Border clubs have been sympathetic to local umpires for the past two years, but they were not prepared to make the switch when the umpires failed to provide the league’s annual meeting with a proposed panel. The only way such a panel could be formed is for the largest of the associations (based at Hamilton) to take the bit between its teeth – and that’s exactly what is now being done. With the pick of the Top umpires from Hamilton, Ararat, Warrnambool and Mt. Gambier, a panel is being formed of at least 16 from umpires who have had senior experience.
25 years ago
HAMILTON’S Gray St will be transformed tomorrow. The length of the street, from Cox to Kennedy Sts, will be covered with toys. But these aren’t the toys Santa stuffs in your Christmas stockings. These ‘toys’ will include motorbikes, cars, boats, hot rods, a hot air balloon, vintage cars… even leather belts and an antique spark plug collection. The groups organising the ‘Show Us Your Toys’ exhibition reckon only about six parking spaces remain out of the 140 along the street. Publicity officer for the organising committee, Colin Supple, said the idea was to give people plenty to look at – and help Hamilton traders at the same time. Because Gray St will be blocked off from 8am, Mr Supple urged motorists not to leave their cars overnight in the street.
HAMILTON’S Gerrit Van Dooran, a Warrnambool Field and Game Club member, has enjoyed a successful shooting career spanning more than 27 years, but the highlight came when he won the Grulla Side-By-Side National Championship in Sale. It was the first time Van Dooran had contested the championship and he had to compete against 350 other shooters. The other competitors came from all over Australia and Van Dooran said the competition reached a high standard. Some of the top shooters did not compete, but the event was still tough and it was even harder because the weather conditions were so good, he said. When the conditions are fine and there is good visibility with not much breeze, the officials make the targets harder to hit by moving them back.
