50 years ago

HAMILTON may have its own television station if moves by a number of interested groups prove successful. A meeting of interested parties, which includes a nation-wide commercial television network will be held in Hamilton in January. The meeting will attempt to form a company to fight for a licence for a television station at Hamilton to serve the Western District. The move seems sure to gain strong support from the Portland, Coleraine, and Casterton areas which have been battling for better television reception for some time. The television company interested in the establishment of a station at Hamilton has already done some spade-work on the proposal, including a basic survey into the feasibility of such a station.

TRAVELLING to Warrnambool four times a week for training has paid off for Hamilton’s Pat Oddie as on Sunday she helped win two Victorian rowing championships. Miss Oddie was a member of the crew which won the State fours, and later teamed with Kath McDonald to take out the Victorian junior pairs. The four will represent Victoria at the Australian championships in Adelaide in April, while she and Miss McDonald will try to win the Victorian senior pairs in March. Competing for the Warrnambool club of Nestles, the girls won the fours from Melbourne YWCA, with Corio Bay third. The girls are M. Tonkin, Pat Oddie, Kath McDonald, and G. Johnstone, with D. Edge cox.

25 years ago

HAMILTON pensioners have attacked the new $32 water ways tax at a meeting with the Glenelg-Hopkins Catchment Management Authority on Thursday, labelling it unfair and “communist”. The meeting attended by Glenelg Hopkins chief executive, Colin Dunkely, board chairman, David Koch, and board member, Richard Walter, attracted about 50 people, a disappointing number according to Hamilton District Pensioners Association president, Charlie Newbould. Despite strong opposition to the new tax being aired, Mr Newbould lamented that the meeting had, in fact, achieved very little towards addressing pensioners’ needs. Tempers were raised during the meeting, with Wannon resident, Mick Forrest, asking why he, as a responsible landholder, was being forced to pay the tax to fix the mistakes of others.

HAMILTON Rams’ offensive work will prove crucial to the outcome of this weekend’s Greem Triangle Basketball League clashes, which decide whether the team secures a place in the semi-finals. Hamilton coach, Neville Brayley, said yesterday morning that execution of offence would help determine the match, as the Rams were able to match opponents defensively. The Hamilton men’s and women’s teams will clash with Ararat tonight and Portland tomorrow, but the women have no chance of making the finals. Brayley said if the men win both their matches they would finish third, but a loss to Portland would eliminate Hamilton, with Portland to move into next Saturday’s semi-finals.