50 years ago
REPORTS yesterday that six key staff members of the Hamilton wool processing firm, Wooltreat Pty. Ltd., had resigned were denied late yesterday by the company’s manager, Mr. Jim Hardy. Mr. Jim King, who manages the major Wooltreat shareholder, Kings Holdings Pty. Ltd., said three days ago he received resignations from Mr. Hardy and five other Wooltreat employees. Mr. King indicated there had been some bitterness between Mr. Hardy and members of Kings Holdings. However he said if there was a suggestion of trouble at the Wooltreat factory, “it hasn’t evidenced itself to me at this stage”. Mr. King said Mr. Hardy had given him only a week’s notice of his intention to resign. Wooltreat directors had accepted the resignations and appointed Mr. David Bertlesen, from the Melbourne staff of Kings Holdings, to manage Wooltreat.
LYNNE Stapleton struck gold for Hamilton at the weekend when she won three gold medals at the Victorian Country Swimming Championships. The titles saw Hamilton make its best-ever showing with six of the team of 17 making finals, but only Lynne collecting medals – three gold, a silver and a bronze. Lynne swam her way into the record books when she set a new time for the junior women’s 200-meter freestyle event. Her other wins came in the 100-meter backstroke and 100-meter freestyle. She also collected a silver medal in the individual medley and a bronze medal for butterfly. Following are the Hamilton swimmers to reach the finals: Jane Woodburn – 12 yr. freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. Melinda Jenkins – 10 yr. freestyle, backstroke, butterfly. Stephen Rabach – 12 yr. breaststroke. Andrew Burton – 14 yr. backstroke. Melinda Rabach – 14 yr. backstroke.
25 years ago
A STORM which hit western Victoria on Thursday evening caused about 50 fires and damage to rural properties surrounding Hamilton. Sheep had to be destroyed at a property in the Burn Brae area east of Penshurst after a fire which was started by lightning, while strong winds caused roofing to be lifted from a house at Glenisla. The number of lightning strikes making contact with the ground made the storm one of the most dangerous seen in western Victoria for many years. CFA Mt Rouse group communications officer, Ian Harrington, said the storm was one of the worst, if not the worst, seen in the Penshurst area. Country Fire Authority and Department of Natural Resources crews were kept on full alert as fire started by lightning occurred from Telangatuk and Cavendish in the north to Digby, Nelson and Rennick in the south west, as well as several east and south of Hamilton near Strathkellar, Burn Brae, Penshurst, Dunkeld, Victoria Valley and Heywood. HAMILTON District Cricket Association’s representative side will be aiming to retain its place in A grade at Ballarat Country Week, starting on Monday. Hamilton was promoted to A grade after defeating Grenville in the B grade grand final at last year’s country week competition. But several players from that side are unavailable this year and team manager, Andrew Povey, said the squad hoped to be competitive, but would be undermanned. Hamilton’s A grade campaign will start against Geelong South (Wendouree Oval) while its other three matches will be against Leigh (Invermay), Horsham (
