50 years ago

LOCUSTS played havoc with motorists in the Western District over the weekend when cars became over-heated as a result of radiators being blocked with the insects. A spokesman for the Hamilton branch of the RACV said yesterday a “number” of cars received service during the weekend for blocked radiators. Offices of the Department of Agriculture in Horsham and Hamilton said the plague was worse yesterday than any day of last week. A resident of Balmoral said yesterday the township was just covered by a “thick cloud of insects”. And the manager of Dalgety’s in Balmoral, Mr Charles Bloomfield, said he had never seen a locust plague as thick as it was yesterday in all his 70 years of living in the district.

SOUTH Melbourne utility player, Shane McKew, has been appointed coach of Hamilton Imperial Football Club. Because of expected opposition from South over his clearance, Imps have appointed him NON-playing coach and it is possible he may not take the field this year. Should South Melbourne continue to refuse McKew a clearance, Imperials say the club is happy for him to coach from “over the boundary” on a Saturday, according to ANFC rules. Should McKew be cleared in time for the opening of the Western Border League season on April 20, he will automatically become a playing coach, but he will not be playing at that stage. This is because a Melbourne specialist has advised him against playing before the end of May.

25 years ago

SOUTHERN Grampians Shire’s Mayor, Cr Howard Templeton, has proposed a radical idea to reverse the decline in rural Australia – but one which city-dominated governments are unlikely to applaud. Cr Templeton believes people living in rural areas should pay lower personal and company taxes than their city counterparts. He believes the decline has been so severe that Federal and State Governments have to answer one simple question – do they want people to live in the country or not? “It’s a fairly simple decision. If they say yes, then they have to put in place the meaningful policies that make it happen,” Cr Templeton said. “It would be a great start if they stopped withdrawing services. If they take them away, they have got to give us something in return.”

IF Hamilton Cricket Club’s A grade side reaches Hamilton and District Cricket Association’s finals, the team will be in a strong position to win the premiership, according the to club’s coach. Pete Smith, who took over the reins at the start of the new season, is currently playing his 200th club game and is confident the club can defeat College and secure a finals berth. Smith believes the rain during the week will help Hamilton’s cause and the 253 the team scored last week will be worth many more today. “We are pretty well places at the moment and I feel if we make the finals we will have a very good chance of winning the premiership,” Smith predicted.