14/1/22
DEATH. – Mr. Phillip Coman, one of the district’s best known and most highly respected residents, died at Eurobodalla on Wednesday night. The remains were bought to Moruya, where the funeral took place yesterday.
SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC. – Another postponement has been forced upon the C.E. Sunday School picnic. Owing to the damp state of the trysting ground on the bank of the Kiora River, the organisers wisely decided not to hold the picnic on Tuesday last, but to combine with the parish’s annual function and picnic at the Heads on Foundation Day, 26th January.
A SENSATIONAL STORM. – On Sunday last an unprecedented hailstorm accompanied by a severe thunderstorm and torrents of rain occurred here. For a time residents were terrified as the roofs of the houses were struck by stones measuring 2¾ inches x 1¼ x 1½. In a very short space of time hail, two feet deep, was piled against fences and buildings. In its course the storm effected considerable damage. It is estimated that fully 1000 panes of glass were broken. The worst to suffer were the Amusu Theatre with 30 panes smashed, and C.E. Church, Rectory and Parish Hall combined with 82, the windows of the Presbyterian Church, Public School and Centennial Hall on the Southern sides were completely wrecked. Many of the lead lights of the R.C. Church were broken whilst almost every house in town had from one to 16 panes smashed. Many roofs were penetrated by the stones and galvanized iron tanks pierced. The corn in numerous fields was stripped of leaves and cobs, vegetable gardens levelled to the ground, and poultry killed. The water cascaded down the hills and gutters and in a very short time the lowlands were a vast sheet of water. The chain lightening was very vivid and the thunder appalling, but we have not heard of anything being struck. The hailstorm was of three-quarters of an hour’s duration, but the rain continued to fall for about four hours, after which the sun shone brightly, enhancing the beautiful scene presented by the surrounding hills in their mantle of dazzling whiteness.
Above: an image of a hailstorm from a slightly later date
PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. – Humanity is a queer thing. Charlie Chaplin is paid £250,000 a year. Lloyd George, Prime Minister of an Empire with a population of 450 millions, receives £5000 a year, or 50 times less. Mary Pickford gets as much salary in one year as Prime Minister Hughes would draw in 33 years.
ESC GENERAL BUSINESS. – It was resolved to supply the Bateman’s Bay ferryman with a clock for use on the punt, same not to cost more than one pound. The Engineer was instructed to prepare estimates of the cost of a new windmill, to be erected near the Moruya wharf, and the Clerk was instructed to ascertain from the Progress Association if they would provide half the cost.
Extracted from the Moruya Examiner by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc. https://www.mdhs.org.au
