100 Years Ago - 2nd August 1919

Shire-wide news extracts from the Moruya Examiner of 2 August 1919, provided by the Moruya & District Historical Society:

ILLNESS. – WE are sorry to report that Mrs. R. Heffernan sen., (Moggendoura) was so seriously ill during the early part of the week, that her family was summoned to her bedside. Reported on Thursday that the patient was slightly improved.

SHIPPING. – Last week’s steamer which arrived at her moorings on Sunday, did not leave for Sydney until about eleven o’clock on Wednesday night, owing to the boisterous weather and the heavy seas on the bar. The vessel was very heavily loaded with timber.

RAINFALL. – The rainfall for the past month amounted to 86 points. On the 8th there was a fall of 18 points, which after a spell of nearly three weeks was followed on Saturday last by 31, on Monday by 12 and Tuesday by 25, making a total for the month of 86 points.

THUNDER CRASH. – At half past two o’clock on Saturday afternoon Moruyaites were greatly startled by an instantaneous flash of lightning and a terrific clap of thunder with a hard metallic sound. Horses broke away, some in vehicles, but no serious or fatal accident has been reported. A tree above the swamp at Gundary was struck.

INFLUENZA. – We are pleased to report that the influenza epidemic has now almost disappeared from the South Coast, the only fresh case that we have heard of for the past two weeks, is that of a son of Mr. T. Ray, of Clyde River.

PERSONAL & OTHERWISE. –

Mr. and Mrs. W. Morris (Narooma) left by mail car on Monday morning for Sydney, whither they have gone to meet their son, Rupert Morris, who is returning this week from the front.

A wireless message sent by the Prime Minister to the Federal Govt. has been received. It urges the immediate construction of the Federal Capital.

Sergeant L. Punter is an inmate of the Moruya Hospital, suffering from the internal injury he received when the dressing station in which he was lying wounded on a stretcher, was blown in by an enemy shell.

NELLIGEN. – (From our Correspondent)

Our little township is slowly getting back to normal after the period of depression caused by the ‘flu. Opinions differ as to whether it was the “dinkum” or merely the ordinary ‘flu. Within three weeks there were five deaths here, viz., Mrs. S. Kimpton, Mors. Foran, Mrs. C. Fitgerald, Miss M. Dayball and ex Private P. F. Dayball. Another of our townspeople, Mrs. Holland, died in Braidwood, making six in all – the last four mentioned being victims of the influenza. Sorrow has again visited the Dayball family. One son, Private A. Dayball, was killed in France; another, Private A. Dayball, returned invalided after two years active service, and was accidentally killed at Thornleigh; and now poor “Terry” as he was affectionately called, has fallen a victim to the invisible enemy, after returning wounded after three years active service. The death of their daughter makes the fourth loss in this much afflicted family.

Early last week the Illawarra steamer Benandra ran aground at the mouth of Currowan Creek on the return trip from Shallow Crossing with a load of timber. She remained hard and fast until Thursday, when she was floated off at high tide. No damage was done though the crew were in the advantageous position of being able to walk ashore at low tide.

NERRIGUNDAH. – (From our Correspondent).

S. Lake has followed up a loam show for several weeks and has been rewarded by unearthing a very good vein about five inches wide. He had to trench five or six feet dep for some distance before locating the lode, which was covered to that depth by over burden.

Guest and Thomas are getting some good samples of coarse gold in the alluvial bear Corbett’s Point.

Twenty 100 years ago booklets containing articles for the years 1899 to 1918 are available ($5 ea) from the Society’s rooms. Copies of local newspapers from the 1860s to date can be viewed at the Society’s Family History Research Centre (Ph 4474 3224) situated at the rear of the Museum in Campbell St. Moruya (www.mdhs.org.au).