AT today’s Council meeting of the Shire of Frankston and Hastings, the Secretary of the Musicians’ Association, Melbourne, wrote asking permission to hold a picnic in the Frankston Park on Sunday.
The applicant pointed out that owing to the members of this Association being employed continuously in the theatres and other places of amusement it was impossible to hold the annual outing on any day but Sunday.
A guarantee was given that only members with their families would be present, and that everything would be conducted to the satisfaction of the Council.
Cr. May: There is a principle concerned here. I would like to know on what lines the picnic would be run.
I don’t want to be narrow.
The Shire Secretary said he recently refused the use of the park for a Jewish picnic on Sunday.
They came to Frankston all the same and held their picnic on the beach.
He heard no objection raised, and it seemed to him the Council might as well allow the park to be used where they would have control and gain revenue.
Cr. Oates moved that the use of the park be not granted for Sunday picnics. If these people cared to hold their picnics on the beach that was their look out. It would not be to the advantage of Frankston to encourage Sunday picnics.
Cr. Gerrand seconded, and said he would be sorry to see the Council legalise Sunday sports.
Cr. Jones said he took a broadminded view. What was the difference if the picnic was held on the beach or park?
These people were up against conditions they could not overcome and the Council had no right to put obstacles in the way of them holding their picnic on the only day available.
The Council was assured that the Musicians would conduct their picnic in a proper way.
Cr. Longmuir: Let these people do the same as others who, when they want a picnic, shut their shops and take a holiday. The people want to grab all the pennies.
Cr. Jones: They are in the hands of the Philistines and cannot do as they like.
The motion on being put was declared carried. Cr. Jones called for a division, which resulted as follows:
For the motion: Crs. Walker, Oates, Wells, Longmuir, McLean, Gerrand, and Armstrong.
Against: Crs. Alden, Jones, Unthank, Gray, and May.
Cr. Howell came in late and did not vote.
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IT does not seem to be generally known that the “safety first” rule along roads provide that pedestrians observe the contrary rule to that of drivers.
The rule of the road in this State is that drivers of all vehicles should keep to the left, consequently pedestrians should walk to the right when walking along the road.
This is a world recognised, but unwritten law.
The reason is that drivers of vehicles are not so frequently over taken by other drivers; they are much more easily seen, and very much less vulnerable on account of their greater bulk.
Pedestrians, on the other hand, with their backs to fast–driven vehicles, are dependent upon their hearing, and the vigilance of all drivers for their safety, and as their eyes are usually fixed on objects in front of them, they are safer on the opposite side of the road from vehicles going the same way.
There they are more usually out of harm’s way from all vehicles from behind, while they can easily step off the road out of the way, from all vehicles they can both see and hear approaching traffic.
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THE Frankston Pictures were crowded out last Saturday night, when Agnes Ayres and Marion Davies were the featured artists.
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WHILST driving a milk cart owned by his father, Mr. Mark Peters, of the Aldershot Dairy, Frankston, a lad named Peters, on Sunday, received injuries.
The horse bolted and when he noticed that the vehicle was likely to collide with the verandah posts of Frankston House, he jumped out and in doing so fell heavily on the hard road.
He was attended to by Dr. Maxwell, and is now doing well.
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COMPLAINT was recently made that Stony Point railway station is inadequate for the needs of the two sets of passengers arriving at the same time from opposite directions, and it was stated that the 46 miles journey from Stony Point to Melbourne, takes 2 hours and 40 minutes, is rendered more tedious by reason of the fact that the train stops at most of the suburban stations near Melbourne, picking up passengers, whose numbers inconvenience those who have come a longer distance.
The Railway Commissioners state that they recognise the station facilities at Stony Point are limited, although on all except a few holiday occasions they are adequate; but in any case an extension of these facilities would be interfered with and made expensive by the unfavorable contour of the immediately adjoining land.
It is further stated that the daily train from Stony Point occupies less than one hour and a half in travelling to Melbourne, and runs non-stop from Mordialloc to Glenhuntly (Mentone excepted), but for the convenience of passengers desirous of joining the tramway system, etc., and for the purpose of discharging perishable produce such as milk, fruit, fish, etc., stops are made at all stations from Caulfield to Melbourne.
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ON the motion of Crs Gray and Wells at the Council meeting this afternoon it was resolved to take a referendum on the 17th of February on the question of handing over the old cricket reserve to the Education department for the High School.
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MISS Ethel O’Grady, daughter of Mr. W. H. O’Grady, J.P., of Frankston, was recently appointed travelling representative for J. C. Williamson’s Theatrical enterprise.
Miss O’Grady was recently touring Japan, but at present is travelling in China.
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MR. Statton, who has occupied the position of station-master at Frankston for the last nine months, was the guest of a number of friends at the Pier Hotel on Tuesday evening.
The object of the gathering was to wish him farewell and present him with a little gift subscribed by residents of Frankston.
Mrs. Taylor made an ideal hostess, and the evening passed pleasantly to the accompaniment of music, song and story.
Mr. W. Crawford Young, who presided, proposed the toast of “Our Guest,” and in so doing referred to the many amiable qualities that had made Mr. Statton a general favorite with the people of the district, both in a business connection and socially.
Messrs. McDonald, D. Dodd, C. Tait, A. Taylor, P. Lyon and others also spoke to the toast, which was honored enthusiastically.
Mr. Statton responded in suitable terms.
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THE shallow depth of the water and the berthing facilities at Port Melbourne were again very adversely criticised last week by Capt. Cameron, of the H.M.S. Ormunz, and he recommended the dredging of 1200 feet, which the Harbor Trust estimates would cost £100,000.
If that same amount of money was spent in wharfing facilities in Westernport good, deep water wharfage would be assured, and furthermore the continual expense ever increasing year by year, with the great depth of the draft of steamers in keeping the requisite depth, would not be incurred, because from the soundings taken last year when the Bay was re-surveyed, showed that the depth is being increased, while in Port Phillip difficulty is experienced in keeping the channel of sufficient depth
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From the pages of the Frankston and Somerville Standard, 31 Jan & & 2 Feb 1923
First published in the Mornington News – 31 January 2023
