AT last Friday’s meeting of the shire council a letter was read from Mr. Hanson, chief inspector of secondary schools, in reply to one from the shire secretary, relating to a telephone message.
Mr. Hanson said: “I telephoned, informing you that money for a new High School at Frankston was provided on the estimates, but I added that I had urged the Minister to reconsider the whole position of site.
This the Minister had promised to do, and a visit to Frankston would be arranged later.”
Mr. Hanson continued: I might add that my own personal view is entirely opposed to the provision of a site of three acres for a High school, as it constitutes a serious departure from the standard which has been followed by the department for many years.
The full area of ten acres for a High school is required for school purposes.
However, I do not see any objection to making the grounds, other than those on which the building is situated, available for the public during vacations, on public holidays, and at other times when they are not required by the school.
Cr. Gray said that, practically, the position now was the same as in 1921.
There was no objection to the department making use of the balance of the land as a playground.
There should be no further delay. The erection of the school should be proceeded with at once.
Cr. McCulloch said the difficulty could be overcome if the Lands department formally transferred the ten acres to the department, and then the department in turn, transfer to the council, who would be the committee of management.
The president said that Frankston was missing one of the greatest opportunities of its life by not pushing the High school question for all it was worth.
He would like to see a strong deputation wait on the Minister. He, as president, would be willing to assist. (Hear, hear).
It was resolved on the motions of Crs. Gray and Mason, to ask the Minister to visit Frankston at the earliest date possible, to finalise the matter.
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AT Friday’s meeting of the council a petition presented by Cr. Longmuir and signed by 25 ratepayers of the centre riding was read, objecting to the borrowing and expenditure of such a large amount as £3,600 on Coolart Road.
The president said the petition was premature. It should not have been sent in until after publication of the notice advertising the loan.
Cr. Longmuir.—You are wrong. It is quite in order in every way.
The president read the section of the L.G. Act relating to the matter.
Cr. Longmuir: Read on and you will find that after advertising you can do nothing.
President: Show it to me in the Act
Cr. Longmuir: I question whether you can refuse to take the petition.
President: I have given you my authority. Now give us yours.
Cr. Longmuir: You are very particular.
President: I want to be right, and I want the ratepayers to be right.
Cr. Longmuir: You are against everything.
Cr. McLean said the petition was sent in on the assumption that £3,600 was to be borrowed for Coolart Road. It was not proposed to expend that amount on one mile of road, and the council understood that.
Cr. Hutchinson: We are only to borrow what the road costs. I have no doubt but that the facts were misrepresented to the ratepayers.
President: Cr. Longmuir says I am against everything. I am not against progress, but I would be lacking in my duty if I did not see that the provisions of the Act were being carried out.
Cr. Longmuir: The specifications should have been on the table during the past month.
President: Never mind the specifications, stick to the loan.
Cr. Bradbury moved that the petition be referred back to Cr. Longmuir.
Cr. McLean seconded.
Cr. Longmuir: Who is to blame for the absence of specifications.
President: The whole Council.
Cr. Longmuir: Why?
President: Because we did not give instructions to our officers.
The motion was carried.
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Mr. W. C. Coxhead, the well-known poultry farmer of North Carrum, had the misfortune on Saturday to see his horse bolt, and the cart smashed. It could have been worse. Nobody was hurt – not even the horse.
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That the fire brigade’s fortnightly dances are rapidly becoming quite a popular an institution, is evidenced from the fact that on Monday night last, the attendance at the Mechanics’ was a most satisfactory one, a large number of visitors from the outside district being noticed.
Messrs. Laging and Johnson’s Jazz orchestra supplied the music in their usual efficient manner, and Mr. D. H. Petrie controlled the M.C.s’ department with equal efficiency.
Altogether a most enjoyable evening was spent. The next dance is being eagerly looked forward to.
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Police Strike
Any argument calculated to uphold the action of the ex-police in deciding upon strike measures as a means of attaining their ends, cannot carry one ounce of weight in the minds of the people.
Any, and every argument so advanced, be it painted ever so flowery, must fail miserably when put to the Ministry, with a view to having these strikers reinstated.
Grievances, without a doubt, were being borne by the force, and that being so, the men and other measures which could have been adopted to rectify things, but, like so many sheep, they were led to their doom by a decoy of the worst type: the agitator.
The police force is looked upon as an intelligent and capable arm of the law, and we suppose, possessed also of much reasoning power, therefore, when trouble arises it is their bounden duty to do their utmost to reason things out; to pacify, and if possible, heal a wound, so to speak.
Furthermore, these servants of the Crown, sworn in under the Oath, are something quite outside the ambit of an ordinary Trades Union, and stand upon a pinnacle by themselves.
This being true, to the Crown’s ministers alone, belongs the right to adjust any injustices, irregularities or anomalies, occurring as they must, from time to time.
To place the mild term of strike to the recent acts of lawlessness, would be far too good, for at best the whole deplorable outburst was in reality, a rebellion, pure and simple, engineered by heretics.
It was even stated by one of these men (if such we could call him), that he would make the Chief Commissioner of Police bend at the knees.
Failure, as a natural course, followed this threat. The Lawson Government had a duty to perform, and it rose nobly to the occasion, dispelled any idea that it was spineless, and those who oft times censured, are now loudest in praise, for the Government has decided, once and for all, that the strikers are not to be reinstated, and the public cannot see any reason why they should be, for in short, these very men who – when joining the police, were bound over to serve, to the best of their ability – have made of the Oath, such a hollow mockery.
They have caused a blot which can never be erased, and if such a thing of victory had come their way through our Government backing down, then these strikers would never have known where their power ended, and every little pin–prick would have been made an excuse to strike, and strike again.
It has been a bitter experience for all concerned, and has been bought at a very high price indeed.
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From the pages of the Frankston and Somerville Standard, 14 & 16 Nov 1923
First published in the Mornington News – 14 November 2023
