SURGICAL circles in Great Britain unstintedly attribute to Major Scot Skirving, of Sydney, the performance of a remarkable and successful operation at Millbank Military Hospital. The Major extracted a bullet from the heart of Private Houlder. Houlder was told he might live for two months, but he preferred to accept the surgeon’s offer to perform an operation, although he was told he had only a “100 to 1” chance.
He said goodbye to his comrades in the ward cheerfully, and the operation was performed. Houlder survived, and he is progressing satisfactorily.
***
MR W. J. Oates was sworn in as a Justice of the Peace before Mr Justice Hodges on Wednesday last.
***
DR Griffiths, of Somerville, notifies that he has again returned from active service, and has resumed practice at his residence.
***
MESSRS Alex. Scott and Co. will hold their monthly sale at Tanti on Monday next, when a good yarding of cattle, pigs and sundries is booked for sale.
***
THE tin of tea raffled by Mrs G.Shepherd on Show Day, for the Y.M.C.A.. was won by Mrs Frank Jackson, of Somerville, 54 being the lucky number.
***
LANCE-Corporal Verney, who claims to be the first recruit who enlisted from Frankston, after serving some eighteen months at the front, has returned invalided, and is now enjoying a well-earned rest with his family.
***
A MEETING of the committee of the Flower Show to be held on 3rd November, in aid of the patriotic funds
was held on Thursday evening when the schedule was finally revised, and it was decided that the same be printed and circulated without delay.
***
A LARGELY signed petition was presented at Flinders shire council on Saturday protesting against the employment of or the giving of contracts to men eligible for service at the front.
Cr Shand moved- “That only urgent and necessary maintenance work be proceeded with until the war is over.” Cr Macfarlan moved that no single eligible men be directly employed by the council during the currency of the war. Both resolutions were carried.
***
BUILDING blocks on “ The Island,” Frankston, seem to be gaining in favor with those anxious to secure a home at a seaside resort, and a number have changed hands of late. The property known as “Quamby” has been purchased by Mr. Moulton, and Mr Onions has bought a block from Mrs Spencer.
Mr Bray has also disposed of 100 feet frontage to Mr Bendixon, (who intends shortly to build), and 180 feet to Mr Logan, of the Defence department.
***
MR A. M. Laughton, Government Statist, has issued a return showing the actual area and yield of wheat in Victoria for the seasons 1914-15 and 1915-16 respectively. It shows that the area sown last year was 3,679,971 acres, as against 2,863,535 the previous year, which produced 58 521,706 bushels in 1915-16 and 3,940 947 in 1914 15, giving an average of 15.19 bushels per acre for last year as against 1.38 bushels the previous year. The requirements for seed and consumption in 1916 are established at about 10,000,000 bushels.
***
DURING the past week there has been a drop in the recruiting figures, and the returns for this week are not likely to be up to the number required in order that the full quota may be sent from Victoria. The danger lies in the shortage coming just when the reinforcements are most needed.
More than twice the number of men are required to make good the wastage and to meet rapidly and surely the call when it comes, as it must soon, for fighting men, trained to the highest pitch of efficiency, in order to maintain the army at its full strength.
***
SENATOR Pearce holds that people should not be permitted to invest capital in picture shows while industries languish for want of money.
***
WE understand that active steps are being taken to make a public presentation to those volunteers of the Frankston district, who have recently enlisted.
There are nearly 30 names of men drawn from the immediate neighbourhood of Frankston, and the presentation will be the fifth of the series.
***
AN accident befell Mr Jas Whiteman, of Carrum, while returning to his home, on Saturday evening, after attending Messrs Adamson Strettle & Co’s monthly horse sale at Dandenong. Mr Whiteman, who experienced difficulty in getting several horses (which he had purchased) along the road, decided to ride one of them but, unfortunately, the animal threw him on the roadway and he sustained a broken leg, near the ankle. He was conveyed to Miss Ahern’s private hospital, in Thomas street, for medical attention.
***
THE condition of Mr. Hughes, who is suffering from a severe attack of influenza, is improving. He had a much better night on Monday, and slept fairly well. On Tuesday afternoon the doctors made an examination and found that his temperature was 100.2.
It is now clearly a case of influenza, but the doctors consider that in view of his not too robust health it would be unwise for him to risk leaving his room too soon. Moreover, the weather is extremely trying. There was snow on Monday night, and bitterly cold rain on Tuesday. March has not been so cold for years. Therefore it is probable that after a week or ten days he will take a rest in the country. His condition generally is not regarded as serious.
***
FOR some time past there has been a shortage of labor at the State coal mine, especially as regards wheelers. This is due principally to the fact that a large number of young men have enlisted, and in order to fill their places probationary miners have been taken off coal and employed at the work.
During the week a large number of men who state that they have been engaged in Ballarat and Bendigo and have had to undergo medical examination in those places, have been put on to work at coal getting at the mine.
The miners who were doing wheeling work naturally thought they should have received the first preference for coal getting, and complained to the federation, the executive officers of which interviewed Mr Broome on the matter.
As a result many of the old hands will be put on coal, and their places will be filled by new arrivals.
***
From the pages of the Mornington Standard, 1 April, 1916
First published in the Mornington News – 29 March 2016
