Crime and punishment in late July 1975
It was standing room only in Rushworth Court House as Magistrate Curtain dealt with multiple alleged traffic offences. A Rushworth man was fined $140 after conviction on five charges involving speed and control of a vehicle. He was fortunate to have a charge of dangerous driving on Weir Road near Murchison withdrawn.
A Euroa man was fined $50 for speeding in Stanhope Road, telling the court that the speedo was not working on his motorcycle.
Remaining undetected were three men who, working as a team made off with cash belonging to Mrs Norma Hartney of the Rushworth Hotel. One man in his twenties went upstairs taking cash from Mrs Hartney’s purse, while she was distracted serving his two colleagues, one of whom was wearing a suit.
Mr Arthur Harradence of the Criterion Hotel described men of similar description casing his hotel the same day but nothing seemed to have been taken.
Schools
Grades 1 and 2 of Rushworth Primary reported that “Leanne brought a bullock’s leg to school. It had a two-toed hoof and a thick strong bone”. (How did she get it to school? On a bus?) Grade 6 were making miniature hot-air balloons with limited success reported by Lisa Crosbie.
Community
Axedale Young Farmers Club sponsored Mary Conroy of Myola East who was runner-up in a knitting competition run by the Australian Wool Board in Tasmania. Mary had won the Victorian section of the contest which attracted 800 entries from across Australia. Using similar needles and given a few minutes to study a selected pattern, contestants had to complete a section of knitting.
Rushworth Auto Club arranged a dinner dance at the Shire Hall with $12 tickets per couple, thought by some to be a little high. A variety concert held by the High School required adults to part with 70 cents, students 30 cents.
Guides and Scouts
Colbinabbin Guides selected Catherine Morgan and Anne Hassell to attend the camp at Brittania Park, Healesville, in January 1976. The Guides feared for their local camp as rain tumbled down but the event was rescued by Mr Engels who provided his shearing shed! Mrs Kelly covered as a Guide leader when Wendy Hamilton (now Laurie) set off on her trip around Australia.
A campfire event was held at Colbinabbin to thank the founder and leader of the Cub pack, Geoff Hill, for his contribution over seven years. He was moving up a role, leading the Scouts. Mrs Marie Ross was the new Cub leader as Jeremy Branson, John Duke and Richard Pannell became Cubs and Andrew Branson was awarded his gold boomerang badge.
Rushworth Guides and Scouts raised funds through the sale of newspapers which local residents placed on footpaths on named days. Parents of the children drove around collecting the paper for sale to recyclers. (How many readers owe some of their life skills to time spent as Guides and Scouts? What a pity there is no activity in our district today.)
Personal
A terrorist event involving Japanese radicals disrupted air travel in Asia, Kuala Lumpur in particular. Anne Anderson had her flight from Malaysia deferred, delaying her return home to Wanalta.
Football
Rushworth Seniors and Seconds players formed a guard of honour to welcome blonde Ian Williams onto the ground for his 100th game, featured in a front-page photo in the Chronicle, but the Tigers went down to Heathcote by a point. Mark Mackinder was carried off with an injury, replaced by Rod Jones. Bill Barlow left the field at half-time, replaced by a half-fit Rob Betson.
Reporter Alf Raglus praised the play of half-backs Rob Raglus, John Lambden and John Raglus but “paid out” on the team’s sloppy, ineffective handball, and poor kicking for goal. Scores were 14-10 to 13-15. Mick O’Sullivan bagged four goals.
The result was reversed in the Seconds as the Tigers beat Heathcote by two points with pats on the back to Shane Clarke, Rod Jones, Wayne Hageman, Charles Potter, Robert Jones, Ray Cruz and Denis Ogden (another three goals).
Heathcote beat Rushworth Under-16s, the two teams being on top of the ladder.
In the Seconds top team Elmore defeated Rushworth 6-13 to 5-3. Oggy gets tired of seeing his name in the paper but he was named as the best together with the same players from the Heathcote game, and Bill Cruz included.
Colbo remained on top of the Seniors ladder with 52 points, Rushworth and Heathcote next best on just 36 in the five-team competition which meant each club had a bye every fifth Saturday.
On a windy day Colbo’s 18-22 was far too strong for Mounts on 8-7, Egan getting another five and Buster Hammond named as best player, together with Paul and Brendan Tuohey. It was “Tuohey Day” as Frank and Barney Tuohey were given as best for Mounts, with the speedster Mickey Gee.
Merrigum flogged Murchison 19-11 to 9-9, Robert Sloper getting five of the Murchison goals and named as best. Murch then scraped home by four points against Lancaster, Dinga Bell the best player.
Other sport
In a rare report in 1975, netball ladders were showing Mounts well clear in A-grade, Rushworth second and Colbo third. In B-grade, Mounts were a game clear of Colbo, Rushworth back in fourth place.
Bill Trevaskis, Gordon McGrath, Brian Brady and John Hammond starred at Murchison golf, while Gordon McMaster hit one closest to the pin.
Lucy Barlow, Beryl Home, Marj Hawking, Maree Cogan and Shirley Raglus played well at Rushworth Golf Club, club championship semi-final wins going to Beryl and to Doris Barlow. Into the B-grade final were Norma Bolden and Nan Jessup. C-grade finalists were Pat Cleary and Lorraine Barlow.
A small field of 26 men went around the course and included three visitors, Denis Hardie, George Reid,and D. Cameron. A bus was scheduled to leave the club at 7 a.m. on the following dark Sunday morning for a visit to the Corowa golf club. (The bus trip home might have been quite entertaining. Were any current players on that bus?)
