Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel on Tuesday, 7th February at 6.00 for 6.30PM.
Speaker: Jack Madden, returned outward exchange student.
Chairman: David Tyrrell. Ass’t cashier & thanker: Fred Andrews. Greeter & ass’t Sgt: John Wynn.
-----------------------------------
Birthdays and Anniversaries [which should have been printed last week]
John Wynn 31st, Peter Hawthorne 1st, Wal & Val Kelly 2nd, Alex Magee 3rd, & Tim & Karen Kemp 3rd.
------------------------------------
Coming Up. THE PROGRESSIVE DINNER/ AUCTION ON 11TH FEB******
14th Feb. Neil Callaghan, speaking about Reunion Island in the Mauritius group, with James Turnbull as chairman, John Webb ass’t cashier & thanker, and Bob Smith greeter & ass’t Sgt.
3, 4 & 5 March District Conference at Portland. If you haven’t registered, do it NOW
…………………………………………..
Market roster for Sunday 5th February
Main Gate 0830 to 1030 Martin Geerings. 1030 to 1230 Steve Gubbins
Parking 0730 to 0900 Colin Brown. 0830 to 1030 Cornwell, Chandler & Morphett.
1030 to 1230 Walton[Bill], Brentnell & Cooke.
Signs Birrell, Elliott, Franken & Tyrrell.
Desk raffle 0845 to 1030 Virginia Harris-McHale. 10.30 to 12.30 John Dodgshun
Stallholders’ raffle Alison George
Cray spins Tim Kemp, Charles Dawborn & Marion Walton.
Site preparation Leigh Holloway
Bookings and site assistants Judy Greer, Rod Greer, Rod Bush & Coral Barker.
Publicity and promotion Marion & Bill Walton.
If you can’t attend, contact Colin Brown re parking duties or Judy Greer re all other duties.
More on the early history of Rotary in Australia
Of the capital cities, Brisbane and Adelaide were formed in 1923, Hobart in 1924 and Perth in 1926.
Meanwhile, Rotary was being extended to provincial cities and large towns throughout the country.
e.g. Newcastle in 1923, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong in 1925, Townsville in 1926 and Albury in 1927.
All 17 new clubs in Australia became Rotary District 65 on 15th September 1927, with Fred Birks of the RC of Sydney as the first district governor, who served in that capacity for two years.
78 years later, there are about 35,000 Rotarians in almost 1900 clubs in this country and it’s territories.
Reflections on last week’s talk about the sea and seamen.
Ships passing through ‘the Heads’ must pay a fee of about $3,000 [each way!] for the Port Philip pilot, except for the very few which are exempt, such as the Tassie ferries. But the pilot does not assume command of the ship, which is never relinquished by the skipper. A couple of years ago, the pilot missed the right-hand turn at Queenscliff after the ship he was directing entered the heads, and made a determined effort to steam down Hesse St. Predictably, the ship ran aground, but fortunately, disaster was avoided when she was ‘tugged’ off the following day. Not surprisingly, the pilot was declared at fault and suspended for a month, [on full pay!]. [The pilot service at the heads is run by private enterprise].
Interesting facts [Submitted by Rod Bush]
In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship, and it was also before commercial fertilizer’s invention, so large shipments of manure were common.
It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet., but once water [at sea] hit it, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas.
As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles, you can see what could [and did] happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOM!. Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening.
After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term, S.H.I.T, ‘Ship High In Transit’, warning sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.
Thus evolved the term ‘S.H.I.T.’ which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.
Rod tells me that he didn’t know this, and frankly, neither did I. Did you?
More wicked wisdom
Bore [further definitions from last week]
• A man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you.
• A fellow who can change the subject to his topic of conversation faster than you can change it back to yours.
• A person who deprives you of solitude without providing you with company.
Boredom A vital consideration for the moralist, since at least half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dress code for the Saturday night dinner at the conference—clarification by Gail Barrett.
Gail has informed me that a dinner suit is not compulsory. [ “it’s dress up or down, just enjoy yourself, because we will”]
------------------------------------------------------------
Last night’s garden party at ‘Che George’.
A balmy night for some barmy people! Funny how the English language can have two vastly different meanings for words which have the same pronunciation! Thank you, Alison, for a very pleasant evening
Snippets
• District conference goers are advised that Hans has arranged a Friday evening dinner at the Richmond Henty Hotel for 5.30 PM. Phone Hans to advise your participation.
• Geoff Ford wants your raffle books returned urgently. Tickets SOLD!!
• Red Cross calling night is set down for 14th Feb..
• JC needs registrations for the auction/progressive dinner on Saturday, 11th Feb.. Auction goods worth $5500 on offer. Bring Guests. THIS IS A MAJOR CLUB PROJECT
