Bulletin of the Rotary Club of Ocean Grove Inc.
Winner of the Holmes Trophy for the best attendance by a Club at the 2006 District Conference
www.rotaryoceangrove.blogspot.com
Volume 25 No 27
Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 23rd January 6.00 for 6.30
Speaker Volunteers to be called Subject Religion, sex and politics Chairman ???
Assistant Cashier Anne Brown Assistant Sergeant Peter Cullen
Birthdays & Anniversaries 24th John & Shirley Dodgshun 25th Heather Grimmett
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Notice for the meeting at the Ocean Grove Hotel, Tuesday 30th January 6.00 for 6.30
Speaker I’ll tell you next week Subject To be advised Chairman I forgot to ask
Assistant Cashier & Thanker Peter Cullen Greeter & Assistant Sergeant Charles Dawborn
Birthdays & Anniversaries 31st John Wynn 1st Feb Peter Hawthorne
3rd Feb Alex Magee, Tim & Karen Kemp
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More extracts from the Melbourne ‘Argus’ of 19/11/1931
Doing it tough in the Mallee
A Royal Commission into grievances of British subjects in Victoria took evidence from several aggrieved grain growers at a Mildura hearing. David George Sumner of Ginquam, [mid-way between Red Cliffs and Mildura], giving evidence today, said that after he had selected a ‘block’, he was told that all that was needed by a farmer in the Mallee was “brute force and ignorance”. Ed. Note: Hardly likely to instil confidence!
Sumner said that he was formerly a bus driver, in London, and his wife was an assistant school teacher. He had arrived in Victoria in 1926 with $1460. Last year, his return had been 278 bags from 240 acres. He wished to be compensated as the block ‘was no good’. There were many other similar stories, with yields of 2000 bags from 500 acres, down to 305 bags from 400 acres. Six bags per acre at the ruling price of 95 cents per bushel was considered to be barely profitable.
To put that in to a modern perspective;
• Few dry land farmers in recent years would consider putting a header into a paddock with less than 3 bags per acre.
• Mallee break-even yields would be about 7-8 bags at an average gross return of $175 per tonne.
• Even in record dry 2006, there were many reports of 4 bags at the drought-induced price of $300.
• The last-twenty-year average yield in the Mallee would be about 8-9 bags, so how come such low reports in 1931?
Well, to start with, modern grain for sowing is vastly improved. But mechanization to replace horse-drawn implements has made all the difference. In 1931, light rainfall meant that the soil was dry again by the time the horses were in harness and ready to walk. 1931 wasn’t a particularly dry year. Mildura had 370mm, well above average.
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The magic word!
Do you have trouble getting your grandchildren to say ‘please’ and ‘thank-you’? We do, most of the time. A secondary school teacher friend of Jan recently recounted this response from a boy, when asked for ‘the magic word’. Without hesitation, and with a degree of aplomb, the response was “F..k”.
A word from the DG
The DG’s newsletter for December didn’t reach me until last Tuesday, [my fault, not his], so I will leave out the bits about Christmas.
“ Betty and I have had a wonderful and unforgettable six months. We have completed our Official Club visits and are now looking forward to visiting Clubs for Special Celebrations on a more informal basis. Thank you all for your generous hospitality and friendship.
The District Conference is coming up very soon and I urge all Rotarians to register as soon as possible and to arrange accommodation. Don’t forget to bring your beach gear, grass skirts, board shots, sandals, zinc cream etc for the Saturday night “Beach Party” at the “Life is a Beach @ Warrnambool” Conference”. Ed. Comment “If that doesn’t bring rain on 3rd March, 2007, nothing will!”
“Best wishes to everyone for the New Year.”
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This Day Tonight
• One of our rowdier meetings. We were a bit of a rabble, but a happy rabble.
• Victor Harnath, Past President of the RC of Charlton, was a visiting Rotarian and a prospective member. I advised him that we are not always like this- generally worse! Tino from Ballan was also a visiting Rotarian, but a regular.
• Geoff Ford and nine helpers sold 74 raffle books of 20 tickets at the Portarlington Mussel Festival last Saturday. Progressive total now 500.
• Which leads me to the vexing question of the 20 books issued to members of this club which have still not been returned. Please p.y.f.o.- [Please pull your finger out].
• Which leads me to the still more vexing question of the habitual recalcitrants among our members who do not attend and do not apologise!! Hans goes to a lot of trouble to meticulously keep the weekly register. Non attendees are required to apologise by mid-day Monday. I have been advised not to offend, but Peter C is the worst offender, and should know better. Also included in the uncollected dinner plaques tonight were Suzy M and Ben I. Fellow Rotarians, we are committed to pay the hotel for the numbers advised. How many times do I have to make this point???? YOU Must Apologise if you are not going to attend. I intend to keep naming names.
• The Sergeant at Arms has fined members who consider 40o too hot for bowls. PP Helen Trigg reckons they are softies. Her son Adam reported fighting in Iraq mid 2006 in temperatures of 65o!! That’s full army fatigues and weaponry. Great way to lose weight. Adam says his water bottle contents were hotter than the coffee.
• I also plug the Ocean Grove Cellars, where Peter consistently provides a generous contribution towards our raffle prizes.
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More wicked Wisdom
Kiss A word invented by poets to rhyme with ‘Bliss’.
Lady One who never shows her underwear unintentionally.
Learning The kind of ignorance distinguishing the studious.
Liberal A man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel.
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The Rotary World
The mission of Rotary International is to support its member clubs by:
• Fostering unity among member clubs
• Strengthening and expanding Rotary around the world
• Communicating worldwide the work of Rotary, and
• Providing a system of international administration
