1891
Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday December 9, 2009
The continent of Australia was still not completely known, and Sir John Forrest, the West Australian Premier, was receiving reports from the Elder expedition dispatched to the colony's inland. David Lindsay, leading the expedition, reported that severe drought had afflicted the settled parts and they had had to turn back from a proposed route for fear of losing their camels. He said he still hoped to get north of the route Forrest himself had traversed in 1869, set up a depot and go into unexplored country.A financial scare caused a run on building societies . The Federal Building Society in Melbourne was suspended from trading. But investors were returning. The Country of Bourke Building Society was in full swing, the Melbourne Permanent Building Society anticipated being in that position and the City of Melbourne Building Society received an undertaking from 620 depositors to renew their investments totalling 192,538.A meeting at the Great Northern Hotel in Newcastle decided to push for the formation of a cavalry corps in their district. The Colonial Secretary had already said by letter that such a corps could not be formed at present. But the group decided to push on anyway for a part-paid corps similar to those formed in Liverpool, Camden and Parramatta.At Tenterfield a public meeting discussed the question of getting night lighting for the town, from gas or electricity. But because the municipality included a large farming area, and the lighting would be expensive, there was opposition to the proposal. The civic fathers said that really would not do. There was also a proposal on the books to have the town supplied with reticulated water. It was decided to form a committee comprising council, town and district representatives to report back in four months.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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