Compiled by Brodie Cowburn
A STORM of great violence, for which no precedent can be found in the history of Melbourne, swept over portion of the suburban area late on Saturday afternoon.
In comparison it was comparable with the tempest which caused so much havoc in Queensland a few days previously.
Two lives were lost, and twelve people were Injured.
At Brighton a boy was decapitated by a descending sheet of iron from the roof of a wrecked building. At Point Ormond a boat, in which three men were fishing, was capsised. and one of the occupants was drowned.
The tempest, which was accompanied by torrential rain, reached its maximum force, generally speaking, between 4.40 and 5 p.m.
The weather had been threatening all the afternoon, and light rain had fallen in the city hours before the cataclysm visited the foreshore.
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A complaint was made to the Frankston police on Sunday by Mrs. Rose Priest that on the previous afternoon a soldier in the Broadmeadows camp named Joseph Kahn, a youth who had formerly been staying with her, had taken her adopted child Florence May Dallaglio, five years of age, for a drive in a buggy, and had not returned.
The father of the child, it appears, was separated from his wife three years ago, and has had custody of the child, which he placed in the care of Mrs Priest.
The matter was reported to the criminal investigation branch and placed in charge of Detective Britt, who yesterday afternoon arrested Kahn as an alleged deserter from camp, and handed him over to the military authorities.
With his apprehension the child was also traced, Kahn declaring that the child was in the best of care – her mother’s. This statement of the child’s whereabouts was subsequently verified.
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GOOD hauls of snapper are being obtained at Stony Point.
Recently Messrs V. E. Fleming and G. A. Wachsmith, of Melbourne, in a day’s fishing caught 150 snapper, besides a number of rock cod, whiting and butter fish. A shark, between 5 and 6 feet long was also caught.
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THE following letter has been received by the President of the Shire, Cr W. J. Oates, from the chairman of the Commissioners of the Victorian Railways, with reference to the proposed improvements to the approach to the Frankston Railway Station:—
Dear Sir, in fulfillment of my promise of yesterday I have had the papers in connection with the question of improving the approach to the Frankston Railway Station turned up, but I find that the Shire Engineer in October 1916 estimated the cost of the work to be carried out on the railway property at £140, and as the expenditure entailed would still run into this amount at least.
I regret that the Commissioners cannot see their way, in the present condition of the finances, to authorise the performance of the work.
Yours faithfully, C. E. Norman. Chairman
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A PARTY of 190 Australian sailors, all of whom had been afloat on war service with the Grand Fleet, had an outing at Frankston on Wednesday, and on their return to Melbourne were entertained at tea at Government House by the Governor-General and Lady Helen Ferguson.
Members of the Red Cross Volunteer Motor Corps arranged and organised the outing and provided among them 55 cars for the trip.
Before starting for Frankston the sailors were motored in procession through the city where they were accorded many hearty cheers.
There were able seamen from the great battleship Australia; sailors who had served on the Sydney and fought in the battle with the Emden; artificers from the Melbourne; signallers and all manner of other naval ratings.
It was a jolly, lighthearted gathering, and the men joked and yarned as only sailors on shore leave can do.
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AT the annual meeting of the Frankston Mechanics’, the secretary stated that the committee had been presented with an enlarged photograph of two Frankston soldiers, Arthur and Geoff Bolger, the former being one of the first Frankston soldiers to make the supreme sacrifice.
On the motion of Dr Plowman and Mr W. W. Young, it was decided to accept the photo with thanks and to hang it in the library.
It was also decided to accept any other enlargements of district soldiers, but it is asked that anyone sending in a photo should first consult the secretary, so that frames of a uniform size and design could be obtained.
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A VERY successful concert, in aid of the Methodist Church funds, was held in the Mechanics’ institute on Wednesday night Jan 30th. There was a large attendance and a splendid program was given.
Miss D Overton acted as accompanist and was served the special vote of thanks for her services. Rev Tonkin presided.
The stage was very tastefully decorated with scarlet flowering gum, by Mrs Fred Thornell.
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SIR Robert Philp, an ex-Premier of Queensland, who is at present in Sydney, holds decided opinions on the desirability of instituting meatless days in Australia.
His intimate knowledge of the pastoral industry, in which his interests are considerable entitles his opinions on the subject to consideration.
“If we are sincere in our desire to prosecute the war” he said on Monday. “and help the British Government people and soldiers, we can surely sacrifice meat on two days a week and thus enable millions of fighters to be fed.
There is not a pound of beef left in the stores in Queensland.
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KANAKOOK Creek.
The President of the Shire (Cr Oates) is, by request, calling a meeting of residents to consider what further steps can be taken to improve this unsightly and evil looking stream.
From indications this meeting being called at a time of the year, when property owners in the vicinity are more in evidence, and can attend meetings to back up the more local efforts at a minimum of inconvenience promises to be well attended and bear fruit, for property owners close to the creek have awakened to the fact that if we are to go on waiting for the Government who are responsible for its condition, to “do something” their hopes will be dashed to the ground summarily.
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TO THE EDITOR.
Dear Sir— Was a destructive tornado expected to visit Frankston on Friday evening of last week
Thoughts of such a happening must have been in the minds of the Frankston business people who failed to attend the public meeting, called by the Shire President Cr W. J. Oates, in response to the directive of the Government of Australia
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From the pages of the Mornington Standard, 9 February 1918