Compiled by Cameron McCullough
STANLEY Rupert Brett, 23, motor driver, was charged at the City Watchhouse on Wednesday with the manslaughter of Perry Clarke, 55, carpenter, who was knocked down by a fast travelling car on the Point Nepean road, near Mornington, at 6pm on May 11.
Allegations have been made that the driver of the car did not stop after he struck the man, and that the car, at the time, had no lights burning.
Senior-Detective Piggott, Detective Ethell and Plain-clothes Constable Burns, who were detailed to make enquiries, arrested Brett at Caulfield at 3pm on Wednesday.
His car – a double-seated Chandler – was driven to the Russell street yard, where it will remain until after the trial.
Another Motor Fatality
Hearing a crashing sound from the direction of the road about midday on Tuesday last, Mr. Higgins, who lives on Flinders Road near the Eaton cutting, between Red Hill and Dromana, rushed from the house, accompanied by his wife.
They found that a single-seater motor car coming through the cutting from the direction of Flinders had skidded on a piece of bad road and, capsizing, had apparently turned a complete somersault.
Terribly injured the two occupants – a man and a woman – lay on the roadway. Mr. and Mrs. Higgins took the injured to the house and sent to Dromana for medical assistance.
The casualties were: Killed: Miss Donnelly, 32 years, of Collins Street, city, recently staying with Mrs. Ward, mother of injured man at Railway crescent, Mornington. Injured: Mr. A. P. Ward, 40 years, of Napier Street; Footscray, condition serious, admitted to a private hospital at Dromana.
Mr. Ward, who had been staying with his mother at Railway crescent, Mornington, where Miss Donnelly had also been a guest, was returning from a visit to a friend at Flinders when the fatal accident occurred.
Mr. and Mrs. Higgins were able to render first-aid attention to Mr. Ward, but it was seen that Miss Donnelly was injured beyond hope of recovery.
Doctors arrived from Dromana and Mornington, and it was found that Miss Donnelly had died.
The injured man was conveyed to a private hospital at Dromana by Dr. Jones, and the body of the woman was taken to Mornington.
Mr. Ward, it is stated, served throughout the war with the A.I.F., and was for a considerable time attached to Anzac Corps headquarters, serving in the capacity of secretary to General Sir Wm. Birdwood.
High School Committee – Indignation At Mr. Ward’s Non-Inclusion
In connection with the formation of a High School Committee, the Act provides that four persons shall be selected to represent public interests.
The Minister has the power to in crease the number to six if he so desires. In the case of Frankston the Minister sanctioned the appointment of five. Why his advisers stopped short at five and thus excluded L. J. Ward, to whose energies Frankston is chiefly indebted for its High School, is difficult to understand.
The three representatives of the parents on the committee were selected by ballot, and the shire council’s nominee, Cr. C. Gray was appointed on the vote of the council.
Why a similar course was not followed in the selection of gentlemen to represent public interests has yet to be explained.
The announcement in Wednesday “Standard” that Cr. Oates had been selected to the exclusion of Mr. Ward, and many others with superior claims caused amazement and indignation throughout the district.
One member of the newly elected committee, although a prominent High School worker, and fully entitled to his seat, was so concerned at the non-inclusion of Mr. Ward that he offered to resign in order to make way for Mr. Ward.
If steps are not takes to remedy the grave injustice perpetrated it is probable that an indignation meeting will be held to emphasise the feeling of the public in the matter.
SPEAKING to a representative of “The Standard” yesterday Cr. Mason stated that he did not intend seeking re-election as a councillor of the Frankston Riding at the end of his term, which expires in August next.
Cr. Mason said he had been forced to this decision by the increased demands of his business, and the fact that his health was not as satisfactory as it might be.
He only returned from Belgrave last week, where he has been recuperating after several weeks serious illness.
Many ratepayers will sincerely regret to learn of the decision of Cr. Mason to retire from the council, where his expert financial knowledge has frequently been of great service to the shire.
IT is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of Mrs. Robinson, relict of the late Richard Robinson, of Hastings, which sad event occurred at Cheltenham on Friday afternoon, May 16.
Deceased was an old identity of Hastings, and was well liked and respected by all who knew her.
The deceased lady had been very ill for the last nine months, and all attempts to save her life proved fruitless, for she gradually became worse and passed away.
The deceased leaves behind her four sons and one daughter to mourn her loss, and our deepest sympathy goes out to them in them in their sad bereavement.
MR. J. Daly, who was one of Frankston’s foremost footballers last season, met with an accident on Monday morning. We understand that as Mr. Daly was proceeding to his work on a motor cycle, it collided with a motor car. However, we are further informed that nothing of a serious nature happened to him, as he was about again very shortly after the accident.
THE friends of Miss Allen, formerly head milliner, at Dodds Drapery Emporium, Frankston, and who for some time past has been at Beechworth, will be sorry to hear she has been recently suffering with a very bad throat, so severe that her friends were all summoned to her side.
However, from latest reports we understand she has now passed the danger zone, and is on her way to recovery.
MRS. M. E. Howle, of Denbigh Street, Frankston, leaves here on Saturday to join her sister, Mrs. Herbert Weynton, in Sydney, en route for North Queensland, where they propose to sojourn during the winter months.
Mrs. Howie’s youngest son is living in Gladstone, .and part of their holiday will be spent with him.
THE friends of Miss Cahill will be sorry to hear that she had the misfortune to slip in her garden on Thursday last and dislocate her elbow.
Dr. Maxwell was at once summoned and reduced the dislocation.
MOUNTED-Constable Addison has been appointed to Frankston in place of Mounted-Constable Graham, who has been promoted to take charge of the station at Goonong.
THE many friends of Mr. A. B. Morris, of Playne Street, Frankston, will regret to hear that he is at present seriously indisposed; in fact, we are reliably informed that he has to undergo an operation before relief can be secured.
MR. and Mrs. W. C. Young returned to Frankston on Monday evening, after a week’s holiday spent at Ballarat.
From the pages of the Frankston and Somerville Standard, 21 & 23 May 1924