Reflections from the past

He said that people who dial any of the numbers listed under the instant call guide service seeking emergency assistance are connected to the Bendigo exchange.

“The Bendigo operator must then refer the call back to the Echuca exchange to be connected to the emergency number required,” Cr Evans said.

“All this takes far too long and I fear that one day a life will be lost or a home unnecessarily burnt to the ground,” he added.

Cr Evans pointed out that many people dial 1100 and, under the belief that they are talking to the Echuca exchange, simply report some emergency problem, give the location, without mentioning the name of the city.

***

A motion granting the Echuca Football Club permission to sell advertising space around the fencing was passed at last week’s meeting of the Echuca City Council.

The request was the second from the club, the first being refused by council.

In its letter to Council, the club said that the advertising would take the form of canvas banners which would be tied to the inside of the fence outside the cycle track.

Speaking in support of the idea, Cr R. L. Dohnt said that the banner would be put up only shortly before a home game and removed immediately as the final siren sounded.

He said that the banners would then be stored away until the club played its next home game.

“In these days of inflation, football clubs are struggling to make ends meet and this is an excellent fund raising idea and I feel we should support it,” Cr Dohnt said.

Cr Dohnt said that the Kyabram Club uses a similar system and that next season the club hopes to raise about $2000 selling space.

25 years ago October 2000

Two Echuca police officers who calmed and contained a mentally ill man who threatened a taxi driver with a lock blade knife and large bayonet in Moama in March received certificates of commendation from Deniliquin Local Area Command yesterday.

Senior Constable Michael Partridge of Moama Police nominated Senior Consable Ian Quanchi and Senior Constable Stewart Lowe for the award.

“I feel Senior Constables Quanchi and Lowe performed their duty in NSW as special constables in a manner which should receive recognition, considering the potential danger of the situation, not only for themselves but for the members of the public,” Senior Constable Partridge told his superiors.

***

Cobram podiatrist Alex Davey beat a field of 160 runners and the paddlesteamer PS Adelaide to take out this year’s YMCA/Port of Echuca Sweat versus Steam race on Sunday.

Davey took the race in a sprint to the finish with a time of 41 minutes and 22 seconds from Echuca runners Brad Shearer, 47 minutes 09 seconds and Nick Lee, 51 minutes 10 seconds.

Last year the event was won by John Brennan, but this year Davey set a scorching pace over the 13km track to take out the race.

He led the race all the way after breaking away from the lead group.

A first time starter in the annual event, Davey said the course presented many challenges.

***

The Barmah-Millewa Forest is now receiving the biggest allocation of environmental water ever made in Australia.

The initial release of up to 200,000 megalitres will be made from reserves in the Hume Dam, with an additional 100,000 megalitres available if required.

The environmental release is to stimulate tree growth and prolong conditions suitable for bird and fish breeding and is timed to supplement flooding already occuring in the forest.

In the longer term the improved environmental conditions will benefit the substantial tourist industry in the area.

10 years ago October 2015

Murray Shire will almost certainly merge with neighbouring shires after a NSW Government report released on Tuesday found it was unsustainable in its present structure.

It was one of 43 regional NSW councils labelled unfit for the future, part of the NSW Government’s statewide consolidation of local governments, which has been on the table since late 2011 and claims to save billions of dollars for residents in the next 20 years.

Murray Shire has remained vehemently opposed to amalgamation in the face of suggestions it merge with Deniliquin, Conargo and Wakool shires.

The 144 NSW councils were asked to prove themselves Fit for the Future by providing a detailed submission looking at finances and their capacity to survive long term.

***

For a family of speedway fanatics, racing no doubt has come fairly easily to Echuca’s Rachel Pratt.

Both parents are drivers, so it seemed natural for daughter Rachel, 18, to join them.

To say she’s done well in the six years since she started her career would be an understatement.

With a 10-year-old car Rachel has taken her tin-top VL Commodore production sedan to the top of the state’s dirt speedway circuit’s circle shaped pile.

Already a champion at her Rushworth club and having claimed the undisputed women’s title — from her own mother Debbie, no less — Rachel has this season set her sights on mixing it with the men for a full 12 races between tomorrow and the end of May.

***

Federal Member for Murray Sharman Stone has called for a comprehensive review of the temporary water market.

She also wants the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to release its ‘‘unrequired’’ 20-gigalitres from Lake Eildon immediately.

Dr Stone said with the dry weather intensifying there was ‘‘no time to lose’’.

She said her biggest concern was the water would be bought by speculators and not farmers if it was made available.

‘‘I have asked the ACCC to see if we can introduce any restrictions on buyers and I have appealed to the CEWH to restrict the sales to only those with an on-farm delivery share.

‘‘However it would appear we cannot block the speculators and agents from this emergency water sale, given the state removed the cap from the market in 2009.’’

Dr Stone said every drop of the 20Gl should go to ‘‘genuine irrigators’’.