100 years ago
26 July 1923
‘Dear’ Gas
The fight between the Metropolitan Gas company and its customers over the 40 per cent rise in the price of gas is ongoing. One of the arguments used by the Company’s manager for increasing the price is that the company may have to pay still higher prices for coal. Another was that the company’s stocks being depleted, its coal reserves must be built up. Why consumes should have to pay an increasing price because the company has to make ordinary provision for the future it would be hard to say. The real difficulty in the matter is that while everyone growls against the increase no one knows who is benefiting by the increased dividends that will be paid. The personnel of the Gas company shareholders are a strictly preserved secret, but there is a very general belief that quite a member of public men whose duty it should be to fight strongly against this monopoly, are interested, either directly or through members of their families, in the company.
50 years ago
31 July 1973
Geriatric Centre ‘is urgently needed’
There was a desperate and urgent need for the establishment of a geriatric centre in the Dandenong area, the president of the Doveton Senior Citizens Club Mr Clyde Harding said yesterday. In the past seven years Mr Harding says he has had to “force” his way into seven flats in Peace Court flats at Doveton, only to find the occupants dead. He has been campaigning for a geriatric centre for some time and at the club’s recent annual meeting, it was decided to step up efforts and demands.
20 years ago
23 July 2003
Jail, fine awaiting cheats
People found breaking stage-two water restrictions face large fines or jail time. Stage-two restrictions, which come into force this Friday at 1am, include a ban on watering private lawns and sporting grounds and a requirement for private car washing by bucket or a high–pressure water cleaning unit. Only international and national sporting venues, cricket pitches, golf and bowling greens, and tennis courts can be watered. Pools and spas can only be filled with written approval. People found breaching the restrictions face a fine up to $2000 or three months in jail for a first offence. Melbourne’s water storages have reached their lowest level in 18 years. The past 12 months where the driest period since records began in 1855.
5 years ago
30 July 2018
Sifting ‘fairyland’ from reality
Victoria Police are at odds with the Federal Government over the existence of ‘African gangs’. In contradiction to remarks of senior government ministers, a Victorian police spokesperson told the Journal that the criminal activity is “not what we have traditionally called gangs”. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reiterated their stance that Melbourne has a problem with” African gang violence”. The police spokesperson said young people of African backgrounds were overly represented in some high-harm crimes. However, they represent a small portion of offenders.
Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society
