100 years ago
14 September 1922
Physical Culture Demonstration
There was a large and enthusiastic audience at the second annual physical and culture demonstration of the Dandenong Methodist Girls Guild, held in the Dandenong Town Hall on Thursday September 7. The Rev H. S. Heath, BA presided, and in opening the proceedings spoke in eulogistic terms of the splendid work being done by these physical culture classes. The patrons were treated to a graceful and pretty display in skipping, running, free exercises, dumbbells, and Australian march hoop drill, under the supervision of their capable instructor Miss Bruhm, each item being warmly applauded.
50 years ago
21 September 1972
Hospital worry: lack of beds
The bed shortage at Dandenong and District Hospital is at a critical level. Several suggestions have been made in an attempt to ease the situation – such as putting temporary prefabricated accommodation in the hospital grounds and buying a private hospital to use for convalescent accommodation. The lack of beds was highlighted in Matron Shelia Ewen’s month report with 5971 surgical operations performed in the year ended June 30 – an increase of 1200 over the previous highest total. These together with increased road and football trauma, contributed to the shortage of beds and an extra workload in casualty. Dr G Jeffrey stressed that the bed shortage was very serious and the position acute. He said “the nature of this hospital is rapidly changing from a community to an accident hospital”.
20 years ago
16 September 2002
Mayoral threat to stop meeting
Greater Dandenong mayor Paul Donovan threatened to adjourn last week’s council meeting because of a councillor’s unruly behaviour. The mayor issued the ultimatum to Cr Geraldine Gonsalvez after he had to reprimand her several times for constantly interrupting debate and disrupting the meeting. It was during a debate over issues concerning a report and petition initiated by Cr Maria Sampey about the operations of the Jan Wilson Centre in Dandenong North. The 323-signature petition requested the council to intervene in the running of the Halton Road centre. Cr Roz Blades told the council comments made by Cr Gonsalvez during debate were personal matters relating to Cr Sampey and Cr Gonsalvez was “seriously out of order”.
5 years ago
18 September 2017
New-borns missing out
There are not enough maternal child health nurses to cope with a baby boom in Keysborough. Parents are having scheduled visits delayed by months, causing concerns about monitoring their child’s development. Richelle McClelland has an 18 month old son and a daughter aged four months. “I found with my little boy, the nurse had been sick a few times – which isn’t their fault – but then they weren’t able to reschedule appointment for us until three months later,” she said. Community Services Director Martin Fidler said there’d been a 5 per cent increase in birth notifications in Keysborough over the past 12 months and “if we had the nurses we could provide additional services”.
Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society
