100 years ago
17 September 1925
DANDENONG GAS CO.
Solid Progress
The Annual meeting of shareholders in the Dandenong Shire Gas and Coke Company was held in the company’s office, Hutton Street, Dandenong. The directors reported that the progress of the company again showed improvement, and they recommended a dividend of sixpence per share. The profit was not as large as in the previous year, but new mains had been completed at a cost of 120 pounds, and a new generator installed at a cost of 69 pounds, which was expected to materially increase the output of gas.
50 years ago
15 September 1975
STRAP USE ‘IS RARE HERE’
Corporal punishment is rarely, if ever, used on children attending Dandenong primary and secondary schools. In a random survey taken by the Journal, most principals agreed that some form of punishment was necessary, but the use of the strap was fading in favour of more modern methods. Miss Myrna Slattery, principal of Greenslopes Primary School said the use of the strap was fading and was only used on rare occasions when a child may do injury to other children.
‘A CHANGE’
Mr Basil Moss, principal of Dandenong High School, said “When I was a lad at school, the teachers always carried a strap and if you stepped out of line, you got the cuts. Now a change has occurred, I doubt if any child has ever been strapped at school all the time I have been here. Perhaps a teacher sets extra work, contacts the parents, or takes away a privilege. The ultimate punishment is to expel a student for a period of time, or permanently.”
20 years ago
12 September 2005
Behind the voice
The soft voice of Dandenong Taxis despatcher Elaine Sweetman has become familiar to hundreds of people in the region. Mrs Sweetman has been despatching taxis from the firm’s Hemmings Street headquarters for 30 years and is as popular with the management, owners and drivers, as she is with the customers. When she is not despatching taxis to all corners of the region and beyond, she enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and knitting. Mrs Sweetman said that when she joined, the company was called Ariel Taxis and had a fleet of 18 taxis, which has since grown to 87. “The company also operated as D and D CYMA Taxis with the headquarters at the corner of Jones Road and the Princes Highway. We grew to a fleet of 28 cabs, and when CYMA and Ariel amalgamated, we became Sandown Taxis and now Dandenong Taxis.”
5 years ago
15 September 2020
Covid costs soar
Covid-19’s lockdowns could tear more than $10 million from Greater Dandenong Council’s bottom line. This significantly outstrips the councils budgeted $7.3 million contingency fund made in June. In August alone, parking machine revenue dropped by 83 percent. Dandenong Market will be the source of a near $3 million hit in rent waivers and foregone revenue. The council may defer capital works projects, while the contingency fund is “highly likely” used to plug lost revenue. The anticipated revenue losses include nearly $5 million “beyond council’s control” such as parking permits and meters, planning application fees and hire of the Drum Theatre and civic facilities. This also includes $1.35 million less in parking fines.
Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society
