100 years ago
18 December 1924
Rules of the roads are not too strictly adhered to in the Shire of Dandenong by drivers of cars and other vehicles, particularly in Lonsdale Street. It is nothing to see a car or cart charging along on the wrong side of the road and many drivers pass in front of pedestrians instead of behind. This practice is not only extremely ill-bred, but decidedly risky and if the “superior” persons in the vehicles have not sufficient courtesy to do the right thing they should be compelled by the unpleasant process of the law. There are also more than enough instances of persons driving vehicles and riding bicycles without lights during prohibited hours while cars are often “parked” on the wrong side of the road at night without the slightest sign of a light. But it all seems to be nobody’s business.
50 years ago
19 December 1974
PUBLIC SCHOOL SENSATION!
Medieval stocks ‘used to punish students’
Claims of medieval corporal punishment being meted out to young students at a top public school were made to the Journal yesterday. It was claimed that junior pupils of Haileybury College at Keysborough have been caned while being held in stocks – a device used in medieval days and described as a “a structure with apertures for the head, hands and feet and formerly used for public punishment”. The “canes” pieces of solid mis-shapen wood each have a name Harry, Stinger and Martha. Being a public school, punishment is the prerogative of the head-master. The secondary school division of the Education Department said department regulations required that corporal punishment be administered for grave misdemeanours and to boys only, the instrument to be a strap and only on the palms of the hands.
20 years ago
20 December 2004
Crash city – Casey tops road death toll
The City of Casey heads the list for the most road fatalities of any Melbourne municipality so far this year. Transport Accident Commission data shows 13 people died on the Casey roads this year, seven more that the corresponding time last year. Greater Dandenong was also among five municipalities that recorded increases in road deaths this year. Senior Sergeant Pat McGavigan of Casey police traffic management said that the figures were mixed. “The Narre Warren and Endeavour Hills response teams’ numbers were down, but they were up in Cranbourne. In fact, they were through the roof mainly through people crashing into poles and speeding.”
5 years ago
17 December 2019
Party’s over for plastics
Greater Dandenong Council has resolved to ban single-use plastics such as bags, straws, balloons at festivals and sports events on council property within 12 months. In a move to reduce plastic pollution, items such as plastic stirrers, cutlery and cups and “unnecessary” soft plastic packaging will prohibited. In support, Cr Mathew Kirwan said “indiscriminate use” of disposable plastics caused “well publicised” damage to human health and the environment. Balloons were killers of seas-life and bird-life, choking them after ingestion. Straws, the eighth most common plastic product in oceans, killed marine life, particularly turtles, he said. Cr Tim Dark, in opposition, said the “absolutely crazy” policy would be hard to police and enforce,
Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society
