The Canberra Times 1940 - 1943 The Canberra Times stories tell the tale of ordinary Hall on Wednesday evening. Apologies for non people living in Canberra but in general do not give attendance were received from Mesdames Daley, details of the progress of the war. Instead the pages Gourgaud and Dr Nott. of the paper tended to tell of sporting and social events. In his report on the activities of the past year Lieut-Col JTH Goodwin said that although a certain measure of th 13 February 1940 support had been received from the general public it ELECTRICITY was the opinion of the society that more substantial Reduced Rates for Canberra support could be obtained. TO OPERATE AFTER FEBRUARY 29 The Minister for the Interior (Senator HS Foll) stated The Chairman referred to the preponderance of yesterday that as a result of a review of the receipts Government financial assistance to the society. and expenditure in connection with the Canberra Donations had been maintained by members of the Electricity Supply undertaking it had been decided to staffs in the Australian War Memorial, Departments of make reductions in the charges of electricity at Health, Interior, Treasury, Trade and Customs, Canberra. Attorney-General, The Prime Minister’s Department and the City Bowling Club. A number of other cash The new lighting tariff for domestic consumers will be donations had been received but the donations were 4d per unit in primary units and 1 and one eighth lower this year than for the previous year. It had been pence per unit in secondary units instead of 5d and … necessary to approach the Minister for additional respectively… subsidy. In additions to these reductions it has also been found During the year, said the Chairman, the ladies had possible to reduce the weekly hire charges on electric devoted much of their leisure to weekly attendance at stoves and bath heaters from 1/- to 6d and to 8d and 4d the Acton depot in order to distribute clothing. This respectively… had been collected from sub-depots by JB Young Limited and Snows Limited. In this regard the READERS’ VIEWS committee desired to record its appreciation of the donations of clothing etc, and to Messrs EW Parsons Footpath Riders and T Turner for services rendered during the year. The Editor, “The Canberra Times.” Sir, Why is it that Canberra’s splendid asphalt and The society had kept in close touch with the sisters of concrete roads are insufficiently attractive to many of the Mothercraft Clinic who were in contact with cases the push-bike riders of this City? They obviously of hardship. The provision of the services of a skilled prefer to obstruct the legitimate traffic on the domestic worker to assist in necessitous cases had footpaths, causing danger to law-abiding citizens who again operated during the year. frequently [have] to dodge the young law breakers and thank their lucky stars that fate was good to them. Election of office-bearers resulted: Patron: Minister There is no suggestion of police indifference to this for the Interior; chairman: Lieut-Col JTH Goodwin; evil, as the writer knows that authorative warnings are vice-president: Dr LW Nott; treasurer: Mr AW often given to cycle offenders. He would, however, Ayrton; secretary: Mr JF Grinsdale; committee: suggest that parents of guardians of reckless youthful Mesdames AR Townsend, PA Gourgaud, DP Israel, cyclists exert parental influence in the matter. Messrs AR Waterman, J O’Keefe, hon auditor: Mr WM Adamson; ladies auxiliary committee to assist in Yours etc the collection of funds (with power to co-opt: “ONE OF THE DODGERS” Mesdames AR Townsend, PA Gourgaud, DP Israel, WJ Mildenhall, AC Joyce and HF Morris. 1st March 1940 RELIEF SOCIETY The incoming committee was instructed to consider ORGANISATION IN CANBERRA the formulation of a scheme whereby a regular The Canberra Relief Society continues to receive measure of support could be obtained from the public. many calls for assistance and last year the expenditure The thanks of the society were extended to Mr RD was substantially increased due mainly to the free Grattan who had acted as auditor in the absence of Mr distribution of milk to needy families. The Adamson. expenditure was 570 pounds of which payments for milk amounted to 350 pounds compared with 170 11th March 1940 pounds. Other items for which heavy expenditure was APPALLING CONDITIONS FOR TECHNICAL SCHOOL incurred including clothing, boots and general financial assistance. TRAINING IMPAIRED BY BAD ACCOMMODATION During a visit of inspection to the Canberra Technical College buildings on Friday afternoon, leading Lieut-Col JTH Goodwin presided at the annual educationalists and citizens were astonished to find meeting of the Society which was held at the Albert 22 The Canberra Times 1940 - 1943 this important organisation functioning in over- RISKS TO TRAINEES crowded corrugated iron sheds. Trainees in the mechanical engineering workshops run a certain amount of risk owing to the fact that so many Apart from a large number of RAAF trainees more machines are packed into a limited space… Three that 200 Canberra youths and journeymen are rubbish incinerators burn throughout the day a few receiving training amidst surroundings that can only yards from the classrooms, while circular saws vied be described as appalling. This was the considered with locomotives in the timber and trucking yards in opinion of several who visited the College. making a din which baffles description. These distractions are not conductive to good work in the The visit followed receipt of a letter by the Canberra classrooms. High School Parents and Citizens’ Association from the secretary (Mr AE Helson) of the Trades Advisory Day and night classes receive tuition and it was stated Committee. that many more trainees could be enrolled if satisfactory facilities for study were provided. The committee sought the co-operation of the P and C Association with a view to placing before the minister The question of trainee apprentices was also the for the Interior a case in favour of the establishment of subject of investigation while the opinion was the College in permanent buildings on a suitable site. expressed that the residents of Canberra were not aware of the importance of the work being carried out In September last, the Trades Advisory Committee at the College. Apart from one teacher from the NSW sent a deputation to the Minister urging that technical Department of Education and who is nominally on the education in the ACT should be given the support it staff of Canberra High [Arthur Martin], the tuition of deserved: firstly by the setting aside of sufficient funds the College is carried out by four full time and several to start the permanent buildings and also by the part-time instructors selected locally by the improvement of the facilities for training at the Department of the Interior. College. st Although sympathetic and impressed by the 21 March 1940 reasonableness of the request the Minister was unable BETTING CASES to make the large amount of money available for a Two Women Fined commencement of the proposed building. “It seems a remarkable thing how many women are taking up the betting game,” said Mr J Ryan PM, at TRAINING IN SHEDS the Canberra Court of Petty Sessions yesterday when However, since the declaration of war, a large section two cases of illegal betting came before him. of the technical college buildings has been taken over by the Defence Authorities for the training of RAAF Lily May Luton was charged with having used a house personnel. Two large annexes now being completed in Manuka for betting purposes. Mrs Luton, who at a cost of 6,000 pounds will be occupied by classes pleaded guilty, was defended by Mr JL Maguire. at an early date, and it is understood that another large block to cost approximately 6,000 pounds will be The Police Prosecutor (Sergeant Bailey) said that the erected immediately. police visited a house in Manuka on March 9. He understood that betting had only been carried on in a These new buildings are constructed of wood, cement small way. The defendant told him she had only taken plaster sheets, and have corrugated iron roofs. They two bets that day and both were for small amounts. are a vast improvement when compared with the buildings which have served the College for more than “I think she was telling the truth,” said Sergeant 12 years, some of which were rebuilt from premises Bailey, “Otherwise she could have denied that she removed from the Royal Military College at Duntroon took any bets at all.” Sergeant Bailey said that the when that College was re-established. defendant had admitted that some time ago a person in the house used to take bets on a large scale. This person, however, had discontinued taking the bets, but OVERCROWDING In the building trades section trainees and apprentices she had continued to take small bets. receive tuition in over-crowded rooms. Students receive training in theory, drawing etc in classrooms Mr Maguire (for Mrs Luton) said that if his client was separated from her husband and by taking the bets was were practical work is being carried out particularly in the plumbing and sheet metal sections. The only trying to make ends meet. He asked for a light equipment generally was stated to be first class, but a penalty. The magistrate imposed a fine of 3 pounds large quantity of valuable machinery is housed in dirty with 12/6d costs. When time to pay was sought Mr Ryan said that this would be granted provided that buildings, which could not be made fire-proof.