the balmain Tlie Peninsula association Incorporated news sheet

Vol 27 No 10 Issue 219 Founded 1965 N o v e m b e r 1 9 9 2

Balmain in Court Local Govt Conference in with a plea for councils to implementing SEPP 32 is that there is TheGovernor opened the Conference focus their efforts on ensuring our kids Theanother Battle for stage Balmain as we has await moved the decision into existing public infrastructure in the locality. Inherit a better world and not to pretend of the Supreme Court on Leichhardt Council, for instance, demonstrated that Council's appeal. The Local Government the sewerage system regularly overflows management is leadership. Then followed Conference in Albury unanimously and is clearly inadequate. As we all know 3 days of 25 guest speakers, 122 notices of supported the appeal. The Mayor, Aid the waste water from showers, dish motion, debate, resolutions and long Lan7 Hand, has said that the Building washers, washing machines etc is many evenings meeting other councillors from all Trades Group of Union had indicated they times the quantities produced by our over NSW. would assist. To raise funds for the appeal grandmothers when the inner city Jeff Shaw, QC, MLC, Opposition a "Battle for Balmain Ball" will be held at population peaked. Justice Pearlman, in Spokesman on Local Government and the Apia Club on Thursday, November 19. her judgement, says such a construction Balmain resident, conceded that planning To illustrate the affects of high density requires the clause in the act to incorrectly was the province of local government housing the Council proposes to temp read the word "existing" as "adequate". promised full consultation on all matters orarily change the kerb alignment in She said that renovating existing when elected. Some silver tails presented a Loyalty Square as proposed by the infrastructure to cope with multi-unit hous motion claiming the world recession was Chamber of Commerce. A marquee would ing is less a burden on public resources caused by penalty rates, leave loadings and be installed to advertise the campaign. than providing new Infrastructure. rostered days off. Fortunately their motion When Justice Pearlman handed down Anybody with experience in engineering was lost. Leichhardt Council received her decision in the Land & Environment and building could tell the judge that this is unanimous support for the appeal to the court she stated, In her opinion, the not always true. Supreme Court. Department of Planning did properly Clearly the need for urban con A i d N i c k M a s t e n n a n consult the councils when the Regional solidation comes from the desire to reduce Environmental Plan was brought down. the urban sprawl but the sprawl is driven However, when Gabrielle Kibble head of the people looking for housing they can afford. Department of Planning was being cross The way to curtail this sprawl Is to ensure Balmain 12ft Sailing Club examined about a series of letters, whether there is an adequate supply of affordable she wrote them, why she didn't answer the housing in the inner city. As Ted Mack has Sailing Club at a meeting on 13 responses, whether this was consultation been saying for some time, the most afford YOU are invited to help revive the December at 10.30am at the Club Rooms, of or Informing councils, why she didn't able housing is small houses on small lots. cnr Water & River Streets, Birchgrove. A advertise the SEPP, on and on it went and Building high rise or expensive houses on finally Council's QC Gary Downes asked the waterfront does nothing to reduce the sausage sizzle will be provided. her whether in her opinion the council had urban sprawl, it is a sham perpetrated by Programs to discuss are Learn to Sail, juniors and Twilight racing. been adequately consulted she said no! greedy developers and the Department of It was also interesting to note that the Planning. main justification used by the State for A i d N i c k M a s t e r m a n

LEICHHARDT MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

Assembly - Thursday. 19th Rations • 3 Course Dinner November. 1992 Penalty $40 a head "The^^ Barracks - The Apia Club. Leichhardt, Uniform • Formal Black - with a (Open Space Parking. Enter dash of gold Battle on Waterside) The Cause Proceeds to Council's R e v e i l l e - 7 p m Balmain Peninsula f o r B a l m a i n Lights Out - 12 Midnight Supreme Court Appeal The Band - The Echoes. (50's & Gratuity • Thankyou for your 60's Rock & Roll) support in this campaign Canteen - Liquid Refreshments on To Enlist 8164264 8108786 (AHI " Bair Sale Tickets are available at: Balmain Library Council's 370 Darling Street Administrative Centre

A. W. Woodward Administrative Centre 7-15 Wetherill Street Oletw Island Brid^ Town Clerk Leichhardt NSW 20^ poor attendance records were noted. This As Peter Bridges notes in his "Court Sentencing of Criminals criticism Intensified after the establishment Houses of ", the first of self-government in 1856, and the Police Court In stood on the site of Forthe lookingpast few at themonths, developmentwe have of been a pro government responded by increasing the the present Queen Victoria Building. fessional police force in New South Wales number of paid magistrates. It was with Greenway had designed a small domed as well as examining the attitudes to pun dismay that the members of the general market house which, much to his chagrin, ishment which lay behind the system of public found that by and large the mag was altered during construction and be prisons to which convicted criminals were istrates remained what Hilary Colder calls came a Police Office containing a small sent. As noted in our first article on prisons, "unusually autonomous" government em court room. the majority of individuals arrested for ployees whose removal was very difficult In the 1880's, when the markets had crimes and misdemeanours would have Indeed. Frequently th^ were the product become Inadequate for the growing city, been dealt with summarily by a magistrate, of "lateral recruitment" by ministers who the Police Court was given a new building so this is our topic this month. were free to appoint relatives, friends and in Liverpool Street which came into use in In the beginning of white settlement in political supporters in a manner which is 1892. The building in Albert Street, New South Wales, the English system of not enUrely unknown among political ap completed in 1856 near Circular Quay, was using Justices of the Peace as magistrates pointments today. originally a Water Police Court. was introduced. As viewers of English TV Some of these laterally recruited In the eariy days of the colony, the programs will be aware, JP's there still sit magistrates were, of course, perfectly com courts of the central district served the on benches and deal with court cases in petent and performed their duties well, but inner city municipalities well enough, but English courthouses. As Hilary Colder the system was a casualty of the Public after the gold rush the Increasing points out, however, the demography, Service Act of 1895 which created the population and the rise of a large suburban geography and economy of the new Public Service Board aimed at ending working class concentrated in a few well- colony forced its governors to develop and politicians' control of government defined areas led to the building of new rely on a system of paid police magistrates employment. Magistrates were specifically court houses. The Balmain Police Court from 1825. These magistrates directed the included in the new bureaucratic career was established in 1883 and sittings took local constabulary and heard the majority service and both internal and external app place in the town hall urrtil the new post of the area's cases; although they lost ex licants were supposed to pass a qualifying office/court house complex was com ecutive control of their local police forces examination. However, under the new leg pleted. The court house continues in use; as early as 1862, they were still called islation, no outsider could be appointed the most widely publicised of recent cases police magistrates as late as 1947, the unless there were no suitable internal there was, of course, the case involving courts themselves were known as Police candidate, with obvious results. Jeff Fenech. Courts as can be seen on the accompany Even before this Act, changes had The increasing professionalism of the ing photograph of the Balmain Court. taken place in the Sydney metropolitan magistrates who have served in Balmain - The appointment of Justices of Lhe area. In 1881 an unseemly brawl which and other - courts will be discussed in a Peace continued, however, and the re developed between temperance and subsequent article. lationship between the two types of pro-publican justices gave Henry Parkes Debby Nlcholls magistrate was often far from cordial. Nor the opportunity to outlaw justices in the Sources: Hilary Golder, "The Making of were unpaid magistrates, having been metropolitan police district. Instead he the Modem Magistracy", Journal of the appointed by and large from the wealthier gave exclusive jurisdiction to a special RAHS December 1991 and "Historic Court members of the colony, necessarily bench of "skilled and trained" men with the Houses of New South Wales" by Peter popular with the population as a whole. It new title Stipendiary Magistrate, and it was Bridges. was alleged that the justices were biased these magistrates who sat in the Balmain against working class defendants and their Police Court after it was completed in 1887. Christmas Gift Suggestion The Clothes Prop Man will be remembered by aU old Tigers. This is one of Klin Sullivan's sketches from our new book "Gourlie's Corner". The book will make an ideal gift f o r C h r i s t m a s . W a l G o u r l i e ' s m e m o r i e s o f the good old days make a good read and there are 35 photos as well a s K l i n ' s c o v e r illustrations. Price $10.0 postage $130.

dlot/»C5. o_ Benevolent Societies by its acquisition of "the largest and handsomest banner" In Sydney at a cost of £100. Surprisingly, the lOOF was a pioneer TheisIndependent one of theOrder oldestof Odd benevolentFellows of women's rights as from the 1890s organisations in . It was launched women only could Join the Rebekah Lodge. in Sydney In 1836 in the White Horse Inn In the Bible it was Rebekah who kindly drew by Wlliam Moffitt. In an era whwi social water from a well for a servant travelling security did not exist and most people died with his camels. during their working career — before the One of the true identities of Balmain was age of 60 — the aim of the Friendly Walter F Pineria who managed the Societies was to encourage the saving of a Dispensary of the United Friendly Society set sum — then 6d (5 cents) — so that the for many years during the Great member when 111 coulitreceive free medical Depression and World War II. Mr Rneria help and income while away from work. An then established his ovm chemist shop at Odd Fellow's widow could be assured that 384 Darling Street. His association with the her husband would receive a dignified Balmain Hospital extended well before his funeral without further charge. appointment to the Board of Directors in W i l l i a m M o f fi t w a s a b o o k b i n d e r I n 1960. His dedication to the principal of Liverpool when he was sentenced to service above self was acknowledged in transportation to NSW for seven years for 1962 when he was appointed President of stealing a quantity of tea. In Sydney, his the Hospital Board, a position he held until W a i t e r P i n e r i a sentence over, he became a leading his death In 1970. When the Hospital bookbinder, printer and stationer.' He was dispensary was opened in 1976, the Board one of the richest businessmen In Sydney named it the Walter Pineria Memorial Glebe Island Bridge when he decided to estaWish the lOOF. In Pharmacy. the 1860s Victoria became the stronghold KaOi Harney —Sink or Swing of the friendly society mostly in the gold Source: lOOF Update No 5. Balmain towns where they were attractive to people Class History, Lesley Lynch. Balmain Thethe National Heritage Trust Council has requested investigate that the who risked their health in the mines. Hospital Small Beginnings. proposed demolition of the existing Glebe The Balmain United Friendly Societies Island Bridge In the wake of continued Dispensary opened in 1885 wi^ 9 lodges statements from the RTA that it intends to vrith approximately 1,000 members. By demolish the historic structure, which is of 1889 the number of lodges had expanded great engineering significance. to 13 with membership of some 1 ,W0 and The Glebe Island Bridge is listed on both a new dispensary building was required. the Register of the National Trust and the The site chosen was 103 Beattie Street Register of the National Estate. It is also Henry Parkes was invited to lay the listed on the RTAs Section 170 Register as foundation stone and the event was an Item of heritage significance. The bridge marked by a procession which included is one of two surviving swing bridges in local dignitaries. The Dispensary not only NSW, the other being the Pyrmont Bridge provided medical attention but also cheap at Darling Harbour, both designed by Percy drugs. After the Lodge doctor attended the Allen, one of Australia's greatest bridge patient the prescription was presented. A designers. It is believed that there are few clean bottle and a cork was required from surviving swing bridges in the world. the member. This was duly Inspected by The Trust does not recognise that the the chemist and the prescription was existing bridge vdll not be necessary for refused if the container was unclean. The vehicular traffic once the new Bridge is Dispensary functioned until 1947. It is now completed and calls for open discussion a boarding house. regarding alternative options for the The prestige of the Friendly Societies in conservation and use of the bridge. The Balmain at that time can be Judged by the bridge provides potential of connection of nature of the social events. A band led a Pynnont to Glebe Island and Balmain and procession of 5,000 people to the United may allow for the proposed light rail Dispensary annual picnic at Birkenhead in network to be extended. (From National 1887. The financial strength of one lodge, Trust Quarteriy October 1^2) the Protestant Alliance, was shown in 1889 103 Beattie Street

black head, tall and legs, coarse wool, white common) containing some fancy soap; P O U C E G A Z E T I E body, and two large lumps under side of the clothing box was found in a lane off neck; any persons bringing the same to the Adolphus Street, by Mr Henry Bait, the lock Police Blotter steamship Columbian will be rewarded. was broke open and the above stolen Thursday 29 December 1859 Thursday 16 August 1860 therefrom. An old monkey jacket and Stolen or strayed sometime during the Stolen, between 8 and 9pm of the 13th waistcoat was found near the place where night of the 24th instant, from an enclosed inst., from the house of Hector Lolen, the box was discovered. Value £2 paddock, adjoining the Balmain dry dock, Adolphus Street, Balmain, the following, Monday IB March 1861 two sheep the property of the P&O the property of Charlotte Warren, the Stolen, between the hours of 3.30 and Company's ship "ColumWan"; one of the servant: a clothes box containing one white 10pm, of the 14th inst., from Bleak House, sheep is an English bred [sic], and of a petticoat, one small money box, containing Balmain, the property of Phillip Magrane, white colour, the other is an Edei ewe with one sovereign, one work box (very a silver plated candlestick value 12s. C h r i s t m a s G i f t s

TheofBalmain books idealAssociation for Christmashas a number gifts. Australian Shrubs Around Balmain $7 Called to the Bar $13 G o u r l i e ' s C o r n e r $ 1 0 Addaveragelife and colour sized to gardenthe garden. you canIn enjoyan quite a collection of small to medium native Add $2 postage plants. The Balmain Association Inc Natives are generally regarded as low PO Box 57 Balmain 2041. maintenance plants and although many can survive long dry periods this doesn't Guessing Competition mean that you can plant and forget them. Helen Bryde won the Klin Sullivan Good drainage is essential for naUves such painting in the competition drawn at Back as grevillea banksia. to Balmain Day at Elkington Park. At this time of the year the bottlebrush as wide and deep as the size of the plants container. is out in all its glory. They are among the Crott Show at Clontarf hardiest of plants because they can tolerate The one thing they do need is sunshine. such a wide range of climate conditions They just will not grow in shade. The birds and soil types. Sometimes confused with love them. The flowers vary In colour from A wonderfulgoods individually variety of made handcrafted by 10 top reds and pinks to mauve and cream and banksias, melaleucas and calothamnus craftspeople will be exhibited at Clontarf because of similar staminate flowers, the vary In the length of the flower spike. Cottage, Wallace Street, on Sat Nov 28 flowers of the bottlebrush genus Some shrubs are tall and upright in their 10am-4pm, Sun Nov 29 10am - 3pm. callistemon are, however, so called growth habits. Others are soft and weeping. The show includes decoupage jewellery because of the resemblance to the well Hannah Ray will grow to 4m with a pretty & boxes, heirloom sewing, antique known kitchen bottle washer. It doesn't weeping growth and crimson brushes. jewellery & buttons, applique & patchwork, Harkness is an exceptional bottlebrush really matter what type of soil you baby clothes, dried flowers, porcelain dolls, with masses of large bright red flower have— boggy and badly drained, coarse teddy bears, leadlight & stained glass, sandy or heavy clay— the bottlebrush will spikes on a rounded bush which grows to stationery, pots & preserves. 5m. Mauve AAist has pretty mauve pink thrive. Come and enjoy a devonshire tea with brushes in sunrrmer on a large shrub about When planting, allow enough room for a feast of Christmas shopping in one of the size of the plant at maturity so that they 3m tall and 3m In diameter. Balmain's historic cottages. Contact Sheila All bottlebrush should be lightly are attractive from all sides. Soak the plant Carter 555 1791. thoroughly before taking It from its trimmed after flowering. Don't feed them container and add plant starter to the water. with chemical fertilisers just some chicken The Balmain Association fnc If the roots are tight loosen them to allow manure pellets vdll be enough. them to spread. Dig the hole at least twice Bonnie Davidson representing Balmain, Birchgrove, Rozelle. O u r A l m s A r e To : • Improve the living, working and Get The Point recreational amenities of our area Photograph Request • maintain all features having Don Rocavert would like old natural architectural and/or InCommittee September inveiled the Ballast an Point innovative Park photographs of the Birchgrove tennis courts and players for a permanent display historical value concept in joint campaigning to achieve • compile and record history of t h e B a l l a s t P o i n t P a r k f o r o u r s u b u r b . In the meeting room. Can you help? the area & keep a permanent Instead of suggesting a boycott of Caltex Contact him on 810 0110. the recommendations were completely the collection of items of historical opposite. The Committee suggests that a interest television and newspaper advertising • seek the cooperation of campaign be created supporting Caltex W h a t ' s O n everyone concerned in the and encouraging Sydney to buy their retail realisation of the above products. The theme of the advertising The Watch House Is open every • E x h i b i t i o n a t t h e W a t c h H o u s e would be to inform Sydney that "Everytime Saturday from 12 to 3pm J a n e t S c o t t - N o v 7 - 1 8 you buy Caltex you're making a point - The Balmain Association meets on the N a d o M a l a t - N o v 2 1 - 2 2 Ballast Point Bushland Reserve". first Wednesday of each month at Ann Carney —The Burlong At present Caltex are looking at going 7.30pm in the Watch House beyond their core business of refining and Group - Nov 28 - Dec 6 179 Darling Street. Balmain. retail sales and investing time, money and Hyunml Leo - Dec 12-20 Maiic/o PO Box 57. BALMAIN. 2041. • Clontarf Cottage Craft Show energy in property development. As we are Our editorial phone/fax is 313 4954 all aware the property market is nowhere NovZB 10aTn-4pm Interested artists, potters, near as lucrative as it has been in the early Nov 29 10am-3pm sculptors, etc. who would like to to mid eighties. Together the community • Battle for Baimaln Ball organise an exhibition In the Watch and Caltex could achieve a far more Nov 19 Apia Club House are urged to contact Steve beneficial long term result for Sydney if the South on 810 1411. park were to be established and Caltex could make far more money by increased Printed on recycled paper Annual Subscriptions: sales through a business that well and truly © Not to be reproduced without Household $16, Pensioners & know and understand. authorisation Students $7, Organisation $21.