ECHUCA BY-ELECTION

HUGE MAJORITY FOR MR HILL

Polling for the Echuca seat in the House of Representatives, rendered vacant by the death of Mr A. C. Palmer, took place on Saturday last, and, as will be seen by the details of the polling, resulted in the return of Mr W. C. Hill, of Colbinnabbin, by a very large majority on the first count. Not a very great amount of interest was taken in the election generally, excepting in centres here and there, for it was recognised that the outcome would serve only the purpose of estimating strength of the parties. In this regard, the result shows that, in the Victorian Farmers’ Union is a force to be reckoned with, and no doubt the Union will now be still further encouraged in its determination to contest alI country seats at the general elections, which it is generally supposed will take place in December next. There were three candidates—Mr Hill, Major Purcell (who stood in the interests of the National party) and Mr E. Lewis Purbrick Independent -and the voting showed yet once again that an “independent” candidate has no chance of successfully conducting an election against organisations such as have been built up as a result of party representation in the House. 

DISTURBING MEETINGS

(To the Editor)

Sir—Knowing your columns are open for the ventilating of any public matter, I venture to ask your aid in remedying a grievous nuisance, to wit, the disturbing of public meetings. On Friday night last when Senator Reid, a visitor from Queensland, was addressing a public meeting in the Mechanics’ Hall, the interruptions were so annoying as to call for protest from the Senator and the chairman, the latter threatening to have the interrupter removed, still the annoyance continued, and one of the audience not being able to put up with it any longer left the building.  You see the shameful position created — a respectable citizen “out” and the disgraceful person “in”. The police should certainly be asked to attend such gatherings in the future, as this condition of things should not be tolerated any longer.

—Yours, etc., ORDER.

PERSONAL

During last week Mr “Bob” Guthrie was in Numurkah and received a warm welcome from old friends in the district. In the early days Mr Guthrie and his brothers held land in the Yarroweyah district, but the “land “boom” caused him, as it did many other good men, to seek other avenues of employment, and he joined the staff of the “Sydney Mail”, in which journal his writing’s, under the penname of “Moira.” attracted attention right throughout the Commonwealth. Mr Guthrie was sent to the Continent by his paper on one occasion to inquire into the marketing of Australian produce, and also to make purchases of cattle on behalf of the N.S.W. Government. Our old friend had about reached the topmost branch of the journalistic tree in Sydney when his health forsook him. He is now preparing the way throughout the Commonwealth for the organising of branches of the Australian Industries Protection League, which, as its name implies. has been formed for the purpose of fostering a national sentiment in favor of Australian industries.

Sale of Booths.—The booth rights for the agricultural show on October 16 will be sold by Messrs Kilpatrick. McLellan & Co. on Friday of next week, October 3. They comprise the publican’s booth and fruit and lolly stall, and the terms of purchase are announced in the advt.

Football.—The large crowd that attended the Numurkah showgrounds on Saturday in Saturday in the expectation of seeing a close contest between Muckatah and Drumanure were somewhat disappointed, as Muckatah had all the best of the game, and won by 7.8 to 2.4. The winners showed marked superiority in handling the ball and “picking their men,” whilst Drumanure appeared at a loss to know what to do with the ball when they got it. Granted that Drumanure had four of their leading players out, they were still outclassed.

To celebrate the State Library of Victoria’s digitising of the war years editions of the Numurkah Leader, each week we will include the news of the week, 100 years ago.

To view these editions online go to trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/title/591.