Compiled from the Daily Advertiser
by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society
25 Years Ago
- One of Wagga’s longest-serving general practitioners, Doctor Hartley Austin has died aged 84 years.
- A repeat drink-driving offender has been ordered by a magistrate in Wagga Court to display a sign on his car warning other drivers that he is a convicted drink driver.
- Peter Mews, a 1994 Wagga Technology High School student learned that he had the highest Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) in Wagga with a score of 99.7 out of 100.
- Former Prime Television general manager, David Wunsch has taken over from Michael Hornby as Riverina Zone Manager for the Smith Family.
- Calvary Hospital chief executive officer, Anne Witherden has retired and plans to travel around Australia.
- Melanie Bradley, 17 and her sister Sonya, 15, both athletes with Kooringal-Wagga Athletics, recently completed a seven-day Australian Institute of Sport Scholarship in Canberra with Debbie Flintoff-King.
- A masked bandit armed with a sawn-off rifle entered a home in Pinaroo Drive, demanding money and menacing a young couple in the home.
- Wagga car dealers, including Mark Hillis at Hillis Ford and Scott Oehm at Wagga Motors, say that they are fed up with repeated vandalism wreaking thousands of dollars of damage to their vehicles.
- Wagga Base Hospital director of clinical services, Dr. Paul Curtis, said that the community need not be alarmed by the detection of a “golden staph” infection at the hospital.
- John Rosengren is joining the Riverina Conservatorium to teach jazz piano and develop ensembles.
- Unemployment in the Wagga area defied regional trends recording a fourth consecutive drop in the number of people receiving benefits to 3845.
- The price of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) has risen at most Wagga outlets by 2 cents to 35.9 cents per litre.
- The Industrial Relations Commission has ordered The Haven to reinstate one nurse accused of sleeping on the job but has agreed to the sacking of another.
- Knight’s Meats are selling barbeque chops for $1.99 per Kg and legs of lamb “rubbed with special spices” for $10.50 each.
50 Years Ago
- Wagga’s Capitol Theatre in Gurwood Street is being demolished to make way for a supermarket.
- At the suggestion of Mayor, Ald. R J Harris Wagga City Council is inviting a member of the State Planning Authority to come to Wagga to discuss the exclusion of North Wagga from the town plan.
- Honorary beach inspector, Mr. Shane Anderson has recommended that pylons in the river at Wagga Beach should be removed.
- Edmondson’s are advertising to “Sew and Save” with “Back to School” uniform fabrics selling for 30 and 40 cents per yard.
- Geoff Dixon, chief of staff at the Daily Advertiser for the past six years was farewelled by editor, Jack Dennis, prior to taking up a new position on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory.
- Hunter Bros. Ltd who have maintained the town clock for the last ten years will do so again this year with Council agreeing to increase the annual fee payable to $150.
- Eight Wagga students, including Paul Hedditch and Andrew McLure passed seven subjects at the Advanced Level in the School Certificate examination.
- Wagga City Council “reluctantly raised no objection” to an application from the Southern Riverina County Council for overhead electricity transmission lines to cross Willan’s Hill Reserve.
- Four new members, Fred Litchfield, Tim Morris, Bruce Brown, and Reg Rynehart have joined the committee of Turvey Park, Australian Rules Club but the club is still having trouble finding a replacement for secretary, Norm McLennon.
- English Test cricketer, Barry Knight is shown teaching 9-year-old Brendon Heath the correct batting grip during a special cricket coaching school held at Bolton Park.
- Huthwaites are selling bananas for 25 cents a dozen, lettuces for 11 cents each and Nescafe, Instant Coffee 2 oz jar for 36 cents.
- Wagga City Council estimates allow for an estimated $3,302,611 expenditure this year.
- David Jones are clearing famous name cotton bras for $1 each, quality briefs for 60 cents each and they have a rack of summery frocks for $3 each.
Membership of the Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society is open to anyone with an interest in the local and regional history of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. For more information about us and information on how to join our Society visit our website at https://www.wwdhs.org.au/about-us/members
