General News
20 January, 2025
Rediscovering Voices from the Past: Letters to the Editor from the Dimboola Banner
The Dimboola Banner has long been a forum for lively discussion, spirited debate, and community engagement.
In an effort to connect the past with the present, we are diving into the Banner’s archives to highlight letters from years gone by — snapshots of the issues and passions of earlier generations.
These historical letters showcase the vibrant conversations of the time, from debates about social norms and community issues to the challenges faced by farmers and soldiers.
(THE TWO FOLLOWING LETTERS ARE SUCCESSIVE)
January 25 1898
To the editor of The Banner
Sir,
The Dimboola Banner of the 21st was recommended as containing some very interesting reading matter: 'Early Reminiscences of the Wimmera". Unfortunately, for me it is part II, for I have not had the pleasure of reading part I.
The writer of part II states that the height of ambition possessed by employees engaged on the station of the Wimmera was that the boundary rider, or whatever other work he was engaged to perform, only looked forward to when the time should arrive that he would get his large cheque and then reward a mate to assist him in thoughtlessly squandering his 12-month earnings in a few days.
Now I fail to see where humanity has fallen so low as to have no higher or superior ambition than to devour immense quantities and qualities of liquor etc and as a very consequence must his very essence of life give way under the undue strain.
I do not think a squatter would entertain such selfish feeling as to only care his employees' duties were faithfully performed. Should he be dismissed, would not his employer give him good advice and later institute him into his former position?
The squatter is not a co-mixture of the dingo and the kangaroo, which are without any sympathy.
Yours etc
A farmer's son, Jeparit
'Old Tom' did not take long answering.
February 9 1898
Sir,
With reference to that precious production appearing in the Banner from 'A farmer's son', it seems a great pity that he did not take the trouble to secure part I so that we might have been enlightened according to his forte for the misrepresentation of actual events which would have been non-apparent but for the article he favored us.
A critic of comments on past history would, as supplied by an eyewitness, naturally be better informed than the person whose comments he attempts to criticise.
However, this literary genius does not seem to consider this as necessary. In his childish simplicity he "fails to see where humanity" (referring to station hands during the extravagant times of nearly a century ago) has fallen so low as to have no higher ambitions than to devour immense quantities and qualities of liquor.
I, on the other hand, must admit that I fail to see how any sane man has fallen so low as to have no higher ambition than to deliver himself of such immense quantities and qualities of twaddle.
Yours etc
Old Tom, Dimboola
June 11 1915
Dimboola band
Dear sir
Will you kindly allow us, through the medium of your valuable paper, to approach the public of Dimboola and the district on behalf of the above band? We regret having to take this step because it was thought that after being fully equipped with uniforms, instruments etc for which the public so liberally subscribed, the band would be self-supporting, but, owing to lack of engagements, our funds have gradually become exhausted and during the last six months we find ourselves indebted to the amount of about £20.
I can assure you, sir, that this is not due to bad management on the part of the committee or bandsmen, who have always had the best interests of the band at heart, and we were very reluctant about taking this step.
But the fact remains that it is most essential to have a good band in the town, as was proved at our last committee meeting when letters were read from several secretaries of local benefit entertainments thanking the band for their valuable services, which in each case were given gratuitously.
There is a rule on our book which provides that by paying 5s per annum a non-playing member is entitled to the same privileges as playing members as regards voting etc. Now this rule has never been taken advantage of by the public, or even by the committee, as a means of raising funds to support the band and, seeing that there have been so many other benefit entertainments of late, we cannot very well call on the public through that channel, but we do propose to issue these members' tickets in accordance with this rule, and one will be sent to the residents of the town and district within the next week or so and we hope that our action will meet with approval and support.
Now, as regards the practical part of the band, as far as that is concerned nothing better could be desired from the members. There is an average of 24 members present at each practice and numerically it was never better. There are now 26 performing members, in addition to a number of junior players who will shortly take their place with the senior players, who are ever ready to make any sacrifice to assist in any cause which requires their services.
We feel sure, sir, in the face of these facts, we are not requesting too much from the public when we ask for individual contributions of 5s per annum, and we are confident that we shall have a liberal response.
On behalf of the committee,
JH Currie, president, and CW Collard, secretary
June 16 1916
Anonymous letters
To the editor of The Banner
Dear Sir,
I beg for space in your valuable paper to air my feelings in a matter which I am at a loss to account for I have recently been the victim of two anonymous letters, which both show the writers to be possessed of miserably petty and jealous spirits.
Perhaps I am not far wrong when I say that such rubbish could emanate only from owners of depraved minds labouring under a delusion or from some poor miserable parasites who are afraid to come out into the open and say what they think but, instead, hide behind a bushel.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Muller
January 12 1917
The competition for wheat: how farmers may benefit wheat pool and themselves
Dear sir,
I doubt if it is clearly understood the advantage wheat growers derive from all wheat delivered to the local flour mills.
Mr Henry Schweiger, secretary of the Chamber of Agriculture and the gentleman who really originated the wheat pool, shows a small extent only the advantage derived by delivering direct to the local mills. He clearly sees the advantage but only in a small way. Every farmer who prefers the shipping agent to the miller really loses 4 3/4d per bushel. This is well worthy of consideration before deciding where to deliver your wheat.
If in an ordinary buying year, one buyer offered 4 3/4d less than another, what hope would he have in purchasing? Little, I think.
Yours,
An enlightened farmer, Dimboola
July 19 1918
Soldier's letter
her son Private Joe Jordan, who left Dimboola early this year:
In the field 23-4-18
Dear Mother,
I am now with the battalion somewhere in France, so of course, there is little to tell you.
We had rather a good trip from Blighty as far as the trains go but after that it was not all roses.
We had full packs up and marched 18km and I can tell you the last 2km seemed like 18 themselves.
Well, that night we were placed in billets wherein in times of peace the birds and beasts make their abode – but you do not worry when you are tired what sort of a place you get as long as you have enough room to hit down, and with plenty of straw beneath us, I can tell you I slept soundly.
The next morning the officer-in-charge, being a sport, had got nine transport wagons to carry our pucks to the next resting place.
At this point we picked up some of the Battalion boys who were billeted there.
Peter Martindale and Arthur Wilson are here in the 23rd. I've seen both of them and they look well.
Larry Fraser was also in the 23rd but was hit in the last stunt and, I believe, is returning to Aussie.
January 1939
In reply to Miss Margaret Gilruth's article 'Deutschland in Wimmera'
To the editor,
Sir,
I read with amazed interest your reprint from the Melbourne Herald of Miss Margaret Gilruth's article entitled 'Deutschland in Wimmera'.
Upon those items to which I am not personally connected I do not wish to comment but will confine my remarks to those that do affect me personally.
During Miss Gilruth's brief sojourn to the picnic, I do not think I saw her, so I presume she has confused me with Mr Byers, the brother of the first teacher (Miss Byers) whom I believe she did meet.
When I first came here, Mrs White stayed in Dimboola for several days. Certainly, when she did arrive here she was somewhat dismayed by the conditions, which were appalling to a woman fresh from English city life.
My first comment on the speech of the children, and I have no reason to change my views, was that it compared more than favorably with that of the average English child I had taught previously.
Certainly, an occasional child, when starting school, had some trouble with the English language but the boy mentioned was barely two years old and we do have an age limit.
I believe the conditions that Miss Gilruth describes were encountered by Miss Byers, the teacher who opened up the school 50 years ago, but they are certainly nonexistent among present-day scholars, on whose behalf I beg to offer this correction.
Yours etc
JB White, headteacher, Katyil North