From the pages of the McIvor Times

150 years ago

Published 6 May 1875

School Site

WE notice by the Government Gazette that a site of four acres 3 roods 4 perches has been reserved for State School purposes at Tooborac.

Published 13 May 1875

Accident

An old man named James Trimmer, 91 years of age, employed at Mrs. Jones farm on the Old Antimony Creek, was admitted to the Hospital on Thursday morning last, suffering from dislocation of the shoulder and fracture of the neck and bone, sustained by him on the previous evening by his being knocked down by a usually quiet horse he was holding, which was being harnessed to a cart.

Trimmer, who is a hardy old man, notwithstanding his great age, is an ancient mariner, having fought in the Marlborough at the memorable battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

100 years ago

Published 6 May 1925

The Kilmore Action

The sensation caused by the issue of writs in the Supreme Court against eight councillors of Kilmore Shire, at the instance of Mr. James Fennelly, formerly assistant shire secretary, claiming £200 from each for penalties under section 414 of the Local Government, as reported in The Advertiser last week, has calmed down.

Caucus meetings of council were held, and at one it was mutually agreed that Messrs McNab and McNab, the shire solicitors, put in the necessary appearance within eight days.

In addition to the penalty of £200, each councillor is held liable for the amount of the shire overdraft in excess of the legal limit.

The actions are to be stoutly contested.

Being the first of the kind since the passing of the Local Government Act of 1874, much interest is created in municipal circles throughout State.

Published 27 May 1925

Waistcoat Pocket Library

A new device which has just been patented makes it possible for a whole library to be carried in the waistcoat pocket.

The inventor is Rear-Admiral Bradley A Fiske, and the apparatus is known as the Fiske Reading Machine.

It consists of a narrow strip of aluminium, surmounted by a small magnifying glass.

Bands of paper, on which is printed reading matter reproduced by means of photo-engraving, in a space one-hundredth smaller than would be required by ordinary type, are run through the machine as it is held in the hand.

The glass increases the size of the type to normal.

Five of the strips contain about 100,000 words, which is the length of the average novel.

50 years ago

Published 6 May 1975

The car that needs no petrol

Residents of the Heathcote district will soon see an amazing little car which is noiseless, pollution free — and uses no petrol!

It is one of five Enfield 8000 two passenger electric cars brought to Australia by Chloride Batteries Australia Ltd.

The five Enfields, part of an initial run of 80 cars by the UK manufacturer Enfield Automotive Ltd, have been imported to demonstrate the advantages and economies of the modern small electric car, particularly its silence, freedom from pollution and its economy.

Mr E Colin Davis, Public Affairs Manager of Goodyear Australia, whose company shod the vehicle with the latest Goodyear 145 SR10 in Supersteel Radials, said the cars were powered by eight Australian-made Exide 12 Volt lightweight batteries linked in parallel to give a 48 volt system, carried in small front and rear compartments.

The little car costs less than one cent a mile to run!

It has a range (fully loaded) of 35 miles in stop-start urban traffic, and a range of up to 55 miles under less arduous operating conditions.

It has a top speed of 40 mph and excellent hill climbing ability.

Mr Davis said the Enfield Electric Car was fitted with an on board charger designed to plug into a normal 240 Volt 10 amp domestic power socket, and the batteries automatically recharge in eight hours!

The cost of power consumption is equivalent to 72 miles a gallon based on a petrol price of 65 cents a gallon.