Thursday, December 27, 2018

Korumburra Shire cannot make a decision on a new road proposed by Carlo

In 1912, The Age had a report on the inaction of the Korumburra Shire regarding a new road in Strzelecki which the locals wanted and had contributed to, that had reports and plans drawn up by staff at the Public Works Department, including Carlo and that the State Government had offered funding towards.  I am sure that the residents of Strzelecki wished that all bureaucrats were like Carlo about which is written -  Probably he was able to do so much with the slow moving civil servants around him because he was blessed with unusual vigor himself and could paint a rosy scheme in treble languages (1) but it seems that even Carlo's vigor and  ability to paint a rosy scheme could not move the Korumburra Council into action.


The Strzelecki road proposal (transcibed below)


An Irresolute Council. Long Wrangle about a Road.
Korumburra, Sunday - The proposal to open up a new road known as M'Laity's road, Strezleckie, has been before the local shire council for the past 2½ years. At almost every meeting the matter has been discussed, and at time acrimonious exchanges have taken place between councillors. In the beginning a committee of the council, inspected the road and recommended its construction, provided satisfactory financial arrangements were made. The settlers interested have contributed upwards of £100 in money and in work. Three officers from the Public Works department, Messrs. Catani, M'Cormack and Kermode, have at various times inspected the road, and reams of paper are covered by reports, maps, plans, &c., in regard to it. A grant of £300 was also promised by the Government towards the cost, which was estimated at £647. At the last meeting of the council a petition was received from a majority of the owners and occupiers of the country to be served by the road, asking for a separate rate. This petition was ordered to lie on the table for one month. Cr. Fitzgerald, who has been championing the
cause of the settlers who want the road, submitted a motion accepting the Government's grant and the route proposed by Mr Catani, but on being put to the vote the motion was lost. In order to ascertain the definite position of the council, it was suggested that a resolution "That no further action be taken in the matter" be put. Crs. Western and Eakins moved to this effect, but the motion also was lost. Thus the council is in a unique position, neither in favor nor against the proposal, while the settlers, who have contributed work and money, are in great straits for a passable outlet for their produce, on account of the inaccessible nature of the country.

Was the road ever opened? I cannot find it listed in the VicRoads State Directory, so it may have been built under another name or not at all. 


Commmercial Street, Korumburra, c. 1910
Korumburra would have looked like this in 1912 when Carlo visited. 
State Library of Victoria Image H84.233/185

The Shire Offices are on the right of the photo, with the arched doorway and windows. According to Joseph White in his The history of the Shire of Korumburra (3) they were officially opened on March 18, 1908. The building had previously been used as a shop, known as Huckell's building, and had been offered to the Shire for 650 pounds. They did not accept the offer, so it was sold and the new owner then offered to sell them the building for 700 pounds, which is what the Council paid for it! They then spent 150 pounds on renovations. New Shire Offices were opened on March 26, 1956. 


Footnotes
(1) Table Talk May 3 1917, read article here.
(2) The Age  February 19, 1912, see here.   
(3) The history of the Shire of Korumburra by Joseph White (Shire of Korumburra, 1988)

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