Broomehill Progress Association. Broomehill Progress Association.
Broome Hill, or Broomehill as it is now, like many towns along the Great Southern Railway, started to grow and expand. The nearby town of Eticup slowly died as merchants moved to Broome Hill and set up business there. A roads board had been established to oversee the needs of the town and its community.
As is the case today, not everyone agreed with decisions made by the roads board or the state government so the Broomehill Progress Association was formed in 1905.
Broomehill – 1906
Hotel (left) and Drew Robinson (later the Broomehill Co-op) right.
PROGRESS ASSOCIATION FORMED AT BROOMEHILL.
Great Southern Herald
19 July 1905 – P3
A meeting of those interested in forming a Progress Association was held in the Broomehill Agricultural Hall last Saturday when there was an attendance of about 18 gentlemen. Mr C. J. Darcy took the chair, and Mr Cuneo acted as secretary pro. tem.
The chairman dealt on the objects of such an association. They would, he said, include the construction of spur lines, the eradication of noxious weeds from main roads and stock routes, the protection of farming interests, and the advancement of the district generally. Mr Cuneo, in a well-worded speech, showed how this association would stand in regard to other local governing bodies.
The Broomehill Roads Board was a very busy and properly constituted body, but it could not advocate anything outside its own jurisdiction and consequently, in some departments, the Progress Association would speak when the Roads Board would have to remain mute. Moreover, if the association’s voice were added to the Roads Board’s in certain matters, such as preventing the present waste of mallet bark on reserves, &c., it would bear further weight with that department to which the request was sent.
Mr Ryan moved, and Mr Green seconded, “That a Progress Association be formed.” Carried unanimously.
It was decided that 16 be the number of committeemen and the following officers were elected. President, Mr Norrish; vice-presidents, Messrs McGuire, Steer, C. J. Darcy, McKenzie and Green; treasurer, Mr J. R. Norrish; committee, Messrs C. J. Darcy, R. Norrish, Cuneo, Bettridge, T. McGuire, Burridge, Parker, John McDonald, F. Hillman, Stevens, Garrity, K. T. Meyers, M. J. Ryan, G. Green, Fred Meyers and F. B. Tremearne; secretary, Mr Hillman; assistant secretary, Mr Cuneo.
A somewhat lengthy discussion ensued re mallet bark, ending in a motion, proposed by Mr Ryan, and seconded by Mr Burridge, that the secretary of this association be instructed to write to the Department Woods and Forests re getting commons and reserves made available for the gathering of mallet bark as many trees on these areas had already been operated upon by mallet bark strippers. This motion was carried, and the meeting adjourned till next Saturday.
BROOMEHILL PROGRESS ASSOCIATION.
IMPORTANT SUBJECTS DISCUSSED.
Great Southern Herald
2 August 1905 – P3
At a meeting of the above Association held last Saturday there was an attendance of 22 members including Mr T. Norrish, chairman, and Mr Hillman, secretary.
MALLET BARK.
A communication was received from the Hon. F. H. Piesse, in reply to a request from the Broomehill Progress Association, stating that the Minister of Lands would have no objection to mallet bark strippers collecting bark on the Government reserves provided that the strippers had licenses.
PROPOSED HEALTH BOARD.
The proposed formation of a local Board of Health for Broomehill was then discussed. The chairman said that he thought one very desirable as the local Roads Board had too much other business to efficiently attend to the town’s sanitary conditions which were in a disgusting state. Some time ago the Central Board of Health was asked to advise on this subject, and a gentleman was sent down to make enquiries. There was some mismanagement, with the result that the Central Board of Health replied that the Roads Board should still continue to regulate the sanitary conditions.
Mr Meyers: I think they should, too.
The Chairman: You’re a new member of the Roads Board and therefore don’t know what a big range of business we do.
Mr Meyers: There are only about 30 householders in Broomehill within a 30-chain radius, and the expense would be too much for them. Besides other things an inspector would have to be provided.
The Chairman: And so would an inspector have to be provided if the sanitary conditions remained under the control of the Roads Board.
Mr Parser: The expense of maintaining a Health Board would be incurred solely by the townspeople.
After further details had been gone into, Mr Darcy moved, and Mr Parker seconded, that a meeting of residents of Broomehill be held next Saturday, August 5, at 7.30p.m., re the advisability of the formation of a local Board of Health.
NEW PARCELS RATE.
Mr Cuneo intimated for the information of members that a new parcels rate would come into force next Tuesday when stamps would be used on the parcels which, if paid at the receiver’s end, would cost 50 per cent more than if paid at the consignor’s end.
NEW RAILWAY RATES.
Mr Ryan proposed that this meeting protest against the new grain rate and accordingly send a delegate to the next meeting at Katanning for that purpose. Carried.
Mr Ryan proposed, Mr McGuire: seconded, that the delegate receive 10s. to defray necessary expenses. Carried. Mr Norrish was unanimously elected delegate on the motion of Mr Green, seconded by Mr Meyers.
Mr Darcy moved that a petition be drawn up by the secretary protesting against the new grain rate, and that this be signed, by as many farmers as possible. This motion was also carried after being seconded by Mr Meyers.
It was agreed on the motion of Mr Meyers, seconded by Mr Burridge, to ask the Tambellup Progress Association to assist Broomehill and Katanning in the reduction or alteration of the new grain rate. Carried. Mr Ryan proposed, Mr Burridge seconded, that the resolutions of this meeting be conveyed by the secretary to the members for the district, Carried.
ORNAMENTAL TREES.
A somewhat lengthy discussion then ensued as to the planting of trees in Broomehill at the same time as the school held its Arbor Day, about the 25th inst. Mr Meyers commented upon the “army of goats” which paraded the town, and the harm they might do to the trees unless suitable guards were put up for their protection. Mr Cuneo said that box poison would annihilate the goats and then guards would be unnecessary, (Laughter).
Mr Parker, headmaster of the school, made comment upon the subject, and on the motion of Mr Darcy, seconded by Mr Burridge, it was agreed that this Association recommend to the local Roads Board to plant trees and erect tree guards on localities they thought most desirable, and to do same on a day fixed by Mr Parker as Arbor Day for the school.
WATER SUPPLY.
As another instance of the necessity for a local Board of Health, it was intimated how bad a state the water was for domestic purposes, and also how hard it was to obtain in summer. Mr Ryan therefore moved, Mr Cuneo seconded, that £150 be asked from Government for the construction of a cemented tank for use of travellers and for domestic purposes, and that the Hon. F. H. Piesse be asked to help towards obtaining this amount. Carried.
DAY OF MEETING.
It was agreed to hold future meetings monthly on the Saturday nearest the full moon whether preceding or following it, and on the motion of Mr Darcy, seconded by Mr Burridge, it was agreed to hold the next meeting on August 19.
A vote of thanks moved by Mr Green was accorded the chairman, and the meeting adjourned.
SPECIAL MEETING
BROOMEHILL PROGRESS ASSOCIATION.
Great Southern Herald
16 August 1905 – P3
A special meeting of the above Association was held last Saturday for the purpose of electing a delegate to join the deputation to the Minister of Railways respecting the alteration of the new grain rate. Mr T. Norrish presided, and over 40 persons were present.
Two letters were read from the Hon. F. H. Piesse, M.L.A. The first stating that he had placed the matter of a government grant of £150 for a cemented tank before the Minister for Works. The second saying he had forwarded the Broomehill Progress Association’s protest re the new railway rates to the Minister.
Mr Burridge moved, and Mr Davis seconded, that Mr Norrish be Broomehill’s delegate on the deputation to the Minister of Railways. Carried unanimously.
Discussion, in which Messrs Meyer, Steer and Cuneo took part, then followed. Mr Meyer, who had previously collected subscriptions to defray the delegates’ expenses, informed the meeting that he had been very successful. Further monies were then handed in, totalling in all £5. 7s .6d, which the chairman said was sufficient for the purpose in question.