Booroopki Newspaper Extracts

West Wimmera Mail

Friday, August 9, 1918

MEMS FROM MINIMAY A public meeting was held at Booroopki on Friday, 2nd inst. when it was decided to plant an avenue of trees in honour of local and district soldiers. All present were formed into a committee with power to add. Mr Wm. JONES was appointed president, Mrs C WONG treasurer, and Messrs. M. F. MORRIS and A. F. CARRACHER joint secretaries. A working bee is arranged for Friday next, 9th inst., all to assemble at Booroopki at 10 a.m. for the purpose of cutting and carting of timber for tree guards. A general meeting will be held after the working bee to consider important matters, and Mrs WONG has kindly offered to provide tea for the workers.

It is proposed to plant over thirty trees in all, and it was left open for relatives of soldiers to select trees. It is hoped that all interested will act promptly in the matter of securing trees, so as to have them ready for the day of general planting. Which will be fixed at the meeting to be held on Friday (today).

West Wimmera Mail

Friday, August 16, 1918

TREE PLANTING AT BOOROOPKI A very successful working bee took place at Booroopki on Friday last, 9th inst.; a fair number of men raiding the buloke timbered land of Mr F.A. CRABTREE, with the result that after a few hours solid work sufficient timber for over thirty tree guards five ft. square and five ft. high, was procured and practically all carted to the township. Mrs C. WONG kindly provided tea for the workers, which was greatly appreciated, a general meeting of the committee was then held, the president, Mr W. JONES, presiding. It was decided that another working bee, be held on Friday today at 10 a.m., for the purpose of erecting the tree guards, and it is hoped that all interested will be present. Wednesday, 28th inst. was fixed on as the day for planting the trees, and an executive committee was appointed to draw up a suitable program of proceedings for the day, this committee to meet on Friday (today), at 3 p.m. It was resolved to invite the parliamentary representatives, Messrs. A. S. RODGERS, M.H.R., and Wm. SLATER, M.L.A., and the president and councillors of the Kowree Shire, so that in many respects the 28th inst. will be a "red letter day" for Booroopki. A dance will be held in the evening.

West Wimmera Mail

Friday, September 9, 1918

AVENUE OF HONOUR TREE PLANTING AT BOOROOPKI

Although in the morning the weather was inclement, the afternoon of Wednesday, 28th August, the appointed day for Booroopki and district's worthy recognition of the incalculable and valorous services of her soldier sons, saw much improved weather conditions and a large representative gathering. After the singing of the national anthem, proceedings were opened by Mr C.D.BLOCK, who, in the course of his address spoke of the worthy cause which had brought all together. It was some minute practical appreciation of the manly services of their soldiers, in as much as, years after the war when the fickle human mind would fast let these services sink into oblivion, in Booroopki towering evergreens would stand aloft in their dignity, forcibly recalling to the aged and strikingly teaching the young the spirit of the times in which they were planted.

The Hon. Secretaries, Messrs A. F. CARRACHER and M. F. MORRIS, than read apologies from Messrs A. S. ROGERS M.H.R., W. SLATER, M.L.A., H. G. HILL and J. A. BULL and Crs. A. W. STEPHENS and P. J. CARRACHER, followed by the procedure of the planting. Thanks to the industry and energy of all, and to the generosity of Mr. F. A. CRABTREE, who donated the timber, the tree guards were all erected, and the plots were dug beforehand, through the agency of several working bees. The planting of the trees to the memory of the deceased soldiers, viz., Ptes J. R. GARDNER, C. F. PATCHING and P. BRENNAN, took pride of place. They were planted by Mrs Geo GARDNER, Miss R. A. CARRACHER (on behalf of Mrs P. J. LAVERY) and Mr W. JONES respectively. After this planting Mr C. D. BLOCK, in a few well chosen words, paid tribute to the deceased. During the afternoon, lunch, which was provided in their usual excellent way, by the ladies of the District, was partaken at the residence of Mrs C. WONG, who kindly provided all necessary crockery. Delicacies to suit the taste of the most fastidious were provided, while the attentiveness of the waitresses was the embodiment of efficiency. Proceedings were terminated with speeches by Messrs. C. D. BLOCK and B. LAVERY. The latter, speaking as an outsider, complimented Booroopki and district on having taken the initiative, among the many townships in the wide spreading limits of the prosperous Kowree Shire, in perpetuating the memory of those boys who have sacrificed all to do battle for the liberty and freedom which we all cherish. The National Anthem and God Bless Our Splendid Men were then sung, followed by three ringing cheers for the boys at the front, after which an adjournment was made for tea, which was again in the capable hands of the ladies.

After tea all proceeded to Mr D. CARRACHER'S storeroom in which the ever welcome dance was held. The "light fantastic toe" and "jest and youthful jollity" continued well into the early hours of the morning. The ladies, leaving no stone unturned, capped their unequalled generosity by providing the dancers with refreshments, inconsiderate of the fatigue which their arduous day must necessarily have incurred. During the evening Messrs. B. LAVERY, and W. ABERLEY favoured the assembly with fine exhibitions of step-dancing. The M.C., Mr Jack CARRACHER jnr, was at his best, while excellent music was provided by Messrs. F. HINCH, Leo BULL, and W. ABERLEY. Thus concluded a happy day for Booroopki and district, with the residents feeling an inward satisfaction that within one little corner of the vast area of appreciation applicable to our soldiers, there had been sown a kindly remembrance, a honourable tribute and a glowing pride, coupled with a keen recognition of Lawson's lines, wherein "The better part of the people's life is when the storm comes upper most".

Planting was proceeded with alphabetically, thirty five trees being planted in all. The following is the personnel of the planting:-

West Wimmera Mail

Friday, March 21, 1919

A meeting of the Booroopki Soldiers' Welcome Committee was held on Friday evening last, Mr L.A. BULL (vice- president) being in the chair. The principle business was to arrange for the presentation, and paying for, of the memorial addresses which are to be presented to the relatives of soldiers who enlisted from the districts of Morea and Booroopki, and made the supreme sacrifice. It was resolved, after discussion, that the president and hon. secretary, Messrs. P.J. LAVERY and A.F.CARRACHER, be deputed to present the addresses privately, as soon as they are in order. The names of the deceased heroes, in respect of whom the addresses have been prepared, are Cpl. James DELANEY, of Morea, and Privates Clarence F. PATCHING, and John Ray GARDNER, of Booroopki. A levy of 2/ each was struck on all residents, and Mrs C. WONG, Mr M.F. MORRIS, and the secretary, were appointed as canvassers. Lists are returnable on Friday, 28th inst., when a further meeting will be held.

West Wimmera Mail

August 22, 1919

AVENUE OF HONOUR
BOOROOPKI'S EFFORT

On Wednesday, 6th inst., a very pleasant afternoon was spent at Booroopki, the occasion being to plant trees in the Avenue of Honour in place of those that died since the original planting, which took place on 28th August of last year.

Besides planting of the trees, enamel plates, bearing the soldiers' names and units, were nailed to the guards, and a few improvements and alterations were also effected that day and on other days set apart for planting by working bees. Very little now remains to be done to complete the Avenue, which consists of thirty-five trees, securely enclosed with timber guards five feet square. The people of Booroopki and surrounding districts now look forward to the time, when they can proudly point to their Avenue as a fitting memorial of the untold sacrifices made by our heroes in the great war, and also as an adornment to the township.

West Wimmera MailFriday, September 05, 1919

Minimay Notes

The finishing touches have now been added to the Booroopki Avenue of Honour, and most of the trees planted on 6th August last are doing well, due largely to the fact that they were locally raised. They having been kindly supplied by Mrs A.J. HAWKINS.