General News
18 September, 2024
Letter: Changing times
There has been much written lately about progress, politically correct ways of addressing each other, apparently gone are the Mister and Mrs greetings. When I started work in 1960 with the then PMG country communications were on partylines, known as...
There has been much written lately about progress, politically correct ways of addressing each other, apparently gone are the Mister and Mrs greetings.
When I started work in 1960 with the then PMG country communications were on partylines, known as country RAXs (several around here). Each Monday morning check that copper wire of the part line had not been pinched. The girls on the manual town switboad knew more about yourself , than you did.
The friendly post office staff and the postie delivering your mail each day with a blow of the whistle to let you know you had mail (not to mention the alert to all the dogs in the neighbourhood.) The street letter boxes where you could post a letter, Wedderburn had four.
Our local shire concillors serving localised areas, they knew our problems, even had a pothole book. Now you have trouble getting to the CEO even via your councilor, a possible 10 or more councillors for each shire now reduced and talk of even more reductions. A shire so big you need a good horse and water bag to get from one side to another.
Our local bank branches have now been amalgamated. Lucky if we have a branch in our town let alone be on personal terms wth the manager. Modern banking is now done with a plastic card, through a hole in the wall. Have a password they say! Somebody in the US scams your account and spends your money on an air ticket to Mexico
Remember when the local paper boys would deliver the paper and the early home delivery of the milk.
Education, gone are the localised district schools to be replaced with buses bringing pupils many miles to a combined school.
What did we do to deserve our “mobile smartphones”, a room full of people all talking at once on
their “phone” there is only two things in life they dont do, we won’t mention them emails sent from one desk to another, in the same office situated side by side.
Footy, the loyalty to your town’s team can now change, the makeup of the league and geographical area , the old “enemy “ now becomes your team. The days of the VFL Melbourne teams , now it’s Australia wide.
Going are the cars of our day, now electric is considered the answer. You might say: does it matter, that’s progress.
Thank god for “gophers”. I could go on! Country living is still the best! I leave it with you.
Peter Norman
Wedderburn