The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, Thu 6 Nov 1879 ¹

COONAMBLE.

Monday.

    (Herald.)—Much dissatisfaction was expressed when it was learnt that the new post office was proposed to be built on the west side of the Court-house. The townspeople were not consulted as to the east side, which is better, and a petition by telegram has been sent to the Postmaster-General, praying for an alteration to the east side.

    The temperature is 97 in the shade.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 19 Feb 1876 ²

COUNTRY AND MINING NEWS.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
————

…

COONAMBLE.

Feb 11.

…
    I am glad to state that by the coach to-day Mr Henry and Mr McFarlane arrived, the contractors for the new court-house here. I saw the plan; it is a very nice one, and the building is to be of brick. There is great dissatisfaction felt here at the site chosen for the new court-house, it being right on the bank of the river, and in fact, out of sight of the principal streets in Coonamble. If anything can be done in the way of getting the site altered to some more prominent part of the town, it ought to be done at once or it will not be much ornament to the town on the site already chosen. I hope ere long tenders will be called for the Hospital and also the Mechanics’ Institute.
…
    I hear we are to have an alteration in the post and telegraph-offices. Where the new place is I have not heard yet, but I hope it will be in a more prominent site of the town than the new court-house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 25 Mar 1876 ³

COUNTRY AND MINING NEWS.
————
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.)
————

…

COONAMBLE.

March 17.

…
    The public meeting I mentioned in my last came off at Mr G Cass’s Courthouse Hotel, on the 8yj. Mr RS Hill was voted to the chair. After a good deal of discussion, it was put to the meeting whether or not a petition should be sent to the Minister for Lands, to have the present proposed site of the new Courthouse removed. It was carried by a large majority. The petition is now in course of preparation, to have the site altered to Castlereagh-street.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Evening News, Thu 16 Nov 1882 ⁴

COONAMBLE REQUIREMENTS.

    Yesterday a deputation from Coonamble, consisting of Aldermen Jones and Berg, and Messrs W Evans and Hairs, introduced by Mr Cass, MLA, waited on the Under-Secretary for Works and the Colonial Architect for the purpose of urging upon the Deparment the necessity of taking immediate steps to accelerate the completion of the additions to the local gaol and new courthouse in course of construction. It was pointed out that there are only two small cells in the present gaol, and frequently these small compartments were occupied by no less than 13 prisoners, and on one occasion, owing to the incarceration of a female, 12 male persons were confined in one cell. Such an unfortunate state of things, it was urged, was liuttle short of barbarity in a climate where the temperature in the summer months ranged from 100 deg[rees] minimum to 123 deg maximum.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Evening News, Wed 6 Dec 1882 ⁵

COONAMBLE.

    A public meeting was held in the hall of the Mechanics’ Institute on Wednesday evening last to secure the co-operation of the electors of this district in gaining the joint representation of Sir Patrick Jennings and Mr George E Cass in the forthcoming Parliament. PA Polin, Esq, Mayor of Coonamble, presided. The chairman, in opening the meeting, alluded to the fact that owing to the Coalition Ministry of Sir Henry Parkes and Sir John Robertson being defeated upon their Land Bill, which bill he considered was one of the most obnoxious that any Government had ever attempted to foster upon this country, they were called together to secure the re-election of their late representatives. He felt sure that he did not need to remind the electors of this vast electorate to the many occasions to which they were indebted to Sir Patrick Jennings and Mr Cass for their able representation. Why, prior to the election of these gentlemen, Coonamble was, figuratively speaking, unknown. Now look around you and see your new buildings, courthouse, gaol, public school, post and telegraph offices. Had they not the promise of speedy railway communication with Dubbo. Look at the estimates for the ensuing year, £40,000 were placed upon them, and out of that sum they might with confidence look forward to half that amount being expended in this district. Sir Patrick Jannings [sic] and Mr Cass had not forfeited the confidence reposed in them; on the contrary, they deserved the support of the whole of the electorate, and he trusted that upon the convincing day every man would record his vote, and show by their unanimity they were worthy of the representation of two such able members. (Cheers).

 

---

¹  The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, Thu 6 Nov 1879, p. 3.

²  Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 19 Feb 1876, p. 290.

³  Australian Town and Country Journal, Sat 25 Mar 1876, p. 490.

⁴  Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Thu 16 Nov 1882, p. 2. Emphasis added.

⁵  Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Wed 6 Dec 1882, p. 3. Emphasis added.

---