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26 September 1904
Military Inspections.
Attack on Flirtation Hill.
By Saturday morning's train Colonel Legge and Captain Hildyard arrived in Mudgee for the purpose of putting the local troops through their annual inspection. Colonel Legge devoted his attention to the infantry, while Captain Hildyard took the cavalry in hand.
It certainly seems very strange that the two arms of service were not given some practical work together. The actual inspection of the uniforms, arms, &c, was only a formal detail, and if a mere layman may be allowed to express an opinion it seems obvious that much better practical field work could have been done if the troops had worked together. This opinion, of course, may not coincide with strict military etiquette, but it coincides with common sense.
The mounted troops, under Lieutenant V. D. Cox, paraded at the Cudgegong Council Chambers, and then proceeded to one of the Menah pad docks, when a good afternoon's work was put in.
The infantry paraded under Captain Abernethy, with Lieutenant Sheppard next in command, and marched to the ground at the rear of the hospital, whither a 'Guardian' representative followed them for the purpose of picking up a few wrinkles in strategy, for they might come in useful some day.
Under the direction of Colonel Legge the company was marched eastwards, and then wheeling round - were halted in fours, and facing Flirtation Hill.
The Colonel then briefly explained the scheme of operations. The troops were supposed to be marching in the enemy's country, when suddenly they were saluted with bullets from behind the bushes on the top of the hill, where lovers are supposed to bill and coo like turtle doves.
'Now, Color-Sergeant Coxhead,' said the gallant Colonel, 'take charge of the company and show us what you'd do.' The Color-Sergeant evidently believes in a solid front, and no shooting, and he marched the company forward in close order, exposed to the enemy's fire. This tactical mistake hurt the Colonel's feelings terribly, and it was not until after a lot of waving of arms and blowing of whistles like a football referee's that the company extended and took cover.
Some rushed round the front of the hospital, others lay behind the fence, and some lay flat on the ground.
The Colonel looked somewhat amazed, and the Color-Sergeant was told to consider himself dead. Lieutenant Sheppard was then given command, and he walked around surveying the disposition of his men. If he was satisfied the Colonel was not, for he informed the Lieutenant that if he walked about like that exposed to the enemy's fire, he would be 'outed' in no time. After a few more remarks Lieutenant Sheppard was also told to place himself on the list of dead.
By this time the plan of attack and necessities of the case were beginning to be understood, and when Sergeant Coxhead was ordered to take command of the company, the men were eager for the fray.
They took advantage of what little cover was available, and finally arrived in the creek which runs to the east of the show ground, and then the blank cartridges began to pop to the huge delight of a crowd of small boys who superintended the operations.
The men who had gone round the front of the hospital then commanded a smart fire on the enemy's right flank, but the left flank was left un attacked, possibly because the men did not want to disturb a mob of fine fat sheep belonging to Mr. J. Douglas, which were gently browsing on the southern slopes of the hill.
At last the Show Ground fence was reached, but 'a barbed wire fence entanglement' impeded the advance. However, some of the advance army of small boys showed the road over the entanglement, and Sergeant Cox head and his men were soon rushing on to death and glory with the grand stand for cover.
The firing became smarter, the small boys cheered the louder, and finally the brow of Lover's Hill was in possession of the attacking force. Anyhow, the attacking force got there, and they were rewarded with a smoke.
The Colonel then made a few remarks. On the whole he was quite satisfied. The imaginary situation he created was something quite new to them, and therefore some mistakes were only to be looked for. Cover was not taken promptly enough, and in actual warfare half the company would have been shot down, but this scribe ventures to humbly remind the gallant Colonel that in actual warfare the enemy's bullets would emphatically suggest cover, and do away with the errors of Saturday's mimic warfare.
To the "Guardian" man, who followed up with the small boys and the dead soldiers, the operations were interesting, but if the Colonel had made the situation a little plainer at the commencement some of the blunders would no doubt have been avoided. Anyhow no harm was done and the troops were marched to the drill hall under command of Lieutenant Sheppard, the "Guardian" man following them as far as Jack Gossage's canteen, where a martial thirst was satisfied by a pint of Mudgee's best1
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23 September 1912
'Blues' v 'Reds.'
Capture of Flirtation Hill.
On Saturday Lieut. Muckleson, staff officer, was in Mudgee, to make the annual inspection of F. Co., 41st Infantry regiment. About 2.30 p.m. the members of the local company assembled in front of the drill hall in Church Street, and the visitor went over the accoutrements carefully. He remarked that the rifles were very well kept, and the other equipment was up to the standard. At the conclusion of this inspection, an adjournment was made to Victoria Park where the various non commissioned officers were requested to put the men through different movements. This was satisfactorily done, the only fault which the inspecting officer could find being the fact that the 'non-coms.' did not utter their words of command, although they had a good knowledge of their work.
After this formal business was completed an order was made to deliver an attack on Flirtation Hill. The idea was that the enemy (Red) held the hills to the south of Mudgee and had pushed forward an advanced section to Flirtation Hill, where they were entrenching. The local (Blue) company was instructed to dislodge them. Scouts, connecting files and vanguard, under Lieut. Elliott were immediately despatched to "get into touch" with the enemy. Captain Sheppard with the main guard started from the Park, and proceeded along Denison-street to Douro-street, where signals were received that the enemy was in sight in force. Captain Sheppard immediately deployed his men. With a series of rushes, making use of every available cover, and a solid covering fire being kept up, the men were swung into line (extended order) at the foot of the Hill, where a grand charge routed the 'Reds.' After the (completion of the manoeuvre, which was entered into with great zest, an outpost was stationed. After this the men were re-formed and marched down the hill. Lieut. Muckleson then delivered a short address. He highly complimented both officers and men for their keenness and the splendid way the attack had been carried out. He had a special word of praise for the scouts and for the way 'cover' was utilised. He said that the man oeuvre was put through in a very intelligent and careful manner. In his opinion the Mudgee company was a very good one, and was very capably officered2
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27 January 1916
Flirtation Hill Drainage.
Deputation from the Agricultural Society.
At the conclusion of the Mudgee Council meeting, a deputation from the Mudgee Agricultural Association consisting of Messrs. V. D. Cox and H. R. Hardwick, waited upon the aldermen anent the drainage near the showground.
Mr. Cox explained that after every storm the trotting track was badly damaged by the flood waters from Flirtation Hill. The whole of the drainage from the hill rushed through the ground. After the heavy storm the other day (it was a very severe one, of course), the Ground Committee found the trotting track almost ruined. The Society had to put on extra men and horses and drays to fill the scours and mend the track, generally. Some years ago the Council dug a drain on the top side of the ground. In one place the water had broken through and rushed into the showground. If the Works Committee examined the place, mended the break, and extended the gutter a chain on the southern side and a chain or two on the northern side, it would get over the whole difficulty. Such a work would greatly benefit the street, and would be inexpensive.
The Mayor, replying to the deputation, promised that the Works Committee would inspect the place, and he thought they would, in all probability, adopt the wise suggestion of Mr. Cox3
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2 August 1917
Alleged Attempted Rape.
AT FLIRTATION HILL.
TWO YOUNG MEN ARRESTED
On Monday afternoon Harold Tubbenhauer, a young man, was arrested on a charge of having on the previous night unlawfully assaulted Annie Blanch, a single woman, and attempted to commit a serious offence upon her.
On Tuesday evening a second young man, William Riley, was arrested, charged with having similarly assaulted, with like purpose, the same woman.
Tubbenhauer was brought before Mr. F. Grugeon, J.P., at the Mudgee Court House on Tuesday morning, and was, on the application of the police, remanded to Friday. Bail was allowed in one surety of £80, and the accused himself in a recognisance of the same amount.
Riley was brought before Mr. F. Grugeon, J.P., on Wednesday, and was also remanded on Friday. Bail was allowed in one surety of £80, and accused's own recognisance of the same amount.
The alleged offence is stated to have been committed on Sunday near Flirtation Hill, on the western side of the Show Ground.
The girl, aged 19 years of age, whose parents live at Gulgong, but who is in domestic service at Mudgee South, was on Sunday out walking with a young man named Baden Marks, and was with him at the place indicated above, when, it is stated, the two accused, who with other young men and boys had come through the Show Ground, appeared on the scene.
The girl alleges that Tubbenhauer who had made certain suggestions to her which she repelled, knocked her down and interfered with her. She alleges that she was for a time stunned or dazed by the blow that Tubbenhauer gave her, but when she fell Riley was also on the ground with her.
Marks, and another young man who was present, interfered for her protection. There were, she says, several other young men and youths present at the time, but they did not interfere one way or the other.
The accused deny that they assaulted the girl as alleged by her4
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13 September 1923
THE RUBBISH DEPOT.
Pursuant to notice Ald. Farthing moved. - That the council take steps to procure a new site for its rubbish depot, other than Flirtation Hill, and that as soon as possible the old depot be cleaned up, and the depositing of rubbish discontinued.
The rubbish depot had been a burning question, declared Ald. Parsons, long before he entered the council. If only tins and solid rubbish were put there, things would not be so bad. But as it was at present, the depot was unsightly and unhealthy.
Ald. Robinson: I'm glad you're getting tickled up a bit (Laughter). I've been getting all the slops.
Ald. Parsons stated that he had no new site to suggest. Ald. Cohen had suggested that an excavation could be made, and the tins flattened out. There were many complaints about the stench in summer, and the depot was a breeding ground for fruit pests. Growers stated that it caused them much loss and inconvenience.
The motion was seconded by Ald. Farthing, who stated that Flirtation Hill was the last place that should have been used as a rubbish tip. All the filth was taken to the top side of the town. In summer time the rubbish was fired, and the smoke flew all over Mudgee South. The stench was worse than the smells from a slaughter house.
Ald. Robinson: It isn't worse than the gutters.
Ald. Colless didn't mind tins. But he drew the line at refuse from the skin stores. He was there for a clean Mudgee every time. He never shirked his duty. Rotten fruit was dumped in the depot, and the Council was breeding codlim moths for other people. The rubbish should be buried or burnt. People wouldn't sit on the hill - or flirt - because of the dreadful, malodorous depot. Slops from the pubs had been put there until recently. The site was one of the best in Mudgee, and afforded a beautiful view of the town.
Ald. Robinson couldn't let such an important matter pass without comment. He was sympathy from his boots upwards. And he had no idea that the depot had been such a nuisance. He was surprised. But there was one redeeming feature. The slops didn't go up there. They all came near him. (Laughter). That's why he was in sympathy with Ald. Colless. In fact, the worse the smell, the more Ald. Robinson chuckled. He was glad that other aldermen got their share of the nuisance. It made them realise that 'Robbo' was on the right track (Laughter).
Ald. Knight knew there was not an unsympathetic alderman present. The present system was wrong altogether. The proper way was to have a pit, and either burn or bury the rubbish. It didn't matter what spot they removed the rubbish to if the present system was continued. There would always be filth and a nuisance. The best method was to provide a receptacle and burn the rubbish.
The motion was carried5
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3 July 1924
DUMPING FILTH ON FLIRTATION HILL.
(Some of the wording was difficult to read)
Ald. Colless revealed a state of affairs in regard to a phase of public health that one could scarcely believe to exist. His presentation showed that dead dogs, decaying vegetable matter, and odorous household refuse found a lodging place on Flirtation Hill to become offensive to the inhabitants of the neighbourhood and a menace to the health of the community.
What led to the discovery by Ald. Colless was the finding of a dead cat in the street on a Sunday morning, He instructed Mr. Pauling to take it away. Following the trail he went to the rubbish up on Flirtation Hill and found not one cat, but six of them, and some dogs. While he was there another truck came with a load of decaying rubbish in which there was meat type things, he vehemently declared, should not be dumped there; this should go to the sanitary depot, or buried out of the way of the people. It was a disgrace to the town to have such vile matter dumped at a place like sanitation and which was one of the beauty spots of the town. He knew on this occasion of two old women having dumped 'dead' sanitations, and a few minutes afterwards three children came up to see what they could find. Little children Ald. Colless remarked, knew Iittle better than to pick these sanitations up and eat them. The Aldermen have a responsibility to the ratepayers and should see that this place was not made a tip for sanitation refuse. If people persisted in dumping there they should make an example of them. That would stop it. A place where they could have 'crawlers' this time of the year, the Alderman went on, could not be very healthy. One of the loads came from a businessman, but he was not an informer. He would move, that all decaying matter and dead animals he prohibited from being placed on this dump and that it be buried in the sanitary depot. In further discussion the Mayor warned Ald. Colless that he would get into trouble with the 'Guardian' for shielding an offender when he knew who was responsible. He had been taken to task for not supplying the name of a woman he had seen breaking off a picket from Lawson Park fence.
Ald. Colless declared that any thing he said at the table he was prepared to stand up to.
He gave the names of two of the parties whom he had seen dump refuse there and also the name of the boarding house from whence he declared one lot came.
The Health Officer stated that there was a resolution on the books that this refuse was to be buried there.
Until the resolution was presented the Mayor said that could be done to prevent the nuisance, except the health officer gave directions.
In view of this resolution. Ald Colless save notice of motion for its recision.
Ald. Evans stated he had been to the tip the day before, but it was not too bad then. However there was stuff placed there that should not be. There was no place to bury anything there and some other site should be found.
Ald. Farthing considered they would find a place in one of the old ground, this for the burial of the refuse. The matter was allowed to rest with the statement of Ald. Colless that he would move in the matter at next meeting6
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17 July 1924
MORE ABOUT FLIRTATION HILL TIP.
FLIRTATION HILL TIP
Ald. Colless moved that the minutes appearing on the council's book giving permission to dump and deposit decayed rubbish on Mudgee park rubbish tip be rescinded, Ald. Parsons seconded.
In speaking to his motion Ald. Colless stated that if the tip had been in the same condition when he visited it over a fortnight ago as it was the previous day, he would not have moved this motion. He referred again to the 'warm' smell that came from it at times and the dumping of rotten fruit, and dead dogs on the hill. The fruit helped to spread disease to the orchards around.
The Health Officer stated that the trouble was people dumped rubbish inside the gate and left it there.
In answer to a question the deputy clerk said he could find no resolution on the books permitting rubbish to be placed there.
Ald. Colless complained that it made him look like a fool moving a motion on something that was not there. Why were they told it was on the books?
The Deputy Clerk, replied that Mr. Stapleton who made the statement, and said that Mr. Colless moved it.
Ald. Colless replied that there was no such motion in his name.
Mr. Stapleton said that Ald. Colless had moved that rubbish be brought up to a tip on Flirtation Hill, and burned.
Ald. Colless: Oh! This is a different thing.
The Mayor referred to the visit of an officer from the Board of Health. He visited the Flirtation Hill tip, and said the site was ideal. One would have thought; to hear some of them talking, that it was right near the town, instead of a mile and a half away from the hill. The officer kicked up some dirt, and saw some of Ald. Colless' 'friends' but he said it was only natural to expect maggots, to use plain language in such places. This was not actually unhealthy; they would only breed flies; not spread disease. If the rubbish was burned as was directed it would be alright. The council got no help from people who placed rubbish there. They were too lazy to put a match to it.
Ald. Colless said the inspector was aware that dead dogs were dumped there. He (Ald. Colless) gave instructions for seven to be buried the morning he was there.
Ald. Saunders considered they were better off than for many years in the matter of cleanliness and health.
Ald. Parsons said he lived near the tip, and had seen it in a state.
As there appeared to be no resolution to rescind Ald. Colless withdrew his motion, stating that he would move another one about the next meeting7
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4 August 1924
Health Matters in Mudgee
RUBBISH TIP TROUBLES.
ROUND OF INSPECTION WITH MAYOR MARSH.
Health matters loomed large at last meeting of the Mudgee Council. Aldermen were more sorely troubled over the situation of the rubbish tip than anything else. Ald. Parsons moved a motion to have it taken from the back of Flirtation Hill and made to fill up a creek that was formed in the gulley nearby. There was such a marked difference of opinion on the matter that Ald. Parsons allowed his proposal to stand over for another meeting.
Since then our representative made an inspection of the council's two tips in company with the Mayor. The one at Flirtation Hill is not, in his opinion, badly located but it is an eyesore from the hill, and would have been better placed in a creek in the first place. But its situation was the least important feature. Its condition was far from satisfactory. Little clumps of decaying vegetables such as onions, pumpkins, melons, etc., were left to rot. Some of these, to, were quite sound and should never have been thrown out. Everything of that nature should be properly buried. The Council will have to make it obligatory on those who dump such rubbish to bury it. It cannot be left on the surface to create a nuisance and possibly breed disease.
The trouble in regard to removing the tip is the cos. Before aldermen commit themselves to this course they will need to know that the expense will be small, and this does not appear likely. In that case the creation of an additional tip can scarcely be justified. Apart from the vegetable matter, which can be buried, all that can be said against it is that it is unsightly.
The Council has another tip, and it might be well if it concentrated on this. It lies at the back of the police station, and is being made to fill up a huge wash out in an old creek. It will take years to fill in but in filling it the Council is doing a good work. Ald. Saunders had this tip created. His idea was to get rid of the mosquito pest by filling in the pools that bred then, and the Mayor says the plan has produced results already. But it must be kept free of defilement. No dead dogs or diseased matter of any kind such as Ald. Colless saw at the other place, must be placed there, or any place else, so far as that goes, except under the ground8
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