Patriotism forgotten
What has happened to Australia Day when we all used to celebrate being Australians, regardless of colour, country, creed or heritage? We used to be proud of being one nation with all, but of late things seem to have changed. Our special day seems to be being played with by politicians and groups of all different types who are dividing our country over history long gone. The day should be about Australians of past centuries and present, and Australia, every one’s country of today, not of what has passed. Patriotism seems to be a forgotten word these days, so let’s remember the true meaning.
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Geoff Langford, Kalaru
Captain Cook’s journal
If we are to ditch 26th January as an Australia wide celebration, as seems very likely, then I offer the following journal entry of Captain Cook dated 20-21 April,1770, for consideration. Cook discovered and mapped the eastern seaboard our country. True the Dutch had discovered our land a couple hundred years earlier but they found it so unappealing that they departed very quickly.
Cook on the other hand was very verbose and rightly so about what we now know as Merimbula and Tura Beach. Indeed he really did “discover” Merimbula and recognised its people.
He wrote in his log, quote “the weather being clear gave us an opportunity to view the country, which had a very agreeable and promising aspect, diversified with hills, ridges, plains and valleys, with some small lawns; but for the most part the whole was covered with wood, the hills and ridges rise with a gentle slope; they are not high, neither are there many of them.”
To write as he did above Cook had anchored in Merimbula Bay at a point roughly out from Tura Beach. He was sailing up the coast from about East Gippsland having crossed the Pacific from NZ mapping till sighting through the mist land that he named Point Hicks.
This was in recognition his lieutenant of that name who made the sighting. The coastline was difficult to define till his description as above. The reference to smoke suggests that the inhabitants as he so correctly observed were quite possibly passing news of their sighting up the coast?
On 21st April 1995 I organised for the Rotary Club of Merimbula a major celebration in the town of the visit of the HMS Bark Endeavour Replica into Merimbula Bay to a huge reception comprising a flotilla of boats, a welcome message from the Governor General dropped in a cylinder from a circling plane and a major reception by Rotary in the evening. Thousands of people lined the shores. To commemorate the historic even there is a plaque erected just outside the Tourist Information Centre near the Boardwalk.
Ross Williams, Bega
Australian arms exporting
So the Australian government wants Australia to become a major arms exporter. But why stop there? Why not also become a major chemical weapons exporter? Indeed, why not do a little exporting of children's live body parts on the side? The important thing is we're making money. Right?
Paul Strutynski, Buckajo
Fluoride survey
The survey conducted by the Bega Valley Council on fluoridating our water supply was flawed. The question asked if you want fluoride in the water to prevent tooth decay. It didn’t ask if you want poor health as a consequence. I didn't receive a phone call about the survey nor did anyone I know. The survey should have been sent out to all ratepayers. Fluoride is far more effective in toothpaste than drinking water will ever be and our health won't suffer as a consequence. And it goes without saying that fluoridation is an expense the ratepayers don't need thrust upon them.
