The Bega Pioneers' Museum has countless reports and stories on local issues. Here is the story of Harold Wiles' life. Harold is an auctioneer in Candelo and a councillor on the Imlay Shire Council.
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MR MCKENZIE had a franchise over the Bega electricity supply only. His outlook was for the surrounding towns and dairy farmers to enjoy the amenities of life and relieve the women folk of drudgery. The plant in the Bega Power House could not generate sufficient power to extend out, so there was only the hydro left to do the job.
After several meetings between representatives from shires and Bega Municipality and Mumbulla Shire to form a county council for the purpose of harnessing Rutherford Creek, it remained with Imlay Shire, of which I was president, to agree.
Also a vote had to be taken at a shire meeting and I could see that there was a bit of wriggling going on. I asked for a show of hands. There were three for and three against. This meant a deadlock. There was nothing left but for me to come to light with my casting vote (which I never regretted.)
Then the sparks began to fly and the letters in the local press condemned me to death. How I enjoyed it! I had a great victory. Here is part of a letter written to the press by one prominent citizen.
"The ratepayers woke up to find that Councillor Wiles had, by his own casting vote, thrown the whole shire into the proposed county district. A one man vote decided absolutely on his own to commit to do what a majority of councillors could not be got to agree to. Will the ratepayers who have been ignored approve of Councillor Wiles deciding in such a manner what they themselves should decide? Will they submit quietly to such dictatorship? We will see."
I just told this gentleman that apart from being dangerous to himself he was a danger to the community. No man can go through public life without criticism. I never worried about public opinions when I was on the right track.
Eric Spooner warned me not to be led astray by people whose head was full of sawdust, as they were only out to retard district progress. Here again strong willpower comes into the picture, but the steepest climb was ahead of me, which I never dreamt of.
The first county council meeting was held on October 27, 1936, and I was elected chairman. "What a crime!" was the outcry from a lot of unfortunate drips. They said this proposed electricity would be dangerous, and the light would be real pale.
