Angus gave a rousing "welcome back" to President Kelly and everyone joined in!
Bassem is a project manager in economical developing countries and works for Swiss contact, a Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation. His interests outside of work are cooking, hiking and socialising. Bassem has joined Rotary to engage with and expand his networks, both professionally and socially, and like all good Rotarians wants to make a positive impact in his community whilst developing his personal growth and leadership skills through volunteering. Welcome Bassem!
Guest Speaker Bill Cutler - CY O'Connor (Part 2) Beyond the Pipeline
Bill was born on the pipeline atNo 7 Pumping Station, Gilgai and lived his early life and schooling as a pipeline kid.
Bill is a 43-year career banker serving in WA as well as overseas postings in Fiji, Hong Kong, Singapore and London. He retired in 2002, and amongst other things became a volunteer tour guide with the National Trust.
He is a direct bloodline descendant of two First Fleet convicts who arrived at Sydney Cove on January 26th 1788. Bill is currently Vice-President of the WA Chapter of the Fellowship of First Fleeters.
It is a common myth that O’Connor took his own life because the water didn’t come through. On 31st March 1902, the first pump started. However, O’Connor had committed suicide on 10th March 1902, three weeks earlier.
There were a number of influential characters at this time:
John Forrest – WA Premier.
Frederick Vosper – Journalist turned politician and vociferous O’Connor critic.
Thomas Hodgson – Hydraulic engineer appointed by O’Connor.
James Couston – engineer and inventor.
Vosper was a Goldfields journalist at the “Coolgardie Times” who had a strong dislike for O’Connor. In 1897 he represented the Goldfields, before moving to Perth and starting the “Sunday Times”. He wrote letters to the paper under a pseudonym and then answered them targeting the Government and O’Connor.
In 1901-02 WA had five Premiers and Parliaments, making for highly dysfunctional Government. Every time O’Connor had to deal with a new Premier/Treasurer they would keep cutting budgets. Workers would be sacked, many of whom returned to Victoria.
New governments would then try to catch up on the pipeline with no workers and the project in arrears. There were no Ministers for Works with any experience.
Couston invented a caulking machine for the pipeline and offered it to the government by patent for £7,500 and a contract to do the caulking. The government wanted a tender and public service employees, stalling the project for months in parliament.
Hodgson (running the project) was building the #3 station at Cunderdin. Before the announcement, he bought land there having borrowed money from Couston. Whilst not illegal at the time, it was naïve. Couston got the contract after O’Connor’s death.
In January 1902, O’Connor was sent to South Australia to design their harbour. In his absence, a Parliamentary Enquiry leading to a Royal Commission was initiated to investigate delays in the pipeline project. All members of the enquiry/commission as well as witnesses were anti-O’Connor. He was given no chance to prepare for the inquiry.
On 10th March 1902, the day he was due to appear before the Commission, O’Connor rode his horse into the water and shot himself with his revolver.
The Commission finding in July 1902 found a conspiracy by Couston and Hodgson and that O’Connor must have known of the misconduct and took no action. It is widely held that O’Connor committed suicide because of their actions.
In concluding, Bill noted that:
- A William Reynoldson was given the project and the pipeline was finished on time
- The water flowed
- The pipeline was paid off in twenty years
- The pipeline is still operating today
Directors' Reports and Member Announcements
Rick S: Thanks to everyone who helped at the Pankind sausage sizzle on Sunday where 350 sausages were sold raising $200 for the club.
Brian J: the membership directory is being formatted so please get your details to Brian asap - no returns, no change to what is already there.
Wayne D: The Endeavour Awards at the Pines on 3 June still has 8 places to fill. Please book asap as we need 40 people to fill our quota.
Wayne M: Kerry Hardwick is hosting a coffee morning for John at Meath Care on 21 May at 10am. Please contact Wayne if you would like to attend as places limited to 8.
Ian K: Mens' and Womens' dinners are on at Preston Street and The Glove respectively. Numbers are falling away so please feel free to invite partners/spouses to attend.
Chance would be a Fine(s) thing...
Pocket Rocket Jenny McLean took a fine view on misdemeanours this week...
- Blue and Green wearers in commiseration of the election results
- Democracy sausage escapees.
- Spouses of Fishermen/women all in lieu of the catching of a 10 foot Burmese Python - python and chips?
- Football/soccer hooligans.
- The Three Amigo's - Lydia, Eunice and Kim for the corruption of the public and bribing of young people with lollipops at the Saturday Angelo St Party.
- All Rugby aficionado's who are happy of the return to WA.
Attendance
35 attendees in all, including guest speaker Bill Cutler, and visitors David Canute and
