Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 7/9/1872 (6)
HAY
Hay formerly known as Lang's Crossing Place received its present name in compliment to the Hon John Hay. The first land sale took place in 1859. Hay now ranks among the most prosperous and progressive towns in Riverina. Its present population is nearly 800. A few years since its site was but a mere camping ground at a favourable crossing on the Murrumbidgee. The converging cattle tracks have given place to parallel streets, at present soapy, sloppy, or dusty according to the weather, but soon to assume hardness and consistency under the potent spell of "Macadam," directed by the infant municipality. The camp fires have long ago been extinguished, and the weary traveller from the Darling, the Paroo, or the Great Gulf itself, can now anticipate the comforts of Scott's, or Menzie's while he takes his ease at Host Esplin's Tattersalls, or the Caledonian.
Spacious stores and shops, whose fronts already rejoice in all the glories of plate glass and golden letters; private wharfs where steam boats freighted with merchandize from the capitals of Victoria and South Australia can speedily discharge; commission agencies and auction marts, with all the minor surroundings of a great commercial cntrepot supply the requests of a wide extent of country over which the hawker's cart of other days catered alone to the wants of solitary shepherds and melancholy hut-keepers.
Nor is it in material things alone that Hay excels. Already three churches, English, Presbyterian and Wesleyan, may be reckoned among its public buildings; and on the occasion of the recent visit of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Goulburn the necessary funds for the erection of a place of worship for that denomination were subscribed, the residents of the town and surrounding district, without distinction of creed or country, cordially joining together for tho erection of all these religious edifices.
Ample provision is also made for education. There are three schools in tho town, one public and two private. So that it will be seen that almost every want, temporal and spiritual, is attended to. But it must not be inferred that Hay is in every respect a terrestrial paradise. Commonly speaking its situation is everything that could be desired - standing as it does on one of Australia's noblest rivers, and holding the key to the trade of a large and important district, rich with the golden fleece and fatted cattle, for which our colonies now hold the pride of place-there is a strong probability that it will at no distant day be the commercial capital of Riverina proper. But it has its drawbacks. When the fierce January sun pours its torrid heat on the grassless plains, and the hottest of hot winds blow the well nigh impalpable dust in dense clouds, the situation is not very enjoyable, for the thermometer at such times is something startling. Yet if I may be permitted to make a slight change in a familiar scripture phrase, "the wind is tempered to the parched lambs." But Murrumbidgee water at such seasons, whether mixed with the malt and hops of the local Bass and Barclay, or dashed with the "three starred battle axe," supplies a refresher for the heat-oppressed sojourner - a damper for the driest dust, and, "tell it not in the tents of Rechab," few there are in Hay, who do not fly to the fountain of Solace, and take it generally mixed !
As before stated there are three churches, two of which have just been completed. The Church of England a brick building is unpretentious in exterior appearance, but it is nicely fitted up in the interior with seats, pulpit, &c. The Rev J C M Ware attends, from Deniliquin
The Presbyterian church just being completed, almost solely though the energy and zeal of the minister of the district, tho Rev S A Hamilton, is an ornament to the town. The building is of brick and has a fine tower, and steeple sixty-five feet high. In dimensions the church is forty by twenty-four feet in the clear (60 feet, total length), and there will be seat accommodation for 150 persons. The interior is beautifully lined with Murrumbidgee pine. There are eight windows, and one of stained glass above the pulpit contains, amid scroll work, a suitable inscription. The pulpit in course of completion, is also nicely designed. The tower and belfry was from a design by Mr Franklin; and a splendid bell weighing two hundred weight was the generous gift of Messrs S and A Moss, storekeepers, of the Jewish faith, in the town. A magnificent harmonium - one of the finest in Australia, has just been purchased for the church at a cost of nearly £120. The funds for this were raised by Mrs J H Palmer, and a few other good ladies of Hay, town and district. The church was only opened on the 2nd of June last, and cost about £1000. The contractors are Messrs Witcombe Bros; it is only justice to echo the general expression that they have performed their task in a substantial, honest, and workmanlike manner. At the side of the church the foundation stone has just been laid for a Presbyterian Sunday School, and Assembly room. This building promises to be a neat one, and will answer the wants of the town in many respects.
The Wesleyan church, also just completed, is a nice little building of brick, with pine ceiling, and galvanized iron roof. Its dimensions are 40 feet long, and 24 feet wide, beside entrance porch, 7 feet by 7 feet. There are ten windows in the church, four on each side, and a nice pulpit or reading desk on a raised platform. The church is faithfully built, and cost only £500. The Rev W Weston is the minister.
end
, .1. , .2. .,
| ! | The text has been retyped from a microfiche copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. |
