January 1
• Fruit in iced wagon arrives in good condition
The special consignment of fruit forwarded in a new type of iced wagon to Townsville and Cairns arrived in good condition after being railed over 1000 miles. The fruit was a consignment of stone fruit from the Granite Belt and the experiment was to test a new type of wagon which had been used in the United States
• Ban on interstate patients
Queensland Hospital Board refuses to treat patients from Liston, Amosfield, and small towns across NSW border (free treatment in Queensland but not in NSW)
January 15
• Air services reduced to twice weekly
Queensland Airlines has advised agent that services between Brisbane, Stanthorpe, and Goondiwindi have been reduced from three per week to two per week and will now operate on Mondays and Saturdays. Adverse weather, unreliable aerodrome at Goondwindi and lack of support at Stanthorpe and rise in operating costs are the cause
January 22
• Address on newspaper ethics- Thomas Thompson
“The press is not a separate entity operating in a community by virtue of some beneficient authorisation. It is a function of the community as indispensable a part of the community’s machinery as the hospital system, the fire brigade, or the water board. No community free or regimented can exist without some means of distributing the information which the individual must know before he can make the day to day adjustment required for harmonious living together.“
• Granny Christiensen is 102
january 24
• Mr Neil Sullivan elected President of Stanthorpe Rugby League
• Stanthorpe Aerodrome surface
The Stanthorpe Shire Council does not accept the criticism made of Stanthorpe Aerodrome by officials of the Civil Aviation Department
February 5
• Stanthorpe stages successful 77th annual show
February 12
• Stanthorpe Apex Charter Night
February 26
• Tribute to Border Post (FA Rogers)
February 28
• Border Post changes ownership
March 7
• Sale of Pikedale to Major Harold Rubin by Rogerson Family
March 12
• Mr Stan Halloran new president of tennis association
March 19
• Collision at Whisky Gully brings car fatalities to five in a fortnight
• The delicious apple by M. A. Hannigan (200,000 cases a year from the Granite Belt)
March 26
• Stolen cars, crashes and a man hunt
• Air service to Stanthorpe discussion
March 20
• Man hunt for car thieves
April 4
• Development League crumbles through public apathy
Average attendance at meeting is 6, main venture was to beautify streets by planting trees and shrubs on footpaths, established 6 years prior
April 30
• Reduction in air service
Queensland Airlines to discontinue Saturday service
• Barry and Roberts Self Service store opens
300 people waited outside the store, it was the first to adopt self-service methods
May 7
• Stanthorpe forms Queensland Labor Party Branch
• Former St. Catherine’s School for Girls residential building destroyed by fire
St. Catherine’s School closed in 1936, with a large school room moved to Warwick and amalgamated with St. Catherine’s there.
May 26
• New ALP branch officially formed in Stanthorpe
May 30
• Laying of Church of England foundation stone (Memorial Parish Church of St. Paul’s) by Archbishop Halse
June 6
• Cr F.A. Rogers selected as Country Party Candidate
• Wallangarra School of Arts to be officially opened
June 11
• Stanthorpe’s largest political meeting for many years
Minister for Land, PJR Hilton, addresses the meeting at The Rex
June 13
• Naturalisation Ceremony sets record
48 migrants comprising 18 women and 30 men were administered the oath of allegiance in the open air ceremony in the Stanthorpe Park on Thursday, June 6.
This number was the greatest to be naturalised in one ceremony outside the metropolitan area.
Cr. Rogers said the ceremony was not significant because of this but because this district will give these people security and settlement.
Hon PJR Hilton, Minister for Lands and Irrigation: “They did not ask these people to eliminate all affection for the land of their birth from their hearts, but they desired them to assimilate well into their own way of life here.
“I know you will play your part nobly and well. Since the Second World War, more than 100,000 migrants have been admitted to Australia and many had gone on the the land in this district and are helping to develop this country.“
June 25
• DGT Gow- endorsed ALP candidate for Carnarvon
July 2
• Prospectus of Iona Enterprises
• Liberal donation to new church
Presbyterians vote to process with new church
July 11
• Cr F.A. Rogers opens campaign in Stanthorpe
July 15
• Three nominations for Carnarvon
Paul Jerome Regumus Hilton (ALP), Douglas George Gow (QLP), Frederick Arthur Rogers (CP)
• Mr Hilton has record political meeting at Wallangarra
July 23
• Sir Arthur Fadden, Acting Prime Minister, addresses Carnarvon Electors
July 30
• DSGC decides to establish stone fruit nursery
• Political meetings draw big crowds
QLD help a meeting at Finney’s Corner, ALP outside Vic Thompson’s Sports Store
August 6
• Mr Hilton retains Carnarvon seat
As a result of the Queensland State elections, there will be a change of government with the Liberal-Country Party in power. In Carnarvon, the sitting member and Minister for Lands and irrigation in the Gair Labour Government, Mr Hilton, has been returned. Mr Hilton was able to maintain his strong hold on all the main voting centres in the electorate with the exception of Goondiwindi where the split was most evident. The majority of the sitting members was reduced from 2088 in 1953 to 1520 in 1956 and it was confidently expected that this would be a change of representation this time. The intrusion of the sectarian issues brought considerable condemnation and in the end benefited Mr Hilton who was regarded as a victim of it.
August 20
• The pea crop at Stanthorpe- A.R. Carr
August 27
• Champion Rugby League Schoolboys Team (Greg Thouard, R. Brunckhorst, J Tonkins)
September 3
• Local army depot to close
Due to reduced flow of national service men and low voluntary enlistments, the local army depot is to close. Training centre was used for platoon of A Company of 25th Bn. Attributed to keenness of Australian youth for sport, which clashed with training nights.
September 19
• Baptist Church stump capping ceremony
• Rockets bought for next season
700 rockets, 100 silver iodide rockets, one case of high altitude rockets
• Brilliant Aurora Australis observed in Stanthorpe
September 25
• Bushfires in district
October 3
• More fires in district
October 8:
• Stanthorpe locals see Russian satellite
• Third Apple Blossom Festival
• Ram Chandra; Miss Leone Murphy, Ballandean, 13-year-old Australian Junior and Queensland Ladies Champion, to play New Zealand table tennis champion at Methodist Hall
October 22
• The Southern Cross in Stanthorpe
• Swimming pool opened at Applethorpe
November 12
• Kindergarten for Stanthorpe- public meeting
Kindergarten conducted by Jean Chauvel to close at the end of the year
November 19
• Public Kindergarten to be formed
• Croston Studios open fine modern premises
November 26
• Thursday’s Naturalisation Ceremony sees 48 candidates naturalised
December 3
• 46 naturalised at Stanthorpe Park ceremony
Since October, 1954, when naturalised ceremonies controlled by local government authorities, Cr. Fred Rogers administered oath of allegiance to 145 candidates up to 5 December 1957 in eight ceremonies. This Council considered at least equals to any other country town in Queensland.
December 12:
• Committee formed to investigate swimming baths
December 31
• Driest year on record (1400 points)
