246 – Banking on South Australia

Two Fridays ago, Premier Steven Marshall was the guest at the SA Press Club lunch. Steve asked a couple of respected journos at the event, how they prepare for such “set pieces” and come away with a unique story.

The first journalist was the award-winning, Lauren Novak. The other was the ABC’s Leah McLennan.

The Big Issue

Eszter, you have worked in PR/marketing for The Big Issue, which is the magazine that marginalised people are able to sell on street corners to earn an honest quid. What was your role?

How does it help the sellers – revenue streams, etc?

Luke Morphett: I’ve worked for big issue 5 years. The Editorial staff to a good job to get the magazine out every two weeks and across Australia.

Bloomberrie

What gave you the idea to create active wear for pregnant women? Up until recently, women have been publicly shamed for not having “perfect” body shapes and your line of clothing seems to worship bumps and curves?

What are logistics like, catering for fashion? People are pretty finicky and fussy, aren’t they? IN which case, what do you do with unsold stock in certain sizes?

How do you get mum models?

Nigel Dobson-Keeffe challenges the panel to pick the fake story from three stories from South Australia’s past. And Adrian, one of Ralf’s popular drivers, also steps in for the challenge.

NATIONAL BANK ON FIRE. FINE SAVE BY BRIGADE.
Damage to the extent of about £3,000 resulted from a fire which broke out in the National Bank buildings in Rundle Street on Wednesday evening. The structure contains five stories, of which only the ground floor is used for the bank’s business. The other floors are occupied by wholesale firms. The top floor is the warehouse of S. B. Hunt- and Co., soft goods merchants, and it was there that the fire broke out. The fire brigade displayed remarkable foresight in the method of attack on the flames, not a single line of hose being used. Chemical extinguishers were the only kind of appliances brought into -action. Had water been used the damage would have been far greater. Goods were thrown out and stored outside and a much more serious conflagration averted.

South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register June 1836
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COMPANY
The Establishment of the “COMPANY’S BANK” in South Australia having been approved of by all the Proprietary, it is recommended to the particular attention of Emigrants as a most important medium of facilitating their commercial operations. A supply of Gold, Silver, Copper, and Bank Notes was forwarded to the Colony some months ago by separate ships, and all necessary arrangements made for carrying on Banking operations upon as extensive a scale as the demands of the Colony may require. A limited number of Shares of £25 each, are issued at a premium of £1 per share, on which an instalment of £2. 10s. per share will be payable on or before the 1st of July, 1836, and a second
instalment of £2. 10s. on or before the 1st of October, 1836.

Evening Journal March 1886
BANK ROBBERY AT YANKALILLA.
LUCKY ARREST
Considerable, excitement was caused by the intelligence- which reached Adelaide by telegraph on Saturday of an extraordinary burglary committed at the Yankalilla Branch of the Commercial Bank about 1o’clock on the morning of that day. Such crimes are fortunately rare, owing to the careful provision made for the security of Bank premises and their treasures. Shortly stated, it seems that two or three men broke into the Bank premises, assaulted the Manager, rendering him insensible, and gagged his wife. They then searched the establishment, and earned away £1,245 worth of banknotes, which they found in a portmanteau that the Manager intended to bring with him to Adelaide by the early morning coach. The Manager of the Bank is Mr. John W. Lyall, son of the Rev. James Lyal. He is about 21 years of age. He was expected in Adelaide during the day, and his father went to meet him at the coach-office, and after waiting in vain for some time learned the cause of his son's non arrival. Having succeeded in entering the premises through the front-room window the burglars went to Mr. Lyall’s bedroom, gagged Mrs. Lyall, and tied both Mr. and Mrs. Lyall to the bedstead.  Some time after the robbery constables from Strathalbyn had intercepted two men heading east near after their horses had been startled by the train and reared, disgorging one of the men. When the constables approached to rend assistance to the fallen man, the men became agitated and went to draw their rifles however the constables had their pistols drawn first and the men realised their robbing days were over. The men were escorted to Strathalbyn police station and will be transferred to Adelaide tomorrow. The banknotes were recovered and will be returned to the Commercial Bank at the earliest opportunity. It is believed that the failed robbery was the largest bank robbery in the South Australian Colony history to date.

And our song this week is Shaking You by Courtney Robb, selected by our musical curator, Todd Fischer.

Album launch is Sunday June 3rd at the wheatsheaf hotel… tickets through Oztix
The album is You Are Not Alone. Will be available all the usual places June 1st – iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, bandcamp and CD/vinyl at live gigs.