The donation was made on behalf of the three Hutchinson brothers who are buried in the cemetery. All three served in the war, two as soldiers, while the third brother was a sailor in the Royal Australian Navy. One of the soldier brothers became the first president of the newly formed Returned Soldiers Club in Horsham. 

All went on to live in Horsham and make major contributions to the community.

The donation came with a request for the cemetery project committee to place an Australian flag and a poppy on the 69 unmarked graves of First World War soldiers in the Horsham Cemetery in November of this year. 

The team feels this is very appropriate but has a further suggestion that small crosses with the soldier’s name on it be made and placed on the unmarked grave site.

Extensive and exhausting research has revealed the site of all of the unmarked graves, with the exception of two. 

A couple of those unmarked graves have soldiers who were decorated for their bravery under fire. It is the project team’s intention to recognise all who served in the First World War, especially those lying in an unmarked grave. 

Any further suggestion or contribution would be gratefully received.

JOHN FRANCIS

Cemetery Project Team

I AM sick and tired of hearing our government say through either its own ignorance or political agenda that solar cannot provide base load power. 

It already does in other countries. The USA for example has several different types of solar power plants. The 110 megawatt Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant is one of the best examples of this.

It can supply base load power 24-7.

It uses the sun to heat molten salt to provide the heat and make steam for turbines to generate power when it is dark.

China, which our government uses as an example of a country still building coal fired power plants, is also building far more solar power plants, something that has conveniently been forgotten. 

The question we should be asking is ‘do we want to invest in technologies and infrastructure for our future or our past?’

I know which one my two children will thank me for when they grow up.

DEAN STAPLES

Horsham

HOW interesting that the Member for Lowan Emma Kealy expressed her party’s position (Mail-Times, February 20), especially the bit about ‘our justice system is failing Victorians’ and ‘Daniel Andrews has no solution’. I would like to remind Ms Kealy about the National Party state conference here in Horsham in 1986.

Following the conference, the party’s official newsletter National Outlook (volume nine, number two, July 2, 1986), carried an amazing article, titled ‘Another day, another place - history repeating’. This article warned about ‘10 points of the socialist manifesto for the destruction of free governments’.

Point four stated ‘public faith in the legal profession and respect for the courts must be undermined...’ The article ended with this quote ‘don’t say it can’t happen here; check each of these points and see how far it is happening today’ (1986).

Clearly the Nationals recognised disrespect for our justice system as an emerging problem 31 years ago. But my concern is, what action did they take then or have they taken since to warn the people of Victoria or indeed address the issue?

Not much it would seem because here we are today with the same problem, now worse than ever. Ms Kealy’s letter suggests they are at last committed to doing something to restore respect in the justice system and that’s great for all of us.

PETER FITZGERALD

Horsham             

I AM frustrated by the Andrews Labor government’s refusal to commit to improved bus services for the Grampians National Park.

During a parliamentary sitting session late last year I specifically asked the Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan when a public transport service between Stawell, Halls Gap and Bellfield proposed by the community would be approved.

The response I received was disappointing, to say the least, with the minister referring to train services to Ararat.

Clearly the minister does not understand that Ararat is not part of the Grampians National Park. A formal submission developed in partnership with Stawell City Bus Services, the Northern Grampians Shire Council and businesses has been presented to Public Transport Victoria for a tri-daily connecting bus route.

The Grampians National Park is a major tourism draw card for western Victoria.

It not only offers a beautiful environment and bushwalking opportunities, but also a range of high quality accommodation, cafes, wineries, gourmet food producers and activities such as abseiling and rock climbing.

One of the greatest barriers to the future development of tourism opportunities in the Grampians is poor access to public transport. Regular and connecting bus services to and from the Grampians would not only support tourism but also residents, students and those who travel to reach their place of employment.

EMMA KEALY

Nationals Member for Lowan