'At Christmas 1897, a serial story by George Matthews appeared in the Argus, "A Trading Cruise to the South Pacific". Matthews was a policeman at Clarendon at the time, later stationed at Victor Harbour, and then at Brighton. For some years his stories appeared regularly in the Argus. Mostly these all followed much the same plot: a young Englishman, who often loses his family wealth early in life, takes a sea voyage, usually to Australia, and is shipwrecked. Cast up on a tropical island he discovers treasure, and after a few brief adventures returns home and regains or purchases a country estate where he treats the tenants extremely well. Along the way the hero is usually kidnapped by sailors or natives, loses his clothes, and often marries a society lady. Matthews' last story for the Argus appeared in 1907. Another local writer, Kyra Keith (Elizabeth Kirkham) of Ashbourne, contributed the serial story "Divided Lives" in 1899, (19 October 1899, p. 3) followed by "Lights and Shadows," (24 May 1900, p. 3) and "Kips". (9 May 1901, p. 3) Her final story, "The Atonement of Maurice Carruth" was published after her death. (7 November 1901, p. 3)
'Budding local poets included "P. & C." of Finniss Flat with the poem 'Bush Girls' in 1873. (24 January 1873, p. 4) Sarah Field of Strathalbyn wrote the sad "A Mother on the Death of Her Infant." (22 August 1873, p. 4) In mid 1878 "G. H." (George Haines) of Woodchester submitted long poems to the Argus, taking classical themes. (30 May 1878, p. 3; 27 June 1878, p. 4) J. W. Elliott contributed various poems of his own at times, as "J. W. E." including "To My Wife," in 1881, shortly after the death of his first wife. (21 July 1881, p. 3) 'Ferret' wrote poems with a local flavour such as "Strathalbyn's Mounted Corps." (17 March 1887, p. 3) Mrs Elizabeth Bode contributed an occasional poem, such as 'Australia's Volunteers' during the Boer War. (26 July 1900, p. 3) A few pieces of "original poetry" were printed in 1944-45, including poems by Jack Sharp such as "The Nurses and Sisters". (1 March 1945, p. 3) Sharp regularly wrote articles for the Argus in this period which often included a poem. In late 1949 and early 1950 Harold T. Darwin's poems appeared. In 1988 the Argus published poems by Kathie Davie of Strathalbyn and W. A. Pretty of Goolwa. (4 February 1988, p. 3, 11)'
Source: SA Memory, http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/
Sighted: 29/04/2013
