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Town & Country Journal - 17th February 1872.
A Tour of the South Contd.
Nimitybelle is 32 miles from Bombala and 26 from Cooma. It is an incipient
township with a population of a little over 100 persons. It has a stone R. C.
Church, a Court House, a P.O. & Telegraph Office, 2 hotels, and 2 stores, all in
one street which is called Bombala Street, and is the continuation of the Cooma
road.
A Provisional School is held in the R. C. Church under the charge of Mr. T.
O'Brien. The average attendance is about 20 pupils. C of E., Presbyterian, and
Wesleyan clergyman hold services in the Court House, which is a brick building.
Captain McKeachie and Mr. Bennett are the presiding Magistrates, though the P.M.
for Cooma occasionally visits Nimitybelle. The Senior Constable is Mr. Hy.
Breen, who acts as CPS.
The P.O. and Telegraph Offices are in a new stone building and under the
management of the courteous and obliging official in the person of Mr. J. Hyam.
The Hotels are Mr. J. McKee's Robert Burns, and Mr. J.Smith's Commercial. The
stores are McDonald's, Cameron's and Mckee's. One promising feature about the
town of Nimitybelle is the many new buildings going up. Mr. McKee has now in
course of erection a new hotel of brick on stone foundations containing 16 rooms
with fine stables attached. Mr. Smith has also additions being made to the
Commercial Hotel, and Mr. Cameron is about erecting a new store. On the small
mount above the
street of the town, an industrious German, Mr. John Geldmacher thought to build
a windmill as there were none nearer than Bombala or Cooma, and set about the
work seven years ago by getting the necessary timber. He then commenced his
stone tower, and almost unaided has by his indomitable perserverance raised a
vast circular building 40 feet high (4 stories), 25 feet
diameter at foundation and 16 feet on the top. This work was only completed the
other day, and he is now told he cannot work his wind mill; for the reason that
legislative passed an Act some 40 years ago by which he renders himself liable
to a penalty of 5 pounds daily for working it, as it is within the prescribed
distance of a public road. It is alleged that the shadow of the mill vanes
frightens horses when passing along roads. It was erected in ignorance of the
law, and it is a wonder the point was ever discovered in this out of the way
place. There is not the remotest chance of danger by its peculiar position. It
is a case of extreme hardship to an honest hard working man who has expended his
all on the work. I am induced to write on the matter in the hope of some good
from making it public. Perhaps a way out of the difficulty can be suggested. "
Submitted by Pat Raymond
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