New Australians Start Brick Kiln

After completing their compulsory two years’ work, five South Australian Lithuanians, three of them brothers began their own brick company.  The Užubalis brothers, Petras, Jonas and Vladas together with Tadas Žurauskas and Hans Blaze rented land 20 miles from Adelaide on the Onkaparinga river at Port Noarlunga.  The Manager Hans Glaze was a mechanical engineer, Jonas and one other were brick makers. 

 They built a kiln that would fire 20,000 bricks a week, enough for one house.  They had an unlimited supply of clay from the river.

Clay Products (Port Noarlunga) Ltd., brick manufacturers, has been incorporated in Adelaide with a nominal capital of £10,000.  The company has been formed to take over the business of Clay Products, Noarlunga.  At that time there were seven directors, six of whom are Lithuanians.  The business was sold three years later, and the men moved back to Adelaide to take up different employment.

 

Jonas Uzubalis (left), his son Alvydas and J. Mockunas with some of the bricks made and dried ready for firing when the kiln is completed.

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954)Thursday 13 July 1950 - Page 13

Australian Lithuanian Student Assembly 1958

The third Australian Lithuanian Student Assembly was held in Adelaide in December 1958.  It opened on December 27^th by T. Žurauskas.  Present was Pulgis Andriušis, Kristina Česnaitė (Melbourne), V. Martišius (Canberra) and I. Venclovas (Sydney), Secretary Daina Maželytė (Adelaide).

Žurauskas in his address stated that in 1958 in all of Australia and New Zealand over 100 Lithuanians were studying at University level.  In 1957 13 students finished, Sydney 5, Melbourne 5 and Adelaide 3.

Pulgis Andriušis took the stage and gave an interesting reading about ideas and values in life and its place in the English world.   The first day finished with singing of the Lithuanian National Anthem, followed by dinner and fellowship.

The 28^th featured an outing to the beach where several hours of swimming and games was allowed.  In the evening participants gathered at the Giruckus home at Richmond.
The following day, there was an outing to the Art Gallery, Museum and other cultural institutions.  At 3:00pm the delegates regathered at Lithuanian House to continue discussions. That evening the Reisonas home was open.

In all, 19 students from around Australia assembled and 25 from Adelaide. J. Mikužis, dr E.  Petrikaitė, Dr N. Šurnaitė, Dr V. Aleksandravičienė, and Aldona Navakienė spoke.  

December 30 and 31 was left open to visit friends while others organised a trip to the Barossa Valley.

New Year’s Eve was celebrated with a ball organised by the Adelaide Community.

The following year the Student gathering would be held in Canberra.