From Our February 17 edition

25 YEARS AGO

A high speed Aran-class lifeboat is to be provided by the RNLI for Lochinver, to give better coverage following the tragic loss of the Banff fishing boat Bon Ami in December 1985 off Kinlochbervie with all six hands.

Demands from the North of Scotland Rescue Association that helicopter coverage, based on the North Minch, plus a new lifeboat at Kinlochbervie, should be provided have met only with the provision of a Coastguard machine at Stornoway.

The present Solent-class lifeboat at Lochinver has a maximum speed of 9 knots. It takes two hours to reach Kinlochbervie and was too late to do anything to rescue the Bon Ami crew.

An Aran-class boat would be able to reach Lochinver in half that time, but Kinlochbervie fishermen are still sceptical about its efficiency in waters up to Cape Wrath.

The next nearest lifeboat is at Stornoway, almost three hours away by fast boat.

An approach is to be made to Sutherland Presbytery of the Church of Scotland by Highland Regional Council over the future of the church at Inchnadamph.

The libraries and leisure services committee was told by Sutherland member Col Allan Gilmour that the church is now surplus to the requirements of the local presbytery.

He suggested that the church could perhaps be converted into a small visitor centre, "as the area is particularly suited to interpretation of how the landscape was formed, how man has affected the landscape, and how the land is used today."

Noise measuring equipment costing £4000 is to be purchased by Sutherland’s environmental health department to deal with the average of a dozen or so complaints received in a year.

Mr Fred Hayward, director of environmental health, explained to his committee recently that in the past 10 years, the problem of noise nuisance on a nationwide scale had spread rapidly. Published figures showed a dramatic increase in the number of noise complaints referred to local authorities.

The sources of this growing noise pollution include industrial installations, entertainment premises, domestic activities and aircraft, road and rail traffic.

Ad Lib, the Golspie High School rock band, have once again won through to the Scottish finals of the TSB Rock School competition.

Last year the group came third overall in Scotland and next month they hope to better that when they travel to Glasgow to compete in the Scottish finals of the 1987 competition.

50 YEARS AGO

A wind of gale force and torrential rain lasting from early last Sunday afternoon until early the next morning caused damage to property, farmland and roads in Sutherland. It was indeed a memorable storm, and there was extensive flooding, especially west of Lairg.

The brick frontage of the garage premises of James Paterson and Son, Lairg, was ripped off in the gale and thrown across the roadway, taking with it a power cable. Fortunately, the accident happened in the early hours of Monday morning when there was little traffic and so no one was injured. At West Shinness the waters of the swollen Loch Shin reached right up to the roadway which was threatened with undermining and warning notices had to be put out on this 9ft 6in wide highway.

And at Lairg village itself, the water poured over part of the new road and entered the workshops of the Sutherland Transport and Trading Company. The water had to be pumped out of the inspection pits.

Sutherland Civil Defence Committee were assured at Lairg last week that if the necessary precautions were taken there was a real chance of survival in the event of a nuclear attack. Pessimistic radio broadcasts and Press articles were thoroughly deplored.

The passengers on the motor ship Meteor, on its islands cruise from May 19th to 26th, will on the Thursday go ashore on the west coast of Sutherland, travel by coach to Durness and the Smoo Caves and re-embark in Loch Eriboll.

The number of children under 16 fitted with false teeth has gone up steadily in the last eight years. In Parliament recently it was stated 2134 children were provided with dentures in 1954. The number in 1956 was 3006 and in 1961 it is estimated at about 5000.

The denture figures include both full, upper and lower dentures as well as partial dentures. The vast majority are thought to be partial dentures.

If Mrs John Smith of 10 Seaforth Road, Golspie, had been looking out of her front window about 10.15 on Wednesday morning, she would have seen a large van breaking through her garden fence and coming to rest not so many feet from her home.

There was ice under the snow and the van had been turning right, out of Millicent Avenue when it went into a skid. The driver was helpless and the van did not stop until it had come to rest with its front wheels in the garden.

75 YEARS AGO

The epidemic of influenza which swept Helmsdale and district has now died out, only a few isolated cases remaining.

An escape from drowning which would be breathtaking by a landsman, but which to the fisherman is but an incident in their hazardous work, was experienced by John Innes, of the Helmsdale fishing boat, Boy Andrew, while seine-netting in last week’s storm. During an extra heavy plunge, the outgoing drag rope swung across the deck and swept Innes off his feet and into the boiling sea. Heavily clad in oilskins and sea-boots, he was lucky to be one of the strongest swimmers in Helmsdale, as the broken sea rendered the rescue extremely difficult and the boat’s propeller added to the danger.

The attention of Sutherland Road Board has been drawn to the deplorable state of the Strathnaver road.

Mr Christie, district clerk Melvich, said the strath was one of the biggest rent drawing areas in the county. The road was in a very bad state and although something had been done to improve part of it, what was 300 yards of metal for 223 miles or road? It was very necessary that they should do something to improve the road.

The road surveyor said his idea was to do the greatest amount of good with the amount of money on hand. That was why metal had to be spread out so far. More metal was now being broken and he was keeping an increase in squads in view.

Thomas Mackay, farmer, Sandycroft, Dornoch, appeared in Dornoch Burgh Court on Monday and pled guilty to allowing eight cattle belonging to him to stray onto the public highway.

Mr Archd. Argo, the Burgh prosecutor, said that several complaints had been received in regard to cattle straying onto the public highway from the links. Apart from their danger to the public, they entered gardens and created extensive damage.

He stressed the point that the gates leading to the links should be kept shut. In this case accused’s man went to cart seaweed several times and seeing no cattle about he left the gate open.

Bailie Mrs MacIntyre, who was on the bench, imposed a fine of 5/- or three days imprisonment.

100 YEARS AGO

Mr David Peters, Procurator-Fiscal, Dornoch, was yesterday in Fishertown, Golspie, taking precognitions from witnesses in the case of Alexander Macdonald, son of Adam Macdonald, fisherman, West End, Golspie, who was accidentally drowned at Golspie harbour on the evening of 12th inst,.

The hearty interest taken in the county of Sutherland in the marriage of the Marquis of Stafford to Lady Eileen Butler was shown on Saturday when men from all parts of the county met in the Sutherland Arms Hotel, Golspie, to consider the best way to commemorate the event in a fitting manner.

An informal conversation took place as to whether the presentation should be a general one for the whole county or a number of presentations from say crofters, farmers and other sections of the community.

The general feeling of the meeting seemed to be in favour of having one presentation representative of the whole county and Mr McIntosh, Pitgrudy, moved a motion to this effect.

It was decided that the best way to carry out the scheme would be to suggest the names of several men in each parish, representative of all interests, who would convene a meeting in their respective districts and appoint two delegates to attend a central meeting at Lairg on the 8th March.

Mr Shaw, Gordonbush, suggested that the presentation might include gifts to both the Marquis of Stafford and his bride-elect, Lady Eileen Butler. This was agreed to and it was remitted to the meeting of delegates to carry out the further arrangements.

The chairman said he was very glad to see so many present that day to show their loyalty to the House of Sutherland. He had no doubt the presentation would be carried to a triumphant conclusion.

A small jumble sale was held by Mrs Shaw at Gordonbush on Friday and Saturday in aid of the Sutherland Benefit Nursing Association. The sum of £3 8s 3d was realised, which, considering the small populations in the strath, is considered very creditable and shows how the people of the district appreciate the benefits of the Nursing Association.