From our 1st June edition

25 YEARS AGO

Believed to be the first experiment of its kind in the Highland Region, the political debate organised at Lochinver last Saturday was rightly judged an unqualified success by upwards of 100 voters representing every shade of political opinion.

At the village hall four candidates turned up to face some stern questioning from a highly critical and well-informed audience. There was disappointment amongst many that the sitting member, Mr Robert Maclennan, should have been the only candidate to opt out of this panel.

The bronze Achvrail armlet which has been the object of considerable local and national interest, is now on public display at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. A new display case was specially commissioned for it and is situated in the first-floor foyer of the museum. The armlet was found near Rogart in Sutherland in 1901 and is considered one of the very finest of its kind.

No-one knows what to do with the former Government-owned secret radio station at Brora, now an empty shell.

Local furnishers William Sutherland, who wanted to use the block of single-storey, flat-roofed buildings for storage, have had planning permission delayed because their lease might prejudice large-scale development of the site.

From a dictionary to a Mills & Boon – that’s what’s available at Dornoch’s new book shop in the High Street, which opened last Saturday. Called simply "The Book Shop", the premises are owned by Mrs Katherine Rosenberg, wife of the consultant surgeon at the Lawson Memorial Hospital, Mr Mervyn Rosenberg. The couple moved to Dornoch 18 months ago.

Arguments for and against Sunday working have split the quiet village of Spinningdale. Mr Harold Monteith, who runs Spinningdale Stores, objects to car mechanic Mr Tom McBride doing repairs on Sundays at his Spinningdale Motors just 25 yards up the Fairy Glen Road.

Now Mr McBride has told the divisional planning committee that Mr Monteith works on Sunday selling petrol to passing motorists and adds: "His attitude seems to be do as I say not as I do." The committee granted Mr McBride extended working hours on weekdays but with no Sunday working.

50 YEARS AGO

A redundant school building at Bettyhill is to be used to house a prefabricated type of instructional swimming pool for the children there. If it is successful and the cost is right, other schools will be provided with similar facilities.

The importance of knowing how to swim was emphasised at a meeting o f Sutherland Education Committee at Lairg last week when Dr Lindsay, assistant medical officer of health, gave details of deaths among children as the result of not being able to swim. He said that in Scotland in 1960, 189 people had died through drowning and 40 of these were between the ages of five and 15.

Mr George Morrison (39), a native of Polin, Kinlochbervie, was washed overboard and drowned when the seine net boat Sealgair was struck by heavy seas eight miles off Suleskerry, Orkney.

The Sealgair’s skipper and owner is Mr Magnus Mackay of Bettyhill. Mr Morrison, who had been with the Sealgair just over a year, had his home at 8 Guardhouse Terrace, Stromness. He is survived by his wife and four children.

The accident occurred when the boat was preparing to fish. A wave hit her, taking Mr Morrison as well as the nets and immobilising the boat. The Sealgair radioed for help and the Buckie boat, Girl Mary, which was nearby, arrived on the scene and picked up Morrison but he was dead.

Mr Mackay told The Northern Times that there might well have been another casualty. Another member of his crew, Mr Hugh Mackay of Melvich, had been caught round the legs by wires of the nets which had been washed overboard. The engines were stopped at once or Mr Mackay might have suffered serious leg injuries.

The people of Kinlochbervie and the surrounding district gathered to celebrate the official opening of the new village hall. The ceremony was performed by Mrs Neilson, of the Garbet Hotel.

75 YEARS AGO

The 3rd Year boys of the Sutherland Technical School paid a visit on Saturday, 29th May, to The Northern Times printing and publishing works in Golspie. They were accompanied by Mr Macdonald, teacher.

Members of the staff explained and demonstrated their own departmental work. The boys were shown various kinds of type and the point system was explained to them. They saw the linotype machines at work, did some typesetting using these machines and compared the old system of hand-setting as against machine set lines.

The matron at Cambusavie Hospital, The Mound, begs to acknowledge receipt of the following gifts for the hospital: 60 dozen eggs from Stoer Public School; 25 dozen eggs from Helmsdale branch SWRI per Miss L M Douglas; six dozen eggs from Mrs MacCallum, Rispond, Durness; rhubarb from Mill House, Edderton; magazines from Mrs A C Green, Seaforth Road, Golspie.

Fifty children born on the same day as Princess Margaret Rose are each to be given a bicycle by British manufacturers to celebrate Coronation year.

D Stewart, road contractor, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, is making progress with the trunk road passing through Brora. There are a large number of workmen employed. Rosslyn Street is now safe for all kinds of traffic passing either way, but motor and other vehicular traffic should look out for the danger signals while crossing the "tram" lines in Victoria Road. Caution should also be exercised while approaching Brora from the south. A squad is at present working on the Doll Road.

For the first time in two years the Golspie Company of the Boys’ Brigade is appealing for a generous response to its camp funds through the agency of a jumble, cake and candy sale which takes place in the YMCA Hall, Golspie on Saturday. The company is this session double its previous strength.

100 YEARS AGO

The Immigrants’ Protective League of the United States is calling attention to the great risks run by immigrants in their journey from the port of arrival to their destination. Carefully compiled statistics have revealed the appalling fact that between February 1, 1911 and February 1, 1912, no fewerthan 1132 immigrant girls who started from New York for Chicago never arrived.

Immigrant girls are carefully guarded by the Federal authorities until they are placed on the train, and at that point the responsibility ceases. The journey is a long one – by some of the immigrant trains it exceeds 50 hours – and unscrupulous persons get access to passengers at intermediate stations and take advantage of the newcomers to induce them to get off.

Mr Andrew Carnegie, accompanied by Mrs and Miss Carnegie, left Aberdeen on Saturday forenoon by train for Skibo Castle. The party was heartily cheered by a crowd assembled on the platform as the train steamed out of the station. For the journey to Skibo, the Great North of Scotland Railway Company placed their royal saloon carriage at Mr Carnegie’s disposal.

On Saturday the members of the combined Bonar-Bridge and Ardgay Choral Association and friends enjoyed their annual picnic. Brakes and cycles conveyed them to and from Invercassley, at the foot of the beautiful Glencassley. The weather was all that could be desired.

The Duchess of Sutherland is sending out invitations for her annual exhibition and sale at Stafford House of Scottish Home Industries and the products of the Cripple Guild of Handicrafts, the two movements in which she takes a special interest.

The Duke, who was held up on his way to Canada by the mutiny on the Olympic, will be back in England on Monday week. On the other side, he has been feted in New York at a dinner given in his honour by a number of his American friends. His present intention is to make a prolonged tour of the Dominion later in the year.

A severe thunderstorm passed over many districts of Scotland on Tuesday and in not a few cases resulted in serious damage to buildings and injury to cattle and sheep.