From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of February 23, 1996
A SALMON farmer's plans to site 12 fish cages in one of north west Sutherland's most beautiful sea bays has caused an uproar among local residents. The small rural community of Clashnessie, near Drumbeg, claim the cages will not only ruin their view, one of the most scenic in the county, but also pollute the beaches and turn away tourists who are the area's lifeblood.
But Jim Payne, co-owner with his wife and son of Drumbeg based company Ardvar Salmon, retorts that he has operated for 15 years without any pollution problems and his cages will have no effect on Clashnessie's beautiful beaches.
The design of Hunters of Brora's new woollen mill has been compared to Manchester Airport by the tenant farmer who is being forced to give up part of his land as a site for the building. Malcolm McCall, Inverbrora, said the architect of the new £10 million mill should have shown more sympathy to local surroundings and used materials locally available.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of February 19, 1971
Under the Government’s proposals for Scottish local government reform, Sutherland is to have its own district authority and, a bonus, this will include the Tain and Ardgay areas of Easter Ross. The parishes of Farr and Tongue will come under Caithness district authority. The proposals were the subject of a White Paper published on Wednesday and they are hoped to be in operation by 1975 with the elections taking place in 1974.
Welcoming the White Paper, Mr Donald McBain, convener of Sutherland County Council, said the inclusion of Tain and Ardgay would be a population and rating boost for Sutherland.
The layout and design of the 22 new council houses at Lochinver is to be entered for the Civic Trust Award Scheme. This was agreed by Sutherland Housing Committee last week. Mr Donald McBain, convener, said the site had been much criticised, but when completed the whole scheme would be worth seeing. It was also agreed that the housing committee should visit the site.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of February 17, 1921
It has been evident for some time that the Education Authority of Sutherland is having some difficulty in filling vacancies in our schools. This was frankly admitted at the last meeting of the Authority when the Education Officer stated that he had received no applications for the posts advertised.
A member said that the reason for vacancies not being filled up was not the remoteness of this or that school, nor the class of school, but the fact that some Authorities in the south were paying £60 above the National Scale.
The second poll under the Temperance Act took place in Dornoch on Thursday. At the first poll on 2nd November, "No-Licence" was carried. A few weeks after the Court of Session declared the poll null and void owing it being held on St Barr's Fair, this being a market day according to the Act. Thursday's poll swung the pendulum completely round with the "No-Change" carrying the day. The figures were 150 for No-Change and 121 for No-Licence.
