From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
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25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 23, 1998
The management of the Job and Enterprise Training (JET 2000) network in the north have denied they are about to close it down with the loss of all jobs, including five full-time posts in Golspie. A Jet spokesman said this week that any talk of a shut-down was completely misleading. The organisation was currently conducting a review into its operations.
A PLAN to recreate a 2000-year old Pictish broch as a major tourist attraction to Sutherland will be discussed at a meeting in Helmsdale next week. Helmsdale Heritage Society already has funds set aside to recreate a broch near their award-winning Timespan Centre on the riverbank in the village.
A GIANT puffball, 35.5 inches in diameter was found by Bettyhill youths Martin Mackillop and Edwin Wood in a field at Crask, overlooking the beach. They thought it might be a recordbreaker but consultation of a book on fungi brought them the sad fact that puffballs often grow to this size.
25 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 17, 1973
The Rogart and Lairg lamb sales on Tuesday and Wednesday were held in scorching weather which must have been a great ordeal for yardsmen, auctioneers and beasts alike. Both sales had record numbers – 12,000 North Country Cheviot lambs at Lairg and over 10,000, mainly hill lambs, at Rogart.
A PLEA for extra Government funds to help pay for mountain rescue work in Sutherland has been rejected by Mr Alick Buchanan-Smith, Under-Secretary to the Scottish Office. The request was made by Mr Robert Maclennan, MP for Caithness and Sutherland who had been asked by the Ross and Sutherland Joint Police Committee to try to get an increased grant paid to the police to cover the work.
It was another golden day for Aberdeen's Bill Anderson at Dornoch Highland Gathering last Friday when he repeated his 1972 "clean sweep" in the six heavy events. He also set a new ground record of 15ft 6in for the weight by height.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 16, 1993
Letters dated 3rd and 23rd March, 1923, the Whipping of Juvenile Offenders, were read out (to Sutherland County Council's standing joint committee). Sheriff Forbes pointed out that there had been no Juvenile Court held in Dornoch since he came, but he had heard complaints about juveniles doing damage to gardens and destroying fruit, and thought that if they had the proper equipment at Dornoch, both he and the Magistrates would be able to deal with any offenders in a proper manner if any had occasion to come before them.
As there would be no charge made for the birch rod, which was supplied free by the Police Commissioners, the committee sanctioned the expenditure of £1 15s for a table with straps so that the county police buildings would be properly equipped to deal with juvenile offenders.
At the present time counterfeit coins are being circulated in different places in the county and a number have reached Golspie. They are half-crown and two shilling pieces.
