LOOKING BACK: Communist threat in 1924, Election campaign in 1974 and Road funding increase call in 1999
Communist threat
From the Groat of September 26, 1924
The perils of Communism and its threat to Britain were outlined in a comment piece that had been published in the wake of a successful Unionist meeting in Wick.
Readers were told that the headquarters of Communism were in Moscow and that “the leaders of Communism were forming a Communist Party in every country in the world, including Britain”.
The writer warned that in Great Britain the aims of the Communists were to “do away with our constitutional system of government, overthrow religion and abolish Parliament”.
However, “the great obstacle to Communism is the British Empire and the loyalty that binds together the Motherland, the Dominions and the Colonies. The Communists know this and are now making special and insidious efforts to break up the Empire by stirring up rebellion and anti-British feeling in India, Egypt, Ireland and elsewhere.”
Revolutionary agents, trained in Moscow, were in Britain and were “constantly engaged in fomenting strife”, it was stated.
On a more local level, a “successful example of labour saving” had taken place at the Bignold Park in Wick.
The corn crop, consisting of four acres, had been cut by Messrs Ferriers’ motor tractor and binder – driven by Mr R Ferrier – in just a few hours. The work started at 9am and was finished by midday.
Election campaign
From the Groat of September 27, 1974
Campaigning for the general election was under way with candidates out and about throughout the constituency.
Labour candidate Robert Maclennan spoke in Wick and forecast a “bright future for Dounreay”, while Liberal hopeful Michael Burnett, at Lybster, accused both Labour and Conservative governments of shamefully neglecting Caithness and Sutherland.
In Bonar Bridge, Albert McQuarrie, for the Conservatives, bemoaned the “major collapse” of the agriculture industry under the Labour government, and in Wick the SNP candidate Eric Sutherland sought to convince listeners of the need for Scotland to control its own affairs.
Among those coming north to lend support to their party’s candidates were the Secretary of State for Prices, Shirley Williams, Robert Hughes, Under-Secretary of State for Health and Education, and Liberal Jo Grimond.
Elsewhere, Thurso Town Council had given the go-ahead for the erection of a £45,000 crab processing factory and cold storage unit.
“A categorical assurance that there would be no obnoxious smell from the factory was given to the councillors by developer Howard Bremner, director of Princes Street Frozen Discounts Ltd.”
Meanwhile, a firm which had a chain of Golden Kitchen centres throughout the country, dispensing takeaway meals, wanted to set up in Thurso and had applied to change the use of a property in Traill Street.
Road funding increase call
From the Groat of October 1, 1999
Caithness councillors were to press for a substantial increase in their funding for minor road works.
The area roads and transport services committee was told by Councillor John Green that the £25,000 allocated to the county was “a miserable sum” and that a more realistic amount was needed to fund the local schemes.
Area roads and transport manager Richard Guest suggested Highland Council should increase the budget for Caithness to £250,000, “but even then it would take several years to work through the list”.
Top priority was the mile-long stretch over Killimster Moss, which was crumbling.
Mr Guest said that a complete reconstruction, at a cost of £750,00, was “imperative”.
Councillor Green said the road was an important route that was well used by commercial and private traffic, but it was in “a serious state”. And he pointed out that the Caithness Partnership had rated it a “very high priority for the county”.
Meanwhile, Councillor Jim Oag made the case for improvements to the Lybster harbour road.
He said the area had lost out as tourist buses were “no longer able to get down to the harbour at a time when they needed all the visitors they could get on the east side of the county”.
Mr Guest said it was hoped to carry out some temporary work to make the harbour accessible for buses again.
