Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
Town lighting expense
From the Groat of September 19, 1921
With the approach of the long nights becoming noticeable, Thurso Town Council had to consider the expense entailed in lighting the streets.
It was reported that "in view of the increased cost of coal, the Gas Company's estimate for the year will make the expense considerably more".
In a bid to save money, ex-Provost Mackay suggested that instead of lighting all street lamps for six months the principal streets should be lit for the first and last months, and the whole town for four months.
It was agreed to remit the matter to Provost Brims and Bailie Munro "to make the best arrangement possible, with a view to securing the best advantages and the most economical rates".
Meanwhile, a case at Wick Sheriff Court caused considerable interest as it was the first in the county in which women had been cited to act as jurors.
Of all the women called, four ended up on the jury in the case against a young man who was formerly secretary of the Wick branch of the National Union of General Workers.
They found the accused guilty of embezzling £12 7s 6d, part of a cheque for £64 19s sent to him from the Glasgow office of the union for the purpose of paying various sums of unemployment benefit to Wick members.
House-letting policy concern
From the Groat of September 17, 1971
Councillors were to tighten up their council house letting policy after accepting that the system contained "irregularities".
Criticism of Wick Town Council had come from those on the waiting list and those who had been housed but who noted issues with the way houses were let.
Much of the concern was due to the wide use of discretion by the chamberlain and the council itself, with Treasurer Dunne saying that councillors had become complacent.
New housing stock had meant that the number of people applying for transfers had become overwhelming, but people from outside the burgh, some without jobs, had been let the new homes while residents who had been waiting longer lost out.
Councillors took the view that people in the town on the waiting list should be the first priority, with those from outside the burgh only being given a house if they were taking up employment.
Elsewhere, Caithness was set to become the first county in the north to introduce a scheme of cheap bus fares for the elderly and those with disabilities or injuries which impaired their ability to walk.
Men over 65, women over 60, blind people and those over 14 with mobility problems were to benefit from the proposal.
Local charity's cash crisis
From the Groat of September 20, 1996
A charity set up to provide a financial lifeline to the families of sick children in Caithness was running out of money.
More people than ever were turning to the Julie Wheatcroft Trust, set up eight years previously, but donations were in decline.
In the past 12 months, the trustees had paid out £7500 but taken in only half that amount. Unless the situation was reversed, the charity faced being wound up.
The trust was named after Julie Wheatcroft, of Thurso, who had died of leukaemia at the age of 14. She had realised the importance of having her family at her bedside during hospital stays in the south and suggested a fund to help families who could not afford to travel to be with their sick children.
Almost 150 families had been helped and applications for support continued to flood in.
Julie's father Bob Wheatcroft said the trust had received a lot of help over the years with collecting cash but there was now so much money going out that "we have to do some serious fundraising".
He added: "If the people of Caithness want this trust to carry on and want families to be helped, then they have to help us."