Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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'Full-bloodied Communist' jibe
From the Groat of August 24, 1923
The leader writer in the Groat was less than enamoured by news that the Labour Party was "seriously contemplating the idea of putting forward candidates on the first opportunity to contest the constituencies of Caithness and Sutherland and the Western Isles" and had issued a note of warning to smallholders and others in the county "who were being covertly engineered into a certain sort of Union".
The writer maintained that some of those actively prominent in connection with the "union movement" were not only declared supporters of Labour but were of "the full-bloodied Communist order".
It was obvious, the writer said, that these union activists were prepared to take advantage of the smallholders' valid grievance in order to "put forward their pet and fantastic ideas of a new and millennial social order".
The level-headed and law-abiding people of the north would not be taken in, added the writer, and "no amount of plausible pretence would avail any candidate coming forward under the auspices of so-called Labour".
Meanwhile in Thurso, the local Co-operative Society had decided to "scrap their present method of horse transport and to purchase a motor car at a cost of £235". It was considered that this was "a more economical method of conveying their goods to and from the various branches of the Society".
US Navy relationship 'soured'
From the Groat of August 24, 1973
The US Navy's belated objection to the Chicago Bridge company's plans for an oil-rig construction yard at Dunnet had damaged its relationship with the people of Caithness, according to the local MP.
Robert Maclennan, writing to the Ministry of Defence, which had lodged the objection on behalf of the US Navy, said there was "considerable resentment among his constituents" regarding the matter, resulting in the "souring of the public attitude" which had hitherto been good.
Mr Maclennan explained that he had received "many indignant protests" as the "overwhelming wish" of the people of Caithness was to have the jobs associated with the project "and they will find it impossible to accept that the interests of the US Navy communications station should have precedence over this".
He suggested that "if the two ventures are incompatible it will be argued that the US Navy station should be reconstructed on another site".
Replying, the MoD stated that the arc welding techniques which would be used in the construction process would interfere with the station's "reception on certain frequencies used for essential communications".
Stressing the "vital importance" of the facility, the MoD said it was working with Chicago Bridge to find a solution.
Special unit 'marvellous'
From the Groat of August 28, 1998
The way society cared for those most in need of help had taken a step forward in Caithness with the official opening of a new education centre for children with special needs.
Previously such children, aged from five years to their late teens, had been accommodated together at units within primary schools in Wick and Thurso. But, for the first time, children of secondary school age were mixing with their peers after the opening of a special needs unit at Thurso High School.
The £120,000 centre had a roll of 11 pupils drawn from Caithness and north Sutherland and was staffed by full-time teachers Anne Marie Hagen and Valerie Smith, along with four auxiliaries.
The venture had been described as "one of the most progressive developments to have taken place in Caithness recently".
Councillor Jim Oag, chairman of the Caithness area education committee, said it was "a marvellous achievement at a time of parsimony in local government spending".
A special sensory garden, which included play equipment, was being developed beside the unit with the assistance of local companies and television's Beechgrove Garden.
The £20,000 project was due for completion within the next week and would be featured in the BBC programme the following year.
