Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Scandal of shebeening in Wick
From the Groat of February 29, 1924
A heated discussion had taken place at Wick Town Council over a motion made by ex-Bailie Duchart that the council consider the "best means of having the law enforced and shebeening suppressed".
Mr Duchart was up in arms at the illegal selling of alcohol in a town that had twice voted for No-Licence.
He pointed out that alcohol sales had been restricted for some two years, yet many former licence holders continued to break the law.
He said that shebeening had always been looked upon as a despicable thing and those who carried it out generally tried to hide their evil deeds, but in Wick under the present circumstances it was being flagrantly carried out.
He was particularly critical of the town's magistrates, saying they were too lenient.
However, many of his fellow councillors took offence when he appeared to suggest that some of the offenders had "friends in court". He even went so far as to ask if "the magistrates use the shebeens for supplying their home needs, or for personal needs outside".
This prompted Provost Green to call the question "insulting" and he asked Mr Duchart to withdraw the question. Mr Duchart refused.
One of those unhappy with the "unjust innuendo" was Mr Cook, who moved that they council take no action in the matter, and this was carried following a vote.
Council agrees to fly the flag
From the Groat of March 1, 1974
The Scottish flag was to be flown from Caithness County Council's office building in Wick on specific days during the year.
The move was agreed at a meeting of the administration and finance committee following the submission of a letter from Mr O A Cleary.
Mr Cleary had also written to the Groat on the subject and stated that he had been surprised that the Scottish flag had not been flown from the county offices on St Andrew's Day.
He wished to make it clear that his request was not motivated by "any thoughts of political propaganda but solely by a desire to see that the historically renowned days in the Scottish calendar were celebrated in a dignified and respectful manner by the flying of the Scottish flag".
At first it appeared the council would take no action on the request, but then Thurso councillor William Swanson suddenly rose to his feet to support the idea. From there it gained momentum and police judge David Nicol said he did not see why they couldn't fly the Saltire.
Councillor Swanson said that it was time to "start having a little interest in our own flag".
The motion was carried by eight votes to two.
The flag was to be flown on Burns Day, Bannockburn Day, Sir William Wallace Day and St Andrew's Day.
Dounreay workshop to close
From the Groat of March 5, 1999
Johnson Controls had announced the closure of the engineering workshop at Dounreay with the loss of 14 jobs.
Management said they could not justify the investment needed to modernise the machinery, blaming a downturn in offshore work.
Ironically, the decision had been announced just three months after industrial unrest had forced the company to abandon plans to sell the business as a going concern to a local consortium, ED UK.
The workshop had provided in-house engineering services for the UK Atomic Energy Authority for several decades, but the end of the fast reactor programme in 1994 led to the business being divested to Procord (which had since been taken over by Johnson Controls) a year later as part of the privatisation of the site's Facilities Services Division.
Union official Davie Alexander described the move as "very disappointing but not a total surprise", adding that the business did not sit comfortably in a facilities management operation. He said they hoped to avoid compulsory redundancies.
Elsewhere, help looked set to be on the way to safeguard the crumbling north and south river piers at Wick harbour.
Highland Council convener Peter Peacock had successfully intervened with government ministers who were now prepared to welcome "a council coastal protection formula which would attract government aid".
