Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Castletown memorial decision
From the Groat of February 25, 1921
The committee formed to establish a war memorial in Castletown agreed to go ahead with a design in the shape of a cross, despite objections locally.
The decision had been postponed following a public meeting at which disquiet at the design had been expressed.
On the motion of Dr Macgregor, a vote was held which was carried by 16 to three in favour of the cross.
Mr B Calder said that given the strength of feeling in the community it would be "very unbecoming" to go ahead with it, and the Rev JP Sinclair called for a new design, saying the erection of the proposed cross would be "worse then nothing".
As well as voting to go ahead with the design, the committee resolved not to meet again until August, by which time the monument would be nearing completion.
Meanwhile, a company of the Boys' Brigade had been formed in Thurso in connection with the West United Free Church and already over 50 boys had joined, with teacher George S Mackenzie serving as captain.
It was stated: "It is fitting that, in the birthplace of the founder of the Brigade, there should be a company, and its re-establishment gives general satisfaction."
Common good fund worries
From the Groat of February 26, 1971
Members of Wick Town Council expressed concern about the fate of the town's common good fund following the reorganisation of local government.
The town council was one of the authority bodies which would be eliminated in the changes and councillors wanted to ensure the fund was not "swallowed up" by the new authority.
Police Judge James Kay moved that the money be spent prior to the changes for the good of the town, while Bailie Kenneth Gunn suggested that it be turned into an emergency fund for "old people or people in dire need".
However, it was pointed out that there were only certain ways in which the council was allowed to use the common good and a spending splurge was "not on".
It was agreed that once the consultation document about reorganisation became available, a special meeting would be convened to discuss the matter. One of the options being mooted was that the common good and other trust funds be handed over to another body.
Meanwhile, Audrey Gunn, daughter of Mr and Mrs George Gunn, Swiney Mains, Lybster, had left for the Falkland Islands where she was to take up a job with the Foreign Office as personal secretary to the Colonial Secretary at Government Offices, Port Stanley.
Police alert on sniffing craze
From the Groat of Friday, March 1, 1996
The local constabulary was cracking down on a new teenage sniffing craze which was branded as dangerous.
Young people were stealing fire extinguishers and inhaling the gas they contained. Six extinguishers had vanished from buses and BT and Hydro-Electric vans in Wick.
Wick-based DC Gordon MacKenzie claimed the practice was rife and said a special initiative was under way aimed at stamping it out.
The gas in the cylinders was used to trigger the distribution of anti-fire powder and, although the release of the gas lasted for a short time, sniffing it was addictive, he explained.
Several youngsters had been interviewed by police regarding the thefts, and van and bus operators were urged to make sure that their fire extinguishers were kept under lock and key.
Meanwhile, Caithness sheepdog handler William Cormack was to take to the small screen later in the month when he competed in the Grampian Television Sheepdog Trials.
William, of Wester Dunnet, and his dog Bracken were due to go up against fellow senior competitors from Crieff and Kelso.
The eight-part series had been filmed the previous summer at Inchmarlo House, near Banchory.
Also taking to the sporting stage was Thurso rugby player Rowen Shepherd, who was due to play at Murrayfield for Scotland in a bid for Grand Slam glory against England.
