From the Northern Times 25, 50 and 100 years ago
25 YEARS AGO
From the Northern Times of August 3, 1996
A PRACTICE torpedo hauled up in a fishing boat's nets caused a minor panic at Kinlochbervie on Wednesday. Around 60 people were evacuated from the harbour area at lunchtime when the Macduff boat Enterprise steamed in with the point-nosed cylinder, about five and a half feet long, on board. The torpedo had been rolling around the deck for some days before being picked up in the vessel's nets off the Butt of Lewis.
Naval disposal experts from Cape Wrath bombing range along with police and fire brigade were called in to deal with the orange coloured weapon which was disposed of in a controlled explosion in a clear area of Durness road near the village dump.
Ian Hay, who turned the Scourie Hotel into one of the most productive fishing hotels in Scotland, is relinquishing control of the business after 40 years. He has put the hotel on the market through the Inverness office of Finlayson Hughes and, from this season, may be found fishing one of the hotel's 38 beats as a guest.
50 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of July 30, 1971
Sutherland County Council are to decide at their September meeting whether or not to sell ground at their Earl's Cross Hostel at Dornoch for private housing development. They are also to inspect the site, which is ground used by the hostel boys as a football pitch. In the meantime, Alexander Sutherland Ltd., the Golspie contractors have been given outline planning consent to build 16 private houses on the site. It was reaffirmed, at a meeting of Sutherland County Council last Monday, that the firm had promised to convert other ground at the hostel into a football pitch, but this assurance has still to be given in writing.
Despite the almost incessant rain, a remarkably large crowd attended the Sutherland Agricultural Society's show on Dornoch Links last Saturday. There could scarcely have been more miserable conditions, but spectators and participants alike at the afternoon's sports programme made light of the conditions and enjoyed the proceedings as much as possible.
100 YEARS AGO
From the newspaper of August 4, 1921
Correspondence was submitted to Lairg Parish Council from Mr Cameron, factor for the Achany Estate, in which a scheme was outlined for the repair of Gruids Mill. The scheme proposed primarily the raising of £100 among farmers, crofters, and landholders in the parish with a certain proportion from the Estate. It was agreed to make arrangements to collect this sum and several parish councillors were appointed to collect subscriptions in their respective districts. It may be stated that Mr Hector Mackay has promised to assist financially.
Urgent appeals are being made for the restoration of the pre-war postal arrangements in the Highlands. The vexatious delays in the delivery of letters and parcels are having a detrimental effect upon the economic life of the people. It is far from satisfactory that a parcel posted in Inverness for Aviemore should not reach its destination until two days after the time it was given over to the the charge of the postal officials.
