From the pages of the Down Recorder, May 2, 1972

2 May 2012

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle Urban Council is determined to beat the parking ban in the town’s main thoroughfare by providing temporary car parks close to the main shopping centres.

Already hard hit by a big in seasonal holiday bookings, the resort’s business community has resolved to attract, and not deter, motorists from coming to the town. With this in mind the local Chamber of Commerce recently wrote to the council drawing attention to the need for additional car parking facilities, particularly during the holiday season. They suggested that sites at Castle Park, off Bryansford Road, adjacent to the Homa Engineering factory, Donard Park, Bryansford Avenue and behind the former Ritz cinema be considered.

Lt.-Col. K. C. Smith said that unless parking places were provided near the main shopping areas no one would use them. “If these parking restrictions continue, and there is every likelihood that they will, then we must be prepared to open more of Donard Park.”

STRANGFORD — Down County Council want to meet Ulster supremo, Mr. William Whitelaw, and impress on him the urgency of acquiring a second ferry vehicle for Strangford Lough. At yesterday’s half-yearly meeting held in Downpatrick, a five-man sub-committee was appointed and will now seek a date for the meeting.

Since a deputation of county councillors and officials met the Ministry of Development in the summer of 1970 to discuss proposals for a second ferry there had been correspondence between the county surveyor’s department and the ministry, but no conclusion had been reached. Members were also told that summaries of traffic figures had been forwarded to the ministry to justify the claim that substantial numbers of commercial users now took advantage of the vehicle ferry service.

SAINTFIELD — Mrs. Mamie Moffat, who lives near Rowallane, Saintfield, was the guest of honour at a social evening in Carryduff on Friday night to mark her retirement after 45 years in the teaching profession. She was presented with a cheque by Mrs. Pearl Shanks, a past pupil and former teaching colleague, on behalf of Killynure Past Pupils Association.

Miss Moffat graduated from Stranmillis Training College in 1927 with a first class pass. After a three-week spell at Magherabeg, near Randalstown, she moved to Kearney Primary School, Portaferry. She married her husband, David, in 1933, and later moved to Killynure, where she made many friends among pupils and teachers alike.

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick Urban Council is to approach the Ministry of Finance to see if a site earmarked some years ago for the town’s new police station could be used as a temporary car park. The matter was raised at Monday night’s monthly meeting by Mr. Hugh Millar, who wanted to know if any progress was being made in connection with the new RUC station. Mr. Cecil Maxwell contended that the area was an eysore and suggested it be cleaned up.

ARDGLASS — The beauty of spring flowers, the happy chatter of children and the delighted comments of appreciation from the grown-ups, all helped to make Ardglass Gardening Club’s first annual spring flower show a success. The exhibitors set a very high standard in floral art and flower arrangement, and the 145 entries gave the judge a most difficult task in selecting the prize winners.

The exhibits, tastefully arranged in St. Mary’s Hall, attracted fullest attention from the spectators and the judge, Mr. Alec Carroll.

DUNDRUM — The Dundrum branch of the East Down Tenants Association held an open-air meeting at the Dromara Road car park on Tuesday night when over 80 tenants attended. They passed unanimously a resolution to withhold the 7.5 per cent rent increase until the begging of June when the central housing authority takes over full control. Thanks were expressed to all the tenants who had given their support in an endeavour to have the rent increase eliminated.

BALLYKINLAR — When the mother of two Suffolk lambs died shortly after their birth, farmer Christopher Carr, of Shore Road, Ballykinlar, had a problem on his hands — how to wean the orphan lambs. Then he remembered his three year-old Friesian heifer, Paddy Joe. She had recently given birth to her first calf, so he decided to introduce her to the lambs.

“And do you know,” Mr. Carr said this week, “she took to them as if they has been her own. And how they are being successfully weaned on their foster mother.”

RADEMON — Rademon Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church held a successful coffee party and bring and buy sale in the War Memorial Hall, Crossgar, on Thursday evening. Winners of the ballot were Miss M. Miscampbell, Mrs. Eynon and Mr. N. Nelson.

ST. JOHN’S POINT — Over 68,500 tons of oil were dealt with in an oil lightening operation in Dundrum Bay, off St. John’s Point, at the weekend..

BALLYKINLAR — Downpatrick firemen dashed to Ballykinlar just before midnight on Saturday and stopped a gorse fire spreading to a nearby ammunition dump.

TYRELLA — Substantial sums of money have been stolen recently from cars parked at Tyrella Beach. Local police warn motorists to remove valuables before securing their vehicles.

CLINTNAGOOLAND — A heifer, owned by Mr. Coulter, of Clintnagooland, was killed when it was struck by a car at Barr’s Cross, Hillsborough Road, Ballynahinch, on Tuesday. The driver of the vehicle was unhurt.

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