From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 21, 1975

From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 21, 1975

21 October 2015

DOWNPATRICK — Downpatrick’s hospital pot is boiling over again. Disquiet is bubbling out and there is widespread anxiety over the possibility of the financial axe falling heavily on scheduled proposals for much-needed expansion of existing facilities.

There are fears that cutbacks in spending may mean substantial delay in the building of a new maternity unit at Downshire Hospital. Work was to begin on this next December. It is thought that existing maternity services might even be transferred to Belfast.

The new maternity unit, to replace Hardy Greer House, is the scheduled second phase of a new general hospital. The first phase is the Lecale House assessment unit for elderly people.

Fears also include the possibility of a watering down of Downe Hospital’s function to little more than that of a first-aid post for emergencies with major services being transferred to Belfast.

It is widely known that cuts will be made throughout the province to make the services more efficient and less expensive. The extent of the cuts will not be generally known for some time, but news of possible reductions is giving rise to considerable public feeling.

MOUNTSTEWART — Antique collectors in Down have been warned to look out for silverware and antiques stolen from a stately home near Newtownards.

Thousands of pound worth of rare items have disappeared over the past year and a half from Mountstewart, between Greyabbey and Newtownards.

Mountstewart is the home of Lady Mairi Bury, who is at present in Italy. In all, police think some 125 valuable items have been stolen, although some have already been recovered.

Some of the silver should be easily recognisable as it bears the Londonderry crest. But the fear is that some of the valuables may be shipped over to antique dealers in Britain.

CORBALLY — There will never be another night like last Friday for Dr Patrick Moore, retired recently as General Practitioner after 42 years of service to the people of Strangford, Kilclief and surrounding district.

At his home at Corbally, Bishopscourt, Dr Moore, immensely popular and widely respected throughout the Lecale area, was given a cheque for one thousand guineas. “The amount staggered me,” he said afterwards. “I will never forget this warm-hearted and generous gesture.”

The presentation was made by a representative group of his former patients, whose chairman, Mr  George Conway, spoke of the appreciation of the people, particularly the aged, the sick and the infirm, for Dr Moore’s work among them.

Nurse Nan McManus, who had been associated with the doctor in his work, made the presentation of the cheque and a written appreciation.

Dr Moore came as general practitioner to Killough in 1933 after a period as a medical student in Dublin. He was educated at Dunsford PS, Pierce’s College, Dublin, Queen’s University, Belfast, and St Mary’s College. In 1938 he moved his surgery from Killough to Corbally.

Dr Moore recalled his family connection with the area extending back over 70 years from the time his late father started as medical doctor there.

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle Town Committee received a boost at a recent public meeting when a new constitution was adopted and several of the old committee were re-elected.

At the meeting called to decide whether or not the public thought the body was necessary, the committee’s enterprise and hard work came in for a lot of praise.

The new constitution allows for members to serve on the committee once they are elected. To introduce the new ruling half of the original committee were re-elected. They were: Mr John Toner, Mr Bill Martin, Mrs M Henderson, Mr G Toner, Mr Bertie Hill, Mr Chris Bonny, Mr Fred Wadsworth, Mr Bill Gardener, Miss C Hoggins and Mr R Thornton.

Mr Andy Murphy, a member of the original committee, and Mr John Torney, Brigadier Molyneaux and Mrs Liz Bailey, all co-opted members from last year, were re-elected. The six new members are: Mr Dan Harvey, Mrs Barbara Matthews, Mr Sydney Jaye, Mr Carson, Mr Dominic Fitzpatrick and Mrs Daphne Smart.

STRANGFORD — A scheme which is expected to chop thousands of pounds off the repair bill for Strangford’s two ferry vessels is now well under way.The scheme involves the clearance of a grid near the ferry terminal. It will mean the boats can be set up between the tides and scraped and cleaned.

This will ends the frequent journeys to Harland & Wolff Shipyard in Belfast and service bills of between £15,000 and £20,000 each time. It will also end the risk of either damaging or losing a vessel between Belfast and Strangford. If particularly nasty weather blows up  en route there’s no real haven on the coastline for boat or crew.

CROSSGAR _ Down Council will not be taking over the management of Crossgar War Memorial Hall — at least not for the time being. Earlier this year the hall committee asked the council to take over the complete running of the premises, but now its members have decided they want to stay in the driving seat.

As an alternative they have asked the council to grant aid the running costs of the hall, but as yet the council have no powers to do so. The committee will be advised to seek grant aid in conjunction with the Crossgar and District Community Association from the Department of Education.

INCH — It was certainly a case of being far away when Robert Farr left his home at Inch, near Downpatrick, to being a new life in Australia. Now 20 years later Robert has returned to his homeland for a brief holiday, his first visit to Northern Ireland since he left.

Robert brought his wife and family back with him to view his home territory for the first time and they were immediately struck by the amount of green throughout the countryside. Robert is an inspector on the railway in the city of Melbourne, ironic given that all signs of trains have disappeared in East Down.

KILLYLEAGH — Killyleagh Camera Club met on on Monday night when they had a session on the theory of developing film. This took the form of a practical demonstration which included the first steps in enlarging.

The next meeting will take place in Sproule House next Monday night when Mr L Moucka will present a slide show entitled ‘Grand Tour of Italy.’

CARRYDUFF — Lisnabreeny House, Carryduff, was the target for a break-in on Thursday night, but nothing was taken. The property, which is owned by the National Trust, is vacant.

CONKERS — During the past months countless children all over the county have spent endless hours trying to dislodge the securely held conkers from the branches of chestnut trees.

It’s an annual activity that always begins far too early, yet it does not seem to matter to the successful hunters if their hard won possessions are piebald in colour, instead of the rich mahogany brown of a fully ripened conked.

It certainly did not seem to matter to the group of Ballynahinch children as they played with their conkers under the shade of the row of chestnut trees lining the green at Mourne View. 

MILK — Housewives throughout the UK could find their daily pintas rationed if the current decline in the dairy industry continues.

That was the ominous warning sounded by local dairy farmers who, like their colleagues throughout the UK, find themselves in a desperate financial situation.

At present almost 100 farmers a week in the UK are leaving the dairy industry because the government is asking them to produce milk for less money than the cost of production.