From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 24, 1978

From the pages of the Down Recorder, October 24, 1978

24 October 2018

SAINTFIELD — A token 24-hour strike paralysed production at the McCleery & L’Amie textile factory in Saintfield this week, when more than 200 workers staged a protest over bonus payments.

Production workers on three shifts were involved in what could be start of a running dispute at the factory. The men have already imposed a complete overtime ban and they are threatening to hold regular one-day stoppages during the next four weeks.

However, a management spokesman said talks would be going on and he was hopeful of a “speedy resolution.”

Over 200 members of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union are involved and although they were on picket duty at the factory they did not interfere with the remainder of the workforce.

The factory has a total workforce of 300 and the men involved are mostly spinners and dyers. They are angry because they claim production bonuses should have been increased as part of a recent pay settlement.

Their decision to take protest action came at a meeting on Saturday after talks last week between management and the union failed to settle their grievance.

“The company hasn’t honoured the agreement on this matter and our protests will be going on until a solution is reached,” a spokesman for the strikers said.

A management spokesman said: “The strike is costly, but not terribly serious. We lost three shifts in the stoppage and that is about a fifth of our week’s production.

“However, talks will be going on and I would hope for a speedy solution.”

BALLYNAHINCH — A Ballynahinch man has struck gold. In a fortnight’s time Arthur Maitland will be making a well-earned trip to Buckingham Palace to receive the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

Mr Maitland, who is 23 and an employee at Downpatrick Post Office’s exchange, is one of 39 people from Northern Ireland who will be setting off to England to collect the coveted award on November 9.

He lives at Magheraknock Road and and began the demanding programme for the award as a member of the NI Post Office Youth Club. His many hobbies include swimming, photography, canoeing, reading and car maintenance.

NEWCASTLE — Residents of Newcastle will be given a final opportunity to decide whether or not they want a town committee. Following a meeting of only seven committee members last week it was decided to call a second public meeting in a last ditch attempt to form a full committee.

The first public meeting, held only two weeks ago, was attended by only a handful of interested people. A much depleted committee of ten members was elected.

Over 200 letters will be circulated to local people appealing to their sense of community commitment. If the meeting fails to attract a determined response from the public then Newcastle Town Committee will be forced to close its doors.

“Committee member Mr Archie Cairns said he was amazed at the lack of support from local business men. “Of course we can get money from them, but when it comes to actually doing something no-one is available.

ARDGLASS — Ardglass police have appealed for information about a “trail of destruction” at a school on Sunday night. St Joseph’s Primary School, which is used by youth groups as a weekend hostel, was ransacked and damage was widespread.

A police spokesman labelled the incident as a “full-scale trail of destruction” and that among other things mattresses were ripped and food and washing power were thrown across the floors.

SHRIGLEY — The Martin Memorial Clock in Shrigley is to get a new lease of life. The Housing Executive announced this week that the monument is to be restored, thus ending several years of uncertainty about its future.

A spokesman said the monument, which is almost 100 years old, is the most elaborate and unusual structure owned by the Executive and described it as “a folly worth preserving.”

The monument is an embellished Victorian clock tower which was built in the 1880s and handed over to the village by a local mill owner named Martin.

When Shrigley was being redeveloped the clock tower came into council ownership. When local government was reorganised in 1971 the monument passed into the hands of the Housing Executive.

“In the past several alternatives have been considered, including demolition,” the Executive spokesman said. “But although it has little architectural value, we considered that it is representative of another era and deserves to be maintained.”

T0LLYMORE — Over 500 tons of huge Mourne granite boulders have been used to construct a unique aid to mountaineering at the Sports Council’s mountain centre at Tollymore. It’s a 20 foot high wall, which is the first of its kind in Ireland and it incorporates a great variety of climbing problems met by climbers.

The wall was officially opened by Mary Peters, vice-chairman of the Sports Council, and she made the first ascent behind Newcastle man Bert Slader, who has led Northern Ireland mountaineering expeditions to Iran and Afghanistan.

PORTAFERRY — Hopes for an ambitious new golf course and tourist centre at Portaferry House were dashed this week with the news that the building and grounds are no longer for sale.

Portaferry House and 20 acres of surrounding land were put on the market this year and the asking price was believed to have been in the region of £120,000.

However, the agents have now put an end to plans to sell on the instructions of the trustees.

“The trustees would like to have sold the house and only about 20 acres of land, but offers which were received did not meet those requirements,” a spokesman for the agents said.

Until recently Ards Borough Council looked set to buy the house with plans to develop an 18-hole golf course with tourist amenities.

The council received outline planning permission for the project a few months ago. At a meeting this week councillors expressed disappointment at the news and decided to adjourn the matter for further investigation.

SEAFORDE — The build-up to the Northern Ireland Ploughing Championships at Seaforde next week has brought a host of goodwill messages.

Mr Patrick Forde, who has allowed the event to be held on his estate, said he was very glad to see the championship returning to Co Down.

“I hope all who come will thoroughly enjoy themselves,” he said. “This international event shows up and promotes one of the very good sides of our community where all participants are at peace and harmony with each other.”

COMBER — Comber milkman David Kinnier is the dream of the crop when it comes to treating old people with consideration and respect. The Co-op was named Ulster’s Milkman of the Year this week and won £250.

David was nominated by 61 year-old widow Mrs Elizabeth Smyth. “He is decimated to his job and is careful and kind to the old generation,” she said. “He is always early, cheerful and ready to help.

“If it is a wet morning he would ring the doorbell and hand my milk in, or leave it sitting in a handy place. It is good to have him on the round because there are quite a few pensioners in the area.”

CROSSGAR — A Crossgar pig breeder turned on the style by scoring a unique double success at the Royal Ulster Autumn Show and Sale at Balmoral.

Hubert Gabbie became the first breeder in Ireland to win both the Large White and Landrace supreme championships at one show. He also carried home several class awards.

“It is something I didn’t believe I would achieve and now that I have done it I don’t suppose I will do it again,” Mr Gabbie said.