25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, April 29, 1976

BRITAIN is winning its battle to control inflation. All the major indices of prices are showing improvements with price rises of 15.9 per cent in the year to February being the lowest since August, 1974.

BOLTON'S battle against Dutch elm disease has reached the critical stage. Since the first major outbreaks of the disease in the area last year, Bolton Parks Department has felled 300 elms and injected another 150 with a disease-fighting chemical. This week, 38 elms are being felled on private land at Doe Hey reservoirs, off Green Lane, Darcy Lever, and 40 on council land off Manchester Road.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, April 30, 1951

THE high cost of wives has created a serious social problem in some African tribes, says a report. Commenting on the dowry system, prevalent among African tribes, the reports says: "Originally the dowry was, perhaps, a reasonable guarantee of the suitor's intentions and of the stability of the marriage, but in few places has this simplicity continued. Nowadays the old polygamists who collect wives as evidence of riches buy up the young girls, even small children, and the young men are forced into celibacy or illicit relationships."

125 YEARS AGO

THE movement for a new Infirmary for Bolton grows apace. Since the annual meeting held on the 2nd of last month, several meetings of the Committee have been held, and on Wednesday an important step was taken. A definite idea of the project was thrown out in a resolution which affirmed that £70,000 will be required to complete the scheme. In moving this resolution, Mr W. Nicholson promised a handsome donation of £500. Mr J.P. Thomasson had written offering £200 a year for three years in aid of a Hospital on the Provident Dispensary system.

We understand that other gentlemen have intimated their donations, and, amongst others, Mr Jas. Barlow £1,000, and Mr Peter Crook £1,000; these, however, were not announced. But the sooner large donations are made public the better, on the principle that it is well to keep the ball rolling.

A public meeting will be held shortly to lay the claims of the movement before the middle and working classes. In the meantime strenuous efforts should be made to secure a more complete list of intended large donations. The project began auspiciously, and must succeed if energetically prosecuted.