25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 26, 1976

THE hunt for a gas bonanza in the Irish Sea is over. The British Gas Corporation's third well has been "corked" for at least a year, and its drilling rig is about to leave for the North Sea to help search for oil. British Gas has no definite plans to resume drilling.

LABOUR Party members are angry over what they call was an act of "gross bad manners" to an MP by Bolton Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They say that Bolton East MP Mr David Young, a guest at the Chamber's annual dinner in Bolton, had to sit through a series of anti-government political speeches without being given the right to reply.

50 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 27, 1951

THE National Hairdressers' Federation, representing 15,000 hairdressers in Great Britain, at their annual conference at Whitley Bay today, passed a resolution fixing the minimum price for men's hairdressing at 1s 6d (7p) instead of the present 1s 3d. In many local saloons the present minimum charge for a haircut is 1s 3d from Monday to Friday, and 1s 6d on Saturday.

125 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 27, 1876

SIR, - Will you, through the medium of your paper, let the Waterworks' Committee know that we are very much in want of clean water at Daubhill, not thick, dirty, musty water, of that we have plenty; but such as you, sir, or any of the Town Council, would like to drink. We have changed managers in that department, and I was hoping to have some improvement, but no, still the same. I am reminded very much of the story that is told of two travellers who went into a village inn and called for a glass of spirits each.

The landlady brought the spirits and some water in a bottle. One of the travellers said: "This water is very dirty; let us have some clean sparkling". "I cannot do that, sir," was the answer, "for they have been manuring the fields, and with the rain falling it has got into the wells, and will be a few days before it is clean again." I think that is about on a par with the water we get. If you know anyone who wants to sell filters this is the place for them, and no mistake; can you help us please with your paper. Summer is coming, and what we shall have to do then I cannot say. - I am sir, yours, Clean Water.