25 YEARS AGO

A PUBLIC house at Lostock was in danger of having to close tonight because flooding in the cellars has ruined more than 150 gallons of beer. Trouble began at the Junction Hotel, Lostock Junction Lane, two days ago, when the recent heavy rains caused the Middlebrook - which runs within feet of the hotel - to rise. The licensee's wife, Mrs W. Parker, explained that the four, linked, underground cellars soon flooded to a depth of three to five feet. 'The barrels of beer down there have been ruined.' However, regulars rallied round and said: 'Don't close the pub'. They turned up and made do with bottled beer and spirits.

TO facilitate the speedy handling of large crowds at such big local events as the Holcombe Hunt steeplechases, important football fixtures and the like, Bolton Transport Committee proposes to buy short-wave radio control equipment. The transmitter would be at the department's headquarters in Bradshawgate, with the aerial fixed halfway up the chimney.

From the Evening News, January 20, 1874

THE Melbourne Argus of December 4 states that the crew of the barque Pluto, 296 tons, Captain Clarke, owned by Mr Collingwood, of Sunderland, which sailed from Newcastle, New South Wales, in April, bound for Hong Kong with a cargo of coals, and was wrecked on a reef outlying from New Caledonia, have been murdered by Polynesians. Captain Clarke and the crew determined to make for the Solomon group in one of the boats, and subsequently reached Port Adams (Malaysia). Some of the crew, who landed to get water, were killed by the natives, who then slaughtered all on board the boat with the exception of one man, named John Collins, who was spared, and who has described the massacre. He was obtained by Lieutenant Suckling, of her Majesty's ship Renard, from the Malayan natives, but not without considerable difficulties. The Renard also picked up on Malicolo Island four of the crew of the Robert Towns, another wrecked vessel. They had been there six weeks and had been treated well by the natives, who, however, were getting tired of them.

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