Thursday, September 8, 2005

100 years ago

It was a contest for voters by the three political agents, at the annual revision of the lists of names of persons of the city of York entitled to vote at Parliamentary and Municipal elections, in open court in the Council Chamber, the Guildhall, York. Mr Dunlop, Conservative Registration Agent, examined James W Smailes, of 51, St John Street, who, through Mr Bellerby, Liberal Agent, applied for a lodger's vote. Thirteen shillings weekly paid for board and lodging was the minimum amount on which such a claim for entitlement was allowed in the York Court. His claim the previous year had been disallowed as he had failed to show he paid 13s a week. Since the last court he had paid 15s. Mr Dunlop asked: "But from July to September last year you were not paying 13s?" Mr Smailes replied that he had not, but he had made that all right since. This admission of having paid the difference for that period did not satisfy the Court. The Revising Barrister said that the vote could not be allowed but he would get it the next year.

50 years ago

The important part played by hormones in plant growth and development was still a little obscure, but considerable progress had been made with various synthetic substances that exhibited the same properties as the naturally occurring hormones. These so-termed hormones could be used for aiding such operations as setting fruit on tomatoes, the rooting of cuttings, and the control of weeds in lawns. A new substance which had been used experimentally but as yet was not available on the market for general distribution went under the title of 2,4,5 TP (2, 4, 5 trichlorophenoxy propionic acid), and when used at the correct time and concentration on apple trees, it gave added colour to the fruit and accelerated ripening.

25 years ago

The existing York scanner appeal, which had a target figure of a minimum of £385,000, would be sufficient to cover running costs of the equipment in the initial stages. Following the success of the appeal, the scanner was likely to be installed well before the date of 1 April 1981 when the authority would take over responsibility for the equipment. Already £358,000 had been raised. The secretary of the scanner trust said: "The trustees are confident that the final achievement of the present appeal will be sufficient to cover the hospital's additional costs arising from the use of the scanner in the period up to March 31 next year." It was anticipated the scanner would be delivered by the end of 1980, so the trust would be responsible for paying the running costs for the first three months of 1981.

Updated: 08:25 Thursday, September 08, 2005