Tuesday, May 16, 2006

100 years ago

A fine porpoise had been caught, in a salmon net, in the Ouse below Naburn Locks by Mr James Leaf and his son. The strange ocean visitor had been seen for the past few days between the locks and Acaster Selby. It was stated to be about 28 years since a porpoise was seen so far up the river. They were very injurious to salmon and Mr Leaf had sometimes caught fish badly bitten. The porpoise was being exhibited in the shop of Messrs Aspinall and Masterman, Spurriergate. It was 44 inches in length, and measured 34 inches round the thickest part of the body; its weight was 2 stone 13 lbs.

50 years ago

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Harold Macmillan, quoted from Marie Lloyd's music hall song the phrase, "A Little of What You Fancy Does You Good," when he talked about his new Premium Bond. He thought a lot of people were going to fancy the premium bond "or whatever we finally call it. There are many people to whom this alternative will appeal. Those who like a bit of fun - a bit of excitement - and those to whom a moderate rate of interest has no attraction whatever because of high taxation." Referring to the fact that the proposed bond had distressed some people he said: "Gambling can, undoubtedly produce grave social evils. But we must keep a sense of proportion. No one who invests in premium bonds will be able to ruin himself or beggar his family."

25 years ago

David Steel, speaking in York, again urged Liberals to form a political alliance with the Social Democrats. His call came at the Liberal Party Council's meeting in the De Grey Rooms. The Liberal leader warned members not to sit back on the "resounding successes and 395 victories in the local elections last week and the fact that we had overtaken the Social Democrats" in opinion polls. Those facts, he said, should not lead Liberals to believe they could forget talk of an alliance. The party's present level of support would give only about 25 seats in the next Parliament and leave the party miles away from putting Liberalism into practice. Mr Steel said he noted that opinion polls gave stronger support to a Liberal/Social Democratic alliance than they did to the two parties when totalled together in the polls. "This shows the dynamic effect of creating the alliance," Mr Steel told the meeting. "The party overall is a very much tougher and more professional campaigning organisation than it has ever been in the post-war period."

Updated: 15:45 Monday, May 15, 2006