21. S'R i?67 Newspaper of Current Events in the Highlands, the Islands and in Scotland SUPPORT incorporating GAELIC THE LOCHABER DIARY For 10/- per annum you can JOIN 7ruth DI-ARDAOIN, 2 1 mh AN T-SULTUIN 1967 AN COMUNN GAIDHEALACH THURSDAY. 21st SEPTEMBER 1967 6d Abertsrff House Inverness SCOTLAND’S BI-LINGUA L NEWSPAPER — Unemployment In ! the Western Isles This statement was issued after a meeting of An Com- ward areas of Lewis would unn’s Executive Council this decrease to 1 1,700 by 1981 week. if there was no increase in An Comunn Gaidhealach economic activity. If such a is becoming increasingly situation arose it would worried about the high unem- hardly be in keeping with ployment level of 25.6 per the hopes associated with cent, in the islands of Lewis the establishment of the and Harris. The decline in Highlands and Islands De- the Harris tweed industry velopment Board. and the closing of the anor- An Comunn feels that thosite quarry in Harris em- continuing depopulation in phasise the need for urgent the west and the islands action, and they are to ask would cause irreparable the Highlands and Islands damage to the language and Development Board to in- culture and the maintenance itiate a crash programme to of a viable population in i stimulate and diversify the these areas is an immediate ' economy in the islands. priority. They are to ask It was suggested that mar- M.P.s to obtain statistics of ket research facilities would changes in levels of the in- The TSMV ‘ Hebrides ’ at Tarbert, Harris. Before 1964, passengers travelling to the Outer Isles and help in finding new, and de- sured population over an I 8- between the islands were largely dependent on three mail steamers, sailing from railheads at Oban, Mallaig j veloping existing, outlets for month period. and Kyle of Lochalsh, while a small number crossed 4on cargo boats. In 1964 the ferry service was j traditional products while a Unemployment Figures completely reorganised, and the impact on Harris is still not quite clear. Statistics show a marked in- I programme was being pre- crease in cars and in goods tonnage at Tarbert and its Skye counterpart, Uig. In fact the ‘Hebrides’ I parea. Further capitaHnvest- The. following figures were is attracting traffic away'Trom Stornoway to Tarbert. The number.^of passengers carried by the ‘ Hebrides ’ ! ment in a Stornoway-based released last week:— already exceeds that carried by thfe Stornoway boat, ‘ Loch Seaforth,” while seven times more cars use i fishng fleet would increase Lewis and Harris ... 25.6% Tarbert than Stornoway. Tarbert is also becoming a subcentre for goods distribution. There is a point ! the possibility of employ- Inverness ... ... 4.3% of view that the tourist trade has been put too much in front of the commercial and economic needs of ! ment in fish processing. Oban 5.4% Lewis and Harris in the proposal of the vehicle ferry. IPhoto by Angus MacArthur, Stornoway The present situation Lerwick 7.6 % j amply demonstrated the Scotland 3.8 worth while remaining a part AN COMUNN’S GLE BHEAG DE ' fear expressed in the Ross- Great Britain 2.4% of Britain. NEW EXECUTIVE ; shire Development Plan that Lewis and Harris must be Viewing with the greatest THIGHEAN-OSDA | the population in the land- wondering whether it is concern the rise in unemploy- The members of the Executive MI-FHREAGARRACH ment, increased air fares and CouncilMr Donald for Grant, 1967/68 M.A., are:— M.Ed., B.A., other factors which affect Glasgow ANN AN SIORRACHD island life, a delegation from Mr I. R. Macka/, M.A., LL.B., 19 INBHIR NIS Lewis District Council is to R,ev. UnionA. Beaton, Street, M.A.,Inverness The Manse, IV fit. Griff or A takeSon the road to Westminster Dundonald, Kilmarnock "S e gle bheag de na tighean- to state a case for the island. Mr Calum Robertson, 23 Wood- aosda tha agus a’ naigtigrsinri tighean 'aoigheachd comhnaidh do It is possible that repre- lands Drive, Glasgow, C.3 luchd-turuis nacn eil a' deanamh Limited sentatives from other local Mr D.Villa, Thomson, Oban M.A., F.E.I.S., Atholl ullachaidh freagarrach air an son. authorities will accompany Miss K. Matheson, Firemore, Inver- ’S e seo a thuirt an Coirneal Uis- the Lewis delegation. The asdale, Ross-shire sgrudadhdean Macllleathain o chionn ghoirid a airrinn da decision to make the journey Mr Tom Maclver, M.A., Further cheud tigh-osda agus tigh comh- 20 HAMILTON STREET was taken at a meeting be- EducationBuildings, DingwallOfficer, County naidh ann an Siorrachd Inbhir Nis INVERNESS. TEL. 34343 tween the Lewis District Miss Lucy Cameron, 42 Kilmallie as leth Bord an Luchd-Turuis. Council and Mr M. K. Mac- Road, Caol, Fort William Thuirt e nach robthach coig as Millan, Labour Member for Mr'D. J. MacCuish, M.A., LL.B., an da cheud air an d’ rinn e the Western Isles. Stornoway InvernessMoorlands, 11 Drummond Rd., rachsgruachdadh airson luchd-turuis—’snach robh freagar- e sin Town Council and Ross and Mr R. Mackinnon, M.A., Corarder, aonan as a h-uile da fhichead. Cromarty are being asked to 139 Glasgow Road, Perth Tha Bord an Luchd-Turuis am send delegates. Mr MacMil- Mrs R. Bannerman, The Old Manse, beachd leabhran a chur a mach lan has promised to arrange TheBalmaha, Nominated by Glasgow Members are:— anns am bi ainmean nan tighean- a meeting as “ high up ” as Dr J. A. Maclean, Director of Edu- aosda tha agusiad-san nan a' tighean meas freagarrachcomhnaidh possible. cation, Inverness-shire airson luchd-turuis. Thuirt an Aspects on the agenda for Mr T.senting B. Duncan, Glasgow Glasgow, Corporation repre- Coirneal nach fhaigheadh an discussion will include tour- Mr Ronald Macdonald, Director of freagarrachfheadhainn nachan ainmean do shaoil anns esan an ism, roads, transport and ProfessorEducation, R. Thomson,Ross-shire Glasgow leabhrann seo ach gu faodadh iad communications, fishing and e iarraidh air a’ Bhord sgrudadh industrial development. In CelticUniversity, Departments representing of the threthe eile a dheanamh orra agus gu particular the unemployment universities leabharfaigheadh an iad deaghaidhan ainmean sin anns nam an problem has already resulted Provost A. R. MacLeod, Mull bitheadh iad air leasachadh gu in some Lewis families leav- resenting Argyll County Council leor a dheanamh air na tighean. ing the island. The recession Mr JordanhillJ. A. Smith, College, Vice represent-Principal, Thuirt e cuideachd gun tug am in the Harris tweed industry ing Joint Committee of Col- Bord comhairle agus cuideachadh is being felt by weaver- leges of Education do choig air fhichead as a h-uile crofters who are classed as Mr Stornoway,D. Kennedy, representing District Clerk,Lewis rinnceud dheiad sgrudadh'n fheadhainn agus airdh’ aninnis d’ Inverness Cream self-employed workers and and Harris iad do dh’ fheadhainn eile ciamar SCOTCH WHISKY are not elegible for unem- Mr J. Maclnnes, District Clerk, a gheibheadh iad cuideachadh ployment benefit. andDaliburgh, Barra representing Uists Gaidhealtachd.airgid bho Bhord Leasachaidh na Two Sruth, Di-ardaoin, 21 mh An T-Sultuin 1967 BIRTHS HALL — At Dulwich Hospital, Lon- On the other hand ... Gregordon, on and 8th Sheila September (nee Murchison) 1967, to A. & D. Macdonald West,30 Dukas London, Court, S.E.22 Peckham — a son. Rye GO TO EIGG ON AN EGG Wholesale and Retail Butchers MACINTYRE — At Sacred Heart ROYBRIDGE Hospial, Daliburgh, on 1st Sept- The Scotrish Tourist Board, ember 1967, to Ian and Margaret the Black Isle and Mid Ross this should do for the Western cent, of the vote. One simple Tel. Spean Bridge 240 Maclsaac), 16 Lismore Crescent, Tourist Association, the Loch- Isles what Harold Wilson has method of boosting tourism Oban—a daughter. aber Tourist Association and done for the Scillies. Further- would be to reduce petrol taxa- MACDONALD—At Raigmore Hos- the Sutherland Tourist Advisory more, it would be an assurance tion in the Highlands by 2/6 Whole Sheep 2/5 per lb. emberpital, Inverness, 1967, to onPat theand 7th Donella Sept- of speedy action should the per gallon, a relatively small (nee Grant), Pier House, Inver- Board are just some of the or- West Coast ever be menaced by gesture when one considers the (Approx, weight 40 to SO lbs). moriston—twin sons. (All well). ganisations which have not oil from an off-shore tanker taxation revenue on Highland Half Sheep 2/6 „ „ NICOL—At Isle of Arran Memorial asked for our views on boosting mishap or should there be an- produced whisky. To digress Hospital, on 8th September 1967, the tourist trade in the High- other seaman’s strike. a little, such a move would Rump of Beef 4/- „ „ to Hamish and Margaret (nee lands. We are nevertheless pre- In the advertising field one have far-reaching effects in Shoulder of Beef ... 2/6 „ „ Davison), Bennington, Brodick— pared to overlook this slight, re- Pork a son. (Both well). Thanking view the tourist situation and seldom sees Scotland promoted fields other than tourism — it 3/6 „ „ doctors and nursing staff in offer a few suggestions. in any medium. The British would reduce transport costs Lambs attendance. Firstly, a much more imagi- Travel Association’s efforts generally; encourage new in- 3/- „ „ MARRIAGES native and aggressive approach however should not be entirely dustry in terms of bo .h product KENNEDY—MACKINNON—At St must be taken to the whole busi- ignored; they issued a splendid and worker, and help the whole Charles Church, Glasgow, on 31st ness of tourism. The Highland series of sponsored posters in economy and spirit of the Fligh- Free Delivery Lochaber Area August 1967, by Rev.