1919
Stolen railway
Mr. A. H. Moeran presided at the meeting of the Portumna Town Improvement Committee on Friday, December 20.
The Chairman mentioned the question of taking steps about the derelict railway, and stated he was going to Dublin and would find out particulars from the Secretary of the Irish Transport Commission.
He also stated there would be an expert in Birr about the electric lighting of the town and that he would endeavour to bring him to Portumna to get all the information possible.
After being twelve years in abeyance, the question of opening the Birr and Portumna derelict railway has been brought forward, as will be seen from a report of the meeting of the Portumna Town Improvement Committee held a short time ago.
South Park housing
Mr. M. T. Donnellan, J.P. presided at the meeting of Galway Urban Council on Thursday. Also present: Messrs. J.S. Young, J.P.; M.J. Crowley, S.P. Corbett, W.K. Silke; M. Halloran; M. Malone; T.C. McDonough, J.P.; and Dr. Walsh.
The Local Government Board wrote stating that the design of the houses to be erected at Fairhill was unsuitable, and the laying out of the sites was unsatisfactory.
Mr. Silke suggested that the south side of the South Park should be utilized for houses. He asked that it be scheduled with the sites already selected.
The Secretary stated he did not think that the Park could be utilized as it was given to the Council by the owners of Grattan estate as a sports’ ground, etc.
Mr. Binns (borough engineer) stated he was preparing a new housing scheme.
The Local Government Board wrote that they were prepared to consider applications for permission to put into operation schemes of utility such as housing, etc.
1944
Hospital delay
Because of the impossibility of securing the materials required for building – especially steel – the erection of the new regional hospital in Galway will not be undertaken before the end of the war, states Mr. C.I. O’Flynn, Co. Manager.
While the Department were definite on the point that the construction of the hospital could not be undertaken, they were prepared to permit the building of an extension to the Nurses’ Home.
In the meantime, however, something had to be done to relieve overcrowding in the wards of the existing hospital, and Mr. O’Flynn said that he had hopes of being able to do that without causing inconvenience to the nursing staff.
Scavengers’ Strike
Thirty-three members of the Galway Corporation’s outdoor staff went on strike on Saturday morning.
It is stated that the strike was called as a protest against an order of the Co. Manager to change their working hours.
Heretofore the men worked from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., whereas under the terms of the Manager’s order they would work from 8.30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
The men who struck included scavengers, barrow-men, and street cleaners. Since Saturday morning the streets of the city have not been cleaned.
Ration reductions
The butter ration will be reduced from one-half of a pound to six ounces per week as from next Saturday, it was officially announced last Friday night.
This step has been found necessary as the estimated output of butter for the remainder of the season, together with the reserve stocks, are not sufficient to maintain the existing ration of 8 ozs.
A reduction of 25 per cent also will be made in the allowances for catering establishments, institutions and other non-domestic consumers.
The reduction does not apply to the purchase of factory butter by manufacturing concerns.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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