From Our Files: Diluted milk... shaggy dog story... beach pledge... schools unite

THE report of the New Forest Committee, appointed last year to investigate conditions in the Forest and to recommend measures for adjusting it to modern requirements, was presented to Parliament last week.

The Committee’s recommendations include proposals for the setting up of a single Rural District Council, with authority over the whole Forest area; increased afforestation within certain limits; and additional facilities for camping.

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DOG lovers in this neighbourhood will be very pleased to hear that Mr Warden-Phillips, of the famous Airquise Kennels, Hook, Surrey, has acquired Brockhills Kennels, in New Milton, and opened them as a dogs’ hotel.

50 YEARS AGO

THE activities of the Salterns Sailing Club, where hundreds of youngsters have learned to sail since the club was formed 12 yeas ago, are threatened by a fish farm which is being started nearby. When an option was given to the fish farm, Commercial Fisheries Ltd, it was not appreciated that the agreed amount of water to be used by the fish farm, about 75,000 gallons an hour, would leave insufficient water in the Salterns for the club to sail there, and the club is seeking an alternative site.

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A LYNDHURST philatelist, Mr Alan Grant, has bought a sheet of 3p stamps of the Silver Wedding issue for £5,000 from a man who earlier the same day had brought the sheet of 100 from a post office for £3. Mr Grant values the sheet at £20,000 as he believes collectors will pay £200 for each stamp. The commemorative stamps have no silver on them and slipped through the post office checks to be sold over the counter in a central London post office to a businessman who wishes to remain anonymous.

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TO “clear away any misconceptions and doubts” there might be about the future of Avon Beach, Mudeford, a public statement has been issued by Christchurch Council’s Beach Committee chairman, Cllr J. Beattie, in which he gives the assurance: “Under no circumstances is it intended to overdevelop the beach on the lines of Margate or Blackpool.”

In his statement, Cllr Beattie says that notice has been served on the private company running the beach as the council’s tenants so that the council can carry out extensive redevelopment to provide better facilities for both residents and visitors.

25 YEARS AGO

TWO 999 lifesavers found themselves making their own emergency call for help last week. Paramedics Jim Lebbern (left) and Kenny Jones had their ambulance dog-jacked in the New Forest.

The red-faced ambulancemen had to summon the help of a council dog warden when a dogmatic old mongrel they took pity on commandeered their ambulance and doggedly refused to budge.

Jim and Kenny thought for sure they would be in the dog house with their bosses at ambulance control but, fortunately for them, they saw the funny side of it. “They had a jolly good laugh, and I don’t think we are going to live this one down for a long while to come,” said Jim.

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NEW Forest West MP Desmond Swayne has backed a bill to prohibit the fitting of bull bars to motor vehicles which Mr Richard Spring, the MP who presented the bill, believes increase the danger of injury when involved in road traffic accidents.

Mr Spring told the Commons: “In Germany, it has been established that a vehicle could kill a child while travelling at 20mph. Fitted with bull bars, a death could result at 12mph, or even as low as 10mph.”

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FOLLOWING a year of pre-nuptial arrangements, Walhampton School (founded 1948) accepted Hordle House School from Milford (founded 1926) as a partner to share their expansive Lymington premises at the beginning of this September term, with the amalgamated 334 pupils forming the newly named Hordle-Walhampton School.