FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - Workhouse conditions. A meeting was held on Monday to consider reports concerning conditions at Darlington Workhouse. A report by Dr Cook, a visiting lunacy commissioner, suggested that certain inmates ought to be seen by the medical officer. He stated that in Darlington and other places there were many harmless pauper lunatics confined to lunatic asylums and workhouses who might be equally well managed in separate establishments. It was also reported that a young lad had died of pneumonia after returning to the workhouse. The chairman suggested that where boys were hired for any distance in the future it would be advisable that there would be a stipulation that they should periodically have a day off.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Richmond girls told "Be more critical". A plea for a more critical attitude to the things that are put before women as being specially suitable for them, particularly women's magazines, was made by Miss F M Forster in her address at the prizegiving at Richmond Girls' High School. Miss Forster said her heart sank when she saw girls of 15 or 16 turning over the pages of film papers or "with their eyes glued on some very silly women's magazine." Miss Forster spoke of education for women, and touched on the question of equal pay for equal work. She said that women found themselves up against "invisible bars" when they entered or tried to enter some professions. A woman who went into politics would be given a constituency which her party considered hopeless. Miss Forster appealed for a return to greater seriousness among girls towards their education.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Hospital waiting lists too long. Appalling details of the lengthy waiting lists for outpatients at hospitals in the region were disclosed at the meeting of North Tees Community Health Council this week. At the North Riding Infirmary at Middlesbrough the outpatient waiting list had increased from 4913 to 6201, with a waiting time now of 1034 days - virtually three years. Condemnation of the length of waiting lists also came from the chairman of the Harrogate Community Health Council, Mr David Beardsell. He said there were more people on the lists now that two years ago when the campaign previously campaigned about their length. He said: "This is not only upsetting, but thoroughly deplorable. There is no excuse for it, and it must stop. We have to explain to members of the public and tell them why they must wait."