FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - The Ripon City Bench on Wednesday received a complaint from Capt H H Oxley, of Bishopton Grange, with regard to the danger attending furious cycle riding in the city. It has been obvious for some time that some restraint would have to be put on cyclists, more especially the younger and inexperienced, whose wild movements not only alarm and endanger pedestrians, but also place themselves in imminent peril. In narrow streets like Ripon, to which the advent of the motor car adds new terrors, there should be some strict control of cyclists, whose claim to the highway is no greater than that of the pedestrian.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - Appeals for co-operation between Darlington Football Supporters' Club and the Football Club and for a membership of from 4,000 to 5,000 were made by the chairman of the Supporters' Club, Mr A R Howe, at the annual meeting on Wednesday. The chairman said that if they could obtain improvements at Feethams they would take a load off the directors' minds and leave them free to concentrate on the teams. "There would then be a 'get together spirit' that has been lacking between the directors and the supporters for 30 years," he went on. "If it had not been for the Supporters' Club there would have been no Third Division football for Darlington. I would like to see a Supporters' Club of 4,000 or 5,000 members not bossed by the Football Club and not telling the directors where to get off, but helping each other. In my opinion that is the only way Darlington will get into the Second Division."

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Inspections of food premises in the Hambleton District are not being carried out, because of the council's inability to attract staff. Members of the Environmental Health Committee heard this in Northallerton on Friday of last week, as officials alleged that neighbouring councils were paying higher salaries than those laid down by the Provincial Joint Council, the organisation which fixes salary grades. The Chief health officer, Mr Kenneth Parker, said a recent national advertising campaign attracted only two applicants, one of whom wanted to work in an area where the public health department was up to full strength, and the other was already receiving a higher grade than Hambleton was offering. He said: "Neighbouring councils are paying newly qualified inspectors a grade higher than we are." The Council secretary, Mr Richard Peacock, described this as "unfair competition" for available staff and added: "Unless this committee likes to make some recommendation to the Finance sub-committee about paying more, there is very little we can do."