Galway In Days Gone By
1925
Wage question
A number of ex-National Army men attended the chamber of the Galway Urban Council yesterday (Thursday) and requested that the council would increase the wage of £2 for the work on the road provided by the Government grant of £1,740.
The meeting made it clear to the men that the council was powerless in the matter, the wage of £2 being one of the conditions of the grant.
An organiser was present to urge the claims of the ex-soldiers. He stated that in addition to an increased wage, he would ask the council to employ only men from Galway city.
The chairman pointed out that however anxious the council might be to increase the wage, they could do nothing to help. The Government gave the money and fixed the wage.
The organiser said all the men wanted was the district rate.
Chairman: If the men are not satisfied, the work need not go on. That is the position.
1950
Tackling litter
Galway Corporation have received tenders for the provision of wire baskets to be attached to lamp standards throughout the city and it is expected that these baskets will be erected shortly for the reception of papers, fruit peel or other litter which people may wish to dispose of as they walk the streets.
Recently two leaflets were distributed to all the householders in the city reminding them that in future it would be an offence against city by-laws to throw such litter on the streets, and setting out in very brief terms the arrangements made under by-laws for the collection of domestic refuse.
It was pointed out that householders should have lidded bins which could be easily handled by the Corporation staff when they went their rounds for the collection of household waste.
Actually, no new scheme is being put into operation. The position now is that legal force is being given to a scheme long in being. Galway is as clean as any Irish city or town, but there is room for improvement in all. It is not asking too much for citizens to apply to the streets and all other public places – in which they have a joint interest – the standards of cleanliness that they whish to have applied where their own private property is concerned.
Pictured: Crowds at the tidal pool on Salthill beach in the late 1950s/early 1960s.