May 31, 2012

1912

RIC under Home RuleHead-constable Killacky presided at a preliminary meeting of the sergeants and men at Eglinton police station on Saturday for the purpose of considering the position of the Royal Irish Constabulary under Home Rule.

Upwards of thirty men from the Galway district and West Riding were present, and the proceedings, which were private, lasted for about two hours.

It is understood that the intention of the constabulary is to send a petition setting forth their grievances to the Government, and for this purpose, the opinions of the force in each county throughout Ireland will be considered at a conference to be held at the Depot, Phoenix Park.

The Galway Force decided to send a delegate to Dublin to represent their views. They demand an increase of pay amongst the rank and file, so as to bring them on a level with other police forces throughout the United Kingdom.

During the past three months, every police force has got an increase of 15 percent in their pay, while the pay of the constabulary has been in no way improved.

A further recommendation is that for the future, the pensions be calculated on the basis of pay and allowances, and not on the basis of pay as heretofore, and that the allowances generally be increased.  

Further, it is proposed that in the case of men having attained to within ten years of the maximum pension period, ten years be added to their services with a view to enabling them to retire on a full pension immediately if they so desire.

The men also feel that a redistribution of the various ranks is necessary, as the force is at present over-officered, but this will not possibly be embodied in the recommendations made.

It is worthy of note that there is a general belief that the “agitation” on behalf of the police throughout Ireland was originated by some officers at the Depot, whose allowances – which are almost as important as their salary – they feel may be reduced under the Home Rule Bill. But for this important fact, the men consider their grievances would not be put forward so persistently for redress at the present juncture.

1937

Central HospitalThe Hospital and Dispensaries Committee of the Galway County Board of Health, decided to give their support to the proposal that the new Central hospital for Galway should be built in stone instead of in steel and cement.

Galway AerodromeThe Minister for Industry and Commerce is anxious to have a permanent land aerodrome for public use provided at or near Galway City.

In a letter from the Minister read at a meeting of the Galway Conjoint Air Development Committee, it was pointed out that the proposed aerodrome should be capable of being used by arrivals in all wind directions.

Unless operation in all wind directions were possible, the aerodrome would not be likely to attract a commercial air transport company running regular air services.

Telephone kioskThe Finance Committee of Galway County Council, at their weekly meeting, granted permission to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs to lay an underground telegraph line alone New Line to connect with the new telephone kiosk at Nile lodge.

Abominable language“Letters of abominable and disgraceful language and expressions such as I have never read and hope will never read in a Court again, and that language written by a young girl of seventeen years of age, I think it is a most shocking state of affairs,” said Mr. H. Hamilton, D.J., at Dunmore District Court, when charges of sending letters in obscene language through the post were made against a 17 and a 19 year-old girl were made.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.