POLLUTION OF RIVERS

Noteworthy improvement. About 90 per cent of Devon’s length of rivers is clean, but much of the County’s estuary water is polluted. This is shown in the Department of the Environment’s newly-published national survey on river pollution. The Exe, Teign and Taw-Torridge estuaries are among those classified as poor quality. Along the South coast are 268 miles, 220 are clean, 36 doubtful and 12 poor, mainly on the tidal length from Newton Abbot to the sea.Tackling pollution will be one of the jobs of the new all-purpose regional water authority to be set up in April 1974. The complete elimination of silage liquor discharge is one of the Authority’s objectives.

FRIGHTFUL TIMES

In Days of Yore, 50 years ago.

It was reported that the families of local fishermen were going through ‘frightful times’. The cause of this was the failure of the mackerel, sprat and herring seasons, fishermen having earned practically nothlng since the salmon season ended.

SHALDON CAR PARKS

Dear Sir: Once again, the council suggests a further car park for Shaldon. Why do we need one? Surely the easiest and cheapest one is to follow Polperro’s idea, of closing the village to all cars, from 9am-5.30pm every day, for the three peak months, except for those of residents, holiday visitors staying in the village and, of course, delivery vans. Windscreen stickers could be supplied to residents. 

No Entry signs to be put at all points of ingress, except the main entrance to the village, where a traffic warden could be on point duty to direct day visitors to the Ness car park. Why not try it for a year?  Phyllis E Mason, Platway Lane, Shaldon.

THE PIER SAGA

It now seems probable that the pavilion will either be demolished or restored to the original splendour, within the next three years. Devon County Council has lodged a bill with Parliament that will, if passed, give Teignmouth Urban Council power to serve a notice upon the pier owner, Mr. George Brenner, requesting that the pavilion be removed or restored. At one time it used to be the biggest attraction in the town.

If all goes according to plan, the bill should be law by the end of the year and improvements should be well under way by the summer of 1973.

WISE WORDS

Nothing ruins a vacation like a briefcase among the luggage.  When a man has a chip on his shoulder, he is overloaded from the start.

TEIGNMOUTH PLAYERS DO IT AGAIN

A scintillating production of ‘Cinderella’ at the Carlton. There is a particularly strong comedy team, with John Heard making a splendid Baron Hardup, harassed by the lack of money, and with Mike Jacobs playing the brokers men, Wormwood and Scrubs, singing ‘The Income Tax Song’ while dressed in hunting pink. Snowdrop and Tulip, the bickering Ugly Sisters, played by Ken Edwards and Robin Newbury, avow they are ‘Bosom Buddies’ and carol that they want to ‘Keep Young and Beautiful’ - an impossibility!

RIVIERA CINEMA

The Railway Children; Count Yorga, Vampire; and Cry of the Banshee.