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ADVERTISEMENTS
EVERY description of PRINTING executed at the “ADVERTISER” OFFICE in the best style, at the lowest remunerative prices, by the aid of Improved Machinery, driven by a powerful Gas Engine, and an excellent assortment of New Type.

MAN and Wife Wanted, without encumbrance. Woman to keep Offices clean and act as Housekeeper for Clerk; Man to find employment in the town, or if acquainted with the duties an Agricultural Auctioneer’s Porter could be employed. Both must have excellent references.—Write X.Y.Z. Office of this Paper.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO — 24 JULY 1914

CORRESPONDENCE — THE LAND AND POLITICS
Sir,—I read with interest in your paper the account of Mr.W.R.Portal’s address at Wherwell the other day. As a farm worker myself I looked to see what the Unionist party were going to do for the farm labourer if they are returned at the next election. I have no party politics, but I tell you what, Mr.Editor, I shall vote for the man who has a definite programme for the betterment of my lot. Not only for taking 1d. a week off my State insurance. I’m afraid 1d., useful though it might be, wouldn’t add a lot to my family’s comfort. There are a lot of Tory farmers in this district who have the cheek to deduct 4d. a week out of the meagre wage of 12s., although I not think it is legal if the men only fought it out. I see Mr.Portal says he has been brought up in a Hampshire village; now if he had been brought up in a cottage on a few shillings a week I should have more faith in his sympathy with the workers, but, sir, there is a great gap between the squire’s mansion and the cottage. It isn’t charity we want but a wage to keep our families in comfort and that will keep our young men on the land, as they will not stay in the present condition of things. They want half-a-day at cricket (and why should they not have it as well as the rest), But how many married men on farms can afford it without the tradesman suffering? Let Mr.Portal give us a policy of his own, not merely attack the Liberal one, and we’’ all plump for him at the next election.—Yours sincerely, NON-PARTY MAN.

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 28 JULY 1939

ANDOVER TOWN COUNCIL
Andover Town Council meeting at the Guildhall on Tuesday night in spite of a plea by the Mayor (Alderman W.J.Armstead) who presided confirmed the Finance Committee’s rejection of a recommendation by the Urban Sanitary Committee to appoint a whole-time Building Inspector at a salary of £250 per year. In support of this recommendation it was urged that to secure proper observance of the new building by-laws very much more supervision of constructional work was needed than could be achieved with the existing staff in the Surveyor’s Department, and also through pressure of other work that desirable supervision had of late been sadly neglected.
The Council learned that the Ministry of Health would not countenance the use of the Savoy Cinema car park for public car parking on Market Days as a means of relieving congested conditions, an offer that was greed with thankfulness at the last meeting. 

FIFTY YEARS AGO — 24 JULY 1964

RAILWAY AS ROAD ROUTE AT WHITCHURCH?
Preliminary road proposals for Whitchurch village plan were approved in principle at Monday’s meeting of the county Roads and Bridges Committee.
The plan showed the route proposed for the trunk road A34 located to use as much as possible of the Winchester-Newbury railway, which was probably to be closed.
A two-level interchange had been sited adjacent to Bell Street to permit the home-to-work traffic to cross the trunk road without interfering with the traffic on it. 

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO — 28 JULY 1989

‘DRUNKEN TOWN’ ACCUSATIONS DISMISSED BY THE POLICE
All day drinking hours have not led to a marked increase in drunkenness in Andover despite fears circulated when the new licensing laws came in last, year, according to Chief Inspector Fred Randall of Andover Police.
And he dismissed claims made at a public meeting between police and public that Andover was a drunken town.
He said he was aware some of the more popular pubs took advantage of the fact they were allowed to stay open all day.
A fireman from Stockbridge, who did not wish to be names, said Andover was a drunken town and referred to the group who regularly congregate on the seats outside Tesco.
“They use abusive language and the youths are drunk. It really isn’t the sort of thing we want to see in Andover,” he said.
But Chief Insp.Randall said the problem wasn’t necessarily connected with public houses.
“It is easy to go into supermarkets, buy alcohol and take it out to the seats. They’re not coming out of the pubs to do this,” he said.

TEN YEARS AGO — 23 JULY 2004

‘QUIETLY CONFIDENT’ THEATRE WILL BE REOPENED
The leader of Test Valley Borough Council said this week that he was ‘quietly confident’ that Cricklade Theatre would re-open to the public.
But Cllr Ian Carr said he had no idea what the timescale would be and he could not go into details.
He said: “We are in serious discussions with people that might want to run it.”