FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - Spectator writes: It is to be regretted that the Postmaster-General has not seen his way to comply with the request of the inhabitants of Dalton for the establishment of a branch post office in that village.

The amount of business is said to be insufficient to justify the existence of such an office, though it is difficult to see how reliable statistics can be arrived at seeing that much of the correspondence now passes through the boxes at Topcliffe and Sessay, whether Dalton people have been compelled to procure postal orders.

Dalton's disappointment, however, raises the general question of how far one is justified in expecting a business department of the State to provide facilities where private enterprise similarly placed might, very conceivably, find it unprofitable to do so.

From this newspaper 50 years ago. - The weighing room at Catterick racecourse on Saturday was used not for its normal purpose of weighing jockeys but for the more delicate task of weighing babies at a baby show. And instead of racehorses circling the parade ring in the paddock, there were children in fancy dress and boys and girls dancing. The bar dispensed minerals, ice-cream and potato crisps in the place of intoxicants, and the course was empty but for the occasional passing of one pony, greatly in demand for a ride down in front of the stand and back to the paddock.

From this newspaper 25 years ago. - Woollen clothing made in Swaledale, by Swaledale Woollens, will be used by the Transglobe expedition which leaves Britain in early September to make the first polar circumnavigation of the world.

At present about 20 to 25 knitters, largely handworkers, but some using machines, will turn out the goods needed for the expedition.

Mr David Morris, senior partner of Swaledale Woollens said: "The idea was to make wider use of Swaledale Wool and to provide some activity in the Dales."