June 1957

No Sign of War in the Street Now!

Dundee Royal InfirmaryRosefield Street, Dundee no longer has a scar to remind us of the last war. For years No's 17 and 19 were missing because the four-storey tenements were demolished during an air-raid. Now the gap has been closed with modern house, built to resemble the other tenements.

The resemblance ends on the outside however. In the past there were five two-roomed houses and three of three rooms in each close. Now there are two "single room" houses for old folk on the ground floor at each number and only three flats - one to each storey above them.

Caledon to Build 12,000-ton Cargo Ship

A 12,000 ton deadweight cargo motor vessel is to be built by Caledon Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd., London. This is announced in the annual report of the managers, Messers Lambert Brothers.

The new vessel, which will have a service speed of 14 knots is due for delivery in September 1959. The Caledon Company built the Temple Hall (10,400 tons deadweight) for these owners three years ago and have a sister ship, due for delivery about the end of this year.

Royal Highland Stamp

A special date stamp will be used at the post office at the Royal Highland Show. It will be used only for registered correspondence and will bear the stamp "R.H.A.S, Dundee".

Caravan Showroom

Dundee has an unusual visitor this week which is attracting a lot of attention in Albert Square. It is a mobile display unit showing the latest equipment by British Olivetti Ltd.

A caravan has been filled out as a showroom with typewriters, adding machines and calculators. One of the newest on display is an electric typewriter. All these machines are produced in their Glasgow factory.

At present the unit is covering Dundee, Perth and Forfar, staying for two days in each place, but it will be returning to Dundee in time for the Highland Show.

Dozens of Dundee school children were yesterday tapping away on the streamlined typewriters.

Tram Lines to be Lifted and Sold

Dundee Corporation are to get £15 9d per ton for discarded tram lines. Five tons are to be lifted from Victoria Road, Princes Street, Forfar Road and Strathmatine Road. This will bring about £7500.

Romanoff and Juliet

Repertory Theatre Phone 3530
Monday 3rd June - Final Week
"Romanoff and Juliet" by Peter Ustinov
Monday 10th June - For two weeks
"The Tulip Major" by Rosamunde Pilcher and George Hasler
Box Office Open 10am to 8pm.

Dundee and Angus Motor Club

Motorcycle Racing, Carseburn Farm, Lunanhead, Forfar.
Sunday June 9th at 2.30pm.
Car park and refreshments.

Dundee Readers Turn to Non-Fiction

Dundonians are doing less light reading and turning increasingly to non-fiction. The demand by young folk for books is going up. These facts are brought out by Mr Alec Small, Chief Librarian of Dundee Public Libraries in a report for 1954-57 issued yesterday. Books issued in 1955-56, the last full year, totalled 1,599,106, a drop of 4937 for the proceeding 12 months.

Mr Small says:-"It is difficult to gauge the effect of television upon reading habits. While the reading of light fiction has decreased, the increases in non-fiction reading and in the reading of junior books are most encouraging.  The quantity and quality of adult non-fiction and  junior book stocks are being steadily improved and it is probable this improvement has led to the rise in issues, rather that any effect which TV may have on reading tastes. The decrease in light reading may also be caused by the fact that large sections of the population now live outwith the range of branch libraries and increased transport charges prohibited casual visits to the central and branch libraries".

Mr Small says the building of a new central library was long overdue and new branch libraries in the housing estates were also urgently required.