Each week, the Gazette looks back on stories from the past. Here is what happened this week, by year…

1909

– The price of all grades of sugar increased by 10 cents per 100 pounds. Grocers said the increase, which had been expected for some time, would see customers getting a pound of sugar less for each dollar they spent.

– R.M. Winslow, the county’s well-liked agricultural representative, resigned his position after seven months to take a job in the British Columbia fruit industry. His replacement, A.P. McVannel, came from Perth where he had served as an assistant.

-The Picton Women’s Institute hosted its largest meeting yet as G.A. Putnam, the superintendent of Women’s Institutes spoke at First Methodist Church. He said the work done locally surpassed most other branches.

1939

– Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs D’Arcy McKeough spoke about regional governments at a local riding association meeting. He said regions should have a sense of community and a balance of shared interests, adding the government would let decisions be made locally.

– MP George Hees said he would be speaking to defence minister Leo Cadieux and finance minister E.J. Benson about replacing the Canadian Guards at Camp Picton. Hees mused the unemployment insurance headquarters could be a fit.

– Ameliasburgh offered Belleville $8,273 for fire protection, an increase from the $2,495 paid in 1968. Belleville had proposed a fee of $32,000 to offer the service.

1969

-With Camp Picton closing, St. Barbara’s Catholic School was also slated to close. Its enrolment had reached as high as 480 pupils, but had declined to 165. The 15 teachers would be moved to other schools, while principal Charles Young was slated to retire after a 40-plus-year career.

-Prince Edward Cold Storage manager Sam Gentile said there was a keen demand for apples that exceeded the remaining supply of 12,000 orchard boxes on hand.
– Donald MacKinnon, the past vice-president of the Probation Officers’ Association of Ontario spoke to Picton Rotarians about the value of Sunday School education and the importance of setting positive examples at home to curb rising youth delinquency.

1979

– In response to vandalization of mail boxes at Picton’s post office, Mayor Donald King called for the building to remain open to 10 p.m. He said he’d provide police to oversee the facility. A representative of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers also suggested offering service on Saturdays.

– Prince Edward-Hastings Liberal candidate Kay Manderville said she expected the federal government would approve funding for a proposed mini-food terminal in the Quinte region that connect farmers from five counties with food wholesalers.

– Concerns were raised that ongoing logging operations on private land in Sophiasburgh’s Big Marsh could have a negative impact on springs feeding area wells.