September 10 1976
If the rain fall this month is well below average, water rationing in further areas within the Northern and Southern water divisions may be necessary, Environment Minister, Mr Don Concannon warned yesterday.
These areas include Mid-Antrim served from the Dungonnel/Quolie and Killylane reservoirs, Mid and South Down served by Spelga, South West Belfast, Lisburn, and Dunmurry served by Stoneyford and the Lower Ards Peninsula served by Lough Cowey. There may also be additional restrictions in the Eastern Division where there has been a twelve hour night time rationing since approved on Wednesday.
The Minister said that apart from the major supply sources areas which rely upon small and localised underground sources of supply could face difficulties at comparatively short notice, as had indeed already happened in places such as Stewartstown, Glenarm and Carnlough.
The major reservoirs already subjected to restrictions or which are giving cause for concern are: Silent Valley/Ben Crom, which supply South and East Belfast, Co Down, which has 36 days supply; Stoneyford/Leathemstown – South West Belfast, Lisburn, Dunmurry, with 54; Lough Cowey – Lower Ards Peninsula, with 52; Spelga – Mid and South Down, 58; and Killylane Dungonnel/Quolie – Mid Antrim, including Ballymena and Larne, with 54 days supply.
Warnings of further water rationing were made as the drought of 1976 continued into September.
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World acclaim for North’s peace women
The leaders of the four main Irish Churches and prominent trade unionists in Britain said yesterday that the women’s peace movement now sweeping Northern Ireland had won the admiration of the world.
In a joint statement backing the campaign, the Churchmen said: “This entirely spontaneous movement, springing from the grassroots of the people, is a visible demonstration of the fact that the vast majority of people here reject violence as a means of solving our problems, in this we see yet another message to the men of violence”.
The statement, signed by Cardinal Conway; the Rev Richard Greenwood, President of the Methodist Church; Dr George Otto Simms, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, and Dr Jack Weir, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, continued: “We, like so many others, have been greatly encouraged by the movement”.
The Peace People’s huge outpouring of support at rallies and from church and trade union leaders started to get international attention and support too.
