FIFTY YEARS AGO Thursday October 3, 1968

Kintyre man in Rhodesian cabinet

A Kintyre man, Mr David Smith, has been appointed Minister for Agriculture in the Rhodesian Government. Mr Smith, who succeeds Mr George Rudland, was born at Corran Farm, Clachan, in 1922 and was educated at Campbeltown Grammar School. He went to Rhodesia in 1946 as a farm assistant and became a farm manager before going into farming on his own account. He became chairman of the Farmers’ Co-operative in Salisbury and is director of several companies. Mr Smith is the eldest son of the late Mr and Mrs William Smith, Newmains, Bellochantuy, and a nephew of Mr Andrew Smith, Drumore. He married Miss Jean Graham whose family farmed Tonrioch and they have three daughters and a son.

Afocal swamped with inquiries

Afocal Ltd, the optical company which will move into Campbeltown’s advance factory, has been swamped with applications for jobs from people in England, wanting to return to their native Campbeltown to work. Mr Jim Lennon, part-owner of Afocal, said yesterday that a file was being kept of all applications, many of which also came from Campbeltown. He also revealed that rare opportunities would be available for young men in the area. Afocal wants young men to train as junior management staff, technicians, toolroom workers and maintenance engineers. Light machinery and partitions will be installed at the factory, opposite Drumore Gardens.