THE ARCHIVES

100 years ago

MILAN. – The contraband scandal is growing. After the arrests of Commendatori Greechi and Bonacossa and many other eminent people connected with the silk and cotton trade, a startling event took place here last night, when Commendatore Carlo Feltrinelli was also arrested on a charge of selling silk to the Germans. Signor Feltrinelli is considered to be the richest man in Italy. His fortune is put at £8,000,000. He is head of a most important bank bearing his name.

50 years ago

Pedestrian problems at Kirkcaldy are getting acute at two points – the Esplanade and St Clair Street. The Esplanade is used mainly by through traffic and people coming to town to shop, who park on the sea side of the street. With the High Street being one way, some town service buses now use the Esplanade – dropping their passengers on the side of the street farthest away from the shopping area. On St Clair street is one of the busiest supermarkets in town and crossing the road is tricky.

25 years ago

Prescription charges are to rise by an over-inflated 13% to £4.25, the Government announced. The 50p increase – almost eight times the level of inflation – brought a wave of protest and accusations of a “tax on the sick” and “rationing by stealth”. Opposition MPs, doctors’ leaders, nurses and pharmacists warned that the rise, with a 5% increase in dental charges, also announced, would force hard-up patients to do without treatment. The increase is the 15th since the Conservatives came to power.

One year ago

A major Perthshire grower has warned the UK food supply chain could be torn to pieces by a Brexit ban on workers from Europe. Will Stewart said it could shrink the availability of home-grown fresh produce in UK shops. Businesses like his multi-millionpound Glencarse operation are “heavily reliant” on labour from across the English channel. The 370-strong workforce at Stewarts of Tayside contains many people from mainland Europe. Mr Stewart said the sector is “hugely