VOL. 9, No. 24. PRINCE GEORGE CITIZP ____� PRINCE GEORGE, B.C., THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1926. V^ c- Local Business Gets Million Dollars Out of Timber Industry Royalties and Government Revenues From Local District Now Exceed $260,000. J. M. Gibson, District Forester, Tells Interesting Story of Forest Wealth. J. M. Gibson, district forester, gave a very instructive address to the members oi" the board of trade at their luncheon in the Prince George Griil yesterday, when he gave a short talk upon the work of the provincial forest service, and some highly interesting'figures respecting the importance of tne iorest industry to Prince George and vicinity. From comments whicn had come to him he said he had gathered soni(* people entertained the idea the activities of the service were restricted to fighting fires, that in the winter GAIN OF FIFTEEN MILLIONS SHOWN IN C.N.R. EARNINGS FOR THE YEAR 1925 Ottawa, April 21.�The annual re. port of the C.N.R.. which was tabled in the house of commons yesterday gave the net operating earning? of the system for the year 1925 at $32,-264,414, the gain over the previous year being $15,020,163. Whil� the national railway system has still a long way to go to meet interest charge-s, a gain of closs upon 100 per cent in net earnings is very encouraging to the advocates of nation-al ownership. EVIDENCE OF POLITICAL INFLUENCE GIVEN BEFORE SMUGGLING COMMITTEE Ottawa, April 21.�At the session of the commons committee charged with the investigation of smuggling, H. W. Wilson, chief of the customs preventative staff, charged that political influence had prevented him from discharging unsatisfactory employees. C. V. Alexander. prev�n-tative officer at Toronto, informed the committee there was a great deal season, when there were no fires, '. of silk and cigarette smuggling at the members of the service could ; Bridgeburg and Windsor. disappear like the flies.-----------------------. Timber administration, he ex- ]l/[/jor\ne plained, occupied a very large part , iriU'OC/fZo of the attention of the service Through his district office timber sales averaged around eighty during the year, involving the disposition of 20,000 acres of timber land, and an approximate revenue to the government of $150,000, as and when the timber standing upon the lands should be cut. During the past year, of the total timber cut of the district 30 per cent came from lands held under special timber licence, 11 per cent from lands which had been crown granted with a reservation of the timber, and 42 per cent from timber sales, which had been dealt with through the district office. Taking I j^o 86( A jr. & A.M. held their first the sawlogs cut during the year, to- j annuai at home at the Prince George ether with the railway ties and hotel on Thursday evening. The af- George Hold Very Happy "At Home" Short Toast List Provided a Number of Good Speeches and Spirited Community Singing-. Evening Rounded Out With Dancing to.Excellent Music and With Card Playing. . The members of Nechako lodge, poles, the royalty and stumpage fair partook of the nature of a din- revenues of the district tor the year neri served in the hotel ballroom by would aggregate $160,000 and to < the management of the Prince this sum could be added $100,000: George Grill which was followed to cover fees for lands held under! with a toast ji8tj solos ky Mrs. Alex, special timber licence. The figures, Hutchison and Miss W. Young, as Railway Agent at Red Pass Held for Attempted Arson Railway Officials Suggest Fire Resorted to as Cover to Shortage in Accounts. Company Auditor Engaged in Checking When Fire Broke Out and Records Destroyed. Andrew Forbes O'Brien, formerly employed as agent by the Canadian National railway at Red Pash Junction, was brought to the city on Tuesday morning to answer to a charge of attempted arson in connection with a fire which occurred in the railway company's office at Red Pass on April 8th. O'Brien was arrested at Kamloops on a warrant issued in this�city, and was brought from Kamloops- to Red Pass by Constable Sinclair. The company's auditor arrived at Red Pass on the morning of April 8th and proceeded to check over OJErien's books. The auditor was still engaged on this work when it came time for lunch, about 12:45 o'clock. He left O'Brien in tne office and when he came back found the building burning. There was "evidence of fire in various parts of the office and the heat had cracked the glass in the windows. The cash-book was so badly burned that the figures in it had been destroyed, and other records in the office were partially destroyed. O'Brien is said to have sent in his resignation following the fire and made his way to Kamloops. The theory of the company officials is that O'Brien was short* in his accounts and sought to destroy the evidence by burning the books. The charge against him is of attempted arson with respect to the company's railway property. He wil* nrobably receive a preliminary hear-ing-upon the charge this afternoon. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT SERVICE BETWEEN THIS CITY AND QUESNEL E. J. Down, of Woodpecker, has made arrangements to put on a fast freight and passenger service between Prince George and Quesnel within the next three weekfc. For the service he has ordered a "Fisher Fast Mail" car from Vancouver. It has a 5rO-horse engine and is capable of making 35 miles an hour with a full load. Mr Down will cut the passenger fare between Prince George and Quesnel to $5.00, which will make it an object for pasengers going to the coast to travel by the P.G.E.. The tariff on the fast freight will be two cents per pound on a 100-mile basis with an arbitrary rate to be Jixed on the through business. PRINCE RUPERT DECIDES IN FAVOR OF PROVINCIAL CONTROL IN POLICE MATTERS *by Hon. Charlffs Stewart on be.- alf of the government. Washington, April 20.�The United States government has firmly declined to sit in at the world court conference at Geneva. In declining the invitation the United States government asserts there is no necessity for its participation in the confer- BRITISH COMMONS REJECTS LABOR RECOMMENDATIONS London, April 22.�The British house of commons is not prepared to i accept Labor recommendations affecting discipline in the army or the use of troops in labor troubles. In 'committee the house rejected the clauses which would abolish the Heath penalty for cowardice and desertion. The houfce also rejected a fprohibition of the use of troops in labor disputes except under proclamation of emergency. KYRA WINS METROPOLITAN IN FIELD OF FIFTEEN Epsom, April 21.�Kyra, at odds of 10 to 1. won the great Metropolitan handicap-here from a field of fifteen, with Spithead second and Onyx third. FRENCH EXPECT TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH U.S. FOR FUNDING OF DEBT the cash payment to become the property of the company, and not returnable. The right too add a charge of 75 cents to rentals not paid by the 15th of the month is also sought. The company also seeks the abolishment of the present tax of 5 per cent upon the gross revenue of the company, and the substitution of a licence, the licence to be $50 per annum while the number of phones is under 350, and $100 when the phones exceed this number. The tax on profits at present yields the city about $400 per annum. Tho companv will also sook protection from contractors in the moving of buildings along the city streets and lanes by requiring a deposit sufficient to cover estimtated cost to the company in the moving of wires, such deposit to be paid to the citv clerk before the moving permit is issued. CARIBOO LAD MAY RECEIVE HEAVY DAMAGE FOR THE KILLING OF HIS PARENTS CUSTOMS OFFICIALS HELD ON DISABLED STEAMER Vancouver, April 22.�The fishery patrol steamer Givenchy is at anchor in Massett Inlet, having stripped all the blades off her propeller.-and is awaiting the coming of the steamer Malasm'na. Among those aboard the Givenchy are customs officials jVtresttes will receive attention Miller and Mason of Victoria. !\year, it is stated. Paris, April 20.�It was announced today that arrangements for the funding of the French debt to the United States have made such progress that a settlement of the question will be announced within a few days. WILL CUT OUT TRESTLE ON P. G. E. NEAR LILLOOET Victoria, April 22.�Hon. W. H. �Sutherland, minister of railways, announces that work will be commenced shortly to replace one of the P. "G. E. trestles near Lillooet with a Quesnel, April 22.�Word has been received here that the court of New Jersey has awarded six-year-old Tommy Ross $64,000 in damages for the killing of his father and mother when a Pennsylvania train crashed into an auto in which they were driving in 1923. The beneficiary has been living with his uncle, Rae Elliott, of Williams Lake. MOVE TO PLACE EMBARGO ON CANADIAN CATTLE DURING WINTER MONTHS London, April ?.2. �Lords Ban-t.iry and Laraboui'ne have zenewed their efforts to havr> art embargo plac ed upon the imporr".tl m of Canadian "altle between the months of Octo- �olid* fill. The work will cost about j bor and March. The- move is based $200,000. Other replacements of, largely upon humane grounds, as each difficulty attended tne movement of cattle during the past winter.