ZEN
Fire m House was
of Incendiary
Holes Cut
in Furnace Room wall
Theory
Suggest Setting of Blaze Was Deliberate Act
FOREST DEPT. CLEARED
Fire was Burning Over Half an Hour Before it � Was Discovered
w A Walker, deputy fire marshal; h-\ found that the fire which did con-rfderable damage to the Prince George cmiri-hoiuJe on the afternoon of Sim-tii\- Afar. 26th, was of incendiary wjp'ui- thai the fire did not originate to the' store room used by the officials
Chinese Pirates Send Captive to Secure Ransom
Holding Three Officers Taken
off British Merchantman in
Thursday's Raid
WANT GOLeTanD ARMS
_fRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 1933
Five Cent*
SUMMER SESSION MAY BE HELD TO CONSIDER SALE OF THE P.G.E.
Victoria, April 5�Efforts of a see- of the Conservative members of ths legislature to find out whither they are drifting filled the porticar situation with even more uncertainty than ever today. These members are said to have waited upon Premier Tolmie to find what his immediate intentions are. but axe said to have secured no more light than might be gathered from an admonition fco "wait and see." It is considered somewhat^sighifcanf that there is now talk of the holding
i- r f. -�]� i wiat mere ls now xaiK oi ljis ncyfung
rorce ot Military and Police are ! of a summer session of the legislature.
in Pursuit but the Countrv i for the avowed Purpose of doling with
r, rwr- i ' ' �' an offer for tne Purely^ of the P.
Presents Difficulties '
. Newchang, Manchuria. April 3�The j 3hiii�e pirates who carried off four
i G.E. railway, and this prompts the U2;ge<-.t:on the government mav have i rnihvnv deal^up ?ta sleeve after all Authrritie;r^are s?id to bo agreed
G
"of ThE "dbtricb forest branch, but was deliberately s t by some person or persons unknown. In view of this The Citizen is pleased to publish the sub-ioM-.ed correspondence: prince George Citizen: ' m your issue of March 20th you Diluted a report of a recent fire oc-curi'mg in the Courthouse. Prince [ ",.(�, attributing/the origin of the; to the storeroom used by the! si branch. As the doors to this (jroom had to be forced by t cv partment, such a. report would :. � (,n the office,-.; iQV~ryto.c tor manner in which it wj^Airyi. Ti e iral deduction woirid^be that such ; r as cily clcth^/ctc, had been gui m? .lv left. Sy^tfn has hot boon the zxu � and toltiyfflitfs official �nvesttga- nm epquiay, held on March 31st, 1 Fire Ylaishall W. A. Walk- ' san investigation was very full ; Kei complete, his findings are as per : twe the attrched copy.
As the officer in charge of the Fort b I G( >rge forestry district may I request j ' th..: you correct in your columns the erroneous
rno Nsnchang m n surprise, whiWiihe �;!S'('l '�'��:��; waiting for high^ttde at ':-� Newcha_ng bar, and bsiore J.' R. Robsaison, master of ^i*o merchantman know what w:is/po'.ng on they had^buhdlod -W. KT Hargravcs. A. D.
, . Authoritdesa.re s?id to bo agreed
olficers of the British- merchantmen there is^o legal impediment -to the Nanchang on Thursday last have sent' out one of the'r captive-: to treat for ransom for the remaining three. The pirates, fourteen in number, board
. F. L. Pc 2Ts and Charles Johri-
secui eh y^h ound in! 0 to wat'iig
ads ; off. By the time Cap-
Robins on could get his ' vessel
�:� way to give chi se ihe pirates
50' into lallow -a '.��v. and it was
>?sible U 3 f ';]':��� ,' r
L. Pea tii . �!� �' whom the
n and arrange
ransom tes their terms as ap-
imrvtely 'fno in !' old a machine
with ;;, ipply 0 f ammunition,
a' 1." :r � .sue of r ifles and am-
..... 3 ,. ... :currod :n the
is thac '; n which HJIxs.
imor session of +ho It will not dissolve until Sontember 1st-bni7ig fixed by the return of the writs of an elen'ion in 1ms. Not until then is Premier Tolmie' obliged '�) coll fin election, p.nd b* might dnVw tha i>oll!nT i.mt"'l some time in Feb-rvry. The'present legislature will vote RupDly until March 31st 1934 nnd sll tliat is demanded is sufficient time between the next,- polling nni the mectin.g of the leeri'Slaturs to vote .supply for the enduing 'year.
urgeo to Restore World
nditi
ons
Tuesday Mwning
Buffeted Spafm for Four Hours
UntuKDisabled and Fell
Mass of-Wreckage
73 LOSE THEIR LIVES
British nationals
he'd prisoners for
�e they were released on payment;
n >m of $32,500. The Mianchukuo !
Jjipaness police and troops have
s C>rkran. j Douglas Lay Delivers Interesting !re c^pturea a "j j r^ i
ty-four days Address on JJevclopments
In His District
impression which has been j been sent into the district to appro- I
IN OPTIMISTIC VEIN
spread. Certain members of my staff have been responsible for keeping this storeroom in a clean and- orderly
hend the pirates, and the waterways;
are being patrolled by British gun- : Darkervule But One or Several b i ]
g , but it is an easy country in]
manner, and to see that when unoc- which tine � pirates can hide, and they cupied % is always securely locked. I will probably b- able to collect at
Such has always been the case, and in deference to these officers, I think it is only fair that correction should be made.
Thanking you in anticipation for th"�i favor, I remain,
Yours truly,
E. E. GREGG,
District Forester
Enquiry Finding .
Findings � by Deputy Fire Marshall W. A. Walker, following public enquiry into fire :n Prince George courthouse.. Sunday, March 26, 1D33.
"I am satisfied that the fire did not occur in the forestry storeroom, and I cannot find that there was anything left there by the forestry department that would have caused a fixe. I am satisfied there was no oil on the floor on that particular spot, as it would have worked through the flooring which we have taken up. The oil apaprently has been kept safe, as indicated by the pieces of flooring in Exhibit 21.
"I am satisfied that some person or persons, had been interfering with the tto on the opposite side of the wall from the forestry storeroom�that is, the funiace-room wail, and I cannot come to any other Conclusion but that J^ ^wo holes were made deliberately. The one hole might not have been 60 bad. but finding the second hole, wth the asbestos cut away, I can only come to the conclusion that it was clone deliberately. I also conclude that tne fire was a deliberate act�but as 10 who did it I am not prepared to fuJ'" .Tncr<> was -the opportunity by we prisoners who were working down tf^e, but there is no individual to sa.v hey did, and therefore I do not ^sh to comment on that angle. There � no evidence to show who might fw ,'?et ifc> but * am safe in saying the fire was set by somebody. I J also say that It had been burn-for Gom�trme before found. That >s approximately 20 by GO feet, ia it wpTlld t.0ke a conslermit from $2.00 to 25 cents, which : could be considered as applying more it is figured should bring the liquor : forcibly�South Africa and the Domin-board's- commod:ties within the reach , ion of Canada�both of which had of a much greater number. The regu- | been heavy gold producers during 1932 lotions of the licenced beer parlors are | and could be counted upon to exceed also to be relaxed. The patron is no r their, product'during the year 1933. In longer to be compelled to drink his' 1932 he said South Africa produced beer on the premises. When he has . twelve million ounces, while the Can-all the beer he can hold inside he is ndian production-had been three mil-to bo permitted to take home what;;;.i ounces. II had been cue of the he can pay for in the bottle. The j f th i dpartment dur
govemment vendors' stores are also to
bjects of the mines department dur- the past two years to make the i ldi
Graphic Story of Hopeless fight
with'Elements Told by Lieut.
Commander Wiley
New York, April 4�Caught in a terrific electrical storm late last night wh!le cruising off the coast of New Jersey, and approximately 45 miles from New York harbor, the $6.-000,000 dirigible Akron was completely wrecked, and dropping into1- the\sea took seventy-three of her officers and brew to their death'. But four persons were saved. The;:e included Lieut.1-Gomriiander H. B. Wiley, second 'n command of the Akron, and threo others, two cf whom arc reported to have since died of exposure. The four mm picked up were rescued by a German tanker, which was clo::e to the point where the Akron fell into the �sea. Admiral W. A. Moffatt. who was in command of the Akron, was among these lost.
Tho .story of the disaster was told today by Lieut.-Commander Wiley who was in the control room of the d'rigible. When- the. ship fell into tho sea a wave came in through one window and washed him through another, clear of the wreckage. His story was the Akron at 8.45 in the evening wa-s cruls'ng at an; elevation of 1600 feet, ffpnroximately 25 mile- south of Philadelphia, when l'ghtning flashes were noticed, and the course of the ship w.as . altered and headed for the sea. The lightning flashes became steadily uitEiisified. and by 10 o'clock the sbonn Lncreased in violence. The Akron contended with the- elements unt:l mid-n'slit when something happened. There was a lot cf lightning in the air. but Commander Wiley does not think the ship was struck by it. The Akron appeared t become heavy, and thirty Ihinutes after nvdnight it commenced to descend. He then ordered ,the dropping of. the emergency ballast, and the ship ror:e again to 1600 feet. Ha thinks at this time the ship was in the center of the storm and it be-san to fall again. H? Wien signalled the officers and the crew from their berths to the landing stations, the .ship having taken a sudden lurch, and the uppsr rudder being out of commission. The ship was falling rapidly, but he tried to control it with the lower rudder. The Akron by thfs time had fallen to 900 feet and con-tihued to fall rapidly. The last time he a^ked for the ship's altitude it was reported to him as 300 feet, and he eave the, men._prdcrs to stand by for the "crash. Almcst immediately after the dirigible h't the water. As the -hip struck the sea one wave came through the -.windows on enc- side of the control room and washed him through' a window on the oppositfi iide clear of the v,Tecka&e. The bow of the Akron at this time was point'ns onward, but evervthing apnenred to be a mass of wreckage. He commenced swimming, and ten minutes infp.. poimht holrl of a pi�ce of board. When he had got several yards from the Akron the wind changed and he r*ould make out the lights of a vessel. H� �-warn to it nnd was thrown a line ii-H hr>ulcd on board. It m-oved to b" �-! German tnr.k-r. Its' bonts wer". launohe^ pt.6 three o'her nry'vnr-were picked up. Tho four constituted all who were rescued.
Commander Wilpv says he estimates ->o*i mnr.e th?n thirty seconds elapseri hnTween th" time h" warned the m�n
Ceiilral Interior
govemment ve j ^g e p
b? loosened up. It will not be'necefS3ry.j_p�iple pi the province gold-conscious, for the holder of a permit to go to the'i and ho was pleaded to n't? tint tho store for his beer. He will be per- I object had been attained. In 1929 the
mitted to telephone for it, and it will placer resources had been given cspe- nn tho in.nd-'n? f4"t:on'to prepare for be delivered where he wants it COD. ; . iai attent'on and in 1930 the first \Vh?.t may be even more effective in placer mining bulletin had been pub-borrtms beer sales is the .'announce- l'shed. followed later with supplemen-iWr-tit th� government's selling price ' taj bulletins. As the information with will shortly be considerably reduced, respect to'lode-gold had been gathered There Ls nb doubt tihe liquor board I'
i
ruck
Here April 19
Two-Day Convention Opens in
High School with Welcome
Address by Mayor
Social Functions Will Include
Annual'Dinner, Dance and
Theatre Party
The sixth annual convention .of "the B. C. Central Teachers' Imtiiiite- w.il open in the Prince George high school on Wednesday, April 19th, and be in session for two days. The delegates to the convention will 'oe welcomed to the city by Mayor Patterson shortly after 10 o'clock en WednesdayLforenoon, following which President jFrcd G. Cook will strike tho ctan'ding .cbmmibtees. The morn'ng session of the opening clay will be devotrd to a. tnJk by C*o?~ don Hall, of Fort Frasel* "on-history courses in grades seven and e'ght; and to a talk on agriculture by Harry Bowman, agricultural and colonization representative of the Canadian National railway.
The WedncrcL-'y cftomcon .- � ::n will 'iiclude an address en public li-bi'aa'y matters by Mi.;. Jpaniiette Sar-gelTr; of i\\i- i-'i'\ir' ] iTrjiry (., Emission: an iKldress r-n art by Mirs Peck, and an addrc s byv\v. G. Gamble, .school inspector for the district";
At the movnini^jscss'on on Thursday G. A. Leversage w^ll address-the enn-vention on sports' day plans, and vvifl be followed bv Mr. Petit presenting * number of'tc^ts. Last year the. dele.-gatcs listened 'can cd:drc3s on places of' interest in Scotland; ^presented by Mic-s Ccchrnne, who lv;l cxr-'vnrre:! lior cla -s near Glasgow with M^s Marioria Roberts, of this city. Th!sxyetu- ?-1jse. "obc -ts will entertain the convention with a rscitnl of her experiences 'n Scotland while leaching Miss: Coch--rans's class.
Tin proceedings of Thursday after-npbn's session will include an address by Rev. Norman J. Crees. Psychology in the class room w:ll-be one of the subjects for discussion later, and tha conventicn will clo~e wi((h the election of officers for the ensuing year. On the evening of Thursday the delegates will be enterta'ned at a dinner and dance, nnd a theatre party Ls being arranged for Friday evening.
ROOSEVELT'S MESSAGE ON RECIPROCITY WENT TO CONGRESS TUESDAY
Washington, April 4�Pres. Roosevelt's message to congress on the desirability of promoting a measure of reciprocity in trade between the United States and Canada went forward today. It is the first of the me'snges of the president dealing with external affairs and is counted upon to receive sympathetic consideration. While the message recommends the reselling of trade agreement with all world countries, its bearing upon trade with Canada is regarded as of chief significance.
GOVERNMENT ADVANCES RELIEF PAYMENTS TO FERNIE UNEMPLOYED
;t-
going out for all the beer business can get.
GEN. McRAE REJECTS SUGGESTION HE BECOME TRUSTEE FOR C.N.R.
comprehensive bulletin upon thfs branch of milling had also been published. Thoie" bulletins contained all iivailable data find would be helpful to'Vhose. prepared, to finance gold-min-ing operatipns but had not the time 6r the opportunity tor acquiring any-thin'r in the way of a technical knoweldge.
h and the t'm*1 the Akron ip v-n*e-. WhHe hew os swim-;prr v/5fh�ut (h^ n'ff" c-f nl^n.k to poort him Crxn
thirty
v to
am safe in
been burning
? minutes before d
about as far as
which post he has been boosted by fc_^ BY FIRE I W"HK BEFORE CONGRESS
t
%1-. April 3-r-^ire in the resi-�u?.s Van Home, daughter of Sir Wi!lTam V^n Home, se-t'1"!""erl th<� Vrn Home collcc-l,11.'1^". The o:i-time presi-. r>.r?.. wp.-s r:\ arllst of -rit. and he made a getting 'o-reH-or q :� of the o.1 paint!n33~T!5 Can-
Washirigton, Apiil 3�Pros. Green of Ihe American Federation of Labor, has succeeded at last in hi1^ eTforS-s to for a 30rhoui* week before It is now. before both
Quesnel and Cariboo divis'ons had been in' Nov?pi'm": h'-'- and he con-rir,,..r[i if. as ex 1 rbordinary the intcr-et .in trol.d minmu' wliich has mani-that time. A veri-
fcaffie s-old rush had set; in, but if d:f-fered from the thirty-four sold nrlir which he had participated in, since -��i �� :;:-.-h-ni-ttr1hr>-i:>?:ovinc abandon-I
iipntiriw upon the AJrron disaster ex- | �re�s ^egcued from the wrpek of the Akron "?ere I..icut..-Co-mvrdrr Wilev-," second !n command: Moody E. Irwin mct-^.l-
��mith; Ricrtard El Deal. . bontswRin'5 rnitc. rnd RcVsert W. Copland- chief -odio man. Copeland died short.lv af-Lor beiii^r taken aboard the German tanker Phoobus. At the time- of the
'�-"o^dy t.h� Akron was .making a test ""�Vh4- Wh.;r> ^"os to take her along the coa'st.
Victoria. April 3�The government today dealt with the request of the unemployed men of Fernie that the measure of relief be increased because of the closing of^the mines, and that the' relief payments for the month of April be advanced. No action was taken en the request for an increase in the unemployment re::ef, but 270 cheques for. $5.00 each were /issued at once on account of the April relief allowances.
HON. R. W. BRUHN AGREES TO ASSIST FRASER RIVER BRIDGE
Vjotorta; /\pr."l 3�Hon. R. W. Bruhn, nister of public works, vnade the n*>uncenient today the^government -] �irr'pp;) to n-siot the Ladner Bridge mpany !h the erection of a toll dge in the vcin'ty of Igadner. Under " r-Grreernent the government will ve the right to pa s upon the plnns d fix the tolls. If the tolls do not ld,.sufficient.revenues the govem-nt will assume part of the- defic't.
C
^OOLEY IS OPPOSED TO MORATORIUM ON MORTGAGE INTEREST
Victoria, April 3�In I tho legislature '(v'~v Hrm, R. H. Pooley. Attomey-gen-cra!, expressed himself as opposed '<^ a moratorlutn which would cover interest-payinents d;:^ under mortgage. Ho said 't would not only be nn'fair In the n^pr<-g.?.crrs but -vould Kr> disartrous to the numicipalities in the effect it would have in th? pay-ment cf taxes.
FhOdelphia. April 3�Hnberh M �tiilt.v; ov" of Ait>�v>'�'"�- outstnndirip 'ii^:rnl com^aers. died horn yesterday 5tnltB wri.s Vnc p.uthor <>r "That's the SWiCe'e.T-t. Story.Ever Told."
. n
Victoria, April �?-�Provin:-;al hospi-
als may recd've more fdvored treat-
ncnt from Ihe government'as. Hon., S.
Lj Howr tndfv requested that the
grant of $550.0d6rt3i .-tood over.