PROVINCIAL
An Independent Semi-Weekly Nowipoper Devoted to the interest of Central ond Northern British Columbia
(Two Sections)
Prince George; B.C., MONDAY, February 28, 1955
$4.00 per year l \ per copy
ryant Says Hold Tax Line
im of the city's finaneid],experts will be to hold the line Irriunicipal taxation during''! 955, Mayor; Gordon Bryant told
on Saturday that not all depart-niat.es have been com- that the actual
and rattv
(0 the u flcvii
.ill not be known t .
tax "experts can axatlon total which
1954,* some Prince will be paying
taxes ami .some lower.
j. iirought about by the ferment equalization program
i-as put into effect through-mie province for the first time
intler tlie new rules governing foment; recognized value of >uildin�s has gqne down
newer
Ihe city I more
buildings have gone
1955 tax notices will implicated than ever re. This comes about as a re-i,f tiie 10 mill school cost levy on per cent of land and 75 I cent of improvements, addition to the straight 10 levy for normal school costs, [city will have to place an ad-LhuiI levy on it's tax notices to .-hare of unauthorized Ihcrs' salaries. |hjs amount is determined by Itractirig the provincially aped salary schedule from what-tlie actual salary scale is in � school district. � ayor Bryant said it would'not blc to pass the estimated saving on school costs to | taxpayer.
that the amount which |city will save should approxi-oqual the additional" reve-which the city would require laintairi extended
services and get started on its cyclical street improvement program. The latter program will consist of completely preparing for paving a length of street one year, and blacktopping it the following year out of bylaw funds while another length is being prepared for blacktppping out of general revenue.
Kinsmen Broadcasters Swell Polio Fum^Here
CNR Sabotaging PGE Says Cariboo M.P.
Canadian National Railways is deliberately attempting to sabotage, the Pacific Great Eastern Railway through rate cutting, B. R. Leboe M. P. charged today In a reply to criticism levelled at him recently by the Ship by Rail Assotlation.
, In a letter to The Citizen Mr. Leboe charged that the federal government may be plotting to make it difficult for the PGE to operate economically so that the government can justify refusal to grant money to assist in construction of the Peace River extension.
The Cariboo MP said that his original attack on the reduced rail rjftes was not entirely in defence of the trucking industry, but also in defence of the Pacific
BoyKilledGirlHurt In Similar Mishaps
A three-year-old boy was killed instantly and an 11-year-old girl was hospitalized with serious injuries late last week as a result of two separate but similar highway accidents.
Dead is Bernard Daoust, young-----------------------------�-------------- �
est son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph was struck by an approaching car Daoust, whose home is locat&l driven by Paul Schultz and eight miles south of Prince George thrown to the side of the road, on the Cariboo Highway. | Her Injuries include a fractur-
In good condition in Prince ed pelvis and broken arm, as well George and District Hospital to- as cuts and bruises.
day is Linda McCormick, daugh-,--------------------------
ter of Mr. and Mrs. George Me- v M v �
Avenue, south Trustees, Teachers
Both accidents took place after A *���*-* Am the youngsters had alighted from, AQlGv VII
The Daoust boy was killed at about 6 p.m. on Friday after he had climbed out of the famiy car
Prince George Kinsmen manned the Microphones at the city radio station last Tuesday as advertisers contributed $1400 to the B.C. Polio Fund. City and district donations will add up to more than $3500 when all returns are in, predicts Chairman Ross Goodwin. Above, left to right: Denning Waller, Glen Barton and Harold Fretwell.
� Kamera Kraft Photo
City Will Check On New Type Of Financing For Services
Prince George may never, again have to place a money bylaw before its electors for the purpose of financing construction or installation of sewers, streets, watermains and sidewalks in completely undeveloped areas.
An official for the Prince George Town Planning Commission said today that- the first project ever undertaken here under the provisions of- the land assembly clause in the National Housing
Great Eastern. Act may go forward this sum-
In a speech made in the House I mer.
some time ago Mr. Leboe said the' Under the NHA provision, all government should not be subsidizing the two national railroads so that they can undercut
al headquarters camp would be recommended as the first site for such a development.
First step in organizing a land assembly project in Prince Qeorge would be for the city and the provincial government to prepare a statement of housing need for
trucking railroads.
companies and other
)olmen Decide To ip East By Truck
|\AM LOOPS � B.C. Sheep Co-operative association innminced it will .make igemeht? as soon as"'p5ssible
Ihip wool by truck iristead of
pairman Gerard Gulchon said vestijiatiori into freight rates >ved ii to Ik- about $1.50 cheap-iu.lral pounds to truck i B.C. to Lethbrldge,
In his letter to The Citizen today Mr. Leboe said, "it Is perfectly obvious that the Canadian National Railways is deliberately making every effort to render it difficult for the PGE to-operate.
"By this method the federal government could try to Justify its lack of interest in giving assistance to the extension of the PGE and the general development of the northern interior of British Columbia. .
"Now, if this is true It should be fought with all the force at our command.
11 WILLIAMS of Prince .disiiict commissioner of ;Boy. Scouts; has won Scout-"ii-l highest award, the Silver Acorn. �('raftsman Photographers.
services in an undeveloped area consi(leration b Central M rt. can be financed through federal and provincial government, and paid f6r out of the sale of improved property.
In British Columbia the Dominion Government would put up 75 per cent of the cost of servicing an approved area, the provincial government would put up 12V� per cent and the city wouM put up a like amount. At a meeting of the Town Planning Commission last week a reso lution was passed urging city council to immediately investigate the possibility of a land assembly project here.
A member of the commission said that a 16-block area in the vicinity of the old army division;
Rapid Expansion Causes Most School Problems: Williston _
Capital expenditure on school buildings in British Columbia increased from $2,000,000 � to $23,000,000 cfuring the seven year period from 1947 to 1954, Hon. Ray Williston told
the provincial legislature last week.
The Fort George MLA told the house that most of the problems faced by the department of education arc problems of growth.
During the samvi seven year period, student enrollment Increased from 137,000 to 225,000, and.the minister predicted a further rise to 300,000 at the end of the.next seven years. Number of teachers increased from 5000 to 8223.
Because of the expanding school population and teacher retirement, the province requires around 1700 teachers per year.
To help meet this" need the department of education has set up
Drug Problem In City Now
iys Veteran Police Officer
There has been no .illicit narcotics problem in Prince 9e or the remainder ,of the interior since a notorious Jishcr" Wqs convicted and sentenced to. 10 years imprison-1 here last fall, a Royal Canadian' Mounted Police officer
N lots last week.
. D, Lee, officer coin-
r-:-' 'he 1'rince George sub-a Citizen reporter ay. Unit all, known' addicts ll)pearod from-this city. ''' them left within 10 !k- arrest of Poland (Wll-lu'l who Was intercepted (>n September 24 while '� to bring $4000 worth join to Prince George.'
though Brunei was source here,". Inspector
'in
I' look
I hi
staled;
suit
thai spread of narcotics ,7 into B.C.'s hinterland as
of the current;dive in v ^". and on '.the 'Lower 1(1 is "extremely unlikely". v�tcran police-officer said �("�> i<-'s trade tends to drift ;ls of dense population tlu> heat is on", ctscan be easily spotted by
police constables and present time.
their appeai'ance in a small community prompts an immediate investigation.
Inspector Lee said that the price of narcotics as far away from the source as Prince George would be prohibitive.
The price in Vancouver's violence-ridden underworld today may be as high as $10 a "cap", and most addicts will use from one to six capsules-a day.
Increasing the. risk of. detection by bringing illicit drugs to Prince George might drlve^thc price here as high as it became in Edition-' ton not long ago when it reached $16 a" "cap". /
The inspector said that aside from the possibility that there are a few "drifters" in the huge area :which' his- sub-division' covers; there is absolutely no narcotic problem to contend with at the
some. 85 teacher clubs in B.C. high schools and a $100,000 loan fund has been sot' aside to encourage students to enter teacher-training.
Between 1941 and 1953. there was a 70 per cent gain in the number of teachers in B.C., compared with 50 per cent in Nova Scotia, 45 per cent in New Brunswick, 33 per cent in Ontario, 29 per cent in Manitoba, 23 per cent in Alberta, 11 per cent in Prince Edward Island and minus two per cent in Saskatchewan.
British Columbia teachers are the highest qualified in Canada .with 3G.1 per cent holding^jAiver-sity degrees, compared Xo\ Can-, adian average of 22.5 per cent. , One of the major factors in increased school costs is that British Columbians lead all Canada In the public demand for educational facilities. In B.C. 56 per cent of pupils reach the eleventh grade, compared with a Canadian average of 27 per cent, and 44 per cent reach the twelfth grade, compared to a national average of 13 ner cent.
Peace Farmers Want Restrictions Eased
- VANCOUVER � Peace RivM" district farmers want trucking regulations 'eased so they can haul surplus feed grains to coast livestock producers over the Hart and Cariboo highways,; ~
A. R. Hadland of Dawson Creek said in an interview here Saturday present load restrictions prevent economical shipment of grain. District growers plan to discuss the problem with Victoria.
"With last year's carry-over and all the damp grain we harvested last. year, there must be about four* million bushels In-the block now," Said Hadland.
Hadland. is here to address B.C. Farm union groups recently organized In the Fraser Valley.
gage & Housing Corporation.
The municipality must show that it is prepared to extend sewer and water lines to the edge of the project if such services are not already available.
The proportion of servicing costs ordinarily borne by the municipality in its general tax structure .is repaid to .the senior governments .by the municipality over a period of years, with interest at a rate established in the land assembly agreement.
That portion of service costs which is borne by the lot-owner is recovered from the purchasers of the lots within the development area either in a cash amount added to the purchase price of the property or through an�annual
assessment over a period of as long as 15 years in much the same manner as local-improvement taxes are imposed.
By entering into a land assembly project, the city receives the benefit of installation of services without increasing its bonded indebtedness. Borrowing powers of the municipality would remain unchanged.
Under the existing system of' new development, the city must raise the full cost, of services through bond issues and thus restrict its powers for further borrowing.
'Joy Rider' Must Pay $678 Car Damages
Louis Peeters, 17, of Prince George was given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to post a. bond of $500 to keep the peace" when he appeared in County Court Thursday, before Judge E. D. Woodburn,'
He was charged in connection with the theft of Dr. G. M. Fier-heller's car on Feb. 2. The car was wrecked and damages totaled $678.75.
Peeters pleaded not guilty Nto a charge of car theft, but guilty of unlawfully taking a car with intent to operate it without the owner's consent.
In summing up for the Crown, Harold Fretwell suggested a 12-month term in jail, and a $500 fine be imposed, in view of the increase In car thefts lately.
However, he consented to the judge's views in giving suspended sentence. Judge Woodburn lectured the accused severely, and ordered him to pay for all damages to the car at the rate of $28.28 per month. ' :... � /.. .-.:'� � ��!�� ; Peeters was also ordered to report 'monthly to the N.C.O. in charge of the Prince George detachment of the R.C.M.P.
way.
Bernard got out of the car ahead of his mother, ran behind it and was struck �by the rear dual wheels of a lumber truck which was proceeding north.
The youngster was thrown to
57 teacher annual pay increases of $50 to $100 has been agreed upon by school trustees and accepted by the salary negotiation committee of the British Columbia Teachers' Federation.
The agreement setting out details of the new salary schedule will be signed this.week, a school district official said.
As a result of the pay Increase and the need for more teachers in the district when the next
the ground rom the impact of the hool t ^ in Septemberi
wheels and suffered extensive salarie| wiU total approximately head injuries. An inquest into the $463 0Q0 this Q^hai 't
death will be held here tonight. ; the provinc-al government will
Linda McCormick was return- $400,00b and the school dis-
ing home from an early, show on tHct must rai the remainder. Saturday night and alighted from Tne Ci f Prince G m
a Northern Stages bus less than probahl/ be respohsible for less a block from her home | than half of the local share.
She was the first to.get off after , Under the � x schedule
the bus stopped and was ahead an elGmentar baslc teacher with of other children who were with five experience will receive
her.
. , . , .. ,. . , ! $3100 a year. Under the 1954 wage
As she crossed the street she agI.eement tne teacher wouId have
received $3050.
A secondary basic teacher with the same experience will receive $3800 instead of $3700 a year.
City Anglers Pay Heavy Penalties
Two Prince George men were each fined $200 and costs in a Smithers courtroom last week when they pleaded guilty to having caught rainbow trout during, v ,. ,_ , , . ,, . , the closed season. i ,; ��"/ Cup draw cc �"�'1; Herd Similar charges against two Mo fat announces Saturdoy^Morch 5 her men who were members of � the. date to finish Kelly Cup play-
Kelly Cup Al Stake Saturday, Sunday
offs.
other
the fishing party were dismissed. -r, ,,,.,, . Fined were Ted Schmidt, local ' The e|a,Y;off h�d be^n P�tponed umberman, and Lum Zogas, a due *��\d weather when the spiel contractor ' iwas month. Five rinks re-Charges' against".Janies Slesin- �inin9 in the play including Lloyd ;er and Charles Ewart were Harper _ from Quesnel, present holder
dropped.
The charges arose from the section of the sport fishing regulation which defines, any steelhead of less than five pounds adf a rainbow-trout. ~-
A B.C. game, warden who laid charges against the four men produced six undersize fish taken from the party as evidence.
Red Cross To Launch March Drive
of the big trophy.' ' Wilf Peckham who was undefeated
completion of play tokes on the Harper rink ot 7 p.m. in one section. Harper, with one loss has' to win to . stay in the running. ^Th* *rin *�ould Vreb\6 a tie arid the tie-breaker will be ployed at 9:30.
In the other section, Mclnnis and Wray go on at 7 o'clock ond the winner will play R. Hatch at 9:30.
The two-out-of-three finals of the two sections will be played on Sunday at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. if necessary.
Car Damaged By Skidding Truck
BURNS LAKE�A local dentist, Dr. E. B. MacEwen, was badly shaken up and his car badly damaged as the result of a freak highway accident near here Sunday.
A.big truck* travelling in front of Dr. MacEwen's car, ran into a deep snowdrift and the rear end skidded and smashed into the oncoming car. *
vassers who will cover the city during the annual drive.
Royal Bank-of Canada will act as headquarters for the March campaign and canvassers will make their returns there.
Ralph Zelmer, bank accountant. (See RED CROSS, Page 8)
Prince George and the surrounding district will be asked to contribute $5000 to the national fund when the Red Cross Society launches its 1955 campaign to-morroww.
Some 150 Red Cross volunteers will begin the month-long canvass in the city.
Mrs. C. Q. Albins, president of the Red Cross Society, and George Baldwin, are joint chairmen of this year's drive.
The Red Cross officials are op-tomistic that the drive for funds will meet with overwhelming success here.
"Prince George always exceeds its quota. I am sure it won't lower .its standard this year," said Mrs. Albins.
Last year over $6000'was raised in the Prince George area, when the objective was $500 less than it is this year.
Quota set for all of Canada is $631,000, an increase of $S,300 over last year's figures.
Mrs. Albins asked that co-operation again be given to the can-
Off The Wires Today
By Canadian Press, February 28, 1955 Well Known ExTourmaster Died In Vancouver Yesterday
VANCOUVER�Thareous S. (Teddy). Lyons, wisecracking tourmaster of Vancouver Transit system's observation cars for 42 years, died at his home here Sunday, aged 68. He is survived by his widow ond a stepson, Dr. D. E. Waller of Prince George.
Armed with an impish grin ond a megahono, Mr. Lyons and his jokes made four appearances daily each summer from 1910 until his retirement in 1951. ' �
William Lockyer Sr. Celebrates 87th Year
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lockyer entertained at a dinner party Saturday to celebrate the birthday of their father, William Lockyer, Sr.
Mr. Lockyer, who is 87 years old, is- still hale and hearty and was able to read his birthday cards without the aid of glasses.
"Relatives and friends spent a pleasant evening dancing to music contributed by William Lockyer on the accordian.
Water War Warms Up
Group To Protest Council's 'Pay-Up Or No Light' Ruling
A delegation of annex area residents will appear before city council tonight to register a protest against the council's decision to enforce collection of water service charges where homes are not actually connected to the city's mains.
VANCOUVER�Joseph Marcoux, 29-year-old former hockey player from St. Boniface, Man., was returned here Sunday from Toronto to face a chorge of attempted murder in connection with the Nov. 4, 1954, shooting of William (Bill the Painter) Semenick.
VANCOUVER�Mayor Fred Hume says he will urge the city council to sell.Vancouver Interantional Airport to the Federal government as soon as possible.
VANCOUVER�CPR.officials report the Princess of Vancouver, a 7,000 ton ferry to operate between Vancouver .and Nanaimo, wil be launched in Glasgow March 7.. She's one of-the world's largest passenger, train, car ferries. � .*
TRAIL�-Mrs. Mary DeGirolamo's rink from Nelson captured the B.C. ladies'' curling championship, here Saturday, downing Mrs. Mararet Seller's. Nanaimo rink 13-3. � w.1
VANCOUVER�The RClAP Sunday identified Eric Wilson as one of two carbon monoxide victims found dea'd in a fishing,launch on'Bowen Island Friday. Name of the other victim, a woman, has not yet been released.
S. P. Waytiuk, a spokesman for i the group, said today that a large delegation would be on hand to express its views on the council decision and- that a written protest would be filed.
Last week tne council voted to enforce collection of water service charges and city officials said that electric light would be cut off to homes whose occupants were delinquent in-such payments.
Some 300 households in the city are being charged for water service but are not connected to the municipal water distribution system. Some 50 families have refused to pay the two dollar monthly charge. .
Mr. Waythfk said that practicality all of the persons who are adjacent to, but not connected to city mains, plan to get city water into their homes as soon as they can afford it.
Me said that many workers in the area have suffered economic setbacks in the past two years and that they are unable to make the initial water service connection payments and pay for plumbing at the same time. _
He claimed that some families who could make the payments after an instalment plan Was set up by the city last year were un-
able to connect to the mains.due to the lateness of the season.
The spokesman said that having to pay the monthly service charge simply prolongs the period which residents are trying to save up enough money to get water connections.
Woman Hurl When Cars Collide
Mrs. Doris Miller was released from 'Hospital Sunday, after being treated for concussion: and shock, following a highway accident Friday evening.
The car in which she was a passenger, was driven by her husband Westley J. Miller when it was in collision with another car driven- by Adrian St. Armand, 37 miles north on the Hart Highway.
The Millers were proceeding north to their home in Elmsworth, Alberta, when their car struck the other vehicle as It pulled onto the highway from the Simmers & Eb-erhard logging road. The driver was unable to stop due to icy road conditions.
No charges have,been laid in connection with .the accident.'
Both cars were considerably damaged.