April 28, 1921
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
April 28, 1921
You know it was a different world a century ago when the big news story of the day is the King’s Daughters’ 15th Annual Flower Show. I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I skip over this one other than to report that entries were down because of a poor spring growing season. Despite that, exhibitors were able to fill seven tables in competition for the Cowichan Leader Challenge Cup.
Mrs. G. Stuart was the winner with her display of yellow daffodils and white narcissi and two varieties of asparagus fern.
After a night-long special meeting Duncan Council decided to go with the new roads paving program, the cost to be spread over 15 years and be split between taxpayers and property owners, three-fifths and two-fifths, respectively. As explained two weeks ago, paving didn’t mean asphalt but concrete.
Local farmers, concerned with the threat of tuberculosis among their pure bred herds, wanted the provincial government to step up cattle, beef and dairy inspections. They also were outraged by a proposed provincial “salary grab” and the disappointing attendance at the Kelway concert (described last week) which resulted in the Agricultural Society losing $50. According to the Society secretary, many had expressed their regrets for not having attended and promised to support such fundraising entertainments in the future.
Another topic of concern was the attitude of hunters to private properties during the next hunting season and the group endorsed a proposal by the Cowichan Co-op that the government post an expert horticulturalist to the district because of the increase in small fruits growing.
The government had come through with one positive policy, a rebate of $2.50 per case of stumping powder used in land clearing. Rebates would be issued by the government agent upon farmers presenting a receipt showing payment of the usual price. Applicants for rebates, which had to be witnessed by the secretary of the Farmers’ Institute or secretary of “any association or society incorporated and carrying on work of substantially the same character as that carried on by the Farmers’ Institute,” had to be land owners or lessees of land, and there was a limit of 10 cases of powder per applicant.
Unlike the disappointing Kelway concert there was a good attendance at the former Somenos school, now a community hall, for the St. George’s Eve musical program. Victorian W.V. James sang in fine style and Anna and Maud Kier, with their mother at the piano, “won high raise for their skill with violin and cello”.
The Cowichan Bay Amateur Dramatic Club, which formed in 1902 and had just undergone a complete reorganization, decided not to stage another play until the Fall.
Again, in stark contrast to the disappointing Kelway concert, no fewer than 600 people attended the Cowichan Amateur Orchestral Society’s performance in the Agricultural Hall, The Leader describing the orchestra as bigger and better than ever.
There was also a full attendance at a meeting of the Cowichan Electoral District War Memorial Committee. A Victoria firm had quoted $2679 for the erection of a memorial cross in Duncan and it was estimated that a memorial on Mount Prevost would cost a further $930. But fundraising was still underway and the committee thought it wise to have the money in hand before commissioning either or both projects. Mr. Mellin reported that three-four acres on Prevost were needed for their purposes, not just a site for the memorial itself.
A large rock at the proposed site would work as a base and surrounding rock would be blasted out to a depth of six feet. The cairn itself would be 30 feet tall on a base 36 feet wide. It was intended that the memorial be visible from Westholme and Chemainus River as well as the Malahat. It was estimated that the construction work, including a paint job, would take 31 days. The land still had to be acquired from the E&N Railway.
Eight mothers with their babies met at the Health Clinic for a social afternoon with district nurse Miss B.E. Hall who gave them a short address and answered questions. The babies were weighed and their weights recorded to check again in the near future. Directors Mrs. W.H. Whidden and Mrs. J.P. Fischer served tea.
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