December 29, 1921
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
December 29, 1921
Because the Leader published weekly, Christmas 1921 was four days old when readers received their newspaper; hence there was a single and short reference to the holiday just passed.
Under CHRISTMAS DOINGS, this consisted of a summary of local church services and festivities. All were well attended and well decorated and there was the singing of “appropriate” Christmas carols. The 16-member choir of St. John’s took it a step further (literally) by serenading the town site and private homes.
Two nights later, their ranks swelled to 30, they did it again in town and on Buena Vista Heights. The $45 collected was intended for children’s presents and prizes on the evening of January 4th.
But Christmas was done with so it was back to hard news, the big story of the day being the latest meeting of North Cowichan Council whose reeve and councillors had committed to running again in the coming election. While most seemed satisfied with the progress made during the year there was “no hornblowing,” according to the Leader.
One man was jumping ship, however, roads superintendent H.R. Punnett having tendered his resignation for mid-January. Council accepted with regret and complimented him for the service he’d performed.
Three petitions had been received expressing opposition to continuing consolidation between North Cowichan and City of Duncan school boards and demanding a plebiscite to resolve the matter. There were a total of 120 names on the petitions although not all were ratepayers.
Council agreed that a referendum was in order, Clr. Ashby declaring that he thought a majority of voters would vote for the status quo.
There was consternation and harsh words when it came to discussing the Maple Bay Aquatic Club’s non-payment for repairs made to the municipally-owned float they used for their activities. $101 remained outstanding and not even personal appeals to club members by Councillors had succeeded in settling the debt.
This one really stung! Because the Municipality couldn’t carry debt over into a new election year the Councillors would have to pay the bill themselves!
Council was informed that the Municipality had earned $1764.70 as its share of the profits of provincial liquor sales and already hands were being extended to share the bounty. By provincial statute one-half of this sum was to be dedicated to municipal hospitals.
Council saw its share as “a fine nest egg” to go to permanent road work.
The Chemainus school’s furnace was in such a bad state that the Consolidated School Board decided to forego repairs to the high school’s sanitation system in favour of a new furnace.
No details were given of a forthcoming lawsuit, the second for the Municipality in two years, and Percival Springett had threatened to seek compensation for water damage to his mother’s property because of an unmaintained culvert. Councillors shrugged; they had no control over the vagaries of weather, they said.
They then accepted a cheque for $250 for the sale of a property seized for unpaid taxes, and it was agreed to post warning signs at major intersections to advise motorist that, as of the following Sunday, traffic would switch from driving on the left side of the road, British-style, to the right as did the Americans,.
After a lengthy in-camera discussion Council agreed to raise the Municipal Clerk’s salary from $75 to $85 per month. They then declined an offer of $20 for all standing timber on Municipal-owned land by the Evans’ gravel pit before approving payment of bills totalling $4359.86.
Council extended condolences to Mrs. Clague in the passing of her husband, H.N. Clague. Mr. A. Herd had declined the position of returning officer in the forthcoming municipal election “as it would tend to tie his hands,” so Angus Bell was going to be approached.
For the first time voters would be allowed to vote at any poll of their choice rather than the one assigned to their residential area.
Reeve Paitson congratulated council of their having had a harmonious work year, there was money in the bank which would replace that which had been borrowed from the schools account for general expenses. All overdrafts had been cleared and the painful matter of the Mainguy Island road through Swallowfield Farm was finally settled even though the Municipality lost the suit.
He thanked the Municipality’s two staff members without naming them and expressed gratitude to the Leader for its “excellent” reporting of their meetings. While pleased that all on Council, himself included, were going to run again he hoped this didn’t discourage others from throwing their hats in the ring.
Clrs. Rivett-Carnack and Green expressed agreement, the latter commenting on the amount of time consumed by representing their constituents; to which Clr. Ashby said he thought their remuneration should at least cover out-of-pocket expenses. He thought North Cowichan was the “poorest paid council in B.C.”
Provincially, auto owners were about to pay 50 per cent more for their licenses. Interestingly, the cost of a license varied, being based upon a scale determined by a vehicle’s value and weight!
In keeping with the holiday season, let’s end with this amusing item almost hidden at the bottom of the front page. I’ll quote it verbatim, including its deceptively innocuous headline:
REMEMBER THIS ONE
Special Feature For Bazaars Of Sales Of Work
Having some regard for the youth of the district The Leader has withheld this yarn until one spasm of danger has been safely passed. Now they must take their chance.
Most of the youths of the neighbourhood attended the charity bazaar, and one by one drifted to a stall where a tiny kid glove reposed on a satin cushion.
Attached to a cushion was a notice, which ran:—“The owner of this glove will at 7:30 this evening, be pleased to kiss any person who purchases a ten-cent ticket beforehand.”
Tickets were purchased by the score, and at 7:30 a long row of young men had assembled outside the booth. Then punctual to the moment, Tom Porson, the local butcher, almost as beautiful as a side of bacon, stepped to the front of the booth.
“Now, young gents,” he said, “this here glove belongs to me. I bought it this morning. I’m ready for you. Come on! Don’t be bashful. One at a time now!”
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