June 10, 1920
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
June 10, 1920
North Cowichan Municipality reversed an earlier decision not to hire an engineer as roads superintendent after dissenting Councillor Hilton changed his mind on the idea. Council was unanimous that existing conditions of Municipal roads were unsatisfactory even after the expense of $10,000 with “little to show for it” in the words of Clr. Paitson. He wasn’t even sure where the money had gone.
Part of the problem, he thought, was the lack of proper equipment, the road roller being the municipality’s “only satisfactory machine”.
As the roads superintendent would be required to provide his own car Council authorized a monthly gas allowance of $7.50.
J.V. Norman Williams of Mainguy Island complained by letter of a 10-fold increase in his property tax in a single year, from $11.68 to $113.65. Returned soldier B.C. Keates disputed the power of Council to collect property taxes from him, presumably because of his wartime service for his country. It was pointed out to Council that if they made an exception of Mr. Keates they’d have to do it for all the returned men who owned property in the Municipality—a total of $23,000—more than had been collected to date.
Two representatives of the Great War Veterans Assoc. alleged in writing that Constable Beard had insulted Mrs. Eagle of Westholme who’d had one son killed and two wounded in the war by refusing to take her to the Duncan hospital, telling her she was “a charity case”. Beard appeared before Council to defend himself but because of conflicting testimony from several proffered witnesses Council laid the matter over to its next meeting.
The Cowichan Girl Guides had held their quarterly meeting, the North Cowichan Red Cross membership drive was going well, an encore of “Lady Huntworth’s Experiment” received greater accolades than it had for its first performance, and the annual Corpus Christi procession at St. Ann’s, Tzouhalem had been conducted with “the usual solemnity”.
Eligible voters for the forthcoming referendum on prohibition were reminded to register and work progressed on extending the loading wharves at the Genoa Bay sawmill.
At the invitation of the Duncan Board of Trade two professional cinematographers of the Ford Motor Co. were shooting numerous scenes of logging, fishing, farming and the Old Stone Church in the Valley for eventual showing in movie houses. A total of 1000 feet were to be used in what was described as an educational film.
The drive for a war memorial dedicated to the men of the Cowichan Valley who’d made the ultimate sacrifice in the recent world war was making progress towards its goal of collecting $1500-2000 for the project. The committee was also open to offers of volunteer labour and building materials such as loads of gravel and rocks for the project, then planned for the intersection of the Island Highway (today’s Government Street) and Station Street). Donors were asked that rocks be “clean and of fair sizes, the larger the size of each rock used the less cement will be needed”. Cowichan Tribes had graciously consented to providing gravel from the Allenby Road Reserve.
The Leader promised to publish the names of all donors in its news columns.
Forty local tennis players had participated in an American Roundabout Handicap Tournament. The ultimate champions were Hubert Bevan and Cyril Smith who defeated Miss Kate Robertson and Mr. L. Helen, 6-2, 6-1.
The Cowichan Women’s Institute met indoors because of the poor weather and three new members brought their total membership to 99. An exhibit of garments made from flour sacks “with the least possible expense,” was described as ingenious: “Dresses for small and big children, middies, aprons and many other things...contrived from the simple and everyday item.” The prize exhibit was “a very neat little dress, knickers and hat” by Mrs. J.R. Macdonald.
The local Tuxis Club boys of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church won the provincial YMCA championship, and local representatives of the United Farmers and the Farmers Institute attended a provincial conference in Kelowna to discuss a proposed merger.
Duncan’s Capt. R.B. Baker and family were off to Prince Rupert where he had a new position with the post office and almost an entire column listed the names of Duncan Consolidated Schools students who’d participated in sports events held to celebrate the King’s birthday.