June 16, 1921
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
June 16, 1921
The big news stories of the day were the 20th annual provincial convention of the King’s Daughters of B.C. and a Press Convention in Vancouver.
Of the 53 delegates 19 represented the local Scattered Circle and two were from the Ever Ready Circle of Cowichan Station, the others from the Lower Mainland and Victoria. The visitors, it was said, were much impressed with their visit to the Duncan KD Hospital where they were given a guided tour by the matron, Mrs. A. Mathieson, RRC, then served tea by staff.
To open their evening business meeting the Rev. A. Bischlager chose as his text, “Let Us Not Be Weary in Well Doing,” these inspirational words having been bequeathed as a message to the local KD by their late leader, Mrs. F.H. Maitland-Dougall, founder of the Order in B.C.
A letter of regret was read from the Silver Cross who were unable to send a delegate, and the treasurer’s report was read and approved.
The subject of travel costs for delegates and their draw upon the various Orders’ treasuries ended with a suggestion that a membership drive be implemented as a means of increasing dues.
The local Order was in good financial shape: even with $1000 owing on the hospital’s mortgage they intended to pay it off without assistance from the other Orders. They also faced the need to finance an isolation ward for tubercular patients.
Mrs. McKechnie of Vancouver didn’t think it proper that the Cowichan Order bear all the costs of the Duncan hospital. But the Scattered Circle was adamant: they’d pay off the existing mortgage and fund the new ward themselves.
Mrs. Lewthwaite, also of Vancouver, agreed with Mrs. McKechnie that the debt should be assumed by the provincial Order, both on principle and because it would allow the existing mortgage to be retired that much quicker which would allow for a new mortgage for the TB Clinic.
With others joining in, the matter was put over until the next business meeting. Next morning, the Rev. A.F. Munro opened the meeting by saying that “Few such institutions combined a feeling of home and comfort as did the local hospital”.
Miss Leitch reported on the year’s activities and reminded delegates of their motto, “to minister not to be administered unto”.
“One from the ends of Canada” (taken from Rudyard Kipling) was how the Leader described the gathering in Vancouver of 300 journalists from all over the Commonwealth. None of the events had any real connection to the Valley other than that the Leader gave a presentation on its circulation system by claiming to have pioneered annual subscription renewals at the end of 12 months from when they began, instead of using a fixed January-February scheme. If nothing else, the name ‘Cowichan’ aroused curiosity on the part of some of the delegates.
North Cowichan Reeve Paitson reported to Council that, after giving the matter great thought, he’d come to the conclusion that building and maintaining Municipal roads “in a more permanent condition” was just too expensive and more than taxpayers should be expected to bear.
Perhaps, if the province were to agree to more significant financial assistance, they could look at the matter again; Council agreed.
The final legal costs for the Mainguy Island-Swallowfield Farm road disaster were in: $6315.00! Council hoped to pay them without dipping into the new year’s tax revenue.
Realtor and insurance broker J.H. Whittome had agreed to perform Municipal land appraisals for $650 a year plus the use of a car and payment of his out-of-pocket expenses.
Council was unsympathetic to an appeal from the Kiwanis Club of Vancouver to support their drive to establish a provincial university.
Still unsure as to their legal liability should a student be injured while riding a school bus it was agreed to request further information from the attorney-general’s office, and to re-insure Quamichan Lake School.
Informed by the B.C. Telephone Co. that a national outdoors club had requested permission to post signs on its poles in the Valley as trail markers, Council wanted “nothing to do with the scheme”. Ratepayers ere already “suffering overmuch from outside traffic [tourists!—TW] and deprecated any further plastering of the roadside with signs and advertising”.
H.A. Lilley’s offer of $30 for Lot 7 Block 16 Map 739, Crofton was accepted.
Duncan Council had decided against Daylight Saving, to which it had agreed for the months of July and August, after being advised they had no statutory power to implement the half hearted measure. Coincidentally, they’d been presented with a petition from 124 residents who were opposed to PST.
Ald. Smythe wanted Council to draft a request to the provincial government that whenever the province considered selling Crown land, it inform the local/municipal governments for their advice. His intention was to “combat the further acquisition of land, either lease or freehold, by Orientals [sic]”.
Use of the court house on Government Street was to be shared by the police court and the Great War Veterans Association, the latter in the evenings.
Of the $4464.59 in expenditures that were approved, $3165.36 were for schools.
At last, Council committed to several Duncan streets (described previously) being paved their entire width (rather than with a gravel strip up the middle as a previously proposed cost measure). R. Whittington’s complaint that the City Clerk had removed his posters from telephone poles during the Somenos electric extension bylaw was filed.
To be dealt with by committee were the state of College Street and the profusion of Canada thistle on roadsides and in vacant lots.
City electrician H.R. Garrard gave a detailed accounting of the day and night, summer and winter workloads of the City-owned power station. He made it clear that had the extension to Somenos been approved by ratepayers, the necessity for 100s of new poles and miles more line would have taxed the existing power plant to the limit.
The Cowichan Amateur Orchestral Society proposed to give a concert on July 21st.
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