May 26, 1921
What was happening a century ago this week from the front page of the Cowichan Leader.
May 26, 1921
Another week without drama—no major or gory crimes to report, no automobile fatalities, just plain everyday news about people going peacefully about their business. (Sigh.)
There were three cases in county court. The first involved F.G. Elliot of Victoria who’d refused to pay E.W. Paitson all he owed him for a load of cedar shakes, claiming he’d been put to the extra expense of having to resize them to meet his needs as they didn’t conform to their agreed upon dimension. Judge Barker found for Paitson: as there was only $50 remaining to be paid of the contracted $550, he thought it too late to renegotiate and dismissed Elliot’s counter claim.
G.F. Tautz sued R.G. Gore-Langton for $80 damage done to his car on the Maple Bay Road due to what he charged was the defendant’s driving at an excessive rate of speed at a narrow point in the road. His speeding had caused him to skid and crash into the Tautz vehicle, he claimed.
Not so, said Gore-Langton; he was only going eight miles per hour and was, in fact, in first gear. He allowed that, perhaps, both drivers were slightly to blame for not having allowed each other more room on the curve. Judge Barker ruled that neither driver was at fault and dismissed the case.
A judgment in favour of Lewis Gordon’s case against Nanaimo resident H.G. Proctor for failing to pay him $506 for timber clearing at Cowichan Station seems to have been as much the result of the defendant’s absence in the court room as to the weight of Gordon’s testimony.
In Victoria, a former schools inspector expressed his regret that an attempt in 1920 to consolidate the schools of Cobble Hill, Mill Bay, Sylvania and Shawnigan Lake had failed. “...I am strongly of the opinion,” said Lt.-Col. W.N. Winsby, “that no territory in B.C. could be so cheaply and advantageously consolidated for school purposes as that contiguous to the Cobble Hill school district.
“I am assured, however, that the matter will not be allowed to drop in this instance, and I feel convinced that, within a comparatively short period of time, consolidation will be effected.”
He noted that the consolidation of Duncan and North Cowichan schools was proving “eminently successful. The ratepayers concerned, as well as the members of the Duncan Consolidated School Board, are to be congratulated upon the splendid success they have achieved.”
At a Sahtlam Farmers’ Union meeting it was predicted that berry growing, particularly strawberries, would prove to be a profitable pursuit. Virgin non-acid soil on open and drained bench land was suggested while raspberries and loganberries preferred moist, well drained bottom land.
Another secret to success was correctly packing the fruits which influenced what grocers were willing to pay for them. It was agreed to ask provincial horticulturist E.W. White to visit the Valley and give demonstrations of correct picking and packing methods.
The Tennessee Duo gave a well received performance of songs, recitations and Hawaiian melodies on the ukulele at the final show of the Chautauqua. Miss Lethe Coleman lectured on women’s roles in the home in changing times: “A mother of today must bring the outside world into her inside world—the home. She must not be left behind in the political and social development that is now going on if she wishes to to be a real women and mother.”
Not surprisingly, she was a real hit with the women in the audience, according to the Leader.
In the evening Judge George Alden spoke upon the “Needs of the Hour” and he, too, was well received. A grandnephew of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Judge Alden had embarked on a successful lecturer after a long legal career in the U.S.
“One of the most clever, humorous and instructive addresses ever given in Duncan” was that given by Dr. Arthur W. Evans who masked his serious message, “What Western Democracy Means to Me,” with humour and caustic comments. It all came down this, he declared in all seriousness: “There must be leaders and there must be those who had to be led. It was essential that there should be discipline to a democracy.”
Patriotism was too closely linked to jingoism, he said, and he cited the number of wars in the world over the previous 500 years. “It rested with us to better ourselves; to have a real patriotism but to be reasonable with it, and to let that patriotism see the other fellow’s point of view.” He pointed out that the frontier between Canada and the United States was unarmed, proof that nations could live together peacefully when they tried, whereas the borders of European nations were heavily posted with warships and guns. In conclusion, he said all races must meet on common ground and see each other in a light other than suspicion and distrust.
The various musical and comedy acts, a mix of professional and amateur acts, concluded with a dance. The previous day’s and evening’s acts had attracted an estimated 1000 people—an astounding attendance for the Valley in 1921.
Duncan Boy Scouts had celebrated May 24th with a field day at the Agricultural grounds. Unseasonably warm weather didn’t seem to affect the running and jumping competitions between the Scouts and YMCA youths. All ended with a baseball match, the Scouts whipping their opponents, 13-7.
A Leader report of the fire that, months before, claimed the Riverside Hotel in Lake Cowichan had been picked up by a Hong Kong newspaper, sports fishing at the lake was going well and the Riverside Hotel, rebuilt, was about to reopen.
Finally, two local golfers, H.F. Prevost and W.B. Heyworth, had distinguished themselves at the provincial championships just held in Victoria.
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