Prhice Ge&ege Citizen n ndependent Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the interests of Central and Northern British Colun^.L^ 3l~1946 No. 45 Now Vincc George, B.C., Thursday. November 8, 1945 {strict Now $30,000 Inder Pledged Quota ,r 9th Loan Drive [With the Ninth Victory Bond subscriptions total standing U.000 at noon today, A. M. Patterson, local campaign fjnan, issued a final appeal to McBride-Prince George-pinchi ,e and district to send this unit well over its minimum ob- $2.00 Year .ve of $530,000. Moffat. assistant chairman, \,i that any tendency to let up mid purchasers now would jeo- plans for making the objec- Patterson. who has led this fin all Victory Loan campaigns, onfident the people would come again with flying colors. certain we are going over as usual," he said today. ioan it is the same situation. somewhat slow to get star-|but once the bond sales start they are hard to stop and | ubscribe well over our quota," local campaign committee, last night, expressed high for Miss Georgina Patterson. nvasser, she hap written more 1200 applications with a valua- over $60,000. oughout the campaign the [lets have responded better than George, reports Thomas on. unit organizer. [though the C.N.R. employees fewer in number this loan, they set a higher goal for them-and there Is every indication cm reaching it. ile the amount subscribed dur-campaign has kept tip wei. the Eighth Loan drive, the er of subscriptions has been 50 per cent. lelcome Home ins for Vets rious suggestions for an official jicome Home" to veterans of pd War IT were considered Wed-¦ nteht ot a meeting convened yor Jack Nicholson and at-by members of the Women's iry to the Canadian Legion | Junior Chamber of Commerce. al decision as to the form the ; will take will be reached further meeting to be held iay, November 22. Nicholson for months past en considering plans for such air and has devoted much > personally being at the sta-welcome home larger groups Udiers. [was recognized that to stage an welcome until a representa-| number of repats had reached George would have nullified |tatentlon back of the planning, sure that in a small measure 1 returning are given a personal nttlon of the debt owed them citizens. Monday, Nov. 12 B.C. Holiday Because Remembrance Day falls on a Sunday this year, Monday lias been declared a provincial holiday, with Provincial Government offices, City Hall and stores closed. While the liquor vendor's store will be closed, beer parlors will be operating. The post office and banks will remain open. Servicemen arriving from out of town In time, are requested to fall in with local veterans and servicemen at 10:30 a.m. Sunday ffor the graveside Remembrance Day observance. |an Film Index »rary in City George Film Council met l:|y and will determine film with a view to supplying 5 to local organizations at no at any time required, provided donation is given volunteer and the projection equlp- p Ruth Aronson, secretary. Is •[% catalogues of films avail-w Canada. It was reported that r films is extremely moder- Wilson, assistant regional National Film Board, tne district last week, and are now%belng made toward '"shment of a film circuit out-city and taking in 22 com-1 east from Endako and "from Dragon Lake. °e communities proposed to be 1 by the circuit are, as follows. lc°. Fraser Lake, Port Fraser, J}oot> Prairiedale, Lakes Dls-,VP, rt st- Barnes, Mud River-(iferiey. Salmon River, Reid Lake, ^ke. Thompson, Tabor fcrndale, Shelley, Newlands, Lnke, Hansard, Sinclair Mills, rts uf*ck Ung fir. Quesnel, Boudrie Lake °n Lake. tentatively proposed to pro-for children during and for adults in thc hours "6s of specially chosen films, ^nce to both young and old. Bert Blackburn Passes Away At City Hospital Robert ¦•Bert" Blackburn, one of Central British Columbia's leading fanners, d.nti Saturday shortly before noon. Tie- had beer, in poor health for several years and took, a turn for the worse last week and entered the City Hospital Friday. Born at Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, 51 years ago. Mr. Blackburn" accompanied his parents and brothers to Prince George in 1919. returning in 1920 to Pilot Mountain to wed Srsan Stuart Bernie, before taking up a half-section at Pineview. Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn became I. fued for their hospitality and lor the excellence of their farm prunucc which annually ranked among the finest exhibits to be judged at fall fairs. Quiet, almost reticent, he had a quality ol mendship which enriched the lives ot tnose lie helped during me many year! ne was active on be-nalf yd iiirmtis. He was secretary of Prince George Fanners Institute for 12 years and was president lor several years and at tne nine oi his death. HELI> TRIFLE OFFICE He held the triple office of secretary-treasurer, advisory board member and field crop union director lor District "C" Farmers' Institute, representing 1(3 farmers' institutes, being a tireless worker. He was advisory board member for 15 years. Mr. Blackburn was rvom the start a trustee on Thompson School Board and In addition served all the years since coming here either as president or director of Prince George Fair Association. He was first secretary and served for two years on Central B. C. Livestock Association, being one of the organizers. He belonged to B.P.O.E. Lodge 122 and was an active member of the Pacific Coast Militia Rangers from inception of the rangers. He was able to attend the "stand-down" ceremony despite failing health. His capacity for friendship was further evidenced In work apart from that in the several associations and his deoth came as a shock id friends scattered throughout B.C. Mr Blackburn's farm adjoined the Prince George Farmers' Institute Hall at Pineview, a quarter section on which he lived, and another quarter section across the road. SURVIVORS He is survived mother. Mrs. Dr. Beach In Court On Friday by his widow, his B. Blackburn; three brothers, John and Hugh M. Blackburn fanning in Pineview district; of New Westminster; nnd four Mrs. Jessie Goodkey and Alex, sisters, M Mrs Ralph Moffat. Prince George; Mrs Eric Smith, of Trail, and Mrs. A Girard, Kelowna..Two sons predeceased him. His brother and sister. Alex and Smith. Joined the family for services held Wednesdav Mrs. funeral afternoon in Knox United CJiurch by Rev F. E. Runnalls. Interment was in Prince George Cemetery. Ass- Dr. Donald Watson Beach of Mc-Bride was summonsed Monday by B. C. Police Const. Thomas R. Maxwell to appear before Stipendiary Magistrate George Milburn In District Police Court here at 11 a.m. Friday on a charge that he: "On or about October 5, being a medical practitioner of B.C. having charge, as such medical practitioner, of Rose Irene Soucy, a person by reason of sickness unable to withdraw herself from such charge. and unable to provide herself with the necessaries of life. "And he, the said Donald Watson Beach, being then and there under a legal duty to supply the said Rose Irene Soucy with the necessaries of life. "He, the said Donald Watson Beach, omitted, without lawful excuse, to perform such duty to provide the said Rose Irene Soucy with the necessaries of life, which said omission endangered the life of the said Rose Irene Soucy." Information was sworn to Sunday before Magistrate Milburn by Sergt. George H. Clark, in charge of Fort George sub-division, B. C. Police, following consideration by the Attorney-General's Department of the transcript of testimony taken at the inquest. The coroner's jury invesigating the death of Mrs. Soucy in Prince George Hospital 31 hours after sustaining burns from flames which destroyed her home in McBride and inflicted fatal burns on her son, Richard, October 8, recorded their opinion that Dr. Beach committed an "inhuman act." Repercussions from the double tragedy at McBride resulted in indignation meetings there at which six organizations sent letters protesting the alleged actions of Dr. Beach to the Attorney-General's Deparrnent,-O.N.R. authorities and to the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons. $2000 Damage In House Blaze Damage approximating $2000 resulted about 7 a.m. Monday to the upper floor of the residence of James Bailey. Toronto Street, in the Millar Addition, when fire in the wall close to the stove pipe spread upstairs. Personal effects were saved .by prompt action of the family, one of whom had just returned to bed after having lit the fire in the stove. In response to queries as to whether the seven blasts on the fire alarm indicated to volunteer firemen the location of the alarm, Fire Chief D. G. Fraser explained that in early morning calls the alarm is left on until the first arrival turns it off, the person setting the alarm continuing on to the fire. man Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements. Despite sub-zero weather mourners filled the church and attended raveside rites, many coming from far outlying districts. Pallbearers were Alex Moffat, George B. Williams, Harry Bowman, Steve Zingle, Jack Paschal and Herman Schulte. Citizen Merited Special Award Prince George Citizen, in defending1 the Canadian Weekly Newspapers' Association Community Service trophy it won the previous year, merited a special award for "transmitting leadership in every phase of civic enterprise." Such was the opinion of judges in summing up after the Powell River Town Crier was judged the 1944-45 trophy winner in a competition open to all weeklies in Canada. The decision was reached after full allowances were made ¦ for varying- facilities possessed by the entrants in their efforts to serve their respective communities. DR. JOHN G. McKENZEE, elder son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. McKen-zie, who was recently graduated from the faculty of medicine at the University of Manitoba, and has received his commission in the Canadian army. Appeal Of Alex Prince Dismissed Alex Prince, Sikannee Indian, will be hanged at Oakalla Jail on the morning of Wednesday, November 28, for the murder of Eugene Mess-mer, 33. Finlay Forks trapper, about February 23, 1944. The bodies of Messmer and his partner, Hans Pfeuffer, 43, who had been shot through the thigh and had crawled 500 yards along the river ice until exhausted, were found March 11. They were last seen alive February 3. Charges of murder were laid against Prince and upon the charge involving the death of Messmer he was found guilty and sentenced by Chief Justice Wendell B. Farris of the Supreme Court on July 4 at Assize Court hearings here to be hanged September 18. The Native Brotherhood financed an appeal launched by Gordon S. Wismer, K.C., with the hanging being postponed by Mr. Justice A. M. Harper, until the appeal was argued October 1 in Victoria. The five judges of the B. C. Appeal Court unanimously dismissed the appeal Tuesday. Last July, Indian tribesmen in B.C. gathered together enough funds to finance an appeal for Prince. Cost was shared by tribes at Shelley, Stoney Creek, Fort St. James, Fort Fraser, Stellia, Pinchi Lake, Jachi Lake, Fort Babine, Fort McLeod, Fort Graham and Whitewater. Indians protested the death penalty on the ground that Prince, who is 22, has the mentality of a nine-year-old. Roy L. Stibbs New Inspector Leroy "Roy" L. Stibbs, principal of Kelowna Junior High School the past nine years and on the teaching staff for 16 years, arrived Friday in Prince George with his family to take over the school inspectorate west of here to Pacific, embracing 30 schools. A history-breaking precedent was set when Mr. Stibbs was elected president of the B.C. Teachers' Federation, being the only president outside the Lower Mainland to be elected to the post. He taught in Prince George previously, six months from Christmas. 1928, then a full term, before going to Kelowna, and is fairly familiar with the area he is to serve, having taught one term In Fort Fraser North and another year in Fort Fraser. before going to McBride where he taught the first term of 1928. Mrs. Stibbs, who resided in Fort Fraser prior to her marriage, and their three sons, George, Ian and Jay, have taken the residence formerly occupied by Mr. Stibbs' predecessor. Plan Cold Storage Plant Here Plans for a modern cold storage locker system in Prince George were announced today by two army of- ! fleers just returned from overseas, Douglas and John Thomas, who expect actual construction will not be started, until early next spring. They anticipate the plant should be in operation in time for the fruit and vegetable season next summer and plan various additional services. There will be lockers which individuals may rent and store a year's supply of fruits, vegetables, fish, game and meat. Latest methods will be utilized to ensure that residents enjoy the benefits of having fresh fruit and vegetables any time of the year by processes designed to retain the same flavor and texture as when picked from the garden. BOON TO FARMERS The two brothers intend to assist farmers in disposing of surplus eggs and meat by including accommodation for an egg pool which, they point out, should assist citizens ot Prince George during lean periods of egg supply. It is further pointed out that lumber camps should benefit by being able to buy and store meats available at any time desired, particularly during warm weather. It is also planned that this plant shall have a milk bar in front to help supply the need for milk shakes and sundaes. The site selected is the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue at Brunswick Street. L.C MELVEN WALLS, who had been on the Continent since two days after D-Day on maintenance and fighter wing advance landing strips, arrived home Friday morning, and will take up where he left off four years ago, going Into business with his father, In the Rush Transfer. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred M. Walls. The public speaking class conducted by Rev. F. K Runnalls will meet in the Junior-Senior High School as usual next Monday nt 8 p.m. Washouts Block C.N.R. West Of Pacific Station Prince Rupert, hit by a gale Friday night, is likely to remain isolated until Monday by road and rail while C.N.R. crews repair damage caused by 12 major washouts anc! rock slides in an 80-mile stretch west of Pacific. Regular passenger schedules are being maintained through Prince George, now as far as Pacific, after being extended west from Smithers. Communication services were disrupted until Tuesday. While Smithers division has it;s troubles in the west, the mainline experienced a disruption of service Saturday when a light engine and a C.NJR.. passenger train collided In a tunnel six miles west of Jasper. W. H. Louth of Jasper, engineer, Ls in Jasper Hospital suffering from injuries to head, arms and body; and his fireman on the passengti p.nd fireman on light engine were shaken up, and 21, passengers aboard the passenger train are reported to have sustained minor injuries or were shaken by the Impact. An investigation is under way. Planning Ambitious Festival Plans for an even more ambitious drama-music festival here next spring than that held this year were discussed at a meeting of Prince George and District Drama and Music Association Monday night, when chairmen of committees were named. Decision was reached to hold th« festival on May 4, 5 and 6 in tne Junior-Senior High School. Miss K. Collins advocated that the program be extended to include Instrumental classes, adult choirs, udult soloists, school, town bands. Representatives ef a number of local organizations present were asked to convey back to their associations a call for members to round out committees and to provide ideas for improving the festival. The association president, Sergt. George Clark, explained that while the organization was not asking for financial support such contribution* would not be refused. The executive fell, lie said, that donations toward a central bursary fund for a scholarship would be preferable to cups, trophies and prizes. The following were named chairmen of committees with power to add to their numbers: Miss Kay Collins, music, with Mrs. Lorna Yardley. T. S. Carmichael, drama. Fred Sharpe, stage,- with Gordon Stock and William Webster. Ray WUllston, house. Miss Mildred Crawshaw, programs with Miss E. P. Noel. John Cooke, advertising, with NeD A. McKelvie. The Parent-Teachers' Association again will be asked to take over the billeting of children attending the festival, from outside points. Vince Giles Seeking Hockey Stalwarts A hockey revival will be undertaken in Prince George by a revamped executive of Prince George Hockey Club elected Friday at an enthusiastic turnout of both juniors and seniors who are now seeking sponsors and—hockey players. It is hoped that four teams may take the ice in the senior league. With $288 ready cash and some $800 in Victory Bonds, finances of the Hockey Club are in sound shape, as reported on by Dr. John G. Mac-Arthur, secretary-treasurer. The club lost money last season, financing of a trip to Smithers accounting for much of the $300, and games were very poorly supported, with a gate average of 55 to 60 rents a gnme but from a competitive standpoint youngsters particularly benefited a lot. it was stated. W. L. Forrester was adamant that added business duties made it impossible for him to consider re-election. Insp. T. VanDyk and Charlie Gow, recognized as two most reliable supporters of hockey, were nominated for president, the latter de- clining and, as the former wa6 not present, his name was withdrawn. Vince Giles was unanimously elected president, and Bob Anderson elected vice-president. Two vico presidencies were dispensed with, and Hilliard Clare was elected secretary-treasurer. Streamlining was continued with the executive, reducing the number from iline. as compared with an earlier 14. to Lyle F. Knight, Bill Checkley, Joe Strobicki, Dr. Mac-Arthur, William Rces, Charlie Gow and Dr. Cnrl Ewert. "Give the young fellows a chance," protested thc latter. Last year's high school grads are prepared to form a team as soon as Harry Thacker, who will operate skating at the rink under supervision of the Community Youth Council, can lay a sheet of ice. The Youth Council will look after the juveniles and the Hockey Club, thc juniors. The Pro-Rec instruetca scheduled for Prince George Is awaiting discharge from the R.C.A.F. and Ls due here soon.