DEPEND ON. fiiii"* * I ,(nlT. I0" f^et1«r-«l«P ''""[1..'..! * Mt *"J DODDS KIDNEY lpius _i THERE IS o Gifted Reader jn Pnnce George. For an interesting experience ivijh "TIA" come to the COFFEE HOUSE, 316 George St., 2 to 5 p.m. Cups or cards. PRIVATE READINGS ALSO ARRANGED. Bevedey Hotel Accommodation in tfee heart of Victoria in o good class hotel at moderate rotes. We tak« care of transient and penmorr ent guesf j. Housekeeping rooms ovaiioblc. Television Jn our comfortable loung*. PHONE G0611 724 Vote* Si. Victor!* NEW HEARING for the NEW YEAR and many years to come A tiny, light, full-powered hearing aid-*50 complete) Hard of hearing? Start the new year right... with the priceless bfiicflts of better hearing! Begin to live again . .. with new 2cst, poise, and confidence! Enjoy a life of fewer doubts and suspicions .., of broader friendships and opportunities! Zenith hi .w brings all this -within easy ' reach, with the Zenith "50-X" Hearing Aidat only $50! Four Transistors! Not two, or tl?ree, but jour! Zenith's finest quality, yet sells for less than, oi < fourth the price of many other makes! SO SMAU it can bidt under a «xcktie. • Operates for about 10* a week on a single miniature battery. • 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee !U you are not completely satisfied ... if you do not find the "50-X" equals or excels the performance of conpvtt> tivc makes selling for $200 or more, return for full refund} • Complete for ISO with air-conduction earphone, cord, stock earmold, One-Year 'Warranty and Five-Ycar Service Plan. •"The complete Zenith line-h> eluding the "50-X" and focur other great new air-conduction models—offers a total of SH4 separate power-tone response modification*. Get the one best suited to your needs! • • • • See your Zenith Hearing Aid 'dealer today.His name is lifted »" yo-ur classified telephone di Tretary. Chr write to Zenith R» d'o Corporation of Canada, Ltd^ Dept, 83^5 JJ65 Teeumseh , ftf»t,t/ind»or, OnUrio, for details, local dealer list. Temst- HIAllNtt AID! Royal Bank Has Prosperous Year The Royal Bank of Canada closed its fiscal year on November 30, 1955 with a profit, after taxes and other charo.es, of $10,858,480, a 13.6% increase over the figure for the previous year. This represents earnings per share of $2.58, as compared with 32.28 in 1954. The bank's profit ond loss statement this year is being presented in slightly different form in that profits are shown after provision for depreciation and income taxes, which formerly were shown separately. It is also noted that the bonk has set aside this year $1 1,215,000 for income toxes. Oui of net profit regular dividends of $6,604,422 were paid to shareholders plus an extra distribution at the rate o\ 20 cents per share omount-ing to $840,000. The residual amount, together with the balance of undivided profits resulted in the sum of $4,918,133 from which the bonk transferred $4,000,000 to the Rest Fund, leaving a balance of $918,133. This is the 6th year in a row that the Royal Bank has transferred to the Rest Fund a. portion of the current year's earnings. Capital ond Rest Fund now stand at $42,000,000 and $ 108.000,000 respectively which, with undivided profits, bring the capital funds of the-bank up to $150,918,-133. ASSETS UP The bank's annual balance sheet just issued shows total assets for the year ot $3,284,143,865, o figure which exceeds the record total of o year ago by well over $250,000,000. The first Canadian bonk to show deposits in excess of $3 billion, the Royal attained under this heading o total of $3,062,220,349 In 1955, on increase for the year of $264,672,-200, Loans, exclusive of mortgage loans under NHA totol $1,243,629,362, exceeding the 1954 figure by more than $55,000,000. Call loons are down by some $81,000,000, reflecting reduced activity in the securities market. Other loans, including commercial loons in Canoda, increased by $137,214,338 to $1,168,841,182, indicative of the degree to which the Royal Bonk hos participated in the marked industrial and commercial development throughout Canada during 1955. HOUSING LOANS A striking indication of the extent of this bank's participation in providing loons for new housing is the figure for "Wortgoges ond Hypothecs insured under NHA (1954)", which now stands ct $100,865,965. This is well over four times the figure of a year ago and represents 38% of mort-goge loans on the books of oil Canadian chartered banks. Total quick assets of $1,918,749,-579 indicate the bank's strong liquid position. These quick assets, which include Dominion and Provincial Government securities totalling $994,-686,948, represent 61.23% of the bank's liabilities to the public. SECOND SECTION (Page 9) Thursday, December 29, 1955 •¦ ¦ :-," < HP i f I / •j -;^ - m%it« ft 1 ¦¦¦». * % ^lle ¦"* V ¦ $ if §f«|§ ¦A ~> Eft;, ¦ ^^ ^^ If t: ' | w " • ¦& '-hi r "AT x'^ mm . nith TV ond Radio S»t» Changes Driftwood To Fine Ornaments EDMONTON (CP) — Francisca Zischka, an immigrant from Czechoslovakia, Is flndinp beauty in gnarled pieces of driftwood. She turns them into lamps, wall brackets and fireplace ornaments. "In Europe nobody caros for driftwood," she said. But while she was working at Banff she picked up her first-piece of driftwood. "It 'was all crooked but there was so much beauty I kept it." : When she, left, Banff for Edmonton, she had 300 pounds of driftwood. OWN METHOD ? , It took hor three yedrs of experimenting to find a process for preserving the wood so it would not disintegrate when exposed to changing temperatures, light.and air. She then learned to polish her specimens. One of the first roots she picked up reminded her of a cave. She set a white china figure Into the cavity to represent a shrine, and Into another contour placed a Chinese figurine holding a fishing rod. Lake driftwood is best because it is washed out and hardened by. minerals after years in the water, according to the collector] She says her hobby has one occupational hazard. 1 always catch cold . . . because when I see the right bit of wood, I just pa'ddle -in after it, and I always know exactly what 1 am going to do with a piece the minute I get it out of the water." The hobby has Its surprises. She once pulled out a petrified buffalo head while she was looking for wood. National Hotel May Get Lounge, More Rooms The'National Hotel opposite the CNR station on First Avenue may soon be renovated and enlarged, a move which will eliminate the existing cafe. Tentative plans include addition of roojiis and a modern cocktail lounge. -. Partners in the property, Hor-ance Shallard of Prince George and Donald Brown of Vancouver have engaged the Vancouver architectural firm of S. A. Kayll & Associates to prepare preliminary sketches for the work. New Year's Day Was Not Always On January 1 New Year's was not always celebrated on January 1. In fact, even today New Years comes on different dates for some peoples. Prior to September 14, 1752, England and her colonies regarded January 1 with indifference because New Year's day was observed on March 25. Today, many people who continue to use the Gregorian calendar still solemnize traditional feasts, including New Year, on different days. The Gregorian calendar was not presented to the world until 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. The Jews observe a 10-day New Year season at the time of the autumn equinox, beginning on Rosh. Hashana and ending on Yom Kippur. The Moslem calendar (dating from 62G, A.D.) has 12 months of the year that begin with the approximate new moon without any j intercalation to keep them geared to the seasonal equinoxes. As a result New Years and months retrograde through the entire year in about 33Vi years. your vision of the New Year be bright and full of happiness. . DOS., F A A O Optomelrist PHONE 681 The Cariboo Health Unit Office will be closed December 24 to 27 inclusive and January 2. 1031 Jerry Leiske, 12, from Beiseker, Alta., won this year's wheat king title in the North. American wheat championships at the International Exposition in Chicago. He is youngest to ever hold the title. Winning sheaf came from three-acre plot, on father's farm. It was Terry's first crop. Francois Lake Ferry Tied Up For Winter FRANCOIS LAKE — The Government passenger and automobile ferry operating between the north and south shores made its last trip of the winter on Christmas Eve. The lake is now frozen over and a light scum of ice covers the ferry channel. With sub-zero temperatures prevailing the channel will soon become Icebound and travel by foot and car across the lake will be comparatively safe. It. is on* of the earliest freeze-ups ever recorded here. Over 50 year* ogo a manufacturer complained about the first lead produced at Trail, B.C. It was too pure! Todoy, the 99.997% purity of Cominco's Tadanac Brand lead ie of greatest importance . . . ond a point of pride to THE CONSOLIDATED MINING & SMELTING COMPANY OF CANAOA LIMITEO We know, of course, that this is no longer 1955. But we really don't feel we should rush headlong into the New Year without any thought at all for the old. Because, after all, 1955 was rather goodoto us and that, we feel, merits some word of appreciation. And so, to all of you—old customers and new—our most sincere thanks for shopping with us through 1955 andrnaking the year such a pleasant one. In return, we hope 1955 was rewarding for you too tod that 19S6 win be no less than what you it to be. A Happy New Year, everyone! IMCOftPOMATID Iff