Freedomite Children Back With Parents THE CITIZEN Monday, August 3, 1959 By STEPHEN SCOTT Canadian Press Staff Writer KRESTOVA, B.C. (CP) — Amid tears, laughter, dust heat, prayers, nudity and confusion, 74 children lef the care of the British Columbia government Sunday and became the responsibility of their parents. It was a case of orderly con fusion from the minute the children left the governmeri dormitory at New Denver, B.C. 05 miles ,west of Nelson, unti most of them arrived at this ca pital of the 3,000-merriber radi cal Sons of Freedom Doukhoboi sects on a hot, barren plateai in the mountains 50 miles away There were prayers and welcoming speeches here ami at nearby Crescent Valley; where the children got <>ff bust's. It was difficult for an outsider to tell where one stopped and the other began. AT KEGUIjAH SCHOOLS The children had been taken away because their parents had refused to send them to school. They had attended regulai schools in New Denver and lived under government supervision. The government had spent $100 a month each to feed and clothe them. About years ago. "He did not even have clothes ily THE CANADIAN I'KNKS Fifty-two people lost their Jives accidentally during the week-end in Canada, a Canadian Press survey between (i p.m. local lime Friday to midnight Sunday shows. The toll includes deaths in traffic, boat ing, swimming and other accidents connected with week-end activities. Ontario, in the midst of a long Civic Holiday week-end which ends tonight, accounted for 1!) of the deaths — 10 of them highway mishaps. There were ;>.lst> six drown-ings, one fii'c fatality, one plane crash anil one youth was struck by a train. Quebec with six traffic fnUiH-lies and five drpwhirigs was second highest. British Columbia was third with four traffic, three fire and one other fatality. Alberta had four traffic deaths, Manitobn three, Saskatchewan two. New Brunswick had two accidental deaths, and Nova Scotia had two tirbwnirigs. 1'i'ince Edward Island had one traffic death. to come home in," she said. "H had to borrow some from ar other boy." But Tim Jmaeff, a Fredomit choir leader who acted a spokesman, said: "It is not ; matter of what happened In New Denver. It is a matter o. freedom. Children were take: away from their parents." Three of his children were in the dormitory. "I am happy to get them back, oh yes," he said. The p a r e n t s we r e amonf, about 100 Freed'omitcs who gathered in front of a gas sla tion at Crescent Valley. When the buses arrived the children filed out, mostly shyly and stood in a group. Some looked at the ground, some at the crowd. There were few smiles. Only one girl waved. A IRtle boy broke from the rank* of the parents and rushed to hh sister. The sister looked straight ahead. KELTGIOUS KYMKOI.S An adult stood in front of the crowd carrying a tray contain ing a slice of bread, a shaker of salt and a glass of water, sym- Assumes Command Group Captain John H. Roberts, AFC, CD, 43, of Prince George has assumed the post of Deputy Commander Maritime Pacific. He left his posting as senior air staff officer at. Maritime Ait Command KQ, Halifax, to take aver his new duties at Esqul-nalt. Currently serving as senior ill' staff officer at Maritime Air Command HQ, Halifax, he will issume his new duties at Es-[tiimalt, B.C. next month. Horn in Australia, G/C Roberts later moved to Prince Seorge, where he received his iducatlon, and In 1930 joined he RCAF as a pilot. After serving w i t h various oastal command squadrons operating from eastern Canada be-ween 1010 and 1913, G/C Roberts attended the RCAF Staff College at, Toronto and then re-lU'hed to the east coast as oper-itions controller at Eastern now Maritime) Air Command luadquarters, Halifax. In 1944 ie was named commanding of-'iber of No. 1 Wireless School, itielph, (jut., and the same year vent overseas to No. 15 (RAF) jroup Headquarters. Following the war, G/C Roberts served as commanding of-icer at. Fort St. Johns, and Fort Nelson, B.C., and later as officer commanding the instrument lying school at Centralia, Ont. n 11)10 he was transferred to he United States on exchange luties with the United States \ir Force, and returned to air orco headquarters, Ottawa, in 050, to assume a position in the lirectorate of organization and stablishment. In 1954, he was selected to erve the Canadian Joint. Staff n London, England, a post he •c tained until August, 195G, vhen appointed senior air staff officer at Maritime Air Com- ! inand HQ, Halifax. Fire Claims Three While Father Dozes NANAIMO (CP) — The father of three ehiklren who perished when live destroyed their home early Saturday morning dozed off while watching a late television program. Halt' an hour later he was awakened by crackling flames. Killed were three of bis four children) whom he was caring for while his wife w: brook, B.C., attending Two other homes strayed. s in Cran-a funeral were de- The bodies of Lance, 5, Clayton, .1, and Karine, 20 months, children of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wardrobe, were re- covered from the ruins of their Iiomo, at (Vdar, 10 miles southeast of here. Firemen found evidence thai two of the children attempted si ">o. Lance, left deaf after suffering polio as an infant, was found near the outside kitchen door i f the small frame home. Clayton's body was found between two beds. Karine's body was in her crib. bols of the Doukhobor religion. After the prayers, weeping children and parents flocked together. The reunion was shortlived Families moved off in cars foi Krestova, home for most of the children. A few rushed off for an im promptu look, at their homes vastly different from the mod ern dormitory by a cool lake that tiiey left. Some of the homes are cluttered and dirty The nearest water, a mile away Is brought to the houses by truck. There Is no electricity. In the square the children's relatives, some kneeling, were in a semi-circle before a barn-like structure that is the era-in unity hall. Four elderly women had disrobed. They were joined by two others. BOYS ALMOST CKV After more prayers the nude women came and stod before the children. Then, one by one, they moved among them, kiss Ing some. Several boys were al most crying. One never took his eyes off the ground. "You must not misunderstand the disrobing," said Mjaeff. "Disrobing Is a sign of emotion. Some of our people in times of happiness or distress take off their clothes." In the en fusion of the first meeting, few paid attentin to John Clarkson, principal of the dormitory. He had been friend and counsellor to the children and their loss was like the loss of a family. Clarkson and many of his staff said at least some of the children did not want to leave the dormitory and many were afraid they would not be allowed to keep up with the education they had grown to like. HALIFAX CPI — in a kaleidoscope of nautical splendor, the Royal Tour drew to a colorful close Saturday. The Queen, a pretty picture in blue, her brown eyes glisten-ng with tears of nostalgia, ooarded a jet comet at nearby hearwater Airport for the fast flight to England. She and Prince Philip left just 15 minutes before midnight. Less than six hours later they landed in London for a.gay reunion with, their excited children and other members of the.HdS'al-'l'ainily.-The'final formal 'event of the1 45-day tour was a state dinner iven by the governments of ,'anada and Nova Scotia at which Elizabeth said the ''warm-learted welcome and friendliness" of the millions of Canadians who saw her was her nost vivid recollection. MARGARET LA POINTE of 407 Gillette St. proudly displays a giant "puff ball" she found recently in the bush just west of Prince George. When she first found the overgrown fungus, it weighed over three pounds and was eleven inches in diameter. Vandervoort photo Even Puff Balls Grow Bigger Here An eleven-inch "puff ball," better known to the biologists'as a "Lycoperdon- Covista," was found in the oush just west of Prince George recently. The giant growth, weighing giant ibout three pounds, was found >y Margaret LaPointe of 407 Gillette St. Puff balls are usually approximately the size of a fifty cent liece. « Art Donald of the department of agriculture, expressed considerable interest in the size of he fungus and explained that this year, weather conditions have been ideal for1 the freak jrdwth. Mr. Donald also mentioned hat the growth is quite edible ind is much sought after as a lelieacy in Northern Ontario. When young, they resemble white balls, sometimes with a ihort stalk and are fleshy in exturc. FLIGHT-LIEUTENANT Bruce Jack of Prince George is shown receiving a diploma from Wing Commander A. L. Ashtpn, CD, Officer Commanding No. 1 Officers School, RCAF Station, Centralia. F/L Jack recently completed a special* six weeks indoctrination course for RCAF Air Cadet officers from across Canada. F/L Jack has been associated with 396 Prince George Air Cadet Squadron since 1052 as an Air Cadet and then as civilian instructor. Me is now Chief Instructor of the Squadron. F L Jack resides at 1677 Larch St.. Pr. George. —RCAF Photo How would you like $5OO right nowr See HFC for the fastest loan.service in Canada Whether you would like 550, $500 or as much as S2500, you're wise to get your loan at HFC. Why? Because you'll receive prompt service. HFC prides itself on giving the fastest service available in Canada. With bigger loans (up to S2500) now available for today's greater needs, why not phone or visit HFC today? You need no bankable security and you get life insurance at low group rate with no age limit or medical examination. J. A. Farwell, Manager 1368 Third Avenue Telephone LO 4-7207 PRINCE GEORGE It is only when they are in this state that they are tasty to eat. When the plant matures, a hard brown cover forms over the plant and the inside turns into a brown powder which is emitted when the mature plant bursts. The fibrous mass which remains after the powder, has escaped, is often used for tinder or as a styptic for wounds. October Predicted For British Election LONDON (Reuters) — Britain's gentfral election now is widely expected in October. The most frequently, suggested dates are Oct. 15 or Oct. 22 but a summit conference in the fall or preliminary Western contacts preceding such a meeting mlghj cause Prime Minister Macmillan to postpone the vote. The government's five-year term of office does not expire until -next June. Sinclair Charges Commies Blocking Strike Settlement VANCOUVER (CP) James Sinclair, president of the Fisheries Association of British Columbia, has called for a "summit meeting" of striking fisheries leaders to bypass two union officials who he said are Communists.. Mr. Sinclair, formerly Liberal fisheries minister, said Friday night in a taped news interview over radio station CKNW that the present strike of 9,000 fishermen and shoreworkers is needless and senseless. He said it was "impossible to nepotiate with' a pair of such dedicated Communists as Homer Stevens and Alex Gordon." Mr. Stevens, an announced Labor-Progressive Communist TERRACE, B.C. — A large sawmill was burned to the ground Saturday in a wind-whipped, six-hour fire. Company officials estimated the loss at §500,000. Almost 150 persons, including firemen from surrounding districts, battled the blaze until it burned itself out by nightfall. Destroyed was the Puhle Lumber Company sawmill, planer, several railway box-cars and large piles of finished lumber. Fire department officials said they had extinguished a small fire in a sawdust pile near the building earlier in the clay. It is believed this fire crept underneath the Puhle sawmill — the second largest in Terrace — and caught onto the main building. Firemen and volunteers, including the mill's GO employees, battled the flames with the aid of big tank trucks but could not control them. . At one point the department of transport advised its fire fighters at the airport, 10 miles away, to be prepared to go to the mill. Terrace fire department officials said it was later decided not t6 bring the airport equipment. 'Direct Debt' Up in Flames KELOWNA, B.C. CPI — An oil-soaked pyre of cancelled bonds has signalled the end in British Columbia of a column of figures called the direct public debt, i It meant for Premier Bennett and his Social Credit government an opportunity for some big-city showmanship on quiet Lake Okanagan, and for promises of abundance from a $25,000,-000 pot. The brassy Saturday night show here was termed the 'greatest event in the history of the province" by Mr. Bennett. He launched a flaming arrow into a $70,000,000 pile of bonds floating on a raft. He then declared the province free of some $191,000,000 of public debt which was on the books when his government took over seven years ago. With the .$25,000,000 a year which the premier said will be saved on interest, payments on .lie debt, he promised n wide 'singe of benefits for British Co-umbians. ALBERNI (CP)—Alberni city council has asked the Union of British Columbia Municipalities to establish a committee to investigate the paying of city taxes iby the month instead of annually. The council said monthly payment would case the burden on the taxpayer and provide a more regular income for cities. party candidate in the next provincial election, is secretary-treasurer of the United Fishermen, and Allied Workers Union Ind. Mr. Gordon is business agent. The union was expelled sev-' eral years .ago from the old Canadian Congress of Labor, on charges it was Conununist-led. Mr. Sinclair proposed, instead, meetings with Steve Stavenes, president of the Fishermen's Union, and Bob Clifton, president of the Native Brotherhood of B.C. which bargains jointly with the union for Indian fishermen. 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