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PAGE FOUR

run aunnnmn, cariglorrnro

THE GUARDIAN

laratug Dill] (Itlllllid ll llll) Antonina an second cu» sun. Pell- 0"!“ Department, Ottawa.

Tho lolancl Guardian rllblllllllll Co. litter ausl llauuglug Director. J B- Bflflllll-

y Loom-Into Editor, Frank Walker.

f‘Tho Strongest Memory is Weaker Thar; the Weakest ink.“

CHABLOTTETOWN. WEDNESDAY, FLB. ti, 19-19

Tho tllvlc Reports

Mayor MacDonald and members of the City Council are to be commended upon the detail- ed information contained in the committee and other reports submitted at the Council's annual meeting last night. The taxpayers have _a right to be kept fully informed on civic affairs, and alertness to this phase of the duties of any elective body is an essential part of our demo- cratic tradition.

The auditor's report shows the net debt of the city at Dec. 31 last to be $1,929,942, an in- crease of $124,251 over the preceding year. The debt is computed on debentures outstanding, bank overdrafts, accounts payable, etc., less sinking fund investments, cash in hand and at tho banks. The greater part of the increase in 1948 was due to a bond issue of $l00,000 made by the Commissioners of Water and Sewers, the balance being due to increase capital expendi- ture on the city streets. "Housing accounts are not included in the above," the auditor states, "as they are supposed to be self liquidating". The net debt reduction in 1947 was $61,486.

The revenue and expenditure account shows a deficit of $6,761, which, after being deduct- ed from the previous year's surplus ($9,178) and bringing into account adjustments of previous years’ taxes and cancellation of an old _cheque, leave a surplus at Dec. 31, 1948 of $10,502.

Two important capital assets were acquired by the City during the year, in the new asphalt plant and new water supply at Union. The latter involved the erection of a pumping station to tie up with the Brackley line, thence to the reservoir on Mt. Edward Road, and which will provide an additional 1,000,000 gallons of water daily.

It is encouraging to note that during the year seventy-one building permits were issued, representing a total construction value of $845,- 600. Forty-five of the permits were for resi- dences, and five for construction of, or exten- sive alterations to, business premises in the fire zone. ,

The present Council comprises a good cross- section of our business and professional men, with well-informed opinions and ability to ex- press themselves ably on all occasions. lt is to be hoped that they will follow the good example set in their annual reports, by getting back to the old system of full and frank discussion of civic affairs at their open Council meetings. When this system was followed in the past, there was no need to complain of the lack of interest shown by non-attendance of the pub- lic at these meetings. The present Council is not responsible for the precedent set in de- parting from this time-honoured procedure, but it could set on admirable example by restoring the open meetings as a forum of popular de- bate. This is the only way of dealing satisfactor- ily with controversial issues, especially where the safeguard of an official opposition is lack- ing, where no party lines are drawn, and where it is incumbent upon each and every member to make his stand clear to his constituents.

llew Industries

lt is the big industrial Provinces, of course, which will chiefly benefit by the fact that be- tween l00 and 150 new industries from abroad will locate in Canada in 1949. They will have a capital investment of between $100,000,000 and $150,000,000 and will employ from 10,000 to 20,000 persons. This cstimatc'by Mr. G. Doug- las Mallory, director of the Industrial Develop- ment Branch of the Department of Trade and Commerce, is quite apart from new industries commenced by Canadian capital.

Of the total from abroad, 60 pcrccnt will be from Britain, 30 percent from the United States, and the other ten percent from Western ‘Europe and Scandinavia. This is a reversal of the prewar trend when the majority of firms from outside our borders came fom the United States. At present, for instance, there arc 2,000 United States branch plants in Canada, with a capitali- zation of $2,000,000,000, as compared to 4S0 British subsidiaries with a capitalization of $600,- 000,000.

The trend already is evident. Some 35 lrlt- loh firms have come to Canada since the end of the war, and 75 "refugee” industries from continental Europe also are located in Canada. The exodus of British industries to Canada is ‘limited only by the difficulty in getting dollars “to establish here. Arrangements are being made, llrowever, to finance some transfers.

For Gleaner Elections

Commenting on Hon. C. G. Power's proposal to introduce a bill to limit the sum of money a candidate for Parliament may spend in a con- stituency, the Ottawa Iournal remarks that not infrequently a government, or a party, will pour out a great sum of money in attempt to carry a riding regarded as strategically important, or that a wealthy candidate will do it; with the consequence that the riding is demora-lized, and the further consequence that the election chisel- ler, a type found everywhere in all elections, makes increasingly heavy demands on all condi- dotoo.

"Much money spent on elections," the Jour- nal adds, "notoriously is wasted; handed over to election leeches who practically blackmail can- didates into yielding it to them for this alleged purpose or that, or given to "workers” who pro- fess ability to hand over this ward or that, or

date of union.

think rightly, that if such people wore mado to know that the candidate had only so much

know that expenditure beyond a certain statu- tory limit would land them in grave difficulty —forfeit of their seats for instance -- such

cleaner, more decent.

"More people then might be willing to con- tribute money to parties. Under our parliamentary system, with parties a basic function of our de- mocratic processes, contributions to party funds ‘should be regarded as an act of good citizenship. Unfortunately, and largely because of widespread belief that elections are corrupt, there is stigma attached to party contributions, with the conse- quence that the average citizen will have no part in them. This despite the fact of common un- derstanding that elections cost money, that their legitimate outlays run into millions of dollars."

IEDITURIAL NOlES/

The Junior Chamber of Commerce is off to another good start, and should be kept active. it i‘ i

Canada's record exports of registered dairy cattle last year certainly helped the immediate dollar situation. The long term results to our own dairy production is quite another matter.

Q I I

land's decision to enter confederation with Can- ada is that it was the friendly relations establish- ed by Canadian soldiers stationed there that largely influenced the popular vote.

The limitations inherent in machines is well illustrated by a recent report of a New York seismograph which reacted vigorously, not to a violent earthquake, but to the activity of a spider on the instrument itself.

i‘ I i

Government and party propaganda machines are alike the world over. The idea they are sell- ing takes precedence over mere truth. A British Labour picture of a well-fed "post war baby" turned out to be that of the young Duke of Kent, taken in 1935.

Q fi Q The concern expressed over drought con- ditions in Europe, particularly in Spain, ltaly, Switzerland, Germany, France and Czechoslova- kia, is an indication of how close the world al- ways is to starvation. The time has come for a system of food reserves to be set up, so controll- ed that they will not have a depressing effect on markets in normal crop years. I i I

Lord Carson, lrish unionist politician, born this date 1854. Was leader and inspirer of the Ulster Anti-Home Rule campaign of 1912-13, which resulted in the exemption of the northern provinces from the lrish Home Rule Act of 1920. Was a great lawyer playing an important part in many leading cases, including the Piggot- Times Parnell forgery charges.

new

lt should not be forgotten that Dirplessis" anti-Government attitude did much towards the defeat of the Liberal nominee in that erstwhile strong Liberal constituency, Nicolet-Yamaska, Should the Conservatives win the forthcoming general election, Federal patronage in that province will go to the UnionJNotionaIe party. I’ I‘ I

Republican Senator Wiley of Wisconsin, who calls Washington a potential "death trap" in an atomic war, soon will ask Congress to set up a joint commission of Federal officials, gov- ernors, and mayors to study possible decentrali- zation of Federal agencies. Wiley thinks at least a third of the government employees in Wash- ington should be transferred to other cities. Shouldn't the some apply to Canada? Scatter Federal employees throughout the provinces, leaving top ranking officials only at Ottawa. It would at least be the salvation of officialdom in the event of an atomic raid. I I i

While Parliament is discussing the merger of Newfoundland and Canada, officialdom 'is setting its house in order. The Revenue Depart- ment, in one of the first moves toward applying Canadian taxes in Newfoundland, announces changes in excise and soles tax regulations. Ca- nadian manufacturers, producers and wholesal- ers will pay Canadian excise and sales taxes on goods shipped to Newfoundland after March 1 unless they can show that the goods are being sent for consumption prior to April 1. The tar-

get_ date for union of Newfoundland has been

fixed for March 31 and Canadian taxes will ap- ply on that Island after that date. Goods can bo

shipped from Canada and placed in bonded

warehouses in Newfoundland until after the The Canadian taxes on such goods will be paid when they are released from the wareh for consumption. But, with re- leases coming from the date of union, Newfound- land import taxes on the bonded goods will not be paid.

lt is good to be a lawyer on the Govern-

ment side. Montreal and Toronto lawyers have

been paid almost $600,000 by government de-

partments for legal services since Jan. l, 1947,

it was shown in a return tabled in Commons by the Government. Loading tho list was

W. C. Thomson of Toronto with $172,000 from

the Veterans Affairs Department. Next were F. Philippe Brois of Montreal, one of the prosecu- tors in the Russian spy cases, with $52,358 from the Justice Department. Paul F. Renault, also

of Montreal, received $33,000 from Veterans Af- fairs. Despite heavy cost of the spy probe, its disbursements for legal services woro topped by Veterans Affairs which paid out more $200,000. Justice Department spent a littlo more than $190,000. Other hoavy spending deport- ments wore Rovonuo, which paid Toronto and Montreal lawyers $67,000; Dofonco, $21,000; Health, $18,000 and tho Unemployment Insur- ance Commission, $11,010. Toronto lawyers ro-

than

lhis poll 0r that. or perhgps some group or class ir. l4 c.............,. Mr, Powor believes, and wo

money to spend, and candidates wero made to

frauds would be eliminated; our elections made

They'll. Puuos ream now

l‘ i BEAUT i l/ nlmfizlzlttr

y‘

FE§F—-— __\ now. DEAR, REMEMBER-

' wiiAT YOUR MOMMA 0on2 TOLE voc/

i An interesting comment heard on Newfound

UNT¢°lK$ TIME @fi YOU I \ ' m: YOUI. n‘ ~ ' . oecislou/ e‘ ’ . 4 r. - FA , 5 g 7 \ ‘ 5 ,' ' ,_ F‘ l _. i. " t‘, h "4 \. '7, ' ‘ A; r f T . r 1*» ls "s ‘x - j" r fi f 1,: / , i 6 ) ¢—/ . f I ,/ I‘ 2/ > r // . 95' Q h’ i a-‘IWL , , 7 --$»oe<@-ee-¢-eo-¢-oo<cn_-" .¢,¢,_@., 7' i‘

THE OLD EAGLE

So evening found hlm on the crags again.

This time with siattern shoulders

And nerveless claws,

Dusk had outrldden the sunset by an hour

To haunt his unhnrlzoned eyes-

And soon his flock flushed with the chase

would be returning. threading their glorious curves

Up through the cri-mson archipel- agoes

cmly to find him there--

Deaf to the mighty symphony o! winils.

And broodlhg

Over the lest. empire of the peeks.

—E. .1. Pratt.

Senate Vacancies (The Lcfier-Reviewi

Senate vacancies continue b0 06- cur. Nothing at. all has been done about. Senate reform. 51"" MT King promised it, in the days when the Liberals were in a minor- ity in the Senate.

Present system, of apwlnflflfl defeated candidates and others who have given service chiefly to their party means that the Senate does not fulfil the purpose 1°‘ which it was intended-

Mr. st. Laurent. taking office late in life and without a record of partisan bitterness 1nd trick- ery, could alter this. He could use the present opportunity to fill vacancies in the Senate with lead- ers in public life, regardless 41f their nominal party affiliations. That could easily make the Senate an enormously useful consultative and revising body.

No need exists for any legislation such as that passed in Britain some years ago to limit; the power of the House of Lords. If the Senate ever showed signs of defying public will. as expressed by the Commons, that. sort. of legislation could be con- sidered. The real need at present is to get the best possible sort of Senate. That. cannot. be obtained by making membership in the Sen- ate a refard for party services only.‘

In most cases, where ill-health or notorious incompetence has not been lhc reason of retirement. re- tiring Cabinet. Ministers should unqucsllouably be offered Senator- shlps. .

Col. Raislou should have been appointed from the riay he retired from the Cabinet. If Mr. Ilslcy was not. offered .1 Senatorshlp, he cer- lalitly should have been.

Retiring Prime Ministers, even if defeated, and other outstanding political leaders should certainly be in the Senate. Mr. King was guilty of DflbhCllC folly in falling to re- appoint Mr._ Meighan, after his re- signation to run unsuccessfully for Lhe House of Commons. 'Mr. King himself should be offered an im- mediate opportunity to enter the Senate.

Democratic Government lo in danger, because of a luck of aeri- nus faith in its processes on tho part of our political leaders. Mr St. Laurent would have a wonder- ful opportunity at the present time la introduce a new spirit Into Cauadlnn public aftalrs.

The next. election may easily ter- minate Mr. St. Laurent! term of office. In any event. he assured- ly has no desire for power. l-Io could do something ta elevobo the tone of Canadian public life dur- lug what. in bound to be, unfortiln- ntely. only too short a career as Prime Minister.

The Final Judgment

(Saturday NlghQ Toronto)

We have long been among those who have held that it would eventu- ally become proper. if not absolute- ly necessary, for Canada to assume the right. common to all sovereign nations. of passing her own final judgment in nil cases lnvolvinl tho interpretation and application of her own laws. But. there in one vcry essential condition which should be attached to tho act of u- oumlng that right-the condition that the Canadian notion lo outlo- flod with the machinery provided for polling final judgment in Con- ode. It. ls now proposed to intro- duce a Dominion Bill to abolish tho appeal to the Privy Council. thus locating the final judgment in Can- ada. But wo are far from being convinced that the Canadian no-

coived o total of $100,000 moro than their Mont- roal colleague;

“oomgosttloa. powers and

tlon is satisfied with the present

fd ,,7oed‘&vmj

PUBLIC FORUM

rblo column ls open to the discussion by correspondents of questions of Interest. The l Guardian does not ueoenar lly endorse the opinion of ,1’ c... udeutl. g

Ewe»

90i00i¢ AN HISTORIC SITE

Sir,—I was interested in the ac- count of the Queen Anne Cannon described in Mr. T. E. MacNutfs letter in yesterday's Guardian. I believe there used to be other old cannons there, and possibly those now in front of the Provincial Building may have at one time been located at. Port. Hill.

Another old cannon I have ln mind was located at Rustlco on the grounds of the Catholic Church there. The story was told me by Mr. Jeremiah Peters of Howlers who was born at Rustlca. He re- called that the cannon was there as long as he could remember, and that. when he was n boy, it was the custom to half flll the bare with powder and the remainder with old iron and fire it to mark the opening of the plcnlc celebrat- lng St. Jean the Baptist Day each 24th of June. A few years before his death, Mr. Peters revisited Rustlco and looked for the old can- non which he told me had been re- moved. Does anyone know its pre- sent whereabouts?

Another important historical fact concerning Rustic-o ls also brought to mind, for it was this same gentleman, Mr. Jeremiah Peters. who at my request made a sworn affidavit that. he remembered see- lng the first self-propelled carriage at Rustlco when he was about nine years of age. l-Ic recalled that it. was the 24th of June. 1866. Some 800 or 900 people had gathered to celebrate St. John's day. The can- non was fired. but the incident which caused the greatest excite- ment and which was indelibly im- pressed upon his memory was the arrival of Father Beicaurt. Parish Priest, ln the first horseleu car- riage. It steamed along at. a great speed and when brought to a stop on the grounds was the centre of attention. Some time ago this story was published and Prof. J. A. Blan- chard discovered in the files of the old Examiner an account of this picnic which contained reference to the self propelled carriage.

As the old Matheson homestead was between Brackiey and Oyster Bed Bridge, we were only about five miles as the crow filer from this church, and I well recall my father and some of the old folk talking about this first automobile. The documentary evidence now available substantiates the story. so that undoubtedly Prince Edward Island can lay claim to the dis- tinction of having the first auto- mobile ln America. The Historic Sites and Monuments Board might make full enquiries and erect a cnlrn to commemorate the_event. In addition lo being of importance to our own citizens. the site would be of great interest to our many annual visitors.

I om. Slr. eta, A. J’. MATl-IESON. OT-enry.

of the Supreme Court of Canada with which the power of final judg- ment la to be reposed. The province of Quebec in 1947 expressed, in a government bill ’ by the legislature, what enl- canted to a statement of dlrsatlo- fectlan with the Supreme Court of Canada as at present constituted in the event of its being made a final court. The legislature ln this measure declared itself ln favor of a final court ln Canada but adder! the phrase "organized and ln- ltltuted so as to safeguard the outa- nomy of the provinces. of the pro- vince of Quebec in particular." This is a fairly explicit indication that the province will not be satisfied with the present constitution of the Supreme Court of Canada. ln which the only safeguard lo the provision that two at tout of tho seven judges shall bo appointed from Quebec.

Thoro to tho further difficulty that the Supreme Court Act ll merely an Act of the Dominion Parliament and lo capable of amendment by that Parliament at uny time; it ls not erooted or de- fined. Ilka tho constitution of the ‘Supreme Court of tho United States, by the fundamental low of the notion. and the fundamental low of Canada says merely that Parliament may "from time to time provide for tho constitution. main- tenance and organization of a gen- eral court of appeal for Canada" This of course‘ ls unobjectlonebie so long u tho finoi appeal ln cine- when.

Tho prooont attitude of Quebec lo further shown by tho foot that In the matter of references to the highest provincial court, mode by

tho‘ Llouvonsnt-Govornor-ln-Councli

' Old Charlottetown (And r. n. r.) ~

_-—

THE KIRK INCORPORATED

“An Act to Incorporate the Min- ister and Trustees of SL James's Chllffll. lll _the Town of Charlotte- Town" was passed in the yeur 1832. From the preamble of the statute it appears that the ground an which the church was erected was held by trustees, with no provision made for successors. under a deed of con. veyance from Alexander Blrnle. of the City of London, merchant, bear- lnsgsdate at Charlottetown Sept. 30,

The petitioners for incorporation were the Rev. James Mackintosh. Minister of the Church of Scot- land, William Cullen, John Mncglll and Thomas Owen. merchants, John Mackleson. surgeon, Alexander Brown, schoolmaster, George Dril- rymple. chemist and drugglst, and William Cranstan, farmer. nil of Charlottetown. They represented ln their petition “the inconvenience rc- sultlng from the provisions of the said above mentioned deed of con- veyance under which the said ground is held er. aforesaid. and the want of a corporate capacity in the said trustees to enforce by legal process the payment of the rents payable by holders of pews in the said church, as well as to enable them to hold any other lands or real estate that may be granted and conveyed for the use of the said church." ‘