:

,rAcEroUn . THE GUARDIAN

Department. Ottawa. The island Guardian Puhiiahin; Cs

port, and this was not forthcoming. Our Maritime members should be speaking with a united voice on this important matter. Let them forget party politics for a while and concentrate on something more im-

ciiwuurion portanh Total" City zone”. :32: ' . Be Truiln . M, cum. "' 3,, EDIIURIAI. NUIES rouu Net Paid 13.043

Ontario goes to the polls today.

President and Aaaociale Editor. Ian A. Burnett. . . . Aaaociaie Editor. Frank Walker. g I '

' Progressive Conservatives of the Fourth

District of Kings meet at Murray River

. tonight.

gesi Memory is Weaker Then the Weakest Ink".

CHARLOTTETOIVN. THURSDAY. NOV. 22, 19M

Mayor Stewart's Acclaiiiatloii

”The Sum

The new cement plant opened near Corner Brook is an important step in the industrializing of the tenth province. glts production should also go far towards re- lieving the scarcity which has long been a problem in construction.

0 0 .

Health Minister Martin told the House of Commons that old-age pensions cannot be "attached, assigned or seized" for any reason. He was replying to Mr. Solon Law, Social Credit leader, who asked if Mr. Mar- tin is aware that some municipalities are attempting to recover from pension cheques relief paid to old-age pensioners.

O 0 0

His Worship Mayor Stewart is to be

warmly congratulated on his election by acclamation yesterday. This may be taken as a personal tribute, and it is certainly also a matter of great convenience to our citizens, as a by-election contest at this time, for the limited period between now and next February when the civic general clcction is due, would have served no use- ful purpose. V l-lis Worship performed the Mayoralty I duties most satisfactorily during the recent Royal visit to Charlottetown, and there'is no question as to his qualifications for the office in other respects. As chairman of the street committee he has been a most efficient representative at the Council Board. Nor are our citizens unmindful of the fact that he has had a gallant record of service overseas. The success of such men in civil life is always a matter of sat- isfaction. not only to the comrades with whom they served but to the public at large. ,

When thojgeneral election comes around there may be other contenders ln.the field, which also is desirable for the most effi- cient working of our democratic system. - In the meantime His Worship takes over It the reins with the unanimous approval and best wishes of our citizens, and we are sure with every desire on his part of liv- ing up to the very best traditions of his office.

The time seems to have come for the Federal Government to go back to issuing bonds only for necessary purposes of fi- nance. When Provincial and municipal is- sues must be floated in the United States there can be no grounds for Federal bond issues for the purpose of removing surplus

purchasing power. 0

It is a pity that our courts ever classed the shipping, press service and other activ- ities of the Soviet Uniongwith diplomatic and military functions merely because the Communist state was the legal owner of all Soviet enterprises. There should be legis- lation to place Soviet commerce in a no more privileged position than that of the rest of the world.

Robert Clive, Baron Clive of Plasscy, Sabat Jung, died this date 1774. Shipped off to India at eighteen in disgrace, he ex- changed the post of writer for that of a soldier of the East. India Company. His energy and skill won India from the French and later defeated the forces of Bengal and the Mogul empire. Clive's efforts at ad- ministration reform were bitterly opposed and resulted in his being impeached.

, .

O 0

First Principles

The British Commonwealth and Empire and the United States both have as their basis the idea that free men and men of good will can enjoy the benefits of their own elective governments better by as- sociation with others having similar tra- ditions and ideals. They certainly did not come into being from any plan of exclud- ing outsiders from the select circle. Rath-

' or they welcomed those states and peoples V which were striving for similar goals-by similar means.

Lord Beaverbrook seemingly holds a static conception of an essentially dynamic entity when he deplores the fact that Churchill's new Government has interest- ed itself immediately in the Atlantic Pact Organization and in the United Nations rather than in domestic relations of the Commonwealth. It is the truest expression of the genius of both the Commonwealth and the Republic to work for the inclusion of free peoples in "these United Nations."

Great For 0-iitarlo

Arvida, Quebec, will remain dry for at least another two years. A referendum, the third similar attempt since 1946, to amend a prohibition by law of 1916, was defeated by 36 votes. 415 property owners out of 473 exercised their rights by secret ballot. The result was 188 in favor and 224 voted against the repeal of prohibition. Three ballots were void. Two previous attempts in 1946 and 1949 had about the same

majority result.

According to Premier Duplessis within the next five years all the farmers in Que- bec will have electricity at their disposal. This, he said, when an appropriation for an additional 35,000,000. for rural elec. trification was being voted, will do much towards solving rural problems, such as lthat of manpower. Electrification is going l0" through a system of rural co-operatives formed under legislation brought down in 1945 by Minister of Agriculture Barre. Figures disclosed that the electricity com- panies have also been active, .and in the main supply the local cooperatives with the power for the operation of the local dis-

tribution systems. 0

Ontario newspapers are jubilant over the prospects of the taxpayers of Canada footing the bill for the St. Lawrence Sea- way project, and no wonder. Apart from the navigation benefits-in which with the West it will share to the detriment of the Maritimes-water power is vital to On- tario's industrial development. Its industries are based on cheap power and the only place this can be obtained for future needs is from the St. Lawrence.

How much it will mean to Ontario, says the Windsor Star, can be judged from the annual report of the Hydro-Electric Pow- . er Commission of Ontario. This shows the Commission, in 1950, was able to provide for urban domestic consumers at on aver- age cost of 31.04 per kilowatt hour. This compares with 31.28 in 1938, a decrease of 18.75 per cent and with 31.61 in 1930, a , decrease of 35.40 per cent. And this at a 2 time when'general costs of living lnICan-

ada were advancing by 87.6 per cent since

1938. . For commercial customers Ontario Hy- dro supplied power at sl.-fl per kilowatt hour, compared to s1.s2 in 1938, a de- creiisfof 12.97 per cent. or 32.11 in 1930, a decrease of 33.17 per cent. - Farmers were charred 81.84. compared to 32.55 in 19:2. or a (Imp of 27.57 per cent In the de-

” What

The Canadian Council of Churches meeting in Montreal re-iterated its oppos- ition to gambling and condemned gambling to raise funds for charity. It asked the Federal Government to repeal the section of the criminal code (subsection 6 (b) of section 236) permitting raffles for prizes at "charitable or religious" bazaars. The Council's resolution urged "that no church or church organization should raise money by raffles, lotteries, games of chance or other gambling methods, however good may be the objects for which the money is raised." The Press and radio were crit- icized for featuring winners of sweep- stakes. '

So convinced are Liberal politicians in Quebec that Postmaster General Edouard Rlnfret is headed for the bmch that they have settled the matter of his successor to their own satisfaction. The nominee re- garded as a shoo-In for the cabinet post is Mr. Paul Emile Cote, who sits in Ottawa for Verdun. He has had four years train-

to the Minister of'Labor. Since the Post- rnuter General does not have a amerit ary aaeletant. there is no obstacle like ele- vating him over the head of,another aspir- ant of equal rank and training for the spe- clfic position. Another point in hla favor is

gir-

iunally -held by a French-speaking Com- mdier

44- -a

log in the role of parliamentary aeeietant .

that the Postmaster-zeneralehip Iii tradit-

0

.THE GUARDIAN. CHARLOTTETOWN ' - I Something Special For llic Ladies

”d

( I K")

bank Full.

T as; -1

45!.

PUBLIC FORUM

This column in open to the discussion by rreapondents of questions interest. The Guardian does not necessar- ily endorse the opinion of correspondents.

...,.. TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY IN THE l!EI.llAST l)I5TII.ICT

sir. - In April of last year. Mr. winters tabled in the House .of Commons an agi-eenicnl. which was entered into bv the Govern- ment of Prince Edward Island and the Federal Government re- guarding the mile of the Trans- Canada I-llghws was to take in -Prince Edward Island. This high- way, according to the agreement was to go from Mllivicw direct to wood Islands via the Selkirk Road. a. route which obviously complied with the principle that the Trans-Canada Highway would be constructed over the shortest feasible route in all cases.

On more than one occasion. Premier Jones has stated that this principle of using the short- est possible route would be ad- hcred to. Neverthelrss, without any explanation to the public, or any notice. or even any samp- ling of public opinion on the mat- ter, contracts were lot during the summer for the sub-izradlng of this road over I. much longer cir- cuitous route from Orwell to Wood Islands. via Eldon and Flat River. In this action, the Provin- cial Government have broken faith with the travelling public and with the people of Charlotte- town in particular as by construct- ing the road over the longer route they have in effect placed the Wood Island Ferry seven miles further from Charlottetown than it actually is. In this connection. it might be pointed out that cer- lain residents of the area, sus- pecting that the Government in- tended to take this peculiar course of action. signed a. petition requesting the Government to refrain from building the Trans- canadia. Highway over the longer shore route. The Government has never publicly acknowledged having received this petition and has apparently given it no con- slderation. It should be obvious that the Trans-Canada Highway in a high standard roiid designed chiefly for long distance travel and its usefulnem should not be depreciated for the sake of satis- lying some local, selfish con- slderation.

It should be readily seen that the original route proposed and agreed to by the Federal Gov- ernment in the best. possible route.

Some of the chief reasons for this are: (it It is the shortcst- possible

mute (approximately thirteen miles from Orwell to Wpod II- lmda, as against about twenty miles on the shore route.)

(2) The direct route iii straight and has no dangerous curves.

(3) The direct route has only two schools along A. whereas the longer to has rtx or seven. Each ac ool area will require a speed limit which will be on - pedlment to traffic.

(4) The direct route crosses iinly two email streams whereas the longer route cronies seven or eight much larger tidal strum: requiring very expensive bridges.

(B) The direct route is over land that is high and dry providing a good foundation for a permanent road. The ionizer route. on the other hand. panes through ltrlpl of be: and block muck which makes the building of a perman- ent road very expensive.

(0) The direct route panes

the vicinity of the onlymource of road novel in the area. (7) The direct route was an old post road and therefore has in wider right-of-weyv than the avenge road.

is) The direct route has. very few building! or other ointme- ttom adjacent to the rlxlit-oh way. on the other hand. the Ion: circuitous route liaa many bulld- mgr near THO i-pd. many of which will have to he moved as the road is widened. 1 m The direct route follow: lie -boundaries of the firm: where

in,

The Age-Old Story.

- a'bl fa 'a'h'-'-'d'l'la'h'n'-'b'h'u7a'u'a'bt.

Enteq ye in at the strait gate: for wide in the gate. and broad in the way. that leadetll to de- struction. and many there be which go in thereet: because strait la the gate. and narrow in the way, which leadoth unto life. and few there be that find It.

the longer shore route cuts through many of the farm pro- perties. As a result. the longer route will have a. large number of cattle crossings which are e. dan- ger to the livestock and a heard to motorists.

(10) The only grades on the

direct route which could not readily be brought up to Trans- Csnada Highway standards are those in the Culloden area. These could easily be avoided by I slight diversion from the pres- ent road. (11) Perhaps the most important of all, the direct route could be built much more cheaply than the longer route. It is estimated by a qualified road engineer who know: the area well that the Trnns-Can- ado Highway could be construct- ed over the direct ioute at a saving of about 5400.000 to the taxpayers, over and above the saving on bridges which would total another ;4oo,coo or 500,000, some people might argue that the longer route is justifiable for scenic reasons, but that is a mat- ter of ,' ' . I remember seeing a letter published in The Guar- dian about rtebruary. 1940, from, a man in Nova Bcotia expressing the view that the Selkirk Road was one of the most beautiful he had ever seen anywhere in the Maritimes. In any case. it has the advantage of variety as it provides excellent panoramic views of the Nova Scotla coast and local hard- wood foreits. The shore route. on the other hand, is r. continuation of the shoreline type of scenery that one seen on the route through Pownal and Orwell. Al- though this, too, is beautiful scen- cry. the direct route would 1 pro- vlde greater variety.

While I feel local considera- tions should not determine the route of the Trans-Canada High- way. nevertheless, even on this basis. the direct route is the bet- ter of the two. Although the area through which it pause: to not as thickly populated on the shore area, this route would serve a larger number of people because it. has land on both sides of it. whereas the other route has . land on only one side of it. The num-

road would be much higher on the direct route as a system of feeder roads lead into it at two- mile intervals over it: whole course, whereu large slretchea of the longer route have no such roads. In this connection. the dir- ect. route would be used to advan. iace for instance by people in the south of King”: County tn. veiling to Charlottetown and vice veraa. whereu the longer route provldea no'luch advantage for anyone.

The Advisory Reconr uutiui. Committee to the Government of Prince Edward lllnnd recognise: the noemity for the improve- ment of the direct route for in their interim report th

'vla eelkltk Road - u Pivlect so. No one denim, of courle the people living on Ezrboeai. and the some .dHdl that P8

in thllr tntenfn

ber of persons served per mile of

ey list this route.-- Orwell-Wood Isle e

that the, shore road require a loud read for local commit- umertaiiing It Pro- report.

Votllll IV! 030 '!NIiI-0III- and during the war to, - .'g . -. -I-my

Old Charlottetown

(And P. E. I.) ROCKY POINT FERRY

"We are pleased to learn that the people are agllieling for a steam ferry-boat. to ply between Charlottetown and Rocky Point. At a recent meeting it was re- solved, on motion of Captain Mc- Mahon und seconded by John Doyle. that both branches of the Legislature be petitioned in this regard. and also to provide,sult- able accommodation on either side. ”It was moved by Matthew Doyle and econded by Douzell Currie that 'the following persons

on the Government and urge our

er plying on the above route. vlz.: Capt. McMillan. Donald McKlnnon. Thomas Murphy. -l.P.. Jamel A1- chorn and Capt. McMahon'."

-The Examiner, March 26. 1878.

be. - , when ' the Government comi- pletes its present pr

people in South Ktn8'3

perhaps the next hundred years will have to put up with an un- necessary long route from Wood Islands to Charlottetown. It is suggested that such public spirited organizations as Charlottetown Board of Trade would be rendering the Province generally. and Charlottetown in pullclllar, ii. real service if they would impress upon the Provin- cial Government the folly of its present programme, and for it to re-lnstate the more logical one which was in the first case agreed ”to by the Federal Government. i am sir. etc.

TAXPAYER. (In fairness to Premier done: it should be noted that he has al- ways denled the correctness of the copy of the agreement tabled in the House of Commons, in- dicatlng the route of the highway to be via the Selkirk Rood. Hts Itatementa were confirmed in a Guardian despatch from Ottawa dated April 29. 1950. The only points specified in the agreement east of Charlottetown were Mill- vlew and Wood islands. For sev- eral months thereafter the detail: of the route were left in obey- ance until survey: hnd becn;nade by the Provlnize and accepted by

the Federal authorities.-Ed. G.)

DB. HAIMSOIWS SERVICES

Sir.-May I be permitted vol-

vices in West Prince.

the refusal of the

to practice in the -area.

BllidI!i"l patients

good recommendation by

doctor. g The people of thin area

l-iaIinIon'e entry into thin

through IIIOIIHIIIII Canada. In it

they allow doctors to em:

protect the Canadian pub belnl laud on Dr. I-laimeon ' for four from Ill i im pact

do compose a delegation to wait

undoubted right to have a steam-

ada Highway where it ought to

ogramme, the and Queen's will have only one paved road, and the general public for

the

uable space in your columns to further the letter of G. W. Mur- ray in the Nov. 20 issue of The Guardian regarding medical ner-

Durlng the last two weeks num- erous rneellngii were held by the iceldentn of the area concerning Provincial Medical Association to give. Dr. John l-lalmson hil medical permit

Dr. Haimlon practiced here for one month by verbal perminlon of thin body. during which time he took over the practice of Dr. Bandler who was atrlcken gravely ill and will be unable to continue hll practlcey 1-lrtreated all Dr. and did his hoepltal work. and was given he I I Western Hospital and all nurse: who naoclated with him in his

ork, and also by our lone local

feel that the Government should Iliv venture the uicumetaiicee of Dr. coun- :.ry and also his qualificattlonlelaa e we: permitted to en or ii- ada an a phyalclan and nlueoii lion channels lble that our immigration law: are I0 lax that the amine. take any oral questioning country who are nofhqlualliled as our. Provincial Hell Alecia- tion on notified us? If eo it ll time for the Government to take action to remedy this at uni to

sum: inn. . studied ,in, Perle eduetel

' ' . ion- Iiaiyg he

i.'4.p;. us.

One of the most important and most urgent of the public services is improved road, conditions. The poor condition of the roads on -Prince Edward Island is the source of one of the most common com- plalnta of our farmers and tour- late. Many people, farmers, trav- ellers, businessmen and meclian. ice agree that 3400 per year in ii reasonable estimate of the average costs of repair and depreciation on local can and trucks.

By improved roads, could not repair bills and depreciation costs be cut by half-as they were in parts of the New England states? On ten thousand car: alone, at two hundred dollars each, this would amount to two -million dol- lars a year. There were. in 1950, 3,615 trucks on Prince Edward Island, and 10.392 cars--therefore two million dollars is ii conserva- tive figure of possible savings. In 1949 and 1950 there were 1.027 new truck: and 2,095 new can bought. The income from gasoline tax is expected to be about 31,250,000 in 1951. If the reglstratioii rate wero raised to increase revenue even by half the amount saved-one mil- lion dollars each year for the next ten years-we can imagine the progress that could be made by further extending our road im- provement program.

. . .

Tourist officials believe that in- creased revenue from an expanded tourist industry would contribute largely to the maintenance of those new roads. Although the cost. has been almost 85,000 per mile ewh year for the hut three years to repiilr our paved roads, we must remember that little was done during the war years to l'i1llIitlln?th0lO roads and that engineers have learned much about building roads since these first highways were paved. Few made. were paved on the Island during the period from mo through 1950. An avenge of only 178 miles were improved by gravel over the last three years. of the some 3,800 miles of road on the Island in the spring of 1951. only were 222 paved. 890 gnvelled. and there were 2,488 miles of clay roads. Thou are the clay roads. incidentally. that are so costly to repair, need to be repaired so often and which frequently dis- courage tourists.