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Resampled001B6E3A S A Weekly Newspaper Cfrculatiffgil the District of H~est Vancouver--Ambleside, Holiyburn, Cypress Park, Caulfeild, Whytecliff, Etc. FIGHT PAGES HOLLYBURN P.O., WEST VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16th, 1927 ~ No. 37 Municipal Elections Progress or Deterioration? We Must Either Go Forward or Backward. CHARLES DICKENS'HOUGHT I have always thought of Christmas as a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time when men and women seem by one consent to open their hearts freely and so I say--God Bless Christmas.--Dickens. The Spirit of Christmas "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men" is the Christmas mess- age echoing down the corridors of time. It rouses us for a fleeting moment from the contemplation of trivial things int« which we have sunk during the year so swiftly passing. It is another setting for the Golden Rule--Do unto others as you would have others do unto you--and we do it, and in the doing, lift ourselves for a brief space from the sordid round of selfish- ness which surrounds us. For just so long as we retain the Christmas spirit, the affections, the harmonies, the friendly feelings predominate, and our lives are richer and purer. True, to retain the spirit throughout the year, is the counsel of perfection, far beyond the powers of poor human nature, but to the extent that we can retain the kindliness, the charitableness, the unselfishness which the time and the occasion impose, the better we shall serve our fellow men and the happier we shall be. The true blessing of Christmas lies in giving; the seeking out of the less fortunate ones and the bestowing on them of a measure of the good gifts so richly lavished on us the whole year through. It is indeed more blessed to give than to receive, and for those poor souls whose Christmas consists of a feast of rich foods, and an exchange and calculation of the values exchang- ed, there is nought but commiseration--they miss the joy, tho happiness of the true spirit of Christmas. The "God Bless You Every One." GORDON SLOAN TO ADDRESS LOCAL LIB- ERALS NEXT TUESDAYr Gordon Sloan, son of the Pro- vincial Minister of Mines, wiB be the chief speaker at'the regular meeting of the gest Vancouver Liberal Association to be held in Ambleside Hall, next Tuesday, the 20th inst. The meeting starts at 8 p. m. BRIDGE EARNINGS FOR 1927 UP Bridge earnings for the Second Narrows Bridge for the eleven months ending November 30th, were $40 more psr day than for the corresponding period in 1926, according to the report just is- sued by the officials. The earnings and the number of persons and vehicles crossing the Bridge during November, are Total persons, 110,017; autos, 42,991; trucks, 8,395; other ve- hicles, 1,026. Average daily earn- ings, $289.03;average earnings for Sundays and holidays only, $391.28; average earnings for business days only, $268.58; low- est daily earnings (14th) was $209.59r/4, highest daily earn-'ngs (6th) was $645.60. The traffic totals from Janu- ary to November, 1927, are: Per- sons, 1,876,856; autos, 642,305; trucks, 84,045; other vehicles, 16,883. The average daily earnings from January 1 to November 30, 1927, is $415.49; the average daily earnings from January 1 to November 30, 1926, was $376.- 63. The average daily earnings from November, 1926, was $277.- 04. Special Meeting Horticultural Assn. Will Not Buy Pavilion A meeting of the members of the Horticultural Association was held in the Hollyburn Pavil- ion Tuesday night for the ex- press purpose of discussing the desirability of purchasing the building. The financial details were explained at some length by President McQuaker, it being shown that the revenue which could reasonably be expected from rentals and fees would as- ily carry the interest charges on the investment and allow some yearly reduction on the princi- pal. There was, however, some objection to the proposal on ac- count of it being felt by some of the members that the directors should not be asked to undertake a financial matter of such size. It was ultimately agreed that, rather than have any discord within the ranks, the matter of the purchase be allowed to drop. P.G.E. TO REBUILD BRIDGES ON NORTH SHORE Directors of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway were in Victoria Tuesday to discuss with the cab- inet plans for improvements to the government-owned line on the North Shore. The directors'roposalsfor rebuilding several bridges on the North Shore were explained to the government so that it may consider them in preparing its finances for 1928. CARETAKERS OF WATER INTAKES BUSY The caretakers of the water intakes on the North Shore had a busy time on Sunday clearing away the masses of floating snow which were continually clogging the intake pipes. The situation demanded constant at- tention to enable a uniform sup- ply of water to pass through. A subsequent thaw added to their difficulties, though a normal floiv through the mains was maintain- ed. BOARD OF TRADE hiEETS MONDAY The regular meeting of the 'IVest Vancouver Board of Trade will be held next Monday in the Canadian Legion Rooms, Ferry Building, starting at 8 p. m. The nominations for candi- dates for the municipal elections will be held in the municipal hall on Monday, 9th January, from 12 noon to 2 p. m.. Mr. Ollason is returning officer, and H. V. Bell is deputy returning officer for the elections. The poll will be opened on Saturday, 14th of January, from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. Some comment has been made on the article on the Road and Bridge Bylaw in our issue last week, and we have been asked to give further reasons why this bylaw should be passed by the electors. We do not feel, as one man expressed him- self, that every money bylaw should receive support. As a matter of fact, when this proposal was first made, we like many others were inclined to look askance at it, feeling that the time was not opportune for the expenditure of so much money. After thoroughly analysing the situation, however, considering carefully the pros and cons, and estimating the financial aspects of the matter, we believe that it is in the interests of true economy and progress that the work should be P undertaken.remier MacLean West Vancouver has been much in the public eye for the last two years. Our transportation system has been much im- proved, and has been reflected greatly in the growth of the district. The roadway is just another means of transporta- Holds Successful Meeting tion, and it would seem good business to put the one main artery which connects the WHOLE of the municipality in the best possible condition. Neither people nor business nor muni- cipalities can stand still. They cannot remain the same this year as last, the same next year as this. They must in the natural order of things go forwar'd or backward, They must progress or deteriorate. Seemingly some do not agree with this, for evidences are accumulating of the strenuous fight that will be waged at the January elections between the pros and cons for the bylaw. Not even the recent blizzard nor the Christmas preparations have been able to dampen the en- thusiasm of the two factions, and it is rumored that one at any rate has enlisted the active assistance of the ladies. The points at issue are clear and distinct and affect the municipality as a whole far more than any constituent part of it. It is all very well to say that the construction of the road Lean said, "he was 'hrrmarr-~s&dll benefit-the-West and not the East .But it is not true, be- cause for one thing it is mathematically impossible to benefit a part of anything without benefiting the whole. Furthermore to fix up the western end of the Drive and leave the eastern end as it is, the plan of the cons, would mean in time that autoists would get fed up with the jam and use neither. There are equally as good and equally as many building sites in the eastern as the western portion of the district, and both would then suffer equally. So far one very important point appears to have escaped the general notice, that is, there is a vast difference in the positions of the municipality and the provincial government as regards construction of the road even though it is classified. The government is this year laying aside $220,000 in the esti- mates for the construction of the road, but they wont lay it aside unless they know definitely whether IVest Vancouver wants the road. A six months'oist of the by-law would see the next session of the legislature over', and then it would be useless putting it until the department had again earmarked the necessary funds in the estimates. They might do this next year, if asked to do so, or the year after that, or ten years hence, and they might not, even ten years hence. In other words, the government MAY but not ihIUST hand over their share of the cost whenever we feel like constructing the road, Their acquiescence to our request depends now and always ivill depend on whether roads are more urgently required in other parts of the province than here. At present they con- sider the construction of our road is urgently needed, and are offering us their share of the cost. IVe had better take it while the taking's good. This year the road cost us $12,000 approximately in repairs. Next year it is costing $20,000--in repairs. It will, so say experts, never cost us less--in repairs--than it has done this year. According to the engineers, the construction cost in sinking fund and interest charges is under $ 10,000, and no repaim worth considering for at least 10 years. The debent- ures will then still have 20 years to run, it is true, and the opposition don't forget it, but they also forget that $450,000 worth of other sinking fund debentures are falling due and will be paid off in the next 5 years. One thing, therefore, is clear. The taxpayers must either believe the engineer's figures and vote for the bylaiv, or rely on the statements of those who are everything but engineers and vote against it. There is no other course open. Much capital has been made of the probability of higher taxation such as to drive people out of the district. The road will have to be kept in good repair if the bylaw fails to «any, ami the government will see that it is repaired, ivilly- nilly. If the engineer's figures are correct, those repairs are going to raise our taxes higher than the construction of the road. IVhich brings us back again to the real basis of the question, that is, believing engineers or those who are notengineers on an engineering question. Finally to vote for the bylai«may mean restricting ourborrowing power to a certain extent, but with the road costing us as much as it is, we can't afford to borrow much more inany case until some of the present outstanding indebtednesshas been paid off. IVhen that occurs, and as it o««urs, ive canobtain other things that are urgently needed in the municipal- ity. Premier J. D. MacLean's visit to the North Shore last Satur- day was his first public appear- ance since he assumed the lead- ership of the government. His visit was a great success, the K. P. Hall being crowded to cap. acity to listen to his address. The remarkable interest shown on this occasion was a demon- stration of the popularity of the n w premier. In paying tribute to the late Premier Oliver, Premier Mac- all and he had failings like all; but he had outstanding ability and his motives were pure and sincere." The past 11 years had been the hardest any govern- ment in B. C. had been calledi upon to face, but the situation was now better, and, judging from the results of recent by- elections, the government still r tained the confidence of the people. He had nothing to an- nounce about the P. G. E., be- yond the fact that he was doing his best to solve that most diffi- cult problem. After the premier's speech a reception was held, when Mr. MacLean met everyone of those present. Refreshments were served, and dancing was indulged in until midnight. W. Mitchell of North Vancou- ver, president of the Provincial Liberal Association, in whose hands were left the arrange- ments for the whole of the meet- ing, is to be greatly congratulat- ed upon the success of the even- ing. Everything ran with clock- work precision and to this fact much of the success of the even- ing was due. With a view to reducing the number of accidents and mishaps that have lately happened to in- experienced climbers on the North Shore mountains, the Can- adian National Safety League is having five hundred posters printed warning such climbers of the dangers they run du eto ig- norance or carelessness. Contents of the posters, giving advice on proper equipment, hints on mountain climbing, and what to do if lost in the woods, were prepared by Chief )V. W. Ilemingway of the North Van- couver District Police, who pre- sided at the Climbers'afety committee meeting, and mem- bers of three mountaineering or- ganizations attended.