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Resampled001B6EBD A Weekly Newspaper Cf'roe/ariugin tfie District of West Vancouver-- Ambleside, Hollyburn, Weston, Dundarave CyPreSS Park, Caulfeild, Whytecliff, EtC. Newsstands 5c per Copy Vo[ [[ E[GH [ PAGFS HOLLY BURN P.O. ~ WEST VANCOUVER, B.C., FRIDAY, MARCH 23rd, 1928 ~ No. 51 The congestion of the schools and the prospect of this condi- tion being more pronounced in the immediate future is caus- ing the school trustees consider- able thought. At their meeting last night much time was spent in discussing methods of coping with the situation, several pro- posals were made, but the feel- ing of the meeting was very pro- nounced in that it was necessary to curtail expenditure as much as possible. It was ultimately de- cided to have the architect draw up sketch plans of a four-roomed addition to be placed on the south side of Pauline Johnson school. Provision will have to be made sometime in the near future, however, for another schooL The people of West Vancouver real- ize of course, that the district is growing very fast, but few peo- ple realize that the school popu- lation has increased 15 per cent each year for the last four or five years. This means that practically double the number of children are attending school in West Vancouver today than was the case 5 years ago. The school trustees have a real problem on their hands, and it is one that will require very close thought. That they are alive to the oc- casion, however, will be ver~ evi- dent to any of the taxpayers who "sit in" at their meetings. The meeting last night was specially interesting owing to a discussion of teachers'alary in- creases. Principals Davidson and Brealey presented to the trus- tees tne results of the delibera- tions of a meeting of school teachers held earlier in the week. This meeting evidently was the result of the action of the board at their previous meeting and a suggestion is now made that cer- tain clauses of the schedule cov- ering such salary increases should be changed or removed. The trustees seem quite willing to come to some amicable ar- rangement regarding the matter FLAGPOLE PRESENTED BY CAPILANO TDIBER CO. An 80 foot flag pole having a 21 inch butt and measuring 9 inches round the top has been donated by the Capilano Timb- er Co. for erection on the Ingle- wood School grounds. This pole is noiv lying on the roadside op- posite the school, and arrange- ments are being made to have it placed in position. The board of school trustees have sent a letter of thanks and appreciation to W. McMahon, superintendent of the Capilano Timber Co. for this gift. Trustee Leyland was instrumental in obtaining the flag pole. TO EXI'END $2,000 ON INSTALLATION OF VALVE In connection with the instal- lation of a Mueller valve to pre- vent waste of water in the Broth- ers Creek area during the sum- mer months, the council has au- thorized th& cape&»liture of an additional $300, making a totul of $2,000, in orue~'hat the pipe used in connection with the valve muy bc c)inngcd from wood to cast irnn. in question, but could not agree entirely with the proposals made by the delegates. They offered an alternative whereby all teach- ers would be classified into three grades by the school principal and the inspector of schools, and that the annual salary increases would be influenced in some measure by this grading. The clause referring to summer schools would be omitted as a requirement for increasing sal- ary, but the onus of successful teaching and the progress of the teachers would be placed direct- ly on the shoulders of the school principals. These propnsals will be sub- mitted to a meeting of the West Vancouver teachers and the mat- ter will be brought again to the board for further discussion and action. School Sites Offered Several offers of land for school sites were received by the board of school trustees at their meeting last night. They will make a tour of inspection of the various properties offered. The heating apparatus of Dun- darave school *'s to b& improved. This school has suffered for sev- eral years during the cold sea- son, and it was found that the heating plant could be made to function more satisfactorily at a very low cost. The school trus- tees will have this done. School Sports, June 1st. The annual public school sports will be held on Friday, June 1st. The usual grants will be made by the board of school trustees for this meeting. Teachers Must Reside in West Vancouver A resolution was made by the board of school trustees at their meeting last night that from September 1st all teachers on the permanent staff will be re- quired to reside in Ivest Vancou- ver. The teachers are to be not- ified of this action. A hydra»t is to be placed in the front of the Ingleivood school buil&ling during the school holi- days. IVork Starts on Inglewood School Grounds The work of grading, clearing and grubbing the grounds sur- rounding Inglewood School, for which a t nder was accepted last week, &vill Le started immediate- ly, the work having to be com- pleted by June 1th, according to the terms of the cn»tract ivhich was signed lust night. More Street Lights Wanted An application signed by 18 residents was presented to the council Monday night asking that a street light be erected ut some point between Fulton uml Inglewood on 20th Street. An- other application came before the council for the installation of a light ut 26th und Nelson. Both applications were pla«e&l on the light file. P. Philip, deputy minister of public works, was escorted over Marine Drive last wednesday by Reeve Vinson accompanied by G. Iiuiies, district consulting engin- eer, and J. 51. Bryan, M.L.A. The trip was made specially to point out tn Mr. Philip the s~rv b;id «nndition uf th ~ road and the necessity of immediate improve- rient being made. Mr. Philip ex- pressed himself as being tnii«h surprised at the condition in which the road was found und stated that the representatinns made to him and the evident ne- cessity of the matter would make him recommend to the provincial government that fifty per cent of the cost of constructing the road he undetjt~qken. 31&is as- surance must be very gratifying to Reeve Vinson and the mem- bers of the council who have worked very diligently to obtain this assistance, and it is expect- ed that a by-law for a round $85,- 000 for the re-construction of Marine Drive from West Bay to Ivhyteclifg will be submitted as soon as possible. Wc understand that other road ivork including the completion of Keith Road will also be undertak- en this year. The council is evid- ently alive to the importance and necessity of developing and im- proving the roadways through- out the district and in this they ,&ill have the hearty support of all progressive citizens. Ask Plans for New Ferry Arthur Bennett, marine de- signer of Vancouver, in a letter to the council, gave particulars of his plan for a new ferry boat. His letter calls for a boat of the same class as the present ferries, less than 100 feet long between perpendiculars, but with 5 feet more beam than No. 6, and with a capacity of 350 passengers. The passengers vrnuld be accom- odated in a weil deck, which would make the upper deck cor- respondingly lower. The upper deck could also be ell glassed in for use in winter, the glass to be reinovable for summer weather. The council &iecided to put an udvertisemeiit in the press for competitive plans from naval architects and boat designers and builders for a ferry to ac- comodate 350 passengers under cover and not to exceed 100 feet in length between perpendicu- lurs. Tenders for Grading Ambleside Park The Municipal Engmeernng Department is calling for tend- ers for clearing and grading 2.65 acres of land in the Ambleside Park. Specifications can be ob- tained from the Municipal eng- ineer. Tenders have to be in by 5 p. m. on Monday, April 2nd. An advertisement relative to this appears in this issue. This re- lates to the extension of Amble- side Park passed by the council recent]y to make this ground more suitable for games aud other recreation purposes. Sev- eral requests were received by the council asking that this work be undertaken, GOVERNMENT WILL PAY School Trustees Face Many Problems u HALF cosT oF MARINE More Rooms Needed DRIvE RE-coNsTRUcTIQN An Improved Municipal Hall Needed More than a year ago a by-law was submitted for the con- struction of a new municipal hall. This was defeated by a very small majority. Since then the lack of proper facilities has become very noticeable. The exterior of the present hall is very pleasing and prepossessing, but, when one enters to transact business, it is found that the employees are meta- phorically constantly stepping on one another's toes. The ,quarters are certainly too cramped for efficient working. The council chamber also leaves much to be desired. There should be at least one committee room for the use of delegations and for private conference among the councillors, and in the coun- cil chamber itself more room should be allotted for the con- venience of visitors who attend to listen to the deliberations of the council. Moreover, and what is specially important, the records and papers of the municipality are in constant danger as a result of having no satisfactory repository . It is high time indeed that some steps were taken towards ending or at least ameliorating this highly unsatisfactory condition of affairs, which is neither fair to the staff or the public. Both are entitled to a reasonable amount of elbow room and neither can do business as business should be done until that much is provided. Above all there should be adequate vault accomodation for the books and iinportant papers not only as a protection against fire but also burglary. IVe doubt if there is any municipality in the province of the importance of West Vancouver which is so ill provided in respect of a municipal hall. "Lions'ate" Bridge Needed First ™ A letter was received by the council from Major IV. G. Swan asking for its approval of the proposed causeway and two locks at the Second Narrows, such approval being neces- sary before the scheme could be put into effect. The council after discussing the matter at their special meeting on Monday night, were disinclined to express an opinion until the direct- ors of the Burrard Inlet Tunnel and Bridge Co. had fully in- vestigated the question. Major Swan's letter contained a list of the advantages and disadvantages of the scheme, the first two advantages being the elimination of the heavy tidal current at the harbor entrance and at the Second Narrows. The general public had heard next to nothing about this tidal current at the First Narrows until the Lion's Gate bridge was'mooted, and then the opposition talked of little else. A veritable Niagara current according to them poured through the Lion's Gate, which was very remarkable in view of the fact that any day one can see small tugs pulling big scows, a tug to a scoiv, with no difficulty through the harbor entrance in all and every kind of weather. Consequently we were not impressed then and ive are not impressed now with the tidal current in question, nor have we yet met any sailor whom it bothered in entering or [caving the harbor. So far as the cuirent at the Second Narrows is con- cerned, there are very few ships which ever go as far, and it is entirely unlikely that their number is likely to increase to any appreciable extent for some years. A saving in dredging at the First and Second Narrows and at Port Moody is given as another advantage. This is a matter ivhich concerns the Dominion Government, and as such we cannot see that it is a matter ivhich should be considered by the municipalities. A fourth advantage of the scheme given is the creation of a large body of fresh water east of the site free of teredos. Teredos attack logs and not steel ships, and accordingly. if mill-owners want such protection from this pest, it would ap- pear to us that they should club together and build the cause- way themselves. The fifth and last advantage as given in Major Swan' letter was an adequate connection betiveen the North and South shores. IVe fully admit that the connection would be adequate so far as North Vancouver is concerned, but it is not adequate for )Vest Vancouver, because it is too far away for our residents to use conveniently day by day. Our only adequate connection is a bridge or a tunnel at the First Nar- rows, which with the present Second Niarroivs bridge to care for the needs of North Vancouver City and District would furnish better connections bet&veen the north and south shores of the inlet than any causeivay. For it must be remembered that, if the causeway is built, it is good bye Lion's Gate bridge for a number of years if not for all time. Turning to the financial side of the question the munici- palities including IVest Vancouver are asked to scrap the Second Narrows bridge aml assume outstanding bridge bonds of $700,000 and loans amounting to 3133,776.62 and on top of this to largely assist in the building of a causeway and locks which ure estimated to cost $355,000. This is assuming that the $800,000 common stock of the p&wsent bridge now held by the municipalities will be exchanged for conimon shares in the neiv company. All this, it must be &remembered, is to help the shipping interests i«ho bucked the Lion's Gate bridge for all they &vere i«orth, because the few ships now and again i«ho go above the Second Narrows -- and their number is not likely to appreciably increase through the years--have to be more carefully navigated ivhile passing through the bridge than in the open seu. On the face of it uml so fur as we can see at present there appears to be every reason why the proposed causeivuy und locks should not be built.