Page 2 THE WILLIAMS LAKE TRIBUNE Wednesday, July 15, 1959 EDITORIAL PAGE EXPENSIVE MARGIN OF ERROR From time to time we have carried court items reporting conviction and fines levied on district lumber operators for overloading on the highways. Evidence in these cases has been presented in the form of weigh slips from crews operating portable scales. Assumption was that the scales gave a true weight, but according to information emanating from 100 Mile House, these portable scales have not always been accurate. Last month a set of scales was operating in that area and one prominent lumberman demanded a check when his truck and trailer were weighed in at approxi- mately 99,000 pounds. The load limit on his vehicle was 70,500 pounds. As a result of his objection, he was given permission to take the load down to Cache Creek to the platform scale there. This time the recorded weight was 86,000 pounds, still overweight, but showing a 13,000-pound drop from the portable. Another large company recorded a similar objec- tion; went through the process of checking, and this time a difference of 16,000 pounds was shown between the portable and platform scales. It is understood that as a result of these firms using their money in moving loaded vehicles about 65 miles to prove their point, portable scales between Prince George and Clinton have been recalled for checking. - Whether these scales appear again will be up to the department in charge to decide, but considering the cases mentioned, two questions come to mind. Why weren’t these portable scales checked by the government department before they were placed on the road? And what about the operators who were fined for overloading on the basis of evidence from these same scales? “MORE POWER THAN BOAT ‘The British Columbia Safety Council has some sound advice on the dangers of overpowering small boats. How necessary the warning is can be found in the story behind such headlines as “man drowns as boat races away,” and ‘! city man’s body found.” In the first case, the operator drowned when he was tipped out of a 12-foot boat with a 35 horse power motor operating under stiff wind and fast tide condi- tions. The second headline was over a story of four people in a 14-foot boat with a 60 horsepower motor who drowned near Edmonton in a high wind. The cause, the Safety Council states, is ignorance on the part of boat purchasers and on the part of advertisers and sellers. As examples of this, the Council quotes newspaper advertisements for a 13-foot boat, claiming “handles up to 40 h.p. motor” and of a 15-foot boat with “ motor capacity up to 60 h.p. Length, states the Council, is by no means the only factor in determining the maximum horsepower for any boat, but there is certainly a minimum length of boat which should be used with any given horse- power, A table published by a leading insurance com- pany shows boat length in relation to horsepower. This company will not insure boats under the lengths stated if they are equipped with more than the indi- cated horsepower. Length under 10 feet with more than 10 h.p under 12 feet with more than 15 h.p.; under 14 with more than 35; under 16 with more than 40; under 18 with more than 60; under 20 with more than 80 h.p. The Department of Transport and the Canadian Boating Federation have been working on this prob- Jem for some years. They now issue a plate to boat puilders which sets out the maximum horsepower and the maximum load carrying capacity of any boat, cal- culated from the design and dimensions of the Doat. When the use of these plates becomes general, it will do much towards promoting “ safety afloat.” LATEST SALES GIMMICK Latest merchandising gimmick to hit our town uses the telephone and the “ give-away technique. The pitch starts one fine day when the woman of the house answers her telephone and is informed by the sales person at the other end that her name has been “selected” as a participant in a contest the ealler’s company is sponsoring. The housewife only has to answer two questions correctly to win $20. Of course, the questions are worthy of the contest. The ones we heard of were: What is the largest city on the North American continent? And: _What city is the capital of Canada?—real brain twisters. Naturally, the selected contestant gives the correct answers, and someone whisks out immediately with a $20 cheque. Or do they? Well—not exactly.. You are informed that your $20 winnings are only realized when applied on the purchase of several lines the sales person is peddling. Ig by this time you're still panting after that $20, you can expect a visit in person, and you can probably also expect to be handing out cash rather than receiving it. This is only one sales approach of a number we can expect to be inflicted with now the summer season is with us. There will undoubtedly be the annual visi- tation of the book salesmen whose companies just hap- o “ select’ your name as the prospective re- pene f some outstanding offer (in their opinion). eipient o y iti tect your less One way you as citizens can pro} ales-resistant neighbors is to ask the sales person for their village business licence. Without a licence, they are doing business illegally in the confines of the vil- lage, and if their p they should have peddlar’s licence. presence should be repor no hesitation about taking out a If they fail to produce one, their ted to the village office. With prophecies of the Williams Lake Stampede rivalling Pendleton and Calgary in the future, let’s take ee - S IT USED TO LOOK 1920. From a look at the familiar grounds in centre erupted the stock. that little corral in the BY CLIVE STANGOE ++. and that’s what cowboys are made of. On the second day of the Stampede, Hector McDonald, of Lytton, suffered a painful accident when he was crushed between the horse he was mount- ed on and the chute. Hector broke his leg in the accident, but as the ambulance was bearing him off the field, spectators could see an arm and hat wav- ing cheerfully through the am- bulance window. x ko BUSIEST MEN during the running of the show are those who form the arena staif under arena manager Dave Powell. Dave's right-hand man is big, quiet George Felker, who creates order in the office out of bushels of judges’ slips writen on pieces of paper of all shapes and sizes. In addi- tion there are some 16 helpers including judges, pick-up men, flag men, and those lads out of sight behind the chutes who keep the balky stock moving through. But the business of running the actual events is only a small part of the work these men do. The Sunday before the Stampede, five riders who were looking for some pratice tried out the stock—and this year the stock was above criticism. Joe Kelsey brought up 30 head of guaranteed buckers and these animals were used once a day every day. In addition he had 12 long horn steers and 15 head of bulls. Added to the bucking horse stock were some 38 head of local stock. Quality of the stock can be judged from the number of re- rides given; three the first day, one the second and one the third. In the past, as many as eight re-rides were given. (A re-ride is awarded when an animal fails to buck on the first draw). Every morning around 7:30 the arena men got on the job and allotted the stock by mak- ‘Whoso neglects learning in his youth, loses the past and is dead for the future. —Enuripides. THE WILLIAMS LAKE TRIBUNE Established 1931 Editor, Clive Stangoe Published every Wednesday at Williams Lake, B.C., by the Cariboo Press Limited. Subscription per year _ $3.00 Outside Canada ______ $4.00 roposition is as good as they claim, Advertising rates on application Authorized as Second Class Mail by the Post Office ing draws. The work is completed by 11 and the contestants then know just about when they will be expected to ride during the atfter- noon. Of course things can get snarled up as they did on the last day of the show. After the stock was sorted out and the sections posted, some character opened the gates and mixed the animals up. Result was that numbers were called early in the day that had orig- inally been posted for the late afternoon and there was aa un- avoidable delay in gdtting riders. Despite the work and the though, this year’s show was a satisfaction to the arena men as well as the spec- snarl-ups tators. Since Dave has been in charge we have listened to him each year after the show “never again,” but this time it is different. He’s al- ready planning for the 1960 Stampede. * * * A WORD from author Eric Collier says he has had en- couraging news about his new book, ‘Three Against the Wilderness.” Seems the Popu- lar Science Publishing Com- pany (Outdoor Life Magazine) has accepted the book to be offered through the Outdoor Life Book Club with a mini- mum guarantee to cover a first edition of 15,000 copies. Saturday Evening Post con- sidered the book for serializa- tion, but turned it down in view of the earlier Readers’ TDigest option. However, in writing to the firm of EB. P. Dutton, the editor-in-chief of the Post staff said “ this is by far the best book of the north woods we have seen in years.” Altogether the reports make nice reading for everyone who knows Eric. — LOOKS AT — Several rosy prospects in the Carib 00's future By A. J. Drinkell Those laudatory letters to the in last week’s issue engaged the boys at our last hold-forth. If they may be deemed a criterion, the Stampede was a resounding success, and Shorty re- marked, “We have yet to hear a derog- atory remark,” which is something unusual for this neck of the woods. Generally we can muster up something to com- plain about, in fact some say we Cariboo folk are miserable if we have nothong to find fault with. PROSPECT DELIGHTFUL That young lady who en- visages a show “bigger and better" than either Calgary or Pendleton, need not worry about being called a fool. It certainly is a delightful prospect. It may require a few years to materialize, but we can appreciate its bouyant op- timism, an element that should tincture the thinking of all who are suiticiently fortunate to reside in a country having a truly roseate future. We hope the young lady continues to inspire us with her dreams. It would be a sorry world without the dreamers. Of course, we could take the glow off this year’s success by bemoaning the fact next year the weather will be so bad the whole thing will go flat—which is typical of some of our organizations. editor appearing attention of the While were the boys enjoying the letters aforesaid, Chairman Blunt in- terrupted to remark the columns of The Tribune carried an- other success story— one not quite so spec- tacular as the rodeo, but probably o! greater importance to the future of the Cariboo. He referred to the splendid year just completed by the students of our local Junior- Senior High School. Judging by the list of promotions and merit awards, it, too, was a re- markable accomplishment and we proudly tip our hats to Principal Tom Beaines and his staff. Mr. Beames has worked long and ardently to make our higher seat of learning an in- stitution of which we can be justly proud. The success which has attended the school year just ended augurs well for the future as many of those students will guide the destiny of Cariboo in future years. It is the kind o2 success re- quired to assure the taxpayer his money is being profitably invested. We sincerely hope Mr. Beames will now v6 ¢n- couraged to remain with us to continue his good work and enjoy the fruits of his labor for many years to come. ONE YEAR AGO July 16, 1958 The town will observe a three-and-a-half hour holiday Friday on the occasion of the t of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret. The Prin- cess will receive a stetson hat as a souvenir of Canada’s sec ond largest rodeo and at the Stampede grounds she will be served a cowboy breakfast from the chuckwagon . . Local resident Geoff.Place and his family had a perfect view of the carrier rocket Sputnik II last Friday night... On July 1, Brother Collins left St. Joseph's Mission. He was carried by stretcher aboard a Canadian Pacific Airlines plane bound for Vancouver. Both- ered by arthritis, Brother Col- lins was going to Mount St. Mary, a hospital run by, the Sisters of St. Ann on Van- THE MACDUFF OTTAWA REPORT A need for re- OTTAWA—Two hectie days saw the Commons Broadcast- ing Committee carry out a whirlwind inquiry into charges that “clandestine political in- fluences” had been brought to bear on programming within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. They ended with the charges not proven. The charges were made by three producers: They de- manded to know why a politi- cal commentary program orig- inating in Ottawa, known as “Preview Commentary,” had suddenly been cancelled. When they could get no satisfactory answers they walked off the job. More than 30 other CBC employees followed them. It was the biggest crisis to confront the CBC in a series of major crises. The Commons Committee decided to intervene. It in- vited the producers to appear and tell their story. In a drama-packed day, the pro- ducers told of hearing from couver Island . investigations of the entire ad- ministration of B.C. “Indian affairs by both the provincial and federal governments was demanded today by Cariboo MLA William Spare. An inci- ‘dent over the body of a Nazko Indian tot who had died in Vancouver Hospital brought the issue to a head and also brought charges of “rank dis- crimination” against Indians from Mr. Speare . . . One of the largest crowds seen at War Memorial Arena turned out for the B.C. Centurama show last Wednesday night. An esti- mated 1,000 packed rows of chairs placed on the new concrete floor as well as the bleacher seats, and the over- flow perched on the boards. FIVE YEARS AGO July 15, 1954 Anahim Lake's annual Stam. pede, held last Thursday, Fri- day and Saturday, enjoyed a record turnobut as if in appre- ciation of that community's re- markable job of preparation. Things looked pretty hopeless for a Stampede this year, the old grounds with their single chute were in pretty rough shape. Then a bunch of the Anahim cowmen got talking and joking one night and a feasible plan emerged for an entirely new set-up. The re- sult: a 30 x 40 foot dance hall and a set of corrals, two chutes ‘and bucking arena seven logs high . . . Applica- tion for establishment of a non-scheduled air charter ser- vice has been made by Chil- cotin Airways, a recently in- corporated firm composed of five local businessmen. Should the application be approved, the plane will operate out of Williams Lake to any point in 00 watched Lac La Hache win the Canim Lake Sawmill trophy last Sunday in a five- team invitational softball tour- ney at 100 Mile House. In the final game Lac La Hache came out on top of 100 Mile with a 19-3 score. TEN YEARS AGO July 14, 1949 Some 1,300 optimistic people had their hopes dashed Friday night at the Elks dance in the new hall, but 15 lucky British Columbia and Saskat- chewan residents were richer by awards running from $50 * Dominion of Canada bonds to a brand new 1949 sedan. Local girl Jackie Ward-Moran col- lected $100 for selling the win- ning ticket for the car at the Elks fund raffle... The third annual Cariboo Youth Camp Regatta was held yesterday under sunny. skies at uac La Hache. John Gibbon was the individual star of the day, taking the senior boys’ aggr gate prize with the highest in- dividual total of the day... Maple Leafs top the City League with eight wins, with Buckaroose second with ‘six and Monarchs third with one game to their credit. TWENTY YEARS AGO July 13, 1939 A commission to investigate the practibility and possible route of the proposed Alaska Highway commenced their sit- tings last Thursday at Prince George, with Hon. Charles Stewart, former Canadian Mia- ister of the Interior, as presi- dent of the commission. their — superior that political pressures had been the reason the program was dropped, but they could not be specific. “HEADS WOULD ROLL” The producers’ superiors were called. They told of the CBC acting president, E. L. Bushnell, that the controversial program must be cancelled or ‘heads would roll.” The heads, he had in- dicated, would include his own, the president's, Alphonse Ouimet, and even the head of Hon. George Nowlan, Minister of National Revenue. Surprised and shocked, the committee went right to the top of the CBC. It called Mr. Bushnell to the stand and he denied that political influences had been brought to bear, and stated that the decision to can- cel the program had been his own. Mr. Bushnell has a pen- chant for colorful language, hence his warning that “ heads would roll.” Mr. Bushnell admitted he had heard criticism of some CBC actions from Mr. Nowlan, who reports to Parliament for the corporation. He had heard criticisms from other members of parliment, but he had never received any orders or directions. He had made his own decision—a bad one. His timing was poor. Had he waited a few more weeks until the end of parliament and then cancelled the pro- gram, there would have been little reaction.’ His reaso: for killing the commentary were sound, but he made the serious mistake of leaving the impression that it had been pushed off the air by political pressures. r. Bushnell emphatically denied that political influence warning had played any part in the cancellation. The Conserva- tives were satisfied. Not satisfied were the Liberal and CCF members on the committee. They asked that Mr. Nowland appear. He did so, readily. He vigurously denied having given any in- structions to cancel “ Preview Commentary.” He had passed along some criticism of the program and some praise, but he had not asked or ordered that it be killed. Mr. Nowland made a prac- tice of having frequent talks with Mr. Bushnell: In these talks he relayed complaints he organization had received about program- ming. But he left it entirely up to the acting president to decide what action, if any, should follow such complaints. The Minister was amazed at the lack of discipline that existed within the CBC’s man- agement. Mr. Nowland had suggested the only answer should be some firings. The suggestion had shaken the act- ing president. There had been no firings in the CBC since 1942. The the Minister made it clear he had never suggested there should be firings in the top management of the CBC. He had suggested firings lower down to restore discipline and end the defiance by some pro- ducers. He had not inter- fered. He had merely made the suggestion to the acting president. BACK ON AIR In the meantime, the CBC Board of Directors reversed Mr. Bushnell’s decision and they ordered “Preview Com- mentary” back on the air, The three producers and other 30-odd CBC employees who had quit went back to their jobs: They were happy with the outcome of the committee's hearings. One thing appeared certain in the mass of evidence heard by the committee. If there was any “interference” with the government-owned broad- casting agency, it was no greater than the days the Liberals were in power. It also appeared from the evidence that there had been a breakdown in the manage- ment of the CBC. A tendency to establish a small empire within the corporation had de- veloped, due in part tothe management being located in Ottawa while the chief pro- duction centres are in Toronto and Montreal. Some producers had come to. regard themselves as above or * beyond the CBC management, even above and beyond the government or parliament. They regard themselves as the trustees of free speech Canada. Their word is 1 ‘They spend money as they see fit, and nobody should inter- fere, not even the acting presi- dent. A re-organization with- in the CBC was obviously long overdue. CAPITAL HILL CAPSULES Prime Minister Diefenbaker has set a new pattern for official entertaining—no liquor is to be served. The tee- totalling P.M. tried the social experiment of a dry reception when he entertained 2,000 guests at the St. Lawrence Seaway -opening in Montreal. No cocktails were served but the buffet was elaborate. The affair was a success. Now the P.M. is convinced that a dry reception is an extellen: idea. A last-minute plea by the CBC board of directors to the commons broadcasting ccm- mittee fell on deaf ears. The board urged that the comuit- tee not insist on having made public the costs of sponsored TV programs and the amounts paid by sponsors. But the committee did insist and the figures were released to the press. They showed that Canadian taxpayers were pay- ing thousands of dollars & month for the privilege of watching those TV commer- cials. No man can climb beyond| the limitations of his own character —Viscount Morley. to boil being carried out, time. NOTICE Residents of Williams Lake are advised all drinking water forthwith while the new waterworks program is It is estimated that the work will be completed in ten days to two weeks’ THE CORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE OF WILLIAMS LAKE ~