Western Star (Corner Brook, N.L.), 1949-02-18

              The Western Star i Ymt—Number 2552 Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Friday, February 18, 1949 Price Five Cents FIVE DROWNED IN MARINE TRAGEDY Was Enroute To Halifax From Grand Banks- Twenty-One Survivors Reach Sydney NORTH SYDNEY, N. S., Feb. 17 (CP) The Marshall Frank, 140 ton fishing schooner, in command of Captain Abraham Miles and owned by James Keeping, formerly of English Harbour West and now residing at Halifax, piled on Mary Joseph Shoal, 22 miles south of Sydney at 4 p. m., Wednesday. Five of the crew lost their lives. The remaining 22 others, including Captain Miles, reached safety in their dories. <•> ii. Those who lost their lives were Leo Blagden, Conrad Blagden of Boxey, Fortune Bay; Garfield Green and Norman Ball of Recontre West, and John F. Blagden of Coles Cove. The bodies of Leo Blagden and Garfield Green were later washed ashore. The following survivors are being cared for at the Seamen's Institute here: Captain Miles and Mate, James and Cecil Blagden, Charles Sheppard, Richard Price, James Burt, Wyn. Miles, (Captain's ' brother) and Tibbo Blagden of Boxey; Walter Keeping (Engineer), Leo Pope, Russell f Thornhill and Harold Keeping of Grand Bank;* John Strowhridge, Joseph Sheppard, George Sheppard and son, James Cox and John Snooks of Wrech Cove; Frank Withrow, of Fortune; and Herbert Baker, Mose Ambrose. Experience Fifty-one year old Abe Miles, the skipper of the Marshall Frank, who has been fishing Oil the Gram] Banks for 35 years, and all his crew were married. It was his first trip for the current season, and his ship had 40,000 pounds of fish on board. He was making for his home port of Halifax when the storm struck. Tired and haggard they reached Sydney. Captain Miles told quietly the story of the tragedy. "We were fishing close to , the land when the storm struck at 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. The men were still out in the dories and there was snow and sleet. We worked close in to the land to try and get a bearing, and before we knew what had happened the ship struck a shoal. It was ouite a jar. Waves seven and " eight feet high washed over my ship. The men were grasping anything they csuld get hold of. I told them that I thought that the vessel was a goner and it was a case of every man for himself. Schooner "Marshall Frank'' Smashed On Sydney Shoals Govt. Estimates For 1949-50 The following statement is is«Aied by the Commissioner for Finance on behalf of the Commission of Government: Term 19 of the Terms of Union of Newfoundland with Canada, which were signed at Ottawa on December 11, 1948, provides that funds for defraying the expenses of the Public Services of Newfoundland may be voted prior to the date of union and that the terms of th governing statute will have effect after the date - of union until otherwise pro* vided by the Legislature of Province of Newfound- Qland. A Provincial Government formed before a Legislature has been elected will not have legislative powers and. in order to provide for the Public x Services, it is necessary fo» the present Government to - prepare Estimates and vote funds in accordance with the Term referred to. Estimate? of Provincial Services are accordingly being prepared bv Departments, and Supply wil' be voted before the date of union, The Estimates will b*> published in due course. St. George's Hotel Destroyed By Fire Tuesday Night ST. GEORGE'S (From our correspondent)— The White House Hotel, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Delaney, was totally destroyed by fire here last night. The fire was discovered in one of the bedrooms on the second floor at approximately 9:00 p. m. and by 12:30 a.m. nothing was left of the building but the burning embers. Very little was saved from the hotel. The Ernest Harmon Air Base fire truck was contacted but arrived too late to save the Hotel. However, it did good work in keeping the fire from spreading to the adjoining building. Fortunately, there was very little wind at the time. Mr. and Mrs. Delaney have suffered the loss of a lifetime of savings in the destruction of their hotel. It is understood that the building and furniture were partly covered with insurance. Diplomats Offer Condolences To Pope Pius XII VATICAN CITY, Feb. 16 (CP)r—Diplomats of S3 countries today expressed to Pope Pius condolences on the sentencing of Cardinal Minds-7enty of Hungary to life imprisonment. The Pontiff, in an address of gratitude, termed the mass audience unique in the history of the Holy See's diplomatic relationships.Speaking in the French tongue, he said he awaits the "hour when all nations will put forth friendly hands to collaborate for the restoration of humanity which is at present torn by hatreds and discords."Of the diplomats in Rome today and accredited to have visited the Vatican, only the Yugoslav Charge d'Affaires, Peter Benzon, failed to attend. He pleaded illness. Two years ago Yugoslovia sentenced for sixteen years another high Roman Catholic Archbishop, Alojzijc Stepinac, on charges of collaborating with the Germans.Fighting Breaks Out Again RANGOON. Feb 16 (CP)— Pro-government sources said ;oday that Burmese troops had opened a major offensive aimed at the recapturing of Insein, held by rebellious Karjn tribesmen since January U. Informants said that gov»rnment troops jumped off 'ast night from their new base at Byogon. one mile below lniein and nine miles north of Rangoon. The first report today claim»d a government advance bevond the Karen stronghold guarding the entrance to the town where the Karens have Seen battling furiously igainsf Government troops n the Insein area to set up an ndependent state. Expensive Party But No Chicken (Stafl) Thoughts of having a chicken dinner a la Earle's Farm at Pasadena recently, led four men to the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning with two charges against each of them, the first for attempting to steal chick en from the farm and the second for wilful and malicious damage to the hennery which resulted in the loss of approxi mately $50.00 to the owner. The case for the prosecution was conducted by Ranger Corporal Hogan of Deer Lake who, with Acting-Sergeant J. Hoyles of the local Constabulary, investigated the matter. One of the accused was Wood row Howell, taxi driver of Corner Brook West, the second, Michael Audeau, also employed here, Frederick Bouzanne frohi the East coast and Thomas Bishop who lives at Midland. From the evidence it was learned that three of the accused hired a taxi on Broadway to take them to Midland where a dinner was planned. On the way, they stopped at Earle's Farm, Pasadena where two of them attempted to enter the hennery to obtain their meat supply under cover of darkness. This operation had to be abandoned, however, when several residents of Pasadena who had been attending a card party nearby, appeared on the scene. The four made a getaway in the taxi but not before one of the passersby had taken the number of the car. According to the testimony of the accused, the party proceeded to Midland where lunch was served minus the chicken. In the case of the taxi driver and the other Corner Brook resident, the second charge against them was dismissed and they were fined $lO.OO or seven days on the first count. The remaining two received total fines of $20.00 and to pay compensation of $25.00 each to Mr. Earle for breaking a window which resulted in the loss by frost of ten barrels of turnips which were stored inside the building near the broken window. Winter Fishery On South Coast Is Improving ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent) The Government" „bait freezer, Malakoff, having landed 180,000  of herring bait at the fishing centres between Ramea and Port-aux-Basques, is now on her way back to Fortune Bay to continue collecting and freezing. The Malakoff is being assisted by the Eastern Explorer and another vessel on charter. Winter cod fishery along the South-west Coast which has been slow from the beginning of the season, is now fair. On Friday last one boat with a Mr. Jones had 6,000 pounds for a day's fishing, while other boats average from two to four thousand pounds per day. Although herring have been exceptionally scarce in Fortune Bay, the Malakoff has so far succeeded in keeping the fishery supplied with bait. The price paid for herring at the beginning of the season was $4.00 per barrel. Due to the scarcity of the fish the price is now up to $6.00 per barrel and is sold to the fishermen *t 2V& cents per pound. Local Boy Leaves For Florida Training Camp SEAN O'LEARY, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stan O'Leary, Armstrong Avenue, is presented with a purse of money at a gathering given in his honour at the Wkite House, Wednesday evening. Sean, who has distinguished himself on the Corner Brook Baseball Team, has been accepted to train with the famed "Brooklyn Dodgers", and is leaving here on Sunday for Miami, Florida, where he will go in training at the Dodgers Winter Camp. Norman Hood makes the presentation while Harry Anderson looks on. —Western Star Staff Photo. C. A. Crosbie Submits His Minority Report Could Not Commit People Of Newfoundland To Such Financial Suicide ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent) —The minority report submitted to H. E. the Governor by Chesley A. Crosbie, only member of the delegation who did not sign the terms ot union of Newfoundland and Canada, has just been made public. Mr. Crrtsbie's report follows: "I would like you to publish this report for the information of the public, as well as a copy of the letter received from the Commission of Government which speaks for itself. In view of the letter received from the Commission of Government and because of conversations which I have had with the Chairman of the delegation with reference to the publication of document, used during our negotiations, I am deleting the Minute referred to. 1 regret that, for the same reason, 1 cannot send you the budget for publication. My own impression was that during our negotiations all matters discussed weie confidential and this 1 can understand, but why the budgets cannot be published no a; is beyond my comprehension as, without knowing in detail what the budgets show, it cannot be anything but very difficult for the public to understand our financial position under Confederation as a province. Thanking you for publishing these documents, Chesley A. Crosbie. "Your Excellency, "I regret very much the delay in not having sent you before my reasons for refusingrefusing to sign the terms of union wilh Canada, but for some seven weeks I have lieen confined to hospital and at home. "As undoubtedly you have received from our Chairman the financial figures prepared by Mr. Thompson and Mr Walter Marshall, our financial advisers, it will not be necessary for me to-go into detail, but I' would like to state here that the budgets prepared by these gentlemen are, in my opinion bare bone. They do not allow for financial emergencies that may arise or for any increased expenditure such as provincial salaries and wages and the extra cost of operating and maintaining additional sanatorium and hospital now under construction."I must point out also that our surplus account is to be used to cover the deficits brought about by an expenditure of $2,500,000 a year on Thieves Take $800 Worth Of Wearing Apparel ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent) —On Monday night theieves broke into the Gourley Fashion Salon, Military lioad, and got away with more than $BOO.OO worth of the latest designs in ladies' dresses, dressing gowns and other garments which were on display and in the fixtures. Some of the coats were recently imported for special customers. The police are investigating.On the same night a jewellery store on Duckworth Street was robbed and two expensive wrist watches were stolen. Steal 400-Pound Safe And Bury It In Snow | ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent) A daring robbery ; took place on Bell Island1 Monday night when the store of Tucker Brothers, Town , Square, was entered and a safe i containing a large sum of money was removed from the i pre mises. , The police, under Sergeant Ho'lett, rounded up two residents of the island yesterday i norn ng as a result of clues found at the scene of the robbery. They also recovered the j safe which had been buried in the snow some distance from the building from which {it was taken. An attempt had : Ijeen made to force open the door but it was unsuccessful. The suspects are now confined I to the Bell Fsland Penitentiary awaiting trial. The safe, whiA weighed approximately 100 pounds, contained $1,645.00 in cash and iail the account books. Another Vessel Is Added To Sealing Fleet ST. JOHN'S (From our cor. respondent) M. S. Arctic Prowler, which will be commanded by Captain W. C. Winsor, M.8.E., to the seal fishery this Spring, is due here from Baltimore on March 8. The vessel, which is being sent out by a Norweigan-American* firm, is 960 tons gross and 725 tons nett, and will have a sealing crew of approximately 90 men, sixty of whom will be Newfoundlanders. The Arctic Prowler will be operated according to the Norweigan pratice, that is, having the fat removed from the pelts and rendered on board ship. It is understood that this vessel will prosecute the hunt on the "front". I Delinquent Boys Admonished By Magistrate (Staff)—Fathers of tw< young lads of Curling stated in court here Wednesday morning that their sons, just turned sixteen, were beyond parental . control and since they were no longer juveniles, asked that they lie punished by the court. Both had come from good homfes, had never wanted for anything and many times 4iad been chastisvi misbehaviour, but to no avail. This pathetic story was unfolded when Acting Sergeant Pitcher had thp two bo"~ brought before Magistrate H. .V. Strong for breaking and entering the store oi «urov>uvear and House Limited pt and for stealng goods o the value of approximately "'250 therefrom late last month. Both were convicted and severely reprimanded by the Magistrate who said he was reluctant to send boys of their to iail. He told them both that they can still make a change for the better and become men of whom their parents will be proud. Magistrate Strong sentenced them to a fine of $25.00 or to serve thirty days in the local lock-up, and further advised the boys to work Cor the money to pay their fines as their parents are unable to do so. All the goods stolen from the store were recovered by the police. Motion To Consult Provinces Defeated PC And Private Member Motions Cause Stormy Sessions Senate Approves Terms Of Union OTTAWA, Feb. 16 (CP) House of Commons last night swept aside two motions \frhich might have delayed the long awaited union of Canada and Newfoundland. By a vote of HIT to 66 the Chamber ditched the thrust by George Drew, Progressive Conservative leader, which would require the Government to consult the provinces before asking the United Kingdom Parliament to amend the British North America Act to give full force to the projected alliance. Then by another whacking vote of 191 to 12 they rejected a second move by private member, Wilfrid LaCroix (Quebec Montmorency) which would have gone a step furth* er and specified that the provinces must consent to the union. Both were appended to the main Govrenment motion to ask the United Kingdom Parliament to pass an act amending the B. N. A. Act and Canada's constitution to complete the union. . The amendments developed into two days of rough and tumble debating over the ticklish constitutional question whether the provinces should be given a say on changes that the Dominion proposes to seek in the B. N. A. Act. Conservatives contended that the provinces should be consulted while the Liberals maintained that provincial consultation was not necessary because provincial rights and prerogatives are not involved. The debate did not end with two Hivisions.Ex-Prime Minister King As the votes were recorded the Right Honourable Williarr Lvon Mackenzie King, formei Prime Minister, who handlec' the early union negotiations said he could not allow the issue to end without saving few words on the all important question of the Union of Newfoundland and Canada." He adjourned the dtbate until ' tomorrow. In a swift stragetical move, the Liberals forced the Progressive Conservatives, who for two days urged provincial consultation, into voting against the LaCroix amendment, specifying that provincial consent must be obtained is well. When the amendmen4 was called Prime Minister St T,aurent and his supporters indicated the wish for a record ed count. In the ensuing voti the Conservatives sided with Liberal and CCF members defeating the amendment which won support from the Socia' Credit group and a handful of independents. When the Progressive Conservative motion came up it won only support from the Humbermouth Man Committed To Supreme Court (Staff)—For the alleged breaking and entering two iiimmer cabins on the Deer Lake highroad in court several months ago* Clyde Farnell resident of Humbermouth appeared in court Tuesday morning for a preliminary hearing into the case. l>efore being committed to the Supreme Court. The defendant will l>e tried at the next session of the Supreme Court on circuit which is expected to be around the end of this month. The summer cabins which were entered are owned by Edward Grace and Dr. T. T. Monaghan, the former situated about thirteen miles from Corner Brook and the latter at Steady Brook. Postal Secretary Says No Changes In Personnel ST. JOHN'S (From our correspondent)—W. D. Roddis, Secretary of Posts and Telegraphs, arrived back in St. John's early this week after a three-week trip to Ottawa where he has been holding a conference with the directors of the variotis branches of the Canadian Postal System concerning the details of the steps to l>e taken to integrate the Canadian and Newfoundland postal systems after Confederation. Mr. Roddis left Ottawa by plane Thursday night and did not arrive in St. John's until 4:00 o'clock Monday morning. He met a very stormy trip and was delayed overnight at Sydney as well as some thirty - six hours at Gander. Mr. Roddis said here that the organization of the Post Office Department under Confederation has not yet l>een finally decided upon, and in all probability the Newfoundland Service will l>ecome a "District Post Office Branch, »vith a District Postal Inspector in charge and having headjuarters at St. John's. All >ranches of the service under Confederation will be staffed >y the present personnel and no Canadian postal officaiis vvill tfe coming here to work permanently. Canadian postage stamps, to be placed on sale here on April i, are expected in this country "within a day or two although f-hey should be here now", the Secretary for Posts and Telegraphs Roddis told the Star reix>rter shortly after his arrival here from Ottawa di.i-ussions.Secretary Roddis continue.l the rumour that a special commemorative stamp would be issued hailing the union of Newfoundland with Canada, adding that it would be a Icent issue. Caught With Overproof Beer (Staff)—With the prosecution being conducted by RangerC. Matthew;s, a residenl of Meadows, Hay of Islands, was convicted in the Magistrate's Court here Tuesday morning of having in his possession over-proof beer which had not been obtained at th«> Board of Liquor Control. Ho was sentenced to a fine of $lO.OO or to serve seven days. (Continued on Page 3) (Continued on Page 2) (Continued on Page 8) Binrer - Better Savings .AT OUR t 24th Annual Sale NOW IN ITS 3RD BIG WEEK. Goodyear * House Ltd. Bitrsrer - Better Savings AT OUR 24th Annual Sale NOW IN ITS 3RD BIG WEEK. Goodyear & House Ltd. In This Issue By The Way " 2 Letter* to the Editor " 2 News About People " 3 Sports Page " ft Ex-Servicemen's Corner " 1 n Mill Page " 18 A.NJD. Co. Notes " j*> Women's Page • • " 20 Bowater's Woods N/>tes " 22 News of Fisheries " 25 Agricultural Page *" 2<» Serial Story " 27 Safety Column " 30