Western Star (Corner Brook, N.L.), 1951-05-11

              The Western Star  52ND YEAR—NUMBER 2778 Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada, Friday, May 11, 1951 TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES —PRICE FIVE CENTS WILL THE DEADLINE BE MET? Hampered by poor weather, which has brought its full quota of mud, workmen are striving to meet the August 31 deadline for completion of the cement mill on Humber Heights. This geometric display is a part of the main building, framed in steel. In the centre is the base for certain essential machinery. . —D. Parsons. AT THE WATERFRONT end of the cement and gypsum plant development, the federal government wharf, built last year, is being extended to serve the shipping necessary to transport the new Newfoundland products to marker. The land at left is being used in the project. —D. Parsons. TARIFF CONCESSIONS OBTAINED WITH U.S., 15 OTHER NATIONS I OTTAWA (OP)  Cana signed a new long-term riff, trimming agreements th the United States and other countries, aimed at nefitting Canadian man*. cturing, fishing, and farm% industries. The conces>ns conclude seven months gotiation among 34 counies at Torquay, England, ley were announced on lesday night by the exter-1 Affairs Dept., and explainin the Commons by Trade inister Howe and Finance inister Abl>ott. The full effect may not be It immediately. The main concessions were obtained from the United States, which lowered tariffs on 100 items of interest to Canada including lead, zinc, birch, pulpwood, cheddar cheese, canned salmon and pulpwood. In turn, Canada lowered tariffs to the U. S. and other countries on many things including Turkish tobacco, motor vehicle parts, rubber tires, confectionery, grapefruit juice, machinery, household furniture, and some electrical appliances. Abbott said that some concessions may work in "these times of inflation and high proces, to help ease the burden for the Canadian consumer".LAST MINUTE NEWS BRIEFS Canada's New Brigade -OTTAWA (CP)  Defence Minister Claxton reported to the Commons that on Tuesday 1,200 Canadians sought to join Canada's new brigade group for Europe and he predicted there would he no difficulty in raising the 5,500 to 6,500 men needed. Launching a Commons defence debate, he also said that there are enough reinforcements for the 25th Brigade to keep it fighting in Korea for six months, this pool being augmented from the current recruiting stream. Up to llay 3, the army suffered 33 deaths and 85 men wounded in Korea. He profoundly disagreed with Howard Green, who Monday night urged a naval blockade of China and also said the U.N. Commander should be left free to bomb China. That way, said the Minister, lay the threat of general war. He reported that Canada will not send any further army equipment to Europe until the stocks ars replenished by U. S. equipment. Russia May Enter War WASHINGTON (CP)— Defence Secretary George Marshall warned on Tuesday ' that Russia may enter the Korean war without notice, but this threat, lie said, would be far greater if the United States follows the war plans proposed by General Douglas Mac Arthur. For the second day the 70 vear old Marshall urged the United States not to take the added risk of open conflict with Russia by stepping up the war with Communist China. He said that Russia has massed strong ground forces in the Far East and their entry into the Korean struggle would be a very serious thing.. MaeArthur testified last week that he did not believe bombing China would draw the Russians into the conflict or that the Russians could wage much of a war in the Far Fast. Hong Kong May Ban Trade HONG KONG (CP)  The feeling that Hong Kong should ban all trade with China appeared to be growing on Tuesday night among the colony's British business men, who would be among the first to feel the pinch if such action were taken. Recently there has been a falling on of trade and a hardening of British feeling here toward China, the latter intensified by the heavy casualties inflicted on the Royal Gloucestershire Regiment in the Chinese spring offensive in Korea.  ARMY RECRUITS LEAVE Four recruits for the new Korea unit left Corner Brook Thursday afternoon by train for St. John's. Over $4,600 Raised Here For Red Cross Although final returns for the March campaign of the local branch of the Candian Red Cross Society are not complete, so far over $4,600 has been reported. It is expected by officials of the branch that about approximately $5,000 will be collected when all donations are received.Campaign officials were very pleased with the result which compares very favorably on a per capita basis with St. John's which reported $15,- 789.37 at April 18. At that time the grand total for the island was listed as $33,945.- 34. Incomplete returns from nearby centres include Deer Lake, $343; Springdale, $158; Grand Falls, $2,151.91 and Channel, $339.28. Completed reports include Mjllertown, $171.50; Bishops Falls, $537; Stephenville, $212.65 and Exploits, $7O. St. John's Boy Killed By Truck ST. JOHN'S (Special)  Robert Hookey, age 13, was killed when struck by a motor truck outside the ropewalk factory, St. John's, on Tuesday afternon. The lad, with other boys who were playing round the building, was coming out of a doorway when a truck was backing in to discharge a load of goods. The boy became jammed against the concrete wall of the building by the rear of the truck, receiving fatal injuries to his chest. He died on the way to Gr«ce Hospital. The father of the bov is ar employee of the Colonial Cordage Company. The truck, owned by the company, was driven by Angus Pardy. The driver was unaware that the bov was near the rear of the vehicle. ON FILM TOUR John Cull of the National Board has been on his semiannual tour of film circuits on the West Coast. This started at Isle aux Morte >»nd will finish at Cow Head. He will attend the annual Maritime Film Conference at Sackville iL June. No Change In Provincial Hit Bump Bonnet Went Up Perpendicularly Says Friend Of Rase; Tells Of Drinking Manslaughter Trial Before Jury The trial of 20-year-old Walter Edward Rose for manslaughter opened Wednesday morning before the Hon. Mr. Justice Winter and continued throughout the day when a number of witnesses were heard. It was expected that the case would go to the jury late Thursday. A special jury was sworn in as follows: D. W. Layden, C. Verge, W. Simmons, S. Laite, Daniel Kean, R. Elkins, John Blackm/ore, Geo. Le- Moine, Stephen Barriault, E. Bailey, Jos. Abbot, Jr., Jacob Effort. The grand jury previously had returned a true bill. Top witness called in Wednesday's proceedings was Max Brake, 20, who was with the accused on the night of the accident on Nov. 4. Brake was questioned at length by Crown Prosecutor Harry Carter, K.C., Defense Lawyer Austin Parsons and Mr. Justice Winter.Brake testified that on the afternoon of Nov. 4 lie bought a one dozen case of beer at the Controller's. Half of the cost was borne by Rose. At 8:30 o'clock on the same day he met Rose in the Humber restaurant and'the two got in Rose's car and proceeded to the West Side,- where Brake bought a jacket. Drank Bottles Of Beer About 9 o'clock Rose asked Brake to accompany him to Deer Lake to meet a few girls. Brake agreed. Before going there, however, they took .sevaraJ -passengers to Curling. On the return trip they stopped on Quarry Hill, where Rose drank one or two bottles [of beer and Brake "maybe three." They proceeded about 200 feet down the road to the quarry and there Brake had a few more bottles, while he said Rose had one or two. They went to O. Johnson's restaurant, in Humbermouth, where they bought four hamburgers, then set out for Deer Lake. Brake testified that the night was dull and there was a mist falling. Driving Fast Rose drove at a moderate speed, said Brake, until they got on the dirt road after which Rose drove at a faster rate of speed. Asked by Mr. Carter to define "fast" Brake said, "if 20 miles an hour is slow, I guess 30 to 35 miles per hour would be fast." Brake said he had been accustomed to operating a truck and for that reason considered 30 or 35 m.p.h. as -fast. About eight miles from Humbermouth, or near the scene of the accident, he said he noticed some object on the road that was about eight to 12 inches high. Brake said he noticed the object when about 20 feet from it. He said it could have been a tin can or an old piece of wood. When the car went over it he felt a slight bump. Then the bonnet of the car shot up almost perpendicular. He said Rose put his foot on the brake and gradually brought the vehicle to a halt. He had not noticed any car passing in the opposite direction. Threw Away Beer When Rose brought the vehicle to a halt, Brake said he (Brake) immediately threw about five bottles of beer up into the woods. His reason for this, he said, was because he was under age to purchase same and he did not want to get into any trouble. He then looked back the road and saw several people in the middle of the highway, while there were also two cars parked there. Both he and Rose walked back to where they had felt the bump. They saw a man lying on the road, and he was dead. At the scene were Wallace Locke, taxi driver, and his two passengers, and Gerald Coleman and Miss Mercedes St. John. Miss St. John, a nurse, advised the group that the man was dead. Mr. Justice Winter questioned Brake regarding the height to which the bonnet rose in the air. He also asked Brake if he had examined the front of the car after the machine was brought to a stop. Brake replied that he hadn't. "Twasn't my car," he replied.Going To Give Chase Gerald Coleman, grocer from Corner Brook West, said that he in company with his girl friend—now Mrs. Coleman left Humbermouth about 10:45 p.m. for a drive up the highway. At about 11:10 p.m. near Sharpe's Farm, he was hailed by several men and stopped to investigate. One of the men (a passenger in Locke's car) jumped an the running board of his truck and said, "Chase that car!" • Coleman said there was a car about 200 feet up the road and it appeared to be moving. However, as he commenced to give chase, he noticed a man on the right side of the road and lying quite still. He stopped his truck, and the party went to investigate. Coleman said that his fiancee examined the man for a pulse and notified them that she could not feel it and that the man was dead. At this point, said Coleman, Rose and Brake joined the group. They helped put the man in Locke's car, then got aboard Coleman's truck and were taken to the local R.C.M., P. office. There they advised Sgt. Keough that there had been an accident up the highway.Coleman said that Rose appeared to be quite sober but that he seemed to be suffering from shock. Miss St. John, on the stand, substantiated this testimony and also stated that Rose, to her, appeared to be suffering from shock. Taxi Driver* Halted Wallace Locke, driver with the Star Transport Co., said that about 10:45 p.m. he had two passengers aboard his car and was taking them to a cabin at Little Rapids. Near Sharpe's Farm he was hailed by three men, who were standing on the side of the road. He recognized one of the men as Peter Target. The three men were seated on the side of the road. Locke said that he swerved out around the men and proceeded to the cabin. About 45 mintes later he was returning with his passengers to Corner Brook. He passed a maroon car and at approximately the same spot as he had seen the three men a short while before, the headlights of his car picked up a man lying on the road. Locke said that he and his passengers got out of the car and discovered the man to be Peter Target. Soon after G. Coleman and Miss St. John appeared on the scene. Locke had the dead man put in his car- and taken to the police station in Corner Brook. Not, however, before the party had examined Rose's car and found the front of the machine damaged and a piece of cloth hanging from a part of the grill. Other Bodies Later Locke returned to the scene with Sgt. Keough and several other police officers. After a search they found two other bodies lying on the right side of the road, about live feet apart. These proved to be Michael Target and Augustus Piercey. At one point in the testimony, Defense Lawyer Parsons pointed out that in the preliminary enquiry Locke said that he did not recognize Peter Target as the one who hailed him before the accident. During Wednesday's testimony said that he was positive it was Peter Target. Mr. Justice Winter asked Locke if he did not, after discovering Target on the road, wonder where the other two men had gone. It was late in the night, the judge told Locke, three men were seen walking along the road. A short while later one of the three was found lying dead on the road. The judge suggested that it' would be natural to wonder about the other two men. Saw Men On Road Otto Locke, driver with Ruth's Taxi, said that at 10:30 p.m. he had a fare for Pynn's Brook. Near Sharpe's Farm he saw three men. One was lying down on the right side of the road, another was seated, while a third man was walking toward Corner Brook. The last-mentioned had his hands in his pockets and his head hanging on his chest. Locke said that a slight mist was falling and-that he had to swerve to escape hitting the man who was lying down on the road. On the return trip, he said, he saw a maroon-colored car parked near the side of the road. He got out to examine it and finding nobody in it, returned to his own car and continued to Corner Brook. Took Up Passengers Augustus Mac Donald, taxi driver, testified that he was hired by Augustus Piercey to take a party up the highway at 8 p.m. Piercey was sober at the time, around 4:30 p.m., and told McDonald that he would pay him then as he might not have the money later in the evening. At about 10 o'clock Mac- Donald said that he picked up Piercey, and Michael and Peter Target and C. Ruth. He drove up the highway and when near the destination, a logging camp*near Sharpe's Farm, was asked to proceed a little farther. He did so and then the passengers alighted, with the exception of Ruth who returned to Corner Br6ok. Mac Donald said that they were intoxicated, in his opinion. Watch Stopped At 11:10 p.m. E. Tuma, Corner Brook West, stated on the witness stand that Peter Target had been in his store about 4:30 p.m., on Nov. 4 to pick up a watch he had put in to be repaired some time before. Tuma said that Target was "feeling good". Tuma placed the watch on Target's wrist. He identified the watch picked up at the scene of the accident as the one he had given Target. The hands indicated 11:10 p.m. Officer's Testimony Constable Tomlin, R.C.M.P., took the stand to identify a series of photographs taken at the scene of the accident. However, Defense Lawyer Parsons, intent on bringing out that there was a sudden rise in the road in the vic*'iity, said that the photographs were indistinct. He said that he had obtained a much betterspective when he had visited the scene and saw the area for himself. He suggested that the jury visit the scene. Crown Prosecutor Carter pointed out, and Justice Winter agreed, that if this provednecessary after all evidence had been heard, arrangements would be made for the jury to visit the scene. Placed Under Arrest Constable Tomlin said that VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN PANAMA OvER CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES PANAMA, Panama (CP)— Shooting and mob attacks broke out in this capital Wednesday during a general strike against the president, which paralyzed the whole tense city. Two persons were killed and 166 injured. A* radio station which has been supporting President Arnulfo Arias was attacked by a mob. Eye-witnesses said the equipment was destroyed. The attack, witnesses said, was made under fire from the radio station, which wounded some persons. Police went into action to round up persons carrying firearms. Centre Of Controversy Arnulfo Arias, constitutionswitching president, and the Police Army which put him in power, were at the centre. Following a meeting with strong-man National Police Chief Col. Jose Antonio Remon, the police delegation told the President it wants to retain the 1946 constitution. Arias, in a decree on Monday night, swapped it for a 1941 national charter, written during an earlier term. Arias announced on Tuesday night that he will call a plebiscite in which the people can decide which constitution they prefer. Observers felt, however, that the stand for the 1941 charter which he expressed to the police group micrht cancel this projected poll. The Arias decree has also dissolved the National Assembly, suspended the right of habeas corpus and put the country's top courts on a temporary basis. He charged subversive plotting by the opposition leaders and the outlawed Communist party. Blood Donor Pledges Rise Some 80 blood-donor pledges had been received from local persons by Wednesday night, Doug Strong, head of the health committee, the Lions Club Wednesday night. The figure took a sudden upward swoop immediately when Mr. Strong and his committee distributed pledges among the 40 Lions at the meeting and received signatures from every able-bodied man in the membership. Mr. Strong's committee has been working quietly but industriously on the job of building up a blood bank for the Western Memorial Hospital. This same group also arranged to entertain the patients in the Lions Ward at the hospital last night. Nearly 300 magazines were ready for distribution throughout the hospital, and playing cards and other games were provided.HOUSING CORPORATION BIG JOKE—CASHIN ST. JOHN'S (Special)— In Tuesday's sitting of the House Mr. Cashin, Independent, released a bitter blast against the government for discrimination in rental laws. He claimed the government reserved the right to raise rentals in the Housing Area by 40 percent while forbidding private landlords to raise rents. The Hon. L. R. Curtis, attorney general, assured Mr. Cashin there would be further increases. Mr. Cashin said it was indecent and unfair. 'The corporation is a great joke," he said. Taxes Premier Presents Budget ST. JOHN'S (Special) A budget which did not include new taxation was brought down Wednesday in the House of Assembly by Premier J. R. Smallwood, who is also acting minister of finance. The premier estimated that the government would show a surplus in its current account during 1951*52. In a two-hour speech, the premier congratulated Senator Hermann Quinton, who was finance minister until his cecent elevation to the senate. New Industries Sought He said the government is negotiating for a paper mill and pulp mill; an oil-hardening plant, a shoe factory, an automobile-tire factory, a leather tannery, a fur processing and dyeing factory. Government policy is to raise the living standards of Newfoundlanders to a position comparable with general North American standards. Economic development is a means to this end. The Figures The premier said the 1951- 52 revenue in current and capital account has been estimated at $31,246,200, and expenditure $39,213,200. The Icelandic trawler venture cost Newfoundland $412,- 100, said Mr. Smallwood. Estimated total wages and salaries paid out to Newfoundlanders in 1950 was $93,370,- SC9. It is estimated that 1951 wages and salaries will reach $113,771,000. Costs Revealed Total cost of the cement mill is $3,100,000. Total cost of two gypsum plants is $2,100,000, the birch mill $1,000,000. Total cash surplus left in treasury at the end of 1952 will be about $14,211,000. Overall guaranteed bank loans totalled $1,794,500, of which $1,676,031 is outstanding. Kevin Barry To Head Lions In Next Year The report of the Lions Club nomination committee was received and adopted Wednesday night at the meeting in the White House. Kevin Barry, vice-president, advances to the presidency. The vice-presidents for 1951- 52 are Cecil Godden, Art Cohen and James Reader. Doug Strong will be secretary and Stewart Osmond treasurer.New directors will be Arthur Hermann and Lewis Andrews, with George Carson and Dr. J. King the holdover members. Albert Bergeron will again be Lion tamer and Gerry Snow becomes tail twister. The Lions viewed two films, one "Scarlet and Gold", dealing with the R.C.M.P. The other was a comedy "Abbott and Costello on Ice". Norman Hood arranged the showing and Ben Mills was projectionist.Safety Taggers Received $530 The Lions Club Safety Committee raised $530 in its recent tag- day, Chairman Arthur Cohen announced Wednesday night at the Lions meetings He paid tribute to the ladies, most of them wives of Lions, who had done the tagging, and proposed that a Ladies Night be held forthwith, in their honor. The suggestion was adopted enthusiastically, for the meeting of May 28. Mr. Cohen was made convenor. (Continued on Page 3)