Saskatoon Daily Star from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada • 3

All the Local News In The Daily Star Every Day THE DAILY STAR $2.00 A TEAK BT MAIL SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWA I) A A UST 16, 191 oxooooooooxx BODY Farmers Warned to Guard Against Fire Six Months' Account of City Shows Loss FARMERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT WAGES The Rate for Men to Work MILITARY AUTHORITIES ISSUE ADVICE FOR PROTECTION OP STORY OF FIRE AT HANLEY AROUSES MUCH INTEREST BUT PROVES TO BE WITH-OUT FOUNDATION DEFICIT IS NOT CONSIDERED SERIOUS AND STATEMENT THOUGHT TO BE VERY SATISFACTORY EXPECT SURPLUS FOR WHOLE YEAR RELIEF DEPT. MUCH OVERSPENT mated farmers this season of danger of It has cost the city of Saskatoon the of J3T5.152.40 to run Itself for the first six months of the year, according to the half-yearly report of the city auditor, which has Just been finished for the benefit of the city council and which will be discussed at the next meeting of that body a week from today. This amount shows a deficit on the estimates of over $21,000. but this is not considered a serious matter by the auditor as there have to ba a number of adjustments of charges made in the first six months of the year, notably in regard to sinking fund charges. It is confidently expected by the city commissioners that the end of the year will see s.

surplus in the neighborhood of $30,000. The esti- Favor Removal of the Business Tax MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE SATISFIED THAT LICENSE PLAN IS THE BEST WAY AND ENSURES COLLECTION OF THE FEE FROM MERCHANTS WHO COME AND GO in the Fields is Going Up AS HIGH AS $4 A DAY WITH BOARD SOME AGENCIES REPORT $3.00 A DAY. THE HIGHEST PAID Considerable indignation agaum tha harvesters who try to hold up the farmers for a wage of J3.50 and mora day after they have reached their' destinations ia being expressed both In letters and in personal Interviews by the grain growers of the district. Fred Engen liaj) made a complaint that harvesters were asking as much ai (4 a day with board tor work in the fields, while a farmer at Laura has written that ten men who arrived last Saturday refused to go to work until they were promised clear for a day's work. It is persistently rumored that agitators are working among the men.

urging them that if they stand out for few days they will be offered higher wages, and enquiry among the men, who are watching the situation most closely seems to confirm this statement. M. J. Magrath, superintendent of the provincial labor bureau, says that the farm-hands are getting $3 and oer for their work and this morning he seemed particularly gratified at tha high rales of wages. On the other the proprietors of the Crown an the Star Employment ofliies, say that while $3 is the outside price being paid for Knglish-s-peaklng laborers, there are any number of lorcigners offering for $2.50, although some were holding back in view of the price of their labor going higher.

"11 looks to mo as If the provincial government office was working mora in the Interests of the hired man than of tha farmer," said a man who was seeking 15 harvest hands this morning. With the prospects of a drop in wheat, an additional dollar a day wlU wipe away a large amount of the pro fit, and the men who have worked hard since tha spring to secure a record crop, should not be deprived ot the fruits of the toil." It Is generally admitted that If thera Is any concerted attempt to raise tha price, of labor that the farmers will have to do with fewer hands In order to effect the saving which the In crease will make necessary and so tha action of the harvesters will react on themselves. THIS LITTLE PIG LEFT THE MARKET, ADVENTURE BENT Upset a Constable, Frightened Tennis Players and Swam Across River A big. fat pig, barkening to tha calt of the wild, broke loose from Its moorings at tha city market, and, eluding its keepers tew, squealing and grunting, through the busy city streets In the direction of the river. The ponderous animal caused great excitement as it rushed down Avenue A.

through the subway, along Twenty-third street, and thence to the City Park, Tbara Mr. Pig grew, playful, and, after rooting up several well-kept flowerbeds, ran for the tennis courts, on tha grounds of the City hospital. Iteuuty and the beast, however, did not agree, and, as 'a result, half a doaen nurses who were Indulging In a peace ful game of tennis fled screaming Indoors. "On tha banks of the Saskatchewan" tha pursuit grew hot, so the pig, making a noise like a torpedo, plunged Into tha stream and Wt Ita would-be captors standing non-plusaed on tha ahora. At times' the swift current made.

It took bsd for the adventurer, but finally, attar an exhibition of swimming un iOlDJOJIY Public Who Can Testify in the Stickland Tragedy Invited FATHER FIRST TO LOCATE THE BODY SEVEN MILES DOWN THE STREAM RESTING ON A SAND BAR The body of Harold Stickland. the seventeen-year-old youth, drowned at the city bathing station during the exhibition week, was found this morning about seven miles down the river from the point at which the youth lost his life. Since the boy was drowned his father, 11. J. $ticklund, has kept up an untiring search for the body of his i.

Yesterday afternoon while fol lowing the course of the river near Kactoria, he ran out of gasoline and went to a house on the bank of the river to secure a further supply. While on the bank of the river he noticed a body in the water and as Boon as possible got back to town and informed the police. It was then too dark to make a search, but this morning Patrol Sergeant I'etrie and Harry" Mclvague took the Lehman motorboat and searched the river. Mr. Stickland went on in his auto mobile, but went a little too far down tho river and missed the motorboat which found the body" resting on a sandbar a few hundred feet from where Mr.

Stickland saw It yesterday. The body was taken back to the city by the time Mr. Stickland phoned to the police department for news. The funeral will be held from G. II.

McKague and Sons undertaking rooms tomorrow afternoon at 2.30 to the city cemetery, and Mr. Stickland asks that friends accept this intimation as notice of the funeral. Coroner J. A. Valens, M.D..

will. hold an Inquest at' 3 a. in." in McKague'a undertaking rooms all persons who feel that they would like to testify or In any way help the inquiry, should be on hand. SAW MAN DRINKING WHISKY ON TRAIN WITNESS SWEARS Defendant, However, Denies Having Had a Drink Trainmen Give Evidence The of how a brakeman on the C.N.K. train from Prince Albert last Saturday opened the vestibule door and hung on by the railing In order that he might look Into the window and how while in that position he saw a crlored man drinking from a glass that Mcb he could see was whiskey was told In the Mounted Police court thlB e.Ilerhoon when William Strulhera was summoned for an Infraction the act ty drinking tu a train within this province.

R. A. Magulro, the brakeman, gave evidence thai utter he had returned from his iromcwhat perilous feat he saw the accused coming out of the lavatory and smellod whlrkcy on his breath. He saw something bulging from his pocket and made a grab at It but according to tho brakeman the colored man drew "a dark object from his pocket which locked like a bottle or a flask" and threw It out of the vestibule door. Conductor Newell of train IiJ testified that he smelt liquor on the accused's breath and that he put his hands In the accused's pockets after he had denied having had whiskey or having any on his person but that the dark object was ejected with a quick movement before he hud time to take It.

Htruthers, who gavo evidence on his own behalf, said that he did not enter the lavatory during tbe entire Journey and that ho hud not had a drink on ie day In question. He was put through a severe cross-examination by the Inspector of the R.N.W.M.I. but stoutly maintained that he had not had a drink of liquor since the' previous day when, a colored gentleman friend had given him a parting cup. CRITICISING THE OFFICERS The Star has received a letter i for publication strongly criticising the manner of military advancement In the Canadian service, and makes spe cial reference to certain officers. Ow Ing to the fact ihat rerialn people are named and In other rases the reference so obviously pointed.

It was thought that the letter should at least bear the author's nam. This seems the only way. t-. ID ORONRW FREE RECRUITING SPACE Mr. John Lee, representative of the Lindsay-Walker Com- pany, of Winnipeg, whioh con- trols the billboards in 'Saska- toon, has reseivad instructions from his company to place advertising space on hit boards at the disposal of the Saskatoon recruiting free of charge.

00XX000XX000000 FIRST OATS on 5 CROP REACH CITY Conboy Brothers of Asquith Bring First JLot to Market HAVE 5 SECTIONS IN CROP THIS YEAR EXPECT A TOTAL YIELD OF ABOUT 65,000 BUSHELS OF WHEAT. The first oats of the 1915 crop in this district were placed on the market on Saturday when Conboy Brothers of Asquith sold and marketed about 800 bushels for which a price of 50c per bushel was obtained. Melvin Conboy, one of the four brothers who own and operate one of the largest and most productive farms In Central Saskatchewan, was in the city for a few hours this morning and had some interesting facts to give about the prospects for the present crop. They own seven sections In all. of which five are under cultivation, and this year's harvest on their property is expected to realise about 65,000 bushels of wheat and about 25,000 bushels of oats.

"It is just ten years ago since we first started farming In Asquith," said Melvin Conboy this morning, "and this year will see our property free of all Incumbrance and with every piece of machinery fully paid for. The Conboy brothers are assisted In the operation of the farm by two sis ters and tbelr mother. They do their own threshing and have three engines and outfits for this work. At the close of the harvest season they Intend to purchase about 100 sheep as the nucleus of a flock and if those animals turn out well they may sock their farm with several thousand head. "I believe there is a good future for "sheep in Saskatchewan," said Mr.

Conboy," and we shall at least be elim inating some of the risk attaching to one crop farms by stocking these animals." Asked as to the labor situation for harvesters at Asquith, Mr. Conboy said that there was a fair offering of farm hands and he did not anticipate any dearth of help at present HOME FROM OLD COUNTRY AND SAW NO SUBMARINES Mr. George Murray, of the firm of Murray and Munro, his wife and fam lly returned from Scotland on Saturday. Mr. Murray, who took the trip for his health, Is feeling very much netter.

As to war stories, he said to The Star today that we get as much news here as anywhere. While cross ing the Atlantic they hsd seen no aim of submarines, aild It was the general belief ocean travel had been re stored to normal conditions within i well-patrolled area. Miss Grace Ashcroft left last night for Wlarton, Ontario, where she will spend six weeks vacation with her parents. GENEROUS AID TOR RED CROSS FROM DISTRICT aaaaa Vonda, Floral nd 8mithville Send in Handsome Cash Donations Three handsome donations were re ceived at the Red Cross headquarters this morning, which gave an Impetus to tha movement very gratifying lo those who are laboring to aid tha good work. A contribution' of 100 was received from the Red Onaa committee of Vonda, tha Women's Auxiliary of Floral sent tha sum of trio, and the ladles of frmlthvlll collected an amount equal to 117.50 and forwarded thin to the local headqtinrtera.

Con-' ttihutlons and collections front local sources are also reported to be equally I as gratifying. A story was current in the today to the effect that tire had somehow got started in grain fields near Haniey and had caused considerable loss. So quickly did the story spread that The Star had to answer dozens of inquiries which kept up all day. Inquiry -was made by wire by The Star and the answer received from Haniey was that there -were "no grain lues in this vicinity." When it be-ourne known to some that the military authorities at district headquarters issued a special, warping to farmers to be on their guard against grain hres, the Haniey report aroused more than the usual amount of attention, as it is recognized that a good deal of damage might be done by a concerted program upon the part of enemies of the country interested in lessening the visible food supply of the Km pi re just now. The mounted police telephoned to several points today but got no word of tires anywhere.

The haze in the atmosphere is indicative of smoke and lire. The situation is regarded as being sufficiently dangerous as to call for special warning from the military district officers to all farmers to be on their guard against the outbreak or spread of fire In the. ripe grain fields, which would just now make splendid material for a disastrous blaze. The following despatch was received this morning by The Star, dated from Winnipeg: 'Military authorities of district No. 10 desire the press to give warning to EAST GETTING BIG BUSINESS Local Officers of Retail Merchants Return Home PROFITABLE SESSION HELD AT MONTREAL MANY RECOMMENDATIONS VALUE TO MERCANTILE INTERESTS OF K.

K. Raymond and J. V. S. Hutchinson, of the Retail Merchants' Association, returned to Saskatoon yesterday afternoon" from a very profitable trip to the Kast, the main object of which was to attend the annual convention of the Dominion Hoard of the R.M.A., which was held In Montreal on Wednesday and Thursday, July 20 and 29.

According to Mr. Raymond, a great deal of important work was done. The opening session lasted from 19.30 a.m. until midnight and. the.

second day's meeting war In progress for the batne length of time. Among other appointments was that of Dominion secretary in the person of E. M. Trowern, of Toronto, will henceforth glv his whole and un divided attention to the work of the iHiminlon board. He will look after matters of legislation and any business referred to him by the -provincial iiNsociailons or which comes to his personal notice as of interest to the retnil trade in general.

Mr. J. S. Hutchinson, of the Saskatoon Hardware whose appoint ment ns second vtce-ptesldent, was announced in The Ptur last month. Is the t.rst representative the West has had on the Dominion board.

This direct representation Is expected to work out to th advantage of the West, a Mr. Hutchinson understands the problems of the merchant in this part of the country and will be to refer mat? ters to those In whose handrt la the power to make any needed The other officers elected were: B. W. Zleman, of Preston. Ont, president; J.

Gareau. of Montreal, first vice-president! and J. A. tieaudry, of treasurer. One of the Important matters taken up was the etiegestlon to amend the Absconding lebtor Act In so far a to make It applicable to the customers or retail merchanta.

Racommendationa Mad Thera as also a recommendation In connection with the handling of adulterated goods. At the present time, If a merchant aells a package of goods which Is aubsequently found lo be Impure he prosecuted Instead of the manufacturer, The hoard. In making the recommendation, felt that this i. mm should on the manufacturer rather than the retailer There were many other resolutions FROM THE WAR expenditurw tor the year amounts to $030,448.91. Relief Department Over-expended As a gvneral rule, the departments have kept well within their expenditures except in one or two cases.

Tho most outstanding case is that special relief, which has an expenditure for the lirst six months ol the year of over $16,000, with an estimated expenditure for the year of, only $13,000. The operation of the street railway for the, first six months of tho year suows a deficit of the electric light department 6hows a deficit of f2.S20.45, the waterworks a profit of $4,600.24, the city hospital a loss of $5,222.19, and tho city market a loss of $1,604.67. As a result many fly by night merchants who start in business for tho last quarter of tho year are not assessed for business at all and escape the payment of any taxes. Many start In business for the flrnt few months of the year but are out of the city by July and the city their tax as well. In the post the collection of the business tax has been great problem for the assessmept and tax collection department and both would welcome a change.

According to tho new idea, the as sessor would make his assessment on the amount of floor space used and the rate at which the business was assessed and then ft combination of the two would call for license fee equal to the tax at the rate which had been struck for the year. Mr. Walker has drawn up an extended tabulation of the fees which would be in vogue under the new jystem and they correspond exactly with the tax which would be assessed ordinarily. The Improvement of tho new system Is that the license falls. due automatically as soon as the assessment is made and an arrangement would be mnde for Its payment forthwith or In the Immediate future whlcb would mean that much money would be saved for the city.

Before any change can be made, however, the law regarding the mak. Ing of an aes-Bsment will have to be changed for the present city act states apeclflcially the manner In which a business tax may be made. NOT INTERESTED IN BUSY BODY'S TALK, SAYS MAYOR 'T am not Interested the yarns of local buaybodlea," aald Mayor Harrison this morning, concerning the story In the morning paper. In which a "Journalist" of that paper asked the mayor whether It was true that he was going to resign from the mayoralty and go on active service. "More than that.

I did not tell the reporter that 1 would, resign before the completion of my term If I could as he Intimates," concluded his worship. AUG. 27 LAST DAY FOR HEARING THE EXAMJROTESTS Mr. Mather Advises Pupils Not to Delay in Registering Their Appeals As August 27th Is tha last day tor receiving appeals In' connection with tha Juna examinations It would ba advisable for the Haakatoon candidates to forward their marks to me or to rait at tha Collegiate between 1 and m. any day this week In ordei that we might consider tha advlaablllty of appealing or of arranging wllh the department concerning proceeding to tha next higher year's Last year almost all who failed on tha June examinations went on to a higher year's work whn ther returned to school In tha fall and carried lit addition the subject or aubjreta on which they had failed1.

I expect that similar arrangements ran be made with tha department this year, J. MATKICR. a a prairie tires, due possibly to incendiarism on the part of alien enemies There are obvious reasous this year why farmers and ranchers should take extra precautions on this score. The empire is engaged in a mighty struggle and all loyal citizens will husband its resources In every possible way. Suspicious characters should be watched closely for both here and abroad the enemy will lose no opportunity to impair the food supply of the empire.

With semi-tropical temperatures recently prevailing and consequent dryness of brush and grass, farmers are advised to make Are guards immediately wherever practicable. Within a few days, it is pointed out, harvest operations will be in full swing and incalculable damage may easily he done grain and hay crops, ruining farmers affected and possibly rendering hundreds homeless. "Troops are being despatched from military caWs to take their share in harvesting. Some of these may have had very little experience in agricultural work so that it Is essential on this account to see that proper precautions are taken. A spark from an engine or dropped match may cause enormous financial loss.

"In appealing for extra precautions the military authorities point out that already two serious prairie fires have been reported within 150 miles of Winnipeg, and it Is the duty of all concerned to see to It that these whether malicious or due to carelessness be reduced at the present season to a minimum." taken up and dealt with, all of which are of particular interest to the Do minion trade. These were referred to the Dominion executive, but as yet negotiations are not sufficiently far advanced for publication. As far as eastern manufacturers were concerned. Mr. Raymond said that conditions were better than In the piping times of peace, and that there appeared to be more business than could be handled.

In this regard the munitions factories were to the fore. One firm in Montreal, he said, had added many buildings to its plant and was finding it hard to get sufficient men to handle all the business. Machinists seem to be needed the most Generally speaking, the manufacturers were prospering, and though the retailers were finding It somewhat hard, they were optimistic and looked for good times id the very near future. REPORTED AMONG WOUNDED Basil Pridden Henry Boyce, broth er of Mrs, Russell Hartney, who was employed as a law student In North Hnttleford before the outbreak of the war, has been officially reported pa wounded "somewhere In France." He hus been transferred to one of the base hospitalB where he is making satisfactory progress toward recovery, Mr. Boyce recently volunteered as one Of the bomb throwing brigade, and it la believed that it was In.

the execu lion or tuts perilous work that he received his Injuries. DISCREDIT STORY OF 65TH STAYING HERE ALL-WINTER Local Officers Not Disposed to Place Credence in Report Circulated Local military men discredit the story to the effect that the 65th Battalion will remain in the city all winter and be drawn upon for reinforcements from time to time. Tho ofllc-era here have received no official confirmation of the alleged regulations. About elKhty members of the 5th left today for the harvest fields. Klghty more will go this week.

POLICE COURT HAS ANOTHER FREE DAY, ONE CASE ON SAT. Not a single case confronted Magistrate Brown this morning when court opened. Thli Is the first blank day In some time. I'pon such occasion It IS bual for the chief of police to present the magistrate with a pair of white gloves. Owing to the well-known desire of the finance committee for utrlctest economy, however, this pleasant little function ha been omitted of late.

Haturdny's court was almost as quiet, there being but one drunk before the BORN t'RUN On Sundav, August 15th. to Mr. and Mrs. rjaorge Urlln, 31st East, a daughter. The cltv assessment board consist ing of City Assessor Walker end Aldermen MacMillan and Kawcett have before them for consideration at the Dresent time, a plan which wilt-mean a radical change In the manner of the making of a business assessment and the collection thereof.

The matter was taken up at the regular meeting of the assessment board which took place last week and another meeting will be held in the near future when It Is possible that a definite suggestion will be made to the city council that the latter body secure the necessary legislation from the pro vincial government to permit them to make the changes which the board consider necessary. Briefly, the proposition, which is one which Mr. Walker has been work ing on for the past three years, Is the abolition of the business tax alto gether and the licensing of all busl nesses in the city on the same baaia used to arrive at the tax, the amount of floor space used by each particular business, the rate to be the came as before tho change was made. At the present time the procedure Is a long and complicated one, and as a result, many evade the tax altogether. The procedure at present is for the assessors to make the rounds and measure up the" floor space early In the year.

Then the notices are sent out and the taxpayer Is given a chance to protest if he considers his tax to be unfair, then tho bill is sent out after the rate for the year Is struck and It Is July before the bill falls due. GOLFERS OFF TO REGINA TO TAKE PART INTOURNEY Local Players Competing in Sas katchewan Provincial Matches, Commencing Tomorrow Not mora than ten or a doxen Saskatoon golfers are expected to enter In the provincial contests on the Waa-cana Country Clulb links at Keglns, commencing tomorrow. Both tha local clubs will ba represented among those who seem to be sura of leaving this evening, If they are not already one. ara N. W.

Laldlaw. Dr. A. Young, W. H.

Btrachan, T. P. Morton, Gordon Btlchan, A. H. Hanson.

An effort was being made to prevail upon Rev. Wylle C. Clark to join tha party but ha was not sura that ha could manags to go. Mr. W.

Laldlaw la being picked by his friends to win tha provincial championship this year as ha Is playing a particularly strong tame. ha can duplicate soma of his recant feats on tha Country Club Hira.LLhe should taka first honors. EMPIRE PICTURES MISSED TRAIN Tha management of the Kmplre Theatre are sorry to announce that the five-reel maaterplcture "tJIwists" missed train connection and It will ba Im-poavlble to show It until tomorrow afternoon. However, an excellent three reel feat lira will ba shown Instead, entitled, 'The Count of Monta Chrlato," with ofher one-reel auhjeo's, not shown before. equalled even by Aneite Kellerman, opposite bank was reached, snd, witn a derisive squeal and a wiggle of bis curly tall, the pig plunged Into tha bushes and was lost to sight.

Many strange stories of tha pig's adventurea while on tha way ara being told, flumn say tha animal bit one of Ita pursuers on 'tha hand, and, a a rtault, said purauer now grunts like a pig. While others recount With glea how tha pig' bowled over one ot tba stoutest of tha mlnlona of tha law who attempted jo lnterfero wllh him In tha subway. B0RN rKU.rt Aug. II at TSI th A enua Haakatonn. to Mr, and Mrs.

H. Fetid, a daughter..