the people; however, with the exception of the rare craft which landed in quest of passengers, the sight of a plane on the ground remained some- thing of a treat; Such was the case on August 4, 1942 when a Royal Air Force Anson aircraft was forced to land about a mile from the village. The crowd of 190 spectators which gathered was moved to what was considered a safe distance before take-off; however, when the plane started to move, it struck a rough spot and swerved around, facing the onlookers. The people scattered in all directions, but, tragically, 12 year old James (“Sonny”) Garnhum, adopted son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Garnhum, was struck across the back and killed instantly. A number

of others narrowly escaped a similar fate.

Depression

It is a common misconception that the Great Depression of the thirties passed over the Island with a light hand. Certainly, a perusal of the local press during these years does not indicate that much was amiss; however, in spite of the bold face which the Province generally presented to the world, a sufficient number of news fragments appeared to suggest the true state of affairs. In August of 1933, for instance, at a meeting of the unemployed in Charlottetown, it was reported that some of the applicants who were refused relief “were on the point of starva— tion.” As late as 1938, it was remarked that the “idle workers of Char- lottetown” represent “but a fraction of those suffering similarly in other districts of the Province.” “The acute distress of some of our fellow citizens,” ran another account, “is plainly evidenced.”

It was symptomatic of the seriousness of the situation when the Guardian, in its February 16, 1935 issue, remarked that the skunk bounty of .50c per snout was proving a “boon to needy families.” The skunk problem began when a firm in New Annan decided that raising skunks for their fur was not a paying proposition and set forty of the ani- mals free. The pest Subsequently spread all over the Island, and the Government saw the necessity of offering money for killing them off. There were rumours of snouts being bootlegged from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and at least one energetic citizen made fake snouts out of small pieces of cow hide. Most, however, observed the letter of the law, and, over a period of three years, 15,042 snouts were collected. Other forms of relief included the yearly trunk or barrel of hand-me- down clothing which a family’s more prosperous relatives sent down from the “Boston States” and the Guardian “Santa Pal Fund” through which the better-off shared their happiness with others at Christmas time. It is an unhappy commentary, however, that the Depression’s grip was broken only by the outbreak of another World War. As early as December 4, 1939, the Guardian reported that “since the war condition has developed, farm produce is in greater demand than ever.”

Legion

Major T. Edgar MacNutt, President, together with a number of other officers of the Provincial Command, visited Mount Stewart on November 14, 1930 for the purpose of organizing a branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The branch, the third in the Province, prospered, and a materialization of its hopes and efforts was realized on June 21, 1933 with the opening of a new hall. This imposing structure, 74 feet in length by 32 feet wide, with a stage at one end and a balcony and Legion rooms at the other, served until March 8, 1947 when it was

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