Timeline: April 1917

April 2: Port Arthur

The Port Arthur City Council has been asked to provide free light and telephone to military establishments ever since Gresley Park was established as a training area in the summer of 1915. In March 26, 1917 Council begins to establish guidelines regarding which level of government will be responsible for covering costs, and declared that the federal government would be solely responsible for returning soldiers. Here, Council is again asked for free light and telephone at a Recruiting Office, which they again grant, but they also write to the Minister of Militia and Defence to find out what items the Battalion is expected to pay for.

April 10: Fort William

Fort William City Council receives a letter from the Manager of the Port Arthur Collection Bureau, R.J. Williamson, stating that a property belonging to a soldier currently overseas had been sold because the soldier had fallen behind on his property taxes. Williamson suggests that the City protect Private D.H. McCartney’s interests. The Council votes to redeem the property and let the taxes be collected at some future date. They rescind this motion April 24^th (see below.)

April 11: Port Arthur

Port Arthur City council again fulfills a request for free light and phone to a Recruiting Office, this time for the No. 1 Independent Forestry Battalion.

April 11: Port Arthur

The Officers of the 141^st Battalion write a letter and send a deputation to Port Arthur City Council to ask them to cover their deficits. The City agrees, as they had not yet given any money to the Battalion to aid in their recruiting efforts, and so the money would enable the Battalion to continue recruiting so that they would have a full complement to go overseas. Council grants the Battalion $1242.83 to cover their expenses (worth $21,783.11 in 2017 Canadian dollars.)

April 23: Port Arthur

Lieutenant Colonel McKenzie of the 141^st Battalion writes to Port Arthur City Council thanking them for the grant approved on April 11th.

April 23: Port Arthur

Two letters are filed regarding grants to the Patriotic fund, from area communities Silver Mountain and O’Connor Township. On March 26, the minutes noted that other area communities, including Shuniah, had begun contributing to the fund.

April 23: Port Arthur

Report No. 5 of the Market Committee:

In February and March we saw that plans were being put in place to encourage growing vegetable gardens. Here we see that all City of Port Arthur owned vacant lots were to be reserved for the use of City residents for gardens. Since most of these lots had never been gardened before, the City’s Market Committee was tasked with organizing plowing of these lots, and also lots that were privately owned. Citizens could have this privilege for the cost of $1.00. The Market Committee also proposed posting plans for the best arrangement of a garden in the Market, the Clerk’s Office, and the Office of the District Agricultural Representative, and that a list of the best vegetables to grow in the area and their costs be given to each person who applied for a vacant lot. The Market Committee would post this information in the local newspaper, as well as the plea for more vacant lots and urging citizens to apply for a lot to garden.

April 24: Fort William

On April 10^th, Fort William City Council voted to protect the property of a soldier serving overseas from tax sale. Now they have rescinded that offer and have tasked the Finance Committee to write a report “on the question of protecting properties belonging to soldiers fighting at the front.”

April 24: Fort William

Mr. C. W. Jarvis, President of the Soldiers Aid Commission, makes a presentation to Fort William City Council asking for a donation for the upkeep of a club room in the city where returned soldiers could “gather for mutual benefit”. He asks for the donation in the form of “furnishing” a room or paying for clerical assistance. The City decides to provide up to $1,000 to pay for a secretary (over $17,000 in 2017 dollars).

April 30: Port Arthur

The Port Arthur City Council receives a letter back from the Department of Militia & Defence regarding their letter from April 2 about the funding requests requests they had been receiving for light and telephone for Recruiting Offices. The letter is filed for review by the relevant City departments and committees.