CANADA'S VAST WEALTH

Chronicle (Levin), 12 November 1946, Page 4

CANADA'S VAST WEALTH

Impressive Fitas Shown ROTARY CLUB'S EVENING A striking' picture of Canada's vast and increasing industries, and vQf her rich mineral wealth, was presented to members of the Levin" JFtotary Club last night when they. 'had as guest speaker the Canadian Assistant Trade Commissioner, Mr. M>. R. M. Dale. Several talkie films shown gave a realistic insight iiito these aspects .of Canadian life, ana an understanding of what has gone to make New Zealand's sister Pominion the world's fourth largest industrial power. The ehairman of the club's ■international service committee. Rotarian F. H. Hudson, extended a warm welcome to Mr.. Dale. He said that recently the club'' had been visited by the United Kingdom High Commissioner, Sir Patrick Puff, and had learnt something of the British outlook. Now members were to have an opportunity of ibecoming more acquainted with Canada, nnd he could assure Mr. Dale that they gathered intensely interested in .the country he represented. Last year he had seen views of Canada shown to the Palmerston North Club by the former Canadian High Commissioner, Dr. W. A. Riddell, and he had been impressed ' by what a wonderf ul country it was. In conclusion, Mr.. Hudson referred to1 Canada's fine contribution to the Empire's cause in both world wars, and to the warm hospitality extended by her people to New Zealand servicemen during the last war. After acknowledging the welcome extended to him, Mr. Daie said ha had travelled from Auckland to the Bluff since his arrival and had found New Zealanders very friendly and interested in ' Canada. Indeed the country's magnificent scenery was only exceeded by the kindness of its people. New Zealand and Canada had been in close contact for a long period. They had.foug'ht fcogether through three wars, and in the present third period of peace it should follow that jthey would work closely with each other for the betterment of all mankind. Canadians felt that the British Commonwealth was one step towards the world commonwealth which United Nations aimed at. Despite its vast size, continued Mr. Dale, Canada's population was only 12,000,000. In the war 1,000,000 of its population had served in the forces, while another 1,000,000 had been engaged in direct war work. The war had cost Canada over seven billion dollars by w7ay of direct gifts or mutual aid. A iarge number of commodities were still being produced in ■ Canadian factories for war-torn countries of the world. No difficulty had been experienced in locating markets for the country's exports, but it was not such an easy task to find markets which would be permanent. New Zealand's trade with Canada had never been large, said Mr. Dale, but, nevertheless, it had been important. In* 1939 New Zealand supplied Canada with wool, hides. skins, sausage casings, apples, casein, seeds and a number of such items. New Zealand had brought from Canada automobiles, tyres, newsprint, tinned fish, tool steel and other metal articles. New Zealand was Canada's flfth best market and fourth best supplier. The speaker added that he had no doubt afout the future of trade between the two Dominions if it was given a measure of freedom. The first fllm shown, "Canada — World Trader," dealt in great detail with the industries which provided Canada's many exports. It covered the harvesting of the wheat crop, eattle raising, lumber industry, production of salt, canning" * ana dehydration of foodstuffs and sliip building. This was followed by a film' depicting the discovery and subsequent development of- the

Dominion's vast mineral deposits, gold found in 1856, copper ana nickel in 1883, mica in 1886, feldspar used extensively for glazing of pottery and making of crockery in 1890, and magnesium in 1939. It also covered the iron ore industry. The third fllm was captioned Power Valley? It dealt with the gigantic hydro-electric scheme in the St. Maurice River valley and the growth of the industrial city of Grand Mere which sprang up round the project, and which was the result of it. "River of Canada," another fllm. traced the passage of the great St. j Lawrence River over one-tliird of the country, and what has been accomplished with over 40 miles of canals and a number of locks to fcransform it into a vital thoroughfare. One enlightening feature was the size and number of boats plying the river and transporting the eountry's produce and manufactures from the hinterland and Great. Lakes cflstrict respectively to Quebec. The final fllm was a record of t io salmon industry and it was exceedingly illuminating. The opening shots pictured the start of the salmon run from the Pacific Ocean up 1 uhe Fraser River into the spawnmg grounds in the heart of British Columbia. As the salmon, which vary in size but are an average of two feet long ,and six pounds in .V ight, go up the river they are -livght in the lower reaches by flshermen, and are then taken to ihe hug,e canning factories. Countless thousands escape the fisherman's net and continue up the river to what is known as Hell's Gate, where the deposit of the spoil from a large railway deviatjon and a ihuge slip from the bank turned the river into a raging" rapid, which prevented all but a few of the fish Teaching the spa-wning grounds and threatened disaster to 'this rich industry. Joint Canadian and

i United States enterprise resulted in j the setting up of a research sta- | aon there by which the salmon are ( lifted in nets from below Hell's i Gate into a flume through which ihe-y pass to the river again above the rapids. Research into the habits of the fish is conducted 011 a large scale. j The fllm went on to carry its I cbservers to the spawning j grounds, where the shallow waters ' were red with thousands of salmon. | After spawning the parent salmon j dies, and when the eggs hatch the | young fish make their way down again to the Pacific unmolested by fishermen. One interesting feature was mention of the fact that it was ihree years before the young salmon grew to maturity and returned up the Fraser River to complete their life's work. Those three years were spent in the Pacific. This fact had been ascertained by tagging the fish with metal discs, oue oi ihe iuncdons of the research station. At the conclusion of the ifitei'r esting and informative evening Mr. Dale w.as accorded a hearty vote-of thanks. Supper was dispensed and a pleasant hour of social converre followed.