High Commodity Prices Keeps
Drilling Forecast on Track
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Workmen are now drilling under the frost to tap into the provinces’ resources a half mile into Alberta and six kilometres north of Highway 13. Commodity prices are staying generally high which keeps rigs like this operating across Western Canada. Story in this paper. ©Provost News Photo. Print version in February 2 Edition of The Provost News. Want to Subscribe to The Provost News? Click here.
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Gaming Commission Investigating
Poker Tournaments Here
RCMP in Provost say that it has come to their attention that there has been organized poker tournaments being held in the Provost and surrounding areas.
Acting commander of the Provost RCMP, Terry Link stated in a written message to The News that “Inquiries have been made with the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission and we have been advised that these tournaments are in violation of the Criminal Code. They are making inquiries as to who may be running these events as they could be charged as well as the participants on the premises.”
Police say that if there is any direct or indirect gain then there has been an offence committed. “By indirect gain they mean any gain from sale of refreshments or meals, other tickets, etc., then this is considered illegal.”
Link adds that if these tournaments are being run to raise money for charity or some type of club (hockey, soccer, ball, curling and so on) “then they are illegal unless they are run by a bona fide incorporated social club who are licensed by the Attorney General to run a gaming event.”
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This recent development may conjure up memories for some readers of a police raid in Provost over 50 years ago when local residents were trying to put up a new arena.
Here’s how the story ran in the April 14, 1954 edition of The Provost News:
Police Action Raises Issue Over Arena Association Jamboree
The efforts of the Provost Arena Association to raise funds towards the erection of an Arena at Provost became subject of concern to the Attorney General’s Department recently. Acting on information supplied by someone as yet unnamed, the R.C.M.Police conducted an investigation, and on March 30 representatives from the Red Deer detachment confiscated approximately 60,000 admission tickets to the Arena Association Jamboree, which were in the process of being printed in the office of The Provost News. These were admission tickets of the coupon type but had no numbers on them. Mr. Holmes, the proprietor of the printing establishment, was informed that he would be prosecuted for printing “lottery” tickets.
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Last Thursday, Mr. J. J. Wallace who was appointed chairman of an Arena Association committee at a public meeting held here December 10, 1953, to conduct the Arena Jamboree to raise money towards the building of an arena here responded to a warrant of the R.C.M.Police at Red Deer, the charge having something to do with the Criminal Code pertaining to lotteries. Mr. Wallace’s counsel was required to post a $4,000 bond, and the preliminary hearing is expected to he held at Provost in the last week of April.
Then in the May 12, 1954 Provost News this story was featured on the front page:
Arena Ass’n Members And Publisher To Appear In Court
Last week several more summonses were served on leading citizens of the community as a result of their public spirited endeavours to build an Arena here with the formation of an Arena Association and plans for a Jamboree day on July 7, which included a contest the prizes for which was to be ten automobiles.
Committee members, Walter Jickling, J. F. Larson, David Read and Vern Dunlop have been charged with unlawfully conducting a scheme by which persons upon the payment of a sum of money become entitled under such a scheme to receive from the persons conducting the scheme a larger amount of valuable security than the sum so paid, by reason of the fact that other persons have paid a sum of money under such scheme, contrary to the provisions of section 236 sub-section 1 (c) of the Criminal Code of Canada and amendments thereto, and are to appear before a Justice of the Peace at Provost on the morning of Wednesday, May 26.
George S. Holmes, Editor and Publisher of The Provost News, has been charged that he did unlawfully publish a scheme for disposing of property to wit: ten automobiles by a mode of chance, contrary to section 236 sub section 1 (a) of the Criminal Code of Canada and amendments thereto and is to appear at Police Court in the forenoon of Wednesday, May 26.
The June 2, 1954 Provost News reported a long story, again on page one. Summary: several witnesses were called on May 26 before Magistrate Jas. Smith at the I.O.O.F. hall in Provost. A charge against Holmes was dropped but the accused then heard that he was charged with being a party to the scheme. Counsel B. Massey argued that Holmes was not a committee member and therefore did not participate in the scheme. The prosecution then pointed out that the accused had made a motion at the public meeting in December which carried, that Mr. Wallace be chairman of the Arena Ass’n., and that it have the moral support of the community; the magistrate however ordered that the accused stand trial. After more testimony those accused were committed for trial at Wetaskiwin.
Rest of story in February 2 edition of The Provost News.
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