R.M. of Lansdowne /  History / Pivotal Events

Timeline ... 1930 - 1939


The World

The depression set off by the stock market collapse in late 1929 is felt across North America and Europe.
Sept.1, 1939 Germany invades Poland, setting off World War 2

Canada

The effect of the world-wide economic depression is compounded in Western Canada by an extended drought.
In 1936 the Federal Government cancelled debt for feed and wrote off many advances to to the drought areas.




Manitoba


The effects of the drought on the prairies are felt most acutely in the southwest corner of the province.
The Farmer’s Creditors Arrangement Act – aims to reduce farm debt loads.

Arden and the R.M. of Lansdowne

1930


A By-Law passed for the provision of seed grain.

1931

 Milk cows sell for $30. A phone call is 5 cents, but even at that price many people gave up the telephone.

An application for an old age pension is approved. The regulations governing unemployment and direct relief are adopted and rates set: Laborers, 25 cents/hr.; TeamŽsters with 2 horses, 45 cents/hr.

1932

Council borrows $15,000.00 from 5 ratepayers of the municipality.
The wholesale price of goods was the lowest it has been since 1915.

A ratepayers meeting is held to discuss the advisability of having a secondary school in the Meliwin district. In view of the existing conditions it is decided to carry on as usual this year, teaching grade nine with the assistance of the Correspondence Branch of the Dept. of Ed.

Rain is badly needed.

Keyes Station closed after thirty-five years service,


Keyes Station History:

Our first agent was Mr. Thos. Egan, when the station was still called Midway. Then Mr. Pearson was here about fifteen years; it was during his stay that the village and station names were changed to Keyes in honour of the late Wm. Keyes. There followed a number of agents; Mr. Sunter (eleven years), Mr. McTaggart, Mr. McGordon, Mr. Paradis, and lastly Mr. Leatherdale. This little station of Keyes not so many years ago was the second largest shipping point on the line, with both grain and livestock. Sacks of grain had been piled up in front of the station like cordwood, after the elevator space was filled and not enough cars could be procured. The Grain Growers, with Mr. McGregor and Mr. Younger as shipping agents, reputed Keyes as the company's largest shipping point in the province. At presŽent the stock shipping is done through the local co-operaŽtive store with Mr. Foster as shipping agent. Now the C.P.R. has lost sight of all this and say they must close our station as it is not paying. The C.P.R. should take the hard times along with us and let us have our station, and help build up the community. We might say that our former M.P., Mr. Milne, was instrumental in keeping the station open the last four or five years.

 


Keyes


The section of Highway  between Gladstone and the Ridge is coated with oil, due to its being a very sandy section.
The recent rains in the Mekiwin Distict, while too late to help the crops, do help the feed situation.

Western Canada's dream of fifty years is realized Sept. 1st. when twenty-four cars of wheat arrived in the Port of Churchill enroute to European markets. This is the first wheat ever to come over the Hudson Bay Railway into the new and modern 2,500,000 bushel elevaŽtor.

1933

10 quarter sections of Manitoba and North West Land Corp. property are conveyed to the Municipality for arrears of taxes.
Land is purchased by John R. Hofer for Riverside Hutterite Colony.

1934

Council approves Mrs. Pettitt's application for a liŽcense for a one-bed maternity home.
First Hutterite families arrive at Riverside Colony.

1935

By-Law passed to provide payments for destruction of prairie wolves and coyotes at $2.00 per animal. A bounty of one cent per gopher killed.

1936

Federal Drought Relief Program established.
The Royal Bank in Arden closed.
A special meeting called regarding the paralysis epidemic.

1939

Grade 12 instruction begins at Arden School.

Council carries out the proposed purchase of certain land west of the White Mud River for park purposes at the expense of the Arden Village district.