Local news: Last week Judge Monet, of Montreal, sentenced a man to five years in the penitentiary for stealing twenty-seven cents from another man with violence. If this judgment fits the crime, how about the man who steals a dozen or more chickens without violence? No doubt some would suggest hanging him.

A Rest Room for Ladies: A deputation representing the religious and other ladies’ organizations of this district, waited on both Clarendon and Shawville Council boards on Monday with a view to securing some financial assistance towards the establishment of a “rest room” in Shawville where ladies from the neighborhood coming into town would be enabled to spend an hour or two sociably and comfortably, instead of standing around the stores waiting for the men folk to get ready for home. Both Councils gave the ladies assurances of support, and the venture is to be tried for 3 months, Mr. G. F. Hodgins having previously promised the use of the late Drug Store rooms for that purpose. 

Tested Shaw’s Lake: During the past week Shaw’s Lake was subjected to a 48 hour drainage test to ascertain what effect the withdrawal of a quantity of water sufficient for the requirements of the village would have upon that source of supply, to meet the exigencies of a situation which has cost the municipality many thousands of dollars through losses by fire. Approximately some 475 thousand gallons of water were displaced and yet there was no appreciable lowering of the lake level, indicating that it must be fed by some underlying source of considerable magnitude.

The test was regarded as fairly satisfactory and by analysis, the water was not found to contain any deleterious matter. Hence the Council has now a pretty safe basis to work upon, if it is decided to submit a proposal to the rate-payers, in the form of a by-law, to proceed with the project of procuring a water supply for the corporation.

It is some 24 or 25 years since this question of water-works was first taken up by the village Council. The lake proposition was favored over Mill Creek, as it was considered likely to give the better service, owing to the greater gravity pressure that could be obtained. Plans were prepared and estimates of the probable cost were given. With this data at hand a by-law was framed and submitted to the ratepayers; but it was turned down.

Nothing further was done till the big fire of Sept. 1906, awakened citizens to the fact that the village had barely escaped extinction, and that it was imperative that something should be done to procure protection. While the iron was hot another plan was submitted including a sewerage system and the Council was then authorized to issue bonds for the amount required.

But before incurring this outlay, it was thought wise to secure a purchaser. This, somehow, was never accomplished

It is to be hoped that better luck will attend the forthcoming effort to raise the necessary coin, taking it for granted that a by-law providing for a reasonable service would carry. It should be possible to raise the money locally, considering that the necessary amount is not likely to be excessive.

Shawville has suffered pretty severely from fire. The value destroyed was much greater than the proposed water system will cost. It is providential that our losses have not been more severe. Each time we have had a visit from the Fire Fiend, conditions of wind and weather were altogether in our favor. Had they been otherwise, on the last two occasions, particularly, grave disaster would have befallen the village.