Report of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, 1915
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6 GEORGE V SESSIONAL PAPER No. 28 A. 1916 REPORT OF THE ROYAL NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE 19 15 PRIXTED BY ORDER OF PARLIAMENT. OTTAWA PRIXTED BY J. i)E L. TACHE, PRINTER TO THE KING S M03T EXCELLENT MAJESTY 1915 [No. 28—1916.] 4 f 6 GEORGE V SESSIONAL PAPER No. 28 A. 1916 The Field Marshal His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaughi and of Stratheam, K.Q., K.T., K.P., etc., etc., etc., Oovemor General and Commander in Chief of the Dominion of Canada. May it Please Your Eoyal Highness : The undersigned has the honour to present to Your Royal Highness the Annual Eeport of the Eoyal Northwest Mounted Police for the year 1915. Eespectfully submitted, E. L. BOEDEiSr, President of the Council ^ November 17, 1915. 28—li I 6 GEORGE V SESSIONAL PAPER No. 28 A. 1916 TABLE OF CONTENTS r A i; r i. Page. Commissioner's Report, 191.) 7 Appendices to the above. Appendix A.—Superintendent J. A. lle( ribbon, Kegina District 27 B.—Superintendent W. H. Koutledge, Prince Albert : . 56 C.—Superintendent C. Starnes, Maeleod. 72 D.— Superintendent T. A. Wroughton, Edmonton !•() E.—Superintendent F. J. A. Demers, Maple Creeli 10-1 F.— Superintendent F. J. Horrigan, Calgary 118 13'J Gr.—Superintendent A. E. C. McDonell, Athabaska Landing H.— Superintendent C. H. West, Battleford 154 169 J,.—Superintendent G. S. Worsley, "Depot" Division K—Superintendent G. S. Worsley, "Reserve" Division 174 L.—Superintendent P. W. Pennefather, Lethbridge 177 M.—Inspector J. W. Phillips, Mackenzie River Sub-district 189 N.—Asst. Surgeon J. F. Duncan, Regina 194 O.—Veterinary Surgeon J. F. Burnett, Regina 197 Patrol Reports. Appendix P.—Inspector C. A. Rheault—Fort Fitzgerald to Fort Simpson and return 19^ Q.—Inspector C. D. La Nauze—Patrol to Great Bear Lake in Search of Missing Priests 202 R._Sergeant H. R. Handcoek—Isle a la Crosse to Churchill River. 213 S.—Constable H. Thprne—Fort MeMurray to Athabaska Landing with frozen trapper 218 PART IL Strength and Distribution, September 30, 1915 223 PART m. Yukon Territory. Appendix A.—Superintendent R. S. Knight, Commanding Dawson 233 B.—Inspector A. L. Bell, Commanding White Horse 246 Patrol Reports. Appendix C.— Sergeant W. J. D. Dempster—Patrol from Rampart House to Fort MacPhersou 253 D.— Sergeant W. G. Edgenton—Patrol from Dawson to Fort Mac- Pherson 256 E.—Sergeant S. G. Clay—Patrol from Fort Ma'cPherson to Dawson. 260 5 6 TABLE OF COXTENTS 6 GEORGE V, A. 1916 PAET IV. Hudson Bay. Page. Appendix A.—Report of Inspector W. J. Beyts, Baker Lake Detaelunent, January to June, 1915 2G5 B.—Report of Inspector W. J. Beyts, Baker Lake Detachment, August and September, 1915 269 Patrol Reports. Appendix C.—Report of Inspector W. J. Beyts—Patrol from Chesterfield Inlet to Port Nelson, January, 1915 271 D.—Report of Inspector W. J. Beyts—Patrol from Port Nelson to Chesterfield IiJet, March, 1915 276 E.—Report of Sergeant-Major T. B. Caulkin—Patrol from Chester- field Inlet to Fullerton by trail, April, 1915 279 F.—Report of Sergeant-Major T. B. Caulkin—Patrol from Chester- field Inlet to Fullerton by whale boat, June, 1915 282 — 6 GEORGE V SESSIONAL PAPER No. 28 A. 1918 REPORT ROYAL NORTHWEST MOUNTED POLICE. Eegina, Sask., November 1, 1915. To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Laird Borden, P.O., G.C.M.G., etc., President of the Privy Council, Ottawa. Sir,—I have the honour to transmit herewith, for your information, the annual report of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police for the year ending September 30, 1915. STRENGTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE FORCE. On September 30, 1915, the strength of the Force was 60 officers, 869 non- commissioned officers and constables and 987 horses. Compared with last year there is an increase of 5 officers and 152 horses, and a decrease of 344 non-commissioned officers and constables. The following shows the distribution in the different provinces and territories : a: O 71 Alberta 17 5G 212 40 Sa,skatchewan IS 24 51 27 33 Northwest Territories. •S 1 3 10 4 Yukon Territory 3 3 39 New Manitoba 1 17 Total 13 40 45 69 117 .555 .7 . — — 8 h'OYAL yORTHWEsr MOTyjED POhlCE 6 GEORGE V, A. 1916 The strciiKtli of the different provinces has •been inereused as follows: Alberta 08 New Manitoba . 4 Northwest Territories Yukon Territory.. 4 whilst the strength in the province of Saskatchewan has decreased by 422. On September 30 the distribution was as follows: Divisional Detach- Posts. men*s. Alberta 5 108 Saskatchewan 5 12: Ynk'ni i'erritory .. 1 u Niirthwest Territories 7 New Manitoba 1 u Total, 12 253 The decrease in the strength is due to the fact that shortly after the outbreak of the war, authority was granted to increase the Force by five hundred men for one year, and that nearly all the men so engaged took their discharges for the purpose of joining the Army for service at the front. Many of them had joined because they thought that a contingent would be selected for active service. As this was not the case, they took the earliest opportunity of accomplishing their highly laudable and patriotic purpose. When the war broke out, some natural apprehension was felt for the peace and good order of the Western Provinces, owing to a large percentage of the population being of enemy nationality, and it was therefore decided that the strength of the Mounted Police should be increased. No disturbance of the public peace has taken place and the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta during the past twelve months have been singularly quiet and orderly. This fortunate condition is due to a variety of causes, wise precautions, fair and impartial treatment by the authorities, and an admirable attitude of self-restraint on the part of the loyal population towards the enemy aliens, and the recognition by these nationalities that as long as they pursued then- ordinary avocations, and refrained from inimical acts, they would not be molested nor inter- fered with. Disturbing reports have been received, and alarming rumours have been current, from time to time, all of which, no matter how trivial or improbable, have been investigated and found to be baseless. However, there have been instances of indi- viduals whose acts and words were treasonable and seditious. In a few cases, they were prosecuted and convicted. The enemy nationalities are principally engaged in tilling the soil. They own their farms, have large interests, and have no intention of imperilling their property and their own security and safety. They are scattered over the vast areas of these ItEPnUT OF CDMMISSIUM-.lt PERRY 9 SESSIONAL PAPER No. 28 Iii'oviucfs, ;uiil it is quite api);ircnt tli;it no ooiicertod action could take place without preparation and ovfianization, lacivinjx wliich, any outbreak would lie sporadic and fruitless. The conditions for su])pressing: any such outbreak have greatly improved. Large bodies of troops are now under training at every centre. For the foregoing reasons, I recently reported to you that I did not consider it was necessary to maintain the strength at more than 900 and which recommendation you approved. The Force exercises jurisdiction in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and the northern part of Ifanitoba, by special arrangement with these provinces. The preseut agreement with the Government of Alberta and of Saskatchewan expires on 31st March next, but after negotiations between the Dominion and these Govern- ments, arrangements have been made for an indefinite period which may be terminated by any of the parties by giving one year's notice of intention to abrogate, which would become effective one year after the following .30th June. The agreement with Manitoba does not terminate until 191!). In the Yukon Territory and Northwest TerritorieSj the Force is on a different footing, as the Government of Canada is directly responsible for law and order in those territories. In Alberta, the rapid development of the Peace River district has called for increased strength and the establishment of a number of new outposts. The new railways have changed the routes of travel, and we now find that it is most inconvenient to have the headquarters of that district at Athabaska. Provision for a new post is asked for in the Estimates, to be erected at a point yet to be selected. In Saskatchewan, there has been no material change' in the distribution. A number of new outposts have been established but by no means have all the requests been met. Several incorporated places, which had hitherto maintained their own police, strongly urged that the ]\Iounted Police should relieve them from the expense of this duty. Their requests were not acceded to as it was the policy that incorporated cities, towns and villages do their own policing. In northern Manitoba, the advance of the Hudson's Bay railway caused some adjustment of outposts and a slight increase in the strength. Arrangements have^ been made for detachments at intervals of fifty miles from Manitou rapids, the end of steel and Port Nelson. In the Northwest Territories, an important outpost has been established at Baker Lake, and another will be opened at Great Bear lake, both very isolated points and therefore difficult and costly to maintain. In the Yukon Territory there has been no change in distribution. CRIME. I attach to this report tabulated statistics of crime throughout our jurisdiction, but in considering them it must be remembered that these statistics do not include cases occurring in incorporated places, which are dealt with by muaicipal police forces. There is no striking change from last year.