Dear Editor: Re: Mr. Russ Shetton's May 24 letter re: the New Age Name Game, in defense of [a Perouse. Tm afraid the good Count was himself merely a Johnny-come-lately, and anvway, he only gave the name Isles Kerouart to the tiny rocky islets at the extreme south end -of the Charlottes, south of what is now Kunghit Island, at which time they'd already had three other names: Isles de Aves., Ladrones, and . Proctor Islands. At least La Perouse’s choice — changed to Kerouard — lives on. I served nine tours of duty as OFC of the new automated and {gone light/weather station on St. James Island, ard T looked down over the Kerouards every day. As for the Haida Gwaii itself? John Hanna, sailing from Macao in 1776, had already named. the islands Nova Hibernia. when George Dixon got there the following year in his Oneen Charlotte and came up with Queen Charlotte’s Islands. ; John Meares decided on the name Great Island in 1788, thinking what he saw was onc large island, and the next year, American Robert Gray, under the same misapprehension, came up with Washington’s Island (his ship the ‘Lady Washington), As if that wasn’t cnough, about the same time Esteban Martinez had a ‘map drawn in which the islands appeared as Isla Infanta Don Fernando. ‘, Let’s face it — no one was on the "Net, and Sunday, June 28, 1998 — North Shore News - 9 north shore news MAIL BOx B.C.’s geographic name A ‘bonehead’ bridge view game has long history news travelled slowly in those days. Unless you stuck up a big sign saving, “Hello — | found this first and I've called it Fred's Island,” the next person to come along wasir't likely to know unless he had a copy of your mip. Down in Gwaii Haanas, ar Club Mer”, we used to observe Sr. James Day — July 25 On that day in 1989, when my two staffers were away in the boat and T was holding the fort, the ovo Haida watchmen from Ninstints (Skang’ wai) on Anthony Island, arrived. “How fortunate vou've come on this signif icant day,” I said, “Two hundred and two years ago, George Dixon discovered this place and named it Cape St. James.” They looked at me and one said, “We Haida knew it was here!” “Oh, that doesn’t count,” I replied. “Only Europeans can discover and name things!” 1 don’t think they saw the joke. Dixon’s is merely the name that stuck, and we ourselves, continuing the tradition, gave names of our own to dozens of tiny coves and inlets in the south Kunghit Island area - our own small ~~ world. I guess Juliet pur it best: “What's in a name?” Vell, with one maii/tood helicopter a ~ month, I'm afraid lightkeepers do nor have much incentive to write short letters. Jas. A.C, Derham-Reid West Vancouver ‘Evil empire’ junket blasted Dear Editor: : Open letter to North Vancouver District: am: saddened and disappointed to learn that you are going to stir up trade with a thug .. nation, China, Certainly, maybe the individuals whom you are going to meet are just ordinary, ‘engaging people, bur‘it’s what they represent | Sthatvis “so reprehensible: You are wanting to »inérease trade with a nation that has absolutely no regard ‘for hunian. life. Let me give you some’ examples: : In China, they routinely let infants starve to death: (especially girls) in their state-run ‘orphanages. If you should wish to know more about this, contact Bernice Gerard at Sunday “Ministries. In China, they forcibly murder cond pregnaricy babies in the womb, or just | birth. Chinese couples are only allow: ed one ids. is slave labor in prisons that make the ”’- cheap. goods that flood our markets. These. big ‘container. shipsyou see passing under our bridge are loaded: with such prison-labor mer- : * chandise:: In ‘China, they subject true Christian believers to awful punishments and persecution » While inflating “the “state-controlled 3. Self Churches to prominence. In small towns and villages in China, you can expect to see a public execution (usually on Friday nights) by firing squad for some minor petty theits. The “criminal” wears a black X upon his back and is blindfolded. He is shot publicly, his family paying for the bullet and then the doc- tors who are standing by, get ready to slice open and pull out his still pulsing heart, liver and kidneys for resale on the black market, You wor’t hear of this in the News and on CNN bur I can assure vou it is true and a lot worse than T have sketched out here. This the country, Mayor Don Bell, which you want to deal with. I would have thought you were of a higher calibre than this. ‘Wouldn’t your Christian principles give your conscience a big jolt? Is che all mighty buck so important that you would sell your soul for it? China is nothing short of a wicked, evil empire. North. Vancouver councillors, you have no business going there to trade with them. Jeremy Dalton was right: stay home and keep- your own backyard (North Vancouver) in order. Dulcie Baxter West Vancouver -ARE YOU AN EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER? We are-in need of caregivers to provide family care home for youth aged 8-18 years old. : These youth may have addictions, may attend alternative education centers, and may be 7 alienated from their families. Qualifications: "© Experience working with youth experiencing emotional and behavioural challenges; © Experience working with estranged families is necessary; © Prefer experience as secondary schoo! teachers, os child and youth care workers, ot other similar experience; and © Ability to work os part of a team and toke cose management duties. If you ore interested in providing a fomily care home, please contact Colin Ensworth or Lisa Devito af the Ministry for Children and Families, 988-7149. For general information about the Ministry on the North Shore, please contoct the Access Line at 988-4014, Dear Editor: Re: Shaun Conlin’s “myopic *honehead™ view of Lions Gate Bridge. After reading Mr Conlin’s drabbie about Lions Gate Bridge, I’m at a loss as to why the North Shore News continues to give this guy valuable space on the pape. At least hide him away in the video game review section; something commensurate with his journalistic skills. Please enlighten us Sir Shaun with your intelligent treatment of the mass transit prob- lem, instead of the usual “bonehead” muse. Perhaps vou are too myopic to see that there is a problem? How often are you using public transit these days? Care to carpool evervwhere with everybody all the time? How about refitting the Lions Gate Bridge with four-car lanes plus ane pedestrian and two bicycle lanes on the outside, ‘Stop this insane lane juggling act going on several times a day, approaching the bridge. How about some serious action on rapid transit linking Horseshoe Bay, Deep Cove and points in between along existing rail lines, mak- ing it very conveniens to take transit. How about charging a parking levy to all those “bonehead” commuters who insist on driving their vehicle to and from work, to downtown Vancouver. B. Humphreys North Vancouver vwest@direct.ca Some boorish bridge behavior Dear Editor: What a depressing story. Trevor Lautens’ wife arrived for work one and a half hours late, due to the thoughtless behavior of a disturbed, would-be jumper on Lions Gate bridge. If this were not enough misery and agita- tion for someone from the — Eagle Mailbox policy LETTERS to the editor must be legible (preferably typewritten) and include your name, tull address and telephone number. Sub- missions can be faxed to 985-2104. Pictured here: Necklace $658 ; reg. $940 Earings reg. $316 $221. Harbour/Caulteild border, we are told. that Ms. Lautens’ co-workers then administered 3 stiff cup of school coftee. . Have they no empathy? At the very least, they could have brought in a cup of Starbucks. ; Maureen W. Cooke North Vancouver Complete Mechanical Repairs & Service — 183 Pemberton A TALKING. 985-71 95! (Offer valituntil fuly. 15/98). 7 DIAMOND ‘*\* GOLDMAN "JEWELLERS Park Royal North.