Letter 13: March 6th, 1946

March 6th.1946.

Mr. S. Shigematsu,
Reg.No.08177,
Tashme, B.C.

Dear Mr. Shigematsu,

I received your letter of 22nd.Feb., after a long silence. Some years ago I wrote you a letter in manuscript, mentioning that I had the cases of insects delivered to my home, and I paid the Transfer man for delivering them, and got a receipt from him. They were delivered during my absence and when I got home I found two drawers missing, and in case they were lost during transit I wrote the Custodian and asked him if all the drawers were present when the transfer man picked them up.

In a letter from Mr.C.C.Robinson, of the Office of the Custodian, he writes:- “Our records show that there were two drawers missing from the large cabinet when we removed it from the Shigematsu house last summer. These had either been removed by the owner before evacuation or were pilfered before we got to moving his goods, as we found the place had been broken into and looted to a considerable extent”.

I looked at the contents of the drawers, they were in a bad state. The pins got loose, and insects and moth-balls had rolled about in the cases, many insects are broken, but as the glass was sealed with gum paper I just left them. I doubt if there are many insects of much use to anybody.

I will be glad to know what to do with them, as I had them stored in a corner of our amateur radio transmitting room which, during the war, was not in use; but now we are permitted to resume broadcasting again, we need more space.

Would it be possible to apply to the camp authorities for permission to visit Vancouver to see the condition of your collection? then decide or make arrangements as to what you would like to do with them.

I was interested to learn you were back in Skagit Valley; like you, I am not sure where Tashme is. Is it anywhere near our Summer Camp? or is it nearer Hope?

With best wishes,

I remain,
Yours faithfully,
(signed)

Associate Professor of Botany.

JD/MG.