and outside the country. The fascist character of the South African Verwoerd government’s new sabotage bill has been widely criticized by many inside Last month int Capetown, as the sabotage bill went into the committee stage in the House of Assembly, demonstrators carried mock gallows with cardboard effigies of four hanged men. On ‘woerd each was a poster reading: ‘He painted a slogan”, “He handed out a leaflet’, ‘He went on strike”, and “He opposed Vorster’’ (minister of justice). Opposition to the Ver- fascist measures are rising. Above photo shows a demonstration in London, England, a few months ago, protesting South Africa’s apartheid laws. Demand full inquiry into civic tax crisis A Royal Commission to investigate municipal - pro- vincial financing was asked for this week by Vancouver City Council. Terms of reference wouid include provincial home- owner grants, school finan- cing, hydro grants, assess- ment regulations and general matters of municipal financing. Vancouver Council is ex- pected to press the Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting in Kamloops in September, and other interested bodies for support for its proposal. This later Council action is one of a series made under compulsion of an electorate which is seething over inad- equate services and increas- ing taxes. The whole crisis wes brought to a head this year by an average increase of $25 on the homeowner’s tax bill. This pill was not sweet- ened any by firm forecasts for equal increases for 1963 and 1964. Pressed by ratepayers, Civic Reform Association, and to a lesser extent Van- couver Labor Council, the City Council could not dis- miss demands for tax reform in e offhand fashion it could previously. TAX REFORM In addition pressure is be- ing brought to bear from ratepayers and other civic groups for a graduated busi- ness tax, similar to that in effect in Winnipeg; and also for concerted action by the municipality for distribution rights for hydro and gas. From the other side of the picture the heat is on from big business and downtown business in general for lower taxes. Being a big business council it heeded this pres- sure and cut $1 million off tax rolls of business this year and placed it on the home- owner. One can be almost sym- pathetic of the Council. Every avenue of solution to the municipal crisis at civic level faced it with the need to soak those whom it rep- resents—industry and down- town business. This “it refuses to do. Council’s solution is, (1) ‘cut back on needed services and development. Thus post ponement of five-year plans, sale of parks, etc.; (2) pass the buck to senior govern- ments. \ Of course, Council is well os Be eee ES Columbia‘s recent parliamentary elections were marked by police and army repression. Above, police and army hound- ing voters. aware that senior govern- ments are ‘in a similar fix. The federal government serves big business through a $1% billion a year arms budget. Two solutions are open to the people. One is to dump the present NPA Council and elect one which will spread the tax load equitably. The other is to demand a better deal from senior govern- ments. A Royal Commission can focus attention on the gross injustices of present munici- pal financing and for this reason we feel labor and the people generally will support the démand. BACKS ENQUIRY “The Communist Party supports the demand for an enquiry into provincial-mun- icipal fiscal relations”, Nigel Morgan, B.C. leader, told the Pacific Tribune this week, “and will make representa- tions to such a probe. “Tax loads on ratepayers have reached unbearable levels. School and municipal costs are skyrocketing, while the proportion borne by the provincial government is steadily declining. Dollar devaluation will add substan- tially to interest charges on debentures and loans,” he said. “B.C. homeowners, _ ten- ants and small business peo- ple are demanding and urg- ently need a new deal. This requires basic democratic reforms — changes in assess- ment methods, basic exemp- tion for homes and a grad- uated system of business taxation. Increased grants and a reallocation of services is long overdue, to lift the excessive burdens the muni- cipalities are carrying. “This is within attainment providing united action is developed. A new deal for B.C. municipalities must be- come a foremost demand for the next session of the B.C. Legislature,” Morgan stated. LABOR ROUNDUP Mine, Mill stand uphe carpenter wage falks 0 ‘lwo new developments in the struggle at Sudbury were announced in a bulletin issu- ed by the Mine Mill and Smeiter Workers Union this week. The Mine Mill position was upheld by the chairman of Ontario Labor Relations Board at hearings on Steel’s application at INCO. In the recent union vote at Sudbury a number of ballots challenged by Mine Mill left the Steelworkers union 21 votes short of the required number required for certification by the Ontario Labor Relations Board. On July 4 the chairman, Professor Jacob Finkelman, abruptly adjourned the hear- ings stating he was aghast’ at the way the returning offi- cer’s amended report was drafted. The Mine Mill counsel pointed out the new report did not even mention the 71 ballots with the D.R.O. stamp, and that the report had not been posted for the informa- tion of the workers, who were entitled to make representa- tion within a certain period of time, although this was provided for in the Labour Act:. > The report had been placed in the hands of the parties the night before the hearing and was again amended in another document given -to the parties just prior to the opening of the hearing. The Board was adjourned until further notice pe? its examination of the of the report. Local 598 President Gillis turned over the to all properties to the sh ' of the district June 30 and nounced that. the tem hee office of the executive | come to an end. i In his statement Gillis ® there is no one to whom reins of office could us handed over. : National President Ke Smith, in a statement to press, said there is no 4 tion about ownership % 2 assets. “They belong to the be bership of Local 598 said val A President Smith membership meetings ° local to elect a vempomt executive to run the uniot affairs until an electiOM, accordance with the UM é constitution, can take ple August 31. * * * oe The Plumbers and Cart, ters Unions are prepa! strike action. tt Representatives oo! Plumbers’ Union and © large contractors will Friday to try to avert ® of 500 men in a wage GBF : ert At press time talks bg scheduled between thé ast tra penters union and © tors. — Austerity program will not solve crisis city forum told — The present austerity pro- gram implemented by the Diefenbaker government will not solve Canada’s problems but will only start a new cycle which will deepen the crisis. This was one of the main points made at a forum last Thursday at the Fishermen’s Hall which was attended by 100 people. Economists Emil Bjarnason and Bruce Yorke answered many questions from the audience. The speakers pointed out that the underlying reasons for the present crisis are to be found in the national pol i which have been purst successive Tory -and governments. {i The only solution eI crisis is to adopt new Pr as of trade with all coun. eutting back arms 5P¥. ending U.S. dominat Canada. Maurice Rush, pacifl bune associate edito moderator of the mee pointed out in his coP remarks that the Die government had © : shift the burden of on the backs of thé 3 “THIS MEANS WE ALL HAVE To MAKE i July 13, 1962—PACIFIC TRIBUNE el parr