THE PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE December 2, 1938 Threatened | No Guns Guard Border CHANGES IN LAND ACT SEEN DANGEROUS Gov’t Waives Rights To All Property And Control Over Company Towns VICTORIA, BC, Dec. 1. — An amendment to the Land Act, giving the government power to waive the province’s iBakery Management Asks Removal Of Pickets From Stores Threats of an injunction and damages against pickets patrol- q ling the Woman’s Bakery, employees of which went on strike ; when the bakery refused to accept the award of the government- j appointed arbitration board, were received by officials of Local 468, Bakery and Confectionery Workers’ Union Wednesday. a In a letter to the union, Hugo Ray, lawyer for J. C. Brault, a URS ewiesrsisg etfs pmbirter» PR epee pore comfrey, right to retain one-quarter of the lots in any townsite or other subdivision, was put through the ILesislature Monday de- spite severe opposition from Conservative and CCE mem- bers. “This amendment makes it pos- Sible to exclude the people of BC from participating in the benefits of the development of a townsite,” declared R. lL. Maitland, opposition leader, remarking that the bill was “one of the most far-reaching brought into the House in a long time.” “Suppose at Zeballos a townsite is set up; suppose it becomes a eity. Instead of speculators grab-— bing it all, one-quarter of the land reverts to the crown. The revenue from these lands then comes to the people,” Maitland continued. Premier Pattullo significantly used Trail as an example in favor ef the amendment. “TMhe Consolidated Mining and Smelting company proposed to de- velop a subdivision,” he said. “The amount the government could get out of it would be small, but it swvould still share the responsibility of developing essential services. In such cases the government desires to waive its claim to any part of the subdivision.”’ “Pm not sure that it is the right - thing to give the Lieutenant-Gover-— nor-in-Council power of this sort,” objected H. G WT. Perry, Laberal Hort George. ‘The basis of the sta- tute is that the state shall take a part of unearned increment of this nature.” Cariboo Prepares For Anniversary VICTORIA, BC, Dec. 1—Plians to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of Cariboo's “golden birth’ next year are being prepared by Louis Tebourdais, Mi.A for that consti- tuency. “Mighty years ago next summer miners made their first discoveries of rich pay dirt at Quesnel,” de- clared Lebourdais. “It was the most important event in the history of British Columbia’s hunt for gold.” T.ebouragais will seek with gov- ernment assistance to have the new provincial travel bureau designate 1939 as “Golden Cariboo year” and link the celebration with the San Francisco Exhibition which com- memorates the 90th anniversary of the California gold rush. Staff Says Thanks Members of the Advocate staff wish to extend thanks and appre- ciation to all press committees and friends for their splendid coopera— tion and hard work in making the recent press drive such 2 tremen- dous success. g By such good teamwork and as- sistance, we can be assured that our progressive press will continue to grow and became 4 vital force in the preservation and extension Part of the erowd of 7000 Canadian and American school children who gathered at the Peace Arch near Blaine to exchange flags of their countries in an impressive peace ceremony. Control Of Victoria Public Utilities Urged By Labor Candidate practical proposals. Announcing the intention of a “new immediately concerned with improving t for all,” and declares that the candidate intends to wor tion of taxes to assist the small taxpayer, increased taxes on monopolistic businesses. DISCUSS HOURS OF FIREMEN VICTORIA, BC, Dec. 1-—Private bills committee of the legislature Tuesday considered the Piremen’s Two-Platoon Act, providing for employment of additional men where the number employed is not sufficient to allow the men proper time off duty, and stipulating a sixty-hour week. Howard Forester, Liberal, sup- porting the act, stated that fire— men in some municipalities work as long as 120 hours a week. Admitting that firemen in his municipality were on duty ninety- six hours a week, most of that time waiting for alarms, R. F-. Blandy, Oak Bay, remarked that the tywo- platoon system would involve the employment of six additional men. Attorney-General Gordon Wismer declared that a municipality such as Oak Bay, one of the wealthiest in BG, should be able to afford two platoons. He considered treat— ment accorded firemen in that dis- trict was scandalous. Firemen in organized municipalities should work the ordinary sixty-hour week, as the act provides. he added. NEW WESTMINSTER, BC, Dec. 1A special council meeting to be ealled Wednesday night will decide whether to submit a money by-law at December elections to instal a new incinerator plant. Ald. W. T. Gook reported that the plant would cost $8000 annually for operation, maintenance and sink- ing fund and interest charges, of democracy. SOINTULA CO-OPERATIVE STORE Sointula, B.C. GROCERIES AND GAS Agents for Buckerfield’s Ltd. — HAY > FLOUR =: necessitating a by-law for $28,500. BOOOO OOS OOO OVOP TU VOU VY FEEDS phoahphpbphpirhhbhbbpbmbrbbbobhbboboboooe V—VV WONDERFUL 1.C.O.R. BAZAAR Tues. and Wed., Dec: 6, 7 12 Noon to 12 Midnight — at the — O’BRIEN HALL Hastings at Homer ce} ] BARGAINS! ——— (= Support for democratic rights of< trade unions and substitution of day labor for contract rates when- ever possible in all civic enterprises are included in the platform planks. The second plank calls for full responsibility by the federal gov- ernment for unemployment, and es- tablishment of civic works projects by more extensive use of the Muni- cipal Assistance act to build a civic auditorium and sports arena. Pend- ing assumption of unemployment by the federal government, ade quate maintenance will be supplied. Control of public utilities ad- vocated in plank tnree, is the “‘car- dinal principle’ of the program, with a view to ‘early establishment of collective ownership of those things collectively used.” Reem- ployment of utility employees is to be taken care of, and failing 100 percent employment, adequate pro- vision for those laid off is to be guaranteed. Continued HOUSE VICTORIA, BC, Dec. 1— Commencing the campaign to elect Charles Chivers, United Broth- erhood of Carpenters and Joiners, as alderman in the coming Civic elections, the Trades Coun- cil campaign committee this week issued its platform which includes many progressive and deal for labor,” the platform preamble states “we are he general standard of living and cultural opportunity ik for unemployed assistance, redistribu- CHARLES CHIVERS Trades and Labor Council candi- date for the Victoria city council, whose platform was announced this week. Me is endorsed by the Public Ownership League. Government House, while attempts of GCE members and other pro- gressives to gain better attention to the care of the old people, the insane, the blind and other less- \ fortunate citizens received a cold shoulder in government circles. EGISLATION is being passed fhis week that not only marks a milestone in the political history of the province, but which un- doubtedly will pave the road for a fight which is rapidly developing in British Columbia; a fight be- tween reactionary monopolistic in- terests and the public welfare. You will have guessed before now that we refer to the new Public Utility Bill. A most peculiar feature of this immense piece of legislation, which consists of 134 ponderscus elauses well clothed in shadowy lezal phraseology, and which por- tends to be the most “revyolution— ary” bill presented for many years, is the lack of attraction it seems to offer to ‘lobbies.’ Well armed with expensive and “influential ob- servers,” ‘the “big interests” sel- dom permit an act holding such sweeping powers to pass through without having vibrated to the tune of “his master’s voice.” The Act is receiving the close scrutiny of CCE members who fear it might be just a gesture to jockey the liberal party into a nice position for elec- tion purposes. The possibility of it being opposed in the courts and declared ultra vires, which would be followed by a long and expen- sive legal fight, thus effectively warding off rumored attempts to get a “new deal’ in the municipal utility field, are already being sSpe- culated upon. Confirming the latter idea is the fact that the BC Electric in deal- ing with the City of Victoria has, through its president, Mr. Murrin, already intimated its preference to deal with the Provineial Utility Soard rather than the Beck Com- mission which has ruthlessly ex posed the exploitations of the com- pany in the Capital City- eee NEW WESTMINSTER, BC, Dec. j.— Previously rejecting a2 plan to join the Metropolitan Health Board, City Council this week laid over a proposal by Ald. W. T. Cook that a plebiscite should be submitted Continued DEBATE ested audience, Charles Stewart, executive member of the Trades and Labor Council and candidate for alderman, introduced a new note in civic politics by declaring he would hold public meetings in every district of the city to give an account of nis stewardship when he was elected. In outlining his° platform, the popular trade union leader stressed particularly the need for refund- ing of the city debt at lower inter est rates and a readjustment of taxation methods so as to remove present burdens from small pro- perties and increase the mill rate by a graduated scale on the pro- perties of larger corporations “best able to pay.” Referring to Col. Nelson Spen- eer, Stewart declared he was the worst enemy of the “small man” of Vancouver. “Col. Spencer represents noth- ing you or I stand for,’”’ he said. “By allowing himself to be part- ner of Japanese interests who are buying up our natural resouces, he is 2iding Japanese fascism and condoning its penetration of our country.” A policy favoring reclamation of False Creek flats as a recreation center, improvement of existing parks with proper playground sup- ervision and granting their use to labor organizations for meetings was outlined by Sam Shearer, jabor—progressive candidate for park board. Shearer, who is also a prominent trade umionist, being president of the Brotherhood of Railway Car- men, took exception to the name “Won-Partisan League.” “The organization is definitely partisan—nov toward the small man, but to seeks to maintain its eontrol over the city council,” he declared, term- ing it one of the most iniquitous on this matter at the civic elec- tions. groups ever arrayed in our civic elections. big business which of the Woman's Bakery, states, “It has been brought to our atten— tion by Woman's Bakery that you are picketing its retail estab- lishments and interfering with the public by so doing. In Sareea one of your women pickets at the Hastings street store is accosting members of the public, such as pas— sersby and intending customers, and addressing various remarks to JEWELERS BUCK UNION DRIVE them to the extent that the picket- ing in question, even were it law- ful, could hardly be called peace- ful. “Qur instructions are that if pickets are not removed from Woman's Bakery by noon, Thurs- day, December i, we are to issue a writ and ask for an injunction to restrain your union from pick— eting. We shall also be obliged to claim damages for picketing to date.” Denying the statements that pickets were interfering with the public and accosttng passersby, Local 468 has replied to Ray de- Claring that “the picketing is law- ful and most certainly peaceful. In view of the support given us to date, we intend to continue our jawful right to peaceful picket— ing.” At the recent trial of W. Gil bert, charged with attempted as- sault of pickets in Burnaby, Mag- istrate Gillies upheld the umnion’s stand, declaring that “peaceful picketing is quite lawtul,’ and no Cne had any right to interfere with pickets on duty. Pickets were still patrolling all stores of Woman's Bakery late Thursday and stated they intend- ed to continue doing so. Managers in the jewelry industry met Thursday night with J. Thom- son, conciliator appointed by the provincial government, toe discuss open shop conditions and low wages in every branch of the in- dustry. The dispute calling for concilia- tion arose when employees of George H. Hewitt Lid. refused to continue work until owners opened negotiations with Local 42, Jewelry Workers’ Union. The stipulated period for con- ciliation ended Thursday and un- less industry managers agree to negotiate with the union, the dis- pute will go to arbitration. Union officials believe that own- ers will refuse to negotiate and that the matter will have to be ar bitrated by a government appoint- ed board, after consideration of Thomson’s report. Percy R. Bengough, secretary of the Vancouver Trades and Labor Council, has been approached to represent the union if anbitration is necessary and has stated he may be able to act. The board, is es- tablished, will probably sit early next week. Company Town Rule Defended By Pattullo — Special te The Advocate VICTORIA, BC, Dec. 1—Advancing strong and compelling arguments to prove his case, Colin Cameron attempted for the second time in two sessions this weelk to present an amendment to the Industrial Settlements Act respecting company towns. The staunch Comox member's amendment would have made all passageways to property where employes are house a public risht-of-way.- Alluding to Blubber Bay as a specific case of unfair company practises in this regard, Cameron charged the Pacific Lime Company had closed the roads leading to the government wharf, telephone and telegraph facilities, during the present strike. Summing up his case he asked: ‘Who's running this province any— how? The Legislature or private corporations?” His answer came quickly when Premier Pattullo rose to his feet and in an attempt to draw the “red herring” across the trail con- demned the measure by stating: ‘What this bill seeks is the right of any person to circulate propa— ganda in company towns.” Shortly after Mel Bryan, MLA for the district covering Blubber Bay, who poses as a unionist, took advantage of the fact that Cam- eron had already spoke to lay a charge that “it teok 26 policemen to look after the situation after the member from Comox arrived at Blubber Bay.’ There was a series of attempted denials from Cameron—who was not allowed to speak for a second time—the Premier and Mr. Speak-— er, who had to bring the House to order by ringing his bell. Despite Cameron’s denial, the reactionary Bryan reiterated his statements, again attempting to prove that responsibility for the Blubber Bay fracas on September 17 lay at the Comox CCE member's doorstep, despite the fact that A Christmas Gift To Your Friends! Give them a yearly subscription to the CLARION WEEEBLY—=a gift for a whole year. With every yearly ($2.00) new or renewal subscription one of these books is given free to the subseriber: “Red Comet,” by Geoffrey Trease; “I Love,’ by A. Avdeyenko; “When Japan Goes To War,’ by ©. Yohan and O. Tanin; “Men of Siberia,” by Hugo Huppert. Imelude a subscription on your Christmas shopping list and send your friends the message of Peace on Earth for a whole year. Ajso, during the month of Decem- ber only, half-yearly subscriptions are sold at one dollar. CLARION WEERLY 406 Chambers of Commerce Bldg- Winnipeg, Manitoba Cameron was not present at the scene, arriving several hours after. 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