THE BC LUMBER WORKER Page Five Assembled for the first time baat "blackout conditions, delegates to the Vancouver Labor Council this week ad- opted unanimously a resolution intro- duced by John McPeake, Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers’ delegate, which (1) "unreservedly supported Canada’s action in declaring war on Japan; (2) promised “to cooperate to the full in all civilian defense measures, particularly in the formation of civilian defense groups in industry”; (3) promised “to exert all its effort to the increasing of vital war pro- duetion for home defense and for supply- ing our Canadian forces and British and Soviet allies in the field”; (4) called for granting of “labor's demands for an equal yoice in carrying on the war”; (5) placed the Vancouver Labor Council on record as “supporting and proposing to all local unions advice to all able-bodied men within the required age limits to pro- ceed to recruiting bureaux to offer themselves for service in view of the possibility of attack.” Preamble to the resolution stated: “We, in British Columbia, have been " brought directly into the front lines of struggle for freedom against the Axis powers . . . with resultant threat to sec- urity of our homes and our people.” Harold Pritchett, secretary of the Coun- cil, told the delegates that he personally had offered his services immediately to ARP authorities and urged every dele- gate to do likewise. “An emergency faces us. We should Tet our position be known and follow it up quickly,” he declared, L. Mackie, delegate from the Dock and ‘Shipyard Workers Union, remarked that “ARP organization was started here last spring. If it had been carried out prop- erly we wouldn’t have had to stop night worl now,” William Stewart, delegate from IWA Local 1-217, supporting the resolution, declared: “If bombs were to fall on Van- couver, there would be chaos and confus- fon, There is not one public shelter. Japan has used gas in China, I doubt if there is one gas mask in Vancouved.” DC) D> () D> () ED () ED () GED BOR SUPPORTS WAR DECLARATION HAROLD J. PRITCHETT + + + Offers services. IWA Auxiliary Shows Progress Members of the IWA Ladies’ Auxiliary Local 1-28, wish to thank Mr. Buck Munn of the Stanley Hotel for his generous donation of $10.00 to the Christmas Ham- per Fund. Encouraged by this real assistance, at the last meeting of the Auxiliary a com- mittee was established to solicit from other friendly business firms for the Christmas Hamper Fund. ‘The auxiliary is growing gradually with two new members present at the last meeting, We urge all IWA members to help build the auxiliary while they are in town over the holidays. Encourage your wives to attend our next meeting, which will be held at 516 Holden Build- ing, Thursday, December 18, at 8 p.m. All auxiliary members are also u?gently requested to attend as there is work to be done between now and Christmas. DON’T MISS THE SOCIAL EVENT OF THE SHUTDOWN, THE... FOURTH ANNUAL LOGGERS’ BALL FIRST PRIZE - - - - $100 SECOND PRIZE - - - $50 THIRD PRIZE - - - - $25 wOURTE PRIZE — adies’ « or Gent’s, donated by London Auditorium — Georgia St. Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1941 * cP MUSIC and REFRESHMENTS GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY! >) D> (SED () ED () Press Committee IWA Ladies’ Auxiliary Local 1-28 LZ 15-JEWEL WATCH Jewelers.) ee J Cost Of Living Index Shows Upward | The following study was prepared Trend by John Wigdor of the Pacific Coast Labor Bureau. As it is of general interest we are presenting it here for the information of our readers. The index for the cost of living fi ‘or the Dominion of Canada at Sep- tember 2, 1941, was 114.7. Thisshowed an increased of 13.8 per cent when compared to the index as at August 1 or Septémber 1, 1939, of 100.8. It may be pointed out that food is? the most important item in the family budget and the Family Living Expendi- ture Survey which ended September 30, 1938, revealed that wage-earner families in Canada expended in that year 31.3 per cent of their disbursements on food. An analysis of the two index tables reveals that the trend of the total index has been consistently upwards, and the food index has shown on even stronger upward trend, and at September 2, 1941, the latter had risen by.24.0 per cent as compared to September 1. 1939. Source: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. NATIONAL DEFENSE TAX. At July 1, 1939, there was no National Defense Tax. At July 1, 1940, for a single man the National Defense Tax was 2 per cent if the worker earned more than $50 monthly, and 3 per cent if he earned more than $100 monthly. The tax on the married worker was 2 per cent if he earned more than $100 monthly, There was a dependents’ al- lowance of $8 per year, but as the tax was first effective at July, 1940, a tax ‘credit of $4_per dependent for the six months only would be granted. These rates remained in effect until June 30; i941. For the first six months of 1941 the same rates prevailed, and at July 1, 1941, the National Defense Tax for a single man increased to 5 per cent if he earned more than $55 monthly (the $55 replaced the former minimum of $50), and if he earned mroe than $100 a month his Na- tional Defense Tax would be 7 per cent. For a married man the tax was 5 per cent if he earned more than $100 a month. So far as dependents’ allowance was concerned, for the first half of 1941 it was the same as the last half of 1940, namely, a tax credit of $4 per half year for each dependent, but for the second half of 1941 this tax credit was changed to $10 per dependent. The net result of the National Defense Tax has been to give the worker less money to buy goods at increased prices. The effects of this tax vary with the individual’s earning and family circumstances. It should be pointed out that there are certain types of allowance claims and exemption claims, etc., but in the main the above would be the way in which the majority would compute their in- come tax. The net result of the changes in income tax is as follows: On a net taxable income of $1,00, he would pay: In 1939 .. $ 30 In 1940 .. 5 In 1941 .. 150 A similar trend would be revealed for all five groups. A workman’s compensation act with full state ability has been passed for the first time in South Africa. Only 16 More Chopping Days COWICHAN AUX. IN UNITED AID DANCE LAKE COWICHAN, B.C. — A fine example of the results that can be ob- tained by united action was given by the IWA Ladies’ when they got together with many other Auxiliary here recently organizations in the district to raise funds for the Red Cross, At the suggestion of the Ladies’ Aux- iliary, delegates from the Parent-Teacher Association, Lake Cowichan Knitting Club, Girls’ Club, Ladies’ Aid of the United Church, Pro-Rec Centre, and Community Hall board met apd decided to organize themselves into an active committee with Mr. J. Saywell as chair- man and Mrs, Owen Brown as Secretary. Having received the unanimous en- dorsation of their parent bodies, the dele- gates immediately laid plans for a big dance, which was held on November 15 and was imminently successful. Altogether $180.35 was taken in and due to the generosity of the hall board, the Island Revellers’ Dance Orchestra and others, expneses were kept down to $43.29. It was possible therefore for the committee to hand over $137.06 to the Red Cross; $70 to the Cowichan branch and the remainder to the general fund of the provincial headquarters. ‘The hall was very tastefully decorated by the Girls’ Club in a patriotic theme, and one verey interesting feature was the large shields on the walls represent- ing the symbol or insignia of each or- ganization on the committee. The committee has decided not to disband, but to approach the various parent organizations with the sugges- tion that it remain active in order that a united effort might again be made for a worthy cause during the coming year. Damaged in Gale, Annart in for Repair Pride of the Loggers’ Navy, the M.V. Annart was last week damaged in a gale and has had to be put on the ways for repairs, After an extensive and strenous season in the Queen Charlotte Islands waters, the Annart was put on the ways at Sointula recently, for overhaul. When this was completed, the boat was tied up at the Government wharf at Sointula. A sudden westerly gale unleashed its fury and the swell broke the tie-up line, allowing the Annart to drift onto the sand beach. One window was broken, one side of the pilot house pushed in about four inches and railings and lock- ers in the back of the boat were loosened. Since it was high tide at the time, it was impossible to refloat the Annart until the next high tide. Fortunately, the boat is covered by insurance and she is to the Loggers’ Annual Ball! now on the ways again for repairs.