NEW_HAVEN STAYS WON'T COW-TOW Hon. Maud Holstein walks across floor By ‘HAL GRIFFIN VICTORIA, B.C.—When the “Honorable Maud Holstein” arrived here to take her seat en Monday this week she got more attention from the legis- lature than any minister of agriculture for the past sev- eral decades. Government benches promptly questioned her status, which admittedly was irregular. Obviously she was not a Socred cow. She allowed herself to be milked on the steps of the legislature, a breach of tradition, because every Social-~-Crediter, Lib- eral and Conservative knows that only taxpayers may be milked and then away from the legislature so their protests won't disturb the House. Even more irregular was the fact that she arrived in -a tractor-towed cart with a placard around her neck pro- claiming, “We can’t afford to keep this cow now.” This was - an affront to the entire cabi- net. Socred ministers have maintained in face of all facts to the contrary that the farm- ers are better off today than they ever were, even if the contingent liability of being saddled with a Socred gov- ernment until 1960 threatens to force them out of business. Government members were loath to admit that the Hon. Maud might be more repre- sentative of farmers’ opinion that the present minister of agriculture, Hon. Newton Steacy, who sits for the great couver. But they could not rural riding of North Van- deny that she was representa- tive, however irregular her election might be. She arrived at the House with some 300 of her constituents to back her up and all clamoring to be heard. Interviewed after the sergeant-at-arms had denied yy T _ her the right to take her seat on the ground that the gov- ernment already had a mini- ster’ of agriculture, Hon. Maud said: “If Premier Bennett says I am not one of the original Socred cows, he is so right. And if he claims that I pack- ed the nominating convention to get here, he’s a liar. It was unanimous.” Civic Outside Workers reject city wage offer A city offer of a three pre- cent wage hike was unani- mously rejected by some 500 members of Vancouver Civic Employees . Union, Outside Workers, at a meeting in Pender - Auditorium last Fri- aay. The city’s letter to the union listed a new pension plan “as being the equivalent of a 242 ~ percent increase in wages” and offered “a further 3 percent wage increase.” In respect to {tradesmen the letter “agreed that there was room for a minor adjustment over and ‘above the general wage in- crease.” Protest forces Attorney-General Robert Bonner backed down under popular pressure this week # said that New Haven Borstal Institution would remain open for the time being, although may “be moved to a more suitable location” in the future. Bonner had previously announced that New Haven would be closed, and protests had poured in from all parts of the province Background to Bonner’s change of mind is as follows: In Vancouver churches Sun- day this week thousands of people signed petitions ask- ing the government to main- tain the New Haven Borstal home in Burnaby, and deplor- ing the proposed reduction in mental health services. — ’ B.C. Medical Association wrote to Provincial Secretary W. D. Black deploring “the serious deterioration of men- tal health services’ and blamed the recent govern- ment directive to cut costs by five percent. ; The following institutions will be seriously affected by the Socred “economy” moves: New Haven: This Borstal institution, without bars or fences, was to be closed down and its inmates transferred to a behind-wires institution at Haney. “You can’t have Borstal ex- cept as an open home com- pletely segregated from any prison,” said Vancouver law- yer Frank G. P. Lewis, who headed a delegation which interviewed Attorney-General Robert Bonner on the matter. Nine young offenders who “sraduated” from New Haven distributed 6,000 petitions this week, urging groups end individuals to fight to retain New Haven as it is. Bonner’s proposal caused a hot debate in the Social Credit caucus, with Vancouver members urging the attorney- general to change his mind and keep New Haven operating. Oakalla Prison: Some 50 staff members are to be cut from the present staff. of about 350. Magistrate Rode- rick Haig-Brown of Camp- bell River gave his opinion in a letter to the press: “This institution has long been a disgrace to the prov- ince. Warden Christie is a brilliant penologist, dedicated, courageous, aggressive and highly constructive. He has greatly improved the staff and whole tone of the institu- tion. The Young Offenders’ Unit has proved a great ad- . vance and the Haney Correc- Bonner retreat ~ ROBERT BONNER Protests forced him to back down. tional Institute promises well. “But the physical plant of Oakalla itself is an abomina- tion which has largely frust- rated every effort at improve- ment. Any cutback at Oak- alla is a dangerous attack on all the good work that has been done and will set the province back many years.” Woodlands School: Instead of proposed cutbacks, this ‘in- situation for mentally retarded children needs a larger staff. B.C. Medical Association pointed out that the present restritcions in obtaining train- ed staff will make it doubtful whether ‘the new Woodlands School building can be ade- quately used. “T have known of retarded children who, after waiting three years and more for ad- mission to Woodlands, had finally to be sent to correc- tive institutions,” wrote Magi- Nomination meeting Vancouver Centre constitu- ency committee of the Labor- Progressive party will nomi- nate a federal candidate at a public meeting to be held in the Yugoslav Educational Home, 767 Keefer Street, this coming Wednesday, February 19, at 8 p.m. February 14, 1958 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE nd it strate Roderick Haig-Browe “Any cutback at Woodlan for whatever cause, is ™ — . 7 human and irresponsible. Essondale: In the legisl®” ture this week Gordon Dow ing (CCF, Burnaby) claim 145 positions had been delet from the staff list at Ess" dale Mental Hospital. ; charged that a new school . psychiatric nurses, complete! last October, cannot be ope? ed because the institutio? : not even allowed to hire janitor or other staff for Brannan Lake: This cole rective institute for juvenile’ has done good work, bU ‘ understaffed. Instead of CW” ting services, more institt tions of this type should © opened throughout the prov ince. 4 it 7 “No self-respecting mode! society could possibly f satisfied with the penal 87 rehabilitative services at pres’ | ent existing in British co lumbia except insofar as they | promise hope of continuing D improvement,” conclude” 3 Magistrate Roderick Hai’ a Brown. ic “Talk of cutbacks and economies at the pres® stage is sheer governmenl@ incompetence. After the Jon succession of prosperous so the province has. enjoyed | argues something approachi™’ criminal mismanagement public affairs—or a cynicl disregard for humane consi” erations in the hope of tem porary political advantage: Toronto rally boos stand-in for Starr TORONTO — Anansi meeting of 1,000 workel? booed Arthur Maloney, (sent as a stand-in for Labo? Minister Michael Starr) whe? he sought to play down th unemployed crisis and just} Tory government policy. The rally was called by Toronto Labor Council to 4! cuss the plight of some 100," 000 unemployed here. yo