PAGE 2, THE HERALD, Thursday, July 21, 197° aap t ey See ot es tyros @e CONTROVERSY CONTINUES Evidence points to false insurance claims - VICTORIA (cP) _ Insurance Corp. of British Columbia settled claims on ‘two cases where all the “evidence indicated there bould not have been pay- oie Alex Macdonald er-- Vancouver East) * ’. "RB charge was the latest in # series levelled by the a opposition against a fed SBE severament members for alleged impr ” intervention i in ICB Macdonald said Education Minister Pat McGeer, minister responsible for ICBC, was the person ul timately responsible for the alleged misconduct, political The former NDP. attorneygeneral said that whether the case hinged on improper intervention by George ‘Kerster (SC— Coquitlam) or bad judgment by #CBC, McGeer as min- ister in charge is responsible and “certainly he should resign.”, Macdonald said that in the two cases in question, all evidence pointed towards the claims being falsified and, therefore, the claims should not have been paid. The claims involve two in- cidents in which police sus- pected that the. central. gure in both accidents—a man—gave false information about the in- cidents in order to qualify. First Charter - Financial’ "Cor oration. of New estminster had provided he financing on the man’s vehicle. had carried out the repairs and applied to ICBC FROM PAGE ONE for repayment. -—- When the company was refused payment, Kerster intervened on its behalf, and the claims were paid. Macdonald told re that it was certain the lied on the claims and, therefore, the finance rters company’s claim should | never have been paid. He asked McGeer during ; question period that if could be established that the man lied, should ICBC have paid the ‘claims. Kitimat inquiry brief blasted by native rep: (Continued from page 1.) Because no technology is foolproof, and. .no precautions are guarantees against spills, the native ‘peoples oppose any port “in or near ‘our waters, " he said. Two other Indian spokesmen, Maxine Pape for the Kitimaat Band, and ‘Lavina Lightbown for the Haida ‘nation, painted eft y dark pictures of the ect of tanker traffic and of the Is “sn e opening statement by timat mayor George Thom who said Kitimat and. Douglas channel are “by no means an environmental wonderland’’ because heavy industry already operates .Bhortage . “has - - affect the price of everything and: wa orice ot ets cad 6 thovn said the cenerey. measures that threaten the Haida’s way of life which is closely bound to the sea. Strongnwinds and tides Queen Charlotte Islands, she said, and an oil sp m a passing er would spread a black curtain between the Indians and their livelihood. ' James 5 Tyhurst, a “trustee lands Trust said protecting the Gulf Islands and others in the Strait of Georgia is essential because oil spill damage would be, extensive, - The northward flow of the incoming tide splashes onto islands that are mostly ous sandstone and oil on hat tide -vould mean’ aa} beyond the smell of disaster. white ‘man’s industry, Pape astonishingly beautiful an as eau an still oduetve. “Hoe does one assess the financial value of a lost way of life?’’ she said, “How can one mend a shattered culture with a dollar? “To speak of com tion for that is to remind us of those who know Formal sessions of the in- adjourned Wednesday gig eptember, hen discussions: will“ centre : on existing | Canadian and United States laws govern- the construction and Operation of ‘tankers and marine terminals. Community hearings, however, begin Friday when Thompson will he 3 Fishermen agree VANCOUVER (CP) — United Fishermen and Allied Workers’ Union shoreworkers. have ap- proved a one-year contract with the Fisheries Association of British Columbia, which representa h-packing companies, by a en, of 75 ner cent. The 4,000 shoreworkers will receive a six-per cent wage increase on a base rate of $6.34 annhour. Jack Nichol, union president, said Wednesday t this will mean hourly increases of between 35 and 53 cents. There were also some minor’ improvements in benéfits * large par . sponsible “FROM PAGE ONE Namu fish camp, about 300 miles northwest of here. The: ‘camp. is home base for a. tof te Rivers ‘Thiet: a fishing fleet, now atthe peak of season. e man | “Certain! could be defended in court,’’ answered the minister. ".MecGeer has already - tabled documents in the legislature which describe an investigation into the gases. A document, signed by B. F. Pearson of ICBC, states that there was no direct evidence to hack up anx of the allegations against the “man, However, Macdonald tabled documents on Wednesday which he said show beyond a doubt that the man was both in-. toxicated at the times of the - incidents, and lied to police about certain details. not, if the case — “The documents were from Carol ‘Swingler, of the Surrey claims centre, to B. Sault, of ICBC's special investigations division. Macdonald also attacked McGeer for not acting properly on the situation, even though 8. H. Winfield, of ICBC’s chief counsels office in Vancouver, told the minister of his opposition to payment of the claims ‘Documents filed in the legislature last week contained the following memo dated Dec. 16, 1976, written by Winfield sent to John Stott of the Surrey claim centre, advising Stott . in terse terms to iy the claims. pa “This (the claims) was- forwarded to you for payment on July 9, 1876. Af you know, we were instructed: on Aug. 24, 1976 that a certain member of the legislative assembly intervened directly with Mr. Bortnick and we = were instructed to close the file and not to pursue the judg- ment: Please pay th s account forthwith.” Macdonald tabled | ‘ the document again on Wednesday ‘along. with the Swingler memo. He also said there were irregularities - in. the eventual payment of the claims to. Firat Charter, CARTER CONSIDERS PEACE PLAN “WASHINGTON (AP) -— Prime Minister Menahem Begin of Israel said Wednesda che has proposed to resident Carter tbat “mixed commissions”’ ‘be set up at a reconvened Middle East peace conference this fall to negotiate peace treaties an ‘manent boundaries with Farr Syria. and Jordan. At a news conference after his final meeting with Carter, Begin ruled out any role for the . Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) or any of. its : members at the conference in Geneva: © simply, is to destroy our ‘country and to destroy our people.” Begin said. He said his government will set no preco: ifthe Arab states are unabie to go to Geneva without the ' negotiations thro good offices of the United “Their design, bluntly and ~~ _-Begin that, the. - conference is “very likely" .to reconvene itions anid :-despite”. the: differences”. PLO, Israel will be prepared to meet with them on, neutral ground or conduct Carter’ said’ after his third’ and final meeting with eneva October. bebween the Arab states and Liberal’ leader accuses McGeer ::. of “rancid, stinking.. patronage” VICTORIA (CP) Education Minister Pat McGeernwas ancused Wednesday of rancid stinkin personal patronage in hifing “one of to take over: the Lovance. - Corporation of B.C, advertising account. Liberal leader Gordon Gibson, who made the -accusation, told the British Columbia legislature. the hiring of Torresan Rose Marketing Communications Ltd. was a despicable action. contrary to government ethics and policy MeGeer is the minister re- ‘or povernmnen ae : urance corporation. Gibson said. id the ICBC ac- count, which he valued at. $75,-000 a year, had been taken away vronh the Catton Buckham Advertising Agency and given to Torresan by the board of di- rectors without consultation, with management and without competition. He said it is government policy te award accounts after competition and with three-year tenure, stibject to early ‘review—which was not done in this case. Ray Torresan of _ the. “Tt was simply the appointment of one of the ‘minister’s pals,” Gibson said. He said Catton Buckham, had been awarded the - advertising contract after competing with eight other companies and had been kept on at the end of the fiscal year working. on several projects. SeAll chopped,” Gibson said. “Claims that ICBC was simply-. changing. projects are absolute nonesense. ‘The firm was involved in continuing projects which were chopped by the’ minister. McGeer said Torresan had been one of the nine firms to submit proposals when submissions were called last July, and had been asked for further sub- missions He said Catton Buckham has been dropped because “ICBC no longer needed the expertise of that agency.” The minister said he did not know to what extent the Torresan agency would be used, but refused to put his seat on the line if the firm received more than half of Police conduct dragnet to locate slayer (Continued from page 1.) Bignell the om bone said piece of and hair was found in the | Chilliwack district but -not near the sandy riverside site where the shootings oc- curred. “Jt’g about 10 years old,” he said. “It has nothing to do with this case.” for clues and the two missing teen-agers. Bignell said divers had re- sumed their Fraser River search for John Den Hertog and Leola Guliker, both 16 and both of Rosedale, B.C. “But it’s difficult, whe said. “The river has risen a foot and the divers are having trouble.” He said police have “practically given | up the and searc immediate area”’, but weren't discounting the possibility that one or both were still alive. “We've only found two bodies so we're lookin for ‘missing persons’ unt find the other two." Sergeant Merlin Van De Kinder of Vancouver RCMP sald police had no evidence that would support sugge estions that Leola er was abducted by the killer. He said police are the girl for the killer, not she’s with him, we'll find her when we find him,” ‘he said. “But we're not looking for her.” Divers found the bodies of Evert Den Hertog, 10, of Rosedale, .and Egbert Menger, 19, of Clearbrook, B.C, when they searched the river near the murder site Tuesday. Initial medical examination shows that Den Hertog ‘stabbed while Menger was shot twice. Den Hertog was John’s brother and Leola’s boy-friend. RCMP issued a_ public appeal Wednesday for an: inform ation that might shed was -both shot and — light on the circumstances’ surrounding the killings, “We still do not have ‘any Suspects or arent motives,”’ said RC Sgt. Bob Clarke. But police do have a description of the killer, based on the information provided by Ed Menger, 15, rother of one of the victims and the only known survivor of the attack. Menger said he was able to run into bushes after the first shot was fired. The killer is believed to have been wearing a heavy plaid, hunting-type jacke and is described as about six feet tall, of medium build with shoulder-length dark Police sald it is believed he was a stranger to his victims. Police said evidence found at the murder site leads them to speculate that Evert ¢ Den Hertog. put up a des ate fi ht for his life that of brother and girlfriend, As well as being - ‘shot in the shoulder with -a 30.06 ealibre rifle, he was. also stabbed six times with a wide-bladed knife which left ‘exceptionally large’' wounds, Chilliwack Coroner Dr. Doug Colledge said Tuesday that the gunshot wound from a bullet that lodged:in Den Hertog’s chest was fatal. The five teen-agers had been drinking at a sandy spot along the Fraser River when the gunman appeared in the clearing and began a rifle. Ed Menger dashed into the bush when. he heard the first shdei: ‘and lice said he heard ‘tries - at sounded like “Oh no, don’t shoot” as he fled: There were more shots and, when police, alerted by a call the younger Menger made from..a nearby farmhouse, got to the scene they found only blood stains empty shell casin ‘Ed Menger has” | attending Mouat sh secondary school. in Clearbrook, while is brother, Egbert, had bi student at Fraser, V. College. The Den Hertog bro! iers had left school to work on their father’s chicken farm. Leola Guliker left schoola ~ and had no — year ago: mediate plans,nher father said. WRITTEN RESUMES ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR: CHIEF LOUNGE STEWARD The successful candidate will: Have a proven management history Be fully bondable Be responsible for. staff management Carry out all stock orders Make Daily cash sheets & deposits Salary commensurate with experience. Submit to: MARY-ANN BURDETT - Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 13 415 Legion Avenue Terrace, B.C. ViG 1N7 a sudden they Were. pws the $75,000 collected by the Catton agency: ¢ He said Gibson's’ charges were “utterly: false.”’, ‘The Liberal. jeader ‘said et the minister “was caught in another “of “his arrogant’ moves.’ ” . - “He is arrogant enough to ieve that what he does is : right; but the voters can only stand so much smell in their nostrils.” A spokesman for the - ve Catton agency said ICBC did give any. reason for dropping the firm, - McGeer said he was surprised - that connection with the Catton family, which goes back more than. _ Richard. ‘Surre aoateeahip invelved— that his ‘§ 30 yearey had not 7 heer! brought ae ae saying another claim saying 2) man involved ould have been subtracted from the amount paid to the . finance company. McGeer said it was not ICBC practice to cross cases, dS Macdonald would like to have seen. However, in Pearson's memo to MeGeer, he sta that “it would have been reasonable to pay First Charter .a. net amount, subtractin ng what the man owed ICBC from the settle- ment. Meanwhile, McGeer tabled .documents countering an NDP charge made Tuesday. The NDP had said that in a claim’ made by a car dealership Kerster . used hed head, BC made the settlement without eve viewing the automobile in- question. MeGeer produced a sworn declaration made by Ronald Hudgins, secretarytreasurer — of Dodge Ltd—the . gar incurred until w NDP he personally saw the car beforé it was stolen and after it was recovered, The case involves a 1969 car stolen from the car Jot during the ICBC strike in the summer of 1975. The NDP say that the dealership did not claim for damages the after ICBC time limits had expir 7 ins ‘stated that he in- form ICBC during the strike that the car had been stolen, damaged and .then recovered. He said he was instructed to wait until the strike was over before taking any further action, He said that after the strike ended, he again informed ICBC of the damage, was told to have the car fixed .and then submit a claim. Gary Laukn(NDP— _ Vancouver Centre) accused the government of orchestrating a_ deliberate; coverup of the situation. MeGeer answered that a thorough investigation is still under way. “WAREHOUSE SALE 20 it. x40 Hf. Hallmark Swimming Pool, camper Trailer, Office Furniture, DeWalt Radiat Arm, ‘Saw, Skill Saws, Contractors Tools. and “Materials, Hardware, Womens and Childrens Clothing etc. « f Saturday, July 23 -10am-4pm. ‘Can-Han Warehouse ! Mile East of the new vbridge on Highway 16. today. eno tea. anivae a0 and oowidall wey tat tr Uf pere eled ay fef Bed chesterfield with - durable olefin cover 98 On display at your: ‘Jocal Sears store, limited ‘quantities at this price. ‘Simpsons- ‘Sears Lid. 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