Pe A AS A Oe

PR ee ae ee

THEY STARTED IT. These New Westminster high
school students were the first to start the pro-
test last week against fares being hiked as

et

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15,1965
VOL. 26, NO. 2

: =—_ x | oO ¢
el

Return to original
fares urged by labor

At its regular session Tuesday
this week, delegates to the Van-
couver Labor Council gave unani-
mous approval of the action ofits
executive body in “demanding
that all bus fares be returned
to original levels.” Telegrams
to that effect have been forward-
ed by the executive to Premier
Bennett, Hydro Authority and
Hydro chief Gordon Shrum,

Sean Griffin, representing the
B.C. Student Federation, by
courtesy of the VLC, outlined the
activities of students protesting
the bus fare hike, Aside from
Student protest marches and
demonstrations, a monster pe-
tition is now being circulated by
the students, PTA's and other
bodies. aimed at rolling back the
Hydro fare increase.

Griffin also reported that a
mass march and rally is being
Planned for this weekend, and re-
quested the VLC to senda speak-
er to this rally, He also urged
the VLC to join ina student and
Parents’ delegation to Victoria
when the Legislature opens to

Place the issue before the gov-
ernment,

VLC secretary- treasurer
Paddy Neale assured the student

representative that the VLC
“fully supports the student pro-
tests” and that a speaker from
the VLC would be at the rally.

Marineworkers delegate Wil-
liam Steward welcomed the action
of the VLC executive, declaring
that “this is an issue which
can shake the government to its
very foundation.” He urged that
the VLC becomea rallying center
for students, old age pensioners
and others protesting the Hydro
fare hikes,

Delegate John Hayward (Street
Railwaymen) said he “wished all
parents were as active as their
children on this issue* since it
is obvious that if we want an

- efficient transit service, “raising

fares certainly won't take care of
that.” Hayward expressed the
need of a “forward-looking” fare
-free transit system to end a
growing traffic congestion, and
“we need that now.” The gov-
ernment, he said, are “10 years
behind on this.”

During the bus fare discussion,
secretary Neale informed the
VLC that he had just been in-
formed that Hydro had cut back
on student fares, but had as yet

See LABOR, pg. 3

much as 300 percent. Since then nearly every
high school, the UBC and many parent groups
joined the fight forcing B.C. Hydro Monday

> Further fare rollback
, demanded from Hydro

Students win bus fare cut

night to announce a cut in student fares.

—Croton Studio photo

Hydro and the B.C. government were forced to back down on student
transit fares this week before widespread student protests backed by parent,
labor, civic, pensioner and other groups. The partial cutback came only a
few days after the Board of Directors said there would be no cut. Student,
labor and civic leaders have indicated that while they welcome the reduction
the fight will go on to roll back fares to their original level.

Hardial Bains, president of
the B,C, Student Federation,
which has spearheaded the stu-
dents’ action, and is currently
circulating a petition in most
Lower Mainland high schools,
said:

“While welcoming the cutback,
the fares are still discrimina-

Woe:

This was a familiar scene on the Lower Mainland every day last week as stud-

tory against students and will
work a hardship. The B,C, Stu-
dents’ Federation intends to
press on for its original demand
—a return to last year’s fares.”

The Federation petition de-
mands that the 1964 rates of 7¢
for high school students, 5¢ for
students commuting from Blanca

. :

ents from one high school after another staged demonstrations. This picture
shows North Vancouver students marching down Lonsdale Avenue Monday in

protest.

Loop to UBC and 5¢ fares for
New Westminster, Burnaby and
North Vancouver, be re-intro-
duced, The new rates announced
by Hydro provide 10 tokens for
$1.00.

Sean Griffin, chairman of the
Students’ Fare Protest Commit-
tee, said Tuesday that the demon-
stration set for next Saturday,
January 16, will go ahead as
scheduled,

Plans are for students to meet
at 12 noon at the Pacific Stage
Bus Depot, Beatty and Dunsmuir.
They will then stage a mass
march to the Hydro Building
where they will meet in the audi-
torium for a protest meeting,
Speakers from representative
organizations will address the
meeting,

Commenting on the turn of
events, Nigel Morgan, B,C, Com-
munist Party leader, said: “The
students have scored a signifi-
cant victory, At the same time
it must be noted that B,C, Hydro
—faced with a protest movement
that was rapidly reaching gale
proportions—made a partial con-
cession to head off a bigger re-
treat on the overall fare issue,”

“Hydro was obviously acting at
the direction of a worried pro-
vincial government,” Morgan
said, “Premier Bennett no doubt

See ROLLBACK, pg. 3