PAGE 2, THE HERALD, Thursday, July 4, 1978

EDITORIAL

When a major crisis occurs, such as the forest,
fire that has been burning since last Thursday in
a most visible way, it is inevitable there will be
as many opinions as to how it should be dealt
with as there are witnesses. Since the fire lies
between Kitimat and Terrace and the mushroom
- type cloud pall has been seen by all residents of
the twin cities for seven days, - and breathed and
tasted by most - this should mean there are
probably thirty to forty thousand opinions from
as many “sidewalk superintendents“ as to how
the blaze should be handled.

Said one person, ‘‘I’ve travelled Highway 25
several times a day during the last week, bet-
ween Terrace and Kitimat, All I've seen is one
helicopter with what looked like a 45 gallon drum
with holes punched underneath - as effective as a
kid with a toy water pistol. Seems to me they
ought to be doing better than that.“ Said
another, “I heard they were having volunteers
turn up on Friday and told them that because it
was a long weekend, not to come back until after
the holiday - so they would not have to pay double
or triple overtime. I heard they almost had the

Forest Fire Fighting...Accordin

-said he had heard the majority of fire-fighters

ra

fire out then (Friday night), too.‘

One fellow, of German origins and with what
Anglo-Saxons like to think is a ‘‘typically
Teutonic“ methodical frame of mind, told us how
the fire would have been handled in Germany.
“Everyone in the area,“ he thought, “would
have been routed to a command post set up with
full communications, and under experienced
leadership directed to theix action stations.
Spotter aircraft, with two way radio would keep
in touch with each group on the ground.‘ There
was a lot more that he said. ‘It all sounded ex-
tremely efficient, precise and impressive.

Another ‘expert‘' was concerned because he

origin, other than the employment factor.

Aschool principal told us he thought summer
students should have been given the first chance
to fight the fires because they needed short term
employment more than anyone else. -

A few more have expressed amazement that
the fire should have lasted as long as it has, and
others have suggested it should have been
allowed to just “burn itself out‘, with work
concentrated on establishing fire breaks or fire
lines to protect power lines and human
habitation.

One woman was extremely concerned about
the loss of life that might occur to the “poor
animals ‘“.,.those ‘lovely' bears, deer, Foxes,
wolves birds, “bunnies“ - and even the fish in the
hatching beds. Ido hope the SPCA are looking
after them all, she added, hanging up before we
could get her telephone number andname. (She
had offered to make a contribution to the
Society)
little old lady was the only one out of all we have
spoken to, willing to do something concrete -

being used were employees from Eurocan. With
2,500 or more out of work. unemployed, living off
the taxpayers, he complained, they should have
been using those who needed the money and not
those who already had the good jobs.

Another caller - a professed skeptic, insisted
the fire had been deliberately set to burn off
useless timber. However, he could not come up
with any sound reasoning for such arsonist

ali the callers, the (presumably) sweet.

g to Sidewalk Superintendant

and something that involved putting up money
out of her own purse. .

There might. be - there MUST be a moral
behind all this somewhere. Rather than point it
out, like Aesop did, at the end of each of his
Fables, we shall simply let our readers decide.

And, when the last water tanker has been
hangared, the last fire shovel cleaned off and
stacked in the shed, and the very last embers
snuffed out to everyone's satisfaction, perhaps
the Prince Rupert District of the Forestry
Service will get a chance to drop us a line and let
us know the “facts."* Namely: What is the
routine procedure they use for fighting a forest
fire? Where do the extra fire fighters come from
and how are they selected? How much do they

get paid per hour? Is double or triple time paid -

for weekends and holidays? How does B. C.'s
forest fire fighting system compare with others,
and what research is being carried out em-
ploying new techniques and equipment? And
how much - roughly - did this fire cost? It should
make interesting reading - while the subject is
still fresh in our readers’ minds.

hy Richard Jackson
OTTAWA OFFBEAT
Spendthrift

Government

Gttawa,- Give this much to. Employment and
Immigration Minister. Bud Cullen: he has his
priorities and he sticks with them. _

Never mind Prime Minister Trudeau's. oft-
repeated pledge to shake up the top levels of the
bureaucracy.

And please overlook Treasury Board

President Robert Andras’ promise to close the
lid of the public service cookie jar of inflationary
salaries, accelerated promotions, early
retirement and indexed pensions. ; ;
Both Pierre Trudeay and Bob Andras in their

oaths sworn in the suddenly sacred name of .

restraint have taken up good fight to defend the
public purse even if it means pinching pennies in
the civil service,

But. not our Bud.

He comes through as a true blue champion of
the civil service and not to worry if it costs the
taxpayers a few millions more than necessary.

You'll remember good. old Bud as. the Big-
heart of the Cabinet who confessed, with casual
good humor, to making $4 million in over-
payments of Unemployed Insurance.

It was all just a “human error” by a member
of his staff, he ‘said, and reeled back in horror
when asked if he might slap some wrists.

‘Heavens no! Reprimand or discipline the
offender? _ Don’t be redickledockle.

Now up comes Bud with the classic round-the-
world cruise for his deputy minister at guess"
whose expense? . .

Right the first time-you're shelling out for a
37-day global tour for Deputy Immigration and
Employment Minister John D. Manion. ;

The Opposition gave Bud a bad time in a House
of Commons Committee examining how his
department was spending the nearly $3 million
that you. and 18 million other taxpayers are
ponying Up. .

Newfoundland Conservative MP James
McGrath called it ‘‘a Phileas Fogg-type junket,”
which sort of horrified the good Bud Cullen.
on he protested, in truth it was a ‘‘business

ip.”

Then what was Mrs. Manion doing in going
along if things were strictly business in those 37
days and nights of journeying around the world?

Well, sir, Bud didn't exactly know.

But always one to look on the bright side, he
allowed as how he thought it was ‘‘excellent”’
that she went along.

Was the global junket one of those ‘‘goodies’’
that so many public servants enjoy at the tax-
payers’ expense?

Could be, allowed Bud, that “some people”
might so regard it.

But not Bud. No siree Bud. oo,

Nor, denied the good Bud in some irritation as
the incredulous Opposition kept hounding him,
could it be deemed any kind of a “reward”’ for a
job well done,

Then it comes out that Deputy Manion and his
wife were not alone on the “Phileas, Fogg-type
junket” that James McGrath suspected might
have been inspired by the novel and movie
“Around the World in 80 Days.” a

Along, too, tagged Manion’s executive
assistant, and an assistant deputy minister
accompanied by his new bride who happened to
be on the departmental staff.

A honeymoon de luxe? .

Not exactly, it turned out, since the two wives,
Manion’s and his assistant deputy’s, went “at
their own expense,” oy

The Committee's Opposition members will
want to see expense vouchers for shore-going
hotels, meals and entertainment, atnong other
accounts, .

But not to get excited. oo

Not even to say ‘gee, those so-and-so public
servants get all the breaks and then some.”

Because you don't know the half of it.

The big ripoff these days is to take early
retirement from the public service~on an in-
dexed pension, naturally--then return to the
payroll asa “consultant” at fees higher than the
previous pay. .

Hundreds, maybe thousands--who knows for
sure—are doing it.

Tracey and Donne Maston, above, left io-right, holding Misty, theiré month you have a photo (black and white) of an unusual breed of dog, or pet? The
DAILY HERALD will publish the best entries received, with a “gurprise’’

old purebred pug acd seven weeks old William Helnus Vega, sald to be a

husky-shepherd cross, Six year old Donna is on barking terms with every gift for especially interesting subjects.

dog in the nelghbourhood - which is Crestview Drive, in Prince Rupert. Do

. Liberals Win
in Montreal

MONTREAL (CP) —
_ Liberal economist Reed
Scowen, elected to the
Quebec national assembly
Wednesday night in a bye-
lecion in the mainly
Englishspeaking riding of
Noire Dame de Grace, sald

the result represents a
defeat for the Parti
Quehecois government
whose candidate he even
outran in the tiny French-
speaking area of the riding.

Scowen, a 46-year-old
former executlve director of
the task force on Canadian
unity, also said his win

ts a rejection on the
part of Englishspeaking
Quebecers of the extremist
views" of independent
candidate David DeJong,
who came in second on a
“freedom of choice’ plat
form with 25 per cent of the
total vote.

DeJong had run a virtual

oneissue campaign
criticizing the language
policies of both the Parti
Quebecois government and
of Liberal Leader Claude
Ryan.
. Scowen, an affluent, for:
mer businessmai ~ an
résident of neighboring
Westmount, collected 62.5
per cent of the vote.

New Centre to Study
Geothermal Sources

Alastalr
minister of Energy, Mines
and Resources, has an-
nounced the establishment of
the Pacific Geoscience

Gillespie,

‘Centre at Patricia Bay, B.C.

Located at the Institute of
Ocean Sciences near Sidney,
on Vancouver Island, the
Centre will provide
laboratory and office
facilities for a number of
geophysicists and geologists
of the department currently
housed at several locations
in and near Victorla and
Vancouver.

Programs of the Centre
involve marine Geoscletice
studies, and aurveys of the
coastal regions, the con-
tinental slope and shelf, and
deep ocuan floor.

They are concerned with
determining the distribution,

thickness, composition, and.
physical properties of the |

sediments, ‘bedrock, and
deep layers of the earth’s

crust.

This information is wed to
identify undersea resources,
to assess earthquakes and
other geological processes
such as erosion and land-
slides, and to investigate
potential sources otf
geothermal energy.

The EMR programs also
contribute information on
changes in the earth’s
magnetic field for updating
magnetic charts used by

navigators and surveyrs,
and provide a strong motion
engineering seismology
service to mitigate ear-
ihquake effects in British
Columbia.

The marine activities will
be coordinated with the
oceanographic and
hydrographic activities of
the Department of Fisheries
and the Environment which
operates the Institute of
Ocean Sciences and fur-
nished the fleet of scientific
survey vessels used to
support — the marine
geoscience programa.

Dr. W. G. Milne has been
appointed the firat Chief
cientist of the Centre. He
will report te the Director-
General ofthe Earth Physica
Branch of EMR in Ottawa on
the operations of the Centre.

Staff from ‘the Victoria
Geophysical Observatory of
the Earth Physics Branch
have now moved into the new
bullding which includes
underground vaults for
earthquake recording,

The first observatary for
earthquake recording in
British Columbia was
opened at Gonzales Bay in
1800, and records of local
earthquake activity have
been maintained since then
by the Harth Physics
Branch.

by Tony MacGregor

VICTORIA BUREAU

VICTORIA - As the third session of British
Columbia’s thirty-first parliament spluttered to
an end there was one thing all members could
agree to - it’s time for a break.

A rash of emotional outbursts and petty at-
tacks have plagued the legislature in the past
few weeks as the strain of debating several
important bills and emotionally charged issues
took their toll of the MILA’s self-control.

In the past few days one cabinet minister,
rattled by being called a traitor, invited an op-
postion MLA to settle the issue with fists.

Another government MLA, a backbencher who
had been needled by the chairman of a powerful
committee, stomped out of the committee’s
discussions, giving the finger.sign to the minister
as ‘he left.

Another cabinet minister, in total con-
tradiction to his usual restrained manner, called
the press gallery, in an off-the-record statement,
a bunch of anuses - using a more down-to-earth
expression.

But strained and tense as the legislature has
become, it would have been a lot worse without
the deft and skilful guidance of the speaker,
Harvey Schroeder, a minister of the Christian
Missionary Alliance.

Schroeder took over the speaker's job at the
beginning of the session as the former speaker
Ed Smith resigned in a cloud of suspicion over

the hiring of his girl friend for a sensitive

government post.

Schroeder has been an unqualified success.
With just the right combination of humor and
firmness, he has cajoled and manipulated 54
head strong and theatrical MLAs into laughing

B.C. Forest Service Busy Across The North

Although the following
preas release is more than a
week old it just arrived in
this morning's mail from
Prince Rupert, We publish it
here just to give the publile
some idea of life behind the
scenes af our District Forest
Office this Summer:

June 30, 1978

. Yesterday was a busy day
foire wise in the Prince -
Rupert Forest District. Air
Tankers from Smithers,
Williams Lake and Ab-
hotsford were called in to
attack fires in the Houston,
Kitimat and Bella Coola
Ranger Districts. A total of
seven new fires were
reported, three were ¢x-
tinguished at spot size. The
Duty Officer, Terry Walker

attributes this to prompt
reporting by the public and
fast suppression action by
Forest Service Crews.

..- The major fire burning at
present Is located in the
Kitimat Ranger District
near Chist Creek. Four Air
Tankers were used last night
and eamy this morning to
slow down the running fire.
The fire was pushed by
winds gusting to 20 MLP.H.
throughout the night. The
fire wos estimated at 160 ha
thia morning, Fifty mus, two
helicopters and four tank
trucks are presently at-
tempting to bring the blaze
under control.

..In the Houston Ranger
District a 47.0 ha firenear
Tochcha Lake was held in

. weather ideal for cookouts

check by the Airtankers until
a ground attack could be
mounted, Northwood Pulp
have 30 men, 3 cats, 1 tank
truck and 1 helicopter at-
tacking the fire.

..A fire in the Chuckwalla
River, Rivers Inlet in the
Bella Coola Ranger District
is being controlled at 12 ha.
Two Mara Air Tankers anda
D C6 were called In to help
control this fire. Currently
32 men and equipment are on
the ground lighting the fire.

. District Forester Al
MacPherson warns that
woods In most areas are very |
dry and that the risk of a fire
developing from a single
careless actis high. With the

enjoying our woods and
forestlands. He reminds us
that a single spark from a
careless match or cigarette,
a campfire or even a Bar B
Que can start an wn-
controlled Forest Fire.

Should you spot a fire
remember Zenith 6555 is a

toll free number and is
monitored 24 hours a day.

hii
SUPER
"

For you!

mony people will be ont

B.C.’s 31st Parliament:
What was Accomplished?

at their foibles and treating each other with the
modicum of respect necessary for the legislature
to function. *

One bill introduced at the end of the session
which didn't encourage cordial relations was the
constitutional amendment act which increased
the number of MLAs from 55 to 57 and wiped out
two NDP-held seats.

But the electoral bill is far more important to
politicians than it is to the man on the street. It
was the compulsory heroin treatment bill which
generated the most powerful emotions.

Opponents claim the bill violates human rights
while Health Minister Bob McClelland argues
that the program gives addicts enslaved to
heroin a new lease on life and a chance to enjoy

‘the rights of health and happiness.

The new Family. Relations Act, although
vehemently attacked by NDP Human Resources
Critic Rosemary Brown, will do‘ much to
eliminate the conflicts and bitterness which
surround divorces. And even Mrs, Brown, iri her
more temperate moments, admits the bill has
good points. .

But the most important piece of legislation
passed during the session is the one that British
Columbians know least about - the new forestry
act, the first major overhaul of forestry
legislation since 1912.

The forestry. industry generates about half the
wealth produced in B. C. and employs, directly
or indirectly, about one quarter of the work
force, Any tampering with that industry affects
the welfare of everybody in the province and
although there has been criticism of the bill,
most groups in the industry have applauded it.

TERRACE/KITIMAT |
daily herald

General Office - 635-6357
Circulation . 635-6957

Published by
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PUBLISHER... Laurie Mallett
MANAGING ED!TOR...Ernest Senior .
REPORTERS...Donna Vailleres (Terrace-Thornhill)

KITIMAT OFFICE...Pat Zelinski - 632-2747
Published every weekday at 3212 Katum St., Terrace,
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