a "People must act’ Unemployment Insurance andj _ Compulsory compensation cover- ase for their menfolk were called for in resolutions passed at the Convention here this week of Women’s Auxiliaries to United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union. ‘ _ Some 30 delegates from auxil- laties extending as far north as Fince Rupert spent a full day discussing these and related prob- lems, A strong demand for abolition (of atomic and nuclear weapons Was expressed in a_ resolution _ Which stated that “we are un- alterably opposed to the use of atomic and ‘nuclear weapons by any government or nation. We believe the people everywhere Must act now to demand the de- _ Struction of all stocks of atomic Weapons there may be and the 'mmediate stopping of their Manufacture.” 4€ convention asked for aboli- " n of Hospital Co-insurance and SO went on record for removal | tio UFAWU auxiliaries ask A-weapons ban of the five percent sales tax on school supplies and medicine. Another resolution urged doubl- ing of the income tax exemption of $150 per child, because of the rise in living costs since the ex- emption was established. Myrtle Schule of Nanaimo Women’s Auxiliary was elected president of the Central Wo- men’s Auxiliary Council for 1955. This is the coordinating body for all Women’s Auxiliar- ies to UFAWU locals in B.C. Named first vice-president was Ruth Radoslovich of Ladner; sec- ond vice president, Eileen Mc- Eachren of Fort Langley; and third vice-president, Mary Ann Puska of Atbion Secretary for the next term will be Grace Stevens of Ladner; treas- urer, Mary Wilcox of New West- minster; membership chairman, Julia Rigby of Vancouver; press chairman, Margaret Gordon of Vancouver, and Northern repre- sentative, Vi Patrick of Prince Rupert. | i % Develop resources | Say V. I. Ratepayers NANAIMO, B.C. ; Development of Canada’s natural resources by Canadians was led Or in a resolution endorsed by the annual meeting of Vain- _ OUVer Island Ratepayers’ Association here March 24. The resolution called for a Urged building of a natural gas sy ast to provide power for B.C. manufacturing industries. Beorter resolutions asked for re- — ag cb of Dominion-Provincial tax *8reements in view of rising school ee Sreater taxes on the E & N Shun and tax exemptions for age pensioners. _, President George Bonner of °bble Hill, reporting a success- = year, said that membership = Increased and new. branches Co € been established in Cedar, _ qpembs and Salt Spring Island. afi Island organization is now Miated to B.C. Ratepayers. ca . awonner reported that in his 4 bine ratepayers had succeded fron eventing school inspectors mie _introducing U.S. texts, Ucational methods and school 8ns_ into the school district, Bot that the autonomy of school tn rds had been strengthened i HUB HUMOR : "Don't va Your cap!" dare go out without You Won t Uying have to worry about “H new clothes with the eB’S FREE CREDIT PLAN. | od Wick and it saves you money “pp wS® it’s absolutely FREE. export tax on raw materials and peline from the Peace River to the Jobless plan Ottawa trek TORONTO Stories of hunger and privation were reported from all parts of Canada last week, stirring labor and welfare bodies into an urgent demand: for immediate action by all levels of government on the unemployment crisis. Seriousness of the problem was underscored by Unemployment Insurance Com- mission and Dominion Bureau of Statistics ‘figures indicating that unemployment has reached the highest level since the thirties. The Union of Unemployed Work- ers of Toronto and Southern On- tario is organizing a mass dele- gation to Ottawa to coincide with the meeting of the provincial pre- miers with Prime Minister St. Lau- rent on April 26. In preparation for the national lobby, the Union of Unemployed workers sent a letter to all union locals with the request for their attive participation in and support to the delegation. Demands for which thousands of signatures are being solicited include: ‘@ Unemployment insurance payable to all unemployed work- ers; .@ Unemployment insurance to be paid for the full period of un- employment; © @ A minimum increase of 50 percent in the benefits. A report from Montreal indi- cates that all three central trade union bodies in ‘the city have agreed on united action around the problem of unemployment. At a joint conference of the TLC, CCL and Catholic Syndicates it was agreed to undertake joint public activities in support of demands for immediate governmental action -on unemployment... An agreement was also reached to work towards the organization of a “March on Ottawa.” Sprott vote switch blocks gas parley Appearing for the third time before Vancouver City Council to urge calling of a ‘conference of Lower Mainland municipalities’ to discuss the question of establishing their own distribution system for natural gas, Maurice Rush, LPP city secretary pre’ sented a strong case Monday proposal. “B.C. Electric has announced that it is concluding a deal with’ Westcoast Transmission to distri- bute natural gas in the Lower Mainland. In view of this, you cannot postpone any longer taking a stand,” Rush told council’s Utili- ties Committee. 2» He then pointed out that it is the responsibility of city coun- cil to see that the BCE does not extend its monopoly control to include distribution of natural gas. “If this happens, the pub- lic will be forced to pay exces- sive rates.” Rush presented facts and _ fig- ures to bolster his statement. “BCE will be buying gas for 35 cents a thousand cubic feet and will be selling it, according to Dal Grauer’s own figures, for $1 a thousand cubic feet—a spread of 65 cents,” he said. “If we had a municipally-owned system the public would not have to pay large amounts of income tax, it would be possible to fin- ance the -building of the distribu- tion system more cheaply, and gas could be sold to the public atl a much lower price. “According to Ald. G. T. Cun- hingham’s figures given here a few weeks ago, the city could build a distribution system for approximately $15 millions — less than the cost of the Gran- ville. Bridge,” continued Rush. “The city would derive impor- tant revenues from such a system. “Mayors of Okanagan Valley cities and towns have met and de- cided to ask the provincial gov- ernment if the governmeht will honor a pledge made by Premier Hart some years ago, to under- write the bonds if they decided to build their own system. “If Okanagan centres are taking such action, there is no reason why cities in the Lower. Mainland couldn’t take similar action,” con- cluded the LPP spokesman. Ald. Earle Adams immediately rose and launched an attack on two fronts: he denounced public utilities as a “communist tactic” and declared that “it has never been proven to me that a public utility can operate as cheaply and efficiently as a private one.” * “What about Ontario Hydro?” interjected Rush, and produced figures showing that Vancouver electric users are paying twice as much for 300 kilowatt hours as the people of Toronto, under their publicly-owned hydro system. Ald. J. W. Cornett. found merit’ in Rush’s proposal. “It would be good for the people of Vancouver if the B.C. Electric didn’t control every utility,” he commented, “for it would tend to bring prices down. There might be some advantage to call- ing such a Lower Mainland con- ference.” Ald. D. E. McTaggart agreed with Cornett that a conference would be worthwhile, and under- lined the point Rush had made ion savings in taxes. “I’m ready for a motion,” he said. _ Ald. Cornett moved that a con- ference of all municipalities*from Hope to Vancouver be called to explore the question of municipal- ly-owned distribution of natural gas. this week, but failed to- get aldermen to agree with his ALD. D. E: McTAGGART He favored a conference ALD. ANNA SPROTT| She .switched her vote - McTaggart put the motion and declared that it carried by voice vote. This agitated Ald. Adams, who reopened his attack and was join- ed by Ald. George Miller. A little whispering took place between Ald. T. F. Orr and Ald. Adams, and Adams then called for a recorded vote. Aldermen Cornett, Sprott and Orr voted for; Mayor Fred Hume, Ald. Miller and Adams_ voted against. Ald. Cunningham — an- nounced that he would not vote, as he is a director of the B.C. Electric. That left it up to Chairman McTaggart to split the 3-3 tie by casting the deciding vote. There was a full minute of sil- ence in the committ room. It was an awkward moment for the NPA boys. 3 ALD. J. W. CORNETT A “Good for the people” ALD. GEORGE MILLER He voted against Then Orr whispered to Adams, and. Adams whispered to Sprott, and Sprott spoke up but looked down while she said that she had reconsidered the matter, and wish- ‘| ed to change her affirmative vote to a negative vote. This defeated the motion 42. Ald. McTaggart: announced that the vote was merely on the ques- tion of whether the city weuld call a conference, and that Utili- ies Committee would have further discussions on the gas issue. “City council will not be able to dispose of this matter so light- ly,” Maurice Rush told the Pacific Tribune. “Public opinion in Van- couver is overwhelmingly in favor of a publicly-owned gas distribu- tion system, and the people will fight against B.C. Electric taking it over.. The real battle stil] lies ahead.”* eit City passes Vancouver City Council ram- med through its revised anti-litter bylaw Monday despite protests from citizens’ delegations that it attacks the principle of freedom of expression. The bylaw opens the way for prosecution of anyone who. hands out pamphlets or leaflets “likely” to be thrown away by the person receiving them. : ‘anti-litter’ |bylaw despite protests — Lawyer’ Harry Rankin argued that’ “if the city wants to keep streets clean it should take action against those who vo: ly ac- cept the pamphlets and then throw them away.” nee Lawyer Harold Dean said the bylaw interferes with freedom of expression on the part of people who cannot afford the medium of radio, ‘television and newspaper advertising. ‘ * PACIFIC TRIBUNE — APRIL 1, 1955 — PAGE 7 .