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Briefs opposing the BCE application for a rate hike were submitted by Vancouver Labor Council (representing 75,000 workers), Surrey Co- operative Association (a far- mers’ co-op movement with 7,100 members), Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland Munici- palities (including some 20 municipalities and dyking dis- tricts from Hope to the sea), United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union, Federated Legislative Committee (repre- senting several elder citizens associations), and other groups. The Civic Reform Associa- tion brief, signed by CRA president Effie Jones and pre- sented by economist Emil Biarnason, made these points: “oe Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal consumers pay less than half as much for electri- city as B.C. Electric customers in Vancouver. @ Regina is served by the Saskatchewan Power Commis- sion which has no hydroelec- g HOMER ST. * CANADA DAY GREETINGS = on the occasion of B.C.’s5 100th BIRTHDAY The Art Bookbinder M. I. SOCHASKY MU. 1-4416 —— a CANABA DAY GREETINGS TO ALL LABOR Rosenquist & Sons. PAINTERS & DECORATORS Good Workmanship CALL — EL. 1012 Ia -..—=@.-0--—--——— '€etings to all our patrons on the occasion of | —-B.C.’s. CENTENNIAL YEAR MAX GOLDBERG PLUMBING & HEATING SUPPLIES Wr VEST HASTINGS ST. Phone MU. 1-8456 tric resources to draw on, and which has to provide trans- mission and distributing faci- lities for an area of infinitely lower population density than B.C. Nevertheless, Regina con- sumers pay about 25 percent less than BCE customers. @ Between 1952 and 1957 the BCE achieved an overall increase in output of 64 per- cent, with an increase of only 16 percent in payroll and ma- terial cost. Hence, the wage and material cost of the com- pany’s services was 30 percent less in 1957 than in 1952. The brief contended that BCE policy favors the big in- dustrial consumer and hits the small consumer. While Van- couver has the highest resi- dential electric rates of any large city in Canada, the PUC hearing “has brought to light the incredible fact that we also have the lowest indus- trial rate in Canada, if not in North America. Small consu- mers, paying five cents per kilowatt-hour have been stun- ned to learn that the same commodity is being sold to Hooker Chemical Company for three-tenths of a cent per kilowatt-hour.” The BCE claim that its earned return on the mainland electric service in 1957 was only 5.69 percent ‘cannot be accepted at face value,” the brief declared, pointing out that B.C. Power. Corporation’s report for 1957 discloses that the company charged as an expense $6 million of “deferred income tax.” This would, if treated as net income, raise the earned return to 7.4 per- cent. The Civic Reform brief con- cluded by stating that Van- couver “cannot hope to have reasonable utility rates until it follows the example of most cf the rest of Canada, and takes advantage of the eco- nomies. of public ownership. In the meantime, it is the duty of the PUC to protect citizens from rates that are unduly inflated by the unrestrained profit motive.” A publicly-owned utility was also advocated by Tom Par- kin, appearing for United Fishermen and Allied Work- ers Union. CANADA DAY GREETINGS Regent Tailors Ltd. Specializing in Custom Tailoring and Men’s Ready to Wear PENDER AUDITORIUM MUtual 1-9481 Halls Available for all Occasions Special Rates for Union Meetings OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE Our well ventilated auditorium, seating over 1,000 is the most beautiful in the City. PATRONIZE A UNION HALL. June 27, 1958 — EMIL BJARNASON “Claim cannot be accepted” “The BCE is proposing to charge as much for 80 kilo- watt-hours as Montreal and Toronto charge for 800 kilo- watt-hours,” said Parkin. He scored the company’s general extravagance, and said laymen wonder how much it costs to keep the BCE’s new 22-storey building “blazing with lights all night long, and furnished like an Oriental palace.” Vancouver Labor Council brief, presented by research director John Drew, ques- tioned the BCE’s method of computing its rate of return, pointed out that electricity rates in Vancouver are among the highest in Canada and the U.S., and charged that an in- crease in rates “would cause further and multiplied hard- ship to the ultimate consumer.” B. H. Creelman, general manager, Surrey Co-operative Association, stated in opposing the BCE application: “Our power bill would go up about 27 percent if the BCE application is granted. _ “Practically all our power is used in the manufacture of feeds for our farmer members. The farmers are principally producers of poultry products and eggs, dairy products, pork products and turkeys. The prices these producers are able to obtain for their products cannot be raised to meet addi- tional costs and any increase in pewer costs will. be a direct charge on the farmer pro- ducer.” Mrs. J. Monrufet, appearing for Roberts Creek Community Association, called the pro- posed increase ‘completely unjustified” and said that “in our community, where a large percentage of the people live on small pensions, any in- crease in electric rates would be a blow to cur living stan- dards.” “Electricity is a necessity, not a luxury, and to impose any further increase upon our elderly people would be a grave injustice,” said J. W. Chesterman, appearing for Federated Legislative Com- mittee, representing senior citizens. PACIFIC YRIBUNE—PAGE 5