Coalition flood plan evades basic needs Tourists, wandering in and out of the public gallery during session of the provincial legislature last week, heard amusing quips from MLA’s and suave “Boss” Johnson; heard them hand out one another and ‘to their official representatives for their w the necessary tribute to the thousands of volunteer wo tained by the spectacle. To flood victims it wasn’t so entertaining. Facing the long road back to inundated onder as they listened and read if once again homes and farms and shops, they began to w : Id down the river as plainly as they had seen they were not hearing their future being so their belongings go floating by. There was good reason for their fears. While some will fare better than others none can feel assured they will not lose the fruits of years of labor, As things stand, many will never re-establish themselves. Leg- islation actually passed is -so in- definite all are left to fight for their rehabilitation — but this factor gives the opening for pressure to compel the government to use the - sweeping powers it granted to put the victims back in their homes without loss of property or income. The Flood Relief Act, intended to. cover rehabilitation, gives the government power to “from time to time . . . institute and carry out such measures as may from time to time be considered practicable, necessary, and advisable for the - rendering of aid in the mitigation of damage caused by the flood.” It provides for agreement with Ot- _tawa whereby the province pays ‘25 percent of costs of dyke recon- _ struction and removal of water and debris. : ‘For these two purposes the gov- ernment is authorized to borrow $5,000,000, but money can also be spent from consolidated revenue if - mecessary. Tory Coalitionists A. H. MacDougal (Point Grey) and Allan McDonell (Vancouver Center) rais- ed strong objection to giving the} government “a* blank check” on grounds that funds from consolid- ated revenue wouldn’t be needed. Bert Gargrave (CCF, Mackenzie) retorted that for once the CCF was in favor of giving the government a blank check because that would give it no excuse for not spending money needed to help the people. Significantly, no answer was given to a question from Tom Up- hill as to why the government couldn't use this clause to provide adequate compensation for people’s loss of property through flooded » basements and houses. Most specific sign of government Plans was provided when “Boss” By KAY ERICKSON ork during the flood—as well as rkers—and were highly enter- —VICTORIA, B.C. the emergency flood and political speeches endless thanks and praise to t Johnson cited the terms of refer- ence of the Fraser Valley Rehabili- tation Commission: @ Damaged homes, farm build- ings and fences to be restored “to as near the same condition as existed prior to the flood.” @ Every effort to be made to provide feed free during the im- mediate emergency, and at a. price afterwards. @ Sufficient seed and plants as may in (the Commission’s) opin- ion be deemed necessary in order to give farmers an opportunity to restart their agricultural pur- suits.” ¢ @ Preparation for government consideration of proposals on how to restore land “to as near its former usefulness as possible.” @ Provision of livestock, feed, seeds, stock plants and the re- storing of farms ... shall not include any claims for compensa- tion of lost crops, lost cattle or any other similzr losses that may have been incurred.” This rules ‘out compensation for loss of income, : Other legislation set up a federal- acted a moratorium on debts till the next regular session.» Position, launched an attack on the government’s failure to act soon ; enough to prevent excessive dam- age, but following a CCF caucus at noon Thursday the session de- petty objections from Coalitionists. No division was forced by the CCF ment’s program. * Johnson made it clear that the $2,000,000 flood fund raised by don- ations, which is to be administered by the Red Cross, will have to pro- vide, on a basis of individual needs, for food, clothing, fuel, temporary hospital and medical care, and basic furniture. The government fund, -he specified, was to “get every acre of land back into pro- ducticn as soon as possible.” This left the clear inference that the government is only interested in’ production—determined by govern- ment-issued seed—and not in the personal plight of farmers and other victims. ‘ __E. E. Winch (CCF, Burnaby) de- clared “the government must ac- cept responsibility for what it has not done. The government made what may have been a very serious mistake in depending upon volun- teer labor to meet the emergency.” provincial dyking board, and en- Harold Winch, leader of the op-| veloped into a monctony routine of during the session and no attempts were made to amend the govern- riculture Minister Frank Putnam's No challenge was cffered to Ag- report that the government may ton for hay, Feed will be free till have to pay between $30 and $37 a 21 days after cattle are returned to the farm, and then will be sold at $15 for mixed hy, $20 for alfalfa. If farmers can obtain local hay, the government will pay $20 a ton towards costs. “SURPLUS OF RASPBERRIES” province.” floods demands what they want there. Legislation passed does not en- sure relief or full compensation for loss of income and property, but does provide the legal grounds to enable the people to compel the Coalition to do just this. Public pressure will likewise determine effectiveness of other rehabilitation measures and anti-flocd Safeguards. Growers’ plight ignored There are strong indications here that the Coalition govern- ment is callously prepared to ignore tle needs of flooded out Fraser Valley raspberry growers because, in the words of Premier Johnsor hiniself, “there is a surplus of raspberries in the Although the plight of the berry growers affected: by immediate attention, pointed up Premier Johnson’s remarks by cold-slouldering a delegation of growers from Matsqui district. e - * Those who lost a potential valuable berry crop this year—it _is estimated the Fraser Valley raspberry crop has been reduced by half—have no hope of being able to bring canes into pro- duction for another three years. apparently feed and provide them with “necessities of life” until they are in a position to, produce again, they cannot even be assured of being able to go back to the farms and plant “There is a limit to what the government can do,” said © Premier Johnson unctuously. “We are trying to get the farmers’ homes and land back into as nearly the condition they were before the flood, but not necessarily raspberry canes—there is a surplus of raspberries in the province.” : * Berry growers are now asking themselves if the govern- | ment is going to determine what crop they shall plant in return for 2 meager rehabilitation hand-out. —VICTORIA, B.C. the the provincial cabinet While the’ government will tf ' New cooperative creamery planned __ This is the artist's conception of the modern extension to ery on which construction is to start this summer. About $60 is also being purchased. Campaign to double the cooperati capital is now under way. \ the Winnipeg People’s C