ASCERTAIN RESOURCES

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1957

Continued from page

1

CHINA

resolution submitted by the
Port Alberni local said: “Our
union is interested in assess-
ing the real possibilities of
trade with China as a potential
market for our lumber.”
Turning to domestic use of
lumber, the convention called
upon the federal government
to provide without delay suf-
ficient funds for a national
housing program with substan-
tial reduction of loan payments

and interest on homes built
under the National Housing
Act, a vigorous program of

slum clearance and home mod-
ernization in rural areas.

The IWA_ maintains that
house construction is now 50
percent less than last year’s
level and its resolution on
housing drew attention to the
that “a serious shortage
of houses exists, particularly
in the. low-cost, low-rental
field.”

President Joe Morris said,
“We shouldn’t think in terms
of luxury housing. We still
have not built the homes that
are needed the most.”

The convention called upon
the federal government to in-
crease unemployment insur-
ance benefits to a minimum of
$42 a week with benefits pay-
“able from the day a worker
becomes unemployed and
asked that work clothes costs
be allowed as deductions for
income tax purposes.

Delegates demanded an end
of incident interviews by man-
agement of employees injured
in accidents aimed_at influenc-
ing compensation claims: They

fact

TRADE

also voted to seek support
‘from all other interested bodies
a drive to reconstitute a
full-time provincial labor re-
lations board.

Of particular interest in la-
bor political circles is the po-
sition taken by the IWA for a
stepped-up program of poli-
tical action which does not
commit the union to any poli-
tical party but stresses cooper-
ation with the CCF. The poli-
tical action resolution urges
each’ local union to establish
its own political action com-
mittee.

This is an election year for
IWA members. Seeking re-el-
ection for another two-year
term is President Joe Morris.
He is being challenged by
Lloyd Whalen, president of
the Vancouver local and presi-
dent of Vancouver Labor
Council.

Running for first vice-presi-
dent are Jacob Holst of
Prince George and Joe Mad-
den of New Westminster. Stu-
art M. Hodgson has been re-
elecied to the position of sec-
ond vice president; for third
vice-president Fred Fieber of
Local 1-71 is opposed by Jake
Epp of Courtenay, Secretary-
treasurer George Mitchell is
unopposed, as is Walter Al-
len international board mem-
ber. Trustee Bill Wilson is op-
posed by Bert Scholfield of
Duncan.

Balloting will be by refer-
endum vote of the member-
Ship which must be completed
in 60. days in accordance with
the constitution.

for

LPP asks gov't |
survey of north

Demand for a government survey of the Rocky Mountain trench prior to

signing of any agreement with the Swedish Wenner-Gren interests was placed
before Premier Bennett this week by the Labor-Progressive party.

A telegram to the premier, sent over the signature of LPP provincial leader
Nigel Morgan urged ‘‘immediate consideration of a government survey of the area

in order to make sure that
the people of this province
receive a fair return for their
resources, and “to ensure de-
velopment in the event Wen-
ner-Gren interests should not
proceed.”

Morgan said an independ-
ent government survey was
essential to. protect the
people’s interests and to en-
sure there would be no more
giveaways of natural re-
sources.’ ‘

“There-~ must be no private
preserves for foreign - in-
terests,” no special tax con-

cessions and no company
towns,” he declared.
In a_ statement to the

Pacific Tribune, Morgan said:

“We shouldn’t forget a num-
ber of previous railway deals,
including the one in 1894 when
fabulous wealth was. turned
over to the Dunsmuir interests
on Vancouver Island because
the legislature of the day had

no proper estimation of what
was being given away.

“This government has no
right to dispose of natural re-
sources without first obtain-
ing a true inventory of-what’s
involved. If Premier Bennett
is willing to depend on a pro-

CPR fails

moter like Wenner-Gren to
measure out the bargain, we’re
not.

“All those who have the
welfare of British Columbia
at heart should join in sup-
port of the demand for an
independent survey.”

to block

fest assessment case

Vancouver homeowners pay part of the taxes on Canadian
Pacific Railway property. This was the charge made by J. S.
Mulcahy, former official-of the city’s assessment department,
Friday last week when he appeared before the Court of

Revision.

Considerable public interest
is centred on Mulcahy’s fight
against under-assessment of
CPR property. In an early
statement he charged that the
railway company was only be-
ing assessed at 25 percent of
what it should be.

Duncan hits refusal
to recognize China

“This country (China)
which we refuse*to recognise,
will reach a level of indus-
trialisation within 20 years
which will make it one of the
most powerful nations on
earth.”

This is the opinion of James
S. Duncan, chairman of the
Ontario Hydro Commission
and chairman of the national
advisory board on the ad-
vancement. of education, given
to a joint meeting of Vancou-
ver Board of Trade and the

UBC Commerce faculty held
last week.

Duncan made it clear to his
audience that this “no recogni-
tion” policy did not originate
in Canada. “We Canadians
probably would not have initi-
ated such a narrow policy, but
we did go along with it, which
to my mind is just as bad.”

Such a shortsighted policy,
dictated. by Washington is,
according ‘to Duncan, a “truly
regal gift to Russia.”

An attempt to block Mul-
cahy’s appeal on a_ techni-
cality was made by the CPR
through its legal representa-
tive, who questioned his right
as an individual to launch the
appeal. “The court upheld
Muleahy’s right on the
grounds that he was a home-
owner. A second attempt was
then made to block his appeal
on the grounds that Mulcahy
had not furnished particulars
of his complaints. This at-
tempt was also defeated when
the court agreed to consider
a full summary of Mulcahy’s
grounds for appeal.

Date for the hearing will be
set by the Court of Revision
after receiving Mulcahy’s
summary. Mulcahy’s appeal
is a test case and if his charges
are substantiated it could dis-
credit the whole basis of
taxation in Vancouver and
force a new reassessment of
commercial and business
properties, which many civic
groups have been advocating
for some time.

Good Orchestra

Admission ag

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FRIDAY, MARCH 8TH

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MARCH 1, 1957 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE—PAGE 16