TERRACE — Tests of ditch
waler near Bobsein Crescent
show fecal colliform levels more
than 1,000 times above the
levels at which beaches are clos-
ed.

Noting that children. often
chase balls into the. ditches,
residents argue the tests indicate
how essential a new’ sewer
system is for the subdivision —
no matter what the cost.

Raw sewagé surfaces in: dit-”
ches and fields there because of
poor soil conditions and a high
water table'in the Queensway-
area subdivision,

“Tt?s just unacceptable,” said
Thornhill regional district direc-
tor Les Watmough. “This just
can't go.on.”’

scan
fans
wanted §

TERRACE — The Terrace
Regional Health Care Society’s
drive for a CT scanner at the
hospital is moving into a new
phase.

It wants to lobby the health
ministry for operating money
for the device when it is pur-
chased with letters from people
who have been diagnosed with a
CT scanner.

Those letters will explain why
people needed a CT scan and
how difficult it was to get on in
Prince George or Vancouver
and whether or not they they
hospital here, says society pre
dent Alex Houlden.

The society has reached the
three-quarters mark in its drive
to raise the approximately
$650,000 needed to purchase a
CT scanner.

More than 3,700 1992 cash
calendars were sold in the Dr.
R.E.M. Lee Hospital Founda-
tion’s sales campaign this year.
The foundation is working with
the health care society on the
project.

Nearly $47,000 was raised
this year from calendar sales.
That brings the total collected
to $443,000 — 75 per cent of the
way to the goal of $600,000.

The CT scanner is a complex
piece of radiographic equip-
ment that will greatly enhance
doctors in diagnosing patients
and prescribing treatment.

It provides a_ three-
dimensional picture compared
to conventional x-rays which
now give doctors a one-
dimensional perspective.

Letters can be sent to Board
Chairman, Terrace Regional
Health Care Society, 4720
Haugland Avenue, Terrace,
B.C., V8G 2W7. They'll be for-
warded on to the health
ministry.

The water test, carried out

March 6 turned out a count of
more than 240,000 fecal col-
liforms per 100 millilitres’: of
water. The sample came from a
ditch at the intersection of Bob-
sein and Queensway Ave. The
test was done by Hydro-technics,
Laboratories Ltd., of Kitimat.

- Health and Welfare Canada

_. Bobsein Crescent residents aren't giving up. On page A2;
youll find more on their struggle with Victoria. to. set. money by

fora new sewage system,

ut on the issue,

drinking water standards: allow -

a maximum colliform count of |
~— I’m getting sort of numb to it

‘10,: Public beaches are: closed

. when a five-sample average ex-

ceeds 200 coliforms . per ‘100
nuillilitres,

“This just proves what we've -

been saying all along,’ said

Chris -Clark, president of. the

Bobsein-Queensway. Action: Lo

Group. *It's bad,”

“Tt doesn’t really surprise me

all,’? she added,
Meanwhile, the federal
Department. of Fisheries and

‘Oceans (DFO) may soon be
‘stepping |

into

sewage mess.
District fisheries officer John

Hipp said a warning letter is be-

the Bobsein

And on page AS, our mailbag overflows as residents speak

ing sent to the regional district
indicating DFO is ‘concerned
about the situation,

The letter was drafted aftera
local fisheries officer observed
coho fry and trout in ‘a ‘ditch
along Queensway Ave, --=- the
same one that’s contaminated.
by Bobsein sewage.

“From our point of view, it's

not good,’ said Hipp, who
noted that destruction of fish
habitat is illegal under the
Federal Fisheries Act.

DFO habitat biologist Les
Powell says fish habitat is defin-
ed as being any place that fish
live at any part of their life cy-
cle. ‘‘Charges can be laid when
raw sewage is dumped into fish-
bearing water,’’ he added.

Hipp would ‘not say whether
charges will be contemplated in
the future,

Bobsein residents continue to
lobby Victoria for extra money
to build a $5 million sewer
system that would solve their

con't A2 |

Sewage test confirms danger

-: Sion, see story page B1.

~ Smile, you’re on.

“LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! everreka Community Television volumtéér' Mari Allan lets the tape -
“roll at numerous events around town. With the group's core of volunteers growing, they. Hope to.”
=" film more local events.for’ broadcast on, Channel 10, For more on. Evergreen Community Televi:

ai

Mine seeking tax relief

TERRACE — Westmin
Resources and the District of
Stewart are trying to work outa
deal to lower the former’s taxes.

At issue is a request by the
mining company not to pay
taxes when the mine “isn’t
operating.

The mine is scheduled to close
general operations this summer
but a small underground opera-
tion could generate enough ore
to have the mill operate occa-
sionally.

Al stake is an estimated 30 to
40 jobs in the underground and
mill. :

But operating the mill might
not make economic sense if the
mine has to pay taxes during the
time it isn’t in use, says
Westmin president. Bruce
McKnight. ,

The sticking point is that the
mine will be assessed a full year
if it operates past the end of
September even if.it doesn’t run
regularly for the remainder of
the year, .

- other
_ Stewart. We have ta be fair,”

McKnight said the mine an-
nually pays nearly a $! million
in taxes; of which one-quarter is
in school levies.

“Certainly we'd like to
operate if there is a way to do
it,’’ said McKnight:

“¥et-if we're looking at an
extra $1 million and we’re only
in a break even position, that
may not be possible,’’ he said.

Westmin ‘wants. an arrange-
ment whereby it'll be taxed dur-
ing . those periods when it is
operating: —

That kind of arrangement
isn’t possible because Stewart
doesn't have the authority,
mayor Darlene Cornel! said last
week.

Yet it. and Westmin are
negotiating to determine if there
is some way the amount of taxa-
tion can be reduced.

--*Some. form of tax break or
whatever is possible but we have
to keep in mind that there are
industries as well in

she said.

‘The municipality is already
hurting because of taxes owed
by Cassiar Mining Corporation
on docks and land it has in
Stewart. That company went in-
to receivership last month.

Westmin’s request is also be-
ing considered by the provincial

government which has jurisdic-

tion and authority over school’

taxes.

Opened just four years ago
with an expectation of a 10-year
life, the closure of Westmin
foliows the discovery that the
ore body isn’t as rich as first an-
ticipated,

Mill study

rolis along ©

TERRACE —A review into the
plan by Orenda Forest Products
to build a pulp and paper mill
south of Lakelse Lake should be
ready by the end of the month.

A consultant is now working
on the assessment: ordered as

part of |he governments way Of.....

including native groups i the
provincial approval process,
government official Derek Grif-
fin said last week.

That consultant, a retired
Northwood environmental
manager called Bob Wiseman,
has already met with Orenda.

“He was -brought on - to
basically provide an indepen-
dent assessment of the technical
and environmental aspects of
the proposal,’’ said Griffin of
Wiseman’s assignment.

Wiseman’s report will be
given to the two native groups
with an interest in the project —
the Tsimshian Tribal Council
and the Haisla of Kitimaat —
and the industrial development
and environment ministries.

From there, the Orenda pro-
ject can receiye approval in
principle provided it receives
necessary permits and licences
or ordered to undergo further
study,

The idea of a native review
component to the provincial

Moving
_north

TERRACE —Negotiations to
settle the Nisga’a land claim are
moving north,

The next five monthly ses-
sions from May to August will
be held in Terrace, Prince
Rupert and the Nass Valley.

These sessions, called. main-
table negotiations, take place
two or three days each month.

They are supplemented by
working group sessions which

“examine particular issues,

The last two maintable ses-
sions were held in Vancouver
and Victoria.

government’s approval pracess-

was introduced by the new NDP
administration the beginning of
February.

Although provincial officials -
and Orenda had been talking to -
native groups since last sum--°

Aer, a formalized review is seen
as one way to meel what is call-
ed the government’s ‘fiduciary
responsibility’’.

That is being defined as the
government having an obliga-
tion to. ask. native groups for
their opinions on development
projects. ‘

Meanwhile, Orenda vice
president Frank Foster said it
has been told again by the pro-
vincial government that there is
no intent to delay the approval
process,

“They've said they want it
done as quickly as possible,
They’re mindful of the impor-
tance a delay will have on the
project,’’ said Foster.

Orenda had been counting on
approval in principle by naw so
it could work on a spring con-
struction start.

Page
Turners

Hospital doing’
fine,
Page A8..

VIA Rail could
change,

_ Page A10.,

Reality theatre,
Page B1

Taking the plunge,
Page Ci.

‘Northwest. Rou ndup _

. Seniors here want to host the
1994 B.C Seniors Games...

2 wld, for thé games.

“province's senlors, drawing
-Speetators ‘and athletes from
atound the provitice. ; re

| City: council here has askied

PRINCE. RUPERT —_

“And they've asked the elty~
” far $40,000. to help Preparea

“Phe gdmes have become a
. opular - attraction for : the ©

: “ter more information. ee

‘SMITHERS _ Organizers
of the annual Bulkley Vailey
Fall Fair are bringing’ in
monster trucks for this year's

event.

| ‘Saskatchewan, outfit to  SUpp-
ly’. the, large | ‘vehicles which -

_ into the'fair's rodeo ring. ”
.. Fale ‘spokesman - Graeme -
. Johnstone. sald:the idea Is ta -
attract people who would not ©
“s normally. come to the: alt.

- They've "contracted a

will. crish ear’ bodies. ‘hauled a

HAZELTON — The Office
of the Gitksan and
Wet’suwet’en Hereditary
Chiefs has bought a $239,000
computer mapping system.
Called ‘a geographic infor-
mation system, it'll be used
to map resources with the

» Gitksan and Wet'suwet’en

land claim area,”
Spokesmen’ for the office
expect to use the: aystem to

: attract contract works: a

‘program - when ‘permission:
- wag sought for: their ch
‘to 0 altend. ;

BURNS” LAKE. me Some.
parents here , ‘are. upset “that *.
Grade 9 and 10 students were...
showed how to.use'a condoiin :
us’ part of. family life ‘Pro io
gram,
They said: there: was, ‘no ih

tion that would happer ‘in thie