BCE RATE HEARING Lawyers dominate sessions— but consumers turn coming First three days of the Public Utilities Commission hearing on B.C. Electric’s appli- cation for a rate boost was dominated by the “men with the grey flannel mouths’”—the BCE lawyers and economists, and counsel for three heavy power users (Hooker Chemical, Electric Reduction and Western Canada Steel). When the hearing recon- venes June 19 parties oppos- ing the proposed electrical rate hike (including Civic Reform Association) will pre- sent briefs and cross-examine BCE witnesses. Under public pressure, Van- couver City Council this week belatedly voted to oppose the BCE application. The sessions last week were devoted to evidence of BCE experts and cross-examination by lawyers seeking a cheaper power rate for three big busi- ness firms. No one on either side expressed any concern for the household consumer. (Resolutions coming before the annual CCF envention in Vancouver May 30-June 1 will call for the provincial government to take over the B.C. Electric and B.C. Tele- phone. Such action would lower the rates for electricity and phones, the -CCF -con- tends.) B.C. Electric’s main case is that it must increase profits so that investors will pump in the millions needed for capital expansion. One of the BCE witnesses, J. C. Gordon of Montreal, as- sistant treasurer of the Sun Life Assurance Company, said his company has some $2 bil- lions invested in triple-A, double-A and A and triple-B double-B and B graded bonds. These ratings are made by Sun Life experts, he testified. B.C. Electric at present has an “A” rating and Sun Life owns about 10 percent of the BCE bonds. However, unless the BCE gets its proposed in- crease, it may drop to the “triple-A” class and will not attract investors as readily. Vancouver has the highest electric rates of any large Canadian city. In Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg, where hydro is publicly owned, rates Ges Installations FURNACES — STOVES WATER HEATERS Harry C. Weinstein GAS CONTRACTOR 692 East Hastings MUtual 3-5044 Res.: AL. 2991-L FREE ESTIMATES are lower. “Sooner or later the B.C. Electric octopus must be taken over in the public in- terest,” says a Civic Reform Association leaflet now being distributed throughout. the city. “The only reason it has not been done is because this giant monopoly has too much influence with our civic and provincial governments. But a united public demand can change this.” The hearing is being con- ducted by PUC commissioners H. F. Angus, Percy George and A. B. Black. Scuttled ships’ cost taxpayers millions There was big money in scuttling Canada’s merchant marine, and “the flag” counts for very little in such deals. Not least important, the big shipowners can undermine a trade union in the process. — The B.C. Shipyard General Workers Federation brief pre- sented to the federal government and scores of MPs in Ottawa this week by president Wil- liam Stewart and_ secretary Sam Jenkins, points out some of the techniques used in the scuttling of this country’s once proud merchant marine fleet; of the disposal of the “Liberty” ships that were built by Canadian shipyard workers, financed by the peo- ple, and sailed by Canadian seamen to carry the “tools of victory” across tthe seven seas. At the close of the Second World War the federal gov- ernment passed legislation re- quiring Canadian ship owners who bought these war-time ships from the government (at bargain prices) in the event they resold such ships to foreign buyers, to pay the difference in price to the gov- ernment. This money was to be held in escrow and used to promote further shipbuilding in Canadian yards. On the face of it such legis- lation looked good. In prac- tice, because of government negligence and lack of con- cern about a merchant ma- rine, the big ship owners turned these escrow funds to their own accounts. The gov- ernment gave them tthe con- cession of a tax exemption for doing so. The federation’s brief also shows that the ‘flag coven- ant” which required that such ships bought by Cana- dian companies with escrow money be operated under the Canadian flag for 10 -years, was reduced to “less than one day.” This shipowners to reduction permitted dispose of a ship in violation of escrow or flag regulations. The brief cites the instance of one Canadian ship, the At- lin, which was registered in Vancouver, a Canadian crew put on board, then taken off and the Canadian registry re- moved, all within a few hours, thus “validating” the transfer of this ship to foreign registry. What the brief makes clear is that the escrow funds legislation made no contribu- tion to continued construction and operation of a Canadian merchant marine. It did pre- sent a number of fine cargo ships at a cost of millions of dollars to taxpayers, to big ship owners and other mon- opoly interests. When. with government as- sent, the ships were transfer- red to foreign registry in vio- lation of the flag covenant, Canadian seamen were thrown on the beach — and their union demands circum- vented. A few months ago the Die- fenbaker government con- tinued this scuttling policy when, on behalf of the ship- Owners and against the Sea- farers International Union, it transferred the registry of eight strike-bound Canadian National vessels to Trinidad registry. Now the ships have been put up for sale. The federation’s brief lists a large number of former Canadian merchant marine ships, still owned by Cana- dian interests, but sailing under foreign flags, thug denying jobs to Canadian sea- men and shipyard workers alike. : : fe é FF) % A first class swimming pool (complete with gi d costs no more than a new car, say-the manufactur? wi these luxury items in advertisements. It’s a nice ide#, who has that kind of money? Workers will have to P# the free beaches until the prices of swimming pools big dip. Gert Whgte's SPORTLIGH! HESE are dog days, but dogs, they say, sweat only through their tongues. Me, I sweat all over. How about you? Tons of human flesh can be Seen cooking on the beaches daily. Some bodies are turning from a slug-like white to a flaming pink; others have reached a golden brown stage; here and there one discovers a sleeper burned to a crisp. Beach Tarzans abound, doing handstands, flexing muscles, parading up and down looking for an appreciative audience. “Why not build your own pool?” says an ad in the paper. And it shows a swank pool, complete with curvesome girls. Now that’s an idea. Anybody got a spare grand or two in your cookie jar? If so, order a pool to be constructed in your back yard. Me, I’m about $999 short at the moment. seo Ses 8: Next to the Bannister-Landy four-minute mile, highlight of the 1954 British Empire Games here in 1954 was the marathon event. Last Saturday Gordon Dick- son of Hamilton set a new Canadian record when he won the BEG trial in two hours, 21 minutes, 50.5 seconds. You’d think that would as- sure Dickson a trip to Wales this year to compete against the Commonwealth’s best dis- tance runners. But it ain’t necessarily so. Seems the BEG committee is short of funds, and only a be} May 30, 1958 — PACIFIC TRIBUNE— tro) abe? tal limited number of oe v athletes will compete ’ diff July 18-26. So # 7 makes the ship, some will be left at the 64” o) Ottawa has millions oy on weapons of wat; ao pennies when it come pot! tural and sports needs: poll who talk of “keeping 40 out of sport” should ¢ of” over. Maybe it’s time Vif circles took a little morse est in politics, and elec willing to cut dow? ° ig ments spending and yh, appropriations to su ful pursuits as inte — sports meets. x vw Fe if UBC eight placed He, Seattle to University © ff ington and Stanford a oe lengths over two half miles. io It was a bitter pill ht p low, for the UBC ee. St. Catharines for ee trials June 21, an tion will be keen. ay! The crew is basi se same one that place wpey at the Melbourne 0 y of 1956, after doing Mo training on Coal Harb wld Coach Frank Read, wih the lads to Melbourtt , if / the Varsity four grab is rf medal) appealed 0? Bi a for Ottawa to instill 4 é tion-wide, planned us versally supported § rama el Did Ottawa liste?’ a the? thing done? You eo answer as well as I