Page 8

CAMPBELL TALKS REGIONAL DISTRICTS

BY JOHN MIKA Ser
‘ VICTORIA COLONIST «.
Municipal government 158 und-
‘ergoing a not-always quiet rev-
olution in British Columbia and
many persons are puzzled by the
daveloping status of regional dis-
trict boards.

Municipal Affairs Minister Dan
Campbel! recently answered a
number of Times questions about
his new device for solving the
problems of growing urbanization
in a wilderness province.

Here’s how it went:

Question — Why was the re-
gional district concept introduc-
ea?

Answer — In 1965 we brought
it in because we were looking
ehead at the machinery that would
be necessary for the 1970s and
we wanted to be ready.

It had to be limited in the
early stages and we wanted peop-
Je to get used to the concept
as well as give our staff exper-

lence in ‘the: ftela, Wo don't Ox
péct too. Tuch change: in the
format as ‘it currently exists as
far as the department’s role
is concerned,

While there may be minor
amendments in 1968 they will be
only of a technical nature and
the period between 1968 and 1970
will be occupied largely with con-
solidating the administrative de-
tails,

How many regional districts
are there now and how many
will there be ultimately?

As of now there are 24 ‘with
five more to go, which should
be finished this year,

* * %.

How many individual munic-
ipalities are involved?

139 when all (regional dis-
tricts) are completed, :

What percentage of the prov-
ince, in terms of geography and
Population, now is organized in
regional districts and how does
this compare with municipal-

GOREN ON BRIDGE

BY CHARLES H. GOREN
(5 1968 by The Chicage Trihune)
ANSWERS TO BRIDGE QUIZ

Q. 1—Both vulnerable, and
as South you hold:
&10754 VQ1I08 610732 HSS

The bidding has proceeded:
West North East South
10 #£Dble. Pass 1a
Pass 39 Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A—Four hearts. True, you
havent very much, but partner's
bidding has indicated that he
probably can take close to nine
tricks in his own hand. The queen
of trumps is 4 sure winner, and
the doubleton club should pra-
duce a trick for him.

~~

Q. 2—As South, vulnerable,
you hold:
&932VA8 606 AKI 1085

The bidding has proceeded:
North East South West
19 Pass 2% Pass
29 Pass ?

What do you bid now?

A.—There is, of course, no
doubt that you must Insist upon
reaching a game contract, but
care should be exercised to reach
the right one. While the aca and
another trump are considered
normal support for a rebid suit,
we are not inclined to jamp with
only two trumps, for partner
may have to stretch a point to
rebld his sult. Our preferred call
js a Jump to four clubs. This
jump by responder ts forcing in
our systern, 2- partner has a
really good heart suit, he should
proceed to-four hearts. If not,
he should go to five clubs, for
which there should be a Teason-
able play.

=. 4_noth Gutnerable, and
as South you hold:
&I35 964 OAIGI BKISZ
The bidding has proceeded:
Narth East South
la Dble. 7
What action do you take?
A—This is an average hand in
high cards 110 points}. With mild
trump support fer partner, the
hand justifies a redouble, and

that is our choice.
-_———

Q. 4—East-West vulnerable,
and as South you hold:
&@KQ73 VAIIOS O83 HKIG

The bidding has proceeded: =
South

West North ‘East
16 Dble. Pass ?
What do you bid?
A—With this magnificent hold-
“ing you should insist upon’ a
game contract. Rather than jump
the bidding in a four card major
sult, wa wauld prefer a false cue
bid of two diamonds, forcing to
game and asking partner to se-

2 oie

lect the sult. “Proceed to game in
elther spades or hearts, which-
ever he selects.

—_
Q. 5—Neither side vulner-
able, and as South you hold:
AG [Q4 OAKIS4 HA10863
- The bidding has proceeded:
East South .
36 ?
What do you bid?

A.—Pass. It would be delight-
ful to be able to double the
three diamond bid for penalties,
Unfortunately, however, we can-
not blow bath bet and cold for
we find the double of three,
especially in a minor, very nse-
ful as a take-out signal. It Is:
better to pass and play for a
profit, If you double, partner
likely will bid spades.

. ~~
Q. 6—As South, vulnerable,
you hold:
A6 QVAK1IO853 OKJI08 &AB
The bidding has proceeded:
South West North East
19 £=Pass 1h Pass
39 Pass -_34 Pass
»

What do you bid now?
A.—Four diamonds. This will
mark you as holding six hearts.
and four diamonds, and should
permit partner to make tha .de-
cision in an enlightened manner.
——_—

,Q. 7—Neither side vulner-
able, and as South you hold:
AT VEI4 641097642 AOI

The bidding has proceeded:
North East South West
1h Pass 19 Pass
3NT Pass ?

What do you bid novels STE"

TAF to the _-

had opened with a bid We rho no
trump?” [ think under those con-
ditions you would be willing to
bid a slam In diamonds. Your
partner’s jump rebid to three no
trump describes a hand of about
the high card content of an
opening two no trump bid, so
that a six diamond bid is our
choice.

Q. 3—Neither ° ‘side is vul-*
nerable, your partner has
opened wilh one spade, and

‘you hold:

AA98742 VI1064 OAT &G
‘What is your response? _
A.—Three spades, forcing fo
game. Despite the possession of
six trumps, a leap to four spades
would be improper, Such a bid
denotes a highly unbalanced hand |
with great trump support, but it ~
must not-contain as many as 10
high card points, This hand 46
the equivalent of an. opening bid, .
and the jump bid showing
atrengih is clearly indicated.

AL

itles?

I would estimate. reelonal' dias
tlets- cover $0 pox cant; “in
terms of population, but the geo-
graphy really is not too mean-
ingful. The meaningful geography
approaches 100 percent wher
you couple it ‘with -poputation
distribution, For ‘comparison,
less than five per cent of the
area of B,C, has been organ-
ized {into municipalities) and yet

es within municipal jurisdictions
currently, | ;

' Does ‘the- regional district
create a ‘fourth level” of gov-
ernment?

is fundamental to the concept
that it resta- itself, and will
continue to rest, on the : exis.

* * *

k has begun to break down
the barriers of parochial attit-
udés. This is only the initial ben-
‘efit but-people are beginning
to look towards a regional tool
to solve problems beyond the cap-
abilities of the individual mun-
icipalities,

It also has made specific and

things as hospital services. —

It is the only possible way
of transferring funds from the
provincial to the municipal level
for suck things as regional park
acquisition.

And it has made the public

think more in terms of regional

planning. [¢ has made the people
realize the only way to reduce
unit costs of services is by
Spreading them aver a wider
area.

&

* +
What criticisms have you
heard and have any of them
modified your views or Broced-
ure?
_ The main criticism we've had
revolved around whether or not

-|people have enough information

about regional districts, When or
how that happy point is reached,
I wouldn't know,

A sceond criticism — ‘and this
is lessening as the mechanism
gets into gear and is almost
non-existent here in the capital
region district — Is that re-
gional boards will over-ride mun-
icipal councils.

There’s still the odd flare-up
of this but it’s becoming more
obvious to all that it is the
municipalities that decide what
functions will take place and on
rwhat te

On ttict whole, we rity have
had very little criticism and most
of that has been wrapped up in
semantics — such expressions
as *loss of community ident-
ity” and “backdoor amalgamat-
ion” ete,

The only basic modification
we have made (as a result of
criticism) was in the last ses-
sion ‘when we switched from the
“opting out" to the '‘opting in'’
‘principle whereby municipalities
would vote for joining with each
other individually on a particul-
ar function or regional service.

The. vehicle had to get on the

.| road and we thought it was pos-

sible to create regional districts
using the- philosophy of opting
out but we found with exper-
jence in the field that was not
the way to do it.

You have to use the approach

Seeking ways to save

money on moving day?

re are tivo beautiful ways!
¥ i econ

80 per cent of the population liv- °3

The answer is “‘No’’. and it F

ting local government Jeével.-It -
is a completely functional anim- <

What benefits has it brought’? :

logical solutions become obvious ::
to everyone, particularly in such ~~

of opting in and, in effect, this
1s what led to the regional hos-
pital district principle of opting
in on an umbrella basis but.us-
ing Priorities.

t'oUk:

Will municipal regional , dis-
tricts be extended to the whole
province unilaterally a5 have
regional hospital districts?

This is the anomaly that is not
understood, Because we already
had 13 Gnunicipal) regional dis-
tricts, it was just necessary
to have companion orders (by.
cabinet) so that first-those al-

‘|ready viable were deemed to be |:

also regional hospital districts,

In those places where there
were no (municipal) regional dis.
tricts, we created them but with
no functions and then deemed
these to be the hospital .dis-
tricts so that the whole thing
is going to have common bound-
aries — except that we still
have left one or two places for
(special) definition,

There may be the possibility
that one or two areas would be
only regional hospital districts-
because they have no organiz-
ed municipalities in existence
within them — for-pxamplegthe
Stikine area is being considered
this way. ee Baa +

Is the government deliberately
fuzzing the distinction between
the two types of districts by us-
ing similar names boundaries?

The answer is ‘No’, The use
of the same boundaries for the
previously stated reason, We bas-
ed them on school district group-
Ings where convenient but only
for geographical purposes. If we
had started carving up the pro-
vinee from seratch, it would have
taken years to define the dis-
tricts with Legal descriptions and
we would never have got this
on the ground as soon as we

id,

These boundaries, by the way,
are not immutable, Once you init-
jate boundaries, you have to ad-
just them to population shifts,

Will more types of regional
jurisdictions be set up on the
same boundary lines?

We do not wish to have single-
purpose boards, The reverse 1s
true, We would like multi-pur-
pose boards, But the regional
district board should be a pol-

iey-making body with help from |]

eltizens.

In alt functions that become
important to any regional dis-
trict, we would hope the board
wili Jean heavily on citizen ad-

visory committees — for such
. | things as planning, for instance,

-. While. this is a statutory re-

A “Stranded

~ Eskimos

“survive”

WINNIPEG (CP) — Two Es

‘ikimos of the motor-toboggan geri.
‘eration: ows..thelr lives to the |§
: weather wisdom of one of their.

elders —plus ‘a lot of luck.”

“| “They were rescued last. Satare |}
. .|day; 10 days after the ice broke |».
‘land ' stranded them on a flos in |B

the frigid waters of Hudson Bay.

‘| where winds and savagely-low

temperatures can turn blood tel

* doctor “gptd they.

: wouldn't ‘have lasted for more

than.: a: ‘cou Je: of days,’’ sald
SqdnLdr,'

search . for ‘the RCAF, “# We just
Airhut, 21,;.'and Johnny:

teat -lseppeared. «four |F

before «Christmas: ‘While

daya:*

fiey" were on’ a: Bonita: ‘telp |i

Migle: Cover, Thay had’ Inlet ‘to

Sas

i] Stillar of Winvl- |&
peg,, the man who directed tho'||

al, transportation: ae and here

Pm net ot talking about BC; Rydre ’
transit buses | but. transportation | ,

related to land usé — water sup-

ply and distribution, and sewer. |’

age the problems that vary from
region to region,

In the aspirations net — use-
ful things in the social services.
area — I would place suchthings
as housing, parks, recreation,
family courts, Ubraries, mus-
cums and in some cases reg-
ional police or fire departments
and perhaps convention centres,

But the underlying concept ot
che whole regional district pro-
gram is that this'is a- federat.
ed system. :

The constitution of this system

is in fact the individual letters

patent given to each “separate
regional district, .

It is a highly pragmatic ap-
proach because - each function
within each district has, in ef-
fect, its own federated constit-
ution.— item by ftem and bud-

get by budget.

I take the position that if you
have 15 problems, the best way
‘to solve them is to break them
down into individual components

and tackle them as they come. |_

The best way not to solve them
is to start with 15 solutions at

_ onee, ”

FROM THE CHURCHES: | ; a 7
A star led the ‘wise men

quirement in the case of hos-
pitals, we would like te see this
done -voluntarily in - all other
fields, The regional board ob-
viously cannot be the custodian
of technical expertise in every
function in which it becomes
involved,

Common sense should dictate
that it establish the advisory
groups to help it.

*

What do you visualize as the
‘needs of the £970s’* which reg-
jonal. district boards should
meet?

Wall, they won't do these things
simultaneously across the pro-
vince beeause each area will
its own level of needs and re-
sponse,

But they ali will have to meet
the hospital needs now. That is
there now.

I think all of them have prob-
lems of regional land use now
and I also think all of them
have problems of pollution, or
will have soon, These two, land
use and pollution, are not sep-
arable problems.

When you move away from
these things we have in common
ow; you get down to the spec-
ifies of two types of future needs
Py lems which vary from reg-
ion té‘region and the varying as-
pirations of the regions.

I would call garbage dispos-

se

i a No.

‘No. 28073

"Comm a) Genet pet AP,
TAAWOILG RIGHTS. Wee

“Why didn’t you tell me you have a eee

boy. friend who drives a | cement truck?”

“Now when Jesus was born
in Bethichem of Judea in the
days of Herod the king, behold,
there came wisemen ‘from the
east to Jerusalem, Saying,
‘Where is he that is born King
of the Jews? For we have seen
his star in the east and are
come to worship him,’ '' Mat-
thew 2: 1,2,

The coming of the wise men to
Bethlehem constitutes a vital part
of the Christmas. story. It is
generally believed that their com-
ing occurred several months-or
as much as a year after the
birth of Jesus, It is also of
great significance that those
from aiar shouldknow of the great
event ‘tat had taken place, when
the masses in Jerusalem were’
completely unaware of it.

We are informed by the Scrip.
tures that these men were guided
by a star, The star guided them
aright. However when they: re-.
sorted to human reasoning, they’
Jost their way, They had reck-
oned that the new King would
certainly. be ‘born in the royal
palace, but they were wrong.

28070 -
28232

Human -Teasoning : is inadequate
to guide us to God or to dir-
ect us in His ways. When king
Herod was questioned by the wise-
men as to where they could find
the new-born. King, Herod .con-
sulted the scribes who inform-
ed him that according to the
words of the prophet Micah,
Christ was to be born in Beth-
lehem. It was. as these men
gave heed to the Scriptures that
they found their way tothe Christ
Child whom they had come to
worship, Shall we notice again
that the leading of the star was
right, the leading of the Word
was right, but the leading of
reason was’ wrong,

When the wise men found the
Christ Child, their first act wag
one of worship, Worship must
always take the precedence over
all else. In’worship we acknow-
ledge our unworthiness and at
the esame;time acknowledge, the

worthiness of Christ,-The wise|-

men had the order right when

they first worshipped and then

gave, ;
They brought Him gifts:

THE WORD IS OUT!

" Omineca - Building Supplies have made the draw and take pleasure in’ “announcin
the winners of the Christmas Draw. ‘They are as follows: . : cre

SKILL: SAW
CORDLESS: clock

‘BINOCULARS _

ELECTRIC: KNIFE

Gold, frankincense, 3 and myrxh, °

Those Wise Men were.

The first who came to worship
from afar,: ‘:

They loved the Child, and when
they saw His star,
They * followed it to Beth.
lehem. What are

We bringing Him?

They brought Him gifts;

Have we no gifts to bring

Our Lord and King?

He came from heavenly man-
sions to a atall;

The Holy Babe of Bethlehem
gave all,

The best gifts we can offer
are but small

Compared with His, .

He loves our gifts;

Our hearts He longs to own.

Let us enthrone

The Lord within our hearts
for evermore,

incense before

The Holy*: ~ One: : Whom:
the saints adore he

This Christinas Day,

And bring our love as frank. . -@

Sp nr: We Sem Sa te ee TR I Ge Se he ee oa