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To visit India soon -

Soviet Premier Bulganin (above, left) and Nikita Khrushchev (right), secretary of the Communist party, will visit India in late November, the Indian foreign ministry announced this week. The visit, which will be for a little more than two weeks, was arranged during Indian Premier Nehru’s recent visit to the USSR.

City ‘not interested’

buying out BCE

Vancouver City Council said this week that it is “not.

interested” at this time in purchasing the B.C. Electric transit system in Vancouver. ‘Council gave this reply to a request from

the Disabled Veterans Association civic elections. re _City council may not be in- terested, but Vancouver citizens eertainly are,” retorted Effie Jones, president of Civic Re- form Association, when informed ef council’s decision.

_ “Distribution — of electricity should also be taken over,” continued Mrs. Jones. “British Columbia needs a public utilities set-up similar to that of Ontario which is widely known as a model system.

’ “Recently I appeared before Vancouver City Council to urge that the city take over the transit and electricity system. Transit systems have been taken cover by every other large city in Canada, and sooner or later, the same thing will have to ‘be

for a plebiscite at the December done here. :

“Under the 20-year franchise which the city has with the B.C. Electric, the city can ‘at the end of five years take over the transit system. If we do not act before the end of 1955 the opportunity will be lost for another five years. '

“Civic Reform Association proposed some time ago that a plebiscite be placed before the electors this December. Now other organizations are begin- ning to present the same de- mand. ; :

“Action by ratepayers associ- ations, trade unions and other bodies could force city council to change its stand and recon- sider the question of purchas- ang the transit system.”

Victoria usurps rights

say school

Despite Education Minister

trustees

QUALICUM BEACH, B.C. Ray Williston’s assurances that

the Social Credit government does not intend to enéroach on the

powers of local school boards,

dissatisfaction with government

policy is mounting. The 51st annual convention of the B.C. school

trustees association meeting’ here this week accused Victoria of c rushing local autonomy. George W. Rogers of Van- couver charged, “School boards are becoming rubber stamps.” Rogers said all capital expendi- ture must be approved; operat- ing budgets are subject to de- tailed inspection; debt structure: and appointment of officials and supervisors are controlled. “The way things work,” he- stated, “ controls are increas- ing.”

Chilliwack Trustee Arthur Rundle claimed the local trus- teese are more familiar with the problems in their districts than officials in Victoria.

» who

Reid wins re-election in North Vancouver

NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. District councillor Mort Reid, resigned office over charges of irregularities in con- ducfing business with the municipality, was re-elected in last Saturday’s. district by- election. :

Reid polled 626 votes; A. H. Ashworth, 399; Thomas Winship, 244; and Damon Eisenman, 64.

Another election will be held October 15 to fill the post vacated by Reeve Grant Currie, ° who resigned following charges that his firm had sold about $50 ‘worth of material to the dis- trict. Currie will not contest the election.

Pulp

A new upsurge of democratic sentiment in the trade union movement was © flected in defeat of the right-wing during the debate over key resolutions at the op session on Wednesday this week, of the third annual convention of the B. C. Trade Union Congress (AFL‘TLC). Despite a motion of non-concurrence by the five-man resolutions committee, a succession of delegates took the fl

national Brotherhood of Pulp Sulphite and Paper Mill Work- ers’ local 312. ®

The resolution called upon

‘the convention to endorse an

amendment to the Trades Union Congress constitution “permit- ting the affiliation of all bona-

‘fide trade unions regardless of

the personal beliefs of their officers or members. :

As nine observers from the United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union (suspended two years ago for so-called Com- munist leadership) watched the proceedings, a prolonged and heated debate took place on the issue of the ousted unions.

On a ruling of the chair that the resolution as it stood could not be acted upon by the B.C. body, Bob Bryce, president of and ° Sulphite’s Powell River local, moved that the resolution be referred back to committee for re-wording to overcome the technical objec- tion. e

The motion was seconded and put to a voice vote, the ehair- man ruling that it had carried. R. K. Gervin, TUC secretary, challenged the count, calling for a standing vote. On a re- checked standing vote the motion to refer was sustained.

Second key resolution on which the resolutions commit- tee recommendation was re- jected was one submitted by the Painters’ Vancouver local. It asked the convention to go on record “in favor only of credentialled delegates

on the merged congress.” The committee moved non-

concurrence, but ran into over=

whelming opposition as the

delegates made clear their in- -

sistance on democratic pro- cedure. The committee was over ruled, and the resolution

carried.

The convention was vynani- mous in opposing both bi-annual conventions of the merged congress and inclusion ‘in the executive of international representatives not responsible to the Canadian membership.

In the debate on the issue of the right of unions to elect officers of their own choice, Stan Wilcox, president of Divi- sion 101, Street Railwaymen’s Union, said; .

“I believe it is time we began to respect the opinions of the

other fellow. Men died to pre-

serve the right of difference of opinion in this broad Canada of ours. I have been and am consistently opposed to this type of legislation.” ; Gervin replied, “The unions were expelled because they would not abide by the consti- tution of the TUC. In any case this convention has no power to deal with the resolution,- it is a matter for the national

body.” John Hines, Vancouver paint- ers, delegate, said, “I agree

with Gervin that unions must abide by the constitution. But that. was not the issue that led to the expulsions. It was be- cause of difference of opinion, sometimes too sharply ex- pressed, perhaps. That is a matter which can be rectified.”

being -: eligible for election to office -

Sinclair returns

‘Deeply impressed’ by visit to USSR

oor to support a resolution by the Inter’

7

couvel

. s Sas : c . : Van Fisheries Minister James Sinclair returned to China:

last week from his extensive visit to the Soviet Union an While still suffering from the painful injuries resulting. accident in Petropavlovsk, Siberia, on.August 4, Sinclair Peking, Hankow and Canton, where he conferred with government officials. Immediately upon his arrival in Hp the Fisheries Minister had to undergo further hospitalizat™

of further treatment and rest. °

Since his return to Canada, Sinclair has not made any press

“statements on ‘his impressions

of his tour, leaving this to his executive assistant, Alistair Fraser. What Fraser has had to say of his chief’s tour and the warm and friendly relations established, indicates that he has done a top-ranking job -in opening a new era of Soviet-- Canadian friendship.

In a press conference in Vlad- ivostok on September 11, just before leaving for China, Sin- clair stated:

“Everything I saw in Russia made a deep impression on me.”

Sinclair visited a large num- ber of Soviet scientific institu- tions concerned with research and conservation of fish econ- omy, and expressed himself as “being amazed at the great. attention being paid’ in. this field.

Travelling on a Soviet re- frigerator vessel from Kamch- atka to Vladivostok,. Sinclair | was asked what he thought of the vessel. :

“This is a magnificent ves- sel,” he said. “We have nothing like it ‘in. Canada because .we work near the shore. Much work is being performed in your country to build up-to- date standard seiners, trawlers, transport and base ships. Very soon Russia will possess the finest fishing crafts in the’ world.”

When asked what he would

like to convey most to the “people of the Soviet Union,

Sinclair replied, “Firstly, the best wishes on behalf. of the Canadian people and the ful- filment of their desire to live in peace and friendship. Since it concerns fishermen also, all I can wish them is a good haul.”

: e ‘Referring to suggested ex- changes of delegations, Sinclair said: : é %

“In the summer I hope we shall exchange parliamentary delegations — A parliamentary

delegation of the Soviet Union will arrive in Canada and our parliamentary delegation in the. Soviet Union. The stronger the friendship the better matters will be. I think Geneva was a big step forward.”

As a result of Sinclair’s visit | Alistair Fraser indicated, there is a possibility that top Soviet scientists in fish economy may soon visit Canada to study

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — SEPTEMBER 30, 1955 — *'

Se ethink?

om a visited

Vancouv'

a id

methods of conservation me i processing here. is Fraser paid a high trib the care and concern medical and hospital aut

showed the minister’s aC Fraser comment | “we left a good impressiOP ig the Russians .. . and they,” —

us with a good impressio®

Continued

aldermen for and against ae, Ald. Sprott again casting deciding vote against 4— iscite. wie

Later

this week, —

dation unless it is first aP by plebiscite and Ald. altered her ee to plebiseit she would support a PP

motion’if and when tHe Commas is, called upon to vote = for fluoridation. een

The issue comes se council this coming esioo October 3, for final de ppet

In the meantime, the ~~ Sqto Commission inquiring rue charges of graft and cei” 2 tion in Vancouver police esi” ‘istration is proceeding oS ie second gear if not a lowe pe Me as commissidner R. H. ~ 1 int said in reply to press comp, ing that the inquiry Wa5 ~ dragged out. +

‘While, behind the se the police inquiry, tive elements in ‘Partisan Association, support of the Social provincial government, smash the Liberals’ | Vancouver Centre machine, neither Cons nor Liberals can disre effect of disclosures ™* away the police hearings, parti isa? as they, reflect on Non-F: Ps

en

administration. - tio? Plebiscites on fluotidt ot and Sunday sports of dive”

themselves as a means : ting public attention. — igs : Both are controversi@ Flo certain to arouse debate. ay ip idation, which i y effect at Prince opposed by a : vociferous minority jpo extremely active in circu” ists its propaganda. Sunday in the was put on a plebiscite efeat 1951 civic election an ae 13 by a close vote, 31,091 t? pA