Northern British Columbia is experiencing the biggest con-

struction boom in its history, but the struggle for control of its newly discovered resources will determine whether Can- adians or Americans derive the greatest benefit from it. TOP LEFT: A portable drilling rig in the Peace River oilfields. TOP RIGHT: Dawson Creek, boom town bursting at the seams:

BOTTOM: A pipelaying machine

pipeline.

working on the natural gas

Burnaby councillor needs storm sewer

BURNABY, B.C.

--Councillor Gerald Charlton was assailed on all sides when he appeared before a special meeting of Capitol Hill rate- payers in Capitol Hill Com- munity Hall on Thursday last week to defend Burnaby council’s method of fixing charges for the sewer project completed this spring.

Before they approved the project ratepayers had~ been assured that the average charge would be around $23 a year for 20 years. Now, as a result of the council’s having based charges on assessed value of land and property, some ratepayers are paying be- tween $50 and $60 a year with the prospect that improvements they make to their property

will increase their sewer charges proportionately. Carltc was accused by

several ratepayers .with hav- ing conceded that the method was inequitable while claim- ing that it was “the fairest way.” . ;

Reporting for the commit- tee elected by ratepayers to present their case to council, Harold Pritchett said it was obvious that the council had “goofed” but was refusing tc admit it.

Charlton refused to say whether the same method would be adopted in sewering the remaining § section of Capitol Hill, saying, “Shell Oil comes into the picture there,” a remark that drew jeers and laughter.

It was reported that when the reassessment now in pro- gress was completed the figures would be presented to the committee for study and Opinion,

BCPC takes over at Prince George

Public power suppol strong in B.C. nort

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. British Columbia’s central and northern interior is ex- periencing the greatest boom in its history. The roar of machinery — tractors, trucks, planers, power saws, bulldoz- ers and drills — can be heard from early morning far. into the night, as the gas pipeline pushes forward at two to three miles per day.

Many communities are being transformed out of recognition. In Quesnel, for example, build- ing figures for the month’ of June alone amounted to $529,- 000 in permits issued to bring the total for the first half of 1956 up to $1,039,000.

The lumber industry is mushrooming up everywhere, with an. estimated 1,000 oper- ations between Williams Lake, Quesnel and Prince George. It is growing at such a rate De- puty Forest Minister C. D. Or- chard predicted last week that within ten years the interior lumber cut may even surpass coast production.

Notable development is the rapid expansion of the govern- ment-owned B.C. Power Com- mission through the north. A 30-acre site has just been pur- chased for a new 9,000 kilowatt

thermal plan two.miles north of Quesnel at Two-Mile Flat. Initially the plant will operate on diesel fuel, but will switch to natural gas as soon as it is available.

In Prince George itself, the “B.C. Power Commission will take over the city’s electric utility on September 1. In the past fortnight purchase of the Northern Electric Company by the Commission has been an- nounced, and electrical ser- vices in Smithers and Prince Rupert have been taken over by the commission.

Support’ for the Power Com- mission is strong all through the northern interior where it is providing services which could never have been given by private companies,

“The government should also take over the lucrative oper- ations of the B.C. Electric in

Pre-election upswing in

the densely populated areas of the lower Mainland,” Nigel Morgan, LPP provincial lead- er, declared in Prince George last week.

“The government-owned Power Commission is giving excellent service, but it is handicapped, and its rates are considerably higher than they need be if the government

NANAIMO, B.C.

One sign of pre-election activity in this area is the re- cent -nomination of Mayor Earl Westwood as Social Credit candidate for Nanaimo-The Islands provincial riding.

On Sunday this week, Nan- aimo CCF club held a picnic on Newcastle Island where it was announced that a federal constituency picnic would be held at St. Mary’s Lake, Salt-

spring Island in two weeks’ time,

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would take over the B.C. Electric holdi

Meanwhile sever colorful posters put Labor-Progressive bearing the slogan “} is ours — develop i public ownership” 1 their appearance main highways and centres.

Nanaims

The CCF has_ nominated for Na Islands but it is rep? it intends to now Nanaimo federal 1@ this month when Col? on, CCF MP, ret Ottawa. ;

Other parties, LP. and Conservative, vet nominated for © vincial or federal there is every indi they will have cat the field soon.

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‘August 3, 1956 —PACIFIC TRIBUNY