END TREE LICENCES DEMANDS LABOR

Forest monopolies gouge B.C. publi

A demand for a sweeping overhaul of B.C.’s forestry policy came last week fro B.C. Federation of Labor, in a brief to the Legislature’s forestry committee. The brief, pres ed on behalf of more than 100,000 B.C. trade unionists, urged action to stop the robb the public by the big forest monopolies, and demanded that no further timber licences sued. It called on the government to set up a publicly - owned corporation to process

materials.

The 12-page brief presented by BCFL president E, T, Staley and secretary E, P, O’Neal charged that “the people of B,C, are being systematically bilked, The word robbed is used by some observers,”

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The brief said the public is’ shocked by the “outrageously in- adequate returns” to the people from their forests, It charged that the public is being deprived of public revenues “to maintain astronomical profits for a few companies with monopolistic power,”

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The briefnames five companies which control B,C,’s forest in- dustry, These are: MacMillan Bloedel and Powell River, Cana- dian Forest Products, B,C, For- est Products, Crown Zellerbach and Rayonier,

Charging that the enormous political and economic influence of these companies puts the prov- ince and the people at their mercy, the brief says that “be- tween them they are many times richer than the province of B,C, ‘The jobs of thousands of citizens can be lost, the provincial econ= omy disrupted, through the whim

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NEWS ITEM: The American Telephone and Telegraph Company recently announc- ed earnings of $1.7 billion for the year ended Nov. 30, 1964. This is the largest 12-month profit for any company in the history of capitalism. The B.C. Tele- phone Co., which is a subsidiary of American Telephone and Telegraph, made a profit of nearly $12 million in 1964—a jump of 9 percent over the previous year.

terests in licence trafficking with Crown forest lands, and said that some licences are being held for purely speculative purposes,

The BCFL. brief urges the government to establish a public- ly-owned corporation to utilize

and develop forest resources, '

from harvesting to manufacture, “Only such public enterprises can hopefully challenge the pri- vate enterprise of the five exist- ing monopoly interests,” says the brief, ;

The BCFL alsourged that steps be taken to establish a perman- ent, independent commission to regulate and oversee the admin- istration of forest resources, The proposal for the setting up of an independent forest commis- sion was made some years ago by the late Chief Justice Gordon Sloan,

_ ly opposed any increase

The Socred government been under sharp fire in # rent session of the Legi over the lack of provincii enues from B,C,’s fore sources, The major attack House on the special pri extended to the large monopolies has come fr provincial leader Robert chan and from North Vani Liberal Gordon Gibson, —

The BCFL brief was in contrast to one submitted Council of Forest Industri sented a few days befor CFI brief, which represeé giant forest monopolies in declared its opposition plan to place timber undef 9 ership of the Crown, and

for forest licences or leases, i

Probe of B.C.

fo open early

The Board of Transport Com- missioners has set April 1 as deadline for notification by those who intend to make representa- tions on hearings concerning the B.C, Telephone Company, The Company has until April 15 to file its submission,

The Board, which is respon- sible for exercising control over utilities in the public’s interests,

AUUC concert in Queen ‘E’

The Association of United Ukrainian-Canadians is present- ing a Spring Concert on Sunday,

March 21st at 8 p,m, in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre,

For those of Ukrainian origin, March is known as the month to commemorate -the birth of the Bard of the Ukraine, Taras Shevchenko, Concerts, banquets and films highlight the programs across Canada, Part of the pro- gram in Vancouver will be dedi- cated to Shevchenko and will be narrated in English,

Part of the first half of the pro- gram is dedicated.toShevchenko, the balance of the program is a tribute to other nationalities who - took part in the building of Ca- nada, Greek, French, English, Trish, American and Russian songs will be featured, Dances from the western and eastern Ukraine, and Moldavia will be presented, One number will be a “squopak,” which is a combin- ation of a Canadian square dance and Ukrainian Hopak,

Telephone | in April

announced some months ago that both the Bell Telephone Co. and the B,C, Telephone will have their profits probed, Both companies have made excessive profits in recent years, while rates have remained high, B,C,’s rates are the highest in Canada,

The Board has said that rates will not be considered at this time, but the probe of the com- pany’s finances could lead to action on rates if the Board finds they are too high in relation to earnings,

However, not satisfied with this, many groups in B,C, have demanded that the Board order’ an interim cutback in phone rates until the full investigation into the company is completed, which is expected to take some months, They point out that failure to do this victimizes the utility-using public, who pay the high rates, while the company continues to amass big profits, : :

“Many groups, including the B,C, Communist Party, are ex- pected to submit briefs at the forthcoming hearings, Labor, ratepayer and civic organizations have indicated considerable in- terest in the hearings,

The Victoria city council re- cently asked the Union of B,C, Municipalities to prepare a joint brief to the hearings protesting B.C, Telephone rates, The UBCM rejected the proposal on the grounds that it was too expensive, Considerable pressure is needed to have the municipal and provin- cial governments to take up the fight against the phone monopoly at the upcoming hearings,

or caprice of these companies,”

The brief makes the startling point that a select circle owns 90 percent of the timber licences and that MBPR and its subsidi- aries control 31 percent of all timber licences and 24 companies control 90 percent of all issued ‘licences,

The brief also makes the point that when the provincial budget totalled $390 million, MBPR’s gross income during the same period totalled a“ staggering $375 million,” It adds that “it takes no special insight or expert to see that gross inequalities exist be- tween these private profits and the public revenue derived from the forest industry,”

The brief asks: *Why is it that when B,C,’s forest industries make sales worth $1.5 billion the provincial government got only $36.3 million in direct revenue?” One answer, it suggests, is be- cause of “misguided and ill- advised” generosity to a select few in the industry, ;

Labor urges the establishment of a Crown Commission to main- tain the public’s rights in the forests and asks that royalties for raw materials granted under the Forest Act should be doubled, except in areas where timber is inferior,

A key proposal in the brief submitted by the BCFL is the demand that an end be put to any further issuing of tree farm li- cences, It demands that some licences already granted be re- voked, and charges that control of these licences in the hands of a few companies is causing many abuses and inequities in the for- est industry,

The brief says that there has been speculation by private in-

HUNDREDS SIGN WIRE TO PEARSON .Photo shows Dora Stewart, left, ¢ jorie Szach holding the telegram which was sent Wednesday to Prime Pearson urging him to press tirelessly for negotiations to end the war nam. Five hundred names were on the wire which was initiated from national Women's Day celebration in Vancouver on March 7. The public by the wire’s sponsorers to organize follow-up individual and group w! ‘porting the demand for peace in Vietnam. —Jack Phillips

CARCADE FOR PEACE 2 IN CITY ON SATURDAY |

B,C, Peace Council has issued an urgent call to all those } who are shocked and alarmed by the events in Vietnam © demonstrate this Saturday for a peaceful and just settlem'

A carcade bearing signs reading “Write Mr, PearsoP Negotiate in Vietnam” will tour the streets of Vancouver 4 Burnaby Saturday, March 20, Cars will leave Burnaby School grounds at 11:30 a.m, and will tour for approximaté two hours, : :

The Council reiterates its determination to do everyth possible to arouse the consciousness. of Canadians and to :

crease the pressure on the government to take the initiative end this shameful war, :

Those wishing to join the carcade are asked to phone their names to the Peace Council at MU 5-9958 betwee? hours of 11 a,m, and 2 p.m, daily,

March 19, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—Po