10 - THE CITIZEN. Prince George - Friday, May 5, 1978 In recent days I have been accused several times of being one-sided in covering a story that started April 19. On that day a number of employees of Husky Oil here decided they’d had enough of being unable to settle on a new contract with their employer and they called a legal strike. Every day The Citizen has tried to keep readers informed of what’s happening by writing about the latest developments in the matter. Not that there are many, but even the slightest movement is news. Now come several people who obviously don’t see eye to eye with unions and they tell me I am biased in favor of the union, because I never have any statements from the company. I admit to the second part of the previous sentence, but to the first one I can honestly say no one could have tried harder. You see, ever since the strike started, Husky Oil officials have been unavailable for comment. There is, of course, no law in Canada that says anyone has to talk to a newspaper reporter and if Husky officials want to keep their mouths shut, well, it’s up to them. So you see, there is not much I can do about getting the other side of the coin into the story. It certainly is not because I’m not trying or because I’m biased. Every day, at least once, I have called Husky in Prince George and three times since the strike started, I have called the company’s Canadian head office in Calgary. Wednesday, for instance, I thought maybe if I didn’t mention who was calling I might get through to Ralph Haack, the local man, in charge. I asked if he was there and the friendly voice on the other end said he was. Then she came back on the line and asked who was calling. I told her. Silence — and then she came back again and Jan-Udo Wenzel said the man I was looking for had just stepped out with the engineers. So much for that. I have also left numerous messages for him to call me. but so far with no results. That is one aspect I resent. When I’m making every effort to write a fair story, I think it would be common courtesy to at least call back and say that there is nothing to say from the company’s end. And the same goes for the Calgary office. Twice I left my number, with the same result, namely zero. Of course, it may be a little much to expect that oil companies act courteously. They have been riding roughshod over consumers ever since oil became a commodity. I recall calling the head office of an oil firm to ask for a comment and an explanation as to why gasoline prices in Prince George are among the highest in Canada, although we have a refinery right here. There was no comment. My next question concerned advertisements from various oil firms who claimed their gas was superior to other brands because it contained additives for greater mileage. What did I want to know about it. was the counter question. Well, I explained that I had photographic proof that all sorts of tanker trucks, proudly displaying the logos of various oil companies, all pulled up to the same pump here at the local refinery, so how could they make these claims? All I got for that one was a loud click in my ear and the line went dead. I didn't bother to call again, but checked with the driver of one of the trucks asking whether he was putting the additives in when he filled up. He just laughed at my naive question. So Husky here may be put out about the strike by the 36 working stiffs, but it is interesting to note that this is the first time a strike has crippled production here. When Union 76 owned the place, disagreements were settled before it came to a strike. But oil companies are not above taking strike action themselves. Of course, they don’t call it that. If a government enacts legislation which the oil barons don't like, they announce that under the circumstances all exploration for new oil sources will be discontinued. That, with all sincerity, I call a strike against the common interests. So if you read another story on the local strike here, don't blame me for being one-sided, blame it on the company that doesn’t have the courtesy to return calls. On the other hand, the locals may not be to blame. Most likely the orders not to talk come from, a higher source than the Canadian head office in Calgary. They probably come from the home office in Cody, Wyoming. Notice to My Many Friends and Customers Jim Scott t ardor to serve your transportation needs better I have joined the "Little Cheeper Deoler". Whether you require a New or Used Car or a New or Used Truck, I will handle it promptly and efficiently. See Me Toiay at . . . Prince George Motors The Little Cheeper Dealer 1331 Central Street, Prince George Call Anytime Bus: 563*8111 Res: 964-6680 D. Lie. No. 00712A Out of Town Calls Welcome. Families stuck with trailers PORT HARDY, B.C. (CP)-Logger Bill Towe filled his bathtub to the brim and gave his toilet a fond farewell flush Wednesday as he awaited a shutdown of water and sewer lines servicing his home and five others at a trailer park in this north Vancouver Island community. “They told us they were going to cut everything off no later than Wednesday night,” said Towe, 38, a logging truck driver who lives in a MacMillan Bloedel-owned park in the southeast comer of Port Hardy with his wife and five children. When the bathtub is empty, I’m out of water and I guess I’ll have to move out. You can’t live in a trailer home with a big family and no sewer and water for long.” Towe and five other families—a total of 24 people—were told this week that MB planned to cut off company-operated water and sewer lines servicing the site effective Wednesday, the final step in closing the park. The giant timber company has been trying to close the park for two years. The families have nowhere to move their trailers, because of red tape and zoning,bylaws. Late Wednesday, residents of the six trailers were busily draining the dregs from a big water storage tank the company filled as a farewell gesture after the lines were cut by municipal engineers—a final binge of bathing, brushing and gargling before the drought sets in for real. “What are we going to do with our trailers?” asked Towe. “The municipality won’t take them, the company hasn't offered us any other location and the provincial government can’t help us. “I guess we'll just have to lear them where they are and burn them to the ground.” The water and sewer ser- vices have been provided by the company through a system independent of the municipal facilities since MB first opened the trailer park for its logging employees in the 1940s. But the company now is in the process of dismantling the system that once served 25 families and converting to municipal lines to service a subdivision it presently has under construction adjacent to the park. The two systems are incompatible. SPRING CLEANING? ULLiE Call POWER VAC of Prince George 562-2240 CLIP THIS COUPON FOR A | $10 DISCOUNT j On cleaning of your furnace and ducts i Offer valid until May 31, 1978 only | "Vour solution to dust pollution" | -----------------1 Prince George Secondary School REPORT CARD DAY FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1978 Parents wishing to discuss the report or arrange for an interview should contact the school at 562-6441. Friday, May 5, 1978 Monday, May 8, 1978 NOW OPEN PRINCE GEORGE’S NEWEST AND MOST COMPLETE FIREPLACE CENTRE • WOOD STOVES • FREE STANDING FIREPLACES • ZERO CLEARANCE FIREPLACES • SELKIRK CHIMNEY • GRATES • TOOLS & ACCESSORIES • CUSTOM-MADE GLASS & STANDARD SCREENS HE HJik S? . . l^r FIREPLACE OPEN Tues.-Sat. 9:30-5:30 CENTRE LTD. CIVIC PROPERTIES & RECREATION COMMISSION The Four Seasons Swimming Pool ADULTS! SWIMMING AND DIVING LESSONS May 30 to June 29 Tuesday and Thursday Nights 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Pre-Beginner, Juniors Seniors 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Pre Beginner, Adv. Beginner, Adv. Junior, Intermediates DIVING 9:45 to 10:45 — Must have Adv. Beginner or higher For further information please call 563-8806 Office hours 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday Price $25.00 for 10 lessons Regional District of Fraser-Fort George NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Act, a Public Hearing will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 11, 1978 in the City Council Chambers, 1100 Patricia Blvd., Prince George, B.C. in respect of "Land Use Contract Authorization By-law No. 329, 1978", being a by-law to enter into a Land Use Contract with M.L.D. Construction Ltd., to subdivide the remainder of Block B, D.L. 2165, Cariboo District into nine lots, each of approximately .7 hectares {1.8 acres). (Location — Miworth, approximately .2 km south of Wilkins Road, adjacent to the southern boundary of Wilkins Regional Park). At the hearing, all those who deem their interest in land to be affected by the proposed by-law shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard. Copies of the proposed by-law may be inspected af the Regional District office, No. 311 — 1717 Third Avenue, Prince George, from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. W. D. Kennedy Secretary-Treasurer 2354 Ospika Blvd., Prince George ; ? . ■v. % USED DATSUN TRAVAGANZA We're proud to announce that we now have some of the finest used vehicles available in this area! The lime is right & so is the price! DATSUN Here are some examples DATSUN 1977 CADILLAC Coupe. De Ville 1975 BRONCO 4x4 1975 FORD SUPERCAB Camper Special 1975 EC0N0LINE Club Wagon 1974 VEGA Hatchback 1969 BARRACUDA Hardtop 1968 THUNDERBIRD Loaded 1975 LINCOLN Town Car 1976 DUSTER 2 Door, Hard Top • 1975 FORD CREWCAB 1974 LAND CRUISER 4x4 1973 TOYOTA Automatic 1969 JEEPSTER 4x4 1966 INTERNATIONAL 3 Ton DATSUN 1961 CADILLAC Coupe DeVille All the extras — near perfect DATSUN IMPERIAL DATSUN LTD. 1 st & Brunswick 563-0581 DLN 00671A