2 — THE CITIZEN, Prince George — Friday, August 10, 1979 Hydro helps ferries PASSENGERS, CREW EVACUATED VANCOUVER (CP) - A Teamsters Union strike against three oil companies might shorten the voyages of some Alaska-bound cruise ships this weekend, but the British Columbia Ferry fleet Thursday found a new source of fuel. Transport Minister Alex Fraser said B.C. Hydro agreed to provide the ferry corporation with 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel from a reserve depot at Chemainus on Vancouver Island. Hydro’s assistance thus averted a threatened major cutback of ferry services on the B.C. coast which the minister had earlier predicted. The Crown corporation also withdrew its attempt to have the provincial Labor Relations Board order the Teamsters not to picket ferry terminals if the to picket ferry terminals if the corporation accepted companies. Ferry services would have been cut by about one-third during the weekend if the ferries had been unable to receive fuel. Teamster pickets would prevent members of the B.C. Marine Workers Union from handling fuel from the struck companies. Cruise ships were having their problems, however, and the strike could rock the boat for Alaska-bound travellers. Carl Jacobsen, chairman of a cruise operators committee, said that some cruise operators were considering chopping some ports from their itineraries. “We are having to go to great expense to seek supplies outside Canada,” said Jacobsen. Tugs free ferry from reef SIDNEY, B.C. (CP) - A team of tugboats helped free the ferry Queen of Alberni from a reef in a narrow channel off Vancouver Island shortly after low tide Thursday night, 14 hours after the 137-metre vessel ran aground. Bill Bouchard, B.C. Ferry Corp. communications manager, said the Alberni went to Montague Harbor on Galiano Island under its own power were divers were assessing damage before the ferry would he moved to Tsawwassen today. The truck-hauling ferry ran on the reef early in the morning while negotiating the tricky waters of Active Pass, halfway along the ferry’s first run of the day from Tsawwassen, south of Vancouver, to Swartz Bay, north of Victoria. Ninety-three passengers and 21 crew members were safely evacuated from the upper deck to several small boats by sliding down inflatable rubber chutes. They returned to Tsawwassen aboard the ferry Queen of Tsawwassen. James Brown, spokesman for Seaspan International which had five of the seven tugs on the scene, said the ferry was refloated about 9:30 p.m. ‘‘They worked the stern around and got it pointed in the right direction and she put on her engines,” he said. “At least five of the tugs had lines attached to the ferry.” Passengers, who stayed with relatives or in local hotels overnight, were to come to the Tsawwassen terminal today to see if they could drive their vehicles off. Cranes also were 11,0 Citizen Provincial Tugboats stabilize the Queen of Alberni after the vessel ran aground while negotiating a narrow pass. Do You Have Space to Rent? CM The College of New Caledonia is looking for accommodation for students starting classes in September. If you have a house, basement suite, apartment or room and board available please call us at 562-2131 or drop a line to: Student Services College of New Caledonia 3330-22nd Avenue Prince George, B.C. V2N 1P8 standing by to lift off any vehicles too badly damaged. Thirty-four commercial trucks, 23 recreational vehicles and five passenger cars were aboard the vessel. Many were crushed together, tilted at odd angles and overturned when the beached ferry listed sharply at low tide during the day. A coast guard spokesman said gasoline leaked from some of the vehicles, but the ferry’s fuel tanks — lower than normal because of a shortage of diesel fuel brought about by We’ve got the "lot”-o-Canada. 10% down 18 mos. payout HEIGHTS LAND DEVELOPMENT Cor. McGill & Domano Ph. 964-4411 a Teamsters strike — were sound and no pollution problems were anticipated. Some of the trucks were livestock transports loaded with cows and pigs. A veterinarian was taken aboard the stricken vessel Thursday night, and reported that the livestock and two horses on the ferry were in good condition. The vessel will be taken later to Burrard Drydock in Vancouver for repairs. The impact of the collision gouged a hole in the Alberni’s bow below the waterline but in a small compartment sealed by bulkheads. The double-ended ferry, the fastest in the corporation’s fleet, also lost its forward propeller in the accident, but was able to use its stern prop to power itself off the reef with the aid of the tugs and moved under its own steam to Montague Harbor. Meanwhile, passengers blamed the number of small pleasure craft in Active Pass for forcing the Alberni to one side of the narrow channel and onto the rocks at Collinson Point. “I’ve been through there so many times, I know what happened — the damned fishermen wouldn't move over,” said Marlin Rennie of Delta, B.C. “Fishing boats are plugging the pass up something fierce and today it finally happened.” Corporation officials, however, refused to discuss what caused the accident. But Migs Turner, regional superintendent of vessel traffic management for the coast guard, said the corporation has complained in the past about pleasure craft in Active Pass. Bennett / dislikes trading VICTORIA (CP) - Premier Bill Bennett said Thursday he isn’t impressed by the active trading in shares of the British Columbia Resources Investment Corp. on the stock market and told B.C. residents to hang on to them. “It would be inconsistent for any British Columbian who is opposed to someone else owning the business and industry of this province, once having either received the free shares or invested, to sell it to someone else,” he said in an interview. ‘‘So I am hopeful that everyone will hold their shares because in my view the value will be in the future. But of course to believe in that future you’ve got to believe in British Columbia and have a lot of confidence in it, as I do.” Bennett said nothing can be done about the cut-rate trading of the shares in places such as beer parlors. "That’s something you can’t legislate against.” The premier said that despite the stock market trading, there will be no foreign ownership of BCRIC shares or any attempted takeovers by large financial houses. Construction starts at jail Construction started Thursday on the expansion of the Prince George Regional Correction Centre. Phase 1 of the $9 million project will see construction of a new administration area, a gymnasium for inmates, a stores complex and visiting area. Phase 1 consists of building the enclosures and Phase II, to be started in September, will see completion of the interior of the new section and remodelling of the existing facilities.* "It has been long overdue,” said centre director Barry Rafuse. Bicycle replaced CMara photo by Dare Milne Citizen carrier Doug Kronebusch makes sure his new bicycle doesn’t get away. He bought it, thanks to the generosity of some of our readers. Doug’s old bike was stolen outside the Plaza 400, where he delivers papers. The building occupants took up a collection so he could buy a new one. VEGETABLE THIEVES Police to watch fields ABBOTSFORD, B.C. (CP) - Police and farmers are out to catch people without green thumbs red-handed in Fraser Valley vegetable patches. People who try to steal vegetables rather than grow them or pay for them at the local supermarket will be facing charges of theft and trespassing. But instead of scarecrows, it will be RCMP who will be patrolling the pumpkin patches and looking after the lettuce. Police say excuses like looking for a lost dog or letting junior out of the car because he couldn’t wait until dad got to the next service station won’t wash if you’re caught in the cornfield. Under the new program, called Farm Watch, RCMP officers will be on patrol in the field and will make roadside searches of cars. Tickets will be placed on vehicles parked in suspicious areas, informing the driver that police have recorded the licence number. Police and growers say increasing food costs are producing more vegetable thieves each year. John Seeland, of Buckerfield’s Farms, estimates that thefts and theft-related damage cost his company $10,000 last year — costs that were passed on to the consumer. “It’s been going on for years,” he said in an interview. Many of the people 1 catch don’t think they’re doing anything wrong. They say they’ve been doing it for seven or eight years and nobody’s said anything to them before.” RCMP said most of the illegal picking is done by people who could easily afford to buy the produce. PRINCE GEORGE TRUCK AND EQUIPMENT LTD. Corner Sintich Rd. and Boundry Phono 563 0535 DETROIT DIESEL ALLISON OPIN I. DAYS A WIIK IOH rOUK CONVINHNU Authorized Full Service Warranty for Detroit Diesel'Allison All makes and Models Appeal planned VANCOUVER (CP) - The Crown is appealing 20-year prison terms imposed on the ringleaders of a multi-million-dollar cocaine smuggling organization. It filed notice Thursday it is seeking longer prison terms for William (Fats) Robertson and Ido PauLZami. c THE WEATHER SIMON FRASER INN STEAK SANDWICH $3.95 6 oz. sirloin — French Fries — French Bread —ColeSlaw — Onion Rings. SPACE FOR RENT 1770 Quinn Street 2500 sq. ft. Warehouse and-or Shop. With office space. Includes two large bays, overhead doors and 3 phase power. $700 a mo. Call Del Schneider Hydraulics 564-3230 Precipitation is expected to cover portions of the Prairies and Atlantic provinces on Saturday. Figures indicate expected high temperatures. Other features are for mid-day. Synopsis KOKANEE SEA FOODS WE'LL BE AT THE Main Gate Exhibition Grounds Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. only Come on out and check our Sea Food Specials! Chilcotin, Cariboo, Central Interior: Sunny today with a few afternoon cloudy periods. Highs 25 to 27. Lows tonight 6 to 9. Cloudy Saturday with sunny periods. A few showers and isolated afternoon thundershowers. Highs 23 to 25. Greater Vancouver: Sunny today except patches of early morning cloud. Highs around 25. Lows tonight 12 to 14. Sunny Saturday with a few cloudy periods. Highs 22 to 24. Lower Fraser Valley, East Vancouver Island: Sunny today with highs in the upper twenties. Shallow fog patches in low lying areas early this morning. Lows tonight 11 to 13. Sunny Saturday with a few cloudy periods. Highs near 25. North and West Vancouver Island: Sunny today inland with fog and low cloud along the coast. Increased higher cloud and few showers northern parts toward evening. Mostly cloudy Saturday. A few showers in the north. Northern Mainland, Queen Charlottes: Sunny today except morning fog patches along the water. Increasing cloud this afternoon with few showers tonight. Mostly cloudy Saturday. Highs both days near 17 on the coast and up to 23 inalnd. Lows tonight around 10. Thompson, Okanagan: Sunny today with highs in the low thirties. Lows tonight 13 to 15. Sunny Saturday with a few afternoon cloudy periods. Highs 28 to 32. Columbia, Kootenay: Sunny today and continuing warm, Highs 30 to 33. Lows tonight 10 to 13. Sunny Salurday with afternoon cloudy periods. Chance of a shower in the Columbia district. Highs 28 to 32. Temperatures VANCOUVER (CP) High- low temperatures and pr tatlon in millimetres for previous 24 hours issued Friday by the weather office: 32 14 00.0 Penticton Revelstoke 32 09 00.0 Vancouver 24 13 00.0 Stewarl 24 08 00.0 Port Hardy IB 08 00.0 Tofino 18 12 000 Comox 27 13 00.0 Victoria 26 10 00.0 Prince George 27 07 00.0 Kamloops 33 13 00.0 Dawson City 23 06 00.0 Whitehorse 22 05 00.0 Fort St. John 24 10 00.0 Yellowknife 18 12 01.4 Inuvik 24 11 000 Lethbridge 25 07 oo.o Medicine Hat 24 12 00.0 Edmonton 19 09 00.0 Calgary 22 09 00.0 Saskatoon 20 06 00.0 <