Doris E. Bechtley 1158 Melville St. VANCOUVER, B.C. INSIDE CLASSIFIED .................... Page 8 COMICS .......................... Page 9 EDITORIAL ...................... Page 2 WOMEN'S, SOCIAL ........ Page 7 SPORTS............................ Page 6 DIAL LO4-2441 WEATHER A few showers Wednesday morning. Sunny. Winds light, shifting to westerly in the afternoon. Low tonight and high tomorrow, 35 and 60. Vol. 2; No. 86 PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, TUESDAY AAAY .6 1958 PRICE 7 CENTS BY CARRIER 35C PER WEEK WEEK-END IS usually a time for relaxation but last Sunday saw prize German Shepherd "Charlie" doing a work-out with his master at Summit Lake. The dog, which has been trained by Albert LeTendre, above, has gone through many long hours of practice and its trainer feels it will have many more before it is in the shape he would like it to be. �Citizen Photo Total 38 Now Sommers Trial Opens With 21 New Charges Local ^Saucer' Club Publishes Periodica A new publication has made its appearance in Prince George. Jt is the official organ of Prince.' George Outer Space Club. First issue of the publication, which is edited by George (!. Ericson, raises the question of the purpose of the alleged visits of tlie saucers. Ericson writes: "To the serious student of the Flying Saucer phenomena, it has become increasingly apparent that their appearances have spiritual overtones; and thus any research into the subject must of necessity lie broadened to include not only the material nature of life and death, but the spiritual nature as well. "To those of you who do not agree with me on the above statement, 1 would recommend that you read the following books: "They Shall be Gathered Together" by John McCoy; "Other Tongues - Other Flesh" by Dr. George Hunt Williamson; anil "The UFO and the Bible" by M. K. Jessup. "We arc engaged, the same as Science and Religion should he, in the search for TRUTH. It is unfortunate and tragic that not everyone connected with Flying Saucer research is searching for truth. The field is fidl of those whose aim is strictly material; i.e., they are in the field strictly to make money, and they will go to any length to do so, such as faked pictures, hoaxes, etc. This, of course, results only in their own ultimate detriment and the detriment of those who choose to listen to them. VANCOUVER (CP) � � The Sommers bribery-conspiracy trial opened in supreme court today with a defence move to quash at least two of the 138 charges now involved in the case.' The move was made by .T. 11. Nicholson, counsel for H. Wilson Gray, his brother John M. Gray, Pacific Coast Services Ltd., and Evergreen Lumber Sales. Mr. Nicholson told Mr. Justice .1. O. Wilson that bis move to quash the two accounts and objections he planned on other matters would take up most of the morning. On that basis Mr. Justice Wilson excused until this afternoon the panel of more than 100 men and women from which a jury will later be chosen. Twenty-one more charges were laid Monday night in the bribery-conspiracy case against former B.C. forests minister Robert E. Sommers, three business men and four companies. Crown officials said the new Zookeeper Arrested; Appears At Inquest NANAIMO (CP) � A -18-year-old zoo operator, arrested only hours before on a charge of criminal negligence because an escaped lion from his zoo killed an eight-year-old girl, told a coroner's inquest Monday night of the confusion and suspense that led to the slaying. Paul Flcrtd was still under arrest when he appeared before an inquest into the death of little Maureen Vanstone. His testimony and that of other witnesses resulted in a jury finding that the girl died of a punctured jugular vein. The jury ignored the suggestion of Coroner Dr. Henry Lewis that it attach no rider whatsoever to its verdict by adding: "The appropriate provincial government department should have had adequate regulations and controls for the operation of private zoo* in this province." Among those who testified was R. T- H. Nixon, who said he believed the girl was attacked from behind by the lion, a 350-pound African female which escaped Friday from the Hertel private zoo near here and was killed by a posse a few huurs after slaying Saturday. Dr. Nixon said there were lour tooth marks, two on each side of the neck. One had severed the Jugular vein and the other hail fractured the neck, he testified. Death had apparently been instantaneous. Maureen died on a tree-lined country road in view of her younger sister and two girl friends. She apparently called out to the lioness, which she had known well from visits to Hcrtel's menagerie, and the beast sprang at her from bushes at the side of the road. After the inquest, Hertel was released on $1,500 bail until a court appearance here Friday. He testified only after his counsel, Ronald F. Maclsaac, asked the protection of the Canada Evidence Act for his client, so his statements could not be used later against him. By mistake, the helper phoned the Somerset Hotel where Mrs. Irene Dunbar took the message, believing it to be for herself. "... 1 was satisfied from the final conversation that he had heen talking to the Vanstone residence," said Hertel. Later he saw Maureen's brother near the zoo and became alarmed. He tried to phone the Vanstone home but the line was busy . . . "The first intimation I had of the little girl's death was when Constable Sault of the RC.MP informed me. I felt like the wurld came down on me and when I approached Mrs. Vanstone she said: 'Don't blame yourself. It was an accident.' " Hertel said he didn't think it was necessary at first to get the police when the lion escaped. Donald Lee Butcher, 11, testified that she and her sister were on their way to the Vanstone residence when they noticed Maureen coming from behind a bush and heard her say: "1 sec you. Come on out." At that the lion jumped on Maureen, Donald said. "We ran, leaving our bikes behind, to Mrs. Morton's home and told her the lion was on Maureen," she said. Mrs. Elizabeth Morton testified that shortly after 11 a.m. the girls went up the road on their bikes, then came back screaming. "1 phoned for Mr. Butcher and the RCMP." Walter Butcher said that after the phone call, lie picked up his rifle and some shells and started up the roar] in his car. Passage was blocked by the girls' hikes and after getting out and walking along the road lie saw several pieces of clothing and shortly after came across Maureen's body. The lion was satnding about 100 feet awey with something in its mouth. It was red. 'I took a shot at the animal but it turned away. 1 went back to the car and rushed to call the ambulance," Mr. Butcher said. charges which b'ring th.~i miles an hour i" si 50-milo -/.one near SiiiniiK'i'lantl March UN while driving Premier Bennett to a political meeting. The ease was transferred to Victoria where court records diselose that Mr. Bonner pleaded guilty and paid a fine of $15 and costs April 25. i? �& it VANCOUVER (CP) � British Columbia Forest Products reports it had a net loss of frioO,-071 based on sales of $14,632,-SK5 in the six-month period ended March 31, compared with a profit of $179,501 in the same Attorney-General Bonner . . . also fined period last year, when totalled $11,710,530. sales -A" "A" -A' NANAIMO (CP) � The Na-naimo District Labor Council has strongly criticized the British Columbia Workmen's Compensation board for what the council termed an "anti-labor policy." The Council Sunday endorsed a resolution criticizing the board's action in the case of Mrs. Bea Zucco who recently won a back pension after a post-mortem examination of her late miner husband showed he had pensionable silicosis. The resolution urged the B.C. government to direct the board to "abandon its anti-labor policy and pay compensation when it is due to an injured worker without the delaying and denying tactics used at the present time." After-Dinner Playtime Ends In Deep Tragedy Two young blonde sisters late yesterday were struck and seriously injured at a busy downtown intersection. GLORIA CAROL Tiny Gloria and Carol, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Lundin, 1539 Second Ave., arc only in satisfactory condition in hospital today. They were hit and thrown by a late-model passenger car at Vancouver St. and Third Ave. about 6 p.m. Witnesses said Gloria was thrust into the air and bounced off the vehicle. Other witnesses said the car passed over Carol's body. Name of the driver of the car is not known. Royal Canadian Mounted Police said he was heading in a westerly direction and the sun was glaring. Eight-year-old Gloria is suffering from a fractured skull and back injuries. Carol, 9, has a serious laceration of the neck, other cuts and bruises. They were rushed to hospital in a police car and ambulance. Hospital authorities described their condition today as "satisfactory." They have three brothers and a sister, Mr. Lundin said his daughters were probably crossing the street to sec their brother on the other side, who was in front of the Princess Theatre. Mrs. Lundin said they had just hud supper and were going out to play. She had just returned from an appointment with a dentist earlier in the afternoon. Carol and Gloria were undergoing surgery until early this morning. Two doctors kept constant watch on them throughout the night. Mr. Lundin was half a block away when the tragedy occurred. Gas Co. Ready To Start On System Prince George Gas Co. is willing to go along with the rulings of city council, in the question of natural gas for the city and that the company is ready to proceed in accordance with the franchise as laid down. , Hume Wright, executive vice-president of the company and J. Southworth, assistant to the president of Inland Natural Gas Co., appeared before city council last night. Mr. Southworth declared his company is ready to commence work on a $1,250,000 installation which would employ 150 men and bring between $2,000 and $3-000 annually in taxes to the city. He felt there had been too much litigation and if the city does not take up his company's offer it would probably mean at least two more years wasted, with accompanying high legal fees. He told the mayor and aldcr-'inen that the Prince George Gas Co. had received a certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the P.U.C. which could only be complied with at the latter's terms, but the appeal to the court automatically squashed the terms. He pointed out litigations have taken up two years of valuable time, in which necessary construction could have taken phice and consequently the city still is without gas. However, he asserted, that if the city council refuses the Prince George Gas Co.'s application, his company � Inland Natural Gas � will supply the much discussed gas. Speaking of the cost of the Firemen's Union Will Decide If Strike Worthwhile MONTREAL CD � A meeting today of railway union officials is to decide whether the firemen's union can expect any success if it strikes against the Canadian Pacific Railway. Top officials of unions representing railway workers not directly involved in the firemen's dispute with the CPft were to meet to determine what support, if any, they will give the firemen. Expectations were that the unions would tell the Canadian Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen CLC a strike could not succeed, a union source who declined to be named said. It was also possible that the firemen's union would call off its strike scheduled for May 11 and that some sort of government action including an interview between a union delegation and Prime Minister Diefen-baker would be sought. connecting pipeline across tlie river, he doubted if $300,000 would pay for the installation and, further, he also doubted if any company could carry out the work at such a cost � either Prince George Gas Co. or Inland Natural Gas for that matter. Referring to rates charged for natural gas elsewhere, Mr. Southworth quoted an American company as being one which, with cheap rates, has consistently lost anoney and pointed out that cheap rated have a bad habit of backfiring. He admitted that h.is company's rates were not as cheap as those of other organizations. On the overall picture, he felt they were far more economical, but by the same token he said that such companies as INCO arc currently customers of Inland and that the largest cannery in the Okanagan Valley has trippled its output through us ing his company's gas. However, the Prince George Gas Co. refused to accept Inland's prices and the matter was referred back to the P.U.C. The result of this would have been � had the ruling been accepted � that the Prince George Gas Co. would have been barred from buying gas from West-coast, and be left without any assurance of being able to obtain gas at a price which would not be completely out of line.