MARDI. . the mascot f A ikll M J V( AVIV The Vol. 20; No. 26 SNOWGOLF AND OTHER HIJINKS Queen crowning kicks off Mardi Gras No one in Prince George should be bored for at least 10 days. A year of planning and anticipation' has come to an end and It's Mardl Gras today until Feb. 16. On some days there's so much to see and do a person would have to be In a dozen places at once to see It all. The schedule of events is as follows: Tonight Queen Aurora, Leslie Pidcock, will place her crown of the past year on the head of one of the 14 candidates vying for her title. The contest will be held at the Inn of the North at 8 p.m. A 10-day art show at Gordon Galleries begins today and Duchess Park and Prince George Senior Secondary Schools will hold a winter competition. SATURDAYi Local, Snowgolf playoffs at the golf course, mid winter trap and turkey shoot at the Rod and Gun Club, Jaycees February Octoberfest and Casino at Pine Centre Mall, Snowball, snowmobile races at 11 a.m. at the Exhibition Grounds ovcr-the-linc ball at PGARA speedway. Queen Aurora luncheon, Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast, underwater hockey at Cluculz Lake, B.C. crlbbage championship at the Elks Club, and the Legion's Golden Anniversary Mardl Gras Dance will be held at the Legion auditorium. SUNDAYi Legion family breakfast at 9 a.m., Knights of Columbus Pancake breakfast at Sacred Heart Church, final day of Snowgolf play-offs, snowmobile races, over-the-line ball, hang gliding at 10 a.m. at the Nechako Cutbanks, Citizen and Hickory Wing Ski Day starting at 11 a.m. at Tabor Mountain, underwater hockey and tour of Cluculz Lake, cribbage championship at the Elks Club, Mardi Gras trap and turkey shoot, MONDAYi Broomball, at Spruceland at 7 p.m., chow meln eating contest 8-10 p.m. at Rainbow Re staurant. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY) Broomball at Spruceland at 7 p.m. THUItSDAYi Broomball at Spruceland at 7 p.m. Schmockey, underwater ping-pong-. ' FRIDAY, FEU. I3i Jaycee casino at Pine Centre, Mardi Gras parade downtown at 8 p.m. Kinsmen minor hockey tournament at the Kin Centre 4-9 p.m., Sadie Hawkins Luncheon, celebrity reception and press conference at Inn of the North, Snowgolf Celebrity Night at Pine Centre, underwater ping-pong at Camelot Motel, Legion Valentine's Dance. SATURDAY, FEB. 14: Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast at Sacred Heart Church, World Championship Snowgolf, over-the-line ball, minor hockey tournament 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Kin Centre, boy scouts camp-out, Associated Canadian Travellers Greatest Show on Earth for a Buck; Jaycee Casino at Pine Centre. 'THEY CAN PROTEST UNTIL HELL FREEZES OVER' No ICBC rollbacks, ML A says 'SING IT AGAIN, MARGARET TORONTO (CP) A union official asked Margaret Trudeau Thursday for an encore of the song she wrote and sang for Blan-quita Perez, wife of the president of Venezuela. "Sing your little song of love and maybe the world will listen again," Gerry Gallagher, president of Local 183, Laborers' International Union, said in a telegram to the prime minister's wife. Mrs. Trudeau sang an unscheduled song of praise for Mrs. Perez during Prime Minister Trudeau's recent tour of Latin America. See also page 2 House fire kills eight of family HURKETT, Ont. (CP) Eight members of a family of 11 died early today in a fire that swept through their home in this small community about SO miles northeast of Thunder Bay. Ontario provincial police in Thunder Bay identified the victims as Henry Rousseau, 41, a disabled worker, and seven of his children, Denise, 11; Dianne, 10; John, 9; Leona, 8; Samantha 6; Henrietta 4; and Jeanette, 10 months. Mrs. Jennine Rousseau, 34, and two sons managed to escape from the fire, which broke out between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. EST. The family moved into a twostorey frame house close to the Trans-Canada Highway here last spring. There is no fire department in the community. The children were asleep at the time the fire broke out. Police said the alarm was sounded by Danny Rousseau, who left the burning house to waken a neighbor, Roger Blaise. Mr. Blaise said when he left his house he saw Ron Rousseau fleeing from the building with his clothes on fire. Mr. Blaise extinguished the burning clothes and took Ron into his home, but said the entire Rousseau home was in flames and there was no hope of entering to attempt a Ouchball. COULD BE 14,000 DEAD CiUm photo by Doug Welter Fun and hijinks were the order of the day at a winter sports tournament at Prince George Senior Secondary School Thursday. Above, two players take a tumble during a spirited broomball match between Prince George Senior Secondary and Duchess Park Junior High. Quake toll still climbing MEXICO CITY (AP) Mex-lean seismologists said Guatemala was hit by another earth tremor shortly after 1 p.m. EST Friday. "There was another shock," a spokesman at the Mexico City earthquake centre said. "We are calculating nowex-actly where and how strong." GUATEMALA CITY (AP) Estimates of the death toll in the Guatemalan earthquake climbed by the thousands today as reports of extreme devastation filtered in from the interior. The National Emergency Committee raised the official toll to 5,000 dead and 15,000 Injured while unofficial estimates ranged to 14,000 dead. The United States began a 17-plane airlift of aid to the stricken country of six million while Guatemalan and international relief organizations struggled to get food, medicine and water to dozens of destroyed towns. The international Roman Catholic aid organization, Caritas, said its field reports indicated a toll of up to 14,000 dead and 40,000 injured. The United Nations Disaster Relief Organization (UNDRO) in Geneva estimated about 800 were dead in Guatemala City and another 5,000 in other parts of the country; The Guatemalan Red Cross said its estimate now was 8,000 dead and 15,000 injured. "You've got to get the word out to the world that the situation is very grave in Guatemala," said Rene Flores, relief co-ordinator. Hospital heads off crisis by AL TURNER Citizen staff reporter The Prince George Regional Hospital board has rehired Bert Boyd as the acting hospital administrator to fill the gap created by the resignation of Ross Cavey, Board chairman Al Husband said today Boyd will assume his duties on Feb. 16, six weeks before the effective date of Cavey's resignation. Cavey submitted his resignation in December. His assistant Bob Heise also resigned. Cavey's resignation was ef fee- Many apartments empty in city Rental vacancies in Prince George have soared to an all-time high of 14.69 per cent, according to figures recently released by Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMIIC). Jack Hadden, manager of the local CMHC office said today the high vacancy rate represents a shift in people's living needs to Assisted Home Ownership Program (AHOP)-financed housing. "AHOP is pulling them out of the two-and three-bedroom apartments," said Hadden. The previous all-time high vacancy rate was in July of 1968 when it was about 14 per cent. The national vacancy average is 1.6 per cent. " I ex pect an easing of f of the vacancy rate by April or May," said Hadden. Six months ago the vacancy rate was about four per cent, said Hadden. He said a healthy vacancy rate is about eight or nine per cent. "The recent strikes have caused some of this increase In the rate," he said. Hadden said AHOP housing starts could be too high for a short period of time thus temporarily flooding the market, He said most of the vacancies are in the larger apartments: two-and three- bedroom apartments and the older apartment buildings. Figures show a 15.07 percent vacancy rate in highrise apartments, 14.76 per cent vacancy rate in walk-in apartments, and a 14.44 per cent vacancy rate In town housing. Out of the 2,260 apartments surveyed, 332 apartments are vacant. Vacancy figures on AHOP houses show six 1974 houses are still vacant and 70 1975 homes have still not been purchased, However, he said out of the 1975 homes which are still vacant many are still not complete. ti ve March 31, while Heise was to leave at the end of February. The two resignations could have left the hospital in an administrative crisis if the board had not been able to rehire Boyd. However, Husband expressed confidence that Boyd, who Is a former assistant administrator at the Prince George hospital, would be able to fill the gap. He will be working with George Cheyne, the only administrator who hasn't offered his resignation. No reasons have been given for the resignations of Cavey and Heise although sources say there was a dispute over equipment purchases. Heise is returning to Edmonton, but Cavey has not revealed his plans. Boyd left the hospital about six months ago to travel extensively in North America. He served as assistant administrator for about five years, and as acting administrator for about five months after the See HOSPITAL, page 2 by GORDON POLLARD Citizen Staff Reporter Fort George MLA Howard Lloyd says he doubts there will be any rollback of this year's ICBC Autoplan rate increases even if people "protest until hell freezes over," "I don't think anything is going to be achieved by holding protest rallies. They're a waste of time," the Social Credit member said in an interview Thursday, Lloyd said the protest rallies held so far, chiefly on the Lower Mainland, "have been completely irrational affairs. "Most of the people attending the rallies don't seem to have a clue about the economic realities that the government must face, "They can protest until hell freezes over. But it won't do any good if the government doesn't have any money available to subsidize car Insurance rates." Lloyd said it Is "premature to hold a bunch of protest rallies" before the audit of B.C.'s finances, now being carried out by the accounting firm of Clarkson Gordon, is completed. "Let's see how much money we've got in the coffers before we think about subsidizing auto insurance rates. On the surface, at least, the financial picture doesn't look very encouraging." The Socred MLA said he isn' t sure whether he will attend an ICBC protest rally to be held Feb. 14 at Prince George's Civic Centre under the sponsorship of the local labor council. "I frankly find it a bit annoying that I haven't been given more notice. Ten days isn't much time. I'm not sure I will be able to work it into my schedule." He added that he doubts, in any case, that the Prince George rally will be "any more useful" than the ones held already in other parts of the province. "There's no point attending if it's going to be just another mob scene, with people howling abuse at the government and shouting down any speaker they disagree with." Meanwhile, Local 603 Canadian Paperworkers Union, in Prince George Thursday sent telegrams to Premier Bill Bennett and Fort George MLA Howard Lloyd protesting the increase of ICBC rates. Local secretary Roy Fujikawa said today the telegrams were sent after a special meeting of the local. The telegram to the premier stated the increase In insurance rates was a "purely political stance, unfair and adding an extra burden to the people of B.C." The wire asked the premier to review the matter and roll back the proposed increases. Britain warned in fishing war LONDON (CP) - Parlla-ment ordered Royal Navy frigates back into Iceland's disputed 200mlle fishing zone Thursday, and Icelandic officials immediately warned the action may mean the end of diplomatic ties between the two countries. "The next step will be to break diplomatic relations with Britain," said Elnar Agustsson, Iceland's foreign minister. TODAY CARnage In the Prince George Killed this week 1 Killed this year 2 Injured this week 5 Injured this year 28 FEATURED INSIDE You don't have to be rich to learn how to fly, Page 25. A speedy skater from Caigary has given Canada its first Winter Olympic Games medal. Page 13. Business, 8, 9; Church, 16; Classified, 21; Editorial, 4; Entertainment, 18-21; Home and Family, 26, 27; Horoscope, 23; International, 5; Local and Provincial, 3, 7, 25; Mini Page, 22; National, 2; Sports, 13-15; Television, 18. THE WEATHER The cold snap was expected to break today as a weak weather system and warm moist air blow in from the Pacific. Sunshine and a few cloudy periods were expected' for today and Saturday. Occasional snow flurries may move into the Central Interior Sunday. The high today, 4; the low tonight, -10. Saturday's high, 0. Thursday's high was the low was -20. The high for Feb. 6, 1975 was 16; the low was -32. NOW HEAR THIS Some cynical Prince George motorists are saying they hope local MLA Howard Lloyd won't try to persuade the provincial government to take "a third look" at this year's ICBC Autoplan rates. When ICBC announced a month ago that rates would be increased an average of 121 per cent, Lloyd called on the government to take "a second look" at the proposed rate hikes. It did and boosted them even higher up to 300 per cent in some cases. Prince George's snow golf is becoming famous. Earlier this week a telephone call to Don McDougal, the president of Labatt's Breweries, solicited the following comment: " I used to live in Prince George and I will make sure one of these years I'm going to make it to the Snowgolf Championship." McDougal is a former local representative of the brewery and now is based in London, Ont. t Many city residents have the right idea when they think their dog is really in the dog house when he's been picked up by the city pound. But the Dog House poodle-clipping parlor gets too many calls for the pound. Operators Josie Schubert and Jirl Laznicka wish the callers would let their fingers walk a little further in the phone book where the pound is listed under Government-City of Prince George. Bob Turner, who is organizing production of a traffic-safety film for the local CARnage committee, would like to hear from anyone interested in helping with the project. "There is lots of very interesting work to be done and I'd like to see as many people as possible in the community get involved in the venture," Turner said today. He can be reached at 563-6892. i 'You can stop singing, Margaret I'm home' AIB made decision on 'secret' dealings OTTAWA (CP) - The anU-inflation board apparently went against the advice of its own prices and profits branch in deciding to keep many of its dealings with companies secret, confidential documents obtained by The Canadian Press- show, A Dec. 3 statement by the prices and profits branch warned that full disclosure of board decisions on prices, as well as pay awards, should be made. "Serious doubts about the ethics of the board's approach may arise if employees have their Income claims publicly scrutinized while business firms conduct their dealings with the board in private," the Internal document advised. But In a Toronto speech Jan. 15, board chairman Jean-Luc Pepin said the anti-inflation board had no intention of mak ing public cases where it convinces companies to roll back prices, He said the anti-inflation law prevents the board from breaking the confidentiality of its discussions with companies. Bennett slates March budget VICTORIA (CP) -British Columbia's new Social Credit Government will bring in its 1976-77 budget March 26, Premier Bill Bennett announced today. The premier has indicated the province's financial picture is poor but he would not say If his government will introduce a deficit budget. The budget will be brought down at the first session of the 31st parliament which begins March 17, he said.