Takla Lake oil spill probed
   A report of a 500-gallon oil spill covering an estimated one square mile on Takla Lake is being investigated by the environment ministry.
  Ron Dreidger, wastewater management regional manager for the local ministry office said the report is a firm one, but declined to say who might be responsible.
  The report indicates about 500 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from a storage tar>.
  He raid the province has anti-oil pollution equipment, but the big question is whether it can be brought to Takla Lake in time to do any good.
  “There may be nothing that can be done,” he said.
  Ministry officials flew to Takla Lake this morning, to check on the exact dangers posed by the spill to the lake and the shoreline wildlife.
  When oil spills have occurred at sea, they have posed tremendous ecological damage to waterfowl and have ruined recreation areas along the shores. Oil, experts have said, can spread to a depth of only a few molecules, making the affected areas extremely wide.
 'Rage' sparked accusation about drinking
 VANCOUVER (CP) - A New Democratic Party MLA says rage prompted him to accuse Premier Bill Bennett of appearing drunk in the B.C. legislature, but Bennett’s lawyer branded it a hollow emotion in B.C. Supreme Court Wednesday.
  Peter Butler, acting for Bennett in the premier’s libel suit against Nanaimo MLA Dave Stupich, also drew from Stupich an admission that he earlier said he had never seen the premier drunk anywhere.
  The lawyer’s dogged cross-examination set off an angry exchange in the four-day trial, which continues today.
  Premier Bill Bennett claims he was libelled by Stupich, a former finance minister, a newsletter the MLA sent to newspapers in his Nanaimo riding, to other media and to members of his party caucus.
  Butler reminded Stupich that his testimony included a statement that he was outraged by Bennett’s suggestion that MLAs attended night sittings after drinking.
  The lawyer recalled earlier evidence by Stupich and NDP MLA Graham Lea that there was some drinking problem among some members during night sittings.
  Butler then asked: “Is it true MLAs were coming to the house for evening sessions after drinking?”
  “I firmly believe that to be true,” replied Stupich.
 Grits grilled for gas hike
  OTTAWA (CP) - Federal Liberals were branded as sneaky liars in the Commons Wednesday as opposition MPs protested tax increases that have boosted gasoline and heating-oil prices by two cents a litre or nine cents a gallon.
  However, the rowdy opposition attack failed to convince Speaker Jeanne Sauve to allow an emergency debate on the taxes which were implemented at midnight Tuesday night.
  She refused the request from Progressive Conservative Leader Joe Clark on grounds the problem is a continuing one and there are other ways for MPs to raise the tax question in the Commons.
  Clark held up a Liberal election pamphlet which he quoted as saying “Vote Liberal and the price (of fuel) will stay down.”
  Then as Tories waved copies of the pamphlet and Clark ripped one in half, the Opposition leader accused the Liberals of breaking the one election promise they made in the 1980 election campaign.
  The Liberals campaigned strongly against an excise tax of 18 cents a gallon, or four cents a litre, which the Conservatives proposed in the budget that led to their defeat in the Com-
Circus time
CUUcn phuto by Rir Ernst
 This is what they call hanging everything or just plain hanging around. The daring couple are part of the Shrine Circus at the Coliseum today with shows at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Story, page 3.
PEACE INSTITUTES FINDING
Nuclear war threat grows
   STOCKHOLM (Reuter) — The world is edging closer to nuclear war, says the independent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
   Increased arms spending and advancing military technology pose a major threat to global security, the 1981 yearbook of the institute concludes. The report was published today.
   The report shows an almost four-fold increase in world military spending between 1949 and 1980, with total arms expenditures of more than $500 billion (valued at 1980 prices) last year.
   A disturbing trend in 1980 was the "qualitative" development of U.S. and Soviet strategic and tactical nuclear weapons, said the report.
   The enhanced accuracy and power of modern nuclear weapons make them “more likely to be seen as suitable for fighting rather than deterring war,” the report says.
   The militarization of outer space also continued last year with the launching of 103 military satellites — 14 by the United States and 89 by the Soviet Union, the report said.
   Both countries have active anti-satellite programs.
   But the most marked trend of the last decade was the growth of military spending by Third World states, which in 1980 accounted for 16 per cent of the world total compared with nine per cent in 1971, the institute said.
   The Soviet Union and United States alone supplied 75 per cent of all major weapons to the Third World in the 1970s, although other industrialized countries, notably France, increased their share of the arms trade, the report says.
   Third World states mainly reexported arms from industrialized countries to each other, but Israel. Brazil, South Africa, India and Argentina developed as weapon producers in their own right, the report said.
   Six of the eight largest Third World arms importers in the 1970s were in the Middle East, said the report.
   Institute Director Frank Barnaby told reporters he regards the growth of the Third World market as particularly serious since a world war is more likely to develop from a regional conflict than start with direct superpower disputes.
   If the same effort was devoted to food production or health as to the arms race, the results could be impressive for the Third World, he said.
The
Litizen %
  Thursday, June 4, 1981 Prince George, British Columbia	^
CANADA FOLLOWS U.S.
Bank rate soars to 19.1 per cent
  OTTAWA (CP) - The Bank of Canada rate rose Thursday to a record 19.10 per cent, up from the 18.68 per cent last week and above the 19.06-percent record set two weeks ago.
   The rise follows a mid-week increase in rates in the United States and further weakening of the Canadian dollar. It also dashes any hopes of quick easing of rates here.
   The rise in U.S. rates followed moves by several major banks there earlier to reduce their prime rates to 20 per cent from 20.5 per cent. The prime rate
 is the rate usually offered by banks to top corporate customers.
   The slide in the Canadian dollar was aggravated by this week’s release of April trade figures which showed the trade surplus slashed to $124 million from $494 million in March. Just prior to the announcement of the bank rate the dollar was at 82.62 cents U.S.
   Where rates go from here depends heavily on what happens in the U.S.
   George Saba, vice-president and chief economist Greenshields Inc. of Montreal, said Thursday he expects
 the Federal Reserve Board, the U.S. equivalent to the Bank of Canada, will avoid any sharp drop in rates there but will allow a moderate easing.
   “The effect won’t be fully reflected here,” he said, as the central bank attempts to impose the traditional spread on rates between the U.S. and here.
   Traditionally rates here are a little more than a point higher than in the U.S. Currently the prime rate here is 19.5 per cent compared to 20 and 20.5 per cent in the U.S.
Schools get into swim
by JOHN POPE Citizen Staff Reporter
   The Prince George school district will chip in $430,000 toward the city’s proposed $3.25 million swimming pool — if the Ministry of Education approves.
   The city was given a written notice of this decision today.
   School board chairman Cliff Dezell said today the trustees prefer a 25-metre pool but a 50-metre pool would make “no significant" difference.
   The special swimming pool committee also favors the 25-metre size.
   City council is expected to decide Monday on the size of the pool and its exact location which is expected to be one of three sites in Exhibition Park.
   The city is the majority financing agency and they have to make a decision on the size of the pool, said Dezell, during an interview today.
"It is a city pool, not the school dis-
 tricts and we will have to live with it.”
   The school board district swim program requires about 700 hours of swimming pool use a year.
   "This is about one-eighth of the time the pool will be open,” explained Dezell, who added their cost-sharing contribution was based on this.
   The $430,000 contribution from the school district is based on the estimated $3.25 million cost of a 25-metre pool.
   The exact cost of the pool has not been finalized.
  But the special swimming pool committee has estimated that a 50-metre pool would cost about $4.1 million.
   The operating costs would also be about $180,000 more a year because of the costs involved with heating and cleaning the larger volume of water.
   "We couldn’t justify a 50-metre pool because the population isn’t here to support it,” explains John Heaslip,
Pay scheme change caused Matsqui riot
   MATSQUI, B.C. (CP) - The pungent smell of smoke hung over riot-torn Matsqui prison Wednesday night as prisoners camped in army pup tents and gazed at the charred ruins of their cell block.
   The cell block, kitchen, chapel, gymnasium, storage rooms and part of the administrative building at the medium-security prison were all heavily damaged by fire and vandalism during a 15-hour riot sparked by a dispute Tuesday night over a new prisoner pay scheme.
   The scheme, which has been in place for about a month, increases the maximum wages prisoners earn to $7.55 a day from $2.30 and ties wages to work performed rather than prisoner behavior.
   However, prisoners complain the new wage is more than offset by the lack of jobs, increases in prices of canteen goods and other restrictions.
   About 20 burly Matsqui police and 200 heavily-armed RCMP officers, some rythymically banging billy sticks against their gloves and plexiglass riot shields, marched two-by-two into the prison compound shortly before 8 a.m.
   When they were in position, and soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack had surrounded the perimiters, a police officer barked over a megaphone: “Those of you who wish to leave peacefully, may do so now. You have 15 minutes to present yourself at the south gate where you will be escorted to a secure area.”
 who is Chairman of the Special Swimming Pool Committee.
   “We do have it (population) for a 25-metre pool.”
   This committee, which is made up of members from a cross section of the community, has recommended that a 25-metre pool be built.
   Heaslip said the general feeling of the committee was that a 25-metre pool must have 25,000-30.000 people to support it.
   Because the city already has the 25-metre Four Seasons pool, another 25-metre pool was deemed to be adequate for the city’s population this time.
    Heaslip said a 50-metre pool couldn’t be justified unless the population of the city was 100,000 which it could be in "another 8-10 years.”
   Prince George now has a population estimated at 75,000 people.
   But the 25-metre pool recommended by the swimming pool committee will have eight lanes, rather than six, which is considered important for swimming competitions.
   "An eight, rather than a six-lane pool makes all the difference in the world for swimming competitions.
   “With six lanes, it (competition) goes on forever.”
   The 25-lane pool recommended by the swim pool committee will also have showers, saunas and a training room.
   "It will serve everyone in Prince George, from the handicapped to the young, old or school students," said Heaslip.
   Both swimming pool plans include a separate leisure pool with shallow depths ranging from six inches to four feet.
   City architect Graham Goodall is now in the process of drawing up plans and drawings for both pool sizes.
   Once the city makes a final decision on the pool size, he will give a final cost estimate and create a model of the pool.
MATERfJ|TY
%/ARP
FEATURED TODAY
 City's hockey stars
 Ai least two Prince George hockey players are expected to be selected during the upcoming NHL draft. Page 16.
 Pipeline plan okayed
 The National Energy Board has approved a West Coast pipeline to ship Alaska oil to refineries in Edmonton. Page 2.
THE WEATHER
NOW HEAR THIS
 “Anyone around?'
Index                                 Entertainment........        ......36   
                                                                   ......33   
                                      Gardening column.            ......32   
                                      Horoscopes..............                
Business.......                       International...........     ........ 5 
City. B.C....... ... 2,3,(3,11,32     Movies...................... 36,37      
Classified.....  ............ 18-26                                ........7  
                                      Holl ing Stone..........     .....37    
Crossword ...    .................2$)                              38-10      
Kditorial....... ...................4 Television.................  .....40    
   What is so rare as a day in June? One without rain would be nice but the weatherman isn’t hopeful * as he forecasts unsettled weather, with clouds and showers, to last through the weekend.
   Predicted high for today is 16, low 8.
   Wednesday’s high was 20 and low 7 with 8.5 mm of rain and five hours of sunshine. Friday’s predicted high is 16.
   On this date in 1980 the high was 21 and low 9.
   Sunset today. 9:36 p.m. and sunrise Friday, 4:43 a.m.
Sadrack says
 * L*'*...untWic©}
 •	Kelowna has long been known as one of the hardest places in B.C. to meet people. A Prince George couple who recently moved to the Okanagan city was so frustrated about being unable to make friends, an advertisement was run in a newspaper. The only couple to reply was another one which had just moved there -from Prince George.
 •	Even elementary school students in Prince George aren’t protected from budget studies and the ravages of inflation. At the schoolboard meeting Monday, the trustees approved a 50-cent increase in the supply packages the students purchase at the start of every year. The pencils, exercise books, crayons and erasers for primary (Grade 1-3) students will be $6.50 with the intermediate (Grades 4-7) students paying $7.
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   Got n news tip? Call The Citizen’s 24-hour news line at 562*2441.