: Se. Castlegar News Jonvary 27. 1985 Weather LEGEND P AQ cold Front i mq Ware Front ' ° Rain —“ * Snow CRANBROOK (CP) — The \ Eo Cloud Nov. 18 election in Invermere : re thunderatores of Mayor Adolf Hromadnik H Vv Shovers 1 - we Provincial court Judge M. af, Edmonton Porvenzano found "7 dnik, the i that Students plan ways to protest cutbacks VANCOUVER (CP) — Representatives of teachers and school trustees said Friday Education Minister Jack Heinrich is worsening an already bad situation by blaming student walkouts at Vancouver high schools on the school board. But Education Ministry spokesman Dick Melville said Heinrich would be delivering a speech to the Vancouver board of trade Monday that would return some of the “gunfire” he has taken lately. While there were only a few students out of classes Friday, Vancouver secondary students met today to plan mayor, had pre-signed as. a witness about 50 voter regis- tration cards which were then distributed. Hromadnik won the elec- tion by 19 votes over chal- lenger Joe Conroy. The ruling came after council member William Mac- Donald had petitioned the court to have the election re- sult tossed out. The Invermere council will be meeting Monday night. At that time, a new date for a mayoral election is likely to be set. Sunrise: 7:28 Sunset: 4:38 CRANBROOK (CP) — A B.C. among several hockey players Spencer AGENT NOT GUILTY Supreme Court jury in this south- eastern B.C. Community has found a former National Hockey League player agent not guilty of fraud and forgery. Peter Spencer, a Nelson resident who works out of Calgary, was charged in connection with dealings with former Edmonton Oilers Pat Price and Ron Lowe. Price and Lowe were represented. Both players testified at the four-day trial. Spencer faces similar charges in Calgary and Edmonton that have yet to be tried. Price, a native of Nelson, is now playing with the Quebec Nordiques, while Lowe is with the New Jersey Devils. ON _ REC COMMISSION Board not represented By CasNews Staff A representative from the Castlegar school board has not been included on Metge said that when matters do arise that are of common interest to the board and the Commission, a joint Valley Vista School and another at Silver Birch School. After installing these devices, the ting against the gover 's funding cuts But rumors of further walkouts Monday or Wednesday Melville said Heinrich wouldn't comment on the education situation until his speech Monday, which he said is the “most major one he has made in seven or eight months.” Weinstein denied the board has encquraged the student walkouts, and said that is why it has invited student council from "s 18 'y schools to meet today to work out other ways of protesting against the cuts. However, fearing the student council representatives will be placed “under the thumb” of the school board, about 20 students from seven different high schools are f their own association, Student Alliance for Vancouver's Education — SAVE. Mark Cameron, a Grade 11 student at Prince of Wales, said Friday of his group planned to attend today's are hanging over their heads, and school board Chuck Gosbee said “quite frankly, I do expect some activity Monday.” Vancouver school board chairman Pauline Weinstein accused Heinrich of seeking confrontation by having his officials refuse to meet the board on funding cuts until late February, after its budget is passed. ‘The board has been trying for more than a month to get a meeting with Heinrich, who has already met with 50 school boards, but was told recently it would have to meet his officials first. “That says the minister is really trying to confront the board,” Weinstein said. “If the minister was interested in negotiations, his officials could meet with us much before that.” Bill Lefeaux-Valentine, president of the B.C. School Trustees Association, said the move by Heinrich to blame the school board for the the meeting but would act on their own if the council represen- tatives decide to abandon the possibility of future walkouts or “stronger action.” Only a few students left classes in Vancouver Friday. INDIANS SAY THEY'LL TAKE BACK MEARES VANCOUVER (CP) — West Coast Indians say they are determined to take back Meares Island, despite a British between.jhe minister and the board. ‘Teacher's federation president Pat Clarke, B.C. Home and School Federation president Gwen Chute and Vancouver district parént representatives’ chairman Chris Taulu expressed concern that the government seems to be ignoring the growing protests. NOT IMPRESSED “I don’t see any signal that the government has any intention of being impressed by anyone or anything that's being done,” said Clarke. “I'm really quite pessimistic about the government making any policy changes that would throw ‘any oil on troubled waters.” Chute, also a Coquitlam school board trustee, said that after months of unsuccessful letter-writing and other efforts to get the government to change its mind, people are feeling frustration and despair. “If you can't’convince your government and your MLAs, what do you do? People have been trying for the last 2% months, and it doesn't seem to make any discernable difference.” Said Taulu: “You can just feel the frustration at meetings. People are saying ‘What are we going to do? When is the minister going to stop pushing us around?’ ” the new Castlegar and District Com- plex Recreation Commission. The new coemmsiogion replaces the and the Castlegar and har Community Complex Commission. Recreation Director Pat Metge said in a letter to the board that repre- sensation from the school board was not included in the commission only after a lengthy discussion on the role of the commission. “As the majority of joint: planning and workings between the school board and Recreation Department is done at the administrative level, the question was raised as to the purpose of the board representative, Metge said. “As school board are active committee meeting could be arranged to discuss the matter. In other news, school superintendent Terry Wayling noted in his report to the board that enrolment figures as of Dec. 31 showed a decrease of only four students, from Sept. 30, 1984. The district had 2,459 students enrolled in September and as of Dec. 31, had 2,455. Wayling noted that districts like Trail and the Arrow Lakes, and parti. cularly Nelson, are suffering from ser- ious enrolment decreases. Meanwhile, the board accepted the resignation of Heather Scott, to be ef- fective March 1. Scott was employed as a secretary at the board with a number of committee respon- sibilities, it was felt that it was unfair to ask a board member to sit on a commission which may seldom deal with education-related matters,” he said. “This was further enhanced by the fact that in the past two years, the board representative has attended only one meeting of the Commission.” office. It was noted that maintenance supervisor Nick Bonderoff will be re- tiring on April 30. His resignation was accepted at an earlier meeting. Bonder- off has been with the district since 1968. The board also passed a motion to purchase and install two different brands of power saver devices — one at district will then compare the actual cost saving over'a period of time to see if they are worthwhile to utilize in other schools. In other news, the board agreed to write a letter to the Minister of Edue- ation, requesting special funding to cover long-term teacher illness costs from Jan. 1 to June 30. Wayling said in an interview that the district has one teacher on a long-term sick leave and has written a letter to the minister asking for special aid in order to hire another teacher until the end of June. Wayling declined to name the teacher and the schools where the teacher teaches. He did say that if the teacher is not replaced, programs at the schools will have to be altered and students will be affected. Wayling added that teachers are allotted 15 paid sick days per year, but if they are “fairly healthy” they can accumulate this time over the years. If a teacher becomes seriously ill, he can use up to 120 sick days ina year out of a possible 200 days, or six months. $15,542 grant refused GUELPH, ONT. (CP) — If you're down to your last $51 and the federal government offers you a $15,542 grant — what do you do? You turn it down — if you're Guelph’s struggling self-made centre for the unemployed The Centre for Employable Workers, which has given layoff notices to its two re- tion photo with the local member of Parliament and it won't submit a written promise to Ottawa that the centre won't apply for more funds under the Canada Works Program. The amount of the grant also upset the centre's board because it is less than one- third of the $48,945 re quested for salaries of four of the large number of un- employed and the “slap in the face” was compounded “by asking us to kneel down for a photo opportunity. An Immigration Depart- ment official in Toronto dif- fered with Pickersgill's ver. sion of the facts. Roger White said the receipt of the grant did not depend on either con- dition. “We don't operate this way.” Bill Winegard (PC-Guelph) offered to drop his request for the photo even though he thought the request was “fair and reasonable. “I think the people of Can ada have the right to know where their money is going.” he said. “But if that’s all that's maining workers, is refusing employees. Ed Pickersgill, one of the it doesn't want to centre's directors, said the offer was an “insult” in view tion,” to accept the windfall for two reasons: pose for a cheque-presenta SCHOOL DEFICIT continued trom front pege back the increase to 1.7 or 1.8 per cent or even to 3 per cent.” EXPO BENEFITS continued from front pege financial problems. New Orleans had only $4 million in corporate support, compared to the more than $100 million from 13- major corporations at Expo 86, she said. Fairweather added that Expo 86 began its marketing campaign in 1983 overseas, while New Orleans began only four months before its fair opened, “which is really too late.” he said. “That's the first time I've ever heard of such a condi. hiding them (the board) from accepting the money, they don't have to have their pic- ture taken with me.” “The district does not have the ability to pay the increase through its fiseal funding,” Wayling noted. Asked later if Expo shouldn't be hear a lot about the exposition too soon, they're going to get tired of hearing ‘about it.” She said consumer advertising will start in June. Until now, the Expo has been marketing the fair to the travel industry. One area the board is thinking of cutting is in the area of paraprofes- sionals. He noted that the district has number of paraprofessionals such as teacher aides, child care workers and personal attendants. Wayling added that lunch hour supervisors will likely be suspended on Feb. 1. He said that over the next week the board will be going through its list to see where it can implement some of the reductions. The board will meet Monday night in a budget discussion session to find out where it can make its cuts. Wayling said some of the euts will go into effect as early as Feb. 1. Investment in B.C. drops off VANCOUVER (CP) — Al- though the Social Credit government's restraint pro- gram is aimed at attracting private investment, the Bank of Montreal says private in- vestment dropped in 1984 and probably will decline again in 1985. Lloyd Atkinson, the bank's chief economist, said Friday private investment in the province dropped six per cent in 1984 from 1983 based on estimates for the final half of 1984. The only substantial amount of private invest- ment came from a boom in office tower construction in downtown Vancouver, the bank says. In an interview, Atkinson said, “1983 was low, 1982 was awfully low as well. We have witnessed a substantial de- terioration in private invest- ment from the heady days of the 1970s and even from 1980.” He predicts a 0.1 per cent decline in private investment in 1985. For the rest of the country, Atkinson forecasts a modest inerease in business invest- ment of about 4.1 per cent after a 2.4 per cent increase in 1983. Late last year, the B.C. Central Credit Union's econ- omic analysis showed capital investment in the province from all sources dropped 12.9 per ‘cent in 1963 and was projected to slip another 12.1 per cent to $7.2 billion in Western The unofficial winning numbers for Wednesday's Western Express $100,000 prize were 1367749, 1278561 and 1404175. The $50,000 prize numbers were 2011337 and 1064948. The five merchandise prize numbers were 260A030, 2328046, 213C252, club number was 9. No one won the Lotto West $776,721.24 jackpot in Wed- nesday’s draw. The eight numbers drawn were 1, 11, 1984. That is a drop of 43 per cent in constant dollars from the 1981 high of $9.1 billion. The major reason for the decline in private investment is the worldwide glut in for- est products and minerals that in the past provided B.C.'s wealth, Atkinson said. ECONOMISTS AGREE Other economists ranging from Richard McAlary at the credit union to Michael Wal- ker of the conservative Fra- ser Institute agree that it is a problem related to much lar- ger economic factors than directly attributable to pro- vineial or even federal gov- ernment policies. The Bank of Montreal ex- ecutives were in Vancouver Friday for the last of their cross-country economic out look conferences. “Tm not saying that pro- vincial policies have had no impact,” said bank president Grant Reuber. “But by far the largest factor has been the composition of output in this province where markets Columbia Sup Court decision Friday clearing the way for MacMillan Bloedel to log the verdant, 8,000-hectare island. “We are not going to let MacMillan Bloedel log Meares Island,” said George Watts of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Indian band. “It is stolen land.” A MacMillan Bloedel spokesman said the giant forest products company will proceed to log part of the island off the west coast of Vancouver Island, perehaps getting under way as early as next week. MB chief forester Grant Ainscough said he sees no reason to delay now that the courts have granted an injunction blocking opponents from interfering in the logging. Loggers and surveyors will land on Meares to begin building roads as soon as crews can be marshalled, he said. Steve Lawson, spokesman for the group of 15 people now occupying Meares, said the group now knows where it stands. The next move is up to MacMillan Bloedel, he said. “We don't intend to leave the island.” He said the protesters intend to remain in the woods should MB begin falling trees, an action that would make logging dangerous. Two weeks ago, protesters said they had devised a master plan to save the island's giant cedars at any cost. In November, protesters took to boats to prevent MacMillan Bloedel workers from starting preliminary work, blocking company loggers as they approached the island by boat. Eventually, the loggers were able to land the boat but they were stopped from going inland by a human blockade. In addition, other unknown protesters have driven 26-centimetre spikes into some of the trees to discourage cutting, painted non-spike trees after the company marked spiked trees, and destroyed survey marks and tapes on the island. ‘FINAL FIGHT Watts said Meares is “the final fight” for aboriginal title. That fight will include a legal appeal as well as direct action, he said. “We are going to treat the Canadian justice system with the same respect the Canadian justice system has treated the Canadian Indians,” Watts said in a telephone interview from his Port Alberni home. “We are going to go to Meares Island and take it back.” The logging of Meares Island over the next 35 years will create 240 direct and indirect jobs, Ainscough said. The company intends to log one per cent per year of the island over the next 10 years. “The i issue of aboriginal land climes has been dealt with in the ji e are pleased and relieved with the judgment that was handed down this afternoon by Justice Reginald Gibbs. “The decision recognized the very significant implica- tions of an unfavorable decision.” Justice Gibbs did not assign costs, pending a trial over the aboriginal rights issue. Lawyer Jack Woodward said he has already been authorized by the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Indians to launch an appeal. Watts said the Indians are prepared to spend $250,000 fighting in the courts. In his ruling, Justice Gibbs dealt mainly with the aboriginal issue, the i should the Indians be granted title. for those products worldwide have softened.” The bank predicts the B.C. economy will grow by 2.5 per cent in 1985 compared to the national average projected at 3.2 per cent. It also says unemployment in B.C. may rise and housing starts will increase by nearly 8,000 to 24,000 because of falling interest rates. “We've come through a mueh tougher period,” Reu- ber said. numbers 20, 21, 27, 48, 51 and 54. The bonus number was 53. The two winners of the five correct plus bonus number ‘category take home $6,346.90 apiece, 59 winners of the five four correct category win $71.20 apiece and 25,137 win- ners of the three correct category were awarded $5 prizes. The estimated windfall for the Jan. 30 draw was $1 million. Westar abandons Sparwood mine SPARWOOD (CP) — Fire in a sealed-off area adjacent to its Panel Six underground coal mine in this southeastern British Columbia community has forced Westar Mining to abandon the mine for safety reasons, the company said Friday. There is more than $14 million in recoverable coal still available in the mine. But Westar, a subsidiary of B.C. Resources Investment Corp., had planned to shut Panel Six in three months, spokesman Brant Ducey said, because declining coal prices had made it less economical than surface mining. Ducey said the 60 miners who had been working in the underground mine will not be affected by the premature closure because all had been scheduled to shift to other company operations in the spring. Smoke and methane gas leaking into the Panel Six mining area has prevented the company from closing it in an orderly fashion, Ducey said. As a result, Westar will report an extraordinary loss of $14.7 million against 1984 earnings. Ducey said some equipment had also been abandoned in the mine but the bulk of the lost assets was 180,000 tonnes of recoverable coal. He said it was possible Westar would someday reclaim the mine. Ducey said it was not unusual for deep mines to burn, and that some pits in the area had been burning for 40 years or more. Amway goes hi-tech TORONTO (CP) — A high-technology company has enlisted Amway of Canada Ltd. to sell software door-to-door. More than 1,000 Amway salesmen will hit the streets soon in Ottawa to peddle computer programs in addition to rug shampoos and detergents. The direct-sales company, a unit of Amway Corp. of Ada, Mich., has an agreement with Nabu Network Ltd. of Ottawa to market in the city Nabu’s technology that te home users through cable television. Amway — short for the American Way — sells about 300 products. Its distributors spout the virtues of patriotism, free enterprise and positive thinking to prospective Amway converts. PM uses jet mail OTTAWA (CP) — A,,spokesman for Prime Minister Brian Mulroney has strongly defended the use of two government jets at a cost of almost $24,000 to hand-deliver copies of Finance Minister Michael Welson's to six governments. “We intend to do it again,” deputy press secretary Michel Gratton said in a telephone interview after the release of the figures, which helped push the govern- ment's cost of flying since it took office Sept. 17 close to the $1-million mark. “You know, it’s a courtesty gesture, it’s going to be continued. It was to make sure that the premiers of the 10 provinces would have this document in their hands when Michael Wilson stood up in the House to speak about it and wouldn't have to read it in the newspapers.” Springsteen honored SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Rock star Bruce Springsteen can count the United of LADY. My instructor Sophie adds sound effects to routine during America among his most appreciative fans. Springsteen, on a national tour, has donated more than $50,000 to steelworkers’ food banks in Pennsylvania, California, Colorado, Washington and Arizona. So the USW decided to honor him with a special presentation during the intermission of Springsteen's concert at the Carrier Dome. Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. album “cele- brates working people and those who are thrown out of work,” said Lou Thomas, director of USW District 4 in New York State. Thomas said the presentation was meant as a “thank you for his putting into song the feelings and conditions of working people everywhere.” Star in hospital SAN DIEGO, CALIF. (REUTER) — Frankie Laine, whose hit songs sold more than 45 million records, is in stable condition after undergoing a quadruple heart-lung bypass operation, a hospital spokesman said Saturday. Laine, 71, who still performs regularly, entered Mercy Hospital in San Diego on Wednesday complain- ing of chest pains and underwent the operation Friday, the spokesman said. Laine, one of the biggest popular music singers of the 1940s and 1950s, recorded such hits as Mule Train, Lucky OF Sun and That's My Desire. Ringo’s son marries LONDON (AP) — Zak Starkey, 19-year-old son of former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, married the 26-year-old daughter of a hairdresser in a secret ceremony in a London suburb, the bride's mother said. Starkey and Sarah Menikides were married in a civil ceremony Thursday in Bracknell, 50 kilometres west of London, the bride's mother, Bunty Menikides, told the British news agency Press Association. She said there were only three witnesses at the ceremony, which was kept secret on instructions from Starr, 44, whose real name is Richard Starkey. Residents evacuated BAYTOWN, TEX. (AP) — A pipeline leak sent a cloud of flammable gas drifting over this south Texas city Saturday, foreing the evacuation of more than 600 residents for almost nine hours, authorities said. The evacuees were allowed to return to their homes at about 2:30 a.m. after the pipeline apparently sealed itself and winds helped push the cloud over the Gulf of Mexico, removing the threat, police said. “All the people in Baytown are being allowed to return to their homes,” said police communications Sgt. Dale Schimming. “About 400 to 450 are returning home to an apartment complex and residential area along Cedar Bayou.” 6 die in earthquake MENDOZA (AP) — Six people were killed and at least 150 injured early Saturday after a strong earth- quake shook parts of western Argentina, the Civil Defence Authority said. The quake, registering seven on the Mercalli seale, toppled buildings in Godoy Cruz, including the 100-year-old Del Carmen Hospital from which patients were evacuated. Some of the patients were reported injured. The authority said the epicentre was in Godoy Cruz, south of the Argentine provincial capital of Mendoza and 1,100 kilometres west of Buenos Aires. The tremor was felt in Mendoza but no casualties were reported there. The Mercalli scale gauges the intensity of an earthquake as felt in a specific location. The scale runs from one to 12, with a 12 reading causing serious damage. bellydancing demonstration held during Recreation Rendezvous Thursday night at Castlegar Community Complex. CosNews Photo by Doug Harvey Talks to begin in March WASHINGTON (AP) — A new round of negotiations on nuclear and space arms will begin in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 12, ending a 13-month suspension of arms control talks, the United States and the Soviet Union president will convene the National Security Council “at various times” to make decisions based on the group's work. The U.S. delegation, nnounced Jan. 18, will be headed Saturday. Simultaneous announcements by the White House and the Kremlin said the Soviet negotiating team will be headed by V.P. Karpov, a 55-year-old career diplomat who also headed the Soviet delegation at the previous round of talks aimed by curbing long-range nuclear missiles. Those talks broke down in late 1983. Also on the Soviet team will be Yuri A. Kvitsinsky, the chief Soviet negotiator for medium-range missiles in the previous talks and one of the architects of a tentative accord, known as the “walk in the woods” agreement, which failed to reach fruition. The other Soviet negotiator will be Alexei Obujhov, deputy chief of the U.S. desk at the Soviet Foreign Ministry, who also took part in the previous long-range missile negotiations. In an interview with radio reporters shortly after the announcements in Washington and Moscow, Reagan said he is “certainly going to try” to conclude an agreement with the Soviets during his second term. But he added: “I certainly would not want to confine it to four years, because I know how long some negotiations have taken.” “I tend to be optimistic, not euphoric,” Reagan added. “We intend to stay there at the table with the hope that this time we can arrive at an actual reduction of weapons.” Reagan said he did not know whether the reported illness of Soviet President Konstantin Chernenko would affect the talks, but the fact that the Soviets have named their negotiators “would indicate that they plan to go forward.” He said an inter-agency group, headed by National Security adviser Robert McFarlane, will meet regularly between now and March 12 to prepare for the talks and the Miller wins Tory crown TORONTO (CP) — In dustry Minister Frank Miller won the Ontario Conser- on the first ballot. Miller had led on the first two ballots, but by much less vative leadership Saturday, than expected, and Grossman scoring a dramatic third- grew steadily as first Mc. ballot vietory over Treasurer Murtry, then Timbrell, join Larry Grossman to succeed ed his camp after falling off Premier William Davis and the ballot. inherit the reins of a 42-year Tory dynasty. Miller, at 57 the oldest and most ideologically conserv ative of the four candidates, was the first man in the race after Davis announced his retirement last October and, according to most polls, led Miller said it was the matchup he had hoped for after a disappointing first ballot showing because he had a much greater chance, for ideological reasons, of picking up Timbrell dele- a gates in a fight against from wire to wire. Grossman than making gains The Miller victory — by a from Grossman if he went up count of 869-792 on the final against Timbrell on the last ballot — capped a 10-hour ballot endurance test which saw Grossman jump from third As expected, Miller had spot on the first ballot to gone ahead on the first ballot, edge Agriculture Minister but at 591 votes was far short Dennis Timbrell by six votes of the 714 he had publicly on the second. Timbrell de- mused about or the 650 his manded a recount, but the handlers were hoping for. results were upheld. At- Timbrell was second at 421, Grossman third with 378 and torney General Roy Me Murtry had been eliminated MeMurtry last with 300. by Max K: lawyer who has most recently been President Reagan's representative in talks aimed at reducing East-West tensions. Other members are John Tower, former chairman of the .Senate armed services committee, who will be responsible for dealing with long-range missiles; and Maynard Glitman, a career diplomat who was on the U.S. in the inter missile talks. Reagan met with the three men last week to discuss the U.S. posture for the forthcoming talks. “mystery man?’ Britain asks Nsretkes Oe tae Uekabvege becxthe capeiaelii dignitary’s desire, said, Thateher cooled his ardor by saying: “Quite right. You have very good taste but I just don't think you would make it at the moment.” Fairbairn, 51, said the incident took place while he was in office and accompanying the prime minister who was a palace guest of the lord high commissioner of the Church of Scotland. “Who is the mystery man?” was the question the After the session in Parliament, where MPs were debating a bill to stop motorists from soliciting women, Fairbairn declined to elaborate. Fearing that he had already been indiscreet, he said with a smile: “Just imagine it was me.” He said it highlighted a flaw in the Sexual Offences Bill, which would make it an offence for a man to solicit a ‘woman for sexual ends in a way “likely to cause her fear.” DESIGNS CLOTHES Fairbairn, who designs his own clothes once gave love” as one of his hobbies in Who's Who. The Prime Minister's office said the story seemed highly unlikely. Thatcher, 59, was not in Parliament to hear the Fairbairn disclosure. Trying to illustrate his point further Fairbairn said of its sponsor, Janet Fookes: “I have always been attracted to her and I have never actually dared ask her if she would go to bed with me. “After all this, I would have to ask myself how am I going to put it to her so that it's not likely to cause her fear?” Fairbairn's latest Who's Who entry gives as a hobby being “blunt and sharp at the same time.” He refused to quit his post in 1981 when a woman secretary admitted trying to commit suicide outside his Lendon home. He resigned shortly afterward following a controversial decision not to prosecute three rapists in Glasgow, Scotland. Today's newspapers also speculated on how the information would affect Thatcher's reputation as the so-called Iron Lady. Fairbairn was not the only one to shed a softer light on the prime minister. More evidence of the lure of her charm came from her former defence secretary, Sir John Nott. Leprosy cases grow in Canada MONTREAL (CP) — The number of known cases of leprosy in Canada appears to be growing and there may be a substantial increase in the incidences of the disease in years to come, a research: scientist at the Armand Frappier Institute says. In 1976 there were 93 reported cases of leprosy in Canada, Dr. Muhammad Ishaque said in an interview. In 1982 the number increased to 185 — including 98 in Ontario and 23 in Quebec — and, to be realistic, there are likely thousands of people with the disease in Canada. “The phenomenon is explained by_the large waves of immigration in the last few years,” Ishaque says. Of all the known cases in Canada only one, however, involved a Canadian born in this country. “Contrary to what most people persist in believing, leprosy is not as contagious as many other infectious diseases. Nine out of 10 people can resist it naturally,” Ishaque says. Despite that, he says, there is no doubt leprosy is one of the most serious diseases in the world — worse than cancer. “People with cancer die in two or three years. Those with leprosy last 15 to 20 years. “Leprosy deforms, dries up, mutilates and destroys its victim little by little, feature by feature, member by member, one joint after another, until there's nothing left.” LEFT TO AGONIZE Scientists estimate there are 15 to 20 million lepers thorughout the world, Ishaque says. Most are in India, ia — areas where, for lack of adequate treatment or the money to pay for it, people are banished and left to agonize for years. In Canada, where treatment is available and affordable, lepers can continue to work and function in society. Ishaque says scientists are still looking for an effective vaccine and he is confident the bacillus that causes the disease will be cultivated. A report published last week in an American seientifie journal gave some hope for an advance in finding such a vaceine After decades of work, research scientists at Tulane University in Louisiana and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C., reported they had infected three species of monkeys with the Mycobacter. ium that causes leprosy and have successful reproduced the disease in less time than it takes to develop in humans. Previously, the only animal to consistently develop the disease after inoculation was the nine-banded armadillo, which is physiologically far removed from humans. The chief investigator for the Tulane group, Dr. Bobby Gormus, said primates such as monkeys which rapidly and predictably develop leprosy could speed the testing of vaccines and new drugs to treat the disease. Africa and Southeast As el been a man. away with it.” Speaking on a television program to mark Thatcher's 10th anniversary as head of the Conservative party, Nott said: “All the time of course she uses her feminine “I don’t think that the way in which she conducts business would have been tolerated sometimes had she “The men look at her and they say, ‘Well, goodness me, this is a rather attractive woman’ .. . and she gets Testimony tells of Belushi’'s last night LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cathy Evelyn Smith re peatedly injected comedian John Belushi with drugs in the days before the portly star of Saturday Night Live died of a drug overdose, two witnesses told a grand jury. The sealed testimony, in advertently released briefly by a court clerk to the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, also provided a glimpse of Belushi's final night. Smith of Toronto, who was indicted on a murder charge in Belushi's death, abandoned her extradition battle and returned to Los Angeles on Thursday under a plea-bar. gain arranged by the district attorney's office. A prosecutor indicated the office would be willing to re- duce a second-degree murder charge to involuntary man. slaughter and drop many of the 13 drug charges against her in exchange for a guilty plea Nelson Lyon, a former writer for Saturday Night Live, described a three-day drug binge that began March 2, 1982, when Belushi, 33, and Smith, now 37, came to Lyon's house, the newspaper said. ‘BIG SURPRISE’ “I have a big surprise for you,” Lyon said Belushi told him. “Roll up your sleeve.” Smith then injected what Lyon believed was cocaine into him and Belushi, who started in the movies, Animal House, The Blues Brothers and Continental Divide. In the 24 hours before Bel. ushi's death on March 5, days, testified that she wat. ched Smith inject Belushi re peatedly during the first four days of March 1982, The Herald Examiner reported. Smith, a former backup singer to Hoyt Axton and Gordon Lightfoot and com panion to several singers, was quoted in The National Enquirer in 1982 as admit ting that she injected Belushi with drugs. She has claimed she was under the influence of alcohol when she gave the interview Lyon said what he believed to be the final and most po- tent injection was given in the office of the private nightclub, On the Rox, on the Sunset Strip, where Belushi, Smith and Lyon partied with Robert DeNiro and Harry Dean Stanton. He said neither DeNiro nor Stanton took drugs. Belushi and Lyon became violently ill and vomited, then returned to Belushis $200-a-day Chateau Marmont bungalow in West Holly wood, Lyon said. DeNiro and actor-comedi an Robin Willians dropped by. but Lyon, DeNiro and Williams left, leaving Belushi alone with Smith. She was quoted as telling The National Enquirier she had injected Belushi with the “coup de grace” when they were alone, but denied giving him more drugs after Lyon left The three-volume trans cript, which runs more than 600 pages, provided the basis for the indictment against Smith. It is technically sealed 1982, Smith ini at least six injections into Lyon and Belushi, Lyon testified Leslie Marks, another com panion of Belushi in his final until W but a clerk inadvertently released it The court retrieved it from The Herald Examiner before it could be fully read