Bldgs., 501 Bellevilte Victoria, B. Ce VSV- 1X4 Feb. 28 Village ’ Softball CasNews columnist John Charters brings back the past in a 32- year-old column on his impressions of softball Inaugu ral, flight Adasfra Aviation's first flight from Castlegar to Cranbrook took off this week... A7 Amazing - Grace. At 54, Human Resources Minister Grace McCar- thy is having her best time in public life... AS The six winning numbers in Saturday's Lotto 6/49 draw were two, eight, nine, 18, 31 and 42. The bonus number. was 32. The $500,000 winning number in Friday's’ Provincial: lottery draw is 3894439. CHAIRMAN. SAYS DS Po, Castlegar News WEATHERCAST Sunday will be generally sunny * with afternoon cloudy periods *. and isolated thundershowers. 1 Highs to 30°. E- ; : 50 Cents VOL. 38, No. 62 CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 1985 2 Sections (A &B) ON TOUR. . ..Federal Health and Welfare Minister Jake Epp stops by to visit patients hospital's extended care unit. Epp’s visit is explained in Castlegar in Russian to one of the patients while Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco (right) looks on. — CasNews Photo by Semon Birch _, REBUILT HIROSHIMA A MIRACLE By SIMON BIRCH Staff Writer Gordon Norwood sat back in his chair sipping at a styrofoam cup of coffee. In front of him was a desk covered with work orders for car repairs, and it seemed strange, in such a setting, to talk about atomic bombs and destruction. But Norwood, the service manager at Maloney Pontiac Buick GMC Ltd. in Castlegar, has, unlike a lot of people, seen for himself the results-of a nuclear attack. ‘As a 23-year-old engineer in the Canadian army, on his way home from service in the Korean War, Norwood CASNEWS FEATURE visited the Japanese city of Hiroshima in April 1953, Almost eight years after it was levelled by an atomic bomb on Aug. 6, 1945. t ‘This Tuesday is the 40th anniversary of the bombing nd Norwood, in an interview last week, searched for words to describe his feelings at seeing the site of the destruction — but also at seeing life rising out of the ruil ins. “It's kind of difficult,” he said, hesitating. “It was an eerie feeling. When you see a hustling, bustling city again _.. I don't know. It seemed like a miracle they could-build something out of what was supposed to be nothing.” Norwood toured: the Industrial Exhibition Hall, the building directly under “Little Boy,” as the bomb was nicknamed, when it went off. “There were a few concrete and steel buildings left in their damaged state as examples of the destruction, Norwood explained. Z “On the ‘Bank of Japan or Hiroshima, I can't remember which, I could see the shadows of people burnt into the concrete from when they were. vaporized.” But, he said, “the thing that sunk home the most was seeing people with sores from-the (radiation) burns.” But Norwood also described seeing life, in the form of new growths of trees and shrubs and the reconstruction of the city. i the determinati to start capitalized on the fate of the bombing itself. In a macabre example of the human spirit, one man outside the exhibition hall was selling melted bottles as souvenirs, Norwood said. As Norwood sat gathering his thoughts during the interview, he seemed to personify the wrestling of conscience that many people, especially those of his generation who lived through the Second ‘World War and the development of atomic weapons, go through over the attack on Hiroshima and, three days later, Nagasaki. “It stopped the war,” Norwood said with some conviction, “but a lot of people — civilians — were killed,” he added, sounding doubtful about the ultimate cost of stopping that war. : That doubt is the heart of a debate over a question that no one will ever be able to answer: Did the dropping of the two bombs, which in two instants of time killed an estimated 130,000 people and destroyed two cities, actually save more lives and destruction by bringing a quicker end to a war that might have dragged on for many more months? : Historical records show that United States President Harry Truman ordered the bombs dropped as an alternative to invading Japan, which he estimated would have cost tore than a million casualties on both sides. ‘Truman ordered the bombs to fall until Japan surrendered. : anew continued on poge A2 Epp supports | hospital addition — By SIMON BIRCH Staff Writer A private luncheon in Castlegar ‘Thursday for federal Health and Wel- fare Minister Jake Epp was mainly a social get-together and a chance to meet with the minister, say those who attended the luncheon. “From a medical staff point of view, it was just a chance to meet the minister and get the Conservative's position on health care,” Dr. Robert Streich said Friday. “He (Epp) said he_was interested in affirming the attempt of the provincial and federal health bodies getting to- gether.” — Epp was in Castlegar for a little more than two hours, but managed to fit in a‘tour of the Castlegar hospital ‘and a short press conference before at- tending the luncheon. Terry Rogers, chairman of the Castlegar and District’ Hospital Board, said one local issue discussed with Epp was the pro for a Castlegar hospital addition that would house intermediate and extended care facil- ities. A proposal to build the addition is already with the provincial govern- -ment, Rogers said, but construction was delayed because of the through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Commission. : ‘at the luncheon was Mayor Audrey Moore, who said Epp was asked about the sensitive ‘issues of abortion and extra billing by doctors. However, Moore said Epp declined to comment because of court cases ii ii abortion in itoba and facilities” while “fully recognizing provincial jurisdiction” over health care. Epp said the issue of extra billing was “not number one on my agenda any more,” adding that he thought the health care system in Canada was in good shape and needs only to be Ontario and extra billing in Ontario. She added that Epp.said he was not trying to duck the issues, but that it was inappropriate for a federal minis- ter to comment on issues being dis- cussed in the courts.“ i Otherwise, Moore said, “I found him _ to be a man on top of his ministry and very conversant.” She said other topics brought up at. the luncheon included the amount of | the federal health budget spent on re- search and the increasing‘costs of mal- practice insurance for doctors. On the budget, Epp said about $150 million is allotted for research, adding that it was an area they (the federal d to meet the ing needs of Canadian society. One of those changes, Epp said, is an aging population, and he said his wef L stirs ATE aae to gs ing a high. standard of health care for seniors. Asked about the problem of over- crowding in B.C.'s hospitals, Epp said that was not “a unique B.C. situation.” But, he: said, “hospital closures fall within provincial jurisdiction and a federal minister has no comment on that.” Epp said Castlegar hospital's facil- ities were “excellent” and “very well- managed.” a up\ Epp’s. visit, Streich should p look at. As for increasing malpractice insur- ance costs, Moore said Epp indicated that was “an area of-great concern to the federal government.” ed. in the economy. Epp “seemed generally supportive of the idea,” Rogers said, adding that the federal government could possibly participate by granting the provincial _ government .a low-interest mortgage Rain By CasNews Staff Cooler temperatures and some rain over the last three days has helped. Arrow ‘district firefighters in their attempt to gain the upper hand on the 11 uncontained fires in the district, a spokesman for the Forest Ministry said Saturday. Peter Berukoff, duty officer at the Castlegar field office, said “all the fires have been quite quiet for the last two to three days.” Even the troublesome’ Ata fire northwest of Renata has settled down somewhat, he said. EIGHT YEARS an “upswing in litigation is causing higher health care costs.” At the press conference before the luncheon, Epp said one of the reasons for his visit to the West Kootenays was to get “a first hand look at various said, “it was nice to meet him.” “It’s unfortunate that we don't get to meet more politicians.” He said such meetings would lead to a better understanging of their lives. and help them understand “what we have to deal with in a small commun- ity.” “J felt it was positive to see a federal minister in a riding such as this and expose himself to the concerns of the medical people in the area.” helps district “It hasn't moved in the last two days.” “It's still not totally guarded (sur- rounded by cat guards) yet, but we hope to get that done this afternoon,” Berukoff said, adding that rocks and steep ground are: hampering the ef- forts. Berukoff was cautiously optimistic about the help they are getting from the weather. “The longer it stays like this the better,” he said. But he cautioned a return to the hot dry conditions could ~¢ause the fire to once again flare up. There are now 59 fires burning in the Arrow district, bringing the total number to date to 216. One new fire started avernight and was man-caused. The cost to the provincial govern- ment in the last 24 hours was $130,000 for a total cost to date of $3,400,000. There are now 577 people employed fighting the fires in the district. . A campfire ban and a ban on-travel over forest service roads remains in ef- fect, Berukoff said. Arsonists sentenced NELSON (CP) — Convicted arson- ists Mary Braun, 53, and Tina Jmaeff, 63, members of the Sons of Freedom Doukhobor sect, was sentenced Thurs- day in county court to eight years in prison. ‘The women, who had gone on hunger strikes while serving other arson sen- tences, were given long terms for “the protection of the community,” said Judge Ronald Wong. They were convicted on Wednesday after a one-day trial for the April burning of a house in Gilpin, a rural community near Grand Forks. second charge of interfering with the use of property was stayed. Both women have long histories of arson offences, Wong said. They were granted conditional clemency in Octo- ber 1983 when they were in prison for other arson convictions and were on probation at the time of the Gilpin offence. 4 Braun and Jmaeff were convicted of setting fire to the Kootenay Doukhobor Historical Society museum in Castlegar in November 1984. ACTED FOR GOD The women told-the court during the latest trial that they were acting as messengers of God. No.one was in the Gilpin house when the fire was started but damages were about $13,000 and the house was destroyed. “From what I have,heard,” Wong said. “I have no doubt that these two accused are deeply religious people who justified arson by their beliefs.” Rehabilitation is unrealistic when their beliefs are so firmly rooted, he said. Imaeff and Braun, taped into state ri c and wrapped in grey blankets so they could not disrupt court proceedings by disrobing, showed no emotion when the judge passed sentence. 5 The proceedinigs were briefly inter- rupted when a woman in the gallery shouted “I was also involved” and at- tempted to remove her blouse. A sheriff quickly led her out of the court- room. Inland Natural Gas makes contract offer VANCOUVER (CP) — Inland \Nat-, ural Gas Co. Ltd. has presented a contract offer which will be voted on by 150 striking members of the Office and Technical Employees Union. : No details of what the compan: called its final offer were released but the union said a membership vpte will likely be completed by the end of next week. = A strike-lockout began in late June and 140 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers re- fused to cross picket lines. > \jGas distribution was not affected by the strike-lockout. Inland serves cus tomers in the British Columbia Inter- , ior. Under the contract which expired in April, Inland Natural Gas office work- ers received between $1,444 and $2,967 monthly. . The union was seeking a three-year contract with a $1,000 signing bonus, a 3'-per-cent raise in the-second year. and a five-per-cent increase in the third year.