4 - Sunday, May 18, 1986 - North Shore News Bob Hunter © strictly personal ¢ f AUCKLAND, New Zealand — It is all a bit too close to the movie On The Beach. Remember that flick? It came out in the early Sixties. All + human life in the Northern Hem- isphere had been wiped out by the radiation unleashed in a nu- | clear war. A death cloud of fallout was spiralling its way slowly around the rest of the world, killing everything over which it rolled. The last countries to be affected would be Australia and, finally, New Zealand. It was a ‘terrifying, poignant look at the ultimate apocalyptic “possibility. _And here I was, a quarter of a century later, in New Zealand, listening to radio reports about a cloud of radioactivity rolling across Eastern Europe and Scan- dinavia from Russia. New Zealand, by the way, was an interesting country’ to be ‘visiting when news of Chernoby! broke. In Auckland, about every ‘fifth car has a NUCLEAR-FREE N.Z. bumper: sticker. There are framed pictures of the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow War- ‘rior; hanging in grocery stores, rather like religious paintings . in other countries. From the Canadian perspec- tive, the Kiwi anti-nuke campaign is seen mainly as a threat to the ANZUS pact, the joint defence | agreement linking Australia, New Zealand and the United States. But the decision has other - ramifications in the Pacific. Some’ seven. ‘new governments ‘have come inio existence in this region in the fast decade. These ‘tiny dots in ‘the: ‘vastness of the world’s largest ‘ocean. seem insig-. _nificant inthe grand scheme of { world power, but the truth is that they have strategic importance. It is not just that France. needs its Polynesian empire.in order to Keep on testing nuclear weapons, “the Americans, too, have used Pacific islands and atulls as, first, ‘atomic-and hydrogen bomb test sites, and now as target ranges for the MX missile system. At Kwajalein Atoll, roughly halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii, the Americans have erected the world’s largest array of radar domes and_satellite- tracking dishes. Kwajalein is the [| forward command post for Star Wars, no less. According to author Giff Johnson, Kwajalein ‘‘may have contributed more to the nuclear arms race than any other spot on 4 earth.” It is also not far Rongelap. To come back to the chilling memory of On The Beach, keep in mind that the novel by Nevil Shute, upon which the movie was based, had been inspired by the from fate of the Rongelapese, upon § whose little island ‘‘snow’’ fell one day in 1954. - Of course it wasn’t snow. It was ash from a hydrogen bomb test at nearby Bikini Atoll. Children played in it and died later of leukemia. Mothers had ‘jellyfish babies’? — without bones. By taking a stand against the nuclear powers, New Zealand has given hope to the emerging Micronesian republics — as well as the independence movements in French Polynesia. At Kawijalien, for instance, the American military base has been virtually under seige for over a month now by angry islanders _displaced from their homes. Most New Zealanders are perfectly aware that their anti- nuclear foreign policy is going to cost them dearly. The prime minister, David Lange, has been shown the ‘‘menu’’ of economic and political reprisals that the Americans are planning. Therefore, nobody here could really be blamed for the near-glee they felt at the news from Cher- nobyl, and their indifference to the fate of countries tike Canada, which (try to export nuclear power at every turn. Serves ’em tight! That’s the feeling here. LEGAL SERVICES LYNN VALLEY CENTRE 9:00-5:30 10:00-1:00 e Weekdays * Saturdays ih Evening Appointments 984-3366 (initial consultation without fee) GARY BALDWIN LAWYER “West Van-Expo’86 Ferry Service Departs Dundarave Pier Daily, Hourly departures from 9:20 am to 9:20 pm Drops off at Marine Plaza Departs Expo (Marine Plaza) Daily, Hourly departures from 9:50 am to 9:50 pm Drops off at Dundarave Pier for more 922. 6696 info. born, CevDAtrO Manufacturing Co. presents ST Ever Factory Get Manufactured from Western Red & Alaskan Yellow kiln dried cedar. 5 yr. guarantee on fabric. Select from high quality patio & lawn fur- niture. 4 captain's chairs & 42” round table. ®- Reg. Ret. to $699, NOW ONLY.. your Patio. & Lawn Furniture Now! and SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! 399 Bargain! 2 lawn chairs & table made from selected custom dried woods chosen . for beauty, strength & durablility fninished to the highest of standards and fastened with rust-proof hard- ware for long life. 100% guaranteed. 2 chairs & table ea. additional chair only Don’t miss our tst Ever Factory Sale (8 year Anniversary) © czda3FoLD 2106 Front St. North Vancouver Behind Maplewood Plaza OPEN Mon.-Fri. Sat. & Sun. 8:00-4:30 10-4:00 Riverside Or. Plenty of FREE Parking Many other unadvertised Specials & Grab-bags for the children at wholesale prices. x! 2106 Front St. Dollarion Hwy. Riverside Dr. To Second Narrows Bridge 929-5819: