A4-Wednesday, February 20, 198 OLNEY, England (UPI) - A pileup of women, skillets in hand, could not cross the finish line in the Great Trans-Atlantic Pancake Race Tuesday because a television truck blocked the way, forcing furious officials to declare two winners. No winning time was immediately grven, since no one actually crossed the finish line. In the end, officials from Olney Church declared Rosemary Ludgate, 22, and Syivia Smith, 28, joint winners of the 31st running of the Shrove Tuesday contest OTTAWA (UPC) - The Canadian Coast Guard will do whatever it can to improve search and rescue operations off the Bntish Columbia coast, its commissioner has pledged. An inquest jury in Vancouver over. the weekend, inquirng into the drowning of 30 Taiwanese crew members Christmas day from the ill-fated freighter Lee Wang Zin, criticized rescue officials. There was a three-hour delay in answering the ship's distress signal and a 32- hour delay in reaching WASHINGTON (UPI) - Saying a “dangerous decline in defense spending has been reversed,” President Carter Tuesday told the Amencan Legion the United States is capable of responding to a threat to peace im any area of the world. “A dangerous decline in defense spending has been reversed,” Carter said “It as a carefully outside eee Pancake race ends in confusion between Olney = and Liberal, Kan. Church custodian David Umney, referring to the British Broad- casting Corp. crew that blocked the finish line, said, “They ruined this race.” The BBC crew, which claimed it had permission to drive just ahead of the contestants, slowly made its way toward the finish line in advance of the running women. But the truck suddenly stopped about 15 feet short of the final mark, totally blocking off the last few yards. Inquest critical of Coast Guard the capsized vessel. Commissioner William O'Neil said Monday the coast guard would take steps to ensure that bulk carriers like the Lee Wang Zin are properly inspected before given clearance to proceed. O'Neil said the inquest jury recommendations would be studied carefully. “If the findings are ones we think are sup- portable, we will take what action we can,” O’Neil said. “If there were some deficiencies, we will take action to see it doesn’t happen again.” Defense increases ‘necessary’-Carter measured amount, and in no way signals a new or transient ‘boom’ in defense spending.” “I consider the increase in the defense budget for fiscal year 1981 to be absolutely necessary to assure our. national secunty,” Carter = said. “These expenditures for defense are clearly within the capabihty of our economy.” ‘Socreds lose all. FROM PAGE A1 sharp regional split at the Manitoba-Ontario border, with the Liberals strongly dominating eastern Canada but completely unrepre- sented west of Winnipeg, where they managed to hold their two former seats. In the Prairie Provinces and B.C. the Conservatives remained firmly entrenched, although suffering some losses to the NDP in Manitoba and Saskat- chewan, in addition to those in British Columbia. An unexpected feature of the voting in Quebec was the total elimination of the small Social Credit Party, all of whose five MPs — including party leader Fabien Roy — went down to defeat as the Liberal steamroller collected 73 of the provinee’s 75 seats. The three other party leaders — Pierre Trudeau, Joe Clark and Ed Broadbent — were all re-elected in their respective ridings. Tory Finance Minister John Crosbie, who has been touted as a possible suc- cessor to Joe Clark as party leader, retained his seat in Newfoundland. But Tory ministers Ron Atkey (Employment and = Im- migration), Heward Grafftey (Science) and David MacDonald (Secretary of State) were all beaten in the east by their Liberal op- ponents. Robert de Cotret, the Tory cabinet minister without a Commons seat in the last Parliament, also failed in his bid for election in the Quebec riding of Be rthier- Maskinonge. In the popular vote the Liberals scored a_ 14.5 percentage point lead over the Conservatives. Among the numerous public opinion polis conducted during the campaign, the CTV survey — which gave the Liberals a 10 per cent lead — came closest to real figures. The final Gallup poll, released 48 hours before POINTING OUT safety features on this pole used for handling electrical wires is B.C. Hydro patrolman Jerry Dutch (left). North Vancouver City firemen Dave Howard (centre) and Frank Legros were among the fireman who received a lecture. and demonstration on how to deal with electricity safety. B.C. Hydro gave a similar lecture to District firefighters. (Terry Peters photo) election day, had given the Liberals a 20-point lead. In summary, the national vote appears to reflect the strong opposition of eastern Canadians (especially in Ontario and the Maritimes) to the stiff energy pmce increases announced in the Clark government's defeated budget last December. At the same time, it has sharply accentuated the political divergence between eastern and western Canada. And it may also be significant that the solid overall majority won by the Liberals did not prevent the NDP from rolling up the largest number of Commons seats in that party's history. SWIMMING & FITNESS CENTRE a 4 x OHAPE-UP LOOK © SENSATIONALLY SEXY, FEEL- QUTRAGEOUSLY HEALTHY, FOR- 3 » 1980 open 7 daysa week mon. to fri.10am to 10pm sat. & sun. 10am to 6pm. Soviets reportedly using poison gas ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Soviet combat plancs have dropped deadly gas bombs in at least one ol the more than hall a 4/) APL G/ f= F~ TR FOR LIMITED TIME ONLY! MEMBERSHIPS LESS THAN 1/2 PRICE FOR LIMITED TIME ONLY GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES The report could not be independently confirmed but the United States last month said it) was in vestigating claims by call today! call now! 986.5201 dozen Afghan provinces where fighting with Arghan refugees Soviet Moslem rebels is) now forces have used 148 Ww 14th St N rth Vv NORTH SHORE raging. * Pakistan Pobonous gas bombs in ° - NO ancouver INT newspaper reported fighting Tbe Soviets have 4ist & Fraser - 327-0408 ° LAZA HOTEL Lucsday denied the charges 980-9358 MORE WORLD NEWS BEGINS PAGE Al4 ~— CO-ED Fri Sat.& Sun