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THE B.C. GOVERNMENT has ordered an investigation
into the affairs of the B.C. Lifeboat Society (BCLS) and the
North Shore Lifeboat Society (NSLS). :

The probe comes after a dispute
etupted over ownership of one of
the North Vancouver society's
rescuc craft, which has been seized
by the BCLS, and which was part-
ty funded by a government grant
of $15,000,

Finance Minister Mel Couvelier ’

has appointed HUA. Dilworth,
manager of the investigations sec-
tion of the office of the superin-
tendent of financial institutions, to
‘head the investigation (under Sec-
lion 85/1 of the Society Act).

He also has placed the B.C.
society in trusteeship pending the
outcome of the study. The move

“comes” after. a preliminary” ine

vestigation, which showed: ;

* that the B.C. society has not
held: an official. annual general
meeting for nearly two years © ;

‘* that the status of BCLS presi-
dent Hors:-Klein is being question-
ed by the North Vancouver group,
after his, apparent resignation in

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* that 2-$30,000, 18-foot, fully.
equipped, Boston Whaler lifeboat -

being Operated off North Van-
couver shores was seized froma

m bailiff by Klein and. taken to

Pender Harbour.

*that Klein has invoiced the
North Shore society for more than
$19,000 for ‘trent’’ and expenses
_ for the. boat, which was initially
purchased ‘through a fund-raising
campaign in North Vancouver,
and is registered there.

* that the whaler was removed

. from duty when Klein refused to
pay insurance premiums, against
legal advice that warned against
operating without such coverage.

* that a less-expensive, not-as-
well-equipped boat is being used in
North and West Vancouver from
its mooring at Deep Cove while
that society fights for the return of
the whaler.

* and that Klein's method of
operating as president of the B.C.
society from his Pender Harbour
home has fed to ‘a rebellion’’
which created three separate
groups outside of his control — in
North Vancouver, at Gibsons’ and
in Prince Rupert.

Couvelier intervened in the
dispute between BCLS.. and | the
NSLS after. West, Vancouver-Howe
Sound MLA John Reynolds,

,

Speaker of the House, clashed with
Klein over the issuc.

The finance minister also receiv-
ed recommendations © from © ihe
Registrar of Companies to pursue
the matter, the News has learned.
A series’of documents and letters
from Klein to. the Registrar

“prompted that move,

WEST "Vancouver-Howe Sound
MLA John Reynolds...‘‘Why
should I work so hard as an MLA
todo something for. my people,
and have someone from Pender
come and seize it?"’

Reynoids, in an interview with
the News, said his main concern
“was that as MLA, I worked very ©
hard to get a lottery grant to allow
the society {0 puta’ boat inthe
water. The people running the
society are all upstanding. citizens
... and have done a great job, have
saved and assisted a tot of peo-
ple."*

He says the disagreement be-
tween the lifeboat society and
Klein ‘twas just plain wrong. Why
should ! work so hard as an MLA
to do something for my people,
and have..someone from Pender
come and seize it?"

Reynolds urged Couvelier ‘‘to
use whatever power you have’’ to
put the B.C. Society under trustee-
ship,:“‘until all the problems... are

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