6 - Wednesday, June 10, 1987 - North Shore News LOUIE ec a » 2 rarer ser 9 eat, I ory gts Pras Pater Speck News Viewpoint : hore. Noel Wright , ; ivr - Barrett Fisher Linda Stewart Publisher: Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Advertising Director Olsplay Advortising 960-0511 Classified Advertising 986 6222 Nowsroom 985-2131 Distribution 986-1337 Subscriptions SEE-1337 ‘ a Nort: Store Mow: SUNDAY +» WEDNESDAY «© FRIDAY Vee tae bet 1139 Lonsdale Ave. Nom Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 TV in the courts elevision coverage of court trials — yes or no? Weighing all the pros and cons, the most sensi- ble answer is a carefully monitored experiment, with firm provision for ending it if necessary. The public has a right to watch what happens in its courts, a right it can aiways exercise by personal at- - tendance. TV, today’s prime information medium, f seems merely a logical technical extension of that right. It already covers Parliament. It is to be introduced into the Legislature in B.C. It has covered — without apparent damage to the course of justice — major semi-judicial inquiries like the Grange Commission on babies’ deaths at a Toronto hospital and the probe into alleged conflict of interest by former cabinet minister Sinclair Stevens. And TV cameras are now permitted in the courts of some 40 American states. So far, however, Canadian experience has been con- fined to cases with no formally accused person in the dock — a situation which greatly intensifies the emo- tional content of the proceedings. Meanwhile, the nature of TV forces it to compress — even more brutally than newspapers — the highlights of those proceedings into mere seconds. Since TY is primarily an entertainment medium, it is the more emotion- packed moments that the public would most probably see, raiher than lengthier, highly relevant but visually boring legal debate. How far this might spark ill-founded public judg- ments quite different from those reached by judges and juries we don’t kaow without trying it. But we should at least be ready to backtrack at any sign that TV “lynch mob”’ verdicts were intruding on those of the court. Notables in the swim Entre contents 1987 Notth Shore Free Press Lid All rights reserved 58,489 (average Véercineday Friday & Sunday) BOE DEnerty | ) i aot Tien Gunes f SURVIVORS’ DEPT.: If ever the entire West Van council finds itself on a sinking ship with too few lifebelts, you may be relieved to learn that at least four members will probably make it to shore. For the Community Day celebrities’ swim event Saturday Aldermen Pat Boname, Rod Day {acting mayor), Dave Finlay and Mark Sager stripped down, dived in and acquitted themselves with honor over the 50-metre length, competing against young human torpedoes from the Otters Swim Club. And education in West Van would also have at least one notable shipwreck survivor, David Mackenzie, headmaster of Coll- ingwood School, was aniong those who took the plunge in person and finished the course in style. In- cidentally, that was a nice gesture on the part of the Shaw Cable TV Channel 4 to have former mayor Derrick Humphreys, an ac- complished TV performer, as one of its three commentators on the Community Day parade coverage. eo NOTHING CAN STOP Highland dancers from having their fling, even in Japan. North Van's Marion Young — a dance pupil of Nann Wilson's St. Andrew’s and Caledonian Society from age five and now a UBC grad — is teaching in Tokyo this year. She heard there were Highland games being held there and decided to compete, 5 wearing a borrowed kilt and shoes. She took three first-place medals. Then came two happy coin- cidences. She discovered the judge, Billy Forsyth from Pillocky, Scotland, was an old acquaintance of Nann Wilson. And the piper for the dancing was Iain MacDonald of Lenzie, Scotland — birthplace of Marion’s father, Capt. Iain Young. : « et f BIRTHDAY CAKE with 30 can- dles will be in order Sunday (June 14) at St. David’s United’ Church, West Yan — opened in 1957 and a place of worship for thousands of North Shore residents ,since that time. The celebration service starts at 10:30 a.m., with Rev. Dr. Art Van Seters, principal of the Van- couver School of Theology, as guest speaker, followed by a light luncheon and reunion. Also pres- ent will be five’ of the eight ministers who’ve served the church over the nast three decades — The Revs. Dermott McInnes, Ron Smith, John Gouws, Francis Stevens and Dal McCrindle. tee POSTSCRIPTS: West Van's $680,000 ‘“‘Iegacy project’? — the Ambleside Park bandshell — is suddenly looking one-fifth healthier than a week ago. Last Thursday’s TV auction raised some $26,000 and during Satur- day’s Community Day festivities Mr. Speaker, MLA John j gue kete PWRECK-PROOF?.,.Aldermen Pat Boname and Dave Finlay. Reynolds, presented Victoria’s gift, a nice round one hundred grand. Now, all they need is that other half million plus ... Happy 100th birthday to long-time North Van resident Hilda Collins, now living in Delta, who hits the big three digits today. Born and raised in Scotland, she participated in the British suffragette movement early in the century before emigrating to Canada. North Shore friends at- tending her party remember her for her community work and the “Mother of the Year’’ title with which she was honored way back . Next week's your chance — without any commitment — to see what that impressive new St. John’s church at 13th and Ches- terfield is like inside. Pastoral assistant June McMordie invites Noel Wright ® wednesday world @ you to drop by during their five- day ‘‘Open House’? Monday ‘through Friday, June 15-19, 3 to 8 p.m. daily except Wednesday, when it’s 3 to 5:30 p.m. ... In town next Monday (Sune 15) Defence Minister Perrin Beatty addresses the Canadian Club luncheon (star- ting at 11:45 a.m. in the Hotel Vancouver) on Canada’s new “nuclear sub’? defence policy. Make friends with a CC member fast if you want to be there ... And a keep-on-getting-well card to West Van Legionnaire Bill Hur- ford who's reported to be making encouraging progress after some four months in LGH and hopes to be home in the not too distant future. ene WRIGHT OR WRONG: The only things that come to him who waits are birthdays and second notices. TS photo submitted REUNION OF REVS...celebrating 30 years of worship Sunday, former Si. David's ministers {i to r) Dermott McInnes, Ron Smith, John Gouws and Francis Stevens with incumbent Dal McCrindle (far right).