oy A6-Sunday News, March 23, 1980 wtereet onacy? America’s biggest bank raised its lending rate last week to 19%. a 20% rate has been forecast by April Fool’s -- and the Bank of Canada is panting to Keep up. How high can rates go in the mad race to “defend” the value of the dollar abroad? To 30%? To 50% Even to 100% At this pace, what's to stop them? The current rates alone are proving catastrophic for thousands of homeowners on mortgages and small business which are the greatest single source of employment. Is it possible that a better course would be to cease chasing the U.S. and concentrate, instead, on “defending” the value of the dollar at home -- by LOWERING Canadian interest rates and leaving the foreign ex- change value of the Canadian dollar to find its own level? Trae, a Canadian dollar worth, perhaps, only 50 cents U.S. would make imports more expensive. Canada, however, is already self- sufficient in virtually:all essentials except oil. Belt-tightening (now inevitable in one form or another) would hit hardest with gasoline -- but if Europeans can live with $3.50 a gallon prices, are we Canadians such poor stuff that we can't also face up to world facts? Lower interest rates could stimulate a much healthier domestic economy, reduce unemployment and ease the housing crisis. Canadian exports would boom, com- pensating in part for higher import bills. Is the present interest lumacy REALLY the answer? ‘ Have the fellows we've put in charge really a clue what they're doing? Scotching them If you're concerned about the rising price of your modest weekend tipple, spare a tear for the Brits -- should the Royal College of Physicians there get its way. The College is pressing the U.K. govern- ment to triple the price of scotch by way of combatting an epidemic of alcoholism in the Old Country, now said to threaten 10% of the population. The stuff presently costs a modest $12 a porte. The medicos want it taxed to cost $36. | sunday news north shore news NEWS 085-2131 1139 Lonsdale Ave . North Vancouver, B.C V7M 2H4 (604) 985-2131 ADVERTISING CLASSIFIED CIRCULATION 980-0511 986-6222 986-1337 Publisher Peter Speck Associate Publisher Editor-in-Chie? Advertising Director Robert Graham Noel Wright Eric Cardwell Classified Manager Production & Office Administrator Tim Francis Berni Hillard Faye McCrae Managing Editor News Editor Photography Andy Fraser Chris Uioyd Elisworth Dickson Accounting Supervisor Barbara Keen North Shore News, tounded in 1969 as an independent communi ty newspaper and qualified under Schedule Ill, Part Ill, Paragraph I of the Excise-Tax Act, is published each Wednesday and Sunday. by North Shore Free Presa Ltd and distributed to every door on the North Shore Second Class Mail Registration Number 3885 Subscriptions $20 per year Entire contents © 1980 North Snore Free Press Ud All nights reserved No responsibility accepted for unsolicited matenal mnchuding manuscripta and pictures, which should be accompanied by a stamped, addressed return envalope VERIFIED CIRCULATION 60,870 49,91 9,013: EQu S Na (4% ¥ Wednesday THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE How I met some beautiful ladies FROM SID BRIERLY, NORTH VANCOUVER On February 16th whilst out on the golf course I found myself feeling decidedly under the weather. A touch of the ‘flu, I thought. Some kind soul wheeled me back to the club house and then drove me home. My wife took one look, phoned the doctor and from then on things were right out of my control. Within minutes the bedroom was filled with firemen — all at least nine feet tall — but oh! what gentle giants. Kindly efficient ambulance people followed and in short order I was at the Lions Gate Hospital emergency depart- ment. Memories of several trips over the years with an accident-prone son came to mind, because as usual the emergency ward was dealing with a “sold-out” crowd. It must be one of the most popular places to visit on any weekend. From the seeming chaos appeared a beautiful lady doctor to ask me some eminently sensible ques- CHIBA (as if you didn’t know) is a Japanese village of 300,000 people located on Tokyo Bay, directly opposite Tokyo, and one of the favorite local recreations is kendo, a popular Japanese fencing sport. For the past 10 years Chiba has also been the Japanese sister city of North Van City — and that explains why, next Friday morning. Mayor Jack Loucks will be officially greeting Nobuo Okubo, grand master of kendo with the 8th degree, and his group as guests of City Hall. The Canada-Japan Goodwill Kendo Mission headed by Okubo consists of 45 school students and 11 adults. They arrive Wed- nesday for a week-long stay, bringing a friendship message from Chiba Mayor Asahi Matsui. Following the City Hall ceremony, at which theyll also put on a kendo demonstration, they'll be spending their time sightseeing and challenging some kendo’ enthusiasts down in Steveston§ to {mendly cxhibition bouts City aldermen, however, have been advised to leave their swords at home one The Wild Man _ from Bonaie Scotland has donc it agam. BCTV's Jack Webster has taken top honors for the second year in a row at the 1980 CANPRO festival of locally produced Canadian TV programs. The festival — held March 10-12 in Trois Rivieres, Quebec — chose Jack's top-rated morning tions, and in rapid succes- sion sundry people checked me, doped me, administered pain killers and generally comforted me. Finally, a doctor of internal medicine announced that I would be under his care for a few weeks, and had me wheeled away to what I later found out was the coronary care unit. By now I had gathererd that I was a pretty sick man and, not unnaturally, I also felt scared as I heard injunc- tions that I was to receive constant care and attention. What I had not realized was that I was now in the hands of complete professionals. They hail from England and the Philippines, from Killarney and Northern On- tario. From Nova Scotia and all points west in Canada. They are short or tall, fair or dark-skinned, blonde or brunette and often with a decade or more separating them in age. Ali have the same attributes. Maybe it's devotion to duty; or pride in their profession; or how SSS about a love of humanity that stretches to infinity? They are the Registered Nurses of Lions Gate Hospital Coronary unit and they are ali very beautiful ladies. Naturally, they have a fine rapport and a great deal in common with the specialists who lead this team. Whilst having a heart attack cannot be recommended as the best way to effect an introduc- tion, I am without a doubt a much richer man for having known all these fine people. Indeed, there will always be room in this slightly used heart for them. Comes time for the recuperation. The minor vic- tories as various equipment is removed — an oxygen in- haler, an intravenous tube and lastly the heart monitor. Now in addition to the ever sunday brunch by Noel Wright news program “Webster” as the most outstanding in a field of 187 entries from all parts of English and French Canada. The program also won the 1980 gold award for the best news and public affairs series in a market over 1.3 million viewers — Jack's searching investigation of a hit-and-run death in Delta which culminated in a government probe of the Delta police force. Hell hath no fury like a Webster on the warpath ... ese If you dabble in foreign currencies, take a pinch of salt with those exchange rates published in Van- couver’s morning daily and attributed to the Bank of Montreal. For quite some time past they've been quoting East Caribbean dollars at around 0.28 to the Canadian dollar. So it came as a nasty shock the other day ‘when I purchased a modest draft (at) another bank) in EC dollars and was charged 0.46. Six phone calls, winding up with the foreign exchange depart- ment at the BM’'s main downtown branch, = con- firmed that 0.46 was indeed the only rate known for EC dollars in these parts. Next day the con- scientious young lady there called back. She'd checked with the BM’s Internauonal Department in Montreal (whence the quotes come) Yes, sorry, the 0.28 rate was an “oversight” and Montreal was correcting the listing to 0.46 right away. They thanked me for letting them know You can't keep a good woman down, as proven by Ruth Amaud who retired to Victoria after many years of activity on the North Shore ~— where she was nurtse in charge of the North Shore VON and a leader in numerous other groups, including Mobile Meals and the Community Resource Board. She's now won a by- election seat on the Central Saanich council, defeating the incumbent alderman by a healthy margin. Sull talking of the ladies, Marie Rusmak, PR for the Lions Gate Hospital Auxiliary, tells me sales are booming at the Dogwood Shop at its new location in the expanded building. A cook book masterminded by Mrs. J. Aldrich with many hours of help from other Auxiliary members is a hot selling item ... Then there's news from Marianne Winton about her delightfully named Thoroughbred Ladies Club of B.C. which carries on its good works for numerous chanities at (where else?) Exhibition Park. They're holding a fund-raising spring fashion show at the racetrack April 16, details from Pauline Kershaw at Capilano College, 986-1911 .. And a gourmets salute to Dorothy Hancock, Barbara Bissea and their colleagues in the West Van Legion's L.A who put on the best (and cheapest) steak dinner im town every month at the West Van Legion hall - next feast this coming Friday “ Bods “ SV/ks Oo welcome visits of my wife, son and daughter I can see so many fine friends. The flowers, the fruits, the candy and the books and cards — are there really so many peo- ple who wish me _ well? Maybe I have been doing some things right after all! Great celebrations on February 28 — I can take a shower! On March 3rd my doctor of internal medicine, who naturally is the best in B.C. by this time (he also has a keen sense of humour and an extravagant taste in bow ties) signed my release and home I came. Oh yes — our accident- prone son broke his leg and followed Dad into the hospital on February 24th. Surely there should be medals for wives and mothers. With spring already here, can fall be far behind? There’s a bargain in firewood going, thanks to Tom Payne and Glen Pedersen of ‘the West Van Fire Department. They're heading a group of some 25 firefighters who are spending their spare time cutting down and splitting trees donated by British Pacific Properties Ltd. A pickup load (about three-quarters of a cord) costs $60, with all the proceeds to the Burn Unit at Vancouver General Hospital. You can order by calling 922-9314. MERRY-GO-ROUND: Retiring this summer after centuries as publisher of the Journal of Commerce is popular Joe Whitehead .., Spotted for future modelling fame by top international model agent John Casa- blancas, who visited Van- couver recently, is Gordon Gibson's 15-year-old daughter Melissa Burgeoning Whistler now has its own home-grown millionaire in Robert Duncan Maxwell, who joined the club via a million- dollar win in the Provincial Lottery Congratulations to manager Pierre Barbey on finally opening up West Van's Salmon House for Saturday luncheons ... A get-well-soon card to Pip Gaard, wife of Dr. Michael G., after a round in Lions Gate Hospital ... And we're glad to see North Van Lions John Cromack and Paddy Langmaid back from the sick list. eee WRIGHT OR WRONG: Bc- ware of politicians who tell you they treat your moncy like their own. The treatment may not be ncarly good enough.