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Stikine teachers
refuse new offer

The teachers in the Stikine School District,
No. 87, have voted against the new offer made
by the Board of Trustees.

As a result of receiving additional money in
its 1983 Acceptable Operating Budget because
of a growth in student population, and a sizeable
grant from the Federal Government — a grant in
lieu of property tax, the Board was able to basic-
ally re-instate all the previous benefits taken out
in the original offer and to maintain tne 2.5%
lost by the 5 day closure decreed in Bill 89.

Since this new offer was refused, the Arbitra-
tion Board hearing to finalize the negotiations
for this District was held in Fort St John on
Dec. 13 and 14 and the Arbitration Board de-
cision will be received before Dec. 31, 1982.

Two Dease Lake
men killed

Carl Henry Motzer, aged 29, of Dease Lake,
B.C., was killed in a motor vehicle accident
which occurred around 34 Mile on Telegraph
Creek Road at approximately 6:30 p.m. on
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_ It appears the vehicle, driven by the victim,

went out of control on a curve and went off the

road. A passenger, Scotty Hawkins of Telegraph
Creek, received only minor lacerations. The
R.C.M.P. Detachment in Dease Lake stated al-
cohol was a factor in this accident.

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On December 12, 1982, approximately 4
miles south of Dease Lake, B.C. on Highway 37,
Ernest Holden, aged 30, of Dease Lake, was in-
juried when the snowmobile he was driving ran
into the back of a moving water truck. He suf-
fered severe head injuries and multiple fractures
and was taken to Cassiar Hospital. The next day
he was flown to Vancouver, where he died on
December 14.

He leaves to mourn his loss Donna Kellar
and son Jamie.

Yukon teachers
reach agreement

“An agreement on cost savings from teachers, of
$250,000,has been arrived at through joint consultation
with the Yukon Teachers’ Association and the Dept. of
Education’’, Bea Firth, Minister of Education, announc-
ed recently.

Yukon teachers will give up pay for three non-instruc-
tional days and will take these days off after consult-
ation with the individual school committees. In addition,
$38,000 will be returned to Y.T.G. from the Profession-
al Development Fund of the Yukon Teachers’ Associ-
ation. However, Y.T.A. have informed the Dept. of Educ-
ation that teachers will continue to pursue their own
professional development on evenings and weekends.

To arrive at the total savings of $250,000, teachers have
agreed to work up to a maximum of one half day with-
out pay.

“Decisions on cuts were arrived at in such a way to main-
tain the present 187 instructional days and allow schools
to continue with a high standard of program ’’, said the
Minister of Education, Bea Firth. :

“morning of December 7th. Approximately 200

Cassiar Courier

the Voice of Cassiar Country

JANUARY 1983

10 cents

Tramline accident shuts

down Cassiar

At approximately 6:45 a.m. on November 30,
1982, a wire rope connecting two of the cars on
the Cassiar tramline broke as the car passed
through the loading terminal at the minesite.

The tramline, which carries ore almost 3 miles
between the mine and millsite, a vertical distance
of some 2,500 feet, is comprised of 143 tram cars,
each capable of carrying 2 tons of asbestos ore.
The cars run on a series of steel track ropes,
which are suspended from towers along the length
of the tramline. When the haul rope broke, both
the loaded and empty cars ran back down the
tramline under the forces of gravity. One of the
cars in the unloaded section was derailed in the

mine

loading terminal and this prevented damage. How.

ever, the upper loaded cars did not start to derail
until they hit the second tower in line. Altogether
damage was sustained to about 10 support towers
although oniy 3 of these will actually require re-
placement.

A company spokesman said that the majority
of the tram cars were derailed during the incident,
but the number actually badly damaged was only
approximately 20.

Workers working in the mine were laid off on
November 30th, and those in the mill on the

people are presently working at the mine to main-
tain essential services, and do repair work on the
tramline. Repairs are presently scheduled to be

_ complete by the middle of January 1983.

Message from the President

J. O’Rourke, President and Chief Operating
Officer, Brinco Mining Limited

The past year has been an extremely difficult one
for the mining industry in Canada. Company pro-
fits have almost disappeared and been replaced
with substantial losses in many cases. This has
lead to closures, extended layoffs and curtailment
of capital and exploration programs. Brinco Min-
ing Ltd. has not escaped these tough times and
with slumping international markets for asbestos,
our Cassiar operations have been particularly af-
fected. In addition to the summer shutdown in
1982 we have had to plan a Christmas shutdown.
This has been necessary as a result of the excess
inventory and Vancouver Port closure.

The coming year does not look cheerful. In-
ternational demand for building products and asb-
estos has not rebounded and sales in third world
countries have not been able to fill the void left
by cutbacks from some of our customers in the
more industrialized countries. We have been in-
volved in a vigorous program this year, aimed at
developing new markets for our product. Even so,
we do not expect any improvement in sales for

View of the derailed tramline from No. 14 Tower,
looking north to the Loading Terminal
More tramline pictures on Page 14

1983, and will have to work hard to maintain our
existing markets.

This year has been a difficult one for Brinco
management. We are continuously seeking new
ways to improve productivity and cut costs so we
can minimize losses and maintain a healthy com-
pany. This requires belt-tightening on the part of
our employees as well, and we are indeed grateful
for the support and co-operation which we have
received from employees in all our operations.

Apart from the Cassiar Mine, we are continu-
ing to work towards improved production at our
San Antonio Gold Mine in Manitoba. However,
the mine is still suffering from start-up difficulties
and development costs are comparatively high.
Improvement in gold prices would be of consider-
able help to pull this project above a loss position.

We are now expecting a decision from the
Provincial government on the Quinsam Coal pro-
ject on Vancouver Island early in the new year.If
the decision is favorable, we shall be proceeding
with our applications for permits and licences,
marketing and feasibility programs. If all goes
well, we could present the project to the Board of
Directors for a production decision and possibly
proceed with construction on site by late 1983.
This project is being undertaken in partnership
with Weldwood of Canada Limited.

Exploration programs will continue during
1983 although at a reduced level. Special atten-
tion is being given to exploration in northern B.C.
and Newfoundland. ;

Again, I would like to thank all our employ-
ees at Cassiar for their support through these dif-
ficult times. It is our expectation that with the
measures we are taking, we can face a more pros-
perous future with the outlook beyond 1983
showing improvements for Brinco and the mining
industry in general.

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