U.S. SAYS CANADA COMPLYING WITH LUMBER PACT

  The Commerce Department said that
  all Canadian firms had begun to pay an agreed to 15 pct
  surcharge on softwood shipped to U.S. markets.
      It made the statement after talks with Canadian officials
  about press reports and speculation in Canada that some
  exporters were not paying the charge.
      Canada and the United States agreed last December to the 15
  pct charge, ending a lengthy trade dispute over alleged
  Canadian subsidies to Canada's softwood exporters.
      Commerce officials would not say if they found any Canadian
  companies had been evading the charge, but that following the
  talks they were convinced all exporters were complying with the
  agreement.
      Undersecretary of Commerce Bruce Smart said "We are
  gratified to learn that companies in Canada have begun paying
  the export charge on lumber."
      He added the agreement was important to the health of the
  U.S. lumber industry and he intended to see that it was fully
  carried out.
  

