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.