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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1976, PAGE 5 uns .éf9 HAMILTON - Recently I drove to Hamilton to attend • the trial of Leslie Lethbridge, 26, and Grace Elizabeth Grier, 27, both charged by Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Police in possession of a radio receiver capable of monitor- ing police calls. They were also charged for breakirig the Protection of Privacy Act, as the pair were caught listening in on a call between two members of the HWR police. As some of you may know, the presiding judge, Joseph Scime, ruled that a conversation between a police constable and a radio dispatcher could not be considered a private conversation under the Privacy Act which was passed 16 days before the both parties had engaged in monitoring police calls. Naturally, Crown Attorney Anton Zuraw was not happy about the outcome of the tried and said afterwards that the case should be considered for an appeal. To reporters outside the courthouse, Mr. Zuraw explained: "I'm a bit puzzled the way things stand now. For instance, police radio broadcasts are private communi- cations in Montreal, and Regina, but are public in Ontario. That is silly". It is no secret that, particularly, newsmen constantly monitor police calls. The Toronto Sun has. set up a make-shift monitoring "station" right in the newsroom, using Cop-Scans. Despite a wall of secrecy about the new Metro Police radio frequencies, the Spn was able to "decode" the 16-channel system in a 1ouple of weeks. The Hamilton Spectator also quite openly monitor all police calls, day and night, for news gathering purposes. Generally speaking, police calls are as "secret" as megaphone messages at a political rally. What l'm trying to say is that airwaves belong to everyone-not just to police. I see no real harm in people tuning in to police calls. On the whole, police communications bore me to death. Generally, they talk about very routine matters: minor traffic mishaps, weather conditions, road conditions, traffic violators, drunks, domestics, lunies, etc. Only occassionally something interesting will come up like big explosions, shoot-outs, murders or bank robberies'. These are, of course, items that interest newsmen. But, many police officers don't share this opinion. They lump newsmen together with hard-core criminals. As tlhey (police) should know by now, criminals monitor police calls for entirely different reasons. These reasons are very obvious- to commit crime or to depart from the scene of a crime with the aid of police communications. Just for those very few who take advantage of the system, there is no guarantee that newer and better commnunication methods will stop all criminals from trying to infiltrate into police radio network. I know electronics experts who can decode any given radio message in a few seconds, using some.of the sophisticated radio equipment. Most of this gadgetry cornes from the United States. In conversation with some RCMP officers I have learned that even their own highly secret code numbers are constantly decoded by Russian electronics experts. And, their air and ground freque.ncies can be monitored by people who possess the knowledge and technical know-how. Ail in aIl, it is getting liarder and harder to keep a secret. Today's secret most likely will end up as' tomorrow's public knowledge. And, speaking of police broadcasts, I beg to differ on one more point: I disagree with the contention made by some manufacturers that police chit-chat on the air is a form of entertainment. I sure would rather spend an evening at O'Keefe Centre watching ballet or listening to a concert at Massey Hall. Police chatter is no entertainment tome. As one newsrman put it: "This business of secret and unauthorized monitoring of police calls is nothing but a tempest in a teapot. And, police know that". Food affects learning, parents told A large number of children with learning disabilities can be helped considerably by diet or vitamins alone, Mrs. Jean Baker, president of the Oshawa-Whitby Chapter of the Association for Children With Learning Disabilities, told a recent meeting of the Sinclair Home and School Association. Many children suffer ill effects from food additives and highly refined food pro- ducts, said Mrs. Baker. Up to 30 per cent of the student population may be suffering from some degree of learning disability, she said, with the Historical slide show Feb. 24 A slide show of early photographs of Whitby and Brooklin will be the featured attraction at the regular meet- ing of the Whitby Historical Society at Fairview Lodge Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. Anyone interested in seeing what Whitby looked like 50 to 100 years ago is invited to attend. causes ranging from hyper- activity to alergies, visual or auditory defects. A signal that a student may be haviing such a problem is a report card stating "could do much better if only he'd try", she said. Anyone who missed the meeting and is interested in the subject may call Mrs. Library gets biography A new service on historical material relating to the town of Whitby has been initiated at the Whitby Public Library. Last week the library obtained through the assis- tance of the Whitby Historical Society archives, copies of biographies of people who contributed to the develop- Ontario Governmnent Tender TENDER GENERAL CONTRACTORS Supply and install drywall partition enclosure in Laundry Building at the Ontario Hospital, Wliitby Ontario. TENDER No. 31C-476 Individual sealed tenders will be received until 2:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME, MARCH 3, 1976. Tender Documents may be obtained from the Ontario Ministry of Government Ser- vices, Lindsay Regional Office, 322 Kent Street, West, P.O. Box 7000, Lindsay, Ontario. NOTE: For further infor- mation regarding this tender, please cali Mrs. E.M. Neale at the above address. Telephone: (705) 324-9188 The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Ministry of Govemment Services Ontario AUDITIONS For the Whitby Theatre Company's Annual Spring Review Whitby Centennial Building Theatre 416 Centre St. S. Sunday, Feb. 22nd 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24th 7:30 p.m. Actors, Singers, Dancers, Instrumentalists, or other Acts. Performers must come with prepared material. Accompanist will be present. FIRS T TIME E VER!! 30% OFF ALL MERCHANDISE IN THE STORE Three days only - Thursday, Friday & Saturday JACKSON ofENGLAND BOND TOWERS MALL DOWNTOWN OSHAWA 44 BOND ST. W. 576-1066 ment of Whitby. The biography collection includes obituaries and bio- graphical sketches of person- alities, ranging from the early pioneers to recent contribu- tors to the community. The biographies, particular- ly of Whitby's founder Peter Perry, have been in great I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I j Baker at 668-2279. The Sinclair Home and School Association is planning for its next, meeting an annual euchre party March 12 at 8 p.m. at the school. collection demand by students in recent months, says Librarian, Mrs. Anne Hope-Brown. The collection, besides including biographies of people who contributed to Whitby's development, has the stories of people who were born or raised in Whitby and went on to fame elsewhere. I HIS & HER'S HALRSTYLING! with this coupon FREEshampoo& style: with every haircut Mon-Thurs Business Hours: Monday- Wednesday 9-6 p.m. Thursday & Friday 9-9pm p.m. Saturday 9-6 p.m. TONY'S HAIRSTYLING Blair Park Plaza 668 - 5441 Ion... MAKE YOUR HOME MORE LIVABLE WIH A Remodel your kitchen or bathroom call or visit our showroom t" free estimate MITCHELL BROTHERS Building Supplies Ltd. Brooklin. 655-4991 I a