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YOU WIN With Quality Brand Name Furnishings All At Wholesale Prices Ch 1197634477 LIGHTING St Mon Chamber gives finance minister another chance Federal Finance Minister Michael Wilson will get another chance to redeem himself with the Hills Chamber of Com merce Chamber President Dave Page confirmed Friday he will present Mr Wilson with a replacement cheque during the Debt Freedom Conference in Ottawa March for the one that was issued by the Chamber to the government last summer but went uncashed The cheque represented money raised by the Chamber through ticket and beverage sales resulting from its Deficit Reduction Barbecue held last May at Gordon Arena DAVID PAGE The cheque was given to HaltonPeel MP Garth Turner last summer and he in tum hand ed it over to Mr Wilson last Oc tober but it was never cashed and was declared stale dated in December Through Mr Turner the Finance Minister apologized for the mishap and attributed it to the cheque being misplaced by one of his staff members Mr Turner told several members of the local business community at a budget breakfast in Georgetown March 1 Mr Wilson had promised to make the Chambers new cheque the first ever deposited into the govern ments new Debt Servicing and Reduction Fund As to when the deposit would actually take place Mr Turner said within the next couple of weeks The fund is in the pro cess of being set up and as soon as it is the cheque will be deposited he said To ensure there are no mistakes this time Mr Turner said he hopes Mr Page will ask the Finance Minister when exact ly the cheque will be deposited Aside from the another billion expected to be raised from the Goods and Services Tax will be deposited into the same account said Mr Turner The Debt Freedom Conference is an allday event in which an fir- ray of people including leal regional and national leaders university students politicians and business people will listen to speakers and discuss ways governments at all levels can live within their means without resor ting to continuous tax increases according to a press release issued by Mr Turner The conferences proceedings will also see the unveiling of a 10 foot by foot Debt Clock which will record the countrys debt load by the minute Ac cording to the press release Canadas debt inreases by 53000 minute Speakers headlining the event Tony dAquino Business on National Issues Pro fessor John Crispo University of Toronto Laurent Thibault Cana dian Manufacturers Association George Ontario Tax payers Coalition Tim President Canadian Chamber of Commerce Sally Pipes Institute and Finance Minister Wilson An Inside Look Police Beat P2 Opinion P11 Community Harions Forum P2 Htslory P13 Political Forum P3 Ball naiad Council Briefs P4 News P15 Legion Linos P6 Money Arts Ideas Matters P17 Community Service News Entertainment Editorial Sports Peoples Classified Forum P1011 Aggregates wins top award Aggregates Milton operation which borders Halton Hills is the recipient of an international award of excellence in community relations according to a companyissued press release The company was picked over several other Canadian and American aggregate companies said Milton quarry General Manager Brian Harrington We the Milton operation are delighted thai we have won the award but our greatest reward is the relationship we have with our neighbors said Mr Harrington The award was presented during the recent annual National Stone Association Conference in San Francisco Our company philosophy recognizes the importance of being a responsible corporate citizen Our operations translate hat philosophy into a reality by making sure that we keep our doors open to our neighbors We play an active part in the community We listen to the concerns of our neighbors and we act on them said Mr Harr ington Happy Birthday Father This custommade birthday card depicting Father Dave Cote pastor Holy Cross Parish drew a lot or laughs from the Christian Fellowship Lunch Bunch who threw a party in honor of Father Cotes birthday Exactly people turned up for the occasion including church member Pat Green left and wellwishers from Oakville Owen Sound Wisconsin USA and at the Hotel last Thursday Herald photo by Youths crime spree ends By LISA The Herald Regional Police ar rested two young offenders and laid a total of criminal charges in connection with numerous business breakins and the theft of at least six vehicles from Halton during a lumonth crime spree beginning in May When police made the arrests March 5 they recovered approx imately 105000 worth of stolen property including computers and computer software stereo equipment tires and wheels ex pensive bicycles auto stereos and speakers cassette players cellular telephones and skis A se cond search conducted in Milton resulted in the recovery of a 17- foot ski boat valued at 18000 which had been stolen in Oakville May 1 Although most of the recovered items were stolen from Milton and businesses the youths are also believed responsi ble for stealing a 1988 Honda from Georgetown Honda Nov 21 The car was later found totally burnt out in Milton Detective Constables Ian McNally and Clive Hubbard who investigated the case say the assistance of the Georgetown Honda owner helped them great ly in linking this theft and damage to other car thefts There was also one stereo com ponent set with Pioneer speakers and tuner stolen in Hills Detective Constable Hubbard said the equipment was taken from a Volvo car but police dont know who the equipment belongs to Theyre asking anyone who thinks the property is theirs to call the Regional Police criminal investigations bureau at 8785511 ext416 Police credit two anonymous tipsters who gave information to Crime Stoppers for leading police to the persons responsible for the thefts and destruction Most of the cars stolen were later found burnt One stolen van was set on fire and sent through the glass doors of the Milton Mall Oct causing damage For this act the young of fenders were charged with Mischief Endangering Life This charge was laid against them twice more in connection with a stolen vehicle was that was left on train tracks near Milton while a train was coming the train didnt derail an with an incident on Main Street Milton when a burning stolen car was left to roll down Main Street Other charges laid against the young offenders include break enter and theft theft under mischief to property over theft over 1000 posses sion of stolen property uttering a forged document unauthorized use of a credit card and posses sion of a prohibited weapon a switchblade knife Also charged in this case is a 23yearold Milton man A search of his home resulted in the recovery of approximately worth of stolen property in cluding stereo equipment tires wheels and an expensive bicycle Hes been charged with one count of possession of stolen property Police are continuing their in vestigation into the Incident and think at least 50475000 worth of stolen property has yet to be recovered Police indicate more charges will likely be laid against the two young offenders as they uncover more information Smith and Stone plant laying off employees Georgetown electrical device manufacturer Smith and Stone on Glen Road announced Friday it will close its porcelain operations by May putting 38 people out of work The porcelain division of the company manufacturers com ponents for light fixtures and telephone poles Company General manager Gardiner attributed the closure to the high cost of manufacturing the products and the competitive market The operations have been unprofitable for several years he added One of the prime reasons for the closure is that Smith and Stones American competitors are able to sell their products on the Canadian market at a lower price Asked if the CanadaUnited States Free Trade Agreement allowed American companies to sell their products at a lower price Mr Gardiner was uncom- mittal One of the causes may or may not have been free trade he said The shutdown still leaves people employed at Smith and Stone said Mr Gardiner They are working in the companys wire devices operation which Mr Gardiner said remains stable in sales and production in spite of the downturn in construc tion Mr Gardiner wouldnt explain why the wire devices component of the company was doing better than that of the porcelain divi sion except to say there are a host of reasons