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q the acton ft prata wedneeday february 2o 1969 sttt prtss editorial pagei the ecchcftuc implication prior to the introduction of regional government in any area studies ihoum be undertaken lo provide the elector with information on the current coat of providing public services tfieie studies should alio indicate the savings that might be effected by the tnntfor of responsibility to a regional government and the addition cost that might result from any improvement or expansiot of aervkef withli ipeclfic areas of the region that it one of the key recommendations from a recent report of the ontario economic- council on government reform in ontario very limply stated it suggest we should be advised of whether regional government will cost more or lets than our present form of government it is these economic implications of regional government that concern us in this last of three editorials dealing with the minister or municipal affairs proposals for regional government in peel and llatlon counties the marriage of peel and llalton counties would necessitate a wedding of the financial resources and liabilities since everyone looks at regional government through a selfish pair of spectacles people in the two counties want to know if they will win or lose in the process a quick and simple comparison of the financial implications of peel and haltons marriage is not possible because this area of economics seem devoid of common denominators to arrive at some guide for comparison however we gathered figures from the county treasurers of each county and other statistical references there may be more telling comparatives but for simplicity these seemed adequate assessment is a difficult base to use for comparisons and can be quite misleading the two counties are ot on the same value base peel county where the assessment commissioner system has been adopted is partly on the marketvalue assessment while some areas will be from a third to a half of market value there are two telling comparisons that indicate to us some significant financial disadvantages in the marriage for llalton the per capita expenditure in peel is some 32 higher than in llalton and the per capita debenture debt is over j200 higher hilton some time ago adopted a partial payasyougo program which taw it financing many of its large projects from current revenue rather than adding debenture debt that would doable the net cost of the project even though spreading it over a number of years in the plunkett report which- quotes 1964 figures the county of llalton paid 228 per cent of its total budget on debt charges but it also paid 20 per cent of its budget toward capital expenditures that might luve been debentured peel county paid 317 per cent for debt charges and nothing from current for capital projects if the two counties are to be forced to pool their resources and liabilities there must be some protection for llalton ratepayers whose legislators have been trying to keep indebtedness down by meeting the needs of expansion from current revenuewe can find no reference in the ministers statement that offers such protection just as there are financial implications between the two counties there arc similjr problems between the municipalities within the counties a marriage for instance between georgetown jnd acton will have inequities acton has maintained an enviable residentialindustrial assessment relationship on the otner hand georgetown has seen residential construction spiral and will be forced to meet the chming costs of urban tieeds how this kind of problem will be resolved requires keener economic minds than ours the other significant economic aspect of regional government is the dimension of bureaucracy thai will be required to operate it how large a civil service how many high priced administrators and what organizational structure will be necessary the ministers statement offers no insight on this phase of the marriage and the possibility of a hydraheaded monster being created should not be overlooked we would like to sec the elector provided as the ontario economic council suggests with understandable indications of how much the package will cost and how it compares with what we now have llalton county alifjil and a long hard look back to the days before we had a 5 per cent sjlcs tux on top of an ii per cent sjles tax it might be refreshing for a change to be able to announce a tax reduction the georgetown herald peel county toll expenditure in l8 f 137700000 debentures outstanding excluding schools j 1026614000 assessment a equalized in l8 s37is2s00 population reported in 1967 ih8566 per capita assessment i i 00 per capita expenditures 1 70 00 per capita debenture debt s 54443 from the canadian champion millon onl farther tiieto like a voice in the wilderness we mention frequently in our editorials about government spending deficit budgeting and the seeming inability of our senior governments tfi use even the simplest rules of business in conducting our public affairs last week premier robarts sounded off in a speech that ontario must be given a larger share of tax money collected by ottawa or he will be forced to levy more taxes himself he didnt explain where ottawa was going to get the money wouldnt it be better for mr robarts to take a look at what some of his ambitious young cabinet ministers are doing with our tax moneyeducation minister bill davis for one who must take the blame for todays astronomical education costs while mr robarts expresses concern about deficits out of one comer of his mouth out of the other he talks about bilingual high schools he allowed a ridiculous system of tax rebates to property owners and tenants which cost extra thousands to set up departments to deal with complaints he set up pay scales for elected officials of municipalities and school boards which are completely absurd isnt it time our provincial government took a long hard look s 235730500 s 5392071 00 365169374 00 160256 s 227900 147 00 336 46 long shadows in the swamp sugar and spice sr bill smiley my mind is s scumbled right now out ill be luck if i tjn wnlc three understandable sentences ive been trying lo expljin to my daughter in an hour or to such things at marxism and communism why the russian and chinese types arc different where i idel castro fits in why where and when the nation of israel was created and why the jews notabty nonbelligerent for about is centuries luve a chip the size of a brick on their shoulders their days from there we wandered to mahatma ghandi the congo nationalism in africa separatism in canada the black power triovement in the states growing antisemitism among negroes and her biology test on the dissection of rats which takes place tomorrow morning golly it would be nice to have once again a little girl who asked such simple questions as dad does god have to go to the bathroom it all began with a discussion of the student militants at universities she is appalled at the violence of the hard core of pacifists who lurking in the forefront of all the young idealists and the middleaged liberals deliberately resort to violence in their efforts to catch headlines be martyrs and destroy an idea which has taken almost 1000 years to build the university thankfully we agreed that violence begets violence and that neither of us wants any part of the whole stupid business admittedly the universities arc sitting ducks over the years they have grown as sleepy and tat and insolent as an old tomcat who has been fixed they have almost taken pride in their administrative inclficicmy their moribund traditions their cosiness with the tstabhshmcut write a letter to a university three weeks later you will receive a reply cither a torm letter or something completely alien to what you asked and admittedlv students universally have alway been among the vanguard ot rebels against the system political or social thats because they are idealistic want action and are inclined to see things in blacks and whiles or today blacks and reds but the fact remains that the universities over the years have become the only trulyt free centres albeit limit of sound criticism of society and its ills in addition to their normal function of teaching people to think andor learn a professional skill and another fact remains the universities on the whole under pressure from within and without have made a tremendous effort to rouse themselves from their stately torpor and scramble into the twentieth century iven though it twothirds over in the process they have leaned over backwards to free themselves of the rigid puritan traditions of even 20 years ago when i was there living in mens residence we were allowed to bring girls into the place once a year on a sunday afternoon for a heavily chaperoned cocoa and cookie party in the common room now wow im not advocating a return to those days when university men and women were treated like bright juveniles who were basically tcx- fiends and alcoholics but i am dismayed to tee these oncegrcat institutions cowering and cringing under the attacks of malcontented marxist wolfcubs who represent a fraction of student opinion as mordecai richler pointed out recently the real yuk of the whole affair is that while the student activists endorse anything up to the burning of buildings they are scared stiff lest they get a police record which would be a serious detriment when they try to get a job in the system they are trying to destroy the solution kick out the hardnosed boys and girls for whom democracy is a slum anyway sock it to them with the taw when they disturb the peace or commit vandalism and get back to the business of educating or teaching lo think the vast majority who want those things so now im a fascist and a tool of the imperialistic press i knew it at heart pkctca frw the pajt ball team that played for guelph had acton members but theyre not identified in this old picture does anyone recognize a relative the acton free press pmotf 8535010 business end editorial ohlce tt jysygvis rjij wuhtii n niirf ewy fifiaw i s teukm it acim oavuri taswhpf af iw 414 esommi of clkituum hat cwlu taal otfcnay uttlui luah k liaslilll itejamj iwu fwutf w u levm te c iat u all fuumiwt olikm ism omklatvl tetuaw baaktri mf ulkonmd u fevoeke cassu tautl tau offkm deturllewetl oauuav itsaasrtieiaj u cfflw m ilk cuewiuuet uui m w lhejrllfit iw ikm ihwtem of iw emhttlaj at cud lm lie ilttmmtim uaa losylfci1 with natuhublt luateatactr lev ugauawm tarill ml kit clkavamd r ikul iw eulmkat iw ttt utu w huj to hi ttir fcaejriil taaw it ami of uaeatavewaucaj m btfafat or tmbm kkiejawj bark waaaat em mum ma ml w mia ij illllbij u hawwiv m hw bull ud w w tailumewa l mjf tiatf bu k dub fill hi hi rtw fell sttw 20 years ago 75 years ago taken from the lux of the free preu thundaymach 3 1949 bom hurst at guelph genera hospital on tuesday uaich 1 to mr and m n hunt a um bom alia at guelph general hoapui on friday february 18 la mr and ui grant auaitaton last thunday buy giter and tbvnj arbic found licnu uoun from the home of a dtlu and the ear keys of albert loutlli taken jhe lame evening throwrt under treble of the mili y bikl a reward hat been uoued- for any information leading to the airetl of the criminal or criminals the utile teaton begin ytileiday end eatler li but il weeks dlittnt lvenjbe fiilt day oftpilng li but 17 days ahead britiih weekli belnf okierwd this week at the homv theatre wheie all british picluiee are being tliown holla chapters of the i ode tpoke on ihtli work for the empire st altons choir presented a three act musical comendy the mlniiters aunt to a capacity audience in the town hall last friday mr charles culti was nuuer of ceremonies players included us duby alice duby bill denny caioline oakes vic brlstow mrs frank oikei fed foolill marjotie fountain lila kinney dialogue was in charge of esther taylor taken from the issue of the free press thunday march 11894 acton tanning col works were cloeed down couple of days while new machinery was put in delegates were billeted in the borne of mulons best dlueiu attending from acton were keylue rev vdtt mr tod mrs h p moore mrs c s smith uls su mcum mrs i fraiwla mo a stepheton mrs d henderson mrs wfljje brown mrs w wiuiami mltsee madge matthews lottie speight lottie henttlrtet messrs 111 ilenucnort u i gurney and rev cook from balllnarad f s near john mclean cowan shoitill miu shottu from fiquetliig wm hampshire j ii douglas m douglas james mcdonald a naisagaweya farmer died of hit injuries after being struck by a train al the crewion corners crossing surgical skill was speedily obtained but lo no avail tlie nelahbors took turns watching at his bedside and endeavoured to aid in hit diilrest an inquest was held willi ihote on ihe jury jno cripps jas stepheton wm anderson nicholas forbet w m cripps robt allan wm bennett john crewson james clark alex mcintosh w moore howard moore james moore sr and james moore jr 50 years ago 100 years ago taken from ihe issue of the free press thursday march 6 ijio r roll the high school honor roll duff wilson jessie mowat elsie stewart annie syder lueni campbell cilia untz bessie woodhall nell glbbens violet smith stella mcum john waldle lloyd kenney george anderson ray agnew willie rhs harold kenney willie stewart james tolnun max bell lubel elliott edna johnston hazel mcdonald ethel staikman frances llunl martha orr willie robertson ida deiwlck sabra nelson violet davis maigarel mcnabb alice james mary glbbeni george taylor helen anderson jessie mann lubel mcniven mary clarrldge lack robertson pearl wallace harold wantbrough elsie uppin jessie ruuell j c lindsay charlie mann charlie anderson charlie symon willie kaley isobell welkins may wlldgust george cook arrived home and frederick st neighbors had ihe street decorated with flags bunting and mottoes county council paued ihe antidaylight tfiavlngresohrtiolleta taken from hie iuue of tlie canadian champion milton feb 2s ikrv on ihe morning of wednesday ihe toils imt at half pjil five oclock the large frame houte owned and occupied by mr james r switzer of norval was destroyed by fire it is supposed that lie fire originated in some ashes which were kept in a barrel in the sited the alarm was given at once hul by ihe time aiiiilance arrived the llames had nude their progress so much that it was found impossible to subdue litem the furniture was partially saved but as is usually the case was badly injured while belg removed we regret to add that lite greater part of mr swilzera bedding and wearing apparel was destroyed by the flames there was no insurance on either house or furniture we are sure mr switzer has the sympathy of the entire community at his loss it a heavy one the houte being one of the finest in the townihip of eiquesing we understand that the inhabitant of norval and vicinity have kindly offered to rebuild the house but mr switzer declines to accept hilt generoui offer salt and pepper bv hartlsy cola for those of you who were kind enough 10 enquire about ihe wlteteaboult of this column last week id like to mention thai 11 was stilt in the old cranium and rather reluctant to spin ittelf out on paper we were milting around here trying to catch up with ihe work and get some of the fallowing weeks done alio to we could nuke a trip to ottawa last thursday for the ontario weekly newspapers convention made it out the first casualty of the effort was last weeks pillar of wisdom second effect was a lassitude which hasnt been replaced by the usual sporadic bursts of energy yet one of the highlights of die ottawa trip was a visit to ihe house of commons for the question and onswer period this is the majesty the queen and prince charles following his investiture as prince of wales would be visiting canada this fall and did the prime minister invite them mr trudeau executed a little shrug and admitted he had not discussed the idea with her majesty then said mr dlefenbaker would the prime minister give consideration lo inviting the queen of canada and the prospective king of canada at the earliest possible date following ihe investiture you can see where mr diefenbakeri question was loaded he had phrased it neatly to embarrass the government if mr trudeau answered too readily and with disdain he could easily antagonize the royalist cause in hit own party if he agreed too readily with the suggestion the french session where the oppoutiau usually mjumiglilthlnkuiewai kowtowing to throws hie halls the government side of english royalty the house fields sometimet lashing back with a clothes line double or a foul tip on this particular friday morning there was a galaxy ol stars in the commons none other than die prime minister ihe rt hon pierre elliott trudeau was the star of ihe government side assisted by cabinet ministers edgar benson and mitchell sharp baiting for the opposition were the leader of the opposition robert stanfield john diefenbaker george lleet tommy douglas and stanley knowlet it started out casually enough the prime minister a picture of sartorial nonchalance tan trousers and coordinated tporti coat stood up to announce that he would visit u s president richard nixon march 24 and 25 this announcement created a ttampede for the exits from the preu gallery like a scene from the flickers where the comely gill on jriaj for her life hai juil been freed by an unsympathetic jury likely the preu corps was merely running for the telephones to get the newt into the afternoon editions but it injected a little touch of drama into the proceedings after questions on the visit were exhausted the hon john diefenbaker stood on his feet the house hushed as the strong tremolo of mr diefenbaker i probing question was absorbed by an attentive audience mr diefenbaker as rigid and primly dressed as the prime minuter had been casual and nonchalant asked if there was any foundation to the suggestion that her it looked like the speaker of the house might rescue mr trudeau when he recognized ihe lion member from broadview as die next speaker but mr diefenbaker persisted mr speaker he thundered ihe prime minister wat ready lo answer he is always willing to answer i wonder why some other member was called it was a perfectly proper question to ask even today in canada the last was said somewhat urdomcally spectators in the galleries awaited mr trudeaut retort expectantly the house was silent mr trudeau stood one hand on his desk the other gesturing slightly he answered in a measured tone slightly add the question is would i give consideration and the answer is i would i had the pleasure of meeting the prince in london i mutt uy that he struck me as being a very likeable remarkable young man and very mature and pleasant for his age the answer brought down the house the mjvt thumped their desks the galleries cheered neither aides of the royal fence could interpret the answer as offending them mr diefenbaker sat a alight grin on his face he recognized the astute answer too i l democracy at work ii turns out can be a heck of a lot of tun with sharp wit from both sloes of the house