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Special events to make Christmas brighter The Acton Centennial Com mission is going ahead with several projects to brighten up the festive season in Acton beginning with the appearance of the Tree House TV show at the Robert Utile school auditorium Saturday afternoon Next Tuesday and Wednesday Ninety Eighth Year No 24 evenings the Acton School of Dance will stage their annual carol festival In the streets of town assisted by the Firefighters and the Royal Canadian Legion Chorallers The girls will be knocking on doors for centennial donations Sunday night Acton Citizens Band Is presenting their annual Christmas treat at the high school auditorium They will be assisted by the Canadian Legion in a program with a them- Music for all Tastes The band will also be presenting their annual street Christmas concert next week as well The appearance of the Tree House at the school Saturday will be the Centennial Commission Christmas girt to Acton and area children Prizes are being offered for the best decoration made by a boy and girl and Kim Campbell and the Klnettes baton twlrlers and marching group will also be appearing on the program the annual carol festival presented by Joyce Carpenters Acton School of Dance singers will cover the west side of town as far as the CN tracks Tuesday evening and do the remainder Wednesday evening ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 1972 Twenty Cents Acton man found guilty of arson Gordon Franklin Adamson of Acton was convicted in provincial court Monday of arson In connection with a September 22 fire at the home of Mrs Ann 8 Frederick St He was remanded custody until December IS for sentencing At that time he will also face a charge of attempted arson at the home of Jack Pope 179 Poplar Ave as well as auto theft and dangerous driving charges laid following previous offences The Mowat house received an estimated fire damage to the front porch and pillars There was no fire at the Pope residence although police found a five gallon can threequarters full of gas and noted a gasoline smell an parts of the exterior of the house Adamson elected trial by magistrate without jury and first leaded not guilty However later changed his plea to on the advice of his lawyer when Judge William refused to uphold a claim by the accused lawyer that a statement signed by Adamson confessing to the crime should not be allowed as evidence Judge ruled the statement had been given to Acton 0 P Constable Hoy Wood voluntarily In the statement sold ho been at home drinking earlier In the evening then went for a walk and found a gas can near the railway racks He said he look a hose and siphoned gas from a truck parked at the rear of a Church St apartment He then went to the Pope residence and threw gasoline on the doorsteps A dog Began barking so he ran away and hid but retrieved the gas con when he saw police had arrived He ran to the Mowat house on Frederick St about IW miles away and lit the front porch on fire returned home by the railway tracks and threw the can away Adamson said In the statement his intent was to bum the house down He said he did not know there were people sleeping In them at the time No permit in township At the December meeting Erin Township Council was surprised to learn the town of Acton built a pumping station in Erin Township without first obtaining a building permit Kleenway awarded contract Acton Council awarded the similar nature with excellent lengthy and brisk discussion Most councillors were unaware tender for extension of the towns results and are of the opinion the was precipitated by Councillor the Fourth Line building existed system to houses company is capable of sue- Marks suggestion that It would until It was brought to their along Highway South to completing the project I business practice to get attention that week Kleenway Construction at cost as required Rock excavation money from the company The company made the will be done by A McDonald of before the tffm committed Acton clerkadministrator J low bid for the work Creek a company Itself to the project financially Hurst said a permit was probably Hit public works committee specializing in the work Councillor Coats agreed overlooked because the town had recommended the town accept Other bids for the Job which Is suggesting the town should treat received permission from the the bid because from be done to service houses with all companies alike wondering township to go ahead with the both the towns and our own whether the same principles installation of the water line but experience we know the low been by ef apply to a new company was checking with the engineer bidder has done many Jobs of a fluent came from locating in town vs Construction Co US Clviero Most construction HO no way the company would all to i Construction Cornell honor agreement All cards Schools closed a roads too icy said stacked for Councillor Earl Mosaics It Is airtight the reeve remarked But there are legal loopholes here insisted Marks The clerk said that the and Lloyd and Construction The cost of the extension is being paid by which is under a Government order to provide water for the homes All North schools north and sanded starting Tuesday south of Acton The Department contracts were tighter than the of No highway were closed night at midnight of the Environment wells in these subdivision agreements and today Wednesday due to road Alton OPP report no accidents homes were tainted by effluent was little likelihood of Uons Tuesday freezing despite thi weather from the company on Pew 3 country roads covered with ice and water and considered for school buses Otte Many town children headed off for school unaware of the cancellation Crossing guards on duty early had had no word of the school closing and shepherded youngsters across the road twice In quick suc cession they were sent home again Local children who attend General Brock school and the Christian school in also stayed home due to driving conditions for the buses Work all Town workmen cleared roads Wardens race underway Mr and Mrs Pope were both at home Mrs Mowat was In bed and her John had arrived home only moments before the Are was started Recalls events Ilecalllng the events of the early hours of September 22 Con Wood testified he first responded to a call to the Pope residence about 1 a m There he said he found the gas can threequarters full and noted gas all over the front door and screen door He spoke to Mr Pope for a few minutes then went outside to discover the can was missing He said there was gas on the side door and three windows of the house At 1 Wood said he heard the fire siren go and while on his way back to the police office he ob served the residence on fire He said the balcony pillars door and a couple of chairs on the porch were burning Wood testified he first saw John attempting to extinguish theilrewithagardenhose Acton Firefighters arrived and put it out completely Wood said he noted a pool of gas on the grass in front of the house and detected a strong gasoline odor Returning to the Pope residence the investigating officer said he searched grounds at the rear of the house and found a pair of mens black leather gloves and a gas can cap Inspector arrives AH 15 pm the same day Wood said he went to 114 fid along with Con Paul Brown of the Acton detachment and Inspector Terry Murray of the Ontario Fire Marshals Office There Wood said he asked some questions and invited him down to the police office At the office Adamson was questioned further by Wood and Inspector Murray Wood testified he could smell gas on fingers at the time but said the accused hod not been drinking in crossexamination said he had mentioned nothing to about getting help for himself nor suggested a Jail term before the accused gave the In early January the new warden for county council will be to lead Halton in 1973 borne observers feel the warden could be the last or the second to the last before regional government is invoked here At least five members of the 1973 county council have expressed interest in the seat In one way or another Georgetown Reeve file Morrow and Reeve Mrs A MacArthur have sold they would seek the 000 a year post Second try It marks Mrs MacArthur second attempt at the post If elected it will mark the second time Halton has been led by a women Mary won the seat In 1949 and became the first woman in Ontario to hold the position of Warden She represented Nelson Township at that tune and later sat on Milton Council Other names reportedly interested In the seat this year are Reeve Tom Hill Reeve Allan and Burlington Deputy Reeve Dave Coons said he d take the position if it was offered to him FORBES COLE left and Tiger Iho scout hall Sixteen new Cubs were Don Franklin present neckerchiefs and wlcomed into the pack by leaders while badges to Cubs invested into the 1st Acton parents witnessed the ceremonies Pack in special ceremonies Monday night at Coles Photo Invest 16 Cubs Monday Forbes Cole officially invested 1G new Cubs into the 1st Acton Pack at special ceremon Monday night at the scout house boys were presented with neckerchiefs badges and Acton flashes to sew on uniforms by Akcla and Tiger Don Franklin while approximately 20 parents and brothers and sisters of new cubs watched Baloo Karen Cole and King Louis Jim Parker assisted in the ceremonies New Sixers and Seconds were also inducted The new Cubs are David Allen Mark Dawk Ins Jack Garten Robbie Grant Jan Steve Matheson Keith McQuade Kevin Kevin Mlddlebrook Rick Pap lion John Tocbcs Bruce Wilson Rod Brian and Stephen Cameron Robert Johnson was unable to attend and Seconds inducted were Clay Cameron Marshall Bell Steven Muckle Dale Anderson Trevor Hoy and Why Tin ceremonies were performed In front of Ihe Pack Mascot Totem a stuffed wolf Inspector Murray supported Wood testimony and confirmed there had been no discussion about a lad term Later Wood testified Adamson pointed out the Pope residence and the Mowat residence as the places he had been and also dentil the black gloves as his own Directs police Adamson later directed police to a location about yards east of Hillcrcst Ave where they found the gas can Wood said The accused was taken to the county jail and his family advised of the move Wood testified neither Mr Pope nor Mr Mowat were acquainted with the accused In his summation Crown Attorney James Treleaven said Mr Mowat aroused his mother from bed when he saw the smoke and flames He said Acton fire chief Mick Holmes also detected a gasoline odor at the Mowat residence Judge Sharpe has asked for a presentence report before sentence time pjn December 15 Deadlines for Dec issue Acton Free Press Deadlines for news and ad vertising for the Wednesday December 27 issue of the Acton Free Press will be noon on Saturday Dec 23 The business office ad department and news office will remain closed from noon Saturday Dec re opening Wednesday Dec at HIGH teachers Sandra Fleming an and Sul Burns joke with each before making their stage debuts Friday Photo by Gibbons hi r Mrs Fleming played the part of i of the evening while Mr Skerrett and Mrs Burns played the parts of husband and night in Bernard and Other Losers a play Theatre arts teacher Jeff Sansom in which students and teachers combined directed the performance Councillor Greer contends Acton has ample parking Councillor Jack Greer has little patience with those who complain about Lack of parking spaces In Acton business section Mr Greer measurements indicate there is parking for five cars for every store In town which does not provide parking space now All of this parking is within a five minute walk of the Bank of Montreal which is situated in the core of the Acton business pointed this out to the Development Commission he told council when the subject of parking came up last week Councillor Greer said he did a survey at the request of the merchants and he had no axes to grind either for or against increased parking spaces He felt many people refused to walk any distances to shop In Acton but would travel to other cities and towns where the walk and parking fees were accepted People nowadays look on shopping as an outing he told the Free Press and there was little municipal bodies could do to change the attitude unless there were attractive features to draw shoppers The discussion started when members of council observed that the Knox Church lot a recent addition to the towns parking space was not being used ana some motorists were parking or the street WITH ACTONS NEW CHRISTMAS LIGHTS as a backdrop Thegiris be assisted by Acton The off Ice not be open on members of the Acton School of Dance practice for their firefighters and the Royal Canadian Legion in this jJTh to be held the Acton next year festival Proceeds from donations will go to the Acton SNOW CAME FIRST followed by sleet and Cars such as this one greeted drivers The e are Susan Centennial fund these be rain and then high winds which blew clouds weatherman predicts better weather for the Barbara Reed CaromcMes harmonizing with J Carpenter Photo appreciated over and the Wednesday morning weekend Jennings Photo