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Planning boards demise significant An early winter afternoon Photo by Bob Dye Bill SMILEY Perhaps someone who has gone the whole course csn tell me when one children stop depending on their parents when It comes to the clutch Recently we received note from our son Hugh to tell us he was taking some holidays and would be home for a few days visit I thought Good lies saved some money ana won arrive broke as usual He had that Hugh had dropped In sec her and had drifted off muttering something about to Chicago That Is a slightly t way of getting to our place And a few days Inter there was a collect call from Houston Texas You guessed It Hugh flat broke Could we wire him money for wis fare to get home He was crafty enough to call when I was at work I would probably have refused he collect call and regretted later Or 1 have shouted No I will not send you the price of one serving of Kentucky fried chicken and slammed up the receiver But he tweet talked tils mother for minutes before he popped the question She was not only affronted but taken aback and didn t think quickly enough to tell him we were Just off to Florida or the v est coast or anywhere She warned a bit and eventually said she d nee what his Dad said but not to ex anything He sighed with relief and told her where to cnd the money I come home from work on a Friday after a hard week All I wanted was to get my shoes off hove a quiet drink before dinner and read the latest good about the energy crisis And all 1 got was family crisis a scramble to the bank and a dash to get to the telegraph office before tt closed for the weekend At first I stood my ground Not a penny LethlmsUtrvclnHouston At least freeze to death he d airily told his mother it was degrees down there And she agreed with me He t deserve a cent He was told he was no do that again Ungrateful young pup Why he tchhike home Well I said some of those southern states are pretty tough on hitchhikers Throw them in jail for a month I could Just her thinking of her f rst born slaving on a Georgia chain gang or something of the sort After a heated naif hour we agreed that money sn thing that you can take it with you that he the only son we have that it would be nice to see him and that I better hustle if wanted to get to the bank In t me It cost me About counting the us fare and grub to get home the cost of the collect call and the charge for sending the money That what I call sending good money after good Of course Hugh dream of accepting a girt It was strictly a loan According to his figures he now owes me without interest and will have the whole thing paid oft any time now According to my figures owes mc 46 at eight per cent interest and he never pay It off This has been happening to me or years First the kids go to mother and soften her up Then she comes to me and softens me up Then 1 go back to the kids and practically apologize for being so slow with the loot Of course I reason Hugh only a Practically a baby He won be twenty seven until July You can t expect him at that tender age to know enough to SAVE SOME MONLT FOR BUS FARE HOME But that other kid Shes matter almost a mother And she pulled a on us this week Another collect call on Sunday Nice to hear her Asked how the tummy was All very matey and maternal Then came the punch line Don her husband was on the way up from the city with their cat to put in our care He had to because he t bring the cat on a bus Her mother nearly blew a cork nod So we have two additions to the house hold ths week Two fat cats One in the backyard yowl ng to get in The other wutchingTV sleep and waiting to put the bite on for more bus fare back to job in Quebec I shoulda been a cranky old bachelor Back Issues of The Free Press 20 years ago The largest number of children ever to be presented with at the annual Beard- more Christmas party crowded the Theatre last Friday afternoon Master of ceremonies R R Parker called the names of about 0 youngsters up to of as they received their gifts from Santa Enter tainment was provided Junior ana senior assemblies and parties In the kindergarten started the Christmas holidays happily Masters presented Mr Mannwlthapafrofgloveson behalf of the students Keith was chairman for the senior assembly Carol singing was led by E Smith Gloves and a scarf were presented to Mr Price Christmas dinner was enjoyed by the In the Dominion Hotel Contests were directed and musical numbers were given by Ed Watson on his guitar Hilarity was caused by the ex change of presents distributed by Bill Coon Santa delighted the children of the school In The youngsters and about mothers were gathered for the occasion Excitement ran high at the Baptist church at the annual Christmas entertain meat Taking part in the program were Ralph and John Tripp Mrs Ralph Tripp with a duet by two of toe tiny tots Joanne and Ruth Costerus There were plays and a visit from Santa About ISO children of Wool Combing employees attended their first Christmas party In the theatre Jack Smith union president was muter of ceremonies Mr Knox spoke briefly Mrs Janet Rogers union secretary called the children name Miss Margaret Blow received an award for high at the capping ceremony at St Joseph a hospital Alter the Hens dinner 14 couples went to the Brant Inn for dancing 50 years ago The first of the long list of Christmas trees of this community for the festive season was held on Monday even In the Method Sunday School room There were choruses piano solo by recitations by Helen solo by Rudolph with chorus by young ladles character sketches by Robert Kerr and selections by the Sunday School orchestra Mrs Ada had charge of the programme A feature which gave unbounded Joy was the arrival Santa Claus welcomed by super A Brawn The worthy impersonator of Santa was none other than Mr Charles Wilson the fatherly superintendent of the HydroElectric plant here The annual meeting of the CI ildren Aid Society was held in Hon Inspector Stev reported on the children in care at th There have been 181 children involved the post year Acton lost one of its honored and venerable citizens lost Saturday when death came to Mr Thomas He was bom in England in and came to Canada living at Georgetown He was wounded in the Civil War Tie came to Acton 38 years ago and was a baker Christmas services at the Methodist church will be led by a choir of voices German toys are flooding the Canadian market this year being so cheap the toys made in Canada find it hard to compete Sleighs and cutters are running and the merry sleigh heard now The usual quiet of was disturbed by a visit from the inspectors visiting a couple of looking for moonshine One resident has been sum mooed to court In Acton today 75 years ago elected Mr Barber a second t me in the byelect on Thursday The contest was a hot one Twenty four brand new teachers have completed the model school courses at Milton Among them art M nnie Bennett and Minn Holmes An approaching at is making the dressmakers busy just now and for trade generally Dame Rumor has it that there w be nearly guests Mr Chas Humphries tea merchant was Acton on Saturday and he says that the years that he has been travel ling he encountered roads worse He upset six times Ins de of three les and had to get out to break the road This was on the cross road from Acton to the Road He says many of the side lines are drifted level with the fences Complaints have been made that n trimming the trees at various points town for the electric wires to pass through the workmen have not trimmed them evenly with a view to their future well balanced appearance The authorities explain that the present tnmm is but temporary and in the spring the trees will be put in satisfactory shape Mr W A Campbell road instructor for the province has been making a tour and it is likely statute labor will be shed and money for improving ma n roads may be raised by the municipalities The nominations coming on Christmas day will be but thinly attended Only the most ardent municipal politicians will Jeo pardize their Christmas dinner to attend the nominations Most of the electric light poles have been putm There will be 56 electric lights on the streets Christmas examinations at the school Wednesday The public will be welcomed Members of Acton Planning Board officially dissolved last Thursday evening under sad The death of chair man Sid Saltz the previous week postponed end of the term festivities creating a void which members filled with a few minutes of remembrance It was also a sad occasion because the last Acton planning board was being incorporated into the town of Halton Hills and some of the town autonomy went with it Some members of the board are applying to serve on the new Halton Hills planning advisory sub committee where their experience and knowledge of the area should be invaluable But it won be the same Members of the advisory board will be selected from written applications from residents of Halton Hills who novo signified they would like to serve Planning will be mainly a regional responsibility after January 1 joint planning area under the Planning Act to be known as the Halton Planning area Each area municipality is constituted a subsidiary planning area and the council shall have all the powers of a planning board under the Planning Act and no area municipality shall establish a planning board the Act to establish regional government in states When the Minister has approved an official plan adopted by the regional council every official plan and every by law passed under section of the Planning Act or a predecessor in effect in the plan area affected must be amended to conform and no official plan of subsidiary planning area shall be approved that does not conform So plans for this municipality have been taken mainly out of our hands and placed In a wider sphere of Interest That is why so important Acton Planning Board completed their study of the town so recommendations could be made to Its successors regarding the town futuro They have done a commendable job despite tho criticism levelled at some aspects of the study It has also been done with the beat in tcrcsts of the municipality at As planning board and other town bodies close their official duties we can help but feel a little of ourselves goes with them B4 The Acton Free Press Wed Dec Oldtime Christmas hard Christmas Cheer among the earliest pioneers In Upper Canada Ontario varied greatly for what we think of as Christmas fare was very scant In the earliest period before the salt pork potatoes and and Indian corn were the only supplies available To obtain flour the settler s grain had to be carriedoften on his back to a distant mill for grinding Children were fed porridge made from Indian corn boiled sometimes for a whole day to produce a soft mush Occasionally the settlers were able to shoot partridge pigeon or game but powder and shot were scarce and fish while plentiful took time to catch With little or no chickens and livestock could not be kept because of the all enclosing forest into which they were likely to stray and be lost As for the quality of pioneer cooking Dr William Dunlop the Backwoodsman who wrote one of the earliest accounts of life in Canada quotes the old saw God meat and the devil cooks Not surprising since without cold storage facilities butter milk and cheese soon became rancid As the years passed and con ditions improved holiday fare became more plentiful Ann her journal published as A Gentlewoman in Upper Canada describes a Christmas party in 1838 just a year after the Too commercialized Christmas is too com Humbug Christmas is what we as in make it It might as easily be said to be too roman or too selfish a season If we think of the birth the season signifies and turn off our understanding at that age of childhood we lose the heart of Christianity and fall prey to the theory of it being too romanticized a season It is true that Christmas is too commercialized if we decide it is necessary to spend more than we have to display the love or af fection which we scrimped on during the year There is a pattern perhaps rationalized by the gifts of the Wise Men of giving gifts at Christmas We doubt the wise men s gifts impoverished them or put them into debt for months ahead Their gifts were symbols It is not required that gifts at Christmas should deprive us of necessities The simplest gift will be as appreciatively received if given and received respect and understanding And the simplest gift may be nothing more tangible than a visit a letter or a personal greeting It might be said Christmas is a selfish season People don t share as openly with others less for it can be argued It is true that the method of sharing has changed however Helping the poor at Christmas has now been altered to provide help on a year round basis through a society that has built in such assistance Groups that have tried to find areas of need have often been frustrated when they find help from others has already filled freezers and stockings The thought of caring cannot go noticed though Christmas will be as we make it personally It is a season with the ingredients for the sharing of goodwill and good fellowship but we become the container within Rebellion She tells of popping three plum puddings into the pot for a holiday dinner which in eluded soup boiled pork the national dish roast goose chicken pie and vegetables with a second course of plum pudding apple tart and a trifle Winters were really cold in those early days The winter of 1833 the mercury froze In the thermometer which touched below zero But travel on Upper Canada primitive roads was better when they were snow packed And Christmas visiting was popular the snugly dressed guests arriving in sleighs or even in wagon boxes mounted on runners which the mix is made successfully or otherwise The cheery greeting starts with us the forgotten slight starts with us the appreciation spoken for the efforts of others starts with us The Christmas spirit is within us year round but at this season of the year some magic loosens it and we are inclined to allow that spirit freer reign It sometimes surprises us We should all seek the happiness of the season for It Is a festive celebration enjoy the gaiety of the tinsel and colored lights for their welcome brightness participate in the sharing of gifts and greetings seek to spread the joy of Christmas to others who may be alone or lonely unlock our reign on that intangible spirit that It might lighten the burden of others Too commercialized Too romanticized Too fish humbug Christmas is what we personally will make It in spirit and in deed Regional councillors salaries questioned December 14 Dear Mr Editor This sen open letter ch I would I to direct to regional councillors in our area and particular Leu Coxe and Tom I attended the ratepayers meeting Burl a week ago and heard many eye- opening questions I feel must be answered It is to me that if the job of a local councillor is full time how a Regional Councillor can make a full time position of it if in fact that is what is alleged by our councillors These regional councillors increased salaries from to In addition nually onethird of which is tax free them an effective salary of about 000 to per year in addition to which they receive lSc per mile gas allowance on their cars To add insult to injury by law they are under no obligation to attend any local council meetings for which they are being paid Doth the regional and local councillor jobs arc considered part time taking about 15 hours a week in all Should this command a healthy full time wage Even f the councillors the lion that tbey do not know as yet how much time is involv in this newly created job would not be more responsible to the r electors to wait six months and then reset their wages Or in the alternative set up a study to ind out what the country folk think of a in their taxes for this pur pose I noticed a net lack of their in lention before these men were elected No mention was made of it They haven even tackled the job yet and they have voted for more money Do the regional councillors mat this is a full time Job they do then I expect any one of us could reach them the course of most days at an office number and that they would diligently be working on being a councillor for us eight hours a day five days a week And of course they have time for any other full time job or for that matter most other part time jobs It to mind my husband a story of a fellow who applied for a position for which he was overqualified My husband stated mat the job would be too easy for him To which he replied But I make It difficult Would a Ratepayers Association be welcomed by the councillors to monitor their time and energy spent on council work Not very likely My dear honourable councillors do you feel that lining your pockets with the sweat and tears of people who had faith in you hard working people who struggle afccg on the money you voted for a parttime job people who in their trusting way not realh why their farm taxes have increased to the pom when must to meet their tas burdens it much of an indication of out Just society We await your Katharine Fee Ontario