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Trinity reconsiders bank change over South Africa loan Hank of Nova Scotia President JAG Bell told of Trinity United Church congregation about his bank policy on loans to South Africa I- by Eric Eli tone Trinity United Church will reconsider changing its bank In the wake of a plea by the Bank of Nova Scotia a president and other unusual events A special after service meeting has been called for Sunday so the congregation may again debate transferring its funds from the Bank of Nova Scotia Church officials are arranging for a panel of ex to be on hand to answer congregation tlons about banking international loans and South Africa Some congregation members believe that by changing banks they will help Block people in South Africa The theory goes that if banks refuse new loans to the South African government that will translate into on It to Improve the treat of Blacks Bank of Nova Scotia President JAG Bell in a surprise visit Friday told about Trinity con members that refusing new loans could harm South African Blacks By making overseas loans to South Africa and other such places the bank is able to exercise some Influence pointed out Bell Suppose we pull out of South Africa What happens What there will be lost Bell predicted there would be a Haiti a hundred times over The bank said the president can take a pub lic petition and say It cannot give loans to some one He went on to say he believes the bank The main example of Bank of Nova Scotia at tltude towards people cited by Bell tlon work in the West Indies In the Caribbean we are known us he Black man bank I don t think that could happen if we had any kind of racist policies said Bell The bank president who described himself as a United Church member also said In noway shape or form do I relish us being at odds with the church In Canada It certainly came as a shock to me that a church would not consider doing business with us re marked Bell Trinity s decision to switch banks took place after a hot debate during the congregation annual meeting in February The congregation asked its board to transfer its banking practices to the Toronto Dominion or any credit union That resolution was carried by a substantial majority according to Rev Beaton The pre amble recognized two points that other Canadian churches plus those in the A Britain Africa Europe and the World Council of Churches have urged major international banks to cease Itnding funds to South Africa Also recognized was the fact that the Toronto Dominion bank and credit unions have a policy of making no new loans to the South African govern under the present apartheid system Church members have been arguing the pros and cons of the resolution ever since Another renark the church board whlchls responsible to the congregation balked It refused to carry out the congregation wish Back to the congregation goes the bank resolution for reconsideration Sunday In the memory of senior church members going back a quarter century or more that never hap pened The new board wouldn t do it because there was too much dissension according to Rev Beaton The member board Just dn t feel comfortable with it Meanwhile church members searched lor In formation on banking practices and South Africa One such talk between board member Ralph Denny and local Bank of Nova Scotia manager Reg led to the surprise visit of the Bank of Nova Scotia president Trinity decision to switch banks in be seen as a result of the Task Force on Corporate Re sponsibility which has urged change At the root of problem as a task force and church target is the South African government s long standing policy of separation of races at a be come known as apartheid Bell the bank president remarked that we wont miss a dividend if Trinty withdraws its funds which according to one estimate is less than Bank of Nova Scotia does loan business with 106 countries according to Bill He stressed that it Continued on An Inland Community Newspaper One Hundred and Sixth YearNo ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY MARCH 25 1981 Eighteen Pages Twenty Five Cents Acton region taxes up The average taxpayer in Acton will fork over an extra this year to keep Halton Region operating Councillor Dave Whiting has predicted Last year Whiting said in an interview this week the Acton ratepayer with the average local property 498 paid about in region taxes This year he warns that figure will soar to 105 Work on the 1981 regional budget is neanng completion Actor lone voice at region said and the latest figures show Halton Hills ratepayers facing a per cent tax increase down from the 68 per cent or average jump predicted In early February There s no way around it Whiting laid of the large hike Taxes regional level of local cut art going to soar because he on population not on needs the money get on its feet and get going after two of del in numerous accounts The deficits both in and wcren t discovered I last year and were in a number of accounts In 1980 the rcf on determined it needed to raise million in Hilton Hills The province offset that amount by contributing 1 mill on in grants so the reg on had collect just SI million through local Homer j year Whiting noted the region needs S3 1 million from Hills but expects to receive about the same amount in provincial So he the region must get SI mill on or more through the municipal tax how much monoy Is needed When the region has the kind of financial woes it faces this year mostly because of the deficits Hun pacts more on Hills taxpayers than say Burl ratepayers because the south t been receiving as much support per capita as the north from Queens Park Whiting stated Besides covering the deficit the region must more money so 11 can on measures being taken in the treasury department to avoid future financial problems Whiting said he is pleased to sec the region now doing the kinds of things to improve control over finances which he was calling for In the November election before he was elected for the first time The 1981 budget is trimmed down about as much as It can be Whiting said noting he has been leading the attack on social services spending and is However very tough lo make especially in social services because the province says the region must run a number of very costly programs School taxes rise 2193 Education taxes are going up 21 93 in Acton and in on an aver age assessed home this year After receiving Halton Hills allocations from the Board of Education the town treasurer office determined the education tax hikes Based on an average assessment of and a mills increase education taxes will go up in Acton Esques ings average assessment is 596 and there will be a 95 mills so taxes will go up 75 Turn inside for more on the finalized board budget John Latter and Waller Patau show off the colorful feathers of DJIn a ring necked pheasant responsible for the start of Pine Hill Pheasants The Lai and Palasx produced pheasants for Canadian markets In 1980 end are the only pheasant breeders In a radius of miles Photo by JENNIFER DARR Roast pheasant local fare by Jennifer Ban- Pheasant under glass Is a luxurious and delicacy few people have a chance to John and Sophie Loiter and Walter Pal raise 1 pheasants a year the only producers in a radius of miles Farming ten acres on the Sidcroad south of In North the Lai era like to think of pheasants as an everyday dish It must bo easy when you have a freezer full of them John passes out recipes for roost plica or pheasant as an everyday At a pound retail pheasant is cheaper than some steak and not much more expensive than most meat Pine Hill Pheasants came into being last year when John hit on what he considered the perfect way to put his land to work Living on the prop erty for five years the Letters had experimented with cattle they still have a few and planting spruce trees they stilt liave lots Buta small flock of ring neck pheasants two John couldn re sist going Into commercial pheasant raising He and Sophie laugh at the problems they en countered during their first year of major a lion It seemed so cosy with Sophie com When two pens of birds were planned the problems started First the cost seemed high per pen for special nets heated brooder houses and heavy duty chain link frost fence Then a freak cold spell killed of the I dayold pheasant chicks delivered in June For three days the Loiters nursed more than 1 peeping chicks in their basement until brooder heating and circulation problems could be solved and the weather become more June- like Later losses cut down the pheasant population that season and John decided to work with only one pen and half the planned number of birds Pheasant mortality con be high with predators such as owls weasels and neighborhood dogs out to get the flighty birds When dayold pheasants are ordered from the hatchery an even mixture of males and females are sent Males are noted for their elegant and colorful plumage which is often used for making feather jewelry and decorations Females took like coconuts small brown and round All pheasants suffer from unpredictable bouts of hysteria making them difficult to control and handle The Loiters have to handle their birds several times during Ihe 20week growing period They are debeak twice as chicks and young birds so they don each other According to the Loiters the odor of debooking and cauterizing several hundred pheasant beaks on a degree day would kill a strong man Birds arc caught for de and any med ication necessary with a fish net John tells of the surprised looks of Acton Canadian Tire store staff when his son went looking for a fish net In late November Birds are harvested for market a month before Christmas when females weight pounds and males weigh nearly three pounds A processor takes care of preparing and pack aging the live birds for table while John docs the marketing Owner and manager of Erin Country Inn John originally planned to serve pheasant in a fine dining room However the Erin Country Inn is doing well as a tavern John says so he switched plans and now serves gourmet burgers Other restaurants as for away as Halifax and as as close as Inn and Mohawk Inn Campbcllville serve Pine Hill Pheasants Many ore sold gift boxed as Christmas presents and to supermarkets Some ore sold live as breeding pairs or trios and others are purchased for their feathers John has even had empty handed pheasant hunters come in off the road to buy a brace Getting Into the pheasant business is not easy There licensing to be through the Mm Is try of Natural Resources Information on pheasants is hard to come by as there Is only one book available In Canada Expenses are high with dayold chicks costing a dollar a piece processing costs another dollar a bird plastic bags are another dime each not to mention prepared food to grow the birds for five months Add to that the initial investment costs of buildings and pens and it easy to sec why pheasants bring a pound John and Sophie are confident the business will fly more easily next year now that their trial per is over John has great plans for selling birds along airline routes Flying frozen birds by plane seems to be easier lhan training them to fly un their own steam Pine Hill Pheasants are available locally at Meats on Highway and at the farm Instead of struggling with hamburger this weekend or wondering how to afford steak breakout and roast a pheasant Beardmore takes steps to solve runoff Its a bird Ifs a plane Superman musical director Berber right goes through a Beardmore Is taking a number of steps to solve in dustrlal waste problems at the tannery and further action is being considered In February was named as having one of Industrial waste disposal sites in Ontario with chemical runoff problems by a consulting firm for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment Chemical runoff was found in ground water and Black Creek during the study lost fall of old Its Superman Beardmore dump site the present disposal site filter beds and spray irrigation system all of which with he Girls They are left are contributing to the ground As isnt a surface problem ministry officials previous John senior environmental engineer at the inside right Tammy Sandra Krlsch and Sandra Superman run at well wis detected Acton High School and 10 More rehearsal photos on page This Week Thru the Lens getting into Block Creek through Ihe creek bed it The Citiien of the Year will be honored in June Turn to page A man who killed a fisherman near Speyslde last year has been found not guilty of manslaughter More on page office said following the meeting with officials the company has agreed to establish on site ground water and surface stream monitoring to determine the extent of the con taminatlon In addition said Beardmore has agreed to further reduce the problem bv undertaking a water conservation program By reducing amount of water used In industrial processes Beard more will reduce waste water volumes said will also Institute in plant changes to All actions agreed to so for have affect on Beard mora property only