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Chinchillas theyre cute but costly by Jennifer The ultimate luxury for many women Is a chinchilla coat Made from one of the most expensive furs a chinchilla coat costs an average whereas a similar mink coat would cost a quarter of that Is It any wonder chinchilla breeders are doing well The only chinchilla breeder In Acton and area Is Cliff Lilly of who bills his ranch as Ontario largest chinchilla ranch Currently his barn boasts 1 gopher like animals Usually his stock numbers closer to and he Elans to raise his herd to when his am is automated Retiring from his Job with Ford In Oak ville three years ago Cliff makes chin a full time Job He a also Canadian marketing representative for the national Chinchilla Marketing Board Lilly not only bring home the bacon they bring home many show trophies too In their years as breeders Cliff and Audrey Lilly have won many important coups at national and In shows including several covet ted master breeder awards Chinchilla ranching la no get rich quick scheme Cliff explains although many people can make a lucrative hobby out of a few chinchillas in the basement Initial Investment is high A breeding nucleus of five animals plus feed and supplies for a year and stock guarantee costs of SI However feeding a chin chill a Is cheap costing a half cents a day for prepared pellets A female chinchilla can be bred at months and produces two or three young after 111 days gestation Ranchers plan for an average of young chinchillas per female a year although they often get more Babies stay five weeks with their mother before weaning After ton months the pelt Is mature and the chinchilla is killed The carcass is usually thrown away although Cliff some ranchers cat fried chin meat Cliff justifies producing animals solely for fur by saying chinchillas would be extinct If breeders preserving the stock Indigenous to the Andes Mountains In South America chinchillas were ported to the States In the start of the North American chinchilla ranching The charming little creatures with cloud soft fur come In variety of colors from common blue- grey browns and beiges to charcoal silver and the rarest black Each chinchilla is provided with a daily bath In fine sand to keep Its coat shiny clean Pelting is heaviest in winter months but are harvested year round Controlled temperatures of GO degrees insure good coals The average ladles full length coat requires Bo to 120 pelts Cliff sells most his pells for although he to for a block pelt He sells pelts through the national board mostly to New York Canadian chinchilla used to be tied Into the Hudson Bay Company by the board but are now free agents In addition to selling pells Cliff enjoys helping new breeders set up In business His stock Is also much in demand by established breeders for showing and upgrading stock All the Lilly gel In the chinchilla act Audrey and Cliff art primary farmers but youngsters Richard and Louis are active Like animated stuffed toys chinchillas arc so attractive it no wonder children enjoy them Even though she mucked about with chinchillas for years Audrey Lilly has yet to earn her own chinchilla coat However Cliff Is saving black pelts to have an exclusive coat made for his wife It likely to be one of the most valuable In the area An Inland Community Newspaper One Hundred and Sixth Year No ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY APRIL29 Twenty Four Pages Twenty five Cents Just a few of the Acton Chamber of Commerce Monte Carlo night wheelers and prices Only 1 tickets are being sold and they arc going like hot cakes no get dealers who went through a practise session Saturday afternoon In aid of yours soon Pictured here are Mono John Allison Chip Petri I to and Leathertown Monte Carlo night Is this Friday evening at the Acton Community Ann Centre and features games of chance a live band buffet and tremendous door Photo by MURRAY Administration building 16M project in capital forecast Plans for financing a new million Halton Hills administration building were in eluded in a capital forecast for 1982 1985 unveiled at last Tuesday s meeting of Hills council Councillor Levy chairman of the budget committee pointed out funds have been accumulating for a new municipal building from lot levies over the years and now have reached almost However the original estimate of in debentures was now out of line He estimated it would take million in debentures along with the in reserves to construct the building now Heap praise on Gary Dawkins In touching emotion filled minute program about relatives friends and colleagues paid tnbute to the late Gary first pnnc pal of McKenzieSmith Middle School last Wednesday night Principal John Simpson Director of Education Em Lavender former vice- principal Carl friend and colleague Tom Gibson and former Smith teacher Robert O heaped praise on Mr who died suddenly in July principal and teacher in the Acton area for 19 years Simpson told the audience a special staff commit tee had been planning the night of tribute for IB months as a demonstration of the warmth and respect they had for Mr The staff felt Garv should be part of school foi ever uniqueness of Gary was revealed to everyone who knew him in a different way Hymers observed Under his leadership the foun ding staff each hand picked to meet his criteria formed a special bond noted the late principal created the climate and set the example for his colleagues to benchmarks forMcKcnzieSmiths future All still fell the hurt and shock of his passing and his glowing spirit holds a special place In our memories Pointing to Mr Dawkin love of the outdoors and fishing closed his remarks with a poem by famed Red Fisher A short slide presentation set to lovely music by Neil Diamond showed Mr at work In the school inspiring both teachers and students Lavender who dedicated the school library as the Gary Dawkins Memorial Library and presented a plaque described the slide presentation as beautiful and sensitive He said it was special for him to be at Smilh Middle School named after two great Acton educators to make a dedication to Gary He said Elmer Smith was a good and gentle man Pat McKemle was vigorous active and enthusiastic and Gary Dawkins was stout hearted Jolly and an optimist Like Lavender recalled Mr love of the outdoors and their years of swapping fishing stories He said if there isn t a book in the library now about trout fishing he 11 see there is one and noted unlike a lot of peoples fishing stones Mr werealway3true Mr Smith Mr McKenzle and Mr were fell exemplary citizens fine teachers and excellent principals He added It was impossible to measure 35500 winner An 18yearold Mills resident won 500 playing McDonald Mac game Janet says she plans to get her car fixed and bank the balance of her winnings It Is the first time she has ever won anything in a contest She split the prize with a Guclph resident They won the contest at a Guclph McDonald rest Robert O Drlscoll presents Gary wife Itoscalee with the diamond Jubilee Award In tribute to her late husband contributions to education More photos from the special night In Mr memory on page Mr impact an the lives of Acton residents He dedicated the library to the good name good life and good memory of Gary Gibson who unveiled the pa inttng of Mr which was done by his son said he was deeply honored to pay tribute to his presented Mrs Rosea with on Ontario Public School Men Teachers Diamond Jubilee Award Speaking on behalf of the family Don Dawkins said it was a bitter sweet evening wonderful to hear the tributes to his younger brother but also painful to recall Gary was no longer with them He advised the audience to enjoy his brother years in the community and not dwell on the fact he is now missing His brother didn like coming In second Don Dawkins said adding he never quite felt Gary forgave him for being the first bom On a lighter note he Joked he and Burlington MP Julian Reed were part of an exclusive club not forgiven by Gary because they prevented him from being number one Reed who was on hand for the even Ing narrowly defeated Mr when he ran under the Progressive Conservative banner in the provincial election He thanked the board and school staff especially Gail McHugh who worked with his brother at side M Bennett and McKenzieSmith schools for the evening Push Divide and Conquer 107 in Acton participate The town is planning a promotional push to persuade more residents to in Divide and Conquer Divide and Conquer a garbage recycling pro gram was launched In Acton a year ago this month after a couple of successful years as a pilot project in Georgetown Works Superintendent Frank Morelte said In an interview this week he Is pleased with Acton support for the program but thinks It can be In creased Recently compiled figures show per cent of Acton households participated in Divide and Conquer In this program bundles of papers and bags of tin cans and glass are put out the same day as regular garbage but pi deed up In Georgetown the participation level is around per cent but Divide and Conquer has betn better promoted and more established there One odd thing the review of Divide and Con statistics points out Morette said is that Acton ibutes per cent of Hills regular garbage but Acton only accounted for per cent a difference of nine per cent of the re fuse collected for Divide and Conquer The town collected 543 tons of paper tin and glass through Divide and Conquer tons of it from Acton A month by month look at Acton participation statistics shows levels going up and down Part lelpation and volumes followed the same trend as the town finds In collection of regular gar volume Is up in warm weather as com pared to winter Last April the first month of Divide and Conquer here per cent of Act participated in program In May 11 per cent participated 14 per cent In June per cent In July per cent In August when many are away on vacation 25 In September 75 In October per cent In November In December percent in February and per cent in March It appears the people In Aeton who are are doing It all the time Morelte said Ho explained the town has found there is more competition hero in the recycling field There ha paper bin at the Becker Plaza which raises funds for the Christian Reformed Church and The Acton High School Outers used to collect glass The Outers went out of glass collecting blaming Divide and Conquer for killing this fund raising program for them Continued on page 12 Levy noted he had been opposed to any new administrative building when the project was first broached some years ago Now ho the need Several years ago council rejected to the Trafalgar administration building just outside of Georgetown after receiving petitions from the public Levy told council he could now sec a great deal of savings if the Town had its own municipal building He said had no debentures for years and now sits in a good position regarding debenture debt Levy also noted that the figures and projects in the four year forecast were just that He noted the figure of SI mill as possible debenture debt in 1982 represents a general indie of intention rather than a firm commitment to actually debenture that amount The budget com has recommended that the town continue to allot lot levies for the administration building The four year forecast tor each of the four years represents a general overall plan which is realistic in terms of the ability of the town to finance the committee notes in the document recognizing that same priorities will change in the future and in an effort made to minimize debenture as capital budgets are considered each year Levy noted that the forecast has not allowed for a switch in the Cobblehill sewer works in Acton with the Gleniea roads He said the matter was left for councillors to decide Town engineer Bob Austin told council it was not an equal exchange since there was a six year pro Continued on page Brian Lawrence and Brian were among the Acton High School science club members who bull bridges out I sticks and then loaded bricks and blocks on them to see how much weight they d hold Story and more photos on page 5 It volunteer week Pictured here left right are Just four of Acton many volunteer Herb rendu Catherine