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OAKVILLE-TRAFALGAR JOURNAL Oakvillo- Trafalgar Journal Published Every Thursday Morning in Oakville, Ont, by Oakyville-Trafalgar Publishers, Ltd. 7 DUNN STREET NORTH S. Casey Wood, Jr. Vincent H. Barrey Managing Editor Advertising Manager Bill Cotton, Editorial Assistant PHONE 1298 The Means Is Provided Last week, in a letter to the editor, a group of residents on Balsam Avenue brought the matter of a re-assessment of their properties to our attention. Quoting three examples of assessments, which indi- cated an apparent lack of balance between various properties, they requested information concerning the reason for the re-assessment. With regards to the apparent lack of pattern as to assessment, we would point out that it is impos- sible for anyone to do a perfect job--and an assessor is no exception to this rule. Possibly in this instance there has been a mistake, or there may be some fac- tor governing the assessment which is not readily apparent to the property owner. As the assessment roll will not be finalized until September, and is therefore not available to this newspaper for compari- son purposes, we are unable to state whether there is any mistake involved in these cases. These taxpayers should, we believe, enter appeals against the assess- ments. In discussion with the township assessor we were informed that this re-assessment was necess- ary because of appeals made elsewhere in this area last year. When the necessary adjustments were made on the appeals to bring those properties in line, the Balsam Avenue area was out of line and had to be re- assessed. This would seem a reasonable action, as assessments over the township should be all in line with each other, having consideration to the property values of each, of course. Experience is that assessments, except in isolat- ed cases where appeals are made, rarely come down. Today is a period of inflation, with property values in most sections, and especially in the southern part of Trafalgar, spiralling into astral figures. It follows that a re-assement on today's values would be up- wards. But should there be a recession, values would fall in all probability as rapidly as they rose--leaving . properties assessed at an inflated figure. But an assessor does not deal in temporarily in- flated or depressed values--rather he bases his as- sessment on an average year, if there is such a thing, and gives consideration to factors of inflation, etc. From conversation with the township assessor we feel that he has a better than average 'grasp of val- ues, and if raising assessments generally, is doing so with an overall upward trend. He also stated that he felt it was a good thing for taxpayers to become "assessment conscious" as this would be helpful to the township officials. We heartily agree with him, as we have long contended that taxpayers generally do not take sufficient interest in such affairs, even to the point where they fail to vote on election day. To any ratepayer who finds his assessment for 1961 substantially increased without any improve- ments having been made, we point out the Court of Revision as a means of clarifying the assessment, or adjusting it if a mistake has been made. When the rolls become available to this paper in September a township-wide comparison will be given. But as this will only provide a two week period in which rate- payers can consider their individual assessments with this reference at hand, any who feel their new assessment is outfageously increased without com- pensating improvements, should file notice of appeal. News . . . And Only News Resolution for United Nations War all radio newscasters will be made to act as such. Let them give the news, but leave their own ideas of how the war should be fought, and what Canada and other nations should do, out of it. We think General Doug- las MacArthur knows more about the fighting in Korea than John Collingwood Reade, for instance. 'We also think the UN Security Council, the various army Strategists in the countries fighting under the blue flag, and almost any government leader can de- cide questions of Atomic action on a basis of know- ledge. A newscaster may haye his own ideas, but they can be dangerous or helpful--the safest way is to handle the news and leave opinions out of it. We also believe the public had enough of such supposed "news" during the last world war, and will appre- ciate receiving the news in a straightforward man- ner. Faddirnng Corres A credit to training received and responsibility assumed by the councillors employed by the: Recreation Commission for the Day Camps was the action of one councillor last week. This young lady has a horror of snakes, so great that pre- viously whenever a garter snake came along she'd run im- mediately. With her group of youngsters she was down at the 16-mile creek on a project, when 'three water snakes came along. The children began to panic in fright, But the councill- or chased two of the snakes away, caught one and killed it-- then skinned it to show the children how it was done. A sense of responsibility which makes a person act in the face of hor- ror in this way is a credit to the calibre of all councillors and to their training for the position. Well done, Meg! Station CKEY had a new one Sunday night, or at least new to us. On the late discjockey program they were selling fishing rods and T-shirts. Certainly sounded like good buys and all you did was write in and then pay the postman on delivery. What intrigues us is; was the station testing its sales power, or is a retail store of the air the wrinkle? If it hadn't been so late we'd like to have listened to see what else was for sale--but, in passing, who wants to buy a T-shirt at 1am? | --three sheets of tin and one and ri. Tales | BY BESSIE CAIRNS It you are looking for some light reading for a rainy day at the cottage, tuck "Over the Reefs" by Robert Gibbings into a corner of your suitcase. It is tull of interesting legends, adven- tures with sharks and deep-sea fishing in the South Seas, but most rewarding of all are the oc- casional glimpses' of Andy. Andy is the captain of a tramp steamer plying between the Is- lands, and he is also quite a phil- osopher. Andy on missionaries: "A neighbour of mine was a dea- con" said Andy one evening, "and he certainly was a bit of a thief. You never knew when he wouldn't steal a chicken or two. But there, if he hadn't been a deacon he'd probably have stolen a pig. No, there's nothing wrong with the missionaries, only they won't agree among themselves. While they've been disputing about a footpath to Heaven, Hol- lywood has opened a motor road in the opposite direction. But reckon they done a lot of good. Wasn't it that fellow Darwin who said: "How'd you like to be wrecked on an island the mission- aires hadn't been on?" I guess he was about right." tern overheard cast its shadow on the deck. "Look up from the shadow and yowll see silver wings," sald Andy. "Wherever you live," he went on, "whatever the climate, there's always some drawbacks. Hurricanes and tidal waves In the islands; floods and soll erosion on the mainland. You live in the tropics and you lose your nose by leprosy; you live in Alaska and you lose it by frost bite. You go to California where there's a perfect what do you find there? A lot of religious cranks who drive you nuts--say the world's coming to an end and taking the climate with it." Andy on the Irish: One evening at Thirel's bar I was joined by Andy, who had just came back from a visit to the far side of the island. "The Irish--what delight- ful people to' meet!" he said. "They're not idle, it's just that they don't do anything. , They don't need to do anything, they do it all by imagining. To hear them talk youd think you were travelling all over the world with a million bucks in your pocket, and all the time you're just sitt ing on a bench. Now there's that fellow Murphy. Many the time I've sat with him on his veranda a half posts--and he'll be talking about the 'improvements he has Andy on the weather: A white|? climate and|2 IT SEEMS TO ME By P. W. Thompson If the peoples of the world would only learn to conduct their international affairs as amicably as they do their personal and communal affairs, what a great ly improved world it would be! We have long since got past the stage when families must live in strongly fortified .castles as pro- tection against their neighbors, or when men must walk through the streets armed with Bers and pistols. Towns make war upon each other, as they did . in the middle ages. Their fs little armed strife with- in each nation. But what a difference when we view the international scene! Here, too often is an atmosphere of mutual distrust, jealousy, hat; red, where a dispute can lead to a war with all its horrors. And it need hardly be observed, that war is far more costly and devas: tating than ever before, and be: coming increasingly so year by year. Whether or not another large-scale conflict would spell the doom of civilization, as has been freely predicted, there is lit tle doubt that it would bring dis- aster to large numbers of people, nd produce a most adverse ef- fect upon the world at large. Such a catastrophe is something to be avoided at all costs, yet we seem to be steadily drifting to- wards one. Even if present com- plications do not lead to another world war, they are almost cer: tain to aggravate international tension and promote the expen- diture of greater and ever great er sums upon armaments. But bad, as prospects appear at the present time, it would be mistake to give way to pessi- mism.. Amidst the general gloom there is one bright spot, the growing willingness ~ of most of the world's nations to at least make some attempt to settle their differences without resort to armed force. In the United Na- tions, in spite of its present im- perfections, there is the promise f a great universal force that may eventually succeed, even af- ter many failures, in ending the great curse of mankind. As has been pointed out more than once, the history of civiliza- tion is a long record of wars. There have been relatively few periods - when armies somewhere in the world were not embroiled in conflict. An end of war would be one of the most revolutionary changes in human history. Hith- erto a large portion energy and resources have been (Continued on. Page 5) great economic burden of 'main- 0 one will argue that Con- stable Eddie Heath - isn't the owner of a pair of sharp eyes. As a matter of fact, the odd dis- gruntled citizen has been heard to comment feelingly that, at times, Ed's vision is just a mite tdo good. I wasn't surprised, therefore, when he passed along to me a clipping he'd found in some ob- scure corner of a popular mag- azine, 1 read the same magazine, Readers Digest, quite regularly, but I missed it altogether. Possi- bly the fact that the item had to do with one of the chief con- cerns of Ed's workaday life, the parking meter, made it stand out in bolder type where he was concerned. Anyhow, it seems that parking meters 'are all things to all men, according to the New York Rur- al Radio Network, which has painstakingly worked out a list of classifications for people that have to cope with the metal coin snatchers. And let it be men- tioned at the outset that Con- stable Heath, who has the ex- perience to pass a fair judg ment, allows that this listing runs pretty true to life. First, there is the Honest Type who parks, then finds twenty minutes' time still left on the meter. He expects to be gone only ten minutes, but puts in a coin anyway. This is a rare speci- men, considered by the passerby to be a spendthrift. Next 'is the Lucky Dog Type, who finds the meter registering "violation." Doesn't insert coin, because he only expects to be gone two minutes. Delayed in store by lady flannel underwear, meeting friend on a corner, and adjourn- ing to quaff an ale, he returns two hours later . no ticket on windshield. In opposition is the Unlucky Dog Type, who parks, finds ten minutes on the meter, but ex- pects to be gone an hour. Puts nickel in slot. Shops for 59 min- utes. On way back to car helps old lady across the street. Re- turns to car to find stern cop writing out a ticket. Never helps PUFFS FROM THE COTTON GIN street again. The Inebriated Type doesn't own a car. He staggers up to the meter, feeds it nickel after nick- el, then finally staggers off, muttering: "This schlot m'chin- es fixt!" The Out of Towner finds a dif- ferent type of meter to that he's accustomed to. He 'reads the in- structions hopefully, tries to jab a coin into every crevice he sees, then leaves without success, hoping the cops will be merciful to a stranger. Then there's the Dumb Type, who parks, then puts coin in the meter for the car behind. This Buy never can why diverted to fighting. Freed of the| Thursday, July 20, 1950 taining defence forces, rid of the which the [J] treat of warfare engenders, liv. For... ing together in an atmosphere o friendly co-operation, there is * Cigarettes hardly a limit to what the peo * Tobacco ples of the world might accom: # Soft Drinks plish in making life more attrac: * ce Cream tive and worth-while for every: * Magazines one. This, of course, is a long: * Hot Coffee cherished dream, and one that 5 on may never come to pass. But it --Drop In At-- is well, even in the midst of the present turmoil and threat of an- other world conflict, mot to abandon it, Ed. Slater's 38 Colborne St. W. Lloyd E. MacDougall, D.C,, Chiropractor 61A Colborne St. East, Oakville (Above Russell Drug Co.) TELEPHONE 146 OFFICE HOURS MONDAY and THURSDAY. 9.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. SATURDAY 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon At Other Times--By Appointment. approaching THROUGH HIGHWAYS ; and WAIT S10P "IT ALWAYS PAYS ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS GEO. H. DOUCETT, Miniter THROUGH STREET Allthe big ones that got away last year are just waiting to be hooked again. Let's pack all the duds and go after them. ROUND TRIP -- BY BUS MEAFORD ...... PARRY SOUND BRACEBRIDGE HALTON INN PHONE 600 tackle and' our fishin' Np NORTH BAY .... 1265 (Subject to Change) he always gets a ticket. The Slick Type, however, is just that. He parks, doesn't put a coin in the meter, but leaves the motor running and the curb door open to give the impression he'll be right back. Returns to find a stalwart officer sitting in the front seat, scrawling out a ticket. The Country Cousin Type ney- er saw a parking meter before. He parks, notices the clock in the meter, and sets his watch. Then he walks away saying, wonder ingly: "What'll they think of next?" ) And to this list we might add, without even asking Bddie's per- mission, the White Lie Type. This one is usually a gal who has spent a couple of hours under the beauty salon drier, then bought new nylons and ended up in one of those long time-eating Loblaw lineups, But when she finds an officer making an entry in his little book, she always gushes, in a hurt, sad voice: "Why, officer, you wouldn't give me a ticket, would you? I just ran into the drugstore to get a_prescription filled for my husband, poor dear, who Is very low with double pneumonia." Ab, yes, the long suffering wife who is belabored with the most ingenious alibis during the early morning hours has noth- ing on the police officer putting in his stint on meter duty Sympathetically Yours, RESULT of DRAW WATER HEATERS DONATED BY RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: No. 279 - Geo. Johnstone, 123 Craigroyston Rd. S., Hamilton No. 227 - Geo. Hattersly, 52 Britannia Ave., Hamilton Also a third heater was Relief Fund by installation in the Dream Home. OAKVILLE, ONT. helpless old ladies across the BILL COTTON THE DRAW MADE ON JULY 7, 1950, FOR THE Toronto Hardware Mfg. Co. Ltd. donated to the Winnipeg United Suburban Gas Co. Ltd.