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We need it The northern communities are talking conservation authority again, and if as predicted the ball starts rolling, we'll be involved. But before we take the usual negative attitudes (too much money), let's examine just what such an authority could do for the area. Perhaps the most misconceived thing about conser- vation authorities is that they are government machinery, bulldozing expensive programs on people who don't want or need such programs. In fact, conservation authorities are made up of local people, appointed by local councils) and reflect- ing local views and needs. It is a form of local control on environmental matters. ' { And with Lake Scugog one of the area's most prized resources, we should have a very real interest in such an authority. The view that Lindsay would derive most of the, benefit from a Scugog-Victoria authority is what apparently destroyed attempts two years ago to establish an authority, and while one area within such an area may very well benefit more than another, that's how the costs are spread as well. The presumption that we would all pay for work going on only in Lindsay is only partially true. The system that authorijies work under distribute the bills in proportion to the benefit derived. Lindsay, under the authority's 'benefitting community" clause would pay the greatest share of a project that would benefit mainly Lindsay. There is, of course, some expense that will be spread over the entire area. Some funds from here would end up in Lindsay, as would some funds from Lindsay end up in Scugog area projects. We must face the fact that conservation obviously cannot be handled on a strictly local level. If we cannot come to that realization and co-operate to that end, then we shouldn't wonder when government sets up unwanted regional governments. o o a 2 Two penitentiaries? There's rumours that perhaps the Penitentiary cervice is considering a second institution for the Uxbridge-Scugog area, and we've already experienc- ed a couple of visits from those who were originally opposed to.the one institution. "This is' what we were afraid of all along," they improvised. "You can't trust government." One should point out, however, that it would take a motion of either Uxbridge or Scugog council for the penitentiary service to bring in anything other than a reception centre--and we can safely assume only one such centre is required. ' For the many who feel all-powerful federal govern- ment will impose their will, no matter what we say, we should point to perhaps one of the reasons for the rumour's origin here. Innisfil, where one institution was to go, has since refused to consider it, and the Service is looking elsewhere for sites. To us, it sounds like local council has the last word. 50 YEARS AGO Thurs., December 10, 1925 Mr. R. Schell of Port Perry. has accepted a position with the C.P. R. in Toronto. The Scugog Chapter of the I.0.D.E. are making Christ- mas bags for the Navy League this year. A new subscriber to the Port Perry Star this year would pay $1, per year. XY the new Recreation Centre Realty transfers this year, Mr. Jos. Holtby's 50 acres in Reach, to Mr. Martin oft Sask., Mr. John Medd's farm on Conc. 6, to Mr. J. Millar of Victoria Corners. Mr. George Aird of Utica has just returned from a two .week vacation in Florida. Mr. George West took the services at Ashburn Church in the absence of the Minister. _. 25 YEARS AGO Thurs., December 14, 1950 Port Perry High School Literary Society are staging a Mistletoe Dance at the High School. Admission for students is 35¢, non students 75¢. ' Mrs. White and Ernest of Blackstock have moved to their new home in Port Perry. One noon hour this week the student body of Port Perry High School spent ome time marching around to help level the sand in preparation for the ice sur- face. They were under the capable command of Mr. MacDonald. Members 'and friends of Woodbridge and "Vaughan Telephone Association met" at the Veteran's Hall in Markham for a final get- . together as the Bell Tele- phone Co. is taking over the Company as of January 1. 15 YEARS AGO Thurs., December 8, 1960 Oshawa elected their first Remember When..? woman Mayor this year, Ald. Christine Thomas defeated Mayor Lyman Gifford. Dr. Ernest A. Hodgson, A.B.N.S. Phd of Port Perry was honoured by St. Louis University when they con- ferred an Alumni Award on him. Firemen fought a blaze for more than four hours when the garage and mill at Greenbank operated by Ivan Spencer was completely destroyed by fire. The Ontario Farmers Junior Debating team won the first round in the Pro- vincial Junior Farmers competition in a debate with South Simcoe Junior Far- mers team. Winning team members were Donna John- son, Walter Barkey, Ted Gordon and Dean Batty. - 10 YEARS AGO Thurs., December 9, 1965 Mr. Roy Cornish, Principal of Port Perry Public School was the guest speaker at. The Principal's Association for, York. County Inspector- ate No. 7, and Ontario County Inspectorate No. 1, The meeting was held in the library of the Uxbridge Pub- lic School. Doug Butt, a member of the Thursday night men's league, came up with an all time high triple of 913. Two women were elected Councillors in the Township of Scugog election this week. They were Grace Love and June Crozier. For School board representative, Mrs. Helen Redman topped the polls. Art Petrozzi was hired as foreman of the Port Perry Works Department. --- Sam Oyler, Reeve of Reach Township, was returned to - office by only 16 votes. Three new School Trustees were elected in Cartwright, Harold Kyte, Douglas Sleep and Robert Wheeler. The woe of it all Bill Smiley Although it is a couple of weeks since Trudeau's Thanksgiving Threat, there is still a rumblin' an' a tumblin' in the atmosphere, bad vibes bouncing off good vibes, and vice versa. Certainly, it was an eventful evening in Canada's history. First, there was the Prime Minister himself. Gone were the charismatic grin, the flip retort, the eloquent Gallic shrug that seems to say, "Just because you are stupid..." Full-face, he appeared almost fat, and almost frightened. The lean, sardonic look was absent. He looked like a city boy with the reins in his hands of a runaway team, hoping desperately that some innocent bystanders (you and 1?) would jump out and help bring the runaways to a halt. What he said was OK, and the whole country was behind him, except for the doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, construction bosses, labor leaders, land- lords, and every worker in the country whose demand for a forty per cent increase had rot yet been settled by a contract. But it was the way he said it that turned me off. What should have been a ringing appeal to a nation came out with the on a kazoo. wounds. TERE) NTR IRON blood-tingling effect of a symphony played What should have made us gird up our loins and fight on the beaches and in the bedrooms and in the beer parlours, left me feeling rather flat, forlorn and fightless. Somehow, I could not identify with this rich, brilliant man whose early idealism has hardened into the familiar but ugly mold of political expediency. Where, I thought, as he solemnly told us that we had a bad case of galloping inflation and must stop being so greedy, where have he and his musical-chairs "cabinet been for the past three or four years, in a sound-proof shelter? This, I said to Bill Smiley, the only person who ever pays any attention to me, this is not leadership. This is panic. Instead of a government that is ready to roll up its sleeves, rally the people behind it, and attack the enemy, we have a government that is trying to win the war "with band-aids and cosmetics to cover the Which go right on suppurating beneath them. . This is the government that gave MP's a 50 per cent pay increase to '"'catch up" on inflation, and now tells lesser mortals they A may have ten per cent. This is the government that thoroughly the estimates of Canada's oil and gas reserves. This is the government that stood around wringing its hands and uttering plaintive little mews 'while those two giants, Big Business and Big Labor, put John Q. Public through the wringer of a vicious wage and and utterly' botched price spiral. This is the government from which its ablest cabinet member resigned recently from the financial portfolio, because he doesn't go for that old guff of staying on the bridge of a sinking ship. Yes, this is the government which mocked and scorned and thus defeated Robert Stanfield a while back when he showed enough 'guts to urge price and wage controls. And this is the government which, without even a blush. of shame, now snatches the biggest plank from that honest man's platform, to cling to in the stormy seas battering, the economy. I hate to remind you, chaps, but this is the government to which you and I (all right then, all those other dummies) gave a majority last time around. Within hours after his solemn warnings and hints of dire punishments, the long- that. suffering public, which thought it had seen a glimpse of steel beneath the pap, learned that there were "exceptions' to the rules. Mr. Trudeau's strong medicine turned out to nothing but milk. And watered milk, at Oh, there are going to be interesting times ahead, waiting to see which powerful group in this greedy time will be the first to defy to hell. probably polluting. the controls ard tell the government to go Just remember, when your friendly family doctor plunges a needle into your arm with unaccustomed ferocity, he really isn't meaning to hurt you. He's just pretending you are Pierre Trudeau. I don't know about you, but I don't know whether to laugh or cry over the terrible austerity, the fearful sacrifices Canadians must face -- at 10 per cent per annum. The Argyle Syndicate Ltd. ING TERA 5 ney 2 - . BERRI L 4 That front-running group will undoubtedly, 4 after making a few fast millions, get a terrific slap on the wrist with a feather, and receive a crushing fine of maybe $500. That's what happens to big industry caught T