PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1981, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby U by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography inc. Phone 668-61 Il The Free Press Buildine Voice of the County Town Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managlng Editor 131 Brock Street North. The only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. P.O. Box 206. Whitby. 01 MICHAEL J. KNELL Community Editor MARJORIE A. BURGESS Advertising Manager Mailing Permit No 40 g. nt. Please, get your pet its anti-rabies shot Rabies is a more common and widespread problem than most people believe. The proof of this can be found in Whitby parks and recreation director Wayne DeVeau and one of his Anderson Street North neighbours. These two people were attacked by a rabid cat and now have to undergo a serles of injections to Rate hike cannot be justified Next week, Durham Regional Council is expect- ed to endorse a recommendation that will cause water and sewer rates to jump by 22 per cent for residents of the Town of Whitby. Quite frankly, this publication finds this recommendation to be ludicrous and must op- pose it with ail vigor. It seems to us that an increase of 22 per cent is unthinkable especially when these same rates were increased by 20 per cent a year ago. In a time of economic hardship, it is necessary for government to practise restraint in its fiscal af- fairs. In fact, most'levels of government have been preaching restraint, including Durham Regional Council. While we agree with Regional Councillor Gerry Emm, the chairman of regional council's public works committee, that the quality of water must be maintained at an acceptable level, we do not see how an increase of 22 per cent can be justified. Surely if, as Emm says, that many people are practising conservation then the costs to treat sewage water must go down with the decreased consumption. Also, if the region's largest cor- porate customer, General Motors of Canada, is also practising conservation then the demand for the service cannot be as great, therefore, lower costs should be expected. Therefore, it appears to us that the region should re-examine its management techniques with the objective of cutting costs and improving efficiency. Besides which, how can Durham Regional Council contemplate lncreasing their usage fees by 22 per cent when the people whom it serves are not expecting a similar increase in salary. If council, for whatever reason, accepts this recommendation, then it will have proven the theory that government practises are the major cause of inflation. This proposai was due to be debated at a special council committee meeting yesterday and while its results were not known at press time, in- formation received indicates that they wili recommend the increase to council. We would urge not only Whitby's, but ail regional councillors to return this proposai to the committee and staff level for more investigation with the aim of bringing the increase down ta a more acceptable level. Surely, the increase should only reflect the rate of Inflation and not the cost of current mis- management techniques undertaken by Durham Region. EDITOR'S NOTE: Just prior ta going ta press we learned that at a meeting of a special committee of Durham Regional Council held yesterday, the politicians rejected the 22 per cent rate inceqase' and decided, instead, ta propose a 15 per cent hike. However, we feel this is still too high in the light af the current economic situation. combat this potentially fatal disease. According to the Durham Region Medical Of- ficer of Health, Dr. Jean Gray, and -the Health of Animals Branch of Agriculture Canada, the only sure-fire way to prevent the disease is to have your pets innoculated. Rabies is normally contracted by a domestic animal if it is exposed to either of the two normal carriers of the disease - skunks and foxes. Both of these animals can be found anywhere in the Town of Whitby - including the more urbanized areas. Therefore, it is not difficult for a dog or cat to catch rabies. Pets are normally an important part of any family and like any family member they should be protected against diseases that could be fatab not only to themselves, but to other members of the family. Usually, the family dog or cat is a source of Joy and affection and we owe it to them to keep them happy and healthy. Giving them anti-rabies shots Is not time- consuming or particularly expensive. In fact, the Town of Whitby in conjunction with other agen- cies holds an anti-rables clinic at the Iroquois Park Complex every spring usually in May. During this clinic, rabies shots only cost $3.50. Surely this would be money well spent. This publication would like to take this oppor- tunity to urge all those people with cats or dogs to take the time and have them innoculated. Hopefully, if enough people care enough about their pets to have them innoculated there will be no more cases of people contracting this disease. In all confidence, we believe that DeVeau and his neighbour would be grateful if they did. Area residents shocked by Canadian Tire appeal decision Dear Sir: Re "Canadian Tire decision to be appealed before OMB" (Free Press, December 2). My neighbors on Elizabeth Cres. and i are shocked to learn that our Whit- by Town Council's decision to prevent the construction of a Canadian Tire out- let N.E. of Bowman Ave. and Dundas St. E. is being chall- enged. This deci- sion was reached after about 200 local residents ex- p.ressed their strong objection to the much heavier traffic that would use our residential streets, endanger- ing our chidren, and the creation of wor- se bottlenecks than now exist on Dun- das Street East. It is disappoint- ing to realize that Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd., normally a good corporate citi- zen, would consider a location so inap- propriate both to the residents of the area and to the hap- less motorists, vic- tims of congestion and/or accidents caused by the cert- ain increase in volume of traffic. Has no one con- sidered its proxi- mity to one of the busiest Intersec- tions in the area where the accident rate is already very high: Thickson Road and Dundas St. East. In fact, on a "rate basis" - volume of traffic to accidents - it's the highest ln the region for 1980: 21 accidents. To add the size of Canadian Tire outlet being pro- jected (about 21,000 square feet) would be to invite chaos and frustration. Very sincerely, Elizabeth Newton, Elizabeth Cres., Whitby.