The URL can be used to link to this page

1975A f. i c0 1 Y OF 0XFOR1 5 t y yy4v�6 wo a y � z �te� a� n x 1 t .Sam � d 1 u' \wy b+ a, Yw4= �Y Zl— 11 Restructuring biggest change in Oxford since Baldwin Act Free Press Itoodsmek Bureau WOODSTOCK — The restmetured Oxford County government system which went htlo effect Wednesday roar', the greatest change in county structure since the 1819 Baldwin Act established county boundaries. But this time the architects of the system were local officials working with local input from public meetings. Study of the need for municipal reform be- gan in 1963 and moved several stages before the restructuring plan was approved in June. 0:fard's restructuring is the first in On- tario. Atirden Percy Sibbick. reeve of Blenheim Townstup, described it as "one of the big- grest defsions in the history of Oxford Comity.'• As of Wednesday 15 municipalities have been reduced to eight. Woodstock and Inger- soll have retained their boundaries while Tillsonburg has expanded into Dereham Township.. Fifteen rural municipalities have merged into five townships. Zorra Township has been created in We northwest, East Zorra-Tavistock Township in the north -cen- tral area. Blandford-Blenheim Township in the northeast, Norwich Township in the southeast and the fifth is South-West Oxford Township. Gerald Staples, county clerk -treasurer, said the restructured government is similar to regional government in some aspects but there is ❑u dual c in Oxford's sl;,itus as a county. Ile noted that restructuring was requested by the county rather than being Imposed by the province. hie also said the head of the county was appointed by county councillors and not by the province as has occurred When regional governments were established in other areas of Ontario. Under restructuring, the county is respon- sible for planning, land severances, water and server services — which the county may contract to municipalities — capital financ- ing, day-care services, waste disposal and a Police liaison committee. The county will also operate the library system, an inspection department and pro. motion of the county as an agricultural, 1n dustrial, business-, education, residential and vacation centre. First steps toward government restruclur• ing were taken in 1063 when work began on the Lancelot Smith report on taxation. When it was released in 1907. it outlined a blue- print for creation of 29 regions by juggling boundaries. Under that. proposal, Oxford was to be n- cludedin a proposed Talbot .region with.por- tions of Elgin, Norfolk and bliddlesex coun- ties. Regional thinking was given a further shot in the arm in 1966 with the release of the province's Design for Development which outlined plansfor each region of the pro. vine. Its stated aim was to help establish regional governments "to make local gov- ermucml as strong and meaningful as possi- ble." Then, in 1970. Warden Stanley Gehring, reeve of Norwich Township, urged Oxford County council to attempt to preserve Ito boundaries before implementation of re- gional government. Later in 1970, county council established a committee to prepare a report on regional government. That same year, Woodstock and Ingersoll entered into discussions on restructuring with the county and Brian Turnbull and As- soeiates of Kitchener was hired to present a report on restructuring. Five alternatives were outlined. These ranged from retention of the status quo by leaving all matters in the hands of individ- ual local governments to tine creation of a one -tier government for the entire county. Public meetings on the proposals were held In eight centres. At one stage, it was proposed that neigh- boring parts of Elgin, Norfolk and Perth counties be included in the restructured county but this never came about. On several occassions, the plan for res- tructuring also came close to being side- tracked. In 1973, county council rejected a motion that plans for restructuring be scrapped, And just before the provincial government approved the restructuring bill last June, a group of county residents appealed without success to the government to reject tile bill. Restructured Oxford County Council tales power Wednesday: By GORD McINTMSH the new structures. set up strictly in an advisory council, will receive recom- re -hired and two new positions the authority of the Woodstock haisson. mdustnal and tourist hick has a :seat oa all standing 'Sentinel -Review Staff Willer For example, the old capacity. Bill 95, creating the emendations from a new land are being advertised. Former Suburban Road Commission and promotion and the library committees. Restructured Oxford County agriculture and community restructured system, disbands division committee and local warden Glen Kitchen has had Ingersoll Suburban Com- system. - Local public utility cam• council has built most. of its services committee has been county planning board giving its municipalities. his part-time position as a mission. Dec. 17. county cousin voted missions are expected to survive administrative structure and divided up between ad- responsibilities to council. The land division committee is consent administrator made The committee, through a to amalgamate Woodstock, under a contractural will lake power Wednesday and ministration and finance, Like planning boards in the composed of the four members full-time, reporting to the land sewer and water advisory Tillsonburg and Oxford County arrangement with local start spending in January. looking after agriculture and eight municipalities, the former of the planning committee and division committee. committee,. is to consult with Library into one system. mun cipalities to maintain both It was constituted Oct. 30 to county forests, and health and powers of local and county three citizen appointees. The new planning positions local municipalities in setting up But an amendment to Bill 95 the water and hyrae operaativm: organize itself for the new social services committee, boards and commissions has County health and social are the first additions to the a county sewage and water will be required before the that they '.candle no, Canty council tics decided to system. absorbing the rest. been transferred to county and services committee, besides county's payroll, aside tram system. It is responsible for amalgamation can be set up. Cut down from 30 to 20 Although the new ad- local councils. taking responsibility for social employees absorbed from local county property. County council has voted to enter min agreement for local; members, county council has ministration and finance But almost all boards and servicesandboard of health, the municipalities. It is also the committee so far meet on the first Wednesday of councils to bundle aA already divided its membership committee was created to deal commissions, except for Victorian Order of Nurses and All 216 county employees and to set up a speck meeting the month at 10 a.m. and on the ministration, billing, at, into four standing committees, with personnel and budget committees of adjustment, land the Family and Children's civic staff in the eight time. It will meet every other fourth Wednesday of the month construction and de, de ifa Nuance and administration, matters, after consideration by division committees and in- Services Council, formerly municipalities have been Thursday at 10 a.m. at7c30p.m., if a second meeting Construction and day- o-dt planning, public works and individual committees, council dustrial commissions, are Children', Aid Society, has been guaranteed a job in restruc- The administration and is needed. health and social services. sysfemv. has considered a personnel staying on in some sort of ad• given canon] of all daycare Luring for al. least one year. finance committee holds At department beach, m the Responsibilities of the four old committee to deal with major or visory capacity, centres in the county. Public works committee will responsibility for the county .old minty system have been Both talc coileclbon and tillllv� county council committees, are sudden situations. The county planning eon- ,The present five -member maintain control of all county museum, fire co-ordination, the retained. Although he can't lie remaimw the hap&of thebeai. divided up and redistributed to Planning committee has been mittee, which reports to county county planning staff has been roads and roads formerly under clerk -treasurer's office, police chairman, Warden Pam Sid- munieipa3lties- Councillor from Ingersoll WodstockAd,PhlplPoole says he will be attending county will miss first meeting council meetings on apart -time basis tinder terms of Oxnard County hoard of education's Policy. passed last month, for By GORDbtcINTOSH difficult to attend morninghold its meetings on the second g employees who hold elected office. The policy gives IO sentnel-Review Sta ll Writer ingersoll Coun. Douglas sessionx. Last month, school board set Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. and on the fourth Wed- days to attend municipal ipal Harris said today he won't be attending up a special policy giving any nesday of the month at 7:30 meetings. Both Aid. Poole and Ingersoll Conn. Douglas Harris county council Wednesday morning because of employees who holds elected office up to 10 half -days in the p.m., if a second meeting is needed. argued to county council in his leeching schedule. school year without pay to at- "It still doesn't solve the November that a system of holding meetings at ld County council holds its first tend municipal meetings. problem," Coun. Harris said. "I a.m. on the second Wednesday of the regular meeting of the year at to The policy was made after won't he there Wednesday." month and on the fourth Wed- a.m, Coun. Harris, who was given a requests were received from Coun. Harris and Woodstock lie said that he would have no problem taking time off for nesday of the the month at 7:30 special time-uttPolicy by Oxford Ald, Philip Poole, both teachers, afternoon meetings but his p.m., if a second meetingwas needed, wood interfere Cowny hoard of education to t'or extra lime off to attend :.tudenlswouldsufferifhetooka with their leaching schedules.. Both attend Council meetings, said in an Interview he county council meetai . complete day for council, men received notification from will find it County council has decided to County council meetings are education director George expected to last most of the day. Simmons last week. Aid- Poole could not be reached for comment. BLUES CHASER New hobby: Going m the super 'neat to catch them mark top the Prices, 1975 INGERSOLL TOWN COUNCIL Ingersoll's new town council Bill ElucintYre, Mayor Gordon Riley; back: Norm Bain, Jack Coyle, Jim Robins, Doug Harris. icludes, front from left: clerk Henry, deputy clerk Marion Warden, Eugene Mabee, Marion (Staff photo) New councillors of new township sworn in at meeting OTTERVILLE — The new members of a new council in a new municipality were sworn in at the inaugural meeting- of Norwich Township council here Monday. The new township, comprising the former townships of North Norwich and South Norwich and the Village of Norwich, came into being Jan. l under restructured govern- ment in Oxford County. Mayor Les Dickson heads the new council, which includes member -at -large Kenneth Peers and nine councillors, Carl Beal, Roger Orth., Cecil Atingle, James McDowell, Jack Burns, Stewart Miles, Robert Pettigrew, James Butler and Jack Walther. One of camcil's first acts was to proclaim a township -wide contest for suggestions for a new township crest. The contest, open to township residents, ends March 1. Council also decided on meeting dates: the second Monday of each month at 10 a.m, and the fourth Tuesday at 7 p,m. Chairmen selected to head council com- mittees: recreation, Roger Orth; public works, Carl Beal; protection, James Butler; agriculture, Cecil Mingle. In other business, council was told Oxford council will build an addition to Woodipgford Lodge in Woodstock at a cost of more than $I million. The single -stores' addition to the senior ci. tizens' home is to be constructed in four sec- tions and will include a therapy swimming .pool and about 200 buds. TURNED AWAY Although at least one standing committee of county council has opened its doors to press and public, the rest have yet to meet with any observers. Thursday, the public works committee turned away a reporter who showed up for a regular meeting. Clerk -treasurer Gerald Slapits said it is up to individual committees rather than council to decide if a meeting is to be open. So far both meetings of the ad. ministration and finance cnrnmittee have been open. Norwich township appoints officials Norwich township council has passed a bylaw naming all of its municipal officers, hoursand dates of meetings, and the municipalities' auditors and ,nlicilors. The 11 member council ap- proved the appointment of Robert Watkins as clerk and 14ayne Johnston as deputy clerk during its first meeting under restructuring held in Otterville on Monday. Merlin Howse has been named as treasurer of the new township while Fred Lowes will serve as the deputy treasurer. Robert louder was appointed as public works superintendent.. The council also passed a h.ylaw calling for regular Free phone for Norwich Residents living in the new municipality of Norwich may soon have a free municipal phone number if council acts on r a suggestion made by Coun. Kenneth Peers. During the township's inaugural meeting held in Otterville on Monday, Coun. Peers suggested that the municipal offices have a to]]. free number for area residents. The new municipality, which came into being following the restructuring of Oxford County on Jan. I, includes the former townships of, Norwich, South Norwich, North Norwich and East Oxford. NE$TMEi?TING Norwich Township council will hold its next regular meeting pn Jan, 28 ill. 7 P.M. in the municipal offices in Ouerville. Free Press Woodstock Bureau BEACHVILLF — James Riddick, Beach. ville area councillor, has announced his re- signation from the newly -formed South-West Oxford Township council. Mr. Riddick charged that decisions for Ox- ford County were made before the new council took office and the county's restruc- turing became effective Wednesday. Changes have been made, he said, "and in most cases these changes are for the worse." A nine-year member of Beachville council, Mr. Riddick was acclaimed Sept. 10 to county council to represent the former ntuN- cipalitles of Beachville, West Oxford and Dereham townships. Elections for other councillors were held Oct. 7, Mr. Riddick said fie felt meetings held be. meeting of the council to be held on the second Monday of every month at 10 a.m. and on the fourth'Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. The firm of Millard, Rouse and Roseburgh will serve the municipality as auditors while the township's solicitors will be the firm of Treleaven, Graham, Whd.e and Coati of Woodstock. Council also approved a bylaw .allowing it to borrow up to $500,090 so that it can carry on the affairs of the municipality until taxes can be collected. The.bviaw stated in part that the township, comprising of the former townships of North and south Norwich. Norwich and East oxford, had assets totaling $1,948,990, 600 acres rezoned in Ingersoll Free Press Woodstock Bureau INGERSOLL — About 600 acres of land in the southwest end of Ingersoll, annexed from Lhe former West Oxford Township Jan. 1, 1971, was rezoned from restricted agricul- ture to manufacturing at an Ontario. Munici- i pal Board hearing Tuesday. Bedford .Ball, OMB hearing chairman.' made one stipulation — that a buffer woe be added at the west side of a manufactur- ing area on the south side of Thomas Street, west of Ontario Road. William A. Maclntyre, clerk -treasurer, said 85 or 00 per cent of the 700 acres an - Hexed from the township is for mamtfsetur- ing purposes. Peter Atcheson, Oxford County planning director, said one site is being prepared for development by Scott -Douglas Plastics, now renting manufacturing space in the town. About 108 acres of the rezoned area is owned•by the town. Municipal clerk decides to retire Earl Hostetler, clerk - treasurer of the former municipality of East Zorra, has resigned.. In a letter to the newly amalgamated council of East Zorra-Tavistock Monday, Mr. Hostetler said he was retiring due to ill health. Under restructuring legislation, all municipal em- ployees are guaranteed one year of employment. Although Mr. Hostetler's position with amalgamated council had not been deter- mined, he would have remained in some capacity. Mr. Hostetler had been clerk for the past five years. He was appointed treasurer in East Zorra in 1965. He had held the office of tax collector for the past 14 years. East Zorra-Tavistock mayor Harold Vogt said he was "surprised and dissappointed," at the resignation. "At a time like this: we cer- tainly needed his help," said the mayor. John V. Killing, former deputy -clerk treasurer of East Zorra, was appointed as interim clerk. A full-time appointment wriB be made sometime after Feb. 4. Beachville area councillor quits over new system fore amalgamation were "a waste of time" for both himself and other councillors. He expressed fears that Beachville resi- dents may no longer receive the services they had in the past, such as 'adequate fire protection and planning. Mr. Riddick also called for the resignation of South-West Oxford Mayor George Jaia, man and new elections as "the logical solu- tion to the whole mess." "I hope somebody else can do better, I can't see Beachville lost in the ahttifle,' he said. "I feel that would happen with me there.' Mayor Jakenum said the resignation wilt be considered at the council's inaugural meeting Tuesday. He said if the resignation is accepted, another nomination will have to be held. The mayor denied the councillor's chargm that decisions were made in advance, "I feel It is just a matter of a few miswn. derstandings," Mayor Jukeman said. 0 0 Restructured Oxford described as leader of reform By WATtiE MacPHERSON Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Ondord County is in the forefront as a ,leader in thoughtful reform and progress, Provincial Treasurer W. Darcy McKeough said Tuesday'. Mr. McKeough and Lt.-Gov.. Pauline McGibbon were attending a "special inaugu- ral" meeting of the restructured Oxford County canal Bloch became effective Jan. 1, 1973. "The leadership you have demonstrated, the efforts of you, your colleagues, your as- sociates and the citizens of the county. des- erve to be applauded and honored. and I do so." Mr. McKeough said in his address. Eight years ago when there bad been no restructuring of municipal government in Ontario, with the exception ofMetro To- ronto, there were 964 municipalities in the province. Today there are 848—a reduction of 118, he said. Many counties, along with their cities and towns, are now announcing their desire to follow the lead of Oxford County. He said 12 other counties, including his own Kent, have embarked on studies or are ready to do so with the co-operation of the provincial gov- ernment. Four other counties are at work on similar studies on their own and at least two others are giving the idea serious study. The purported lack of enthusiasm for res- tructuring, Mr. McKeough said, is a myth. Mr. McKeough recalled be was minister of municipal affairs when the first six regions were created, including Thunder Bay and rimmins. Six other regions have since been restructured, including Oxford. "Any suggestion that the province devel- ops and publishes its own plan — that it did so in Oxford County — is another myth," the newly -appointed provincial treasurer said. Ile described restructuring as the begin- ning of a new era in Ontario — "a new style of county government — an administrative procedure that would have been ahead of its day in the 1940s and late for its dayif only starting in the 1980s — a form of govern- ment that is capable of dealing with the needs of the people in the current decade, "It is a matter of some regret," he said, "that there has been a lot of nonsense talked about restructured municipal govern- ment in Ontario. Some, of coarse, has been partisan, some has been uninformed. Some, no doubt, has been malicious. Probably it is understandable. But it is also regrettable. And Oxford County is the answer to it all," Many sincere people honestly believe that the restructuring process has been imposed — that it has resulted from the initiative of the provincial government, some commis- sion or other body from outside the county, he said. "'But that supposition cannot survive real knowledge of what has happened to Oxford County, as you know better than anyone. Your newly -restructured county is your own creation, it demonstrably embodies the local perceptions of what is .good for the people of the county." ,He submitted it is important to the county, the province and other counties who will look at solutions in Oxford as they contem- plate problems in their own communities. He said it is gratifying, to see representa- tives from Woodstock and Ingersoll take their seats at the county council table. Within the county, he said, there are eight municipal governments, compared with 18 a year ago. Mr. McKeough presented a framed copy of the cou nty's restructuring bill to Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Blandford-Blenheim Township. Lt.-Gov. McGibbon praised the county for taking "the important initiative in examin- ing its system of local governmem." Because of early initiative," she. said, "this vibrant and growing part of Ontario has given itself a head start in establishing a system of government that I am emGdeet will have the power, the orgaairtien and broad resource base to guide and control growth is a manner befitting the needs and wishes of its people It was less than a year ago, she recalled. that the final study- report, three years in making, was presented to former treasurer John White. LL-Gov. McGibbon, who presented a per. trait of herself for council chambers, was presented with a plaque and a copy of lie Oxford Gaaeteer, an early reprinted cosW history- by Warden Sibbick. Dr. H. C. Parrott. UPP WC—Osfotdl des- cribed the new Orford sp=_tem as an op - partiality for greater opportunity for citizens to share in a meaningful way the de- mocratic process- 0 William Ducklow disagrees with Parrott on clause John King named to lead educators EAST ZORRA — Tavistock Trustee John King was elected t975 chairman of Oxford County hoard of education., at Wed- nesday night's inaugural -- keeping a five-year tradition.. Last year's vice-chairman, he is the seventh county board chairman and sixth vice- chairman to be elected to the post. Norwich Trustee Muriel Bishop, viee-chairman in 1969, was the sole exception in the board's formation vear. South-West Oxford Trustee Lawrence Sloakley, a sole nominee, was elected 1975 vice-chairman, and Barry Hunt, trustee representing Ingersoll, was re-elected as board representative to the Ontario Public School Trustees' .Association. As a precautionary measure, immediate past chairman Bruce McLeod was elected as alternate representative to the OPSTA. Mr. King, a seven-year veteran of the Oxford board. kept his remarks brief ex pressing optimism in the board's ability to function well in 1975 He also welcomed new trustees. with the hopes they'd help ._"the old plodders the board has had for years." Among the ne&Iy-elected John King I rust ees are Matthew Alabastine, Gow Harvey, William Hogg, Murray Hut- cheson, William Thompson. Wesley Wallace, and Gerald W'ormald. Mr. King reserved his naugUral address for the next board meeting Jan. 13. : Charity donations now at county level • Donations made to national organizations will now be made at the county level, at least in the case of the new municipality of Norwich Township. Oxford County council had sent a teller to Norwich council t iggesting that donations to all national charities be made at .00 !bwa Norwich council approved a resolution calling for the county to be responsible for all national organizations that approach Norwich for donations. The resolution also calls for these donations to be in an amout that is proportionate to the amounts paid in former donations made by the towu- shilla. Oxford chambers join forces Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Six Oxford County Chain - hers M Commerce have formed a liaison committee W deal with mutual probl lms, Forming the committee were chambers from Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Ingersoll, Norwich, Tavistock and Platisville, By GORD MCINTOSH sentinel -Review staff Writer Former Tavistock Reeve William Ducklow said Monday he still believes a provincial amendment opens the way for regional police. Mr. Ducklow, a former warden, and one of the early planners of Oxford restruc- turing, discussed amendments to Bill 95, the legislation creating the new county system, in a meeting with Oxford MPP Dr. Harry Parrott Monday. In an interview after the meeting, Mr. Ducklow said he and Dr. Parrott did not come to agreement on a clause of the amending legislatipn, Bill 174 which deletes sections 74 and 75 from Bill 95. The deleted clauses say a regional police force cannot be created in Oxford by ministerial order unless asked for by county council.' The .provision for Council's request was added to BID 95 last June before third reading in the Ontario legislature at the urging of the Oxford Area Local Government Implementing Committee, a joint committee of Woodstock, Ingersoll and county councils,. which Mr. Ducklow chaired. OBJECTS STRONGLY "I think it's, as you can guess, an abortion," Mr. Ducklow said. "I object strongly to the sections being deleted." Mr. Ducklow said he is to have a subsequent meeting with Dr. Parrott next week to finish discussing Bill 174. Bill 174, said by provincial officials to be a "house- cleaning,, set of six amend- ments, was passed in the legislature Dec. 20. Reasoning for deletion of Sections of 74 and 75, Dr. Parrott says, was that the William Ducklow provisions were in conflict with the Ontario Police Act, which gives the solicitor general authority to create a regional police force. Dr. Parrott said Monday that he called on city solicitor Ross Webster during the meeting to concur with him that the two pieces of legislation would have been in conflict. Any ministerial order referredto in Sections 74 and 75, Dr. Parrott said, could only apply to the provincial treasurer by definition of the act, and not the solicitor general. But if that's true, Mr. Ducklow told The Sentinel -Review, then Bill 95's Section im, referring to hydroelectric systems, is also in conflict because its reference to the provincial treasurer would be negated by the powers of the energy minister. "If it's classified as a house- Dr. Harry Parrott cleaning bill then they should house -clean the whole bfp because of discrepancies like Section 134," Mr. Ducklow added. What does he plan to do now? FURTHER ACTION Besides next week's meeting with. Dr. Parrott, Mr. Ducklow — "now a private citizen" — plans to let county council take further action on the amend- ments, he said. Meanwhile, Dr. Parrott said he didn't believe he and Mr. Ducklow disagreedon anything else besides the deletion of Sections 74 and 75.- "The guy is tremendously knowlegeable in that act,' Dr - Parrott said. "I admit that Ducklow is more knowledgeable than I am. "But the solicitor (Mr- Webster i agreed with me-J can't resolve it (with Air. Ducklow)." Matheson wants Oxford to name fire coordinator The appointment of a fire co- ordinator for Oxford should take top priority, Zorra Mayor Hobert Matheson said Tuesday Zorra councillors are con- cerned with the confusion regarding lire protection around Rayside in the southeast corner of the township. Embro fire department has ' agreed to service the area, Mr Matheson said, although it could be protected by the Beachville fire department. Mutual aid leaves a lot to be desired, according to councillor fire trucks burn on the r. Hammond Councillor David Slater felt co-ordination would be better than a back-up service. Coup. Ted Nancekiveli said each department has a fire contract. William Foley, ward three councillor, replied, "Tell that to a person when his house burns down." Mr. Mathason said be thought Robert Matheson Gerry Staples Woodstock fire chief William notified of such an ap�ununcut Martin had been appointed fire My. Mathasotl and counculm� co-ordinator, at -large Robert Blair plus to County clerk -treasurer Gerald meet with South-West Oxford Staples told Mr, Matheson that Mayor George Jakeman to Chief Martin hoe navm' been, 41scuxs the problem. Sibbick advises reporters test closed door meetings H, GORD MCINTOSR ,rntraebReriew Staff Writer Oxford County Warden Perry Sibbick Wednesday told newsmen to show up at standing committee meetings whether or not they have been held in camera Although the new restrue lured council voted to deal with its committee reports in public, something its predecessor refused to do upon taking office, only, the administration and finance committee has had reporters present at its meetings. Both the planning and the public works committee have refused to open their meetings to reporters or the public. Although no resolution was voted on, Mr. Sibbick told newsmen at Wednesday's county council meeting to show up at committee meetings "to see what will happen." He said a general consensus of council seemed to favor open meetings after each standing committee chairman had spoken. Norwich Mayor Leslie Dickson, administration and finance chairman, said he had no objections to open meetings for most items on an agenda but added that the public or reporters should not be present when "contentious or personal items" are discussed. His committee has gone in camera on personnel and legal Perry Sibbick ...show up items at the end of meeting agendas. Tillsonburg Coun. Kenneth Webster, planning committee chairman, said he wanted the committee meetings closed. NO REPORTERS He said he didn't mind news coverage of matters dealt with at planning board (a function now performed by council) but did not want reporters present at planning committee meetings. "I'm not too happy with having it in the press from Kenneth Webster .. close meetings ptanningcommittee," Conn. Webster said. "As far as planning is concerned. there are certain things that shouldn't be discussed in the open." South-West Oxford Coun. Norman Paton, a planning committee member, also said the meetings should be closed. But Woodstock Aid. Wendy Calder, planning committee vice-chairman, said the meetings should be open. "Planning affects everybody in Oxford County and they want to know about it," she said. "We Wendy Calder ... public business are doing the publie's business." "Anything that can't be said publicly should not be said behind closed doors," Wood- stock Aid. Joseph Pember ad- ded. Tillsonburg .Mayor Seldon Wilkinson, public works com- mittee chairman, said he didn't mind reporters present at meetings except in some cir- cumstances like when the committee is buying land. Last Thursday a Sentinel - Review reporter was turned away from a public works Consultation demanded Joe Pember ... advocates open - committee meeting. Woodstock Aid. Williatte Dutton, chairman of the social. services committee, said; reporters were welcome to cover meetings but warned them that "they had better haye their running shoes on" because his committee will be breaking into sub -committees an meeting in several places at the same time. The issue was raised Woodstock Mayor Leslie Cook; who said he was inquiring on, council policy for newsmen. Ontario blasted by Oxford for restructuring bill errors Free Press Woodstock Bureau ipce's action as a "complete breakdown or vincial treasurer in the clauses puts them in WOODSTOCK — Oxford County council. lack of communication." conflict with the police act, said Warden Sib - Council voted to ask the province to rein- bick. gave the provincial government a double state the clauses after it corrects an error . Council voted to ask the province to cor- handslap Wednesday for making a mistake in them which Warden Petry Sibbick, Bland- rect the error and reinstate the clauses. It in the original restructuring bill for the ford -Blenheim mayor, said puts them in con- also asks to be contacted before any future county and then amending it without con- flict with the police act. mnendments are made. Warden Sibbick said the origianal bill con- Council also formulated plans for an ob- sulting the municipalities. famed the now deleted clauses which would jection to tire Ayr Dam proposal which Al& Wendy Calder of Woodstock said she have allowed county council to ask the pro- would flood 8,500 acres of farmland in the received a copy of the amending bill which vincial treasurer to establish a police force northeast area of Blandford-B 1 e n h e i in - deleted two clauses concerning a county po- for all or part of the county. Township. The objection will be presented at Hoe force Dec. 20, after the province had al- Police matters are under the jurisdiction the Jan. 20 meeting of the provincial cabi. ready passed a bill. She described the prov. of the attorney -general and naming the pro- net in London. Aid. Walter Monte of Woodstock requested - - Peter Acheson, planning director, and Ger- ald R. Staples, county clerk -treasurer, to prepare the brief for prosentaRon to the cabinet. Coun. Kenneth Peers said the county should urge the construction of a lake water pipeline as an alternative to the dam propu- ml Employee awaiting word on salary .A planning employee who lust started full-time work. with Oxford County, will have to wail a month to find out what he will be paid officially Ulan Kitchen, a former county warren, beggaan working as a consent azionintMrator Jan I for I he planning board after county council agreed to hire him last f)ecomber. But council would not approve a $12•0011 salary' and referred the question In lire fidminiatralron and finance committee. The committee, in a repoill In Colin . Kenneth Webster ivkctl Norwich Mayor Leslie Oicksun, adminisn'alinn and finance,etnnmitlee chairman. council Wedrimday, said MI . Saying that Mr. Kdehen woulrt Kriebel) would have to wall tinul have to work kit the parLdtne the end of the month or the next calory he reealved. with the when all snlorres ore tllacusged comely before resiruclurhtg Irk o "What arc you gowg to do vimdar cupnclly, Mr Dickson with then when we've gal hmn in snarl. "We have man) ern the. mcuntunu"" Tillsonburg phlyees who sure currying on wllh no guarantees of anything day -a -week jib with the old land except that their employment. is division committee before guaranteed." - restructuring. "We have him working full. time now with two of our planning quiff to prepare ap phcations for the .land division WI Council voted to pay Nir, Kitchen and equivalent daily' rate--B�l5-- for five daps a week raid his salary level fsdoolded' vomnlittee, lout). atster added Kitchen was taken on fW timea on recommendation reeomendatian of Mr. Kitchen was paid a the planning committeeof whikK gtraighl SJ.St�llti year for lus two- Coun. Webster is chairman. 0 • • • SOUTH-WEST OXFORD HOLDS INAUGURAL .iuth-Wecl. Oxford Mayor The inaugural was one of seven Jakeman, the new council Lohuis, Norman Paton, Cecil ,"Inge Jakeman addresses held this week across Oxford consists of councillors William Wilson and Walter Wilson. (Staff ukural meeting of township County.. In addition In Mr. Fewster, Fred ranklin. Frank photo) uncil Tuesday in Tilt. Elgin. -' Council takes protest of dam to cabinet Oxford County council Wcdneday voted to present a imief to the Ontario cabinet, protesling construction of the AYr Dam. Council decided to present the brief at a special cabinet meeting in London Jan. 22. Warden Perry Sibbick was to lead the delegation. Thenewly-restructured council followed the lead of last year's council by Opposing the dam and reservoir which is part of 1Caterloo Region's official plan. Local politicians for several rvat s have objected to the dam. y �� wanted by the region as an extra water source for the Kitchener- �> A,,Ierloo area, because it would ' swan the flooding of 6.Doo acres of farmland in Oxford's Blenheim Township along the .Nnh River. Peter Atcheson In an interview after the • • Manning director In"cling. Mr Sibbick said he Atcheson and clerk -treasurer wasn'I sure what would be in the Gerald Staple& beefit was to he preparee by Mr. Sibbick said: "We object planning director Peter because they just came into ROADS ASSUMED Oxford County Council has assumed five village streets as county roads. The new county roads are: Hope Street, in the former village of Tavistock as extension of County Road 24; Huron Street in the former village of Embro as extension of County Road 6; Zorra and Embro Streets in the former village of Beachville as ex- tension of County Road It; and Main Street in the former village of Norwich as extension of County Road 18. The county assumed jurisdiction over the village streets under provisions of restructuring. Oxford County. They over stepped us." He said the village of Ayr, for which the dam would be named, just west of the county boundary in North Dumphries Township, ,would be unaffected by the project. ENDORSED ADVICE Council also endorsed a recommendation of its planning committee to send a resolution to the provincial ministry of housing objecting to the dam. Oxford County planning board, disbanded Jan. I with restructuring, did the same thing last year. It Waterloo's official plan is approved to include the dam and reservoir, Mr. Sibbick said, Oxford's objections may be continued in front of the Ontario Municipal Board. Council voted unanimously in opposition to the dam._ The Ontario cabinet will be in London as part of a special series of rotating meetings around the province. Seniors to get discount at mall Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK - A discount club will be formed for senior citizens at 32 of 38 stores at Blandford Square mall, general manager, John Dubas said Wednesday. Most senior citizens live on fixed incomes, which are constantly being eroded by itllla, BOO, Mr. Dubas said. - Every Tuesday, beginning March 4, will be senior citizen's day at the mall, with 10- per-cent discounts Offered. Disrrounts will be issued on regularly-prleed merchandise ex. cept tobacco and advertised sale items. Res. taurants, he said, will feature a special se• tdor citizens' mean. Discount cards may be obtained for $2 on Jan. 30 and 31 from 1 to 9 p.m. and Feb. 1, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The cards will bear the applicants picture. - BLUES CHASER New game: Find the candy bar ludden to the wrapper. Council appoints ;Cook to fill seat `I DEREHAM CENTRE— Ruddick at a council meeting in Howard Cook of Beachville was Dereham Centre this morning. 1 appointed today as councillor in Councillors decided to fill the the municipality of South-West vacancy by appointment rather Oxford. than by-election, at a meeting He replaces Jim Ridi ick, who earlier this month. resigned earlier this month Mr. Riddick, acclaimed to the following a disagreement with Beachville ward in the Oct. 7 SWO mayor George Jakeman. municipalelections, resigned Mr. Cook, defeated as a after charging Mayor Jakeman . candidate for councillor -at -large and council members within- in the Oct. 7 municipal elections, terfering in affairs in Beach - was chosen to replace Mr. %ille. Court space needs creating problem Warden Perry Sibbick said 'frustrated" by imeertainty.01 Wednesday if provincial court the arrangement between the officials want more space in county and the province in Woodstock they will have to determining the need for ad - move out of the county building, ditional office space for county Mr. Sibbick made the departments. statement while county council Mr. Sibbick said he took )was eonsidering a proposal to "exception" to suggestions by find out from the province what some councillors that the (future space it will need in the province should decide to either building, which is shared bet- buy or continuing renting the Iween Oxford County and both building. .provincial and county courts. "This buildin is not for sale," The province has had court Mr. Sibbick said, "This is the :facilities in the tie -year -old Light county building.. - Street building since 1967 with a lo-year lease. "We were here first and if Works committee, in a report they want more space they can to council, said it was go elsewhere." Inflation rate in '74 worst in 26 years Political pay scale set in Blandford-Blenheim Free Press Woodstock Bureau DRUIIBO — Remuneration of $50 a day for fu8-stay meetings and $30 for half -day or evening meetings was set for councillors of newlyamalgamated Blandford-B l a n It j at Township at their inaugural meeting Mon- day. Mayor Perry Sibbick will receive an hono- rarium of $600 for the year, councillor -at - large Ross Livingston $450 and other coun- cillors SM. Mayor Sibbick said no mileage will be paid members for travel withbi the town- ship. Mayor Sibbick, warden of Oxford County, told council he will present a. brief to the Ontario cabinet at a meeting Jan. 22 in Lon. don on behalf of council. ' The brief states council objections to the proposed Ayr dam project which would flood 8,500 acres of- predominantly -agricultural land in Blandford-Blenheim. The Ayrr Dam project is part of the Water- loo region official plan to combat a water shortage in Kitchener-Waterloo•Cambridge area. In other business. council approved sub- mission of a zoning chance on a 10-acre par- cel of agricultural land northwest of lfigh- Oxford MPP Dr. Harry Pan•olt said today Oxford County still has more protection than other municipalities; re- organized by the province, Lieu tenant -governor against a regional police -force- He pointed to Sections 70 and J to attend inaugural 128 of Bill 95, restructuring oxford. County, as assurance that the "status quo" in local WOODSTOCK — Lt.-Gov. Pauline McGib- police protection will be bon will speak at a special inaugural meet- maintained, in.- of the restructured Oxford County coun- Section 70 says each existing cil. Jan. 21 at 4:30 p.m. in the council ebam- county pollee force will keep its bars at Oxford County court house. - jurisdiction as of Jan. I, while Section 128 says Bill 95 will Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Bland- prevail over provisions 'of any ford -Blenheim township, said the invitation other general of special was extended to the lieutenant -governor who legislation, eveniin the event of has officiated in inaugurals of other new re- - conflict. groan. But, in an interview, he said I mt Sections 74 and 75 of Bill 95 ,:ere deleted by special ;nnendment. Dec. 20 because wa> 401 and County Road 29 to commercial zoning to the Ontario Municipal Board. Council appointed members to the Platte- ville arena advisory committee including Hugh Hall, Clair Harmer, Douglas Lamont, Arthur Ellis, Willson Richmond, Court. Frank Parkhouse and councillor -at -large Ross Livingston. Merle Coleman, a former Blenheim Town- ship reeve, was recommended to Oxford County council as a member of the Grand River Conservation Authority. Comic. Parkhouse said snowmobile prob- lems will be discussed at the next council meeting Jan. 27. Province adopts hands -off policy on meeting times Free Press Wondidock Burean WOODSTOCK — Former P r o v i n c i a l Treasurer John White says the government will not interfere in an Oxford County coun- cil dispute over meeting times. County council meets during the day but. Woodstock council had sought an amend- ment to the Oxford County restructuring bill making night meetings mandatory. "I believe it would be inappropriate for the government to legislate or intervene to establish the time of day at which the Ox- ford County council must meet," Mr. White ,said in a letter to Woodstock council. The letter will be considered at tonight's meet- ing. Mr. While said the matter has been left to the discretion of municipal councils. Status quo maintained for police, says MPP meeting. But Dr. Parrott. in reply S� county council. said the amending legislation. Bill 174� was imposed without notice or consultation. In his statement- he added. "The passing of the amendment was done in public debate. mIth- the approval of myself and the opposition parties with fifer reading on Dec. 10 ... Surely no' one can question the opennesaof this procedure. "If there are those who wish to allow this government or any. further government an easigi_ method of - establishing a regional police force. then Section 74 and 75 should be put back into the Oxford Act. then were in conflict with the Ontario Police Act because "it. says the same thing;" "You can't have two acts governing the same thing," he said. Dr. Parrott was replying to two resolutions passed by county council "Wednesday protesting the province's deletion of Sections 74 and 75 and calling for their re -instatement, respectively. FIGHT WITH VIGOR "I want our police forces to stay as they are and will fight with all the vigor at my com- mand to keep the status quo for policing in Oxford County," he said in a prepared statement. But Dr. Parrott refused, to comment on remarks made by Warden Pen•v Sibbick at Wednesday's county council "I do not want a regional police force _ Township councillors Housing for elderly vote selves pay raise major goal in Oxford HICKSON — In an all -day, closed town- ship council meeting Wednesday, Last Zorra-Tavist+ackofficials votedthemselves a salary increase averaging 15 per cent. Salaries for elected officials are: Mayor, $900; cmuncfllor-at-large, $000; councillors, "M plus $50 for each full -day meeting and $30 for half -day meetings. Salaries for township employees — also in, creased by 15 per cent — are: Interim clerk -treasurer .John Killing, $15,- NO; assist int clerk -treasurer Walter Schae- fer, $U,50$; road superintendent John Apple- ton, $16,000. Road employees were granted an hourly rate of between $4 and $3, Police Chief Peter Grant, $15,000, Const- able Ronald Rudy, $13,000; secretaries, Hickson; Mrs. Norman Tucker, $7,500; Tav- istock, Mrs. Martin tllikman, $4.25 an hour. Township appointments ore: Fire and d€puty-fire chiefs, Tavistock, Clarence Neeb, Mahlon Leis; Hickson, Clif- ford Irwin, John Pipping; Innevkip, Rae Curtis, Jur Joaker; Tavistock library board, Mrs. F. 11. Mosher, fedward Pellow. 1975.76, Lloyd Erb, C. J. Steinman. 1975-77, Joe Steinman, Mrs. John Beecraft; Upper Thames River Conservation Au- thority, Doris Rudy, Tavistock, Leonard Seek'miller, Last Zorra. • PLA7TSVILLE — Councillors in newly - created Blandford,Blenheim Township have voted to pay themselves $$0 a day for full council meetings and $30 for. evening meet. ings. In addition, councillors will get $$00 annu• ally. Mayor Perry Sibbick Is to be paid $600 annually and Councillor•st-large Ross Liv- ingston, $450, No nuleoge allowance is to be paid for travel inside the township. Mayor Sibbick also said he will present a brief opposing the Ayr duct to it provincial cabinet meeting in London Jan, 22, Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOO➢STOCK — Accommodation for se- nior citizens in rural areas trod. selection of a central waste disposal site were listed. by Warden Perry Sibbick as priorities this year for Oxford 'County, council. Warden Sibbick, mayorof Blandfurd-Blen- heint Township, told county councillors se- nior citizens' units are needed in areas where stores, banks, churches and medical services are easily accessible. lie said Tavistock is the only ruralmmli- cipabl-v in the county with senior citizens' housing units.. The warden said the waste disposal site is needed in the central or north part of the county to serve Ingersoll, Woodstock and Nurromiding area. Mayor J. Seldon Wilkinson of Tillsunburg. cltelral6n of couneil's public works commit- tee said the emmnittee is planning to select it firm of consulting engineers in thenear future to assist in acquisition., design and de- volopment of a is nitury Landfill site for the Woodstock .area. Ali[, William B. Dutlonof Woodstock said methods of Incineration of waste should be considered, Including possible incineration in furnaces of Industrial firms. Cyril J. Demeyere Ltd., Tilla0nburk, con- sufting engineering firm, was chosen to pre - par€ plans and assist county engineer Do- nald Pratt in developing the Tillsonburg area sanitary landfill site. Semi -permanent buildings, weigh scales and monitoring wells are planned for the site. Warden Sibbick listed as other priority items the preservation of rich agricultural land, the need for careful subdivision plan- ning,- oetermining u location for the Wood- stock traffic bypass and recreation facilities for an expanding population. Walden Sibbick said committee meetings will be open to the public. Mayor Leslie Dickson of Norwich, Town- ship suggested that council co-ordinate sa- laries of employees in rural municipalities who are carrying out similar duties. The proposal was referred to committee for con- sideration. "My interest is not to keep them down," Mayor Dickson said. There has always been a discrepancy between oumcipalities, Itfayor Dickson said, lie suld the former municipalities which made up Norwich Township .Tan. 1, 1975, with restructuring -F all had different sche. Jules. C� 0 u Health officials to meet minister Oxford Medical Officer of Health Dr. Grant Sutherland and Oxford County nursing supervisor Dollene Rampersaud will meet with Health Minister Frank Miller the first week of February to discuss conception control and'family planning in the county. The meeting will include other XIOH's in the county, Mrs. Rampersaud said. There is a need to step up the family planning program, because of the rapid increase of therapeutic abortions an- nounced recently by the health minister, Mrs. Rampersaud said. Dr. Sutherland said it is not known if there will be an in- crease in the number of clinics and what method of planned parenthood will be used. The health unit provides birth control pills to women with a doctor's prescription, Dr. Sutherland said. The purpose is to provide pills to women who are not able to afford them. Ingersoll office maintained The office space for the Oxford County Board of Health office at a King St Fast, Ingersoll is small, but will be maintained for at leastanother year. At a Tuesday evening meeting, the health. board voted to pay the monthly rent of $125 for 1975, up $25 from 1974. Board member William Dutton said "We will keep an eye out I for something better," after this year. Nursing supervisor Dollene Rampersaud said the office has three nurses, a health �inspector and a secretary. 12 cases of disease reported There were 12 reported cases of communicable diseases in Oxford in 1974, according to Medical Officer of Health Dr. Grant Sutherland. Immigrants and visitors to the sub -tropics carry with them parasites and other diseases Dr. Sutherland said. The diseases are not being spread but the problem lies with tracking down the carriers, Dr. Sutherland said. Better screening methods and the establishment of clinics in university centres would be helpful, said Dr. Sutherland. County baby clinics discontinued Babv clinics in Thamesford, Embro, Drumbo, and Mount Elgin which have been operated by the Oxford County Health Unit for 30 years have been discontinued. Medical Officer of Health Dr. Grant Sutherland said family doctors have taken over the responsibilities of the health unit in these smaller centres. The clinics began in 1944 with im- munization and general development of the child, Dr. Sutherland said. Rate increase slated for Wood i ngford The daily rate at Woodingford Lodge, Oxford's home for the aged, will go up to $17,50 from $13.40, county council's health and social services committee decided Tuesday night. The committee voted to act on recommendations of a sub. committee responsible for the home on Woodstock's Devon. shire Avenue. The new amount was to be an interim rate based on preliminary budget estimates, Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, sub -committee chairman, said. Mr. Henry said 40 per cent of lodge residents, 150 persons, are able to afford the new daily rats. For the rest, he said provin- cial and municipal subsidies make up the difference. The increase can be attributed' to rising costs in everything from beat to labor., Mr. Henry said, adding that it was probably the largest the lodge has had. PUC continues meeting awaits further notice Woodstock Public Utility Commission Tuesday held its first meeting of 1975, continuing jon with regular business, although its future status has yet to be determined. The newly -restructured Oxford County government was scheduled to assume respon- sibility for water distribution, as prescribed by Bill 95, effective Jan. 1, 1975. The authority was COUNCIL MEETS County council meets Wed- nesday at 7:30 p.m. in the county court house at Woodstock. In addition to meeting on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m., county council ' meets at 7:30 p.m. of the fourth Wednesday; if a second meeting is needed. temporarily transferred to local municipalities, with the request they act for the county in making informal agreements with local utility commissions to continue services until formal agreements could be established. "They're (county council) going to have all they can handle with setting up a new govern- ment," said John Rousom, PUC f I I ..�- OPPrOTION MAY TAKE IT TO OMB manager, "People aren't gang to stop wanting water just because we've got new form of government. "Someone's got to keep it gang for them and we're going to do our darndest to sort it out," During this Tuesday meeting, the commissioners resolved to carry on in all respects as they had in the past, until further notice. BLUESCHASER If food prices rise just a bit more, the diet experts trill be wit of business. Draft approval given for ,new development 180-acre location Devonshire area By GORD MCINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer City council gave draft ap- proval, with conditions, to the 190,acre Scami, subdivision Thursday night. The decision came after lawyer George Calder, representing Devonshire Avenue area ratepayers, told council there was a chance his clients would continue with their opposition in front of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). Nurses continue contract talks Contract talks between the t)nlario Nurses Association and negotiators for the Oxford Health Unit could be pprotracted, county clerk Gerald Staples indicated Monday. "We'll be in negotiations for .,,,me time," Mr. Staples said, adding that he had "no results" io report from the first meeting held Friday to obtain a 1973 contract for 15 health unit nurses. The old contract expired Dec. 31, ; The four -man health u11 nit negotiating committee, con- sisting or Ingersoll mayor Gordon Henry, Woodstock alderman William Dutton, Norwich councillor-atdarge Ken Peers and Ministry of health representative James Hartnett, Will meet again Tuesday with association renresentatives. County council backing bid for plowing match HyDON'Dt'FF1' sentinel -Review Staff Writer The Oxford County Plowman's Asspciation ;OCPA) has the financial tacking and moral support of county council in a bid for the 1980 international plowing match. A sum of $1,000 has been set. aside by the administration and finance committee to drefray costs for an OCPA presentation Feb, la at the Ontario Plowman's Association annual meeting. The money,, will be used to send an Oxford delegation to Toronto where an official bid will be made for the match, Oxford County Plowiaan's Association made the same trip last year with two busloads of supporters in a bid for the 1979 plowing match. The 1979 match was awarded to Kent County, Oxford Cbuoty hosted the matoh last in 1951. Norwich Mayor Leslie Dickson and Zorra Mayor Robert Matheson will pin Aar executive members of the OCPA as an interim committee to drum up support. Anyone interested in Promoting Oxford's laid can make the bus trip to Toronto, Weldon Harrill, provincial, representative for the OCPA said letters front county and city council, chamber of commerce, crop improvement association would strengthen Oxford's position, In the event Oxford is given the approval for the 19W match promotion costs wul increase ve lyy until that time, Mr. 11=1 said. Costs will be in. curred by county council. as the OCPA is net a pront-making organization. Public has right to public discussion The weeks since the restructuring of Oxford Countyhave seen the public and press denied access to municipal meetings throughout the county, The county's public works com- mittee closed its meetings last week Oil the reasoning that everything decided in the meeting would later be revealed at county, council. other county committee meetings have also been clued at the direction of their chairmen. TillsonMRg defeated a motion to abolish closed meetings the day prior to the regular open meetings after one councillor accused his colleagues of "rubber-stamping" the decisions - reached behind closed doors. in ef- fect. Tillsonburg is carrying on the closed door system which was finally discarded by Ingersoll council several months ago. Severalcouncils have closed their doors to the public while holding salary discussions, Certainly per- sonnel matters involving civic em- ployees are not for public discussion, but at these same meetings the councillors decided what they themselves would be paid. Serving as municipal represen- tatives in a tiring and often thankless task, but the men and women who now represent the constituents of Oxford County knew those facts before they ran for office. The public has a right to know, far more than what is passed in open meeting after closed door discussion. The public has a right to know why legislation was passed, why other legislation was defeated and never brought to public light, and where and why each councillor stood on every issue. Councillors hold office by the grace and will of the people, They have a responsibility to their public to do the public's work in the public eye. Warden suggests commissioner at county level Oxford County warden Perry be useless to people ]icing in the Sibbick told a count- council country. 'That won do the administration and finance coral people any good in the committee Wednesday it should back concessions; he told the consider appointing an in- committee_ dusinal commissioner for the Norwich mayor Leslie county. Dickson said people in his Mr. Sibbick's remarks came municipality have indicated the after Ingersoll councillor Doug need for a local building in - Harris asked if Ingersoll should spector. hire a town commissioner, or Stewart Miles currently a wait for appointmer.t of a Norwich councillor. hasm- county-wide commissioner. dicated he would resign to Sir. Harris said that in the has been both become Norwich buildingin- past one man industnal commissioner and Spector. Mr. Dickson said. building inspector However, Re added, however, the two men will be needed to fill the municipality (Norwich) does not positions in the future. he said. pidn to hire an inspector, "I Zorra mayor Robert don't anticipate anything this said a county -wide Near or in the future," said Mr. ,Matheson industrial commissioner would Dickson. Travel association seeks county grant County council bar, been ap- proached for a $4,000 grant by the southwestern Ontario Travel Association (SOTA), A letter from Claude Bennett, minister of industry and tourism, was discussed at the finance and administration committee Wednesday evening. The tourist servlce was successful in Ingersoll last summer, according to Ingersoll Conn. Doug Harris. Mr. Harris said a Woodstock girl hired by the travel association mannevl the tourism booth, corner of Thames and Charles St. Ingersoll had 16 provide facilities but no financial backing, Mr. Harris said. Information on camping sites and tourist points of interest in the surrounding area, were "It will help out Happy Hilts (campgrounds north of Woodstock) a lot. They should Pay some of it (the grant)", said 'Zorra Mayor Robert Matheson. "It cost us nothing but opened the door for Ingersoll and the area," said Conn. Harris. Doug Harris ... opened door Representatives from the SOTA will be invited to a future meeting of the finance and administration committee. Committee chairman bars public, press , All county public works unless county council directs it committee meetings will be to do otherwise, county engineer, closed to the press and public. Donald Pratt said Thursday. - -- - --- - - - - A Sentinel -Review,, reporter attempted to enter a committee meeting Thursday morning but was barred by order of chair - BLUES CHASER man Seldon Wilkinson, Mayor of Tillsonburg. people who. schedule the work are seldom "The committee feels the news the ones who have to do the jobs. will come out in county, council anyway," Mr. Pratt. said, "It's nothing secret." Oxford faces cut in road subsidies Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A drop of more than $1o0,00g in provincial government grants for Oxford County roads will mean there will be less road work in the restructured county or increased road taxes, Norwich Township Mayor Leslie Dickson said Thursday. Mayor Dickson, chairman of county coun- di's finance committee, said grants, which totalled $938,000 last year, have been set at $824,000 this year, the first under the county's restructured government setup. Donald Pratt, county engineer, said all boundaF bridges greater than 20 feet on township roads, formerly the responsibility of the comity, become the responsibility of the local municipality, He said the restructuring bill also affects boundary bridges with Perth, Middlesex, El- gin and Brant counties. Mr. Pratt said the change should not cause any great problems since the bridges are all in good conddftion. He said local town, ships are still eligible for an 80 per cant pro- vincial subsidy for bridges. • FOR INAUGURAL OF RESTRUCTURED COUNCIL Pauline McGibbon visit confirmed —arriving Tuesday By GORO McINTOSH BewfieeiRevlew staff Water Ontario Lieutensirt-Governor Pauline McGibbon will Nish Woodstock Tuesday for a county cotiaeil inaugural, Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick said Wednesday. Mrs. McGibbon will address couecli and newly-appoJuled p�rrovincial treasurer Derry IikKeoudu is expected to be with an "eetourai(e' of provincial officials, Mr. Sibbick told a county courthouse news con - Terence. The public, he said, will be allowed to fill up 45 spectator seats in the council chamber on a '-first-come-first-served" basis when the Inaugural starts at 4-30 p.m, at the court botoite Although the County cour !room on the built ing's third level is much larger than the council chamber, Mr. Sibbick said "it would be more ap- propriale in the historic old council chamber." INVITATIONS He said Oxford MPP Harry Parrott, Ontario Liberal leader Robert Nixon, reppresenting Brant riding{ and Oxford MP Bruce Halliday were on the invitation its" along with municipal officials. But memM+rs of last year's county council no longer in of. five - several of whom worked with the province to draft restructuring policies -- won't be receiving invitations. Mr. Sibbick said. Comity Council taking office Jan. I under restructuring decided last week who would be invited in an in camera meeting, he said, "of course, anyone can at- tend; It is a public meeting, the provincemeeting is being held Tuesde?' Clerk -Treasurer Gerald Mr. Sihbick, who will meet the because the old county clauictl Staples said. provincial party on the front was still meeting until Dee. M Mr. Sibbick said that steps of the c4it house and He said councillors' sppttwwsex provincial officials tn. escort them to the council would probably be seated behind reception later at. the Ifllan so 'a chamber, said as far as he knew, them, to save gallery spsec it this wes Mrs. McGibbon's first John White, provineial Post restaurant at 681 Dundas visit to Oxford County. treasurer until last Tuesday's St, REASONS cabinet shuffle, is not expected TucsdaY'saffairwillbepurely Although the current. county to snood. Mr. Sibbick said. social, [4tr. Sibbick said, with council was constituted with Bill 9s, restructuring Oxford serious business reserved for b oaths of office Ocl. 30, Mr, Count., was introdixed by Mr. later meeting being set up with Sihbick said the Inaugural N9tiie s mintatryt IN Pauline COUNCIL PRAISED 2 special guests attend inaugural By GORD Me1NTOSH years ago to restructure its 124- Sentinel -Review Staff Writer year-o system. County council Tuesday held an inaugural ceremony with q should also like to add a Ontario LMcGibbon vern special note of congratulations Pauline McGibbon and d to the count for taken )' g the im provincial Treasurer Darcy portant Initiative In examining McKeough as special guests, its system of local` government "For someone not intimately annou cement of rior even to o itscountyfamiliar with the technical, political and administrative restructuring proposals," she affairs of Oxford County, let me added. tell you that the mind fairly swims at the sheer volume of the studies that must have been See Other undertaken and the strenuous public discussion that must have Stories On Page 13. surrounded the creation of this newly restructured govern- • ment," Mrs. McGibbon Told While presenting county 4 about 70 persons at the council with an official portrait restructuring ceremony in the of herself, Mrs. McGibbon county court house at Wood- received a plaque and a copy of stock. the Oxford Gazeteer, an early Mr. McKeough presented reprinted county history from county council with a named Warden Perry Sibbick. copy of Bill 95, the legislation Mrs. McGibbon was ac- which restructured Oxford companied by one provincial OXFORD Warden Perry building yesterday to attend treasurer. Darcy McKeough County. police officer. Two city ppoolice Sibbick greets Lieut.-Gov. the inaugural session of the new also attended the historic Mrs. McGibbon praised the officers were in the couuthouse Pauline McGibbon as she restructured council. Provincial meeting. (Staff photo) county for initiating studies four during the visit as well. arrived at the County Council /' 1 i Ontario Ll • i A SPECIAL MEETING of the COUNCIL of the COUNTY OF OXFORD January 21, 1975 COUNTY BUILDING WOODSTOCK, ONTARIO 0 0 0 MEMBERS OF COUNCIL Warden PERRY C. SIBBICK MEMBERS COUNCILLOR Ross LivINGSTON - - Township of Blandford-Blenheim COUNCILLOR HAROLD VOGT - - - Township of East Zorra-Tavistock COUNCILLOR GEORGE WILHELM - - Township of East Zorra-Tavistock COUNCILLOR LESLIE DICKSON - - - - - - Township of Norwich COUNCILLOR KENNETH PEERS - - - - - - Township of Norwich COUNCILLOR GEORGE JAKEMAN - - - Township of south -West Oxford COUNCILLOR NORMAN PATON - - - Township of South-West Oxford COUNCILLOR ROBERT MATHESON - - -. - - - Township of Zorra COUNCILLOR ROBERT BLAIR - - - - - - - - Township of Zorra COUNCILLOR SELDON WILKINSON - - - - - Town Of Tillsonburg CouNCIa.OR KENNETH WEBSTER - - - - - Town of Tillsonburg COUNCILLOR GORDON HENRY - - - - - - - Town of Ingersoll COUNCILLOR DOUGLAS HARRIS - - - - - - - Town of Ingersoll COUNCILLOR LESLIE COOK - - - - - - - - City of Woodstock COUNCILLOR JOSEPH PEMBER - - - - - - - - City of Woodstock COUNCILLOR WENDY CALDER - - - - - - - City of Woodstock COUNCILLOR WILLIAM DUTTON - - - - - - - City. of Woodstock COUNCILLOR PHtLtP POOLE - - - - - - - - City of Woodstock COUNCILLOR WALTER HULME - - - - - - - City of Woodstock County Clerk and Treasurer GERALD STAPLES Deputy County Clerk and Treasurer HOWARD DAY SPECIAL MEETING OF OXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL January 21, 1975 4:30 p.m. } 1. Meeting called to order I ?.Invocation Warden Sibbick Reverend Ray Edwards 3. Roll Call and Introduction of Members Warden Sibbick 4. Personal Greetings 5. Motion of Welcome 6. Welcome to Her Honour Harry Parrott, M.P.P. Robert F. Nixon, M.P.P. Bruce Halliday, M.P. Councillor Dickson Councillor Peers Warden Sibbick 7. Address by Honourable Pauline McGibbon, O.C., LL.D. 8. Response 9. Presentation to Her Honour 10. Introduction of Honourable W. Darcy McKeough Councillor Calder Warden Sibbick Warden Sibbick 11. Presentation by Honourable W. Darcy Mc Keough 12. Concluding remarks Warden Sibbick • THE COUNTY OF OXFORD —YESTERDAY AND TODAY Although Oxford County took its name from the City of Oxford in England, it has borrowed heavily from the traditions of its English counterpart, Oxfordshire. The municipal seats in both counties are named Woodstock, and the city hall and square of Ontario's Wood- stock used Oxfordshire's municipal headquarters as their architectural model. Physically, the county is said to bear more of a resemblance to the Midland counties of England than to any other place this side of the Atlantic. No other part of Ontario is so well watered with living springs, and it was simple justice when a pioneer surveyor -general named Chewett pronounced the area "the most valuable land in the province". For many years, the county's economy has been stable and diversified. Because of precious top -soil deposits —a gift of the Ice Age —Oxford ranks high in the production of field crops —mixed grains and field roots; especially tobacco. When Highway 401 was built in the mid 50's, the county became linked to the auto manu- facturing complexes of Detroit/Windsor and Oakville/Oshawa and so developed into the second largest producer of manufactured goods in the Lake Erie region. Oxford County is also widely recognized as the "Dairy Capital. of Canada". A statue of "Springbank Snow Countess" within Woodstock's boundaries eulogizes the Holstein that once set a world record for butterfat production. The county occupies about 765 square miles and has a population of more than 80,000 of which over half are urban dwellers. The restructuring of Oxford County reduced 18 area municipalities to eight —the City of Woodstock, the towns of Ingersoll and Tillsonburg, and the townships of Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Zorra, Norwich and South-West Oxford. 1 McKeough praises restructured Oxford to critics of regionalism By GORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Ontario Treasurer Darcy McKeough Tuesday hailed Oxford County•s new restruc- tured system as "the answer" to critics of regional government. Mr. McKeough, moved from the energy portfolio lastweek to the post he resigned in 1972 in the midst of a conflict -of -interest controversv, said the new Oxford system taking effect Jan.. I is more than a historical event for county residents; it represents a turtling -point for the province and its county governments. He said local politicians were responsible for the restructuring of 18 Oxford municipalities, into eight. The new system wasn't imposed by the province, he said "Your newly -restructured county is your own creation; it demonstrably embodies local perceptions of what is good for the people of the county," he told Oxford Canty council at its inaugural meeting in the county court house at Woodstock. It was his first speech since returning to the ministry of treasury, economics and inter- governmental affairs. Mr. McKeough said the new system — "accomplished by goodwill, a mutuality of pur- pose, by co-operation" is being watched by other municipalities working on their own new systems. FOLLOWING LEAD Twelve Ontario counties, he said, are "following the lead of Oxford" by carrying out studies .for re-orgaaized local govern- ment irk. conjunction with provincial officials; four others are working on "similar studies on their own" and "at least two others are giving the perception very serious study." H the new Oxford County system had been developed in the 1940s; Mr, h$,�Keough said, it would have been ahead of its time — but "late for its time if only starting in the 1980s." Nit, McKeough assailed regional government critics, saying that counties would not be carrying out the studies if "restructuring" was not popular with municipalities. "Any suggestion that detailed and complex plans for restructuring were engineered in remote offices, slipped into the county on a dark night, and revealed without the knowledge, involvement and design inputs of those affected, is another myth," he said. It'sa mischievous myth Itis a myth perhaps inspired by partisanship or by ill,will — but ill -will that doesn't have its origins in the county of Oxford." ANOTHER MYTH Another myth, he said, was the idea that restructuring results in more government because 964 municipalities in Ontario in 1967 have been cut down to the 846 existing today, when 60 per cent of the. province lives in some sort of restruc- tured government. There was no reference anywhere in the text of the speech to "regional govern- ment" — the vogue words when Mr. McKeough began carrying out provincial policy of streamlining Ontario municipalities in the late 1960s as minister of municipal affairs. Also a myth, he insisted, was the labelling of Mr. McKeough as father — or "midwife" — of the redirection of municipal. governments. He said: "I was, as were many people through the province and in local govern- ments and the provincial government involved in this evolution. But it was no one-man show. "It is ... part of the record that almost as many regions were created since last I was in this job as were constructed during my earlier tenure. "During my time, six of the earliest regions came into being and Thunder Bay and Timmins were restructured. But six other restructurings have taken place since, including the one in Oxford." He said the province wants localofficials to form proposals to streamline their own county government, the way Oxford County did with four years of joint study by Woodstock, Ingersoll and county councils. "We are listening to the true experts — the local residents, the local leaders, the people that know their own community and its needs and know them best," he said. "Any suggestion that the province develops and publishes its own plan — that it did so in Oxford County — is another myth „ Mr. McKeough added- - Woodstock and Ingersoll rejoining county council under restructuring will make up for planning and administration deficiencies suffered because of their absence. — "Your local authority is increased, your status Is greater, you have satisified the criteria essential for assuming these increased responsibilities and receiving and managing the increased grants." — In Durham and Peel regions the Ontario government listened to local consensus by abandoning a plan to include both areas into one new region, In an inverview after the meeting, Mr. McKeough revealed that amending legislation to Bill 96's restruc- turing provisions to allow trustees in the cormty's police villages to form hydro electric commissions will 'be introduced in the legislature next week.. Amendments passed in December only allowed hydro commissions in police villages in Blandford-Blenheim Towp- ship. He also said he didn't expecta regional police force to be created in Oxford County — "unless thecounty says so." Lieutenant -governor Pauline McGibbon, Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick, and gntario Treasurer Darcy McKeough attend county council Tuesday. (staff photo) 0 • 0 Students to get holiday Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Lt.-Gov. Pauline McGib. bon gave a half -day holiday to Orford County elementary and secondary school students Tuesday to commemorate her visits to Woodstock Collegiate Institute, Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute and the county. Theholiday, said K. K. Johnston, principal of Woodstock Collegiate, will be co-ordinated with Oxford board Of education and Oxford separate school board. A date has not been set. Lt.-Gov. McGibbon told students she plans to visit as mane schools and municipal councils in Ontario as possible in her five. year appointment, which began in April, 1974. Asked if she felt the office of lieutenant. governor will continue, she. said, I really have not yot heard an argumenf for chang. ing the form of government." Cabinet hears criticism of proposed dam at Ayr Br JIM WATERS Sentinel -Review Toronto Bureau LONDON — Premier William Davis and 11 of his cabinet colleagues were told Wednesday construction of the Ayr dam - F Proposed on the Ntth River -, would be damaging and tin- necessary, - Oxford County Warden Perr. Sibbick submitted a m-page - brief opposing the dam and " i reservoir projectat an open meeting of cabinet split between two conference rooms in een-- tennial hall. "The Ayr Dam proposal is an y example of modern technology at its worst. It is designed in direct conflict with nature".�°'' said Mr. Sibbick. He relayed to the cabinets,`'.. ministers the unanimous decision by Oxford Council Perry Sibbick earlier this month to oppose the . • • lays in on line project which Waterloo Regional Council has included in — would necessitate the llooding ol'I'icial plans as one alternative of 8;500 acres. Nearly three - to supplying water to urban quarters of the land involved in areas of the region. class one and two farmland. "It is fundamentally wrong to Mr. Sibbick estimated the' deliberately go about destroying potential gross income from the our natural environment. and habitat farmland at $1.5 million an - areas when other nually He emphasized the solutions are available" mid the agricultural revenue presently warden. has a multiplier effect in the The dam proposed in Bland- surrounding community and is a lord -Blenheim: Township -- but crucial, renewable resource for not yet: approved by the province Oxford County. I Chairmen responsible for meeting decisions Oxford County Warden Perry Sibbick says he has "mixed feelings" about whether council committee meetings should be open orclosed to the press and public. Warden Sibbick is a member of the county's public works committee which Thursday barred a Sentinel -Review reporter from covering a committee meeting. My position has always been made clear that the general council meetings should be open to the public," Mr. Sibbick said from his home Friday. He said he could see only one valid reason for keeping com- mittee meetings closed —to prevent council from ggetting n of committee activities re it received final com- 'j mi ee reports. r. Sibbick. said he would follpw "whatever the wish of wicc�eil is," adding the matter ld be considered if someone on council asks for a ruling. Otherwise, committee chairmen remain responsible for holding open or closed meetings. Seldon Wilkinson, mayor of Perry Sibbick ... mixed feelings Seldon Wilkinson ... barred press Tillsonburg, is the chairman public works committee who barred the press from meetings, New Oxford County body studies land severances WOODSTOCK — Oxford County land chvi. sin)' committee considered • YI. appfleutlom for land severances at its first hearing Mon. (lay under the restructured county govern. ment. No decisions were made. William Ducklow of Tavlsluek, c•.ommiltee chairman, sand plans arc to meet file second Tuesday of each month from I p.m. In 5 p,m, and again at 7 p,m. and an the, fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. .As an alternative, he recommended the government endorse a pipeline to take Erie which Lrould be doubly effective as a water source in light of tuture needs in the heavy growth region of Haidimand-Norfotk. "It is unwarranted that we in Oxford should he made to alter the direction of our carefully Planned development to ac- ramaiodate the professed dynamic growth of the Waterloo area. especially, when there are other xnlutiml5'. he said. 'Illis sometimes better to spend more money initially to develop a proper solution to a Problem than le make short tern decisions." fie urged that cabinet reject the Ayr Dam proposal and 'in- stead adopt a policy to develop a water pipeline. an alternative which has been supported by Liberal Leader Robert Nixon in the Legislature. Environment Minister William Newman responded to the county submission by Pointing out cost estimates put the price of obtaining water via a pipeline considerably above estimates for thedam - But he noted "many hundreds of letters" from residents of the area have peopled him to delay reaching a final decision on the future of the dam proposal. City fails in bid to get time of sessions chanaed The province has told cif), council it won't interfere with county couicil's plan to hold daytime meetings. In a letter included in tonight's city council meeting, John White, until T.tesday Ontario treasurer, said: "It would be inappropriate for the govern- ment to legislate or intervene to establish the time of . day at which the Oxford County council must meet." City council voted last November to ask the province tc amend Bill 95, restructuring the county, so that. municipal meetings anywhere in Oxford would have to be held at night. Arquing that daytime meetings of council prevent most of the city's working Vpopulation from holding office, Noodstock's six -member delegation at county council. clashed with the other seven municipalities over meeting times. Woodstock Aid. Philip Poole and Ingersoll Court. Douglas Harris said day -time meetings of county council would in- terfere with their leaching jobs - - and the jobs of most urban residents of Oxford. Mr. White added: "You will appreciate that this is. a matter that has been left to the discretion of municipal councils in present legislation because they are best able to determine When meetings should be held given local conditions and needs. "Moreover, Oxford County has been restructured because the citizens of that county recognized common problems that do exist or may exist bet- ween urban and rural residents. "The government sincerely hopes that working together and recognizing each other's !Leeds, that urban and Loral councillors can resolve this prohlern of setting a time for council meetings." City eouncil's agenda also includes first and second reading of a bylaw for General Motors of Canada option of city - Owned land for a parts distribution centre, City council meets tonight at 7:30 PP,m. in council chamfers in city loll. Oxford council supports bid to keep nursing home licence Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Oxford County council spent most or its Wednesday session on the yotmg and aged. Council supported a resolution by Tillson- lntrg Coun. Kenneth Webster seeking provin- cial permission to retain a 22-bed nursing home licence — the number of beds involved in a downtown nursing home being detnol- ished for a parking, lot. Appeals against a provincial proposal for a 30-per-cent cut in funds for a IWbed adds: tion to Woodingford Lodge, Oxford County Home for the Aged in Woodstock — esti- mated to cost $2,119,429 — have been launched, said Aid. William Dutton, chair- Woodingford Lodge plans may be doomed By BRIAN MILKER Sentinel-Revieri'Staff Writer Oxford County hopes the province won't stand fast on a proposal to trim 30 per cent off the estimated cost of $2,119, 429 for a 100-bed addition to Woodingford Lodge, the county's home for the aged located in Woodstock. "Were hoping there can be some negotiations," William Dutton. Woodstock councillor and chairman of the county's health and social services committee. said today. Mr. Dutton informed county council Wednesday that the committeewas "asking whether we can appeal the decision." But he emphasized in an in- terview that council was not seeking a confrontation. "We're not fighting with the province by any means," he said. "We will cooperate with them to the fullest extent." The ministry of health has ordered general cuts across the province in an effort to keep casts from soaring. Mr. Dutton said "Costs have thrown all earlier figures out of line. The ministry is trying to hold the line and we ace too." Costs of the proposed Woodingford addition have increased more than 30 per cent since the initial plan was launched one and a half years ago. Mr. Dutton said, although he could give no exact figure on the price rise William Dutton .. hopes for talks Meanwhile, the architect is examining the plan to see where cuts can be made, Mr. Dutton said. "Thirty per cent may be more than it can be trimmed and still leave an adequate structure," he said. "I felt that our plans didn't include frills." Construction is scheduled to start in April, Mr. Dutton said, adding that no meetings have been arranged with the province yet to discuss the budget changes, Four Thamesford children in house auLLET1ti THAMESPORD, Ont. (CP) — Three of four children held hos- tage by an escaped convict in a farmhouse here since Tuesday afternoon were released at about 1:25 p,m. today, police said. No further details were Immediately available. man of the health and social services com- mittee. Council will ask the ministry of health and Oxford health services council to determine the number of beds needed for the county's elderly. Council ordered the health and social ser- vices committee to examine the housing Welch offers to meet with area librarians LONDON — Robert Welch, newly appointed provincial culture and Recreation Minister. offered Wednesday to meet with disgruntled .library board members who oppose Oxford County Council's move to abolish local boards. fie was responding during a �� -�? "•i7" public cabinet meeting here to a brief , from the Ti llsonburg Public Library. The Tillsonburg Library Board is supported by ,,;,� ' •'- ; Mayor Seldon Wilkinson in- ' rejecting county • councils proposal - "These board members serve intelligently, sincerely and without pay, and take care of matters which would have to become the responsibility of::-_ alreadv over -worked county officials", said John Armstrong, himself a board member and a Tillsonburg Town Councillor. Robert Welch Mr. Armstrong claimed . , responds adoption of a countywide board would cause the elimination of He also told the ministers numerouslibrary services in county council's proposal, which Tillsonburg, including films, he contended was made photocopy services, reference "without study or consultation," material, videotapes and books it also opposed by the Woodstock for blind and visually ban- and Ingersoll Library Boards. dicapped. Mr. Welch did not give a firm He suggested a committee of commitment on the request . existing boards be formed as a contained in the brief but said he compromise to study areas and deputy culture and where boards might work recreation minister Malcolm together while retaining their Rowan would attempt to solve separate identities, the problem. needs of rural seniors. A detailed stady on senior citizen housing requirements will be done by the province. said Mayor Gordon Henry of Ingersoll. The committee said it was im+es'tigating grants available to establish a Norwich day-- care centre. A land option for the ' proposed centre has lapsed while the committee awaits provincial information, said Aid. Dut- ton. Rates -- based on existing Woodstock and Ingersoll centres — of $3>50 daily or V9 monthly would apply to potential centres in Norwich, Beachvfile and possibly Tillson- burg. M. M. Dillon Ltd-, Consulting Engineers,: were appointed to assistthe county- in ac- quiring a sanitary landfill site In the Wood- stock area. Tillsonburg Mayor Seldon Wilkinson, tale - lie works committee chairman, said both Woodstock and Tillsonburg urgedtly need disposal outlets. The Tillsonburg site is be- ing prepared for possible temporary assis- tance, he said. B;� liiil Irunside of The Frrc Press Inside this house oil highway 2 about seven miles east of London, a heacih armed "tall held four young children hostage and fired at pollee 'Tuesday night. The children, ranging in age front four to 12, are the children it( MI'. and Mrs. George Field. 7hle man was a suspect In an armed holdup at a Thamesford IGA store 'rueaday afternoon. 0 N CD 4) N 0 s L 0 • 0 N n V C •_ D O D L O S Iq N CL V) M0 LM V) E N E •S V Cn AJ y 4 4 4 ro , Ed.'•37p O6 �'v, Up Ci 'j L.... �8, resY= v� Ccc��a �m�w M; ^a.....a yS �cEna�pcP 4-ice �� ?�"E �yyy�yon s� ^`Y.cGr°l'wE ivy N�� v'c.Eo E•g �., y i sus p�,� ;_l,Eo�r EN f"' V •.i'. u .b+ 4 N U 9 ry um�' J � U a oc ru o g-mot: EU UCm„N4 pp - O.D ,�,p G��OU m Qov-4 Lam_ .p a 2d-- p9;Z C'N C-t E�O� CYOy gCKpW,O 1041 O a;W UNN• „� R A,7UNG7Oi S CW U C�W-j R-N bOsgt E ��.O9 rN'.U�'1yv0.l�V N pd C•O GL L��Eti� Zcd,� `r °n- nip row3N m amoc Y �9aNMA��TN•ULy^'G3�COyt ad^?)mom wvs E- vi . N U0 Stand urged on bounties County Council will be asked tc take, a stand on collection of fox haunt ies, it was decided Monday by Blandford-Blenheim town- ship council Tinder regulations of Bill 55, the act to restructure Oxford County. the municipalities can not collect fox bounties or issue salvage and auctioneers licences. Mayor Perry Sibbick said county council has the option to ask the province for an amend- ment to Bill 95. delegating control back to the I municipalities. Councillor Robert G'ilholm said the fox bounty is used as a deterrent to rabid foxes. However, skunks and raccoons are more serious carriers of rabies, Conn. Gilholm said. Conn. Harry Walton said the Si bounty on foxes should be kept. County standardizes fees for day care County Council has voted t0 adopt a standardized day care i fee throughout the county. The fee schedule adopted calls for a basic rate of $3.50 per day or $70 per month, and is based on the schedule now used in ,Woodstock„ William Dutton `- chairman of the health and social services committee said There are only two municipal'. day nurseries in the county at present, one in Woodstock and = _, one in Ingersoll, he said. The schedule was included among the recommendations handed down by Mr. Dutton's ' committee. -' other proposals adopted in- cluded: endorsement of the William Dutton reappointment of Dr. G. Q. Sutherland as medical officer of - ,Chairman health and approval of the the Oxford County Board of 1 $401.000 interim 1975 budget of Health in its draft form Flood of protest delays Ayr dam project Oxford county council and many other groups in the county have raised strong objections to the proposed construction of the Ayr dam. County Warden Perry Sibbick appeared before Premier William Davis and his cabinet in London last week in the latest attempt to have the proposal dropped. Mr. Sibbick said the dam would flood approximately 8,500 acres of top grade agricultural land in Blandford- Blenheim Township if it were built. That farmland, he estimated, generates $1.5 million in income annually, As a counterproposal, Mt Sibbick suggested a bake Erie pipeline which would supply both the Waterloo region, which proposed the dam to augment its water supplies, and the 'expanding lialdimand-Norfolk region to the south. While the pipeline would cost more initially, the long-term effects of destroying high-grade agricultural land have not been determined. The arguments presented by the warden and other groups opposing the proposal certainly have merit. As Mr. Sibbick suggested, the Ayr dam proposal is but a short-term solution to what is a long-term problem. The Lake Erie Pipeline would serve more better and longer, despite its high initial costs. Final approval by the provincial government of the dam proposal has been delayed because of the flood of protest over it. The decision on whether to build the dam or not will certainly indicate the province's position on main- 1,enance of agricultural land. Tillsonburg supported in nursing home effort Oxford County Council Noted ' Wednesday to support ` II Tillsonburi in its efforts to retain a license for a nursing b home of at least 22 beds. Tillsonburg councillors were 4 concerned about losing the - license to Woodstock after`-� °`4'"•- �,%s,, deciding to remove a 22-bed ,t. nursing home to make way fora A new downtown development. Nursing beds are allotted by the province to communities, not individuals, said Tillsonburg Mayor Seldon Wilkinson. He said it was urdikely the beds would be shined simply because an individual operator wanted to move elsewhere. --�---... Nevertheless, the issue sparked council's interest. 4 This opens the whole question of the problem of .. nursing homes throughout the Kenneth Webster Seldon Wilkinson county." Woodstock councillor Walter Hulme said. the Oxford Health Council to Mr. Webster said Tillsonburg Council voted to support a undertake a study of nursing bed could use 64 nursing home beds motion by Tillsonburg councillor needs in the county, as well as to right now. Kenneth Webster calling for the support Tillsonburg's efforts to Woodstock has been assigned Ontario ministry of health and retain the beds already allotted. 50 beds by the province. County council gives $1,000 Interim levy for ploughing match promotion. gets approval Oxford county council decided membership in a number of Wednesday to allocate $1,000 for provincial organizations such as A bylaw calling for an interim the promotion of the 1980 the Association of Municipalities tax levy of 30 mills for homes International Ploughing Match of Ontario and the Ontario Good and businesses was given third to be held in Oxford County. Roads Association. '. reading Monday by Blandford. The allocation was one of eight Council voted, on an amend- Blenheim council - recommendations presented to ment by councillor Joe Pemb'er, Thelevy which will raise council by the administration to join the Ontario Associatiorrof $382,159.must bepaid byMarch and finance committee. Rural Municipalites, The 31. In 1974, Blandford Township Other recommendations finance committee hid residents paid 24 mills with four approved by council: included recommended that membership collections and the township of sale of a debenture of $42,4011 on in this body be left up to in- Blenheim bad a 30 mill rate with behalf of the township of Zorra dividual municipalities. three collections over the year. under the Tile Drainage Act; an Council also voted to continue There. is an estimated 6,000 explanation from the transport a hospitality suite for the useof people on the assessment rolls in minister for the reduction of area representatives at the the new township, 3114,000 in the, county's road Ontario Good Roads Associat' if Residents in the township will Subsidy from the 1974 allocation annual convention. Cost will be receive a flyer explaining the down to $829;0(11 and continued $250. mill rate and instalment --� deadlines. The flyer will inform township residents of the toll free number at the Drumbo township office. It is Zenith 3764a. Zorra sets salaries for mayor, councillors Zorra Mayor Hobert. Matheson said his yearly honorarium of $1,00i) established at a closed council session this week will allow for his "homework" as chief executive. "An honorarium in my opinion is a figure for doing homework. 1 am on call 24 hairs", said Mr. Matheson. "There is fear times as much work with the combining of five municipalities into one." The per them rate for council business is W for a full day meeting and SM for each half day meeting, Fast-Zorra Tavistnek council approved the same per diem rates at a elated meeting last Wednesday. However. Mr. Matheson said, his township Is not following the same trend. FAIR INCREASE "I don't give a damn what they 1East Zorra Tavistocki got. I don't care about other areas, We diarusaed this Robert Matheson , .. Zorra tnaVor seriously ... itis a fair in- crease," said Mr. Matheson. The newly formed Zorra council met several times as a committee shortly after the Oct, 7 election, Mr. Matheson said. Salary figures proposed at that time have not changed train the sums announced this week, Mr Matheson said. Robert Blair, councillor -at - large, will receive $750 tier year in addition In the per diem rate. Each councillor will get $500 year. Other Township employee salaries are. clerk treasurm^; s11000; deputy clerk treasurer, $14,30n, road superintendent, $15,000 township engineer, $14,fkk1, The three secretaries working, In the township otnce will be paid bolween $5,300 and $7,50(1 depending years of experience. Tile Three dumgg custodians and other casual lahorers wIU receive an hourly rate of 63,80, Purchase of land approved County council passed a bylaw Wednesday to enable purchase of a parcel of land at the in- tersections of County Roads 12 and 41 in sweaburg, The county wants the land, owned by Gordon 11. and Margaret L. Wiseman, for road purposes; as authorized under The County of Oxford Act 1974. Meanwhile, G.R. Staples. county clerk and treasurer, reported his office was "about. halfway through" formulation of a procedural bylaw for the council. He predicted that one, necessary to govern the conduct of business. would be ready in about two weeks. Landfill sought M.M. Dillon Ltd., consulting engineers, have been retained by county council to assist the county engineer and the public works committee in acquiring, idesigning and developing a sanitary landfill site in the Woodstock area. The proposal was contained in a report submitted to council Wednesday evening by the public works committee. COMMISSION AMENDMENT Turoato Bureau Doily wengnel-Revirw The provincial government Thursday introduced an amendment to Oxford County restructuring legislation which will permit three hydro -electric com- missions to continue operations. The amendment in- troduced by Treasurer Darcy McKeough allows Burgesmglle, otterville and Thamesford to retain their hydroelectric system- . although police villages were dissolved with restructuring. The retention of com- missions for Blandford and Blenheim townships was approved in an amendment passed in the legislature last month. The new amendment will probably be endorsed after limited debate within a week. 32 Help Wanted OXFORD I COUI`,4TY i LIBRARY Application for the position of Librarian for the Ingersoll Public Library will be received until February 10, 1975. Qualifications — B.A., BLS orl equivalent from an ac credited Library School. Salary to be negotiated. Usual fringe benefits. Reply to: MRS. MARY JANEWEBB, OXFORD COUNTY LIBRARY 93 Graham Street, Woodtock, Ontario. N4S 618. Council Praised for its decision Woodstock city council was meeting that 1:10 to 140 city praised by its county Noun- applications have already been terpart Wednesday for deciding received for about 100 new units. to make the eitv's senior citizen housing available to rural ape tbunty council passed a plicants, resolution proposed by coun- But demands for housing are cillor William Dutton calling on so great, the city's actions me), the Ontariohousing ministry to I not help much. make a thorough study of the Woodstock councillor Joe county's senior citizen housing Pember revealed at the county needs. Health board backs migrant resolution ixford Way board of free communicable health supported resolution from the health unit of Hastings dlseasesrom The ruling would not apply to and Prince Fdward counties tourist visitos. Medical Officer of Health Dr. calling for a medical examination of students and Grant Sutheand rlandssrin migrant workers entering the lid aborers ort visitoare coming to Canada in ha counlr}'. khgrant workershired for creasing numbera. Ali xamination should be work lit agriculture and students term � _ _ tpoc pie 'mandatorythese to Cana. pnprograms would regi ire cershort da What altggealed. tification indicating they were , • • 0 George W. Balkwill Celebrates 90th Bir Over 180 guests attended an Open house on Sunday aftemoon in the Drumbc Agricultural Hall, in honour of George W. Balkwill, RR L Drumbo, on the occasion of hit 90th birthday. Over 70 family members sat down to a dinner served at noon, by the ladies of the Drumbo Agricultural Society. Greetings were presented by Robert F. Nixon, M.L.A.; from Premier Davis of Ontario; and from Prime Minister Trudeau, in the form of illuminated certificates. George Balkwill, the third generation of one of Blenheim Township's pioneering families has spent all of his life in the Drumbo-Wolverton area. He has taken a very active interest in school, church and Sunday School activities and took a special interest in his church choir. He served his community on the Blenheim Township council, on occasion as deputy -reeve and reeve, and in -1935 was elected warden of Oxford County. The open house on Sunday was attended by 18 former wardens of the county. Mr. Balkwill has always been a keen sports fan, and an ardent lawn bowler. In good health, he still maintains a lively interest in all the activities of his community. He was married to the former Ruby French, in 1910. She passed away in.1947. His family includes two sons, Herbert of Drumbo and James, on the home farm, RR 1, Drumbo; and four daughters, Mrs. Cecil (Edith) Cadwell, RR 2. Drumbo; Mrs. William ;R« LAI GREETINGS FROM COUNTY MAYOR - George Balkwill (left) of Drumbo; Oxford County's oldest living ex -warden receives congratulations from the present county mayor of Oxford Perry Sibbick (right) of Princeton. - Photo by Jack Cockburn (Kerrison) Mitchell, Cambridge (Galt); Mrs. George (Frances) Struck, Cambridge (Preston); Mrs . s. Stanley (Lorna) Hodgson, Simeoe. There are 19 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Boiler explodes in courthouse, damage minor F� 1' . 7, Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — An oB-ftred boiler in the basement of the Oxford County courthouse !exploded Friday, rattling doors and windows 'but causing little damage. The doors of the boiler, one of two in the. 'courthouse, were blown open. One of the ,doors was cracked. Handles were blown off both doors. Howard Pye, building stationary engineer, was serving as court constable in a third floor courtroom when the explosion occurred at about 11:30 a.m. He said the court list was shaken from the wall. The boiler room was filled withblack. smoke but there was no fire, he said, The heating system, still operating on the other burner, serves the courthouse and the 'Oxford Health Unit building. Province reduces addition grants for Wood i ngford ByGORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Costs for a 108-bed addition at Woodingford Lodge have been cut to fit provincial cut -back orders,. Oxford County council was told Wednesday. The addition -- budgeted at f2.1 million when the. province ordered a trimming last month - - now is set to cost $1.8 million, Norwich Councillor Kenneth Peerc said. fie said provincial officials seemed pleased with the cuts at a meeting Monday, adding that bedrooms and hallway space Oxford going it alone were made smaller to lmvec. costs. A delegation from the county's social services cons- miltee, with Woodstock Alderman William Dutton and Conn. Peers and Brian McReynolds, assistant ad- ministator at Woodingford Lodge, met with officials from the ministry of community and social services in Toronto, he said. Although construction at the addition was supposed to begin in April, Mr. Peers said he expected tenders to be called for the project in July. Joint health care rejected Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Oxford County council )oted Wednesday to go It afyne in providing health -cure services. Council based its decision on a health and ,social services committee recommendation they (council) not associate or commit is.the County of Oxford to any union agree.0 menwith London, Middlesex or Elgin re- glons." The Mustard report, a discussion paper on Home renewal Oxford County council Wednesday asked its planning committee to investigate pnr• ticipation in a provi octal home renewal program. Start(alit year, the Ontario Home Renewal Program (OHRP) allows municipalities per capita grants to loan money to hameuwnen to update their dwellings. The program is administered by the ministry of housing, health we released in April, recommended a five -county district health care unit includ. ing Oxford, Middlesex, Huron, Perth and El- gin; Coun. Kenneth Peers of Norwich Township said council should steer clear of the five - county proposal "until at least we know more about It." Environment Minister William G. Newman quashed tiny council hopes that the province would no longer consider the Ayr Dam pro- probe urged In )articular, council wants planning committee to find out if per capita grants are available to the county, which would then distribute the money among the eight Oxford municipalities to be given to homemucM. OHHP is making $10 million available to the municipalities. To quality they must have a houusiq standards bylaw of some form of yearly resolution selling occupancy standards. posed as a possible means of ensuring the water supply for the regional municipality of Waterloo. The Ayr proposal — which council opposes — involves flooding 8,500 acres of agricul- tural land in the northeast area of Bland - ford -Blenheim Township. The minister informed council by letter that: "Until the various options have been evaluated more fully related to economic, environmental, engineering, land use and Road subsidy cut The province has toil Oxford County council that it can expect $114,000 less in this year's county road subsidy. hu a letter to council Wed nesday. John Rhodes, tran- sportation and communications minister, said the subsidy will he decreased because of an increase in assessment, available for roads. The portion of the 1975 levy available for county roads will Increase by 00 per cent because of Woodstock and Ingersoll rejoining county council under restructuring, the minister added Oxford county can count on receiving $824,000 this year, he, said. Warden Perry Sibbick said Woodstock and Ingersoll residents won't be gelling full value out of their tax money devoted to county roads because major thoroughfares in their areas have not been transferred to county Jurisdiction yet, to con I with restructuring Iegi9�a�011. "Il will equnBae over a year or two hot sure, the people, of Woodstock aren't going to got their full value out of it," Mr. Sibbick added, social aspects. I believe it would be unwise at this time to eliminate conidde'fation of us- ing the Ayr reservoir as a source of supply. "It (the ministry) is continuing to exam- ine the likely impact of increasing popula tion on land use in the vicinity of the Ayr reservoir site and the probable value of fu. ture agricultural production of the area." Mr. Newman said another long-term op- tion the province is consideringisa pipeline from one of the Great Lakes. Coun. Peers said revised costs for the 100- bed addition to Woodingford Lodge, Oxford County Home for the Aged, has been cut to $1,8 to flilon front $2.1. Coun. Peen, said social and fatuity ser- vices ministry officials requested the cut — aceomplished by narrowing corridors and reducing rootu size, The addition — 50 per cent of whichis. covered by a provincial grant — should be londcred by July 1, Coun- Peers said No more plans for regional rule premier insists By PAT CROWE of The Free Press TORONTO — Representatives of Ontario's rural municipalities applauded enthusiasti- caBy, Tuesday as Premier William Davis' told them his government has no more plans for regional government. The premier said he has learned you can never restate the obvious enough and felt compelled tosay once again "there will be no more regional governments in the Pro- vince of Ontario, period, at this time." Mr. Davis, speaking to the annual meeting of the Association of Rural Municipalities of Ontario. said his statement should not be taken to mean he is apologWng far the re- gional governments that have already been set up. lie said his government always ]tea main- tained that the need for regionalization dif- fers across the province and Is not neces- sary in many rural areas. "We do not have plans for any more re- gional governments. I hope you understand this completely and totally," he said. Liberal leader Robert Nixon later said the Conservative party always softens its atti- tude about regional government as an elec- tion approaches. lie said he has nodoubts that if the Con- servatives are re-elected in the election ex- pected later this year "you will see regional governments from Ottawa to Windsor." County planners get city approval City council voted Thursday night to sign an agreement with Oxford County planning department for planning ser- vices. Restructured Oxford county is continuing the practice of contracting out the services of its planning department to local municipalities. Council deferred the agreement to continue using the department last month to find out whether it would be duplicating payment, first througb a contract and then through its levy for Oxford County planning - board.. Planning director Peter Atcheson told council the agreement would work the same way it did before restructuring with no duplicating of costs. Cost figures were not available. Councillors talk over salary rates Oxford County council went into closed session Wednesday to discuss salary rates for civic staff and themselves. No decision was made on council pay, Warden Perry Sibbick, said, adding that councillors' salaries would not be passed until all employees have had their pay reviewed or adjusted. But council did wind up agreeing to offer employment to two prospective planners. A job of intermediate planner at a salary of $13,500 a year will be offered and a planning draft- sman position will he offered at a salary of $9.000 according to a personnel report obtained by The Daily Sentinel -Review. One wuncillor said privately that he was pleased most of council seemed to want to deal with their salaries in a public session, not in camera. He said Norwich Mayor Leslie Hickson, chairman of the ad- ministration committee, asked for comments on councillors' salaries ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 a year. Figures discussed for the warden's salary ran from $10,000 to $15,000 a year, it was learned. Council also received an omnibus report on staff salaries. Guidelines on what department heads have been paid in the past werealsoexamined. Mr. Sibbick refused to earn - merit on the council rates. Norwich Twp. councillors 40 vote themselves a raise Inspector's vacancy may remain for year Oxford County board of health, looking for a health inspector since last ,July may be faced with the vacancy for another ,year if 1975 salaries aren't settled coon, according to Chief Public Health Inspector Mike Bragggg The heattFt board has received several applications for the position, vacated by Pat Lanni, from students of Ryerson Polyytechnical Institute's public hesith insacctor's course. The problem now, as Mr. Bragg sees it, is to receive confirmation thata fourth staff inspector Is included in the 1975 budget. "We have to be able to offer them a reasonable salary rate - we can't do that if our 1975 salaries haven't been aol," he said. "Ryerson is the only place other than British Columbia Institute of Technology that has Englieb-speaking graduates qualified for the lob. "Other places will get them first. Why should they come to as on the basis of our 1974 salaries, without knowing what thev're going to get In 1975." Monl,ioning that the student interviews would start in February or early March, Mr. Bragg expressed some doubt as to how soon the vacancy will be filled. "Front what Mr. Dutton has said, It looks like salary negotiations will ga on for months," he concluded. COUNTY ROUNDUP Land fill study funds approved County council Wednosday voted to spend about $28,000 to find a land fill site and to 'determine road needs. The consulting firm of M. M. Dillon Ltd, has been reofned to conduct a studq, estimated to cost S20,OOD, to find out where a land fill site for Woodstock and Ingersoll should be located. The consultants are also being retained to work on a site's idevelopment and design. Another $B4Ooo was to be spent [on a study to determine what roads should come under Cc4ii.ly jurisdiction in restructuring and what repairs are needed• The provincial ministry of transportaas tion and eom- munication hagreed to participate In the study and subsidize 75 per cant f the oasts. council was told in report from the public works committee. Engineering consultants for the study have yet to be named .b Both studies we'oroposed y the work commiftee- which considered them two weeks ago in a closed -door meeting. Subdivision plan approved Oxford county council approved a Woodstock official plant' amendment to make way for the wacre Bros. subdivision off' Mill Street. Woodstock council has already given draft approval, to the subdivision. Plattsville system considered Oxford County public works committee is considering in- stallation of a new water and sewage disposal system by the provincial ministry of the environment in the old police village of Plattsville. B the proposal is approved by council in March the province would own and operate the systems and charge the costs back oarea residents ownership ofthe syst mswould go tothe years county, Two appointed to UTRCA Oxford County council appointed two men Wednesday to represent it on the Upper Thames River Conservation authority. Melvin Ballswasappointed to represent Blandfard and George Short was appointed to represent East Oxford. Community centre funds sought Application is going to the Ontario Municipal Board for an interim quota of $600,eW on behalf of Zorra Township to ac- commodate plans to build a community centre complex, Oxford County council decided Wednesday. Advance payment for society Oxford County council voted to give Oxford Children's Aid an advance payment of $23,427 toward construction of an addition to the society's buildfng.on Light Street in Woodstock. Hunting restrictions proposed Amendment to the Fish and Game Act to restrict deer hunting in a municipality to local residents was proposed Monday by Oxford County council. Council decided not to approve an open deer hunting season until hunting is restricted to Oxford residents only. ;Exclusive rights sought Oxford County council Wednesday voted to ask the province for amendments to Bill 95's restructuring provisions to give it the exclusive right to issue auctioneer and salvage dealer licensee, and to permit it to issue for boundaries. Resolution gets no support Oxford County council decided not to support a Durham Region resolution calling the moving of December civic elections in Ontario municipalities to sometime earlier in the year. Reasons given for the decision were because of the chance of a "lame - duck" odmMistration sitting idle for more than a month and because of inconvenience to rural voters. County supports plowmen Oxford County council is joining Oxford Plowmen's Assocfatloo in sendin@ , delegation to Toronto to try to gel the International Plowing Match for Oxford in lBBo. Buses win be leaving the Woodstock Fairgrounds at 7.30 a.m. on Feb. 18 for the Ontario PlowmeWa Association Geutvwtiott. Uwe delegation asks for funds 0 • Council backs review of provincial judges Despite objections from �1. Woodstock councillor Walter �.-. Hulme, Oxford County council - Wednesday endorsed a resolution calling for the at- torney -general's office to review provincial court judges will' special emphasis on their at- titudes and policies toward fines. The resolution, proposed by the village of Watford and circulated to all Ontario municipalities, calls for a general review of fires handed down by provincial court judges with the clear implication that sentences .are ton lenient., and asks that police and crown of- ficials be encouraged to re- invesigiate old cases with the possibility of adding to penalties already handed out. The proposal also suggests that only persons with a "clear inability" to pay fines when imposed be. given time to raise the money. Currently, no such restrictions exist. UNFAIR PRESSURE ISIr- Hulme said the Watford proposal could lead to "unfair pressure on the judicial system "I don't think county council should be encouraging active political interference in the judical system," he said in an interview after the meeting. Walter flulme ...objections Mr. Hulme said the question of whether judges are too lenient didn't enter into his objections. "I'm more concerned with making sure we preserve the, independence of the judicial system," he said. The _provincial attorney - general is an elected official with no jurisdiction over judges who are appointed by the crown. Mr. Hulmesaid. "If we're going to have the possibility of direct. political interference, then maybe we should go to a system like they have in the United States where judges are elec- ted." Endorsement of the resolution •.vas recommended in a report by the council's administration and finance committee. Although some councillors supported Mr. Hulme in a vote on the resolution, only Mr. Hulme opposed acceptance of the full report after council voted down his objection. "in order to be consistent, I felt. I would have to oppose the committee report," Mr. Hulrne said. Itwas the only objection raised in a brisk meeting which saw council quickly adopt four committeereports and numerous other proposals almost without debate. Oxford to seek plowing match Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK —Oxford County wants to play host to the 1980 International Plowing Match and some Oxford urbanites are join- ing their county cousins in a presentation to Ontario Plowmen's Association directors Feb. 19. John Hofsetter, Plattsville, chairman of the Oxford International Plowing Match Pro - ,notion Committee, said Wednesday about loo Oxford supporters will attend the To- ronto meeting. A 15-minute Oxford presenta- tion to competition directors will include speakers from Woodstock, Ingersoll, Tillson- burg and Oxford County councils, Woodstock District Chamber of Commerce, Oxford County Junior Farmers and area members of parliament. Mr. Hofsetter said Elgin County, also wants to host the 1980 competition which will require a 609-acre site with 300 acres for plowing and 300 acres for the tent city and parking. This year's competition is planned for Sept. 23 to 28 at Oshawa. Oxford last hosted the match in 1951. Township appoints Killing to office Uniform requirements HICKSON — John V. Killing was officially appointed clerk - treasurer in the municipality of sought for day care.. East Zorra-Tavistock, Wed - nesday. to Mr. Killing was appointed Oxford County Council social guidelines that differ "slightly" the position on an interim basis services committee agreed Wednesday night to seek from each other, The committee wants its last month following the resignation of Earl Hostetler. uniform a d in i t to n c e parent body to set guidelines Mr. Killing will receive an requirements for day care in Woodstock bringing the two centres in line with each other. annual salary of $iS,800, an - annual car allowance of $800 and centres .and Ingersoll. Guidelines should be changed, Committee member Phil said Mr. Poole, so that people Poole said the two centres who need the centres most will currently have entrance get the most use. from them. $1,200 for doing the township road books. Mr. Killing was deputy -clerk treasurer,of the former town- ship of East Zorra before restructuring amalgamated the township with Tavistock. Council will interview three candidates for the deputy - clerk's position at a meeting Feb. 10- . 'Fire chief to plan Oxford protection Free Press Woodstock Bureau wOODSTOCK — Oxford County council ad- ministration and finance committee Wednes- day asked Woodstock Fire Chief William H. plan -in w propose guidelines for a mutual fire protection program among the county's eight municipalities. Chief Martin, fire co-ordinator for the county, told council the Mutual Aid Act states that a municipality must have all its trucks engaged fighting fires before it can call for additional equipment from other de- partments committed to its mutual aid, Mayor Leslie Dickson of Norwich Town - still) noted that at present a fire could be burning just outside Woodstock in Norwich Township and its trucks would have to come to mlfer to fight the fire whi closer Womt- stuck firefighting equipment ,mild not be usea to respond first to the tire. thief Martin said "I am Interested in sef- ety first, rather than boundaries." Plans to overcome boundary problems can he dis- cussed with other chiefs in the eight munei- polities, he said. The municipalities affected in this area are Norwich, Zorra, East Zorra-Tavistock, South-West Oxford and Blandford-Blenheim townships, Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillson- burg, The committee also received approval from Woodstock Library Board to continue plans for amalgamation of the county A- brary system, The library board recommended a board of 12 members including the warden and three county councillors, three appointees from the county, two from Woodstock, one from line towns and one each from the two school boards. G, R, Staples, county clol,k-measurer, said a letter has been sent to the pievince asking for an amendment in the county restructur- ing bill calling for the amalgamation of the county library boards. Without any slxtellle direction from Oxford, he said, it would au- tomatically bo set up as a seven -member board including the warden, three county counm911ors and three appointees. The committee will recommend to county council at its Feb. 12 meeting that a deer hunting season be opposed for Oxford in it letter to the minister of natural resources. Leo Bernier. The committee received a letter from the minister explaining that the Game and Fish Act would not allow a deer season in Oxford which would be open for Oxford hunters only, as proposed by the county. Mayor Leslie Cook of Woodstock has re, commended that county council consider asking the minister to make an amendment. to the act which would allow a deer hunting season In local areas for local hunters only. The committee will recommend that county council apply to the Outarlo MuNct- pal hoard for appnrval for Zorra Township to spend tip to $60t1,004 far a propu.ed community contra complex,planned earlier by the former municipalities of Umbro and West Znrru Township. Unwelcome surprise The county's administration .and finance committee Wed- nesday discussed a decision to proceed with a public water system. in Plattesville despite evideaee of a high sulphur content in local wells. The sulphur can induce what was termed "a laxative effect" on users. While residents don't seem affected. one committee member expressed concern that visitors might get an Unwelcome surprise. Committee opposes hunt Oxford County's ad ministration and finance committee voted Wednesday to recommend that council oppose a deer hunt in the county this year, because the province won't restrict it to local residents. Councif had endorsed a proposal by the Oxford County Regulated Townships Association calling fur an open deer seawn restricted to county residents. But the provincial ministry of natural resources has rejected the pmpusal as illegal under the pro,ent game and fish act, the committee recoinme-nds' council seek an amendment to ale act restricting hunting to hueal residents only. Restructuring act change suggested The coutnty's administration and finance committee will recommend that council seek an amemtment to Bill 95, which restructured Oxford County, it, enable the county to regulate auclinneer licensing and pay out for bounties. The county had this authority in W74, but the restructuring Wit gave the power back to local municipalities. Warden Percy Sibbick, whose Blandford- Blenheim council proposed the change, said one county licence made more sense than asking auctioneers to obtain eight ,eparate licences. Woodstock mayor Leslie Cook, a committee member, soled in favor of the motion, even though the city has always maintained its own licensing office. ati�x s \ems ,r Les Cook ..infavor Bread rising Eight -cent price A standard 84-ounce loaf of white bread may cost-56 cents or more by the end- of the Fear, the purchasing manager for General Bakeries Limited, Toronto, said Wednesday. That figure could climb to ;1 by IBM, he added. Jack M. McCreight, national president of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada, predicted bread prices will increase at least 15 per cent this year. Bread now sells for 46 cents a loaf. Increased payments requested Oxford County social services committee has been asked to increase their payments to the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) to cover increased casts. G. H. MacKay, social services administrator, told the com- mittee Wednesday night the VON wants a 1301 payment in a year if costs increase. The. county social services department pays an eight dollar fee for peens who can not pay for a VON visit themselves. While the eight dollars per visit agreement still stands, Mr. MacKay said, the extra payment could mean an average fee could be up to $$.50. The committee deferred the request for further study. Inspector appointed Gast Zorra-Tavistock council ppointed-Jim Harmer, RR a, a Trl=tock drainage com- missioner -building inspector for the municipality, Monday Mr. Harmer will also be responsible for some office duties previously delegated to a deputy clerk The municipality has not appointed a deputy clerk, and according to clerk John Killing, will probably not do so at least this year. Mr. Harmer will receive an annual salary of $lo,000. He begins work May I. Mr. Harmer is currently at- tending Conestoga College in Kitchener. EXAMINE PROGRAM Oxford County council Wednesday will examine par- ticipation in the Ontario Home Renewal Proggram. Two provincial officihls will address council. The program makes per capita grants available to municipalities to grant loans to home owners who want to upgrade their dwellings. Hulme irked by spending Fire services sharing not as easy as before Sharing fire services in Oxford County isn't as easy as it was before restructuring, the county's administration and finance committee discovered Wednesday. William Martin, the Wood- stock fire chief, appeared before the committee to discuss his role as county fire coordinator and indicated that legislation would Ile necessary to enable municipalities to share equip- ment in less than emergency conditions. Under existing mutual aid legislation, Mr. Martin said, all departments in a municipality have to be at a fire before neigh- boring communities can be called for help. Mr. Martin said he could not coordinate mutual aid through the mutual aid association because this body has no legal basis. Until council comes to grips with the problem, it is technically illegal for a Woodstock detachment, for example, to fight a fire in Norwich unless all available Norwich equipment is already at the scene, even if the Woodstock department is closer to the blaze. i — increase forecast Woodstock Aid. Walter Hulme says county council committees ,might be too hasty in spending money and a freeze on ex- penditures could be in order. His comment came Wed- nesday night while Oxford County social services cam, mittee considered paying up to $800 for a new electric typewriter for the social ser- vices department. I really think that these expenditures at some time or another are going to have to wait until budget time," Aid. Hulme said. "We have no idea how much money we have spent already. No idea." He said that every committee of county council has been: without going through the ad- ministration and finance committee or waiting for preliminary budget estimates, eating a remodeling of the county planning department's offices as an example.. "Somehow, I feel, stoner or later, we're going to have to say "Hold It. Wait for the budget," lie added. G. H. MacKay, social services administrator, said quotes have been obtained verbally ranging anywhere from $150 to $6s0 for the typewriter. Filing cabinets for ie department might, Cost up to $1,OW0 the committee was told. The committee voted to receivewritten quotes. William Martin ... fire chief Mr. Martin spoke in favor of "the procedure we have been using with thechiefs, and working through a coordinator." But this has to be redrafted by council. Warden Perry Sibbick suggested that municipalities could work out arrangements to share equipment and costs, but this is prohibited under existing restructuring legislation. Debenture issue methods termed'a lot of red tape' By BILL LANKHOF Sentinel -Review Staff Writer DRUMBO — Control over debenture issuance should be turned back to individual municipalities from the county level. Oxford County Warden Perry Sibbick said, Friday, provisions under Bill 95 make it necessary for individual municipalities to apply through county offices when they issue debentures: "It's ridiculous just a tot of red tape." Before adoption of Bill 95 municipalities applied directly for loans Now they must go through county offices. CAPABLE Warden Sibbick said moat municipalities are capable of handling debentures. It would speed-up the process and lighten the burden nn county em- ployees Attempts in rural parts of the county to. secure tile drainage loans have been especially affected by the current legislation. It' the system is not changed, said Mr Sibbick, the county .may have to hire an additional employee "just to do deben- luring," "Our county staff up there is going nuts with debenturing," he said. Mr ' Sibbick said, the legislation was included in Bill 95 at the misistance of the province .— not the local'im- plemenling committee. f ,The old implementing committee certainly wasn't - , . Oxford warden happy with it. We should go after them (province) again.' Mr Sibbick saidhe is hopeful county council will try to change the legislation and make it more workahle. "There's a lot of good legislation in Bill 95 ... but this is one of the real weaknesses -debenturing takes too long and there is just too much red IaRe We're trying to gat some action oil the county level" 0' 0 0 Four of family are killed in air crash at Eastwood IT By DON Dt:FFV james Porter of Eastwood, Sentinel -Review Staff Writer one of file tint at the crash EASTWOOD An Ontario scene, said he heard "a tinny Provincial Police corporal from cird sh sound" when the fit ne Wiarton and three members of went down. his family died Sunday evening Mr. Porter said he went to the when their light airplane scene by snowrriobile VA the field cl�asbed in a farnifield at RR 8. about three-quarters of a mile Woodstock. from the road- Snowmobile Killed were Co Carl lights and lights from cars and r George Monk. 417his' wife, tractors were used to light the Muriel, 40, and sons Carl, 16, and scene, Mr. Porter Saidr Frederick, about 13. It took about 25 minutes to The crash occurred about remove the bodies from the io:30 p.m. in a field owried by single-engirie light model plane. Carl Payne, RR 8, Woodstock, Mr, Porter said three-quarters of a mile south of Dave Miles, 18- who lives a Towerline Road, east of High- mile from the scene. said the way 401. plane circled his father's house Uonstable IMer Dineen. very low three times and Woodstock detachment of the seemed to be moving very fast Ontario Provincial Police said when it crashed. Corporal Dineen and his family "The motor was not that had been visiting a brother, healthv . , . it made a half turn Clayton, in Paris and tfie motor quit", said Mr. Authorities at Brantford Miles - airport said the plane took off The crash was laud enough to Sunday night to return to be heard it, Eastwood, tie saidL Wiarton 15 miles northwest of "The plane was moving right Owen Sound. along" Wore it disappeared M, Constable Dineen said skies behind a bush and crashed, Mr. were overcast with freezing rain Miles said. and a light mist when the ac- The mishap is under in- ... .... . cident occurred ve�ilijgation by provincial Police The plane appeared to spiral at Woodstock and the federal ngg when it hit the ground, ac transport department, aircraft -n It cording to Constable Dinee . AU�iA Nk -ion. accident Investigation divis appeared the plane had enoug h fuel. he added. All four occupants were There are two daughters of the proneuric ed dead at the scene bv Monk family living in the Woodstoc k coroner Dr. J_ R� Wiarten area, police authorities g tak Blackwood before bein 'en to said. Woodstock General H0*pAaL The wreckage of a light airplane in which an Ontario Provincial Police corporal from Wiarton and threeof his family died late Sunday night was scatteredacross a farm field near Eastwood. (Staff photo) CRITICISM LEADS TO CHANGES Off icia I plan foi ,approved in pri TENDER AWARDED oxford County administration and finance committee WeriTiesday voted to recommend awarding ;f R tendered contract to Woodstock Print and Litho Ltd for printing of 800 county information handbooks, The company'% bid was $2�.36, the lowest among five hidden. STAFFSALARIES Oxford County health and social services committee met in camera Monday to deal with staff salarieb, Salary guidelines were referred to the county administration and finance committee which meets Wed. nesday. SUTHERLAND NAMED Dr, Grant Sutherland was re. 3pp inted oxford County Md�lleal Officer of Health for 1975 by the ministry of health, it was announced at the Feb. 19 meeting of oxford County board of health, Blandford -Blenheim Township Now Has,Population of 6,308 40 r cit Y 0 nciple NOTICE TO RESIDENTS TOWNSHIP OF NORWICH Commencing March lst, 1975 these residents of the Township of Norwich living in the 537, 539, 467 and 424 telephone exchanges may phone tile Municipal Offices in Otterville, toll free, using the following number: ZENITH 1-7520 R. Watkins, Clerk i I Township of Norwich I I BLUES CHASER of vo.:irse the Arabs doff'I 40�klilr ,it — 111cu drive (itolels, ilon't they, 'GIVE POWER BACK TO MUNIC]PALITIES County group recommends debenture=* suing changes is i By CORD Ntel[NINOSH �,entinel.Review Staff Writer The power to issue debenturm should be turned back to Oxford's eight area municipalities. a committee of' courity council said Wednesday The administration and finance committee - at Ile urging of Warden Perry Sibbick - voted to recommend to county council that amendments to Bill 95's ire structuring provisions to take away the debenture power away from the Oxford UP tier ;,rumcgivo 'a. back TrI.C.111 it ipalitie Individual municipalities used to be able to issue debentures before Bill 95 took effect Jan. 1. The move Comes in the wake Council gives approval new county pay rates Word County Council early today approved new salary rates for 30 non -union and managerial employees, gran- ting what Warden Perry Sibbick termed increases ranging from is to 2o per cent The salary rates were discussed and agreed upon during a closed session and then ratified in an open session. The new salary rates are* -In the clerks department, =,000 from $18,400 for the clerk-treastirer, $16.500 from $13,600 for the deputy -clerk - treasurer; $9,000 from $8,060 for a secretan. W760 from S5,980 for a bookkeeper. - In the social services department, $20,000 from $16,500 for the social services ad- mimstrator� $15,700 from $13,300 lot the assistant social services adrmnistrator� $11,5U0 each from slo.oM and k9.600 for two field workers and $11,000 from for another in a first category ' $11,000 from S9.11M for a field worker in a second category with S10.000 from S8,50(i and S8.000 going to two others for a secretary; $6,YJO from $5,9W for a cle�k of ac- counts and $7,700 from $5,824 - For Woodingford Lodge management, $18,000 from S150001 for the administrator an� $14,ODO from $12,0DO for the, assistant administraftor� -in Lbeplanniag department, $24.00D from W,000 for the planning director; $11,500 for the newly -created position of consent administrator of the county land division committee; $12,560 from WOW for a lari ner; $13,400 from $11,400 C a planning technician and $8,000 from $6,2rio and wfou from $5.200 respectively for two sftrefarjes� - In the public works department, $23.500 plus a $1.000 a year car allowance for the count engineer and roads superLendent from $20,500 plus $3D0 a year in car allowance; $14,500 from $11,50 for the roads maintenance supervisor; $12,000 from $10,000 for the five roads crew foremen with overtime paid after 45 hours in a week; the superintendent of the county courthouse will receive $9,500 from wool with removal of $80 per months rent for a county - owned house he occupies on Light Street� $7,700 from $6,500 for a secretary; $8,W. from $7,540 for a bookkeeper and $3 '50 er hour from $2.50 for a iffilding maintenance man. The salaries were adjusted because of oxford County's entry into a restructured government system Jan. 1. ountyinsurance 4.,-% jo be out of date Oxford County will no longer be able to pay a smaller in- demnity for female employees in a group life insurance plan, clerk -treasurer Gerald Staples said Wednesday. Tkiald Staples said Wednesday. Speaking to the county's administration and finance committee. Mr, Staples said the municipality's current em- ployee life insurance plan with Confederation Life insurance Co. is out of date in several areas, including a clause that discriminates on the size of indemnity paid on the lives of male and female employees. payment for a male employee is $7,500 while a female em- ployee's life is worth $2,000, according to the plan. lie said the different in. demnities will be illegal "very shortly" because of a new employment standards act, already passed in the legislature and ex ted to be proclaimed in Aprir Oxford Crown 25 years, Albert C. Whaley dead WOODSTOCK - Oxford County Crown at- torney for the past 25 years, Albert C. Wha. ley died Thursday night at Woodstock Gen- eral Hospital. A native of Brooksdale, Mr. Whaley was a graduate of Cisgoode law school and the University of Toronto. Prior to his appoint- ment as Crown attorney he was associated with the law firms of Nesbitt and McKay and also MacDougall and Whaley. I Mr. Whaley's wife, the former Helen Gardner, a daughter, Mrs. David (Barbara) Lawson of Waterloo; a son, John, a London lawyer; a sister, Mrs. Gordon (Mabel) Thomas of Woodstock and six grandchildren survive. of a Feb. 7 resolution passed by Blandford-Blenheim council - where Mr. Sibbick is reeve - calling for the same thing. Mr. Sibbick said the new provision means municipalities will have to take the time of county staff everytime they want to borrow major sums of money. Mr. Sibbick said: "It's just a bunch of red tape ... I'm .suggesting that the area offices can do it better than the county. "We're going to have to hire a lot more people." The com- mittee also wants council to pass on the resolution to the Association of Municipalties of Ontario and the Association (if Counties and Regions for discussion at their conventions. rovince is quite con- vinced t9at counties should be doing debentures and they will until some pressure is put or' thern from the organizations," Mr. Sibbick added. RELUCTANT Zorra Mayor Robert Matheson said he was reluctant to support the motion because the province said the new provision would mean the county would be able to get better interest rates than the smaller municipalities would - But Mr. Sibbick said the province never promised that and only said "we would be in a better position to get better Perry Sibbick ... Oxford Warden rates. "They sue as bell left that impression," Mr. Matheson said. "The government had no damn business telling us this then." Besides, Mr. Sibbick said, any gain with interest rates would be "eaten away" by staff in- creases. "I think we have been mislecL maybe not directly but in- directly." Mr. Matheson added. Grant recommended to Beachville group Oxford County administration recommending the grant to and finance committee Wed- council. nesday agreed to recommend a Although the county has $500 interim grant for Beach- traditionally given yearly ville Historical Society. grants to Oxford Museum and Ingersoll Councillor Douglas Norwich Historical Society. the Beactiville group wants the .Harris the cormitittee's vice chairman, said he was worried grant to hold it over until it can about the precedent being set by arrange a regular budget. the committee was told in a letter. "They're entitled to help in getting started as the people of Norwich did." Warden rem Sibbick said. Whaley praised The committee also deferred a request from Oxford Museurn by Judge Groom for future consideration. in a short address before opening the first provincial court sitting since the death of Crown prosecutor, A, C. WhaI7 Provincial Court Judge R. . Groom, this week mid the at. torney would be missed b everyone concerned with &T ministration of criminal justice, "The suddenness of Mr. Whaley's passing didn't give time. �erheips, for enough to I said." said Judge Groom. "Thil Is the first ubfie opportunity that I , ve has to say anything. "I think we all recognize that, for man), years. lie carried on as Crown Attorney in this county in an exemplary fashion. He was always conscientious about the charges that were laid, And tht, mannor in which they were presented. "His presentations on behalf of the Crown were always temperate and fair. lie won the respect of the bar, and the ad miration of the court for his ability, in a calm. quiet, reasolied way to present the crown's case in the true sense of the oxioni that the crown never w�pAand the crown never long r. Whaley was not only an excellent, Crown Attorney, but he carried on the practice of law in this counly for many years lie was an acknowledged ex sell in tile field of real estate M mortgage law, and commercial law, lie was an outstandirep lawyer to whom many of the hlw�ers turned in times of doutil for . juldance and assistance. He will be greatly miswil," Mr. Whaley died Friday The funeral was hold last Saturday 0 f- Situation may be unique MP, MPP share office facilities rree Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — The federal and provut- :dal members representing Oxford riding work out of adjoining offices at Ill Huron St, here in a situation that may be unique in Canada. Dr, .Bruce Halliday, MP (PC —Oxford), and Dr. Harry Parott, MPP (PC —Oxford), say the arrangement that brings federal and provincial business to the same office is working well, Dr. Halliday. a physician from Tavistock• and D.. Parrott, a Woodstock dentist, share approximately the same boundaries in their ridings. Woodstock is the centre of business i in Oxford and they would have offices here even if they were not adjoining. Both men are members of the same political party. During regular Monday to Friday office hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), secretary Evelyn Whittingham conducts business for Dr. Halli- day while Karen Newton is secretary for ➢r. 1 Parrott. jThe secretaries, working In separate, ad- joining offices, field telephone calls, handle correspondence and make appointments for constituents to meet either member. Matters of mutual concern can be discussed by both members. .An indication of the popularity of the ar- rangement may be reflected in the fact that since the joint -office arrangement began in Sept,"mber more than 10,000 telephone calls have been handled as well as a large am- ount of correspondence. Dr. Harry Parrott, MPP (PC —Oxford), and Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP (PC — Oxford), share adjoining offices at 111 Huron St., Woodstock, an arrange- ment that allows discussion of constituent problems that may require federal and provincial consultation. (Photo by Williams) •uv$omo ?=NoccCp.ok q$'o o$ 33 oA •ay'?o.3.W'M"�iis w`�uc>YE 'E r"�'0O •o =m aJ xYm�°'Co7mccE~' '�uO>• . CS a Q_aE�U .oaCox a"U m ut� E M._v Oy'3 �� fj, M5 ttOL y'� M w0 N cN u...�r oocaCm_ ,•y . 'q..-'ri O C �"'i. V� ptQL Ems„ U N Z5 bo •c rom�ti•v AN'f-J>oMio ctoo �wc�E9 E- 33a�wfG¢d3v�' n�u, r.Y9 a unit—m E Ca •pn U++M UT NO - O -L •�•.. =^mWOW M•O e.4� •p .r u '- •cr uE '" �.a... oZY. 4'um o LON > e —In WW aa`O,$•—M'vt'' ow a'ow ��:Wn auoE o.'�8q•oG'r •�L''G 'uu {t ;F L 9 'J E V '"'t3 > C u . q > ; f O C 9 tl0 O 3 Dr311.4 m• >0-2 vacs 3 'c L''` a'`�^�y$� 3mus.1 o• e a �'^m,onFEo E S o ryMa+>9 Ew s`g E E=IyyCa mo• +rm Lu A Y�Lw �:=. LNN M O �«• u0+, L C,•OC �`.O cc � O •O 12 !'....� o cc3 a.-� �11Eo�0. m•57 "a�E�.y5, my c� me y��u5weo W�to5^nN ti_� %�'q� a m3fiae ms `�3A3om`o eE ocoLa rE—m �E v�, c—.. J, aEL � $7 yuc,a E i aC m2 c C C _ 9A'v u•d�EC ryE °'cedes�v^• oEm� Stu 4°'om°: y`u, °'mEw�-''.'..eE 'E -s �'EocaG=-o,°.E`Mc9'3 'o ff u°auiE�c19 W3 ��Qybm. 51 p.o�eE.G� FaoE.ev c?S a.F`.. mu....:.m ac.m.,R o.. Amdis0- =M=r45um�'tc.a_E'b... i4um8w m ;C W aw:a E. �8•a9 u O W�o 2r r& fit Vxf3 WENDY WINS WOMEN'S WAY Oxford County council — ni men and one woman has recognized International Women's Year, The gesture came Wednesday night after Woodstock Alderman Wendy Calder — the council's first woman in its 1:Syear history —.told her coHeugaes tla• .Perini year was inspired by the United. Nations not by the "radicals of Women's l.6" Al her urging, council voted to pnxkfim March a as a spnc.tat day to commemorate Inter- national Women 's Year, There was no opposition to the proposal l J 0 Road job budget same as in 1974 but costs are up It will tort Oxford County 13 The budget does not include per cent more to keep its 1975 possibly taking over the road maintenance budget the maintenance of roads in samr as its 1974 budget, Oxford Woodstock and Ingersoll before County corn ed's administration the end of 1975, Mr. Pratt said. and finance committee, learned fie also told the committee Wednesday. that he could not foresee a Count v engineer D. L. Pratt provincial study of local road told the committee Wednesday needs being done this year. his proposed budget for nr5 is Councillor Doug Harris M,500, less than a one per cent commented that the county is increase over last year's faced with cutting its road $1.817.50e. maintenance program or in - However, he explained, the creasing its share of the costs. province has cut its subsidy rate Mr. Pratt replied that he would t rem 63 per cent to 50 per cent, prefer to maintain the present leaving an extra $114.000 which program, the county will have to pay to The committee approved Mr. maintain last year's level. Pratt's budget in principle. "%iW re picking tip the difference locally," Mr. Pratt said. Wages are up 17 per cent over last year, and materials have risen an estimated 12 per cent, he said. SIBBICK SATISFIED Warden Perry Sibbick saws he was "more than satisfied' with the $15,u00 salary county council voted him last week. fie says he was not consulted nor did he participate in the salary ad- ,iustment., last year as warden he received $11,509. Inflation, he says, justified an increase. 151 RESIDENTS Wmilingford Lodge now has 151 residents, the county social services committee learned Wednesday. ACCOUNTSPAID The county social services committee has approved payment of $1,625.08 in general accounts for February. APPROVALGIVEN Oxford County's ad- ministration and finance committee has sent its approval to the Ontario Municipal Board of Ingersoll's request for a $125,000 debenture for a 15-acre purchase for parkland. PAYMENTSETTLED Oxford County councillors will receive their pay cheques twice a month, and mileage allowances once a month. It will be up to each committee to report its attendance, the ad- ministration and finance committee decided Wednesday. Oxford employees get new expenses The Oxford County inaad- ministration and fnce committee has adopted a new pay system for compensating its employees travelling on county business, The new rates, introduced by Councillor Robert Matheson, call for 18 cents per mile for the first 5,000 miles travelled in the employee's own car each year, and )4 cents a mile for each ensuing mile. The system replaces a staggered system, in which some employees were paid a flat rate and others a monthly sum along with a lesser mileage rate. Clerk Gerald Staples told the committee that those doing a lot of travelling like a. flat rate, while those doing little travelling prefer a monthly rate. "I think there should be a straight rate," said Councillor Gerald Staples Leslie Dickson. "I like things simple," noted Councillor Doug Harris. "There are a couple of guys in "We'll get some static from social services who are going,, to some social services people," get an awful kick in the pants" said Mr. Staples. The social because of the. new rates, said services staff travels ex- Warden Perry Sibbick. tensively throughout the county, The rates are effective April 1. Association asks for $4,000 to promote Oxford tourism Members of Oxford County council's administration and finance committee were less than enthusiastic Wednesday in referring a request for a grant of $4,OW from the Southwestern Ontario Travel Association until the annual county budget is established. Jack Oldham of SOTA ap- peared before the committee Wednesday to ask for the grant, based on five cents per capita, in the county. Mr. Oldham explained that SOTA was formed last year from 39 small travel associations which amalgamated into 12 groups in conjunction with the ministry of tourism. SOTA is undertaking an ex- tensive advertising campaign to "stop southwestern Ontario from being a corridor" through which tourists pass without stopping on their way to other tourist centres. SOTA operates tourist booths, he said, puts out brochures, and .promotes each part of the area whether it has financially sli*rted SOTA or not. DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR Mr. Oldham explained that his office receives $30,000 from the province for administration cats. For the program itself the province will match SOTA dollar for dollar for every dollar raised from area governments to a maximum of $45 W0, So far, he said, only fluron County has chipped in, with $2,600. "Unless we can get par- ticipation from the counties and cities," Mr. Oldham said, "the province feels they're not in- terested enough to sell Ontario." BLUES CHASER Considering what's usually in it, what ilifierence does it matte. if the mall takes twu extra days to get to ymt? Mr. Oldham %aid that SOTA would provide a tourism COUNTY O F OXFORD counsellor fora local tourist booth free of charge. Told that such a booth operated in Ingersoll last year, he replied, ` Ingersoll in Oxford County?" Chairman Lee slie Dickson commented that the return PROCLAMATION should be worth the investment. Mr. Oldham and amps g grounds B virtue of m office as Warden, I herebyproclaim motels, and camping grounds y y would also be asked to can- SATURDAY, MARCH 8TH, 1975 tribute. Asked if Woodstock could - have a tourist booth, Mr. Oldham stated,"There is every as a day to observe United Nations International Women s passibility." However, he later pointed out SOTA can provide Year and would request all citizens of Oxford County to ob- only a maximum of nine booths for its entire area. serve jt as such. Councillor Doug Harris told the committee that last year Ingersoll had to supply thePerry C. Sibbick Warden, County of Oxford. ' ,, actual tourist booth, provide accommodation, and lost any other possible rent from the; booth. Mr. Oldham told the com- mittee that SOTA has a board of area citizens, including some from Woodstock. He did not know the names of the local $4 bounty on foxes Ward members. TOURIST BROCHURE DICKSON'S CORNERS — cording to Clerk -Treasurer Photographs of local tourist. Zorra Township council Gordon Gregory. attractions, with which he said 7ltesday voted to foot the bill for "'Zorra feels that foxes con he was not familiar, would be. fox bounties until the county tribute to rabies," he said taken for a tourist brochure that I decided to resume payments "There have been more than t would receive wide again dozen in Fast Nissourt in the distribution, Mr. Oldham in-, Under Bill 95, the crnmtY is no past year." didic 'longer required to pay for fox Considering that the county Mr. Dfell the rural Dickson. bounties, cancelling the practice might not resume fox -bounty population of Oxford might balk prior to restructuring. However, payments, Mr. Gregory at having tax money promote the township feels that fox speculated the township would urban attractions from which bounty is still necessary, ac- still continue the practice. they would derive no benefits, "Since it's four dollars per "I'm not against tourism," fox, we don't feel it will be any Mr. Dickson said, "but I wonder burden on the municipality," he if we need $4.000 worth?" said. Oxford to have say in county library Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Oxford County councu has been promised its voice will be heard when provincial legislation is prepared for- the amalgamation of county library ser- vices. Woodstock Ald, Walter Hulme said Friday he received a letter from Dr. IL C. Parrott. ilIPP (PC—O.efor'd), saying details of the amalgamation are to be left to the discre- tion of county council. Dr. Parrott's letter says it is his position county council should have a great deal m voice in the establishment of ilia boards size. F,xisting provincial legislation allows 41 seven -member cmiruy library board but the Woodstock library board hug loc'omlttended the County board have 12 m0lftdrers- Weed department may expand duties Woodstock, Ingersoll, and there's more calls than you can Tillsottburg will be asked if they handle." want to emptov the services of It was indicated that Mr, Oxford County weed inspector McAllister might have to in - Bernice McAllister, or continue crease his seasonal staff if extra handling their own weeds as duties were ifted. they did before restructuring, "Tillsonhurg in particular has Mr. McAllister told Oxford been neglected," he told the County council's administration committee. An area along the and finance committee Wed. railway tracks last year "was a nesday that, 1 feel we might be disgrace to the town." able to handle Ingersoll and Woodstock Mayor Les Cook Tillsonburg, but Woodstock is a said he would broach the subject different thing. at the next meeting of city "in August and September, council. Building permit for GM approved by committee Under the agreement for the building permit, the city would be responsible for building h. spection during construction of a GM parts distribution centre on land in both municipalities off Parkinson Road. The two municipalities would share in revenue from the permit. Woodstock municipal sen•ices committee Thursday night recommended issuing jointly with Norwich Township a building permit to General Motors iGMi of Canada Ltd. Norwich council voted to enter an agreement with the city Jan. 6. Subdivision plan vetoed County council voted Wed- nesday not to allow a display of aluminum homes to be turned into a residential subdivision - Council, acting on recom- mendation of the planning committee, decided that the homes, known as the Abbey Glen display centre on Highway 2 south of Highway 401, and built by Alcan Aluminum Ltd., would not conform. to the Oxford of- ficial plan if they were used as residential units. The Akan units were twill under a five-vear agreement with the old Township of Blandford for advertising and promotion uses. The agreement now has been renewed for another five years by Blandford. Blenheim Township. County planning director Peter .Atcheson said after the meeting Alcan had asked Blandford-Blenheim enuncif if it. would permit the houses to be turned into residential units. The question was referred to the county. County not paying for proclamations The residents of Oxford county can petition county 1,lan ctl to proclaim days, weeks, or months for charitable or other causes, but the residents 1. will have to pay for newspaper advertisements publicizing the proclamations. Since restructuring, county council has begun receiving reqquests for proclamations. 'fhe administration and finance committee voted Wednesday to require petitioners to pay for Ayr"' proclamation publication. Councillor Leslie Cook told they committee that Woodstock city council takes this approach. He pointed out that Woodstock only places proclamations in the Daily Sentinel -Review, but county council would be dealing with advertisements in five . t newspapers throughout Oxford County. Councillor Doug Harris said Robert Matheson Ingersoll council pays for the proclamations itself, but only advertises in two newspapers. Only Warden Perry Sibbick He said that local municipalities opposed asking the petitioners to should refer all requests for pay for the ads, but was out - proclamations to the county voted three to one. "I see your level from now on, as is done point," said Councillor Robert with requests for donations to Matheson, "but I don't know charities. ' how to get around it." London contractor to build GM centre Free Press Woxxlsliwk Bureau WOODSTOCK — lals-Don Ltd. of London has been awarded the contract for the multi- ntillion dollar General !Motors national parts distribution centre on a WO -acre .site in southeast Woodstock. Cost of the development has not 6eca revealed but when plans were announced Oct. 15, Woodstock building officials esti- mated the cost at between $15 million and $20 million. Nicholas M. Hall, a GM. spokesman, said the contractor is preparing to start on the .project. Work is expected to last about one year. Farm buildings on one portion of the site are being demolished. Plans are to begin operations at the centre in the spring of 1979. The Woodstock distribution centre is to .supply the Oshawa warehouse and seven Parts distribution centres at Vancouver, Cal- gary, Edmonton. Regina, Winnipeg, A4ont- real and Moncton. UP to 250 employees will be required to 'Operate the centre. $1.22=anmhour wage increase approved for Woodingford staff Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A $1.22-an-hour wage in- crease over 1074 for Woodingford Lodge, Os- ford County home for the, aged employees, was ratified by Oxford County council, Wednesday. Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, chairman of Woodingford Lodge management commit• tee, said the increase will take effect in three stages for the staff of about 105, in. cluding part-time people. _ An across-the-board increase of 72 cents an hour is retroactive to Jan. 1, with a 30- cent-an-hour increase effective July 1 and an additional 20 cents effective Sept. 1. Mayor Henry said wages at Woodstock General Hospital ad other homes for the aged in the. area were studied before a pro- posal was made to employees. New rates for staff after six months at the lodge (with the 1974 rate in brackets) are: Convention visit limit set for councillors The warden of Oxford County will be allowed to attend as many conventions as he chooses each year at public expense, the county's administration and finance committee recom- mended Wednesday. Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick was hesitant about acceppting what he considered a privilege on those terms, but Councillor Les Cook assured him it was an obligation and responsibility rather than a privilege. Other members of county council will be limited to three annual conventions of their choice, two of which must take place In Ontario. They will receive $25 r day for meals and incidentalh their hotel charges, and the less expansive of car or air fare to the conventionsite. NOTICE NO SMOKING Woodstock General Hospital In Support of The Recommendations of The Canadian Medical and Hospital Associations, and in Response to a Directive From The Ministry of Health of The Province of Ontario, and For The Safety and Comfort of Our Patients, Smoking is Prohibited in The Hospital, Except in Lounge Areas. The Cooperation of Patients and Visitors is Requested. BOARD OF TRUST WOODSTOCK GENERAL HOSPITAL Bookkeeper, $3.61 ($2.89); Receptionist steno, $3.61 ($2.89); Nurse's aid, $3.00 ($2: 88), Cook S3175 ($3.03); Kitchen aid, $3.50 ($2.78): Housekeeping aid, '3.50 ($2.1g); Maintenance man, $4.60 (83.88); Laundry aid, $3i60 ($2.78); Hairdresser, $3.67 (4.95). Rates for registered nurses with six months seniority have increased from $8,882 to $10,. 980; for one year experience, $11.316; two years, $11,652; three years, $11,988; four Years. $12,324; five years, $12,660; sts gears, $13,020; and seven years, $13,380. As of April 1, the new rate for registered nurses will be $11,340; one year, $11,675; two Years. $12.012; three years $12,349; four Years, $12,684; five years, $13.020; six years, $13,380; and seven years, $13,740, The rate for director of nursing has in- creased from $10,358 to $14,136 with a fur- ther increase to $14,496 April 1, The field worker rate has increased from $$6,700 to $9,000. Rates of other supervisors are as follows, the first being the 1974 rate,the second the rate effective Jan. 1, the third effective July 1 and fourth effective Sept. 1: Kitchen supervisor, $7.N6, $9,453, S1R077 . nil $10.493: Housekeeping supervisor, $i,618, S9,115, $9.739, $10,155; Maintenance supervi- sor, 1,118,944. $10,411, $11.065, $11,481: Laundry supervisor, V,228, $8,725, $9.349, $9.76a: Craft supervisor and adjuvmtt, $6,700, $8,..40, $8,829, $9,245. Approval was given for pnvntent of 85 per cent of fringe benefits and improvement Of a vacation plan to three weeks after five years. lOr • Grant request for mental unit may meet storm Free Press Woodsuock Bureau 11-4)ODSTOCK — Advance notice by Wood- stock General Hospital of a request for a $200.000 grant toward development of a psy- chiatric unit got a stormy reception from several Oxford County councillors Wednes. day, Mayor Gordon Henry of Ingersoll said t� 'psychiatric treatment is a provincial res- ponsibility and that is where it should stay. j The province should be footing the bill for an addition for this area." An addition to the former Vance nurses residence on the hospital grounds has been planned. It is to be renovated for the psychi- atric wing. Gerald Staples, county clerk treasurer. said no formal request for funds has been made. Final plans for the addition are ex. peeled to be completed in 60 to 90 days. Mayor Leslie Dickson of Norwich Town ship, chairmanof council's administration and finance committee, said hospital offi- cials have explained the psychiatric unit de- velopment likely would require a $200,000 grant from the county. An additional $400,- 000 has been estimated for the projected provincial grant. Council will have an opportunity to con. sider the grant later, Mayor Dickson said. Woodstock Mayor Leslie Cook, a hospital board member, said about $500,000 will be spent out of hospital funds for the project. Woodstock Aid. Wendy. Calder described the psychiatric unit at Oxford Regional Cen- tre as perfectly good. There is no need to phase it out, she said. Coun, Kenneth Webster of Tillsonburg said the grant application would have to be looked at closely. "It sounds to me it is a lot like castle building," he said. Woodstock Aid. Walter Hume said the Province should be responsible for the costs. There were 313 cases of general assistatnce last December compared with 281 in Decem- ber, 1973. A total or $502,661 was paid out for general assistance and $177.138 to nursing homes, $28,691 for special assistance (including prescription drugs, surgical supplies dental and optical services), $10,840 for Victorian Order of Nurses service and $7.,398 for homemaker service. Protection sought from law suits over farm odors Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A resolution to protect .farmers from litigation by urban dwellers who sometimes find they don't like the smell of the country after they move, is being pre - ',pared by two committees of Oxford County council. Aid. William B. Dutton of Woodstock gained council support for the resolution Wednesday. It will be prepared by the ad- ministration finance committee and the Planning committee. Mayor George Jakeman Of West Oxford Township said every time afarmer is forced out of business, the cost of food goes up. He said one farmer was fined $1,000 for, creating an odor which a neighbor com- lained about. The farmer wasn't able to fi- e a $12,000 control system and was .forced out of business. Coun. Kenneth Webster of Tillsonburg, who said he is not in favor of severing farmland from the farm home, said "if peo. ple want to live in a rural area they should put up with what the rural area gives them.' Mayor Jakeman said the resolution — wltch will be forwarded to municipal or- eanizations for consideration — should go to the Ontario Association of Counties and Be- aions Of Ontario. First women sit on health board Two wornen.. appointed by Health Minister Frank Miller. tosit 10, are the first females to sit as members of Oxford County Board of Health. Beverly McCann, of Tillsonburg, and Fran McElroy, RR 2 Tavistock, attended their (first board meeting Wednesday, !brio ing the number of provincial appointees up to three instead of the usual one of previous years James Hartnett, of Mount Elgin, was re- appointed for a three-year period commencing Jan. 1, 1975. "We were just notified a week ago," said Ixrard chairman Ken `Peers. "Wa (tad a suspicion it was coming .. , it was a ;political appointment." Under Bill 95, the county health board make-up was restructured with provisions for 'up to seven county and three provincial appointees as members. were each broughtin fora three - The provincial appointees year period. Ken Peers ... chairman APPOINTED Harry Armstrong, chairman of the board of the Lake Erie Regional Library System, an- nounced the appointment of Alexandra Prytulak as the LERLS representative to the 1 Ontario Provincial Library I Council. The appointment was made at the first and annual meeting of the LERLS Board. !Mrs. Prytulak is chairman of the Woodstock Public Library and Art Gallery Board and has served on that board for the past six years. She Is also the Woodstock Public Library and Art Gallery's representative to the board of the Lake Erie Iegional Library System. LIBRARIAN TRANSFERRED Linda Birtwell, formerly shier librarian at Ingersoll Public Library, lies been transferred to the main branch of the Oxford County Library. Citizen members will receive pay Citizen members of the county land division committee will be paid $50 for a day -long meeting and $35 for a halt -day meeting, council decided Wednesday. Last month the rates, proposed by the pp'alining committee were bloeked in a closed session at the urging of including Joseph Pember, who •said the appointed committee members should serve for nothing the way members of the. now disbanded Woodstock committee of adjustment did. They also said it might be an idea to pay councillors on the county land division committee too, if anyone was going to be paid. This time, in an open decision, no opposition to the rates materialized. Aid. Pember told council he had changed his mind, saying he has been informed that the committee has had a heavy workload. "I didn't like the way the Joe Pember ... changed mind commttee was picked in the first place and maybe that influenced me on the second vote." he said. NOTICE The low practice of the tote ALBERT C. WHALEY, Q. C. PETITION SUPPORTED A pehlion by mliVewa?d area residents to have County Road 29 from county Road 6 to High- way 59 made intoa provincial development road was sup- ported by county council ednesday. 'I'illsonburg Mayor Soldot Wilkinson works com- will hereafter be carried on by WHALEY & BLADON 57 Light Street, Woodstock, Ontario Telephone 537-6601 BLUEs CHASER just a tlwught: It's rrturh easier to rendez- to et roilssidedoirrtRtu etrthussions }atPo the c hftetcrtce tabf�e. mittee chairman, said traffic count figures do not warrant county reconstruction. The petition was sent to Dr. Harry Parrott. Oxford MPP, TIME LIMIT Norwich Township council has put a limit on the length of its meetings. Councillors decided at a recent meeting that continued until 2:10 a.m. that in the future all meetings must end at or before 2 a.m. Council meetings Begin at 7 p.m. EXTRA PAYMENT Oxford Countv council Wednesday agreed to make an extra payment to Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) over a year. The county has been enmmllledto paying the VON a monlhl}- payment for s rvice tees. The 13th paywould cover extra VON costa RENT RAISED COuaty council Wednesday voted to raise the rent on a house and some apartments it owns on Graham Street. Rent will be raised from $t20 per month to $1d0 at 70 Graham St and at 76 Graham rent on an upstairs, apartment and downstairs apartment will go to $110 and. $too respectively from $85 a month. LEVY DUE A bylaw authorizing cein- mection of an interim levy by Oxford County will be pa council decided Wednesday. Clerk -treasurer Gerald Stapke said the levy would be due in rove weeks. SALARY MEETING Warden Nrry Sibbwk and the chairmen of the four standing eomminaes will meet by Oct. 31 to discuss 1916 salary figures. cwmtycouncil decided Wed. nasduy. -WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1915 Jury dismissed after failing to reach verdict in murder trial By DON DUFFV Crown prosecutor Donald the jury for their "unfeigned sequestered in ,, motel of the Supreme Court. there was no point continuing", had already given forWer," Mr. Cooper told the Seatlaet-Review Staff Writer McKenzie. sincerity and best con- separated from family and al, In the event Crown prosecutor Mr. Drake added- An hour later, the jury court when the jury returned to "In the best interest of sideration". outside influences. Donald McKenzie proceeds with "His Lordship has not closet: returned to the courtroom after the court ram a few minutes h"IToris by lire u-member anew trial, It could be heard at the sitting. A new trial could Justice Pennell heard' sub- later - Ontario ...the jury should be ••The strain is beginning to Mrs. Hluska left the eour• *Y was sum - reach oa yr di t in thme Court e nos discharged Mr. Peel told Mr. Athldlnu fail u e to reach agverdlcl' her husband Rrinnompauied by sN�,all assize before othen wood arranged �. the decision rest$ Drake put forward the meotiol. nito mr. ood again by Mr- Justice Justice Pennell. g have to be decided the chief with Mr. McKenzie" . Mr. Drake capitat murder trial of Brian The jury was summoned for a did not detract from their discharge the jury. e p Peel Cooper. Al that time, Mr. sod- Bonnie Lee IBuska ended t.t{ .time Wednesday for an conscientious efforts. The 22-yearcouple were justice of Ontario, Mr, Potter said. said it Was "beyond the inn of unsucc s{uiiv Wednesday when third tim of their progress. on trial for murder following the said, Mr. Peel said he did not know �' being made b indicated P id not was .the jury was dismissed by hen Dorothy Nutt of Woodstock, death of their infant daughter, i their approaching being made but he did not knew t'NI.IKELV Y When questioned at the what would happen and would Chair taslt' - 3ustice Lawrence Pennell, one of four women jurors, wiped Brenda Lee. The four -month -old conclusion of the proceedings, make no further comment on the d the pay' wood teaitir a con - 'jury foreman Donald Cooper tears from her eyes as the jury baby died in a fire which started Justice Pennell indicated it case. At this point, in my awn elusion, An jury was a discharge of Innerkip told the court that in filed out of the courtroom upon Feb. 7, 1974 at the fBuska would be highly unlikely that he At noon Wednesday Mr. opinion I do net feel there is a Tice applicatyoo for the jun was made at 5 p.m. his view it seemed unlikely the dismissal. residence, RR 1 Mt. Elgin. would preside at a new trial. Cooper, jury possibility g discharging the jury was made gesterday by defence counsel jury would reach a verdict. C r the u foreman asked dic lit of reaching a., court. Norman Peel, representing Since retiring to consider a Signs of fatigue was evident ON BAIL Mr. Drake said he was for advice from Justice Pennell diet NU. Cooper told the court.. an hour Later. Brian Hluska, His motion was verdict Monday at 3 p.m., the the faces of several jurors at the Justice Pennell granted a relieved the six -week trial was after informing the court a Mr. Cooper was directed to After preliminary hearings in supported by counsel Jobw jury had spent 2a hoots in culmination of three days of defence request the couple over but disappointed it ended in verdict had not been reacher]. consult with his fellow jurors h.ugust and December of last Drake, defending Bonnie Hluska deliberation before they were deliberation and a trial which remain on bail, set earlier at a hung jury. Justice Pennell informed the regarding his statement. year and a erial just concluded, Oxford Assistant Crown dismissed. - las'ed six weeks. The jury. had $5,000 each; and remanded the ,It was obvious from the jury he could not render any "in good conscience, we feel. the Hluskas face. the Possibility Attorney Fred Porter, acting for Mr.. Justice Pennell (hank,.;: : p„nt i1ry last two nights couple until the next local sitting many hours of deliberation that more advice than that which he we should deliberate a little of anrhher trial in the fall. Uncertain if inspector will start as scheduled Oxford County Health Unit is with a starting date set after her approved. uncertain if its first female .graduation in May. tilentioning that IU other health inspector. hired March "She will start in mid -May as applicants i had been ter 18, will star. work \Iay 15 as long as we can sign a contract tenlicant he remarked their planned. according to Chief with her between now and main wed.interhe been a salary.. Public Health Inspector Mike then," he said, referring to the Bragg. lack of 1975 Health Unit budget The current public health Marie Swing, a final year approval as the only barrier. inspecting staff would be in - health inspector course student He earlier .had said that the creased by one-third with the at Toronto's Ryerson unit could not offer any in- addition of Ms. Laing. Mr. Palytechnical Institute. was spector hired a definite salary Bragg currently has a two -ma - hired by Mr. Bragg yesterday until .this year's budget was staff. Township of Blandford-Blenheim Announces The former Blandford Township Clerk's office is now available to be used as a Community Centre for area residents. FOR HALL BOOKINGS PLEASE PHONE WNI. ILLES - 469-3642 C,, IT BLUES CHASER The horto tooud have a good laugh today if he coed see inotMittr adrtating their sh,ulder harnesses. Norwich Township roads budget up 20 p.c. from 1974 Free Press Woodstock Bureau OTTERVILLE — Norwich Township coun. cil Tuesday night approved a roads budget of $414,000, a 20-per-cent increase from 1974. The budget represents a tax' levy of 13.8 mills, said public worlts superintendent Ro- bert Butler. Construction accounts for $204,000;mainte- nance for $210,000. Provincial subsidies have been estimated at $207,600. Included in the. budget are: $50,000 for a road grader; $17,000 for paving one mile of Hawbey Road; $20,000 for 1n/4.miles of Con- cession 3 (in former north Norwich town- ship); $8,000 for four blocks in Norwich, and $4,000 for two blocks in Otterville. Salaries for Norwich Township municipal officials were set at $16,500 for clerk R. C. Watkins and treasurer M. M.,-Howse, and at $15,500 for deputy clerk Wayne Johnson and deputy treasurer Fred Lowes. Bev Wallace resigns from jobs in chamber Woodstock Chamber of Commerce secretary -manager Bev Wallace has resigned. Mr. Wallace, who held the position for the past four years, made the announcement at a chamber directors meeting on Wednesday. "I feel the time has come when you require a full-time mar`" said Mr. Wallace, who is also secretary -manager and treasurer of the Woodstock Agricultural Soclety. His resignation, effective May 31. is not due to problems, but simply resulted from being overworked:' "It's gotten to the point where the chamber and fair board are both full-time positions. I can only do so much." Mr. Wallace told the directors Ile has enjoyed working with the chamber, but it was "time to resign for my own health. There is a great deal of work in- volved " Mr. Wallace said he made the decision about two weeks ago. He has been associated with the fair board for nearly 20 yyea re, arc of the main reasons he decided to stay as head of that organization. The fair board, he said, has Bev Wallace . , resigning George Calder ... president something going on almost Chamber of Commerce every day. "It's strictly a full- president George Calder called time job." the resignation "a shock and a Mr. Wallace said he made his disap;:olntirient." resignation. effective May 31 so he could help with pions for the last law, months Mr. Happening, and Bice the Wallace had been "greaIf chamber an opportunity to find overworked." Mr. Calder said, a replacement: "I'm not golly ••We have had an eitcollent tot ow and and k;ave you abw.k. relatiomrhlu " .l 40) ATTENDING the reeve's Gordon Marshall, Ed reeve), Robert Matheson, treasurer 1942-1970) L. C. reunion were, back row, Monteith; second row Bert Armstrong, seated. Len Ines, Alster Clark. (Staff from left: James Fleming, Robert Blair, (deputy Coles, (county clerk- photo) Reeves of a defunct township members of exclusive group By BRIAN MILNER SentineL[teview Staff Writer A very exclusive group got together Monday evening, and it was all due to restructuring of the county's government. Seven men who once served as reeves of the old township of West Zorra met at Alster Clark's apartment an Light St. to reminisce about an era that came to an abrupt end when the township disappeared Jim. 17 1975 under restructuring legislation. Asked �y the former reeves had decided to meet now, Mr. C ark, who was reeve from 1 to 1950, said: "It's .because of restructuring. This terminatesthe era front 1942 when the township was organized to 1974. It terminates municipal government for West Zorra." Mr. Clark didn't sound angry when he mentioned restructuring, just resigned to a clearly unpleasant fact, a feeling shared by file others. CHANGES There was Cordon Marshall, reeve in INN and '52, talking about how his grandfather started his West Zorra family farm back in 1874, and about all the changes that had occurred since his own birth in 1909, Bert Armstrong, reeve in 1957 and 1958, was there too,. recalling the tornado- that struck the community in 1953, and how people pitched in to set things right again. "The Mennonites came' down and worked for nothing," Mr Armstrong said. Mr. Armstrong also remembered the time he was on county committee that had to deal with requests from the jail staff. Jail. personnel wanted a five-day work week and that was turned down, "They wanted an extra man too, and they didn't get that either," he said, James Fleming, reeve from 1969 to 1972, remembered the Canada Cement Company explosion in 1970. "I picked up a piece of steel up in my hay field, a mile from the explosion," he .said. "It was all twisted up like a potato chip," But it was another person, retired Oxford County clerk- Areasurer Len Coles, who recalled that the daily rate of pay for county councillors jumped from $20to $30 a day in 1969 while Mr. Fleming was in office. Mr. Coles also observed that, the tax rate was increased two mills that year, facts which lea some ex -reeves to label the 1969 council a particularly intelligent one. ' TIDBUN Mr. Coles had dug up lithe tidbits about each of the reeves,mentioning highlights of their tenure on Oxford County council. Such items as Mr. Clark's role in a barbershop quartet that won the provincial championship at the Galt Fall. Fair in 1950, and the opening of the the plumbing wasn't quite connected brought back bygone times for the last of the West Zorra reeves. only three persons were absent. William Sutherland, reeve. from 1962 to 1964, was at an underwriters convection in Toronto along with Erm�'l Garner, reeve from 11)59 to lic, Bruce McCall, 1%8 reeve, now lives in Brussells about 60 miles . away and was unable to attend. Besides Mr. Fleming, Mr. Marshall, Mr, Armstrong and Mr. Clark, other former reeves at the party were Ed Monteith (1954), L. C. Inner (1953, 1955.56) and Robert Matheson, the township's last reeve in 1973-74. and current mayor of Zorra. Also present. were Jim Gibb, a Zorra-counciltorand nephew of Mr. Clark, and Robert Blair, deputy reeve during Mr. Matheson's term. Alster Clark would not say in so many words the old reeveswould meet again, but it is highly likely as long as a man with Mr. Clark's Strong sense of history has anything to say about it. "Those reeves from 1842 to the present gave us the structure of government... that gives us our heritage today. "'The only way of judFmg the future is by looking of the past"I As for reslrucl)used government, in Mr. Clark's view, only time and history will tell Kent asks Oxford aid in studying government Free Press Chatham Bureau j CHATRAM — Kent County will seek gui- dance from Oxford County in charting the course of a city -county restructuring study authorized Wednesday. Councillors, following Chatham's example on Monday, accepted the prospectus for a $100,000 restructuring study. It may add 320,000 to the study budget with Chatham's backing, if the province agrees to increase its 50-per-cent subsidy to a total of $00,000. Deputy Reeve Bert Rammelaere of Til- bury East Township said council's planning petitions and legislation committee found the prospectus acceptable, now that commis- sioner Lionel Feldman has added a flow chart detailing study staging, plus a gularan. tee of a minimum of 115 days work. The chart calls for Mr. Feldman to make an early appearance before cussed to ex- plain his job. But Mr. Rammelaere's committee also re- commended -Gerry Staples. chief administra- tive officer for restructured Oxford County, to explain the timetable and problems of restructuring there. Deputy Reeve Peter Shillington of Blen- heim said Mr. Staples was able to allay some restructuring fears recently at Middlesex and Lambton county workshops. He suggested all municipal councils should be invited to hear the Oxford County of . cial, at a special afternoon meeting. "Let's not kid ourselves — this is going to have to be done, and if we do not do it, someone will do it for us," Mr. Sh3IIwgton warned of restructuring, Reeve George Mickle of Ridgetown was worried that the double-barrelled presenta- tion by Mr. Feldman and Air. Staples might be more than council could absorb. Mr. Shillington said he is convinced an ex- planation from the Oxford official would help council understand some of the prob- lems that may lie ahead. PEERS NAMED Norwich Councillor Kenneth Peers was appointed Wednesday night as county couuncil's representative on the Oxford County District Health Services Council for the year. BYLAW PISSED County council Wednesday night passed a bylaw authorizing an agreement with the Victorian Order of Nurses (Oxford brancht. Under the -c:eement, the county will pay the VON eight dollars for visits to patients. The payments will be each month and possibly in a 13th payment at the end of the year if visiting costs go past. eight dollars. .APPOINTMENT MADE County council Wednesday night placed Mrs. Eric LoveyS of Hickson on the Oxford County Library Board to fill the unexpired term of Glen Kitcheo, who resigned last month. 10 p.c. inflation, no growth predicted Aldermen request oxford council to make Devonshire county road City council voted Thursday on some culvert% along the road. $I million. The levy will pay for construction budget is $751,956. night to ask county council to The county's proposed road $535,175. A levy will he required to cover take over Devonshire Avenue as ,. - maintenance budget is just over The proposed road and bridge $4ti0.525. a county road. The move was made so that the city could get some benefit from the $293,295 it will be ppcc++ving in a county roads levy this year. Several aldermen have expressed concern over the levy —which the city, is paying for the first time because it joined the county's jurisdiction under restructuring —because none of the city's major roads will be taken over until a needs study is completed. So the city would be paying 31 per cent of the county tax levy for roads for nothing, they say. Aid. Joseph Pemher told council that city engineer Carl Hevenor had spoken to the county public works committee earlier in the day about taking over Devonshire. Council also voted to ask the county to pay for a road reconstruction program this year on Devonshire between Clarke Street and Lansdowne Avenue, the city's eastern limits. In a report to council, Mr.Hevenor - said the CO LU ii LJ Z N U. 0 C Y Carl Hevenor , city engineer reconstruction would .cost Aid. Pember has said the reconstruction between Clarke and Lansdowne would have to include grading work, resurfacing and possibly work C 0 eN N N N Oxford questions 41 report rejecting site for garbage Iiree Press Woodstock Bureau duct the first interim levies for the county WOODSTOCK — An environment rnfa atry to raise $800,000. report opposing an earlier approved 55-acre Tillsonburg site for domestic garbage and li- quid industrial waste has been questioned by Oxford County council. J. F. Janse, district officer, municipal and private abatement, said in a report received by council Wednesday, "the disposal of domestic garbage or liquid industrial wastes at this Tillsonburg site should not be permit- ted." He said the county should look for an al- ternate site. Councillor Kenneth Webster, Tiilsonburg, said the report is "completely contrary to reports we had in the process of purchasing the site." He said the town spent more than $100,000 in purchasing the site in 1972. The site, Mr. Webster said, contains about 150 acres including property alai* Otter Greek. Titlsonburg went to the Ontario Municipal Board with volumes of reports supporting the site, he said. ` The site has been used for dry industrial fill while other waste is being added to an earlier disposal site, which Councillor Web- ster suggests would be filled within a year. Mr. Janse said in his report an inspection was made by the ministry. The site he des- cribed is an excavated sand pit bounded by a deep gully. , Aid. Walter Hulme, Woodstock, said the county has been depending on the Tfllson- burg site. The public works committeewas asked to study the possible change of. plumbing and building inspection from the responsibility of the local municipality to the county. Mayor Gordon Henry, Ingersoll, who pro- posed the study, suggested the report could be completed by about September so it could be implemented, if found to be favor- able, by Jan. 1, 1976. A Toronto firm, McCormick, Rankin and Associates Ltd., consulting engineers, were appointed to carry out a county road needs study which will cost up to $30,000, Approval wag given an administration and finance committee recommendation to can- Fifty per cent of the interim levy charged the eight member municipalities is to be due April 25, another 25 per cent, May, 23, and the other 25 per cent, June 20. Levies by municipality for the total of thel three interim levies are Woodstock, $250,761; Ingersoll, $75,069; TBlsonburg, $91419; Blandford-Blenheim Township, $65,921; East Zorra-Tavistock Township, $62,367; Zorra Township, $89,031; Norwich Township, $110,- 007; South-West Oxford Township V4,422:: County council members set their annual salary at $5,000 and that of the warden at .515,000. Exmingersoll man i n Hall of Fame By GEORGE HAYES Five new members, including Harold Wilson, formerly of 'Ingersoll, were named to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame today. Wilson, son of an Ingersoll industrialist, the late Ernest Wilson, came into prominence as a power boat driver in 1934 as a student at the University of Toronto, and won the 225-cubic 'inch motor class of hydro planes. He drove his boat, Little Miss Canada III, to the World Championship on Lake Ontario at the CNE. His mechanic who rode with him was his fiance Lorna Reid. The next year, in a new boat, Little Miss Canada 4, he again non the 225 inch class world championship, again held at the CNE course. - After this victory he and his father built a bigger boat and called it Miss Canada. The first major race they entered it in was the Gold Cup, held on Lake George, New York in the Harold Wilson 4 . , . is honored summer of 1936. Harold didn't win, but he was on his way in hydro -plane racing. The first big race Wilson won withthe new Miss Canada was the President's Cup held on the Potomac River on Sept. 24, 1939. Harold, his wife Lorna, and his father were presented with the trophy by President Franklin Roosevelt at the White House. After the war. the Wilson's built a new boat and called it Miss Canada 4. with an old ROIL Royce engine and entered in the Harmsworth Race on the Detroit River in INS, but he was forced out during the second heat with supercharger trouble. That same year he won the silver cup, also held on the Detroit River. He entered the Harmsworth Race again in 1949, but ran into mechanical trouble again. That fall on Picton Bay, Wilson made an assault on Sir Malcolm Campbell's water speed record. NOT RECOGNIZED On Oct. 3, he actually beat it with a speed of 142,29 miles per hour, but the record was not recognized because he had to beat Campbell's mark racing the course both ways. Not long after Wilson sold his bola to London oilman, Jim Thompson and retired from racing. Other members named to the hall were: — Yvon Durelle from Rai Ste, Anne, N.B., whose light heavyweight boxing career ran from 19*I959. — Pat Fletcher of Montreal became the only Canadian to win the Canadian Open golf tournament in I*%, Joe Primeau, centre oil the well-known Toronto Maple Laal Kid Line which also consisted of Charlie Conavher and Harvey Jackson. Bobby Pearce, drain in Australia, he served 14 years in the Canadian Navy, before coming to Canada in Ism. • i Bonnic Gray took over job of Ingersoll librarian this Week (staff photo) New librarian hoping to expand library use Ingersoll's new librarian that would like to put on a library," she said, "I am from a thinks that a library should be program at the library we will small town originally (Alvinston more than a place where you go try to work something out with west of London) and I am trying to borrow books. them." she said. to use my own expenence to Bonnie Gray began her duties She also would like to hear bring this about-" at the Ingersoll Public Library from any group, or individual, Miss Gray graduated from this week. She replaces Linda wishing to use the library for University of Western Ontario's Birtwell• who has taken a special exhibits. She visualizes school of library science last io n with the Oxford County the library as a showcase for year. While attending university Library in Woodstock. displays of works of art and she worked in the UWO library. bliss Gray. who plays the crafts. curios, collections, or She said this diverted her from guitar. is keenly interested in items of historical interest, as the course in journalism in music, and would like to see well as club displays promoting which she had originally -Suomi musical groups become different campaigns. enrolled, causing her to end up .mralved with the library. "I would Itke to see more as a librarian rather than a "if there is any ty-W of group community involvement in the' reporterr Free Press Woodstock Bureau The 10-acre Oxford County arboretum site northeast of Gordon Pittock con- servation reservoir near Woodstock has been staked for planting a wind- break of poplar and spruce along the perimeter. Kenneth Peers, a county council member and chairman of Oxford Men of the Trees, a group which encourages tree planting, assists his son David in marking out the bound- ary- Trees to be planted around arboretum Free Press Woodstock; Bureau while touring the 111-acre site, east of County WOODSTOCK — Poplar and spruce trees Road 4 (Innerkip Road) and north of the ,will be planted this spring along the perime- Thames River, ter of the new :Oxford County arboretum. The perimeter trees — to act as a wind - Massive planting of a wider variety of break — will be planted by the ministry of trees, on the interior of the site, will wait the environment. The land was leased last until next spring. fall from the Upper Thames River Consen Kenneth Peers, an Oxford County council- nation Authority to fulfill a two -year -old for and chairman of Oxford Men of the suggestion of Mayor Leslie Dickson of Trees, announced the schedule Thursday Norwich Township. BLUES CHASER Tile jedtow wlw is on the ball had. better have a good sense of balance. Planning 1980.International Plowing Match to involve many By BILL LANKBOF $fennel-R review Staff Writer The awarding to Oxford f ouniy of the 1550 International Plvw(ng matches will greatly benefit the entire county. Woodstock Chamber of Commerce Secretary -Manager Bev Wallace said recmtly. In the meantime "ever much planning and organizational work will have to he done to make the matches a success. Mr. Wallace said up to 200 people may eventually become involved in organizational work. Estimates as In the number of committees that will eventually be working on the matches vary between 15 and 25 Mr. Wallace said committees will he organized to handle xuch things as parking, food, land acquisition and ticket sales. Each of these smaller cotrunittees will be represented on a larger, central committee. :G.000 ATTENDANCE Average daily attendance is expected to be approximately :ri 00, A tent city will have anywhere from 300 to 400 exhibits. Mr. Wallace said the committee will have to rent about 600 acres of farmland to facilitate the matches. Enough room will have to be provided to park about 6.000 to 7,000 cars. Between 80 and 40 people to direct cars, and another 20 to 40 poliveofficers will be needed, he said. Weldon Burrill, director of the Oxford I9owmen's Association, which is sponsoring the event, said one of the first things the OPA will do is select a county chairman, They it will begin to set up committees. l c m t east To make the matches a success co, opperation and participation Coo, all local church groups, service clubs and other organizations will be nekessary, Mr. Wallace said. IndividuaII groups and organizations will be allowed to set up booths to sell foot) and provide other things on the Plowing match grounds. IdfCAI. IIOTEI 4 Mr. Wallace said the chamber of commerce could help by providing a list of motels available in the community, their prices and number of rooms chop have. No sleeping facilities will be available on the grounds. meaning participants, ttxhibitars and visitors will all have to use local hotel and motel facilities, "Often times they'll have to go another county." said Mr. Burrill, "All the lacilinec will be pretty well taxed," Mr. Wallace said other business establishments in the area will benefit from the matches because magv things such as stationary and a ea�r far the Queen of the hluarows will be purchased from local husine smen The malchri, are tentativokv scheduled for the last full w Of September in 1990. They sere last held in Oatorif County in M), of' the John ftartlr"ves farm, four miles sauth all Woodemek '?'Sm�_^�o�„�a�� p o��tj,Sw e`�2 �r�� .�1dp}e�Y.gy•�l�rFo{Cy ��A�� p�tly0 'Q�btl�J" $wLN V C 10.2 'o «£rs 4 ;2«10''^: "rC 47 3 H'$`m'r�Q 41y37 y ya:589^mr➢ M70n«4:i$OR'NA'�gti , hO ro'li~pD wNrpG �azorommma.n4Y„e P tIZ � � �d g•r�°o�,��re '...'E.3 W��a� 'F m r,'� m D ... o m .n o ti3 gr s 2f a a ,ram. yqm `-��'gtu!ro,�9B�m cro,S °��m�ao'i3? Q •�� mg S.0 icy ryNa �y. � J�.3rs m,'g !~°6b ram'. •^ya �ro d. .'9mm �/� og. m�.9 �4g1 o MM 01 ,/� `� Y� �C gQ9: ' ` 8�c°➢SW .,C�id �NuaN�� ppt07C •, � � �a..a •� • •roao o HMO rog6 osp$'� o'a NBBappD $ L GE - a DN°t wD+.9 p➢ W�ro M w_ L CN.Crq^'�m••p y LQamroind=C N d 42 W �' C Z7 ULU a v F O? .C%a«mroaai >ti.SE' " o� „a C d• -o m'yx. A•o ny �...0 oC) • O a m D .: D� D 4 m ' cr «� O Q N B .z lu aroyoc�E«�c $ To o Q o wav cad c� ckl- N ? Y A w m "' o o' $>r'c ^' d U a� L7 — Q .; n O ,,°- -D c LC n o V fir, OO�"tD�OD'Ckb'O IIy.m�i J UOVd «C O oI`7,C ,Gd N mDBtp �' _7 m� a OV' CJ i�.� U'.0 lQ m O m U O Rao .Nromm" mDH co zc.ve�p m$w'Pm meow "5mE➢usEsN ° o> u �$ �� a 3=o Nv� v"n�o`OG uz ".'" �a m.Sd d a �NLO� uc �Ea �-"`� D➢,=a Wcro4 .cYoPr.a vNu' ?._wc�u"c'Cna r� onNi'°^''g wZ°.Qc.='a�m' o cm N r>n •$m^3.7D.a,=4Lvoa°➢U� o6v344 .a~f.°? ro9 .aN�.ns�P�..�❑ma&a ,m„c ro>gom a:$.ca Sro>�oocag « c�uc�roy9z'ade cif ' fla ��U,➢%:,➢ • .m, c�jn o'$Sv amo coo cmu=ctl�R. ai SymyRw"uoyo� >,,ow_°`m QQS�m m�oy v m (-0 ays `ti G A ro ro° W F W (O >�^ is I a. 9 %t Y Y w zro v3u4«sD.uCN~""-Cao,ax°�_'j.,jep°E8"yy";.,° S- ai�.ab d.. $�roQ=V'. m roia>.�S 3Q1GN oNN•« t➢ YNO� N�roC �'� F4 w'!3➢D y, cJO orV_O 15 y IDOD'e�D� 3ca=-•� i=��Rroi;3 �R bAeq,°am dsam•e �" i e:o'oO.dtz epcZym r-' Qyn. saM czs 0°' y ea.3>r .ac o'm'p �` cc. •s''�a�a� O-o'3Ng >.D y �.� o'v: 3 ro my- =' S•SxDm m m Oqn �s ?3'o D•-�y'Ga3>. :7� �ia��'so0pom o• .0 'us�G� Dt8.L •.Cy v'C.:lum�,¢''ww �HC,pC C-^w a�❑N's Ew D. OOCmC py @° m. p,0 m D a�N m t=•,Y. OUN •J vi 7«'.�'1� " "E"N cw 4' C]D^,rq w. roDviN� ❑Ems ,�°c c D.•'2m� 4 a a o'y❑ o:2 o'Oc..=cvrwm'$��co` oc)�c.> o.�o.s 3W z, s3>uczV, Tomorrow morning, when you get up and turn on the radio or open the paper, there'll be no more Fahrenheit in the weather forecasts and temperature reports. Because April 1, 1975 is the day that Canada officially adopts degrees Celsius to measure these temperatures. Using degrees Celsius is one step in Canada's gradual conversion to the metric system Once we're 0 --10 —20 —30 —40 used to the new terms, using the metric system will make measuring anything simpler and more logical. Also, since our world is already 90% metric, we have to change now to stay Celsius Checkpoints 350C Heal wave 300C Ideal day for a swmt. 200C Roane lemperat Fe IM Spring is Nero! OOC Freezing —20➢C So cold foe snow squeak competitive in international markets. The easiest way to learn the new temperatures is just to use them Live them. Think them, Talk then-. And don't convert back. • 0 McKeough rejects plea for control of debentures Fre- Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A move to amend the Orford County restructuring bill to have de- buttuing for local, projects returned to the local municipal council level has been refused b, Provincial Treasurer Darcy McKeou, it BLUES CHASER When you come to titre end of a perfect day, check back carefully. The request for the a nr e n d. ru e n t , Mr. McKeough noted, expressed a major concern for drainage and tale drainage ap- plications. In regional government areas and in Ox- ford County, Mr. McKeough said, the pro- vince "has hold that the concentration of de- benturing authority at Ole level of upper -tier municipalities represents quite a sizeable formal step In the modernization of On- tario's system of municipal finance. Mayor Leslie Dickson, Norwich 'Township, chairman of the administration and finance committee, said John 111ofstetter of Plaits- ville has been named chairman of the 1980 International Plowing Match to be held in Oxford County. lie said that Donald A. Tay- lor, Oxford County agricultural representa- tive, has been named secretary. ,Answer on debenturing shows wrong attitude A request by Oxford County council 'or a return of debenturing powers to area municipalities has been turned down by provincial Treasurer Darcy SlcKeough. Council had made the eequest because its administration had found increased red tape in its handling of local debenture issues. Mr. McKeough said concentration of debenturing power, a provision of the bill to restructure Oxford, would allow the best borrowing rates. He sAid the provision was a great step ('onward in the modernization of municipal government in Ontario. That may very well be. But perhaps the fundamental issue is not at what level debenture borrowing is done. County council had made the request because it found that there were delays, because of the system, in getting financing of local projects. In its wisdom, it decided that debenturing for local projects would be best carried out at the local level. Yet, Mr. McKeough has apparently ignored the county's suggestion (which was based on experience) to change the system. Instead, he has indicated that in these matters Queen's Park knows best. isn't that sort of attitude that restructuring (and regionalization) was supposed to eliminate9 Proposed health council to include Oxford County Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Oxford County is in- cluded in the proposed organization of a tri- 'Country health services council including Middlesex and Elgin counties, Oxford coun- cil's health and social services committee learned Monday night. Final approval has yet to be given by pru- vinclal Health Minister Frank Miller. Violet Adams, Woodstock, chairman of the Oxford district health services council, stressed the three -county grouping will not be definite until the minister makes his deci- siom She said she believes the minister feels the three counties would be acceptable, Peter. Smith, administrator of Woodstock General Hospital and a member of the Ox- ford health services committee, said the pro- vince has planned groupings of about 500,000 people for health council areas. The tri-county area, Mr. Smith said, would contain more than the 500,000 people figure because of the size of London. Mrs. Adams said that frequent hospital re- ferals are made from Ingersoll and Tillson- High pay, low output blamed for food costs OTTAWA (Staff) — Higher wages and lower productivity have had a substantial impact on food costs in Canada during the past year, the food prices review board said Wednesday. The value of the Gross National Product Fier perms in Canaria is about 10 per cent less than the corresponding figure for the United States, it said. At the same time average earnings in Canadian manufactur- mg industries became higher in the last half of 1974 than these in the U.S. Opening lake to power boats given backing Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Opening the easthalf of er boats on tatone•Year trock Lake ial ill sizes of be albasis will behI%- commended to Lipper Thames River Conser- vation Authority by Woodstock council, Council node the recommendation Thurs- day night on a S-0 vote. burg to London and to a lesser extent from Woodstock W London. Mr. Smith said there are plans for a three -county grouping of from 14 to 20 mem- hers. one-half being healthcare delivery people including ;"At, nursing, dentistry, volunteer agency and public health represen- tatives, and the remainder consumer re- presentatives. Mayor Gordon Denry, Ingersoll.. said the formation of the three -county health services council was in direct opposition to what the province had promised with restructuring. Aid, William Dutton, Woodstock, chairman of the health and social services committee', referred to a letter from the health minister noting that formation of the health services council was not a matter under the jurisdic- tion of county council. The minister was referring to county council's Feb. 12 decision to take no action to form the health services council with neighboring counties. Another tri-county health services group meeting is set for London April R. Oxford learns amounts of unconditional grants Toronto Bureau dis[rtimle 3342 million in - sentinel -Review unconditional grants this year which is 23.5 per cent more than TORUNTU —Oxford County last year's total. municipalities are eligible to A significant portion of the receive an estimated $2.5436.ow increase is aimed at offsetting in unconditional grants from the 'the unique and severe cost province this year, according to increases for municipalities a report tallied by Treasurer with their own police forees." he Darcy McKeough in the reported. legislature Tuesday. oxiord County police grants Woodstock is entitled to amount to 546.eee this year S1.030,001 of Ole estimated total- compared. with S216.000 in 1R'4 Ingersoll $3a5,000 and The average increase in police Tillsonburg $212,000, the grants throughout the province supplementary budget report is expected to reach 69 per cent In his budget address Monday. shows. Because of the restructuring Ar McKeough urged which has taken place in Oxford. municipalities and school hoard I the figures are of "a very rough to restrain capital spending approximation," the report where possiblecarefilliv 'staff stresses. Mr. McKeough said the -their staffing. overhead and administration ' government intends- to expenses. Planners advise budget increase County planning committee Planning director Peter Friday voted to recommend a Atcheson said much of the budget -of $146,000 for the budget's rise was due to planning department this vear`. increased salaries and addition The budget was approved last of three new employees. made The budgett was passed on to year at $88 cafter Jan. 1 when the county was administration and finance restructured. committee for approval before Further details of the budget going to council. were not made availahie. BLUES CHASER line triton your incoute and you'll lire without toorry — and a lot of other thiups. FRIDAY, APRIL A, 1975 Freak April storm traps car drivers 140 slept at restaurant Storm conditions reduced attendance at city schools YWCA and Salvation Army provided temporary shelter Local hotels, motels 41 jammed by travellers Road workers refused overtime Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODST'OCK — Oxford County road maintenance supervisors operatedsnow re- moval equipment during the weekend after employees decided Friday to work to rule to back contract demands. The workers, members of Local 1589, Ca- nadian Union of Public Employees, and the county have been negotiating a new contract since November. A meeting with a concilia- tion officer is set for April 14. The road crews went home at a p.m. b'rf- day and refused to work weekend overtime. High winds, snow rip through Oxford By GO It DMcIV I OSII students from rural areas Sentinel -Review Staff Writer attending Woodstock Collegiate A freak eight -inch snow storm and College Avenue secondary left hundreds of motorists school were billeted at private stranded in Oxford County. homes over night. Ontario Provincial Police separate school officials said were still telling motorists not to only a few students from St. use anv of the area's highways Michael's School, Woodstock,. or throughfares early today. were billeted because classes At 12:15 p.m.. Thursday, had been suspended by noon Highway. 401 was closed by the Thursday. provincial ministry of 'There were no power or t r a n s p. o r t a t i o n and telephone breakdowns reported communications. It re -opened at overnight in the county- 2 P.m. No hotel or motel contacted overnight reported any vacancy More pictures, as they were jammed with travellers. The Woodstock Inn, stories Page 9 + off Mill Street near Highway 401, reported that 109 persons were jammed into rooms. hallways Only one traffic fatality in the ' i and the lobby. area had been reported by About 300 people were today. Three -pear -old Lynne Istranded at the Esso Service Hague of St. Thomas died in a : Centre on 401, six miles west of head-on collision with a Woodstock, overnight. Pat dunaptruck on Highway 3, west Cowell who manages the centre of Tillsoaburg when the car her restaurant with her husband mother was driving went out of told the Daily Sentinel -Review control. the stranded motorists began COUNTING leaving at S a.m. today. The Police said they were still in restaurant was empty by 9 a.m. the process of counting pile-ups- VISIBILITY fender -benders and cars But Mrs. Cowell said she reported off the road. Accidents expected more people could be were being estimated in the stranded at the centre because dozen. visibility was still very poor, Blandford Square and several The OPP said at 10 a.m. today downtown stores closed. their that it didn't expect safe driving doors Thursday afternoon. conditions to return until early Hudson Department Store in tonight. Woodstock closed down because Although schools in the area of weather for the first time in had not been closed officially, its 42-year history. Oxford County separate school Snowflurries were forecast for board was urging parents not to the area today, but police said send their children to classes. high winds - gusting up to 40 None of the separate board's miles per hour -- wunld create buses were operating today and hazardous driving. - condition. of ieust a dozen public school it wits the county's taorst bu rd busms runs were cancelled snowstorm - along with most of mr the day. Southern Ontario - since one in Board of education officials January, 1971 when winds estimate that about 1,00o reached 7o miles per hour City's plowing crews spend night on roads Service centre hosts 300 travellers as storm closes highways in area 0 0 11 HOMES APPROVED Two road projects Oxford may get tentatively approved Viet orphans Budget highlights TORONTO (CP) — Highlights of the Ontario budget tabled in the legisla- hire Monday: Retail sales tax reduced to five per cent from seven per cent until Dec. 31, 1971. Seven -per -cent "sales tax removed from machinery and equipment, also to the end of the year. Payments under the province's guar- anteed annual income system, affect- ing about 303.000 pensioners, raisocl and free prescription drugs provided for all pensioners effective Aug. 1. About 450,000 low-income taxpayers removed from provincial income tax rolls. Budgetary deficit set at $1,215 mil- lion for fiscal 1975-76 on revenues of $8,9-77 million and expenditures of $10,- 192 million. Buyers of new or used homes to- get a $1,560 grant. Loans and grants to various programs increased to stimu- late housing construction. - Gasoline and diesel fuel taxes re- moved for industrial, commercial and institutional uses, such as hospitals and schools. Tax credits for small businesses dou- bled to a maximum of $6,000 from $3.- 000 a year, and compensation provided to small firms to cover the oast of col- lecting retail sales tax, Level of exemption from succession duties on estates increased to $250,000 from $150,000, and $75,000 in assets of small businesses or farms transferred to members of family exempted from paying gift tax. Farmers to receive provincial guar- antee to protect them against losses below a certain production level caused by high fertilizer and energy costs. owners of tree farms to get 50- per-cent rebate on property taxes. Provincial payments to municipali- ties increased by 16.3 per but not enough, to prevent anticipated higher property taxes in 1975.76. Government restraints on growth ex- pected to bring a 2.5-per-cent reduction in civit-service ranks. Tax write off on environmental pro- tection equipment extended two years. 91 Oxford County couples seek Vietnamese orphans WOODSTOCK — Applications from 11 Ox- ford County couples to adopt South Viet- namese children were approved some time ago and requests have been received from another 80 couples, Jeanne Deans, executive director of the county Family and Children's Services, said Monday. She said the $0 additional requests will go m a standby list. Free Press Waalstrick Bureau WOODSTOCK =- Reconstruction of a part of Devonshire Avenue in Woodstock and Whiting Street in Ingersoll were included in the 1975 Oxford County Roads budget eceived by county council Wednesday. The budget. tentatively was accepted by council and now goes to the province for up- proval. MPs vote 160m27 to boost own pay OTTAWA (CP) — A proposal that would ,immediately increase MPs' annual income to at least $34,600 received Commons appro- val in principle Wednesday- - flood of MPs broke party lines as the House voted 160 to 27 to give the govern- ment bill second reading. ` 'Union ratifies pact at Standard Tube WOODSTOCK — A two -month strike by Local'636 of the. United Auto Workers union at Standard Tube Canada Ltd. ended Wednesday night when 80 skilled tradesmen ratified their portion of a three-year collec- tive agreement. About 700 production workers at the plant voted in favor of the agreement Sunday. The production workers will receive I10- cent hourly increases over three years, com- pany and union officials said In a joint an- nouncement Thursday. The first increase of 40 cents, retroactive to Jan. 2, raises the general labor rate to $5.26 per hour. Skilled trades journeymen will receive in- creases ranging from 54 to 68 cents per her, also retroactive to Jan. 2. This will bring their hourly rate to about $6.60. Pension benefits increased by about 35 per Weekly siclmess and accident benefits were increased to $120 per week. A preventative dental plan covering em- ployees and their families will be introduced Jan. 2, 1976. Annual statutory holidays increased from 12 to 14 days. Some workers are expected to return to work today with the remainder returning Monday. A provincial conciliation officer was brought in April 1 to break the deadlock. A preliminary agreement was reached in less than one day when conciliation talks began in Toronto. Local 636 members went on strike Feb. 17 after their three-year agreement expired Jau. 2. Mayor George Jakeman of south -West Ox- ford, vicech iirmAn of the Public works committee, said costa, of the flevonsbire Avenue project — to extend irvm Clarke Street to Lansdowne Avenue -- has been es- timated at $220,000. Planned are installation or curbs, gutters, and storm sewers as well as granular base construction and paving. The work was planned by Woodstock council before restructuring. The Ingersoll project includes reconstruc- tion of Whiting Street from King Street West to Holcroft Street at an intimated cost of $60,90D. The $1,875,700 road budget includes }780,- 700 for road and bridge oonstruelion and' $830,900 for maintettar ee. The county road levy has been calculated at W5,700. Road construction figures include $135,000 for reconstruction of County Road 3 at Princeton north of Highway 2 to the CNR crossing and completion of improvements north Of the rail line. Also included are $50,000 for completion of a din -mile section of County Road 4. south- west of Itmer'kip; $50,000 for granular base construction and preparation of Pavemeat an L6 miles on County Road 38 at the Westerly edge of Tillsonburg and W,000 for Prepara- tion for widening of Comfy Road 6 north. of Embro. Bridge budget costs include $15,M for preparation for construction of a 100-f00t bridge on County Road 5 over the Thames River north of Innerkip and $52,� for sur- veys, engineering, planning work. Mayor Jakeman said a draft of the $25,900 road needs study, which includes consxiera- tion of addition of major roads in Woodstock and Ingersoll, is expected by ltfav 31. Mayor Gordon Henry of Ingersoll said the study should clarify the system of possible payment of local improvement charges for road reconstruction. This has been the pol- icy in Ingersoll and Woodstock but not in the county. :Ud. William Dutton of Woodstock said a& joining property owners in the county should. help pay for paving projects. Mayor Leslie Cook of Woodstock said it would be unfair for the rest of the residents of Woodstock to pay a portion of the costs aftenbeing charged for their owin streets. 3 men to be added to Woodstock OPP Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Three constables will be added to the provincial police detachment here, Oxford County council learned Wednes- day. Deputy Soheitor-General A. A- Russell told council in a letter that the first constable will begin work April 14. The inefem brings the force to 27 constables, four corpo- rals and 10 civilians. Mr, Russell said the first effort in 1472 to equalize manpower throughout the province on the basis of workload meant a reduction in manpower at the Woodstock force, Warden Perry Sibbick said it was unoery fain whether tOuncil's recent cosecs Over the force's dwindling numbers had influ- enced the attorney -general's office. Heart of town Tillsonburg OKs huge development By GENE FLOR('1'F of The Free Press TILLSONBURG — Gilvesy Developments Ltd., headed by Tillsonburg contractor John Gihesy, and the Town of Tillsonburg have signed an agreement paving the way for the firm to build a three-phase, multi-mfllion- dolhtr shopping plaza almost in the heart of town. Council approved a bylaw Thursday night which permitted the town to sign the agree- ment. Constrgctton of the first phase of the pro- ject --estimated to cost about $4 million and comprising about 109,I100 square feet of re- tail space — is not expected to begin until this fall, Mr. Gilvesy said. The town must first acquire some proper- ties in the approximate one -block area adja- cent to the town halt on the main street. For this and subsequent land purchases — the secxtd phase is abut another block square — the town has provincial approval to de-. benture $1.93 trillion over the next 20 years. The second phase includes the property on which the town hall stands. Tentative plans call for the building to be razed and incorpo- rated into the second -phase, 137,000-square- feet of retail space. The third phase is detached from the cen- tral location and has net as yet been totally designed. Mr. Gilvesy said. 1t will be smaller than the initial stage. Council urges easing, of standards for OHRP County council Wednesday voted to ask the province to ease its standardsfor the Ontario Home Renewal, Program (OHRP )- The resolution was sent to the ministry of housing because -almost all Oxford municipalities do not have a maintenance standards bylaw that fits a certain set of guidelines, which the province insists on before making any OHRP grants. Although Woodstock has a housing standard bylaw, the city does not qualify for the provincial scheme because it won't allow an inspector to enter a dwelling without permission from the owner. The province wants a bylaw that enforces both external and internal maintenance standards. OIIRP makes grants available to municipalities on a per capita basis which are loaned to William Dutton ...sparks move nomeowners who want to renovate their houses. But council - at Woodstock ,Alderman William Dutton's urging - voted to ask for a nets scheme in which homeowners could apply for aid individually, and would be directly. responsible to inspection to ensure that improvements were beangg made. Ald. Dutton said a bylaw written to OHRP specifications constitutes an invasion of privacy. Last week, county planning committee recommended that council not get involved with the scheme because it has no plumbing or building insppeocction, saying individual municipalities should use OHRP instead It also said OHRP's maintenance bylaw was an invasion of privacy. Council accepted the rnmmipee'% rerommendntlnn NEW LIBRA.-Y FOR FOLDENS Jane Webb, chief librarian for supervisor. sort some of the former West Oxford Township'' the Oxford County Library, and 1,586 books in the new Foldens offices. Staff photo) Eileen Hammerton, branch Iibrarv. The libraryoccupies the iSweaburg man appeals county's land decision A Sweaburg man is appealing a county land division committee decision, citing a contrvention of the Ontario planning act. Charles Pullin, of RR 1 Woodstock, has served notice that he is seeking an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing on the grounds that elected officials cannot hold seats on the county land division committee according to the planning act, committee chairman William Ducklow said Wednesday from his home in Tavistock. County council voted earlier to pass a constitutional and appointment bylaw for the committee on the advice of its solicitor, James Curnwath. Mr, Carnwath met with county planning committee last Friday in a closed meeting to discuss the appeal. The appeal concerns a decision by the committee last. month not to allow severance of about one acre from Mr. Pullin's Sfracre farm for a house lot. County land division committee was re -organized last January to comply with Bill j 95's- restructuring provisions. William Ducklow ... chairman Bill 95 also disbanded all committees of adjustment in the county. All the committeesused to be composed exclusively of appointed citizens. They were replaced with the current land division committee. The new committee consists of all four members of planning committee which is composed from county council, and three appointed citizens. Mr. Ducklow said Bill 95 gave councilthe choice of sitting as the land division committee itself or appointing some citizen advisors. Council decided to form the new committee with electedandunelected officials late last year on the advice of a consultant's report. Mr. Ducklow said Bill 95's provisions would take, precedence over the planning act because the restructuring legislation is newer. He said the committee turned down the application because - the land use would not have conformed to the Oxford Official plan nor the East Oxford Township zoning bylaw. Although East Oxford has be absorbed by the new township of South-West Oxford under restructuring, the zoning bylaw is still in effect, Mr. Ducklow said, He, said the planning. provisiQps would only allow a house lot on 25 acres in the area and not on one. Committee to meet with library boards County administration and finance committee Isto hold a meeting with reprosentatfves of Tillsonburg and Woodstock library board6 May '!6 about amalgamation of the county's three library system. The committee decided Wednesday to meet with library board chairmen and the chief librarians. Oxford County Library won't be represented at the meeting because several members of county administration and finance committee also sit on the county library board, Clerk -treasurer Gerald Staples said the committee would discuss Woodstock library's pr7o r"I to expand the county board into 0 members instead of seven. • • • 9 Nurses, board contract fails Contract -talks between represegtatiwrs of the t:r public health nurses rLecal 40. Ontario Nurses Association) and the Oxford Board of Health, in the presence of a government appointed conciliator, failed to reach an aggreement Thursday, Jack Macintosh negotiating committee secretary said the nurses will be in a legal strike position 14 days after the conciliator's report is received from the ministry of labor. Mediation talks could be called at any time. However, Mr. McCulloch said it would be premature to proceed with mediation talks until it is known what steps the nurses plan to take. The two-year nurses contract expfired Dec. 31, 1974, Current talks involve a one-year contract with monetary issues the main concern. "We are way apart on monetary matters", said OBH negotiating chairman Kenneth Peers. after the meeting Thursday at the Woodstock Inn. Several non -monetary issues had been resolved during four previous meetings, said Mr. Peers, with the discussion of vacations still undecided. "We felt our offer was fairly good and will wail and see what happens". said Mr. Peers when asked if the OBP would call for mediation talks. Mediation talks could be held after the nurses are in a ]-gal strike position, said Mr. Peers Before Thuarsday's meeting the OBH negotiating committee had not heard from the nurses since Jan. 31. "We didn't know what was going on", said Mr. Peers who Kenneth Peers ... chairman added the nurses requested conciliation talks following the , Jan. 31 meeting STATEMENT ISSUED Janet Sparks, president of Local 40 ONA, issued .a statement following conciliation talks. "It is interesting to note that Gerald Staples (Oxford County clerk -treasurer) stated in January that negotiations would be lengthy. It is evident from this meeting that the board intends to adhere to this." Mrs. Sparks said satisfactory collective agreements have been reached in surrounding counties with thehealthunit and their public health nurses. I in i uwRiroWd wonien arc provincial police detachment Tillsonburg. Their first day COURT REPORTER HONORED Provincial court reporter upon her retirement after four Crown Attorney Fred Porter Sharon Heath was honored with years as court reporter. Among (left) and Judge R. G. Groom. a gift and luncheon Tuesday those attending were Assistant (Staff photo) s the first to join the was 77utrsday. Left of Constable Helga Sparks of Constable Marlene Caldwell of Hamilton, Cpl. Rob - at Woodstock and Waterloo with coaching officer Constable It. E. ert Sins, centre, and coach officer, Constable of public exposure Harvey, at the Tttsonburg detachment. Right is Frank Takaes. Tradition ends Oxford to borrow for lodge addition Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — After being; debenture - free for 40 years, Oxford County will go into long-term borrowing to finance construction of a $1.9-million addition to Woodfngford Lodge, the county home for the aged. County Council approved a construction bylaw Wednesday night for the 100-bed aft.- tion to the 160-lied home. The bylaw calls for borrowing of $800,0t10 over 10 years. County clerk G, R. Staples said the delxn- ture issue has been projected to cost $955,490 over the 10 Years, including $355, 490 later- cst. Provincial subsidy for the project has been estimated at $924,OOO, leaving a hal- ance of $976,000 to be paid by the county. Council plans to use its building reserve fund of $362.000 to offset its share of the pro- ject, expected to begin in July. Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Bland - ford -Blenheim Township, said projects in the future likely will require debentring. Under the Oxford County Restructuring AMwhich took effect Jan. 1, 19r5, Wood- stock and Ingersoll are required to match the surplus of the county based on weighted equalized assessment within the first five Years of the restructured county system. Meanwhile, council's works committee was directed to reconsider abandoning its one. year delay in the possible institution of a county building inspection service to Jeam- ary. 1977. Mayer Seldom Wikiason of Tillsonburg, chairman of the public works committee, said the committee feels there are "so many other matters of greater urgency requiring the attention of the works department that it would be practically impossible to properly organize and institute this type of service in such a short time." But Mayor Gordon Henry- of Ingersoll, who said his town has been obtaining inspection service through Woodstock on a temporary basis,. Ingersoll Conn. Douglas Harris and Colin. Kenneth Webster of Tillsonburg said the service is urgent. Ingersoll lottery winner has no plans for $20,000 T'HAMESFORD (CP) — Ron Andrews of Ingersoll, is VO,000 richer following his win Thursday In the Thamesford recreation lot- tery, held to raise money for a new recrea- tion centre. Mr,Andrews, an employee of General blo. tors, London, is married with four children. He said he has no immediate plans for the 11110M. Second prize of $5,000 went. to Ifelen Thomas of Thamesford. Third prize of 0,000 went to George Nicholas fo Brantford and the final prize of 12,000 went to Jim Smote of Thamesford. Aid. William Dutton of Woodstock said the city would consider increasing its building inspection department staff, which would al. low the municipality to assist with fnspec Lions In other areas until the county system can be established. Council asked its administration and fi. Justice committee to consider the need for a personnel officer for the county and present a report by October, before starting contract negotiations. for 1976. Coun. Kenneth Peers of Norwich Township said the county has several hundred employ ees and wage negotiations continue most of the year. A personnel officer, he said, could relieve other officials in negotiating and as. sist local municipalities. 'Council approved a Tillsonburg recommen- dation asking the ministry of transportation and communications designate the old sec- tion of Highway 3 rumling through Tillson- burg (used prior to construction of the High- way 3 bypass) as "Highway 313". Hotel and motel owners in the east end of Tillsonburg have expressed concern about possible loss of business. Mayor Wilkinson said the environment ministry has approved an extension of the use of the landfill site owned and operated by superior sanitation limited in Northwfch Township to May, 1976. He said they are still atteMpting to resolve an impassewith the ministry in respect to continued use of the Tillsonburg sanitary landfill site. CITY HAS BIRTHDAY BUT NO PARTY PLAN 'rile City of Woodslock is today entering its 75th year as a city, with little fanfare, no birthday cake, and no signs of gray hole. "The City of Woodstock has not been in the habit of celebrating the anniversary of its incorporation as a dry ' Mayor Les Cook said this I morning, "and probably It would have passed unnoticed again this year had it not been brpught to my attention by a member of the news media. "Today we enter the 75th year "f our incorporation as a city", lie mayor continued. "We have s healthy and growing community, one that elicits many complimentary remarks from many of our visitors, one in which community spirit is alive and well, a city of our visitors, one -in which community spirit is alive and well, a city whose many fine schools begin the Health board to hire student for summer The Oxford County board of health has approved the hiring of a university student to work this summer with county public health inspectors. Michael Bragg, chief public health inspector, said extra help is required for inspection of (migrant worker facilities in the county. The student would carry out routine work such as water .sampling at Pittock Lake and 'other swimming areas, Mr. ,Bragg said. The board of health delayed setting a salary for the student until its budget is approved by county council. Last summer a student was hired for $1,5M or $90, a week plus mileage, Dr. G Q. Sutherland, Oxford medical officer of health said Wed- nesdathiy 'I nk we are overservicing now", said board member William Dutton who opposed the student hiring. Voting for the hiring were William Dutton ...opposed Gordon Henry and James Hartnett, pre orations of tomorrow's leaders, ,i ose many churches minister to our spiritual needs, a clty whose healthy and diversifld industry ex its wares around the wort a City whose inhabitants care what happerra to their neighbors. "Certain)yy there are things that can b, improved upon, changes that can be made for the better;' Mayor Cook said. "Hopefully these changes and improvements will be made as we further progress together. but let us not belittle what we do have. If you want a comparison," the mayor concluded, "granted, an extreme and sobering comparison, between what we have and what we may be thankful we do not have, think of Cambodia and Vietnam. We have much for which to be thankful on our municipal birthday," Directions sought to area facilities County council Wednesday section' of Highway 3. now night agreed to ask the province designated Norfolk County Road co erect a sign directing 5L in its system. motorists to the east -end of The sign would direct traffic Tillsonburg, where hotels and onto the old highway for food,. motels are expected to suffer fuel and accommodation. from the new Highway 3 bypass. The sign was recommended The ministry of transportation by county works committee, i and communications has in- which met in closed session two dicatd it will notretain the old weeks ago. Membership authorized County council Wednesday night Passed a bylaw authorizing the membership of county land division committee. Although the commcil took the section oas n he aedvice of county' solicitications or James Carnwath. Mr. Carnwath recommended the bylaw after an unsuccessful land division committee applicant served notice of appeal to the Ontario legally constitutedBoard on the by the Ontario Planning Act that the mtudttee is Increased quota sought County council Wednesday night voted to ask the province for a $42,000 increase to South-West Oxford's capital expenditure in- terim quota for municipal drain applications. The township's 1973 quota currently stands at $38,690. The township has made two additional applications. Water service upgraded County council Wednesday night voted to enter an agrement with Zorra Township to upgrade water service in the former police village of Thamesford. Ministry to plant -trees The Ontario ministry of natural resources Ministry will suppply and plant 175 Carolina Poplar and 175 White spruce trees this near on the county arboretum site, north on Imterkip Road. Council also voted to allow a farmer to plant the site for the 1975 crop year until the trees are planted, Advance payment to be made County council Wednesday night voted to make an advance payment of $26,725 to Oxford Family and Children's Services Council for construction of an addition to its building on Light Slreet. Committee to be considered County council Wednesday night agreed to consider forming a personnel committee to handle labor negotiations before next October. A request for the committee's formation was made by NM,r�vich Councillor Kenneth Peers Building inspection plan starts i n Oxford i n 1976 11 0 Nith Crests Close To 15111lFeet Above Norm Residents of Ayr, Plattsville. Parts, New Hamburg and other centres along the Nith River are; still talking about the weekend, flood and probabW will be for years to come. ° he flood of Saturday April 19th and Sunday, April 20th, 1975 will hopefully be used as a gauge just like the one of 1883 has been used until now. The height of floodwaters this past weekend didn't surpass the highest mark in Ayr's history, that of 1883, but it did come within one inch of that record. The Nith, which crested just under 15 feet above normal was a full two feet higher than last year at noodtime, and one foot higher than experienced in 1954 during Hurricane Hazel. Until Sunday, Hazel was the guide used by present residents who naturally hadn't personally experienced the 1883 flood. The 1883 flood was three feet higher than any, previously recorded high. One might expect disastrous results, Miraculously. damage was relatively minor, with the exception of that in New Hamburg. Liquor legislation won't affect Oxford New provi r.raI liquor legislation won't affect "dry and w•M-' sectors of Oxford County, regardless of township amalgamations created by restructuring, city council was told Thursday night. Dr. Harry Parrott, Con- servitive Member of Provincial Parliament for Oxford, said Bills 44 and 45 before the legislature, will allow the sec- tors to remain untouched by civic amalgamations and an- nexations as they have since 1916. Bill 44 provides new guidelines for the Liquor Control Board while Bill 45 amends the man- date of the Liquor Licensing Board. The legislation, given first reading April 15, could be passed within two weeks, Dr. Parrott said. He was briefing council on the two bills because a Woodstock resolution was sent to him last fall askingfor amendment of several sectors around'the city adlowing liquor outlets in one place but prohibiting them nearby. "There is no answer for our problem." Mayor Leslie Cook said, referring to Bill 45. "This is status quo." Like the boundaries, Dr. Parrott said, a requirement of 60 per cent plurality must be obtained before an area can go. either dry or wet. Dr. Parrott said he didn't want to see a general loosening of province -wide liquor regulations. Standards should be set on a local basis, he said, Core redevelopment stalls in Woodstock Free Press 'Woodstock Bureau tstH)DSTOCK — A decision on a request by Subilornar Properties Ltd. to reopen a seven -month -old agreement for redeveloping a two -block downtown area in Woodstock was deferred at a special meeting of city council Tuesday until its regular meeting Thursday. Alexander Mayers of Montreal, represent- ing Subilomar, asked the city to pay an ex- tra $58 a year for 30 years for rental of :each of 420 parking spaces, increasing the annual cost per space in a two -storey park- ing garage to $49$from $435 because of int- lation problems, Thedeveloper also asked for the immedi- ate closing of Perry Street in preparation of completing land options and starting demoli- tion and construction within eight to 30 weeks. ton-Eng construction. of London was named contractor for the development to be completed -by May, 1976, or possibly August. Mr. Mayers said cost of the first stage of development on the south side of Dundas Mreet, cast of Brock Street and north of Sinicoe Street will be more than $5 million. The development plans include a 36,520- square-foot Metropolitan store and smaller stores. A second phase in development plans in- cludes an extension of the development east to Finkle Street and a third phase, south from Dundas street on Finkle Street. Mr. Mayers said the increased cost would be taken up by the city increasing parking fees in the development to 30 cents from 25 cents an hour. The city lease agreement, he said, in- cludes the possibility of merchants within the development and the area -being able to validate parking fees for customers. Mayor Leslie Cook said Perry Street would be closed almost immediatelyon the final reading of the street closing regulation. Fire trucks will be exempt. Plans are to construct a new fire hall with the demolition of the Perry Street hall in the first phase. The Perry Street Arena is to be enclosed on the edge of the mail. Aid. Philip Poole said the parking agree- ment would cost the city $6,211,000 during the 30 years. The city agreed Sept. 20, 1974. to sell to the developer for $205,000 the Perry Street fireball, Perry Street from Dundas to Stm- coe Streets and parking lots with more than 100 spaces. BLUES CHASER Somebody figured it art: We have 35 roil• lion laws to enforce fife Ten Command. ntenfs. Plowing match committee names executive members The Oxford County 1980 International Plowing Match Committee has elected four people to its executive. The committee. consisting of members of the Oxford Plowmen's Association, Blenheim Plowtnen-s Association. and represen- tatives of Oxford County council. is responsible for organization of the l9Bo plowing matches to he held in Oxford County. The committee was set up on an imetim basis two years ago to bring, the international matches to Oxford County After being awarded the 19W matches earlier this year, the committee has stayed together it is now setting tip an executive committee to co- ordinate organization of the matches Chosen to the exemi lye were John Hofsteter. chairman. Les Dickson. vice- chairman, Don Taylor, secretary. Garnet Peck. treahurer, Weldon Burrlil, John Swmerbayes. Bill Weather.. Atw, Ray badman.. Mr. Hofsteter said one position on the executive will be filled later. The committee plans toask- the county's Women's Institute groups to. select a representative. Mc Hofsteter said about 20 smaller committees will be needed. The committee discussed several possible chairmen that could serve on the smaller committees. Each committee will have between three to to people. "Although there's no great urgency for these committees we should set the committee heads before the end of the year," Mr. Hofsteter said `ll will take the efforts of many, many people to swing this type )f operation." Anyone interested in joining one of the smaller committees is welcome, he said: "As long as they voice their intentions, we'll be glad to place them. 'there should be someone from every corner of the county oneach committee." The sub -committees will be responsible for such things as finding a site for the matches, parking, parades, billeting, wagon tours, publicity, tented city, and health and sanitation. Mr. Hofsteter said a match site committee, responsible for obtaining land for the match. has not been established. and the group will not even begin looking for a site until at least 1976. The actual site must he chosen by 1978. Mr. Hofsteter said about soo acres will be needed, with ac- cess to hydro and telephone a major importance The site must also have easy access to highways, he said. The committee has scheduled another meeting for June 26 to discuss further appointments to some of the sub -committees Les Dickson vice-chairman Plaque for jail none for Graham County council decided Wednesday night it had no ob- jections to declaring Oxford County Jail an historical site but would take no action on a site at 70 Graham St., Woodstock because of inconvenience. It voted to spend $75 for plaque for the county jail in Woodstock after a request by Woodstock chamber of com- merce. But a second request for the Graham Street site, winch the county owns, was turned down. Ogee the bite of Woodstock s first school, the house at 70 Graham was acywred in a hand assembly several years ago for expansion of facilities at the neighboring county ad- ministration building. Ingersoll Cuuticilkir Douglas Harris, vice-chairman of county administration and finance committee, told council the house shuuld not be declared on historical site because the designation rnigh! interfere with future pions. Council took its action on recommendation of Caun- Harriy committee. Oxford road workers ready to strike May 9 Free Press Woodstock Barren wooDSTOCK — Oxford County road de- partment workers will be in a legal position to strike on May 9, Mario Pennesi of Low don, Canadian Union of public L'anployces representative said Friday. Mr. Pennesi made the statement after receiving a report on an April 14 conciliation meeting that said the union, representing about 27 workers, and the county are too far apart to continue meetings. lip to this point, sir- Pennesi said, the county ties offered a wage increase of about 12 per cent while Elie union is asking for 20 to 25 per cent. Negotiations between the two side. to reach a one-year contract have been going on since Oct. 29. The last agreement expired Dec. 3L Mr. Pennesi said the county's offer k ".justnot acceptable In view of the fact the county councillors have certainly looked ,ti- ter themselves and administration staff by granting increases or 20 to 30 per cent. "We don't think our employees should be treated any differently." he said, Both Mr. Pennesi .and Mayor Seldon Wil- kinson of Tillsonburg, chairman of Oxford County council public works committee sold no further meetings have been }Manned between the two .sides. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1975 War ends in Vietnam' has Saigon surrenders! to Viet Cong forces Council approves speed reduction DRG9rBO — Blandford- turned down because councillors Blenheim Township council has felt reducing speeds would approved reduction of speed nullify the intended use of a limits along Highway 2 past highway, to get traffic from one Blandford Square from 60 to 45 point to another quickly. miles an hour, a request council The ministry, however, asked had turned down March 25. council to reconsider. Council The speed reduction will go approved the secondrequestby into effect beginning at County, a 4-2 vote. Read Four and extend 8W feet The ministry asked council to east of the mail access road. reduce the speed limits because "We weren't particularly of danger to cars trying to enter happy about extending the the high-speed traffic Bow from ho�darS' further east," said a standing -start at the malt. townshfpll4ayor Perry Sibbick, Norwich Township council, ' trot ewe coutdsee-it as a danger which must also approve the request, has given tentative Themin stry of transportation approval. and eom'murkation made its Mr. Sibbick said he did not original request for a speed know when the speed reduction reduction March. 25, but was will go into effect. BLUES CHASER A cteaer wife found out how to rentove making odors jrom the house — ate quit cooking. Oxford public nurses support strike action WOODSTOCK —. The public health nurse staff of Oxford County health unit has voted unanimously to strike in support of its de- mand for a salary increase. The 15 nurses, members of Local 40, On- tario Nurses' Association, have been in a le- gal position to strike since April. Negotiations between the health unit board and the nurses started in early January, said Mary Hodder, employment relations of- ficer for the ONA. Conciliation efforts ended in mid -April and the nurses then voted to strike, she said. The board has offered salaries ranging from a minimum of $10,400 a year to a max- imum of $12,800 for seven -years' experience. The nurses are asking a minimum $11,700 to -a maximum $14,050 for seven years, Mrs. Hodder said. Under the old contract, which expired Dec. 31, 1974, the nurses received front $7,- 700 to $9,500 for six years' experience. Janet Sparks, president of the local, said Sunday there are no plans for further meet- ings with the board. She said the nurses have set no strike deadline. Mrs. Hodder said the Oxford nurses want salaries brought to the level paid in sur- rougql�ing areas such as Perth, Brant and Midflesex-London. Pay scales in those three units range from a minimum $11,340 to a maximum $13,740 over seven years. Public health nurses for St. Thomas -Elgin health unit are still negotiating a contract, Mrs. Hodder said. MPs vote themselves hefty pay increase, overwhelming margin ends controversy 0 E Canada to take 3,0`000 refugees from Vietnam Health staff await no board' report Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Public health inspectors and clerical staff at Oxford County health unit are awaiting a "no board" report from conciliation hearings. They would be in a le- gal strike position 14 days later, Mu2io Pan - nest of London, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representative, said Monday. The health unit's 15-member nursing staff, members of Local 40, Ontario Nurses' Aso- ciation, have taken a strike vote after being unable to reach an agreement. A strike deadline has still to be set. Mr. Pennesi said the two health inspec- tors, four clerical staff and an audiometrist, which formed a sub -unit of the city hall lo- cal, Local 1146, CUPE, are negotiating their first agreement. Conciliation was "not too successful," he said. Oxford road workers, also CUPE mem- bers, who are seeking a 20- to 25-percent raise, will be in a legal strike position Fri- day. The county has offered an increase of about 12 per cent to the 27 road workers. BLUES CHASER To improve your memory, lend people money. LICENCE FEE South-West Oxford Township council set the municipality's auctioneer licence fee at $20 a year. Before restructuring went into effect Jan. 1 the permits were issued by the county. Permits can be picked up at the township offices in Dereham Centre. Pact offered county nurses Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry said Oxford County j public health nurses should name a date if they intend to strike. He told countyces comhealth and social servimittee members the nurses had not notified the county board of health of their intention to strike. The board's only source of information has been the media, he said. Fifteen members of Ontario Nurses Association, local 40, are in a legal strike position May 1 after unanimously supporting an April 20 strike vote for salary increases. The local's two-year contract expired Dec. 31, 1974, "When we have a. threat of a strike, we should know the date" said Mayor Henry, recom- mending the board's salary recommendations be publicized. Offering between 29.65 to 35.06 per cent increases over current salaries, the board's proposal is five per cent below the nurses' association demands. A statement issued by the ONA said the union has asked for $11,700 to a maximum of $14,050 for seven years ex- perience on one-year contract. Salaries will range between $11,131 and $13,531 under the board's proposal Beachvi I Ie deers move to new London location BY DON Iot'FP'Y downfall of as", said Mrs. types of years old will be donated to Storybook Gardens- Sentinel -Review Staff Writer BEACHVILLE - Deer lovers Lowes. She said all animals have been brought to Ahnhbyforthe.lmves.care of who for the past 25 years have the farm to be nursed back to the deered am�ed e work. involved deafeed stopped here to admire the deers on the Fred Lowes farm will no healthr The deer may be gone but are staples for the animals but Mrs. Lanes said cookies and longer have that opportunity. Today, the deer 12 Japanese peacocks pheasants, ducks. cats and dogs will remain on the bread were favorite treats. Sika deer and one Canadian Lowes to -acre property Over the years the herd bag deer, move to their new home, Storybook Gardens in London. The remaining 16o acres of farmland have been sold for a dwindled from a high of 20 down to 13. A few years ago a buck Since 1950 when the Lowes housing development. escaped from the farm and was obtained a licence to keep game the have How do you tell a Japanese killed on Highway 401. in captivity, ..deer I become a familiar site in Beach- deer from a Canadian deer? The deer Six. years ago a deaHalth in the death of a of a Ville. The herd was started when Japanese Sika are cautious, pretty and smaller "They stunt resulted Canadian deer, "There be a tat of game warden Herbert Clark, than a Canadian deer. to ran on springs". Mrs. will disappointed PPeople" wilee the asked the Lowes to care for an injured fawn. seem Lowes said. . deer are gone, sai "Our love of animals is the Yearlings And bucks up to 12 Lowes. Taxpayers protest project, so council won't proceed 1NNERKIP — A petition from ratepayers has stopped the construction of drainage works in Innerkip, despite a ministry of en- vironment letter saying the system would be beneficial to the community. The East Zorra-Tavislock council voted Wednesday night to table the engineer's re- port on the project and not proceed with the construction. It said it would continue only I n it receives a petition front a majority I Norwich Tp. seeks o) tc f ratepayers saying they are in favor of the of GM project. A II11Psa of environment lever sent t0 council said the works wouldn't adversely portion building fee affect the water system. and would be bene- in wiping Innekip's sewage disposal permit yste System. Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A request by Norwich 'Township for a portion of the $1,700 building permit fee for the $9 million General Motors by Wood- GM building permit building is being investigated services committee • stock's he J. Mayor I.esner Cook said Monday. (� to boost 19 75 total The Generall Motors building, being con- st.rvcted by Ellis -Don Ltd. of London, may Free Press Woodstock Bureau he as much as one-third in Norwich Town- ship with the remainder in Woodstock. "a WOODSTOCK — Issuance of a $9-million project straddles the municipal boundary construction permit to General Motors later line. this month will put construction value well Mayor Cook said the city Intimated there would be consideration given that some of Mead of the 1974 pace, city engineer Carl the building permit fee would be going to Ilevenor said Thursday. the township. He said the application for the Penult has" The General Motop project, he said, will ,been received and Is being processed. require one Person from the building inspec- General Motors has started preliminary tion staff nearly full time for a year. Norwich Township, he said, has questioned work for its national parts distribution con• the rgth( of the city to issue a building per- tre oil Parkinson Road. mit for the struetmw which is partly in their munlcipallty. Structural steel for the project started going up on May 2, St. Joseph's AeadentY to It VatosittaI-t Avenue I %Votxist(we k St. Joseph's is closing after Al years in the city The Sisters of St. Joscl)h of London have announced the run>, ,hr smd 'There will not be a reduction closing of St..fcowph's Academy, of teaching sisters in the county Vaneiltart Avenue, effective The four nuns will commute to July 1. the city for leaching duties in the Stater Alice Marie, assistant Mother -General said the cow fall. The two remaining nuns at the vent is too big for the six nuns academy; a retired sister and a living there. The convent is nnusokeeper will be re -assigned. owned by the diocese of ltmdon Sister Alice Marie said. and the four teaching nuns in The teaching order came to Woodstock will be moved to Woodstock in 1913, R remained Tillaonburgwhere the order also at a convert on Delatre Street owns a convent, before moving to their present ,The Roiph Street convent, Tlllsonburg is occupied by four location in 191111 A historical site, the Academy building was built by Thomas "Carbide" Wilson in I995. It was, purchased by St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in IW5 by the pastor. Rev. Joseph Brisson. The three -floor stone strrx- ture has 17 rooms including a basement and attic. A music school conducted by the order for many years was closed in 1970, Rev, W. T. O'Rourke. St. Marys pastor said future use al the building is not known. It will tv put in trust by the dioeaiae, be said TAX HIKES EXPECTED The Daily Sentinel -Review,Tues.,May 13,1975 Page Transition grants sought by Oxford municipalities By BILL LAN KHOF Sentinel -Review Staff Writer - Municipal councils are, 1t twingg to set mill rates for nd,idual townships and most M Oxford County residents can `7 expect at least a small increase in this yyear's lax bill. Blandford-Blenheim Town- ship Rlayor Perry Sibbick said Monday that the mill rate in his township will not be set for at ' least another month but a small tax increase is probable. ' "It's a little premature ;" �• There'll probably be a little increase. It'll hopefully be a modest one." Mr. Sibbick said the township is still looking into the possibility; of obtaining transitional grants , from the province. The grants are being made by the provincial government to absorb added costs individual in- pert Sibbick Y municipalities may have curred because of restructuring. ... little increase Mr. Sibbick said council is still trying to find which grants it is Mr. Vogt said he would rather eligible to receive. The 1974 residential mill rate not elaborate on where tax in - for a public school supporter in creases might occur, adopting a „wait -and -see" attitude. Blenheim Township was 76.2 mills. Average assessment on He said the townshipis looking residential property was bet- for government aithrow wren $3,5W and $4,0W. transitional rants. The g township, he said, had not been START WORK East Zorra-Tavistock council notified regarding the amount of will begin budget work this money available from the week, Mayor Harold Vogt said province. Monday. Commenting on a The estimated average possible tax increase, he said assessment in the former would be a bit early, then added: township of East Zorra for "By what I understand, I an- residential property in 1974 was ticipate there will be somewhat $4,000. The mill rate was 72,655. of an. increase. South-West Oxford Mayor George Jaketnait ... May 20 meet George Jakeman said council will begin working its municipal levy at a meeting May 20. He said setting the rate will likely take longer than one meeting because information must be gathered from three former municipalities, Dereham, West Oxford and Beachville. "There's a lot of guesstimating" about a mill rate, he aid. "We haven't really got into this." LOOKING FOR HELP Mr. Jakeman said the township is "definitely" looking for government help to offset Added costs brought about because of restructuring, He said although thetownshiPP did not build new municipal of a, it did spend money to renovate the old township offices in Dereham Centre. Public school residential mill rates in municipalities, now part of South West Oxford in 1974 were: Dereham Township, 71.1; West Oxford Township, 73.6; Reachville, 73.3. Mill rates in areas now governed by Norwich council ranged from 85.2 mills to 97,3 mills in 1974. Average assessment in the area -- North Norwich, South Norwich, Norwich (village) and East Oxford -- was between $3,000 and $3,560 for a residential, public school supporter. Zorra township is an amalgamation of` four municipalities. Nineteen -sev- enty-four mill rates for public school supporters, residential property were: East Nissouri, 90,2 mills; North Oxford, 81.8 mills; West Zorra, 76.9 mills and Embro 79.7 mills. BLUES CHASER "If misery loves company, law come we don't enjoy getting caught in a traffic join?" ODOR RIGHT$ ARE URGED Oxford County '-'rufr "I Wednesday asked the province to draw -up leglillai.ion to protect. farmers Iron objections of residential land owners to the odor coming from their farm operations. Current le islation makes the owner n a livestock nr poultry operation liable to prosecution if an offensive j odor comes from the farm. even if the farm operation existed before a residential building was constructed nearby. Council wants farm operations that existed before residential dwellings were constructed in the same area protected from possible prosecution. Under current legislation a court could suspend a livestock or poultry operation, or force a farmer to make alterations to reduce odors. Council feels the current legislation discriminates i against existing farm operations. WINTARiO WINNER TORONTO (C'P) — The ticket winning the grand prize of $100,000 in the first Wintario lottery draw Thursday was number 60365, series eight. There are 23 $10.000 prizes for holders of tickets 60365, any series other than eight. There are 192 $1,000 prizes for persons with tickets ending with the numbers 0365 and 1,944 $100 prizes for persons with tickets with the last three digits of 365. Twenty-four series of tickets were sold for the 2,160 tax-free prizes, which total $716,400.. Forty-two series of tickets are on ale for the second Wintario lottery May 29 which will have two $100,000 prizes. Parrott suggests ponder boats allowed back on pittock Lake i b ra ry study team at future caeca°�� Power boats will be allowed on restriction for power boats using dixus_he said. ,part of Piltock Lake for a one- 168 do\ene f.Athe lake east according meetings park superintendent wiif ',year trial basis, the Upper Free Press Woodstock Bureau A proposal to amalgamate all three Thames Rover Conservation to William Folly. UTRCA and recreation advison- board, WOODSTOCK — A committee made up of boards, Dr. Parrott said, has been reviewed (UTRCA) announced secretary -treasurer. Y Oxford County council and library represenill be t- on three occasions, the latest county council Thursday. olrcing of the lake aqd other t Ndventohe Year -tang ng 197n experiment, natives to propose an administration strue- vote resulting in a tie. ' I 'there will he no horsepo er wer areas of concern w Pure for Oxford County libraries has been Isubgestea by MPP Dr. If. C. Parrott, (PC— IOxfordy. Dr. Parrott proposed the move in a letter to Provincial 'treasurer Daray McKeough. Copies of the letter were sent to Oxford council, "I would strongly recommend the present divisions remain until at least the committee has completed examination of ramifications of the change," be said. "There is a great 'vision of opinion as to the need and advi- llty, of joining Oxford Ti(lawbu County, Woodstock r 'bray boards." library Y "it would appear there Is no urgency to create a single system" and no apparent problem to date. Dr. Parrott said the county has been well served by the present system and unless a change can be made which will improve il. ,,we should be very careful in making any changes at all." Aid. Walter Hulme of Woodstock, a former Woodstock libary board member and a li- brary board amalgamation opponent, said "I am surprised by Dr. Parrott's obvious change of opinion. it is my feeling he has been fully stung on a county board. I am extremely pleased to see it." The alderman said he is considering pro- posing the committee to study the library administration structure at Oxford county council today, a proposal he had made un- successfully earlier. "You don't tampor with something that is working. The three library boards, serve ,r.-parale and different types of purposes," fie said. Oxford County library, he said, serves all the hamlets and eommtmites in the county, basically providing a book lending service, while the Woodstock and Tillsenbtu'g sys- toms are community cultural centres, Oxford's health care is to be By Jim Waters Toronto Bureae. of The Daily Sentinel -Re\ iei, TORONTOr A three -county health council in Southwestern .Ontario is expected to he im- plemented shortly, Health Minister Frank Miller said IThursdav, Mr, oilier said in an interview that Oxford, Elgin and Mid. Idlesex are anxious to cur ordinate their health-care facilities and delivery services 'Ian recommended fit the Mustard Report nn Health Planning in ,Ontario. "It's certainly a logical ser• Kiev urea", saW hh•. Miller, who regionalized .,L<o 1 Uyealed that district health ronnuh for South Cochrane, 5cnora-Rattly River and London are expected to be formed within a few years, While particular attention has nut been paidhy health ministry planners to eow,ly boundaries, Mr. Millr said the three counties surrounding the city of London are well suited to share ael`\'lees. Re also said local govern- ments in Oxford, login and Middlesex, support theot"w l which, surprisingly enough. toes .not appeal to municipal politicians in Toronto. "The city isn I interested yet.' That is just as well for us since it would be a 111"ive planning project', he reported. Formation of district health :•uuncils - there are two prescnuty operating. in Ottawa - Carleton and Thunder Bky , is the responsibility of steering eommittee which include local and provincial representatives. Several regional coil cepis outlined to the report by Dr. Fraser Mustard of McMaster University's medical school have not Yet bred accepted M• tilt' Province is, 0 'ERROR IN ANTICIPATION' 1975 education levy going up by 8.5 mills Meeting proposed on health merger Oxford County Council agreed minister .got his information," tTedriesday M ask foram eeting councillor Walter Huhne saiii: wit proiincial health minister "We should bring this to the Frank Miller to discuss a minister's attention." proposed three-counly health Mr. Hulme said county' council council, health and services committee The council, which the disc•usscm the matter "pretty minister last week said would he lheroughly" before recom- implemented shortly. would mending no amalgamation take amalgamate health services in place. Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex "\Ye weren'( given anv real County. indication as to how this would In making his announcement improve health services in Mr. Miller indicated local Oxford County." he explained. governments in the three 'rhe proposed council would copntes supported the concept. consist of 15 members with one Oxford County council or two representatives from however passed a resolution in Oxford County. None of the February asking that county council members would be health services not be elected county officials.. amalgamated with those in Councillor William Dutton. a other areas. member of the current Oxford "f was wondering where the County Board of Health, said - --- — - - -Oxfora health services should stay within county boundaries. "We in Oxford are constituted DRAINFUNDS together as a unit. I think we oxford County Council ap- " have -to stay here and do a good proved the issue of debentures job for Oxford. on seven drains in the township "I believe he's IMr. Miller) of South-West Oxford Wed asking us to extend ourselves nesday. Total value of the further than we are physically - debentures was $81,010. able to do." Ingersoll Mayor Gordon CLERK SOUGHT Hem", also a member of the Oxford County Council current Oxford County health Wednesday authorized the board said there is confusion county clerk -treasurer to ad- throughout the province con- vertise for an accounts clerk. cernmg formation of district - health councils. RATE INCREASE "The general consensus is oxford County Council ap- that we have a working unit in proved a fee increase from $3- Oxford,— said Mr. Henry. an -hour to $3 20-an-hour for Red "There is no reason for rushing Cross Homemakers at a council into a thing before we get meeting Wednesday. clarification." - _ - PLAQUE UNVEILING Oxford County Warden Perry Sibbick will unveil a plaque at the Word County Jail Wed- nesday, May 21 at 3:30 p.m- The plaque is one of several being placed in locations throughout the city as part of Kappetring'75, Councillors seek changes i11 n program requirements Oxford County Council Ontario Home Renewal requirements .,an invasion of Wednesday asked the provincial Program (OHRP) policies, the privacy of the residents of housing ministry to change its calling current eligibility the County of Oxford." -- - - The program initiated by the government to help alleviate City approves housing shortages provides loans for the renovator and reconstruction of old homes and buildings. Blandford bus Woodstock residents soon will i3;.Ut have bus service to Blandford Square on a one-year trial basis following city council approval ¢ :. Thursday night. Council accepted an offer , from Multi -Mall Inc., operator ^t . of the indoor shopping complex ( �. to provide a $1,500 per -year subsidy for the service. The company also agreed to pay all costs of a sheltered bus stop on mall property. The city now has to apply for a public vehicle operating license to extend service beyond city limits. Although the mall is only three -tenths of a mile east of the - ) city boundary, council voted to " ----- apply to the Public Vehicle License Commission of Ontario ' for permission to operate within a five -mile radius of Woodstock. Approval stemmed from a Robert ParkeC report prepared by Robert - Parker, manager of the , manager Woodstock Public Tran- sportation Service. A bus department survey over Multi -Malls otticiats were a six -day period revealed that informed at a meeting April 22 about 669 persons used the bus to that the bus system's ex- or from the city limits. penditure per operational mile The five -mile radius is being is 65 cents and current revenue sought so that outlying housing about 38 cents. Daily cost of developments can eventually be transportation to the mall was serviced by the extended public calculated at $2.03. representing transportation. a yearly cost of $611.03, the No opposition. to the extended report said service was raised at council. However, a munimtialitymust pass a minimum maintenance and occupancy bylaw before it can qualify for the program. This bylaw requires inspection of both the interior and exterior of all homes built in the municipality, a move which council felt would be an invasion of privacy. Council wanted the program requirements changed so only people applying for assistance under the program will be. subject to inspection. Wendy Calder, a member of the count' planning committee said: "It was the one way we felt we could participate tin the program)..._-- 12 Help Wanted WANTED: Parl.lime ia.ftnal nelp, male or female. Oxford County Car. thouse. Apply fo Deparlmenf d PUDIic Works, 531-9951 between 9 a.m. and 12 noon. M14IP BLUES CHASER Chairman of file board: "To insure your undivided attention, I'll announce at the end of themeeting the one who will write the 7ninatea." Work load heavy,but county employees coping with restructure' By BRIAN 31ILNFA "Debenturing (financing) has The department now handles we'll overcome then)." and the existing land division plan restructuring on the crruno said his deparinrer.t :w•-t ns Sentinel -Review Staff Writer created the biggest problem," all the paperwork for health DIRECTOR services were placed under the Previously. municipalities from the planning point of view, usable for wsler. sewage. Restructuring has created Mr. Staples said. subcommittees, a job previously Planning director J. P. administrative authority of the had the freedom to take Mr. Atcheson said: "There is gar disposal, maintenance problems and increased the He said his department did not assigned to the county clerk's Atcheson said: "The work of planning office. measures which could have had very nominal change." and operation of county workload in virtually every add extra staff to cope with the office, Mr. MacKay aid. this office hasn't changed that serious consequences for other "The issues of development buildings and building in - facet of county administration, heavier workload. "We. do health and social much ... Our masters haven't A planner and secretary, as communities in the county. have implications beyond any, spectim. bun department heads say they "We only have (our people in services, day care and the changed to a great extant." well as an administrator, were municipal boundary." Basics14, all we handled are coping with the new system. our office. We haven't increased health board," he said. installed solely to look after land While Mr. Atcheson em• before was county reads," tt•r- "The basic job hasn't the number of people, we've just Also, Mr. MacKay's depart- But while the planning office division requests, of which there phased that municipalities in Restructuring provided Pratt said changed" clerk -treasurer G. R. become more efficient." ment now is administering the still maintains its old jobs of have been 166 so far this year. the area had a good record of Woodstock and Inger call, with Despite the increased duties Staples said Thursday. The county clerk's office day nurseries former run county planning and con- "The county is also charged cooperation before restruc- cloy to half Me eauney's turwe restructunng, however, no He said paper work has in. employed four persons when he in by Woodstock sultation to the municipalities of under Bill 95 with presenting a luring, he did cite one instance population, with county extra sut7 members have lies creased because county council joined the department in 1967, and Ingersoll. So far, no new Oxford County, it has taken on new official plan to the ministry where this was not the case representation for the first tine. added to the departmeat wturh and committees now meet twice Mr. Staples said. But he added staff have been added, but the some added tasks under Bill 95, by 1979," Mr. Atcheson said. Blandford Square Mr. Atcheson said the old ; stem was comparable to has ns office staff of Ntra r uirin the art major ad- Previously, the county INDICATION n g �vnincludingr�rlo�att�. a month. FreVi 0ath., they met that he recently requested a - extra l department's piss. calls fin• an e4 �` Ontario haven no Federal Onlyonce a. month. But "'the additional accounts clerk, a extra clerk -typist. dition o new sea f in the ad- planning department did the The mall, he said, "may have � bigt change to date is just the proved by council Wednesday. Mr. MacKay solid restruc- ministration. planning for about 00 per cent of been an indication of one representation. 25 plus the super`istns added initial responsibilities and Asked about his own luring of (Word County Jan..I "The county took over totally Oxford, he said, but area municipality (Blandford) not "The county is really dung ,\WeteSeelig to try to de with problems associated' with workload, Mr.. Staples said: "i didn't affect his department in the land division function " Mr. mtmicipallties could develop bearing, in mind the interests of more than the suni of its as few peq* as we' can." Mr restructuring." put in a lot of hours before." termsof overall responsibilities. Aicheson said. "Before Iseven unit adopt their own plans. Now, the county, members,' he said Pratt said, "We want W make The county government has Social services administrator "We were restructured to municipalities used thecounty's only the county can adopt an "I suppose under the new Thecu untvroaddepartment•S everything as 9t11-thought -out had to work out an effective G. H. MacKay said his depart- begin with," he said, "We've services," while the others had official plan, system thatsort of thing workload Iias prohably in- before v r add extra bylaw procedure, and there ment's workload has increased been doing the social services their own committees of ad- Bill 95 literally compells couldn't happenw•ithoutall sides creased more than any other Zr-sl+aiY•he sa'd. , have been headaches con- becausofaddedadministrative county -wide since 19", juatment. These were abolished municipalities to work together being heard." depltment. obviousl)i, *,v re haviog to cerning capital financing. and clerical duties. "We still have problems, bid under restructuring provisions to develop a long range master Asked about the effect of )toad engincer Donald Pratt work harder " Oxford bud get sure to rise, warden says Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Oxford County's budget will be up this year, Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Bland. ford -Blenheim Township, while refusing to say how much the increase will be, did say "it is going to be up some." Warden Sibbick, said service costs have risen, as have salaries. fie said salaries are up by IS to 20 per cent, County councillors Wednesday voted 9 to 6 to 'keep preliminary budget deliberations secret. Warden Sibbick said council plans to meet with Ontario Treasurer Darcy McKeough to discuss provincial startup and transitional tents available to the restructured Oxford County in its initial year. He said he hopes the meeting will take place in a week to 10 days. He said the budget outcome will depend on the amount of the special grants. Maybe more than one meeting will be required with the treasurer, he said, explaining he is un- certain how soon a feat budget can be es. tablished, Mayor Leslie J. Cook of Woodstock, who Dresented the finance and administration re- port to county council, said thel Toronto meeting will include the warden, Mayor Les- lie Dickson, chairman of the committee, and county clerk -treasurer G. R. Staples. "If we don't get as much as we need we may have to do some other cutting," Mayor Cook said of the draft budget. The final budget meeting. Ire suggested, would likely requirea special meeting. Warden Sibbick said Blandford-Blenheim has already planned for a second interim billing of township residents because of the delay in the budget. Some other municipali- ties are also planning second interim levies, he said. The warden. Aid. William B. Dutton of Woodstock, chairman of the county health and social services committee, and Conn. Kenneth Peters of Norwich Township, were named to meet with Optario Health Minister Frank Miller to express Oxford's continued oppositionto forming a district health coun- cil with adjoining Elgin and Middlesex coun- ties. Aid, Walter Hulme, of Woodstock said the heath minister was quoted as saying the three counties are anxious to form a district health council. Warden Sibbick said he will continue talks. with Mr. Miller in an attempt to have the Odor® health unit officially designated as a County health unit to qualify for an increase in grants from 50 to 75 per cent, the same as. ,newly restructured regions and Perth Courth. Aid. Hutton said the day-care subcommit- tee of the health and social services commit. tee is looking into the feasibility of providing a private home daycare program where up to five pre-school children may be cared for in a private home. pie said there are waiting lists for the Woodstock and Ingersoll day- care centres and an addition to the Ingersoll day-care centre has been postponed because of a lack of provincial funds for the project this year. Approval was given to Include solid Waste' and disposal costs estimated at $264,000 for .1975, previously local municipality responsi. bilities, lit the county budget. .Mayor Seldon Wilkinson of Tlllsonburg, chairman of the public works committee, said McCormick, Rankin and Associates, consulting engineers of Toronto, are identify- ing streets within Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tlllsonburg to be Included in the county road system for 1970. 1 The works committee, he said, is working with Zorra and Southwest Oxford townships on plans for upgrading and improving the Thamesford and Beachville waterworks fa. cilities. Approval was given for the hiring ofan accounts clerk for the clerk -treasurer's de- partment. A -special meeting of county council to. sit as the county planning board was announced for May 21 to consider public comments- on Woodstock's revised official plan. City official plan public meet tonight Woodstock nsidenl.b w0l havi. nmennn,enly to the Woodstock anotherchaneetunightlolookat plan. the city's revised official plan This meeting, xckwduled for before it goer to county Council the courthouse council chum. for consideration, bers at 7:30 p.m., follows in the In kee mg with Bill 95 which wake of previbus public establish the county'x meetings held by the city during responsibility for overall the fall of 1974However, planning policies. Oxford restructuring shifted final County Planning Board has authority for official planap- called a public meeting at 7,30 proval to the county instead of p, al. to review proposed city. County Council gives approval to official plan By CORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer A revised official plan for Woodstock was approved in principle. Wednesday night by Oxford county council meeting in special session - Council, meeting as the county's only official planning board, kept debate to a minimum and made no changes to the plan, revised last year by the now defunct Woodstock planning board as a five-year review of the city's existing 1968 land -use plan. Among other things, the new plan says major commercial development should be confined to the city's central care; in- dustrial expansion should be accommodated in Woodstock fringe areas; 60 per cent of future residential expansion should be low density single family and subdivision services (should not be extended beyond the city's borders. Although the vote of approval was unanimous, some ob- jections were heard. Lawyer Murray Klein, representing Cornwall S.C. Developments Ltd., told council COPE authorizes health unit strike Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — The Canadian Union of Public Employees has authorized the negoti. ating committee of public health inspectors and clerical staff at the Oxford County health Unit to call a strike. Muzio Pennisi of London, CUPE represen- tative, said Thursday the employees "voted 100 per cent for initialing strike action." The eight -member unit of the Woodstock City Hall Office and Clerical Workers Local includes three public health inspectors, an audiometrist and four clerical workers. They are In a strike position May 30. "We haven't struck a date," Mr. Pennisi said. "We are leaving it for the moment. "Naturally before we resort to the strike, we want to insure we have explored every avenue to reach an amicable settlement," Mr. Penmaf said there haven't been nego. tiations since an April 21 conciliation meet. ing. G. R. Staples, Oxford clerk -treasurer, con. firmed there has been no discussions since the April meeting and no recent discussions with the health unit's 15 member nursing staff, members of Local 40, Ontario Nurses' Association. The nurses' local unanimously voted to strike three weeks ago, but set no deadline. his client wants it to reconsider a provision which lim:::: ping facilities to 3000 square feet in secondary commerr+a' zones, arras located outsize of the central core. The developer wants to build a shopping plaza on about 10 acres of land northeast of Devonshire Avenue and Huron Street to accommodate a junior depart- ment store instead of small convenience outlets. The company needs more than 50,000 square feet of leasable com- mercial space, Mr. Kelin said - Woodstock Public Utility Commission (PUC) mostly took issue with the wording of several provisions in the new plan. But the PUC said, in a letter to council, some of the designated open -space areas in the plan should be considered for partial utility corridors. Harvey Woods Ltd. said in a letter that it wants six properties, purchased for ex- pansion of its textile manufacturing business. redesignated for industrial use. All of the properties, the com- pany said, have been marked either central commercial or highway commercial in the new official plan. Wednesday's meeting was a_ formality to comply with BID 95, the legislation that restructured Oxford last Jan. t and disbanded all planning boards in the county. Council now must deem itself as the official county planning board and hold special sessions from time to time. Also to comply with Bill 95, the city's new plan will be in- corporated with the Lourry's current official plan. A second formality is yet to come when council ratifies its decision as a planning boardand passes a bylaw. The plan then goes to the Ontario Municipal Board. City council endorsed the plan last Februarv, County budget sessions closed to public, media BLUES CHASER "Sure ice had allowances &,halt I was a kid," tile oldtimer said. "Dad let as keep hall of viliat lee earlied." 0 C • $100,000 loss Beachville`s firehall, firefighting gear go up in smoke Free Press Woodstock Bureau BE:ACHVILLE — This village of 980 was •left without local fire protection when a :1blare destroyed the fireball and firefighting ;equipment early Saturday. r Cause of the fire,. In which damage is ex- ��pected to exceed $100,000, has not been de- termined. Destroyed were the fireball, two firefight- ing vehicles, a tractor and snow -removal equipment owned by South-West Oxford Township, a pool table, some Beachville. Ily- dro Commission equipment and a utility shell, The blare was discovered about 7:30 a.m. when an alarin in the firehall was triggered. --" A wall of fire met local volunteers. De. partments from Ingersoll, Woodstock, Em- bro, Mount Elgin and Brownsville were called to help. Conn. Howard Cook of South-West Oxford Township said the combined fire depart- ments saved neighboring homes owned by William Sutherland Jr., and James McA- dams. The Sutherland home was slightly damaged and a utility shed in the McA- dam's property was destroyed. Beachville United Church, next to the fire - hall, was slightly damaged and Sunday ser- vices were held on the lawn. The fireball, a 50-by 150doot single -storey building once served as a drive shed for horses while owners attended the church. Ceremony, plaque recall By STEVE ARNOLD Sentinel -Review Staff Writer In 1837 the first steps were taken toward the building of a much needed jail for Oxford County. At a cost of 3,700 pounds 'a structure was partially completed in 1839. Wednesday. 136 years later, a plaque was unveiled at the jail, acknowledging in the words of present county warden Perry Sibbick, "the contribution this building has made to the preservation of law and order inthe county." The courthouse and east wing served the District of Brock (as this area was then known) until f653 when the newly organized County of oxford decided the building should be completed. The original contract for the construction of a county jail was signed by Warden Donald Matheson. The architects chosen were Clarke and Murray of Hamilton. The council had been authorized to borrow 5,000 Talks held to restructuring Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick said officials from the provjncial ministry of treasury, economics and intergovernmental affairs met with county administration and finance committee Friday to discuss special restructuring Mr. Sibbick said in an in, terview after the closed -door mmeeting the county officials were told a final budget will have to be submitted before they will know how much can be received. Known as start-up grants, the special aid is given over five ,ears to cover extra costa created by restructuring. "lt was just an exploratory meeting," Mr. Sibbick said, adding that the county will be eligible for grants to cover • usts in taking over solid waste disposal from Oxford area municipalities Jan. 1. He said the grant payments would decrease by 20 per Cent a van' The Beach YdIe volunteer fire department recently joined with the Brownsville and, Mount Elgin departments to form the South- West Oxford Township fire department. The Beachville unit is waiting for delivery of a new LWO-gallon tank truck. In the meantime one of the other South-West Ox- ford units isexpected to fend Beachville a vehicle for emergency use. county jail's long history pounds from the "Consolidated Municipal Loan Fund for Upper Canada." After some bureaucratic troubles this was accomplished. CONTRACTS LET Contracts were then let out for the trades needed. One such contract, signed with John Addison of Hamilton, for car- penters, joiners, painters, glaziers and ironmongers, was for 1,255 pounds. The original contract is on file at the University of Western Ontario. Copies are in the Woodstock library at the county court- house. The jail was completed in. late 1954 but the county council refused to accept control of the building until August, 1955 when several internal problems with the construction had been cleared up. In 1856 a group of Woodstock clergymen approached the county council offering to hold religious services in the jail, for the benefit of the prisoners. discuss grants Perry Sibbick ... Oxford Wardell In June, 1856 the county granted a sum of five pounds to be used in the creation of a prison library. This grant was made on the understanding that the sum would be matched by, the provincial Education Department. Ten years later $150 was granted to enlarge the jail library and purchase a book- case. Later in the year it was reported that 155 books had been purchased for the jail, bringing, the total to 227, Problems continued to dog the jail administration. In December, 1864 the .gaol com- mittee reported to county council that tenders had been advertised for the provision of food to the jail. The prices offered by these tenders were felt to be much too high. Beef was offered at six cents per pound, oatmeal at $3 per Ilia pounds and potatoes at 75 cents per bushel. The gaol committee pur- chased these same items on the open market, beef at $4.5a per too pounds, potatoes, 25 cents Per bushel and oatmeal $2.12 per 100 pounds. Further savings in food for the jail were realized in June, 1865 when the land in the rear of the court house and in the west jail yard was used as a garden. The vegetables grown here supplied all the needs of the jail. The jail has not always been simply a temporary home for murderers and thieves. The records show that in 1856, two boys, aged 10 and 12 spent six months there, a negro boy, aged 10 was admitted for the third time in 1857. At another time, a father, charged with drunkenness, unable to raise the $3 fine was admitted for two days, along with his wife and three children. Most of the jail records refer to the building in the English spelling "gaol" while common usage is the American. "Jail". Both words are pronounced the same. During its history there have been five hangings at the Woodstock jail. As one enters the jail, there is a long stair case leading to the second floor, on which are the jail library and two of the four cell blocks. The. platform, on which the library stands contained the gallows. The first person to die here was Thomas Cook of Innerkip. He was executed December 16, 1862. A mask, or face of Cook was carved in stone and now adorns the front of the jail. It is the only such mask on a jail in Ontario. The plaque at the jail was unveiled Wednesday by Warden Sibbick. The history of the jail was outlined by Len Coles. former county clerk -treasurer and county historian. Rev. H. E. Wright, president of the Oxford County Historical Society acted as director of ceremonies. The ceremony was held in con- junction with Happening '75. CUPS, health board Counts of Oxford to resume talks Clerk -Treasurer's Dept. Requires an Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A mediation meeting will ACCOUNT be held here Friday to resume contract talks between eight publip health inspectors. K CLERK CLERK and clerical staff of the Oxford health unit, and the health board. Muzio Pennisi of London, Canadian Union :Applicants should have a, of Public Employees (CUPS) representa- knowledge of modern' tive, said the meeting was called by John bookkeeping, as hell as Hopper, a mediator with the ministry of la- hyping. Employment to com. bor. mence immediately. Only The eight members of the Woodstock city written applications will be hall office and clerical workers local, includ- ! considered and received until ing three public health inspectors, an audl- ;_00p.m.,.lune4,1975. ometrist and four clerical workers, are In a P.O. Box 397, strike position as of Friday. Earlier, the membership had voted unam- moody to initiate strike action, but didn't Woodstock, Ontario. set a date. G. R. Staples, Oxford clerk -treasurer, said - there has been no further discussion with the health umVs 15 member nursing staff. members of focal 40 Ontario Nurses' Asse- elation, who voted unanimously to strike three weeks ago, but set no deadline BEN WICKS i (I "Laid oil, an strike, or hams earty:" - Fredetidt. Porter has been ppor fed crown attorney for ford County, the -Attornev General's office has announccl, Me, Porter has been acting crown attorney since the death of Crown Attorney Albert Whaiey in February. Commenting on the ap. pointment, Oxford MPP Dr. Frederick Porter named county crown attorney Harry Parrott said: "Although Mr, Porter is a graduate of the Oxford County has one of the University of Western Ontario in lowest crime rates in the London, lie was called to the bar province, the increased need to in 1971 and appointed assistant maintain law and order is so crown attorney for Oxford . important in today's society. County March 21, 1971. The office of crown attorney is an integral part and I am sore Mr. Porter was in Tillsonburg Mr. Porter will fill the position court Wednesday and could not with distinction." be reached for comment. Free Press Woodstock Bureau Crown Attornev Frederick J. Porter was sworn in as sessions of the peace. From left, A. 11. Graham, presi- Crown attorneyby Judge Kenneth Y. Dick, Oxford County dent, Oxford Law Association: Crown Attorney Porter; judge, Monday. at the opening of Oxford County general Judge Dick and Oxford Comity Warden Perry Sibbich. Council approves work on bridge oxfordcountycauneil iseidad Wednesday night It had no ob jections to replaemg the lan- crate deck of a bridge on County Road 6, north of Embro. The deck is faillpg because of old age, a report from county White works committee said. Traffic is currently restricted to one lane with a three -ton limit. The report, said it would be easier to replace the deck In- stead of repairing it. since County !toad 6 is tobe recon- structed sometime in the future; "in any case, either repair or replacement of the structure will be required during this summer," the report said. 0 Oxford's crown attorney has, many duties, responsibilities B, STEYE ARNOLD Seetinel-Reriew Staff Writer "I, Fredrick Joseph Porter swear that I will truly and faith- fully. acewding to the best of my skill and ability execute the duties. powers and trusts of crown attorney for the Canty of Oxford, without favor or at- feetim to any party. So help me God' Monday, Fred Porter was sworn in by County' Court Judge Kenneth rhdt as the first full- time crown attorney for Oxford - DIr- Porter, who served as assistant crown attorney for four years has been acting as crown attorney since the February death of Albert C. w"SSoiice public school it has always been my ambition to be a Iav3w" he said, in a recent interview Mr Porter's entry into the crown attorneys division followed the same line. After graduating from law school he articled with the ministry of the Attorney -General Upon com- plettng this phase of his ediacatim. he applied for and received the job of assistant crown attorney for (Word. Ids- Pouter is a native of Landon He is married and has two daughters, aged 5 and b. (fades the terms of the Crown Atterney's Act, a provincial statute, the crown attorney is more than a prosecutor. The powers and duties attached to the office are quite extensive. AID AUTHORITIES The crown attorney is required under this act to aid the local authorities in the ad- ministration of justice and examine all the information, papers and facts relating to any suspected contraventions of federal or provincial iaw. He will also cause in- vestigations to be carried out into any ppo�sible contraventions of the law-. compel the at- tendance of witnesses at court hearings: conduct preliminary hearings and see that cases are prosecuted quickly. In fulfilling these duties, Mr. Porter deals with four levels of Canadian courts -- the Supreme Court of Ontario, the Court of the General Sessions of the Peace, County Court and Provincial Court He deals not only with a m- mary conviction cases but also with jury trials. When the General Sessions of the Peace began Monday Mr. Porter was to be prosecuting two criminal cases at that level. In addition to the other duties of the crown attorney Mr. Porter is also required to watch over private criminal charges to ensure that justice is done. He noted that most of these cases are domestic assaults, involving husband and wife. He also ensures that charges are laid, where, in his opinion. the public interest requires prosecution- Such offences as careless or dangerous driving come under that category, he said. He will also, when asked lay charges for contravention of any provincial statute. An example of this is the Construction Safety Act, administered by the ministry of labor. Con straventions are usually prosecuted by the local crown attorney. RAIL ACT The crown attorney also has several duties in connection with the Bail Reform Act. In cases where bail is applied for an he feels that the public interest would be better served by detaining the accused, Mr. Porter will appear before a justice of liir�e peace to show why the accusell should not be freed before his trial. While Mr. Whaley served only as a partdlme crown attorney, Mr. Porter will serve in the capacity on a fulbtime basis. He said that no assistant will be appointed at this time. He does have the power to appoint an assistant on a per diem rate. As an example, when Mr. Porter is in County Court on "A new concept, of criminal Monday, local lawyer Alex law f�eveloped in 1967 with the Graham will appear at introduction of the Bail Reform provincial court sittings as Act and other amendments to assistant crown attorney. 41 the Criminal Code. These 'Most people think that a�changes- should protect the crown attorney is a lawyer for public if they are dealt with all matters, but when we are properly. Of course they are not approached for advice on civil always handled property but matters we will refer the person this is to be expected," he said. to other agencies", he said. Although many people will LOW CRIME RATE In the announcement of Mr. think of the crown attorney as Porter's appointment to the post simply a prosecutor, Mr. Porter r of crown attorney. Oxford MPP - said this not the case. The Dr . Harry Parrott noted that duty of the crown attorney in Oxford County has one of the court. is to present all the facts of lowest crime rates in the a case. to ensure that justice is province. done. Mr, Porter promised he would The defence attorney on the try to maintain this tradition. other hand, presents the facts of The crime rate itself, he said a case that are favorable to the was due mainly to the "skill and accused. expertise of Mr. Whalev and the The courts, according to Mr, ledges, both Judge Groom and Judge Dick Porter, have a duly "to deter- and their Predecessors " mine the guilt or innocence of Although oxford does have a those brought before it". In this relatively low crime note Mr. line the courts must also protect oulp ortimpiove end, the public, deter crime and attempt to rehabilitate the Tysrim- l for improvement. This im- accused when he or she is found he said would came about alwut through the education and guilty training of the police and the This rehabilitation of the public. accused is accomplished, To help with this improvement hopefully, through sentencing. Mi. Porter said he would be he said, In this duty the prime involved in presenting lectures concern must be the protection to local and district police of the public, he said. departments, outlining the legal q fp \' ,. < r a q y a- W , r at,.•... .h.. Oxford crown attorney Fredrick J, Porter responsibilities and powers of Mr, Porter's research in this eteds, Craig McKay, whose sob police. area has been confined "to a is a lawver in town• who serctid Another project he is un- couple of weekends' but he has from 19ils to 1952 and R. N aptF derlaking is gathering historical managed to locate the three who served from 1901 to IM _. Information on former crown former crown representatives. Mr. Porter would fiketolocal attorneys of t:he county. Thus tar fir. Whaley, whom he star photographs of these men " Oxford council OKs road workers' pact Free Press Woodetocir Bureau WOODSTOCK — A tentative agreement with Oxford County road workers was rati- fied by Oxford Cojnty council Wednesday. Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Blend - ford -Blenheim Township,. said a statement is planned for later today, pending ratification by the employees, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The agreement was reached a meeting with the conciliation officer and contents would be released similtaneously, the war- den said. Road workers had been seeking a 20. to 25-per-cent raise and had been offered an in- crease of about 12 per cent in earlier negoti- ations. Workers have been receiving 0.70 an hour for labor and $4.10 an hour for repair- man -operator duties. Comity council also approved Woodstock's updated official plan with an amendment which will allow municipal engineering ser- vices to be extended beyond the limits of the city when engineering data has been com- :pleted and land use plans determined. ,Aid. William B. Dutton of Woodstock said plans are to extend services in an orderly The city of Woodstock-- previously had a ,policy not to extend municipal services bey- ond its boundary-, prior to restructuring, of the county Jan. 1. Aid. Dutton said the county has the power and right to extend services now under the Oxford County restructuring bill. Yundt and McCann Construction Ltd. of Stratford was awarded the tender for recon- struction of County Road 3 from the CNR crossing to Highway 2 in Princeton, at a cost of $154,230, the lowest of six bids. Mayor Seldon Wilkinson reported _a prelim- inary estimate to renovate the ground floor of the courthouse to provide suitable office space for county departments has been esti- mated at $175,000. Alternatives, he said, will be studied. County council approved a -recommenda- tion of its administration and finance com- mittee to seek anti -rabies clinics through the federal department of agriculture because of an increased incidence of rabies. Coun. Kenneth Peers of Norwich Township said It is important that animal control by- laws be enforced in each municipality. There are too many of the 12,000 dog papu- lation of the county running at large, he said. Provincial 'treasurer W. Darcy McKeough will visit the July 0 meeting of county coon- A letter from Tillsonburg Public Utilities cil for discussions on a "very informal Commission asking a study for the restruc- basis." Mr. McKemugh, In a letter, said he plans to "listen to concerns, comments and turing of electrical utilities in Oxford County suggestions of the members of council." was referred to committee. Building renovations could cost $175,000 Renovations in the basement of .Oxford County's ad- ministration building have been estimated to cost $175,000. In a report to council Wed- nesday night, county public works committee said it reviewed plans from architect Leonard Dickson May 5 in a closed -door meeting The renovations are being done to increase office space, particularly the county plan- ning and publicworks depart- ments. Woodstock Alderman Joseph Pember, a works committee member, said the architects preliminary plans were 4 'thank you' questioned because not enough provision was made for storage space. The county shares the 95-year- old Woodstock courthouse on Hunter Street with the province. "It's the problem of taking an old building built before the turn of the century," Ald. Pember said ofthe costs. "Once you lay a finger on it you have to conform to Ontario building regulations." Tillsonburg Mayor Seldom Wilkinson, chairman of the works committee., said the $175,000 has not been included in the county's budget estimates yet. Margaret E. Moss, Oxford County provincial court clerk, criminal dh Islon, was presented with a silver bowl by Ox- ford law association 'ruesday on her retirement from a Small claims court appoints new bailiff James Woodend. 37, of Frizelle Dr., Woodstock has been appointed bailiff of, the First Small Claims Court. Woodstock. court clerk, Mill Stoodiev announced recently. Mr. Woodend is a graduate of Woodstock collegiate institute and worked in local industries for several years before deciding to "try something different." The small claims court, said Mr. Woodland, settles debts under $400. As bailiff Mr. Woodend serves both the summons to appear and the notice of judgement. He said the judge of the court can still send someone to jail. but this sentence is for contempt of court rather than for not paying a debt. Mr. Woodend is married and has three sons. James'A'oodend ... bailiff Free Press Woodstock Bureau part-time job as association librarian. From left are Alex Graham, president, Charles Lewmins, secretary - treasurer, and Miss Ross, Oxford pays tribute to John Nadalin, 16-year councillor Free Press Waxlstock Rure:tu WOOM-TOCK — Tribute to John J. Nada� tin, a former reeve of Beachville who died Tuesday night, was paid at county council Wednesday by Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Blandford-Blenheim Township. The warden said Mr, Nadalin served the municipality of Reachville and Oxford County well over number of years and will be missed. A member of Beachville council for more than 16 years. Mr. Nadalin served as reeve for past six years until the restructuring of the county in January. Serving as a member of the Woodstock hypass feasibility study committee. Mr. Na- dalin was chairman of the Beachville hydro electric. commission and a member of Alex- andra Hospital board of trust in Ingersoll. Recently elected president of the Oxford Lung Association, he also was a former chairman of Oxford County health unit and. the county planning board. ' fie was employed as mechanical supervi s. r of Stelco at Beachville, where he had worked since 194S. Ex- iBeachville reeve John Nadalin active in community, county politics John J. Nadalin, former county councillor and one of the authors of Oxford County's restructuring legislation died Tuesday. He was 57. A strong proponent of restructured government, Mr. Nadalin served on the Oxford County Implementing Com- mittee, the body responsible for much of the legislation that went into Bill 95, Oxford's restruc- turing -bill. Mr. Nadalin served as a Beachville councillor for 16 years. He represented the village on county council as reeve for six years. In October, 1974, he lost in a bid to become the first mayor of the restructured municipality of South-West Oxford. He was a member of the Woodstock Bypass Feasibility Study Committee, and during his term as county councillor served on many committees and boards. He was chairman of the Oxford County Planning Board, Chairman of Oxford County Board of health and a member of the Warden's committee during his six years on county council. DEATH SADDENS Oxford. County Warden Perry Sibbick said Wednesday night he was saddened by the death of former Beachville Reeve John Oxford road workers win 22 p.c. increase WOODSTOCK — A 22-per-cent increase in wages has been. granted 22 Oxford County road workers in a one-year agreement end- ing Dec. 3L Muzio Pennesi of London, Canadian Union of Public Employees, (CUPS) and Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Blandford-Blenheim Township, made the announcement Thurs- day. Mr. Pennesi said COPE Local 1599 mem- bers approved the agreement by 81 per cent. A 65-cent-per-hour increase was made re. troactive to Dec. 27 when the laborers were earning $3.70, truck operators $3.85, grader operators $3.95 and repairmen -operators $4.10. A further 20-cent-an-hour increase takes effect today. Mayor Seldon Wilkinson, chairman of county council's public works committee, said the 20-cent increase is to make up for a loss is remuneration with the reduction in hours of work from nine to Bar boors a day from 45 to 42yi hours a week. The new rate, Mayor Wilkinson said, makes the pay- for roadworkers a little higher than townships throughout the county and will be about the same as Woodstock employees by the end of the year. Mr. Pennesi said the reduction of the work week was one of the liangups during negoti- ations. Workers will receive three weeks' vacation after :five years, rather than six years as in previous agreements. Other vacation policy remains the same, with workers receiving two weeks after one year; four weeks after 12 years and five weeks after 18 years. A floater statutory holiday was added, in- creasing the number of holidays to 11. Mileage allowance for private vehicles was increased to 20 from IS cents a mile. Blue Cross extended health coverage was improved with employees required to pay the first $10 for prescriptions rather than $50. Life insurance was increased from $7,- 500 for employees to a value equalto the annual salary to the nearest $1,000. Payment for welfare benefits by the county remains at 80 per cent. NADALIN — Suddenly on Tuesday, May 28, 1975, John J. Nadalin, beloved husband of Ada (Ellis) Nadalin of Beach- ville in his Stith year. Dear father of Mrs. Eleanor Howard. Burford; Robert of Woodstock, Douglas at home. Grandfather of Keri Jane; son of Mrs. Beatrice Nadalin, Beachville and the late Anthony Nadalin: brother of Cecil, Beachville, Edward Pensacola, Florida, Kenneth and William, Bea- chville, .Norman, 'Toronto, James, Woodstock. Alvin Friends will be received at the M. D. (Mac) Smith Funeral Home, 69 Wellington Street North, Woodstock, commencing on Thursday%at 2:00 p.m, where funeral servile will be held on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with Bev. Alan Perks of Beachville Baptist Church officiating. Interment in Reachville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations to Oxford Lung Association or favorite chairity will be ap- nrw,iate d M30-71 Nadalin. "John served his municipality and this one well for a number of years and I'm sure those who knew him well are saddened by his passing," Mr. Sibbick told county council At the time of his death he was chairman of Beachville Hydro - Electric Commission, president of the Oxford Lung Association. (formerly Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases Association), and a member of the Alexandra Hospital Board of Trust for the past five years. He made several bids to became Oxford County warden but never held the office. He was a .member of numerous service groups .and organizations including: Royal Canadian Legion Branch 495. Beachville; King Hiram Lodge AF and AM No. 37, Ingersoll; Optimist Club of Beachville; Eastern Star, Ingersoll Chapter, and the Colombo Club of Oxford. Funeral service will be at He was a member of Baptist the M. D. (Mac) Smith Funeral Church, Beachville. Home on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Mr. Nadalin served the Roval with Rev. Alan Perks of Beach - Canadian Navy during World ville Baptist Church officiating. War Two. I Burial will be in Beachville He was a mechanical Cemetery. supervisor at Steel Company of Air. Nadalin was born in West Canada, Ingersoll. He had been Oxford Township, a son of Mrs. with the company since 1948. Beatrice Nadalin, who still sur- vives. and the late Anthony Nadalin. He lived most of his life in Beachville. He is survived by his wife, the former Ada E lis; one daughter, Mrs. Eleanor Howard of Bar - ford; two sons. Robert of Woodstock and Douglas at home: seven brothers. Edward of Pensacola, Florida, Cecil, Kenneth and William of Beach- ville; Norman of Toronto; James of Woodstock. and Alvin of Sweaburg. One grand- daughter also survives. John J. Nadalin 16 years on council Public health nurses to strike unless settlement reached Unless a settlement is reached this week with Oxford County's public health nurses, they will be going on strike June 9 to back their demands for higher salaries. Janet Sparks, president of Local 40 of the Ontario Nurses' Association announced the strike deadline on Monday, following an earlier announcement about four weeks ago that the nurses would go on strike if their requests were not met. No deadline was given at that time. In a press release Monday, Mrs. Sparks said that the decision to withdraw services followed five months of negot- iot.ions with the county health [ward, and an unsuccessful conciliation meeting on April 10. She said that the county board of health has offered increases in salary for registered nurses ranging from $10,431 to $12,831. and for public health nurses it has offered from $11,131 to $13,531, Settlements in surrounding areas have ranged from $11,340 to $13,575 for registered nurses and from $12,315 to $14,495 for public health nurses. The current pay range for Oxford nurses is $7,700 to $9,5oo for registered nurses and $8,400 to $10,2W for public health nurses. According to Mrs. Sparks, the ministry of health has indicated that additional monies are available to the county it the board has to make a settlement beyond its budget. The expired contract was of two year's duration. "The nurses are only asking to catch up to costs and to be paid the current rates," she said. According to the county clerk's office, the nurses are seeking a new range of $11,8W to $14,200 for registered nurses and a range of $12,500 to $14,900 for public health nurses. This would put them slightly above the salaries being paid in the surrounding areas- of Mid- dlesex, London, Brant, Perth and Waterloo. Inspectors and clerical staff at the public health unit are considering an offer made to them at a May 3o meeting, and have indicated that they will join the nurses on Monday if the dispute is not settled by then. • • School slayings a shock to town THURSDAY, MAY 29, 1975 STUDENT, 16, TAKES OWN LIFE Three dead, 13 Thera hurt • in shooting spree at school BRAMPTON, Ont. (CP) — A Icryearoid student, whose last note to his parents said he was "fed up with life.... I am going out to eliminate people," killed his teacher and a fellow student, then committed suicide, in a shooting rampage at his school Wednesday. Michael Slobodian. a Grade I l student, went to Centennial see- ondary school in this city north west of Toronto and killed Mar- garet Wright, 25, his English and art teacher. John Slinger. 17, and wounded 13 other students before turning a semi -automatic rifle on himself. New museum at Beachville official opening June 7 INSPECTOR NAMED The first female public health inspector has been hired by the: Oxford County Health Unit. She is Marie Liang, a graduate of Ryerson polytechnical institute, Toronto. She has started a 12- week field training program with the health unit which ends in September. Completion of field training qualifies her for certification as a public health inspector. Miss Liang joins the two health inspectors in the county. She,vill be assigned a specific area when the field training is completed. BLUES CHASER Small boy to parents at dinner Eabte: "I've chewed these carrots 10 tirnes. Now What do 1 do with then?" Oxford health workers Vote in favor of strike Oxford health unit mediation fails Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Attempts to reach a call - tract agreement between eight public health inspectors and clerical staff and the Oxford health unit failed in mediation talks Friday. G. R. Staples, Oxford clerk -treasurer said. Mr. Staples said they were unable to reach agreement during the meeting which lasted from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There are plans for further meetings at this stage, 'Air. Staples said. The employees, members of a branch of Canadian Union of Public E m p 10 y e e s (CUPE) of Woodstock City Hall inside work- ers, were in a position to strike legally as of Friday. CUPE officials were unavailable for com- ment. Mr. Staples said there has been no word on resuming talks with the 15-member nurs- ing staff, members of Local 40, Ontario Nurses' Association, who voted unanimously to strike three weeks ago. However, they have yet to announce or set a strike dead- line. COUNCIL DAY County Council Day will be held June 11 at the University ofy edeadlineWestern Ontario. Countyne str councillors from across Ontario are expected to attend. BANKERSMEET Oxford County council ad- ministration and finance committee will hold a special meeting July 4 at 1:30 p.m, to hear presentations from local banks. Invitations will be sent to all local banks inviting them. to tender for county business. MAY CLOSE Oxford Count( administrative offices will he clsaed June 39 and open July t If a recommendation from administration and. finance committee Is accepted by county council next week. The recommendation is being made to give employees a long weekend. set by bOxf or nurses Free Press waldsWek Bureau Public health nurses have been offered a Mr. Staples said the province indicated it WCIODST'OCK — A .lure 9 strike deadline pay range of $11,131 to $13,53L Tire present would assist if the board had to make a set. has been set by Oxford Realth Unit nurses, who may be joined by inspectors and cleri- cul staff. .Janet Sparks, president of Local 40, On- tario Nurses' Association, said. Monday they have been unsuccessful in reaching tin agreement in five "lentils of negotiations, Mrs. Sparks said tile county hoard of I has only offered an Increase in salary for registered nurses ranging from $10:431 to $12,831.'The nurses now have a pay range of $7,700 to $0,509. range is $8,400 to $10,200. G. it, Staples. county clerk.treasures, said registered nurses are seeking a new range of $11,800 to $14,200 and public health nurses $12,500 to $14,900, 'file association has reported it is "only asking to catch up to costs and be paid the current rates." Mrs. Sparks said the health ministry indl- caled Aug, 12 thut additional money is avllil- ubie. tlemenl beyond its budget - NI. G, Pennesi, Canadian Union of Publie h;nllloyees representative for the eight health inspectors and workers at the health unit, said a board wage offer made at a \lay 30 meeting will be considered by the unit. "[! we dnli t resolve the dispute by OW end of the week we will probably be M strike with the nurses," he said, Woodstock to lose telegraph office Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Local residents will be able to call a Montreal number toll -free for telegraph service after June 27 when the lo- cal Canadian Pacific telegraph office is closed. Mayor Leslie J. Cook said Monday the toll -free service begins .Tune 29 and applies to residents of Woodstock and surrounding area. w. F. Harding of Cp Telecommunications, Montreal. in a letter to the city, said the local office is being closed "because of the lack of an effective demand for our public message service." Housing alternative Planners to study merits of mobile home parks June 20 interim levy not needed for county LEVY CANCELLED Oxford County council Wednesday cancelled an interim levy due June 20 because it will be receiving interim grants from the province. Non -union health staff given salary increase Oxford County council Wednesday would not increase its offer to a union threatening to strike but granted intermim increases to non -union help in a closed -door meeting. Woodstock Alderman William Dutton, chairman of county health and social services committee, said after the meeting council stayed with offers ranging from 19 to 34 per cent for members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 1146. The local went on strike this morning. The employees, two public health inspectors, four clerical workers and an audiometrist, voted Sunday to give its bargaining team the power to call a strike. Four non -union employees of Oxford board of eallh, meanwhile, were given in- creases of 15 per cent. Dr. G. Q. Sutherland, medical officer of health, was given a 10 per cent increase. The five interim increases were given ppending further review, Aid. f)utton said. Traffic light due standards dContract settled Oxford county til Wed. Nurses get $3 000 .raise for year ncsday decided to seset county- widestandards for traffic lights. Under Bill 95's restructuring„ Free Press Woodstock Bureau ,provisions, the county hue'. WOODSTOCK — A sal m jurisdiction over installation of '�, 073 to salary increase of $3,• traffic lights in all of the Oxford $3,743 for nurses at the Oxford Health area municipalities. Unit was announced Friday. Woodstock Alderman Joseph Oxford County board of health and Local Pember, a member of county .fd; Ontario Nurses Association, said in a public works committee, told joint release agreement was leached on a council marry traffic lights in'the county don t meet provincial new one-year contract to expire Dec, 31. standards. The two registered nurses who have been The lights used to be approved earning from $7,700 to $9,500 will receive by local municipalities and sent i $10,773 to $13,243 annually. Provision was on to the ministry of tran- made to reach the maximum is seven sportation and communications- rather than six years. for final approval. They now have to be approved. by county Thirteen public health nurses who were ' council and then ratified. by the paid $8,400 to $10,200 will receive from $11,- '.province. 473 to $13,943. The works department is Nurses were granted an increase in their preparing a bylaw. degree allowance from $250 yearly to $275, plus 25 working days vacation after 18 years. Remembrilnee Day was added as a paid holiday, increasing the number of such holi- days to 11. The agreement includes an increase in the employer's portion of fringe benefits to 85 per cent. Pickets at the Oxford Health Unit office, members of a sub -trait of Local 1146, Cana. dian Union of Public. Employees (CUPS), who went on strike Thursday reported the nurses were not crossing. the picket lines. Dr. G. Q, Sutherland, Oxford medical officer of health, said the nurses will be operating out of their homes. Bruce Martin of Don Mills, CUPE educa- tion representative, said: "We are hopeful 'Falling over each other' the negotiating committee of the council will get back to the table early next week-" health inspectors, he said, feel bad at not being able to carry out inspections of septic tank installations. "We are not on strike against the developers or builders," he said. "It is just the fact the council has forced employees to a position they had to take a stand." Larry Arneill, chairman of the employees committee, said they are required to make on -location Inspections before recommending installation sites and later to check on in. stallation and operation before issuing per- mits to allow the use of buildings. He said there are eight septic tank sys- tems ready for final inspection with 10 more applications pending. About 400 applications are received each year. Mr. Arneill said inspections of restaurants, grocery stores and all areas where food is handled are particularly important during the warm, summer months, Court. Kenneth .Peers of Norwich Town- ship, health board chairman, said there was nosign of a meeting with the union. Striking health unit workers to protest office conditions Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A complaint will Ire sub. mitred to the ministry of health today by striking Oxford County health unit workers about health standards at the unit office, The workers, members of a sub -unit of Lo- cal 1146 of the Canadian Union of Public lmploy'ees, went on strike Thursday.. Local 11441 represents Woalsvx:k city hall employ- eeC M. G. Pennesi, CUPS representative, said the workers "arc upset olxxd working condi- tions. They (the health unit) arc in violation of the Safely and llcult.h Act, wiHr only one washm m serving 20 people (who work in the office): Any public building is required to have two washrooms." Mr. Ptnnesl said the 20 employees al the office "are falling over each other" because of limited space. The office has 755 square feet. "The medical officer of health is in a little corner and doesn't haveany privacy to in- terview people," Mr. Pennesi said. Ile said a small room where employees eat their lunch "tins ants and bugs crawling all over the place." Larry Arnett], one of the strikers, said the room has had black ants and centipedes in it and the workers had asked several times to have the room dead. Mr. Pennest said the local hadn't heard Noun the unit board after notifying board chairman Kenneth Peers of Norwich 'Town. ship Monday that the workers would take strike action It their last offer, mode June 0, wasn't reconsidered. He said public health inspectors, now receiving $8,564 to $1.0,500 are seeking purity with public health nurses across Ontario. Nurses' salaries range from $12,000 to $14,000 althoughthey ore flexible at the starting level. Mr. Pennesi said the board has of- fered a range of $10,750 to $13.500, An audiometrist (one who tests hearing) member of the union, who has been paid $7; 200 a year, and Is now receiving five -sixth of that salary, based on the school your that he works, is seeking a range of $8,1100 to $10r 000, The board has offered $0,000 to $8,000, Mr. Pennesd said. Clerical members of the union, Mr. Pen- nosi said, rare doing secretarial work al- though the board wants to classify and pay them as Mark typists. tie said one such par- son Is making $85 it weak and another $05 and have been offered an annual salary of $5,500 to $7,300. They are seeking $6,W to $8.000, Before the strike, they sought range of $5.900 to V,300. "We are prepared to negotiate at Ray lime," he said. County council said there was no change in its previous stand, Conn. Peers added theta are no further meetings with the union planned. Ile said Dr. G. Q. Sutherland, medical of- ficer of health, and Michael Bragg, chief health inspector, will look after enmea'b'eo- cles. Furty health unit nurses, members of Lo- cal 40 of the Ontario Nursty Association and Also in a strike position, made no comment following it 10 a.m. to s pan. mediation meeting Thursday with the bavrt. E JUNE 12, 1975- Land bought along Thames Oxford plans 230macre park Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Oxford County will buy 230 acres along the Thames River between Beachville and Woodstock for a county park, it was announced Wednesday. Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Bland - ford -Blenheim Township, said the property is being bought from Canada Cement La Farge Ltd. for $5(1,000. It will be the first • park under the county's jurisdiction Mayor Leslie Dickson of Norwich Town- ship, chairman of the council committee which worked on the transaction, said "the idea was to purchase it (the land) to pre- vent it being bought by a private individual who might alter it. With increasing popula- tions in the county and urban centres in par- ficular, there is a need for land where peo- ple can go out and walk." Mayor Dickson said the property is too overgrown for a golf coarse, which Wood- stock has been seeking. He said initial plans involve allowing trees Library merger study proposed after decision Br BILL LANKHOF Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Oxford County administration and finance committee voted Thursday for a feasibility study on the implementing of a single county library system — despite the fact that county council has already approved amalgamation of three boards. The recommendation, to be (taken to county council later this month, was made at the urging of representatives from - the three county library boards. Board representatives from Tillsonburg. Woodstock and Oxford County met with the committee at Woodstock courthouse. Committee members in- dicated at the start of the meeting that county council has already made a decision on amalgamation of the boards. and discussion should centre around composition and makeup of such a board. However, throughout the nearly three-hour session, library board representatives, especially those from Tillson- burg, indicated they couldseeno advantages in amalgamation. "Its difficult to discuss something we can't see the advantages of," said Tillson- burg board member .Ruth Gibson. "Its the unknown we're afraid of. "Why are we jumping into Perry Sibbick ... decision made something before a study." DECISION MADE "Really the decision has been made, Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick said. "I question whether this committee will upset the decision of county council." The warden again urged representatives to discuss the structure of a county board. "if we discuss how, a county Mardis to be composed, then we have decided to go ahead," said Tillsonburg member Ken Holland. "A study should be done first to see if it merits going into." Alexandra Prytulak, Wood- stock Library chairman, said her board is concerned that amalgamation will "water down" service. "That's a misconception," said Mr. Sibbick adding that with one board libraries could compliment each other, and in fact 9rtiprove service throughout the county. Services now provided in such areas as Woodstock and Tillsonburg would not be cutbackhe said. "I can't see individual libraries loosing services.I don't think there would be that many changes," Jane Webb. Oxford County Library Board representative. SYSTEMS DIFFERENT Mrs. Prytulak said each of the three library systemsaredif- ferent with varying problems, services and programs. Combining the three systems would be difficult. "It's a matter of give and take." Mr. Sibbick said. "There are certain services that just wouldn't be warranted in small libraries," said Mr. Dickson. These special services would still continue in the larger Woodstock and Tillsonburg centres, he added. County warden disappointed • Canada Day holiday changed_ Oxford County Warden Perry changed; there are some days Sibbick said Wednesday he is that shouldn't be changed, like & clipointed that county em- Dominion Day," Mr. Sibbick pioyees have put a long weekend said. ahead of Canaria Day. "Someday they're going to County Council, Lt ciaployees' change Christmas around to a request, agreed to close its of- Monday.,' fices June 30, a Monday, instead County clerk -treasurer Gerald of Tuesday, the national holiday. Staples told council it could "I'm quite concerned that a legally move the handnv to the day of our forefathers should be Monday. BLUES CHASER A ball with a poor report card begged ins teacher to reconsider. lie e x p I a f n e d i "Teacher, at fame I'm already onthe list of � endangered species." to continue to grow and possibly planting more. Mr. Dickson reported his committee — ad- ministration and finance — is making plans for Individuals and groups to donate money for trees to be planted in the county arbore- tum, a 10-acre site along the Thames River south of innerkip. Ile.also said the third instalment of $200.- 000 from the county's eight member munici- palities, which Is due June 20, will not be required. The reason, he said, was some provincial grants were received earlier than. anticipated. ;Mayor Gordon. Henry of Ingersoll. chair- man of Woodintford Lodge board, said pro- vincial approval for a $1,950,000 addition to the lodge has been received. He said the lodge has been given permission to call for tenders as soon as the working drawings for the 100-bed addition are completed, Tenders for the addition are to be opened in early August, Mayor Henry said, with construction starting in September_ City budget estimates in, waiting for county's levy No talks sighted in Oxford strike Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — There's no sign of a� meeting with strildnginspectors and office workers at Oxford Health Unit, Conn. Ken- neth Peers of Norwich Township said Wednesday following a health board meet- ing. Coun. Peers said there are no plans for a meeting with the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Strikers, picketing the Oxford health unit during their regular day shift hours, left without awaiting word from the early eve- , ning health unit meeting. The seven employees, who struck Jnne 12, have been reinforced during noon hours from other Local 1146 members, employees at Woodstock City Hall. Coun. Peers said he has only received one chulplaint, that from a contractor and it was attended to the next day. Meat is being inspected at the abattoirs by provincial and federal inspectors, Conn. Peers said. Michael Bragg, chief health inspector, said that because the inspectors are on strike there is no meat inspection at stores. Warden urges quick budgets County Warden Perry Sibbick said Wednesday Oxford area municipalities should hurry in getting their hudgel estimates to the province so that grants can be calculated - He said the province won't be able to produce grant figures for the county or the municipalities until the budgets are finished. OPENS NEXT WEEK Many peuiple in Tillsonburg historical site, but there's very which is scheduled to be of. were disappointed that the old. little disappointment in the ficlallyopened noxtweek.cSlaft library building on Broadway appearance of the now building Photo) Street was not preserved as a The, Daily Sentinel -Review, Tues., June 17, 1975 Page 9 Area munipalities ready budgets, word on grants expected shortly Pickets pulled back to permit nurses access to offices Free Press LloodstOCk ftircau a'OODSTOCK — Picketing public health inspectors and office workers pulled back their Ivies to the front of the Oxford Realtli Unit Manday afternoon, allowing health unit nurses to gain entrance to their offices. NLIG. Pemmesi. of London, Canadian Union of Public Employees representative, said the move was "in effect, to stow people of Ox- ford we are concerned about the services that are not being performed. The health inspectors and office workers have been on strike since „tune 12. The nurses, member of Local 40, Ontario Nurses Association, who settled their con- tract June 1.3, have been honoring the picket line- and workme out of theirhomes, he ,aid. \L--. Penned said the nurses have been waltzing the picket lines in support of Local 1116 during the noon hours. "We certainly don't enjoy the fact we can't provide the service of the health in- <Pcctnrs. Huwever, we have no alternative urdil we oet a settlement," the representa. ti,e said. Local 1146 members were awaiting word Of a special health board meeting they - teard had been called for the early- evening. Conn. Kenneth Peers. Norwich Tow'nslup, health board chairman said, "we had a meeting on another. matter .. not a public matter at this time." The board, he said uusu't heard "any word from the other side." Something may come on at county council, which is meeting Wednesday. Colin. Peers said. Mayor criticizes joint health plan WOODSTOCK —The proposed formation Of a joint health council for Oxford, ?Middlesex and Elgin counties was criticized Wednesday by Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, because the council would be directly responsible to the health ministry. Such an arrangement would allow council to bypass approval of municipal authorities when instituting Programs, Mr. Henry told a meeting of the Oxford County board of health. The Proposed council would be responsible for identifying district health needs, co-ordi- nating all health activities and instituting comprehensive Planning Priorities and. Pro- grams. Coun. Kenneth Peers of Norwich Township told bealth ministry planning co-ordinator Stephen Shorez that Oxford council had been seeking a single county district health corn- cll. Mr, Shorcz said that the planning regturc- ment9 for a district council insists on a population of 100,000. Oxford has 85,500, Mr. Shorez said tile issue will most likely he discussed at a mating July 3 between Health Minister Frank Miller and Oxford coundl represenLriives. TWO meeting, accarding to board chairman Coup. Peers, Js to discuss a request for in- creased grants for the Oxford Health troll. T1ie government npw provides a 50-per-cent grant and the council is requesting a 25-per- cent Increase. Woodstock bypass route recommended By WAYNE MacPHERSON Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A $6,276,060 Woodstock traffic bypass route, which would be located one-half to one mile outside the west bound- ur' was recommended to Woodstock council Thursday. Mayor Leslie J. Cook said the proposal will be discussed at a meeting yet to be set when public participation can be received. De Leuw Cather, consulting engineers and. Planners of London, recommended a con- trolled -access, two-lane road for 4.76 miles, cutting off Highway 59 north of Woodstock, south of Tollgate School, north of Oxford Re- gional Centre buildings, bisecting Governors Road (County Road 32) about one -half -mile 'vest of the city limits; meeting Highway 2, about % of a [Wile west of the city and Bower Hill Road about one mile west of the city, connecting to -Mill Street near the High- way 401 cloverleaf. The proposal is to construct the highway to rural collector road standards, witha.de- sign speed of 60 miles per hour. It will inter- sect existing provincial, county and township roads at grade level. Traffic signals may be required at the in- tersection with IIighway 2 and Governors Road, the De Leuw Cather report said. The proposal is to have a grade separation at the M line and a grade crossing at the CPR line. Truck climbing lanes would be required where the road grade exceeds three per cent between Governors Road and Highway 401. Re -Alignment has been proposed at the Highway 50 and Mill Street ends to make the bypass the through route. The route would require purchase of five homes and the use of 50 acres of class one, two aril three agricultural land. The De Leuw Cather report says the line will form a natural western boundary for any future development in Woodstock. The preferred route, they suggested, is "far enough away from existing residential devel- opment so as not to createa noise impact. It will be close enough to attract the maxi- mumpotential volume of bypassable traf- fic.,, The consultants are not prepared to re- commend construction of a link road of sim- ilar standards between Highway 401 and Highway 2 on the general alignment of County Road 6 south of Embro, the report said. Problems associated with the rapid in - Amalgamation urged for library boards COURTHOUSE ROOF Oxford Coilnty council Wednesday night voted to spend $9,875 for repairsto the slate roof of the county court house. Imperial Roofing and Co. of Bright was the outy firm the county could find willing to repair fie roof of the 86-year-old building, which is shared with the province. because it rents 60 per cent of all space inki(1e the ouuaing the province will have to approve the repairs. DEVONSHIRE RECONSTRUCTION Oxford County council Wednesday night accepted a tender from Steed and Evans- . Ltd., of Kitchener, of $182,783 for the reconstruction of Devon- Nliire Avenue in Woodstock between Clarke street and Lansdowne Avenue. The bid was . the lowest of five tenders received. A starting date is yet to be decided. PROCEDURESBVLAW A new procedures bylaw for Oxford County council won't be completed for some time yet, County Clerk -treasurer Gerald Staples sa�yYs. He says work on tha Bylaw Was bean ssgg([eized out by budget diliberetions. The lawaater councwasil was rrinmade aq��yet by restructuring crease expected in truck traffic to and from the quarries will be identified in a report to the transportation and communications min- istry. Adjustments were made in one of 1J ear- lier studied routes to come up with the final recommendations. A suggestion of Woodstock District Cham- ber of Commerce to have the nonhend of the route start north of the regional centre buildings met with approval of centre offi- cials, the report said, although it will some- what disrupt farming operations. The route will pass behind the buildings. The city -owned Dbury farm property, just west of County Road 30 (Fanshawe College road) will be used in part to obtain better alignment and grades, while avoiding flood Plain land designated by the upper Thames River Conservation Authority. A re -alignment at the south end of the route was changed to create a curve to minimize damage to the Thormm� sand and gravel operations and to the pra posed Howard Johnson Motel. Considerablecitizen opposition to one of fire routes immediately west of the city. the report said, underlines the value of public information centres where issues can be aired before decisions are made and posi- tions taken. Additional presentations have been Planned for Oxford County council June 25, i aA Zorra-Tavistock council and South-West 0 --For([ council July 2. The engineering report said the presenta- Lon is being' made to the councils to allow councils and -members of file public to com- ment on the Selection of the Preferred route. Comments, in the form of briefs of resolu- tions of council, will be considered by the minister in making his decision. A further meeting of the technical advi son- conmiftee has been planned to corn. plete recommendations to the minister later this summer. Tire engineers said that following the minister's decision .in the recommendations. u final report will he prepared and a third series public information meetings sell, - doled. Striking health inspectors criticize facilities in report Gasoline going up 15 cents a gallon • �J E1 Library amalgamation debate heated A final attempt by members of county council to stall off the amalgamation of the county's three library systems until a study could be done, failed Wednesday night when council voted 11.9 in favor of establishing a committee to discuss methods of carrying out the amalgamation. A heated debate preceded the vote, with Woodstock Coun, Walter Hulme and Tillsonburg Coun. Ken Webster making a strong bid to have the matter studied before proceeding with the amalgamation. Referring to letters received from MPP Dr. Harry Parrott and provincial treasurer Darcy Mc Keough recommending a Preliminary study, Coun. Hulme referred to the administration and finance committee as a "whitewash committee" and charged it with "political trickery" because of its failure to act on the minister's recom- mendation. Committee chairman Leslie Dickson argued that his com- mitteehadnot been instructed by council to conduct a study of amalgamation, and stated that it did not feel that it could take the initiative of starting something that had not been authorized by council. Coun. Webster charged that council, in passing the December resolution to proceed with amalgamation, was going against the wishes of a number of its members, and said that he would never advocate regionalizing a service without first having an in-depth study. He told council that there is going to have to be some study done before the province will Pass legislation to amalgamate the libraries, referring to Mr. McKeough's letter in which he urged council to conduct a local study to provide evidence of the advantages and disadvantages of joining the Woodstock and Tillsonburg libraries with the i county library system. Woodstock Mayor Leslie Cook said that while he had voted in favor of the amalgamation in December, he had no objections to being advised and informed by means of a study. The December resolution asked the province to amend Bill 95 to permit amalgamation. According to Coun. Wendy Calder, "the total ramifications of amalgamation have not been gone into." She said that she was concerned about such things as costs, services and how the county board would be set tip, and told council that she could not go along with amalgamation until these questions were an- swered. Coun. Phil Poole of Woodstock said that while amalgamation might benefit the city, he felt that people in the country should know what extra costs would be involved. "It costs a lot to operate a library such as the one in Woodstock," be said. `I was surprised in December at how quickly council members were willing to pick up those extra costs." Coun. William Dutton of Woodstock, who charged that "we've been interfered with by Dr. Parrott and Mr, McKeough," said that restructuring meant restructuring all the services in the county, and that council should have "guts enough" to go through with the decision to amalgamate. He was supported by Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, who said that the matter had been debated vigorously in December, and that council did not need a study and more consultation. "The ad- vantages are obvious," he said, "and I'm ready to proceed." South-West Oxford Mayor George Jakeman, however, said that he was "not sure this is a good thing. I would like more information, and would like to know the advantages." The discussior surrounded a request by Coun. Ilulme for an amendment to the ad ministration and finance com- mittee report which recom- mended that a committee proceed with discussion about the methods of amalgamation. He wanted the committee instead to study the merits of amalgamation. The amendment was defeated in committee, and the original recommendation was approved in a recorded vote, with Robert Blair, Mr. Dickson, Mr. Dutton, Doug Harris, Mr. Henry, Robert Matheson, Norman Paton, Kenneth Peers, Warden Perry Sibbick, Harold Vogt, and George Wilhelm voting in favor of it. The committee will be com- posed of Coun. Dickson or his designate, the librarians, and the chairman of the three library boards. In other business, council decided against issuing meal tickets to transient tobacco 11 to 9 Vote ends bitter feuding about libraries Thamesford arena 'miracle of century' Free Press Woodstock Bureau TBAMESFORD — The $462,924 Thames - ford District Recreation Centre was des- cribed. as Thamesford's "miracle of the cen tury," at its official opening Friday by Charles Ward, of the centres board -of direc- tors. ` It's believed to be the first municipal re- creation centre to be constructed in recent years without being paid for through taxes, Mr. Ward said. Dr. H. C. Parrott, MPP (PC —Oxford), who officially opened the project with Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP (PC —Oxford), said It is the first provincial project completed in which the province contributed 25 per cent of the cost. The maximum possible grant was I raised from the previous high of1$25,000 just before the start of the Thamesford project. The province, Dr. Parrott said, will be contributing $150,000 toward' the project, all of which has yet to lie pail. Dr. Halliday said Use federal government, under Its winter capital projects fund, is paying $125,000. Mr. Ward said Zorra Township has author- ized the Issuing of a temporary $170,000 de• benturs required until the balance of the t grant Is -received. David Mlclash, president, Thamesford Dis- trict Recreation Centre Incorporated, ,w(l it would not have been possible without private - donors', service clubs', and government par- ticipation. Mr. -Ward was presenteit. with a plaque from Coun, Harvey Beaty of Zorra Township for "dedicated and outstanding service in the field of recreation" . A Charles Ward award was announced which will be presented to the person named amorally as the outstanding community leader. An elght-day program of opening activities continues tonight with a community dance. Westminster untied Church Women plan a garden panty at We arena next Thursday at 8 p.m. workers in the Tillsonburg area, on a recommendation from. its health and social services committee. Over 9W meal tickets were issued in Tillsonburg last year through the police department there. 'the tickets, supplied by Oxford Social Services, were given to people taming into the area looking for jobs in tobacco, Coun, Webster explained. He said that in previous years, the tobacco board had provided some financial assistance toward the program, but that funds were not available this year. Neigh- boring communities, he said, have discontinued the program, and Tillsonburg has decided to follow suit. "It's not a very good situation," he commented, agreeing with Coun. Dutton's comment that if Tillsonburg was the only community providing the service, there would be an influx of people to that area. Budget highlights By The Canadian Press Gasoline prices boosted be 15 cents a gallon almost immediately due to 23- per-cent jump in crude oil price and special gasoline tax of 10 cents a gallon, Natural gas prices to rise by more than 24 Per cent next winter, home. heating oil by more than 13 per cent. Personal income tax increased slighttp for individuals earning about $599 a week or more, but rates otherwise, an. changed. Outlays on housing programs in. creased by less than 10 per cent, with stress on subsidized construction. Taxation of natural resources compan. ies to be reduced to stimulate petroleum exploration. Increased oil and gas prices to add up to ttva percentage points to annual inna- thin rate, currently, more than 10 per cent. Growth in federal health-care spend- ing to be curbed in stages. Air -fare tax increased. Government spending and lending In- creased by almost 04 billion to naerr that $31 billion and cash delhvit pro- jected at about 35 billion, up fruua t..i billion. New building and maehiwry costs in goods -producing businesses to quahfy for special live -per -cent tag ervdit, Unemployment insurance premiums to inecol so for both employees anti etuploy. Ors While benefits are tightened. Government spending and growth of public service to be teliftmed- Transitional grants awarded in Oxford Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Transitional grants to help Woodstock, Ingersoll, and i3orwich Township adjust to the restructured Oxford County government were announced Tues- day. The grants to Woodstock and Norwich Township will be made by the Ontario min- istry of treasury, economics and intergo- vernmental affairs over five years, while In- gersoB will receive.. its in one lump sum. Woodstock will receive $343,915, Ingersoll slightly more than $25,000, and Norwich Township $75.444. Woodstock Mayor Leslie J. Cook, said the grants will be used to reduce the county levy over the next five years, starting this year. The transitional grants, Mayor Cook said, are to ease the burden of taxation resulting from restructuring, Mayor Cook said there will be costs the city wasn't faced with be- fore. Woodstock will receive $114.630 this your, $41,711 in 1976, $68,783 in 1977, $45,856 In I1978 and $22,926 in 1979. Mayor Cook said the transitional grant fs separate from the provincial equalization and general support grants which will also be subtracted from the county levy. Tax rates, Mayor Cook said, can't be set until the remaining provincial grants have been established and the rate foi• county Pur- poses set. Mayor Cook said he thought the rates should be established within a month. Mayor Cook said Dr. it, C. Parrott, MPP (PC -Oxford) will attempt to have the pro- vince reinstate its grants for reconstruction of Ingersoll Road In this year's budget, after having completed preparation work and buy- ing property. Ingersoll Mayor Gordon B. Itenry, said the town will receive slightly more than $25,000, for services which were transferred from In- gersoll to Oxford, such as solid waste dispo- sal., debentures for Alexandra Ilospital, oper- ation of the day care centre and other ser- vices. The grant, he said, will be for. One year only. "There are other tbings we are going to take up directly with the province to see if we can get more assistance," Mayor henry said. Fred Lowes, deputy treasurer of Norwich Township, said the township will receive $25,148 this year, $20,118 in 1976. $15,089 in 1977, $10,059 in 1978 and $5,030 in 1979. Grants for other Oxford municipalities will be revealed at meetings today and Thurs- day. Two municipalities in Oxford get final restructuring grants Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK The final two transitional grants for Oxford County restructuring were announced Thursday by the provincial gov- ernment. The grants increase the amount paid to municipalities to 9617,768. South-West Oxford Township officials were notified of a . $03,537 grant and Blandford- Blenheim Township officials of an $8,463. grant. They will be paid over five years. The ministry of treasury, economics and intergovernmental affairs awarded t h e grants to the Oxford municipalities to help them adjust to the restructured county sys- tem. Health board, DUPE playing waiting game Health insp.s' strike now in 9th clay Economy blamed for mall delay Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Developers of a proposed *million mail in downtown Woodstock have told city council that financing of the project is being arranged and they are proceeding With all developmental activities — apart from starting construction. Subiltrmar Properties Ltd.. notified council that "we are deep in the process of negotiat- ing financing which will make possible the development of the project," hr response to an inquiry into their intentions by city solici- tor Ross Webster. "Unfortunately, with world economic con- ditions as unsettled as they are," the com- pany said, "things have not progressed as quickly as we had hoped. "It is unfortuate that council saw fit not to increase the rental on the parking garage because with this additional Income, the fi- nancing would have been finalized and con- struction would have been under way by this time." Couneil turned down in April an applica- tion by Subilomur to reopen its negotiations and pay an additional $58 rental for each of 420 barking spaces lit the building over 30 years. This would have Increased a space per year to 11493. no two-bhxk area to be developed is eu- closed by Dundas, Sluices, Tinkle and Brock streets. It includes the Perry Street arena, which is to remain, and the downtown fire - hall, which is to be torn down. Truck bypass of no benefit A proposed truck bypass route for the city of Woodstock will do nothing to alleviate truck traffic in the Beachville and Ingersoll area, Oxford County council was told Wednesday evening. Addressing council's regular session, Frank Berry, project manager for De Leuw Cather, a London consulting and planning firm which has been conducting a feasibility study for over a year, told the meeting that the route being proposed to the ministry of transportation and com- munications for approval will not benefit the adjacent municiplaities. He was responding to ob- jections raised by South-West Oxford Mayor George Jakeman. who asked why the firm had held so many meetings in Beachville if the proposed route will do nothing to alleviate traffic there. Mr. Berry, in his report to council, told members that his firm had chosen from among 13 possible routes on the basis of their impact on farming, the extent of community disruption, safety and traffic relief factors, noise and environmental impact. He said that the routes to the far north in the area of County Road 17 and to the far west in- cluding County Road 6 had been eliminated because they would not provide the desired relief for the Woodstock area. The route being recommended to the ministry at an estimated cost of over $6 million, will come west off Highway 59 north of the Oxford Regional Centre, throught the city -owned Bbury farm, and across the Governor's Road, Highway 2 and the Bower Hill Road about a mile west of the city, linking up with Highway 401 in the area of the Sweaburg Road interchange. Mayor Jakeman, who was supported by Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, cited the ex- pending quarry operations and increased truck traffic as reasons for objecting to the proposed route. Mr. Berry said that he was aware of the impact of the quarry operations on traffic problems for the adjacent municipalities, and said that while his firm was not prepared to recommend a link road in the area of County Road 6, west of Beachville, the problems would be pointed out to the ministry in the report, and the suggestion made that a link road be considered in the area to relieve traffic in Beachville and Ingersoll. Mayor Jakeman told the consultant that he and discussed the proposal with quarry operators, and had been advised that trucks would not likely choose to use the new route i because of the sleep grade that would be involved. 9 0 ., He also suggested that the route was too close to the urban area, and would probably conflict with future development in the Woodstock area. He expressed concern that the proposed route would cut through the farm of Gordon tones, a 400- acre operation which includes an extensive gravel pit, and estimated a $2 million loss to the owner because of the gravel that would be covered by the proposed bypass. Mr. Berry said that the proposal would require the purchase of five houses where it crosses Governor's Road and Highway 2, but that it would not interfere with the proposed motel at the Highway 401 interchange. He told council that their submissions regarding the recommended route would be welcomed, and said that presentations will be made to municipal councils within the next two weeks. Ingersoll council was invited, at Mayor Henry's request, to attend the presentation being made to South-West Oxford council when it meets July 2. Zorra Township council will hear the presentation at its July 8 meeting. mother business, council passed a by-law as required by Bill 95 to prescribe the manner in which signal light traffic control devices are to be erected, operated and approved throughout the county. The by-law requires that all such devices be approved by the county engineer before in- stallation, and that no changes be made in existing systems without .county approval. It also calls for the upgrading of all existing traffic control devices to meet Highway Traffic Act requirements by January 1 of 11979. Library amalgamation debate heated A final attempt by members of county council to stall off the amalgamation of the county's three library systems until a study could be done, failed Wednesday night when council voted 11-9 in favor of establishing a committee to discuss methods of carrying out the amalgamation. A heated debate preceded the vote, with Woodstock Coun, Walter Huhne and Tillsonburg Coun. Ken Webster making a strong bid to have the matter studied before proceeding with the amalgamation. Referring to letters received from MPP Dr. Harry Parrott and provincial treasurer Darcy McKeough recommending a preliminary study, Coun. Hulme referred to the administration and finance committee as a "whitewash committee" and charged it with "political trickery" because of its failure to act on the minister's recom- mendation. Committee chairman Leslie Dickson argued that his com- mittee had not been instructed by council to conduct a study of amalgamation, and stated that it did not feel that it could take the initiative of starting something ,that had not.been authorized by council. Coun. Webster charged that council.. in passing the December resolution to proceed with amalgamation, was going against the wishes of a number of its members, and said that he would never advocate regionalizing a service without first having an in-depth study. He told council that there is going to have to be some study done before the province will Pass legislation to amalgamate the libraries, referring to Mr. McKeough's letter in which he urged council to conducta local study to provide evidence of the advantages and disadvantages of joining the Woodstock and Tillsonburg libraries with the county library system. Woodstock Mayor Leslie Cook said that while he had voted in 0 favor of the amalgamation in December, he had no objections to being advised and informed by means of a study. The December resolution asked the province to amend Bill 95 to permit amalgamation. According to Coun. Wendy Calder, "the total ramifications of amalgamation have not been gone into." She said that she was concerned about such things as costs, . services and Plow the county board would be set up, and told council that she could not go along with amalgamation until these questions were an- swered. Coun. Phil Poole of Woodstock said that while amalgamation might benefit the city, he felt that people in the country should know what extra costs would be involved. "It costs a lot to operate a library such as the one in Woodstock," he said. "I was surprised in December at how quickly council members were willing to pick up those extra costs." Coun. William Dutton of Woodstock, who charged that. "we've been interfered with by Dr. Parrott and Mr. McKeough," said that restructuring meant restructuring all the services in the county, and that council should have "guts enough' to go through with the decision to amalgamate. He was supported by Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, who said that the matter had been debated vigorously in December, and that council did not need a study and more consultation. "The ad- vantages are obvious," he said, "and I'm ready to proceed." South-West Oxford Mayor George Jakeman, however, said that he was "not sure this is a good thing. I would like more information, and would like to know the advantages." The discussior surrounded a request by (bun. Hulme for an amendment to the ad- ministration and finance com. miltee report which recom- mended that a committee proceed with discussion about the methods of amalgamation. He wanted the committee instead to study the merits of amalgamation. The amendment was defeated in committee, and the original recommendation was approved in a recorded vote, with Robert Blair, Mr. Dickson, Mr. Dutton, Doug Harris, Mr. Henry, Robert Matheson, Norman Paton, Kenneth Peers, Warden Perry Sibbick, Harold Vogt, and George Wilhelm voting in favor of it. The committee will be com- posed of Coun. Dickson or his designate, the librarians, and the chairman of the three library boards. In other business, council decided against issuing meal tickets to transient tobacco 11 to 9 vote ends bitter feuding about libraries Thamesford arena 'miracle of Free Press Woodstock Bureau 'rHAMESFORD — The $402,924 Thames - ford District Recreation Centre was .des- cribed as.Thamesford's "miracle of the cen- tury," at its official opening Friday by CharlesWard, of the centre's board•of direc- lors. It's believed to be the first municipal re- creation centre to be constructed in recent years without being paid for through taxes, Mr. Ward said. Dr. If. C. Parrott, MPP (PC —oxford), who officially opened the project with Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP (PC —Oxford), said It Is the. first provincial project completed in which the province contributed 25 per cent of the cost. 'lire maximum possible grant was raised front the previous high of4$25,000 just before the start of the Thamesford project. The province, Dr. Parrott said, will be contributing 050.000 toward the project, all of which has yet to be paid. Dr. Halliday said the federal government, under its winter capital projects fund, is paying $125,000. Mr. Ward sold Zorra Township has author- ized the issuing of a temporary $170,000 de-. benture required until the balance of the grant is received. , David Miclash, president, Thamesfond Dis• ce nru ry trict Recreation Centre Incorporated, said it would not have been possible without private donors', service clubs', mid government par- ticipation. Mr. Ward was presented with a plaque from Coun, Harvey Beaty of Zorra Township for "dedicated and outstanding service in the field of recreation." A Charles Ward award was annnontced which will be presented to the person named annually as the outstanding community leader. An eight -day program of opening activities continues tonight with a community dance. Westminster United Church Women plats a garden party at use arena next Thursday at $ p.n1. workers in the Tillsonburg area, on a recommendation from its health and social services committee. Over 9t10 meal tickets were issued in Tillsonburg last year through the police department there. The tickets, supplied by Oxford Social Services, were given to people coming into the area looking for jobs in tobacco, Chun. Webster explained. Ile said that in previous years, the tobacco board had provided some financial assistance toward the program, but that funds were not available this year. Neigh- boring communities, he said, have discontinued the program, and Tillsonburg has decided to follow suit. "It's not a very good situation," he commented, agreeing with Coun. DuttriWs comment that if Tillsonburg was the only community providing the service, there would be an influx of people to that area. Budget highlights By The Canadian Press Gasoline prices boosted by la cent, a gallon almost immediately due to 23- per-cent jump in crude oil price and special gasoline tax of 10 cents a gallon. Natural gas prices to rise by more j than 24 per cent next winter, home I heating oil by more than 13 per cent Personal income tax increased 0..hth- for individuals earning about two a week or more, but rates otherwise on- ' changed. - i Outlays on housing progratus in. creased by less than 10 per tent, with stress on subsidized construction. Taxation of natural resources compan- ies to be reduced to stimulate petra]etun exploration. Increased oil and gas priees to add up to two percentage points to annual infla. lion 1-Ate, Currently more than 10 per cent. Growth n1 federal health-care spend. ing to be curbed in stages. Airfare tax increased. Government spending and lending 111. creased by almost $4 billion to more thaut $31 billion arid cash deficit pro, jelled ut about S3 billion. up from billion. New building and machinery costs in gotxls•producing bushiesses to quality for special five -per -cent tax vre,Ht. Unemployment insurance premiums to tncreaso for ).Kith employcts Caul emplo%. crs While benefits are tightened - Government sending and growth at public. service 10 be restrained. MAY FIGURE TRIPLED June living costs rose 1.5 per cent 000 TAKE THE _DAY _OFF � Federal prison guards mourn fellow worker OTTAWA (CP) — About 7,000 federal prison guards spent the day off work today, mourning the death Friday of a fellow guard and protesting the refusal by Solicitor -General Warren Al- Imand to guarantee the return of the death penalty. The guards last week de- manded the return of the death penalty for the slaying of prison employees or policemen on duty, warning that if it was not returned they would withdraw services for a 24-hour oeriod. The law calls for the death penalty when prison employees or policemen are killed on duty, but the federal cabinet has commuted all death sentences since 1961. In Montreal on Friday, Paul Gosselin was killed while he was escorting a prisoner at a hospital. He was the fourth prison em- ployee in a year tope killed while on duty --the same num- ber as had been killed in the previous 25 years. The 7,000 guards involved are members of the solicitor -gen- eral's component. Public Serv- ice Alliance of Canada, and President Bill Camche said in Montreal Tuesday that only 75 to 100 of them would remain on duty to preserve essential serv- ices. These em loyees he said ' would supply, medical, food, • • • /�`/� DiVtri healtht heating and stationary engi- neering neering services only. P t i council o u n t �/ �/ The 2,001) mill ary and 1,250 RCMP personnel called in to re- for Oxford place them for the day would i look after maintaining order in the establishments- The mili- up in air tary have established perimeter patrols with the RCMP avail - Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Maybe. trict health services council that would make recommendations to the province. Ox- able for assignment by military officials. Prisoners were to be locked in That's the word Warden Petry Sibbick brought back Thursday following a meeting in Toronto with Ontario Health Minister Frank Miller about designating Oxford County as a district health unit so it can ford council is opposed to such an amalga. mation, said the warden. Warden Sibbick was accompanied to To- ronto by county clerk -treasurer G. R. Sta. their cells for the day, all outside routines were cancelled as were visits by friends and relatives. There are 8,600 risoners in the p 49 federal orisons. qualify for a 75-per-cent provincial grant in- stead of the present 50 per cent. "We came back empty-handed," said the warden, who also is mayor of Blandford- Blenheim Township. "It wasn't 'a no, it wasn't a ,yes. "I am not too confident, but he (Mr.' Miller)) said he will take it into considera- tion." However. Warden Sibbick indicated the province has no plans for designating any more counties as district health writs, .thereby qualifying them for the higher giant. The warden said all regions in the pro. vine have been designated. Perth County is a district health unit as is Brant County, he added. "They have designated regions and have designated two counties. We felt we would qualify (ads a restructured county). "Apparently the minister has other ideas — at least at this time." The health minister, Warden Sibbick said, could like to see Middlesex, Elgin and Ox- ford as a district health unit and as a dis- PROViNCE's VETO The province will not pay for the salary and expences of Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick because he was apppoointed by county council. Mr. Slbblek says men of upper -tier councils of regional municipalities have had their salaries and cars provided by the province for a four-year term, but Oxford does nut qualify. pies and councillor Kenneth Peers of Norwich Township, chairman of Oxford's present health unit. They met with Mr. Miller, Dr. H. C. Parrott, MPP (PC —Oxford), and other health ministry officials. Province to pay 80% of children aid cost Rene Brunelle, minister of system with province paying family and community Affairs anywhere from 67 to 71 per cent Thursday notified Oxford of a program's cast. County administration and Total cost of this year's finance committee the province children's aid services in Oxford will pa s0 per cent of the cost of County will be $45%000. Due to operating Oxford Children's Aid the new system of cost -sharing Society. the county share will be reduced Cost -sharing between the from $154.121 to $95,994. province and' county Is lu 1974 children's aid currently done on a staggered programs cast a total of $363,000. BLUES CHASER ,t computer can do more work faster than a hvnnnn because it doesn't have to answer the phone. Bank decision to be studied Oxford County administration and finance committee decided Friday to wait until its next meeting before deciding which bank the county, will use. The committee heard sub- missions during a closed session from five Woodstock banks: Woodstock Mavor Leslie Cook said the committee would study the presentations before making a decision. The selection, he said, will also depend largely on which bank the county clerk and treasurer feel is oifering. the best deal. The next administration and finance committee meeting is scheduled for July 16 at 1:3 p,m Interim levies okayed for city and Ingersoll Toronto Bureau bills under a special provision of Sentinel -Review Bill 95. oxford restructuring TORONTO — Restructuring legislation, Woodstock and amendments were passed Ingersoll were restricted to Thursday in the Ontario levies totalling 50per cent ofthe Legislature to allow Woodstock total tax rate because of a and Ingersoll to impose second pprovision in the Ontario hfuulcinal Act. interim levies to collect 75 per cent of their total 1974 tax bills. The hill 95 provision did not The amendment is Intended to apply to Woodstock slid expedite striking of the county Ingersoll because the two budget and get Woodstock and mumci)tahties were. not mergers Ingersoll out of a legal of jurisdictionsexisting last . predicament, December before restructuring. Both munictpslities, cramped. They now have the right to coil oparating funds because of levy up to 75 per ernt for thus the lateness of their county vearonly, like the townships and ' budget this year, passed second ;fillsonlmrg, interim levies for 76per cent of their mill rates illegally last The amendment was quickly month. inserted into tie Territorial Unlike the other six Boundaries Act, legislation nrunicipulifles in Oxford, which unrelated to resttveturuig, after could pass interim levies to Woodstock Mayor Leslie Cook, collect 75 Wr cent of the total tax coint" ttwt to the province. Severances gobbling farm land: Ducklow William Ducklow, chairman of Oxford County land division committee, says agricultural land is being gobbled up by severances at a fast rate. In its first six months, the land 'division committee has handled = applications and granted an amount comparable to total approvals; of the former county Land division committee in 1973, which was 63 per cant. Mr. Ducklow said in a telephone interview from his Tavistock home on the weekend. The new committee still has 40 ap- plications on file. The committee was formed last January under provisions of Bill 95, Oxford restructuring legislation, to replace com- mittees of to from 11 municipalities and the old county land division committee. The old land division com- mittee handled severances and variance applications for seven municipalities without zoning bylaws. "It makes one wonder, when you see the severances of land _.just how long agricultural land will last," he said. "Foal William Ducklow ... land division does not grow on asphalt." Mr. Ducklow, a former warden and reeve of Tavistock until this year, said the number of severance applications his committee has granted should squelch comments from some township councillors that the committee has been too stingy with approvals. CHOPPED UP "Oxford has 31 suburban areas designated for residential use. butin spite of that land is still being chopped up." he added. The new land divisipq com- mittee -however, is being more consistent with apprl74als Than its predecessors, he said. In some planning areas, he added, the committee has had to act as a "cleanup committee." Mr. Ducklow also said houses built. on severed land close to cattle and poultry farms could create legal problems for tar- mers because of provincial nuisance laws. In several cases, he said, homeowners have successfully prosecuted farmers for ob- noxious use of land even though the houses were built long after agriculture was established in the areas.' ".So, as 1 see it, farmer beware," he said. THREE-WEEK STRIKE ENDS Contract OK'd by health staff By IRENE STANIONiS Sentinel -Review Staff Writer A three-week strike by Oxford Health Unit workers ended yesterday when employees and the health board ratified a one- year contract. The new agreement, an- nounced after Tuesday's day- long negotiations, gives workers an average salary boost of 24 to 40 per cent, retroactive to Jan. 1, 1975. Public health inspectors now will start at $11,O00, making $13.500 within five years. Clerk - typists will make t5,O0047,800 or 40 per cent more, and the audio-metrists' salary will be 18,1H30 a year, or a 24 per cent increase. For the first time, the em- ployer will also pay 85 per cent of fringe benefits, including life insurance, the Ontario Hospital Insurance Plan and extended health benefits. We'll be paying part of the fringe benefits ter the first lime. because these people never had a contract before," said Jack McCullough, health board secretary. The seven -member Local 1146 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees was organized in late 1974, No mention of working con- ditions was made in the con tract, but union repir"enwtives sal they aren't worried. They've given the building a good cleaning," said tarry Arbeill, chief negotiator for the seven -member Ideal. "They know the conditions in the washrooms ... what they do is up to them. "We've had assurances from the board that they're going to do something with the building. We don't think there will be any further problems. About 85 per cent of the union membership ratified the con- tract yesterday afternoon, although it was short of the original demands. The union initially asked for $12,100 to $14,500 for its two public health inspectors. "We decided to accept the board's last offer since they did offer us more money ... the public health inspector salaries are up about $400," Mr. Arneill said. Before yesterday's set- tlement, the clerk -typists were making $4,420-$5,512 and the audiometrist was earning $7,200, while working a 10-month school year. Since the contract is retroactive, the employees' back -pay entitlement will likely be 'settled by the county treasurer within a two -week period. The public health inspectors, office workers and audiometrist are due to return to work at 9 a.m. Thursday morning. Responsibility for six roads goes county Oxford County Council Wednesday agreed to assume responsibility for maintenance and care of six roads, includingg Devonshire Avenue in Wood- stock. The county also assumed responsibility for Huron Street in Embro, Whiting Street, Inggersoll, Zorra Street, Beach- ville, Main Street, Norwich and Hope Street, Tavistock. Tavistock, Embro, Beachville and Norwich lost their urban status Jan, 1 due to restruc- turing. Since the county could not make provision for con- necting -link agreements with defunct local councils, it had to assume responsibility for the streets. The county decided to take control of the Ingersoll and Woodstock roads after a County Road Needs Study recom- mended the action. Councillors reject new county building Members of Oxford County council were up-m-arms Wed. nesday over unauthorized action taken by its public works com- mittee, and turned down flatly a suggested $750,000 project to construct a new county building. The committee, chaired by Tillsonburg Mayor Seldon Wilkinson, had been asked by county council to engage ar- chitect Len Dickson to study the possibility of renovating the basement of the century -old county court house in Woodstock to provide additional office space. The committee, however, went a step further and asked Mr. Dickson to prepare drawings and estimates for an entirely new building. According to Mr. Wilkinson, the committee wanted to provide council with alternatives to choose from, and to get council's reaction and "find out what you wanted us to do." From the discussion that followed the presentation at council's regular meeting, there was no doubt that the councillors did not want a new building, and their reaction to the suggestion was, in general, one of dismay. Truck bypass plan criticized Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — .4 Woodstock council member startled Oxford County council Wednesday when he proposed that county council formally oppose a proposed WMA- c lion truck bypass route for Woodstock William Dutton, who also sits on county ,council, said the proposed route "may in faet be detrimental to the municipality of South-West Oxford (including Beachville) and Ingersoll and part of Woodstock since no relief from traffic is supplied to the area." Coun. Dutton's motion, which was tabled for review, was supported by South-West Ox- ',ford representative George Jackman. Following Coun. Dutton's motion, several 'council members said the matter was too serious to be considered without prior con- sideration. The motion was not listed on the prepared agenda. Conn. Dutton said approval of his motion ,.uuld not change the consultant's proposal, Lot such a resolution would curry consider- alae weight when the proposed route and �ariuus resolutions from area nulniripalities ofiveted by it were submitted to the mints - try of transportation and communication for t onsideration. The consultant's tentative state for submis- ! sion of the proposal and resolutions Is the lend of August. Instead, Coun, Dutton sold, consideration ,honld be given to establishing County Road G, several ]riles west of the "preferred rental', Its the officinl truck bypass route. Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry said that he was "shocked at the proposal " "We assured the people that we wouldn't let the costs soar, and here we are looking at a $1 million building." Woodstock Councillor William Dutton was vehement in his protest. "There is no way we should even be talking of this stupid idea," he said. "We should make use of the space here." He said that "the last thing council should do is confront taxpayers in the first year of the restructured government with the cost of a new building." County Warden Perry Sibbick said that he wanted to go on record as being opposed to the proposal, and in agreement with Conn. Dutton. Les Dickson, Mayor of Norwich Township, echoed the remarks of the other members, adding that he had "prophesied this as the first thing that would happen under the new system." He said that he would never back the idea of a new building, and that his objections were "not just for cost reasons." The alternative to a new building, the proposed renovation of the court house basement, was not well received either, and carried a cost estimate of $175,000. Ken Peers and Phil Poole both expressed the feeling that that was "too much money to put into a basement," and felt that the need for additional office space did not call for such extravagant proposals. The Warden questioned the architect on the regulations, which according to Mr. Dickson. require that any work done on an old building necessitates bringing the whole structure up to date, making the proposed renovations costly. The renovations, he said, would entail fireproofing the stairwells at a cost of $24,000, providing additional exits at a cost of $18,000, and replacing floors, walls and ceilings for an estimated $55,000. He ruled out the feasability of renovating two houses on Light St, that are owned by the county, stating that the rooms were too small, and the regulations more stringent, making it again uneconomical. Council voted against making a decision on Wednesday, TRAFFIC SIGNS Oxford County Council agreed to purchase its annual suPply of traffic signs from Guild Electric Limited,Toronto Wednesday at the tender price of $10,586. COUNTY TRUCKS Oxford County Council Wednesday agreed to purchase two half -ton pickup trucks from Glassford Motors Limited at the tender price of $7,310.63. COUNCIL E%PENDITURkN_ Oxford County Council ap- ppppved expenditures totallul $,0t15 for the Family and Children's Services Depart- ment for l978, 0. 0 .) •' WOODSTOCK-INGERSOLL, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, JULY 10. 197S No action planned yet on union of libraries McKeough favors merger but suggests study first By GORD 51CINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Kilter Ontario Treasurer Darcy McKeough Laid Wdenesday no action will be taken on the Oxford County council request for an amalgamated library even though he favors a solitary system. Mr. McKeough told a news conference following a meeting with county council, that he wants council to undertake, a feasibility study on the merits of merging the Oxford's three existing libraries for one county- wide system before he considers the request. County council voted last December to petition the province for an amendment to the Oxford restructuring act to join the libraries of Woodstock and Tillsonburg with Oxford County Library. "I want them to think about it for a while," he said. "It's putting it on the back burner. I don't want to say no, because we are looking at it." Mr. McKeough said he per- -no- thought the libraries should be merged to avoid duplication of services and ... expected hassle "financial inequities" around. the county. "When there is a matter of split opinion, then let's leave it alone". At the county council meeting. earlier, an expected debate over the library issue did not materialize Warden Perry Sibbick seemed surprised that the library issue was not raised. "I don't know why some of you fellows didn't bring this up, he said. Mr. McKeough fielded questions from the councillors on everything from the Ayr Dam question to grants. The province had been holding off a decision on construction of the Ayr dam pending outcome of the Grand River Flood Inquiry, which concluded last year, Mr. McKeough said. Further delay has occurred because of the heart attack of Agriculture Minister William Steward. The dam, proposed byy Waterloo Region for the Nith River near the village of Ayr, has been vigorously opposed by Oxford because it would take 5,000 acres of prime farmland in Blenheim. Waterloo wants the dam to build a water reserve for the Kitchener and Waterloo area. Mr. McKeough said the region doesn't want to pay the extra cost of a pipeline to the Great Lakes. The piepline would cost 70 or SO cents per thousand gallons, as compared with a rate of 50 cents with the dam, Mr. McKeough said. Mr. McKeough told council ,the Oxford restructuring legislation disbanded municipal boards and commissions in Oxford to put more authority and Influence into the hands o elected officials. The boards and commissions, composed of citizen appointees were allowed to stay on In ad visory capacities in most of th local municipalities. '"John Q. Public and the media are Interested in one thing - Who's to blame?" Mr. McKeough said. "The parks board has been getting all the pats on the bat and the council has been getting the blame for high taxes." Referring to the feuding between Woodstock city count and some of its advisory com- mittees, Mr. McKeough said local municipalities can delegate more authority to the appointed groups if they want to. Authority of advisory com- mittees, he said, is strictly a matter for local council. "if the people on the parks board don't like it and pout and quit --too bad," he said. Mr. McKeough told newsmen the county will not qualify for a special assistance grant to cover extra costs attributed to restructuring when it purchases a new land fill site to replace the Woodstock and Ingersoll disposal dump at Holbrook in Norwich Township. A site is being purchased by the county because the Holbrook site which is owned by Superior Sanitation Ltd., is overcrowded and can only be used by the county for Woodstock and Ingersoll garbage until the end of the year. Land fill and waste disposal became sole responsibility of the. county under restructuring. while Mr. Sibbick has said he is expecting compensation for the purchase of a new site, Mr. McKeough said the land would - have been purchased with or without restructuring. But he said the ministry of treaswy, economics and in- tergovernmental affairs will. consider the county's case. County council, in a special. closed -door meeting later in the day, considered a possible land fill site purchase. Mr. Sibbick reacted with surprise when told of Mr. McKeough's statement on the land fill purchase, saying it was the first he had heard of it. Mr. McKeough said at the news conference that about $900,000 extra grants will be doled out his year to the county and the eight are municipalities because of restructuring. A report prepared for council by the ministry says un- conditional grants for the county will stand at $1,392,870, representing a $538,788 increase from what Oxford would be eligible for without restruc- turing. Also listed in the report is $150,000 going to the county for organizational expenses and $197,S10 for total transitional grants for the area municipalities. There is not likely to be much more' change in the grant allotment for the county, Mr. McKeough added, Because of the availability of the grant figures, Mr. McKeough said, Oxford should be able to complete its budget and strike its levies earlier than f most newly -created regions have in their first years. Some of them have taken until September or October while municipal budgets are usually e completed by late spring, he said. Mr. McKeough said he has been visiting each of the 14 regional or two-tier govern- ments created across the n province. k He addressed a luncheon meeting of the Oxford Progressive Conservative Association after the council it meeting. gives out with his opinion (staff photo) BLUES CHASER Weati?er joreeasling has been speeded up,. but it's still sererat hours behind arthritis. �- COUNTY OF OXFORD expo h NOTICE TO ALL COUNTY OF OXFORD PROPERTY OWNERS TOWN OF TILLSONBURG. TOWN OF INGERSOLL TOWNSHIPS OF BLANDFORD-BLENHEIM, EAST ZORRA TAVISTOCK. NORWICH, SOUTHWEST OxFORD.ZORRA DESTROY WEEDS Notice is hereby given to all persons if, posses Sion of land, in accordance with the Weed Control Act, 1972, Section 4, Nos, 11, 14 anti 20, and amendments thereto, that unless no xious weeds growing on their lands within the above named Area Municipalities are destroyed by date of July 25, 1975,and throughout the season, the County Of OxfOrd may enter upon the said lands and have the weeds destroyed, charging the costs against the land in taxes, as set out in the Act. The co-operation of all citizens is earnestly solicited. BURNICE McALLISTER Area Weed Inspector COUNTY OF OXFORD A. G. Bidgood ... plant manager Manager appointed for GM's new plant A. G. Btdgoal, 53, has Men appointed Manager of the General Motors of Canada 'National Parts Distribution Centre at Woodstock Ontario, it was announced today by J.D. Duffy, GM Vice President and General Sales Manager, Mr. Bidgood was formerly Superintendent of the earn - Party 'sCentral Parts Warehouse in Oshawa. In his new appointment, he will be in charge of a million - square -fait facility, located on a Apollo-Soyuz timetable TUESDAY July 15 8:20 a.m. — Soyuz cosmonauts Alexei Leo. nov and Valeri Kubasov are launched from the Soviet Union's Baikonur Cosmodrome into orbit ranging from 116 to 141 miles high (TV). 3,50 p-m.—Apollo astronauts Thomas Staf- ford, Vance Brand and Donald Slayton are launched from Cape Canaveral into orbit of 93 to 1M miles high (TV). 5:40 p.m. —.Apollo separates from its spent Saturn rocket, Lions around slid links with docking module mounted on rose of Saturn iTV). 5:55 p.m. —Nine -minute telecast of Apollo crew activities. WEDNESDAY July 16 10:20 a-m.—Apollo astronauts check out (locking module (TV). 12:31 p.m. --Cosmonauts test television link between their spacecraft and U.S. control centre in Houston. TRURSDAY July 17 7:30 a.m.—Twenty-eight-minute telecast of operations in. Apollo. 9:10 a.m--Ten-minute telecast of Apollo crew activities. 19:32 a.m.—Ten-minute telecasts of Apollo crew activities. 12:11 P.m. —Apollo starts to approach ,Soyuz (TV). 12:15 P-m: Apollo links up with Soyuz 136 miles .above West Germany (TV). 1:49 p.m. —Seven -minute Apollo telecast. 2:59 p.m. —Astronauts Stafford and Slayton open hatch and enter docking module (TV). 3:17 p.mrFirst crew transfer. Stafford and Slayton move from docking module to Soyuz, joining Leonov and Kubasov for ini- tialgreetings and exchange of flags and let- ters (TV). Brand remains in Apollo. 4:14 pm. —Joint flight certificate is signed in Soyuz, followed by joint meal in the So- 'viet spacecraft. 5:31 pin. —Stafford and Slayton leave Se uz, return to Apollo. 300-acre site on the southeast corner of the City of Woodstock and extending into the Township of Norwich, north of Highway 401. The National Parts Distribution Centre, presently under construction, is scheduled to be opened in May, 1976, Mr. Bidgood was born and educated in New Toronto, and Joined General Motors of Canada as an hourly -rated employee in 1937, Following war service with the Canadian Army, he returned to GM of FRIDAY July 18 - 4:59 a.m. —Brand and Leonov pass in the docking module as they head for each other's spacecraft. 11:08 a.m.—Stafford •and. Leonov transfer to Soyuz from Apollo. 12:29 p.m. —Brand and Kubasov transfer from Soyuz to Apollo. 3:06 p.m. —Spacemen hold farewell cere- mony and exchange personal gifts before fi- nal transfer of Stafford hack to Apollo and Kubasov to Soyuz (TV). During theex- change visits they conduct joint scientific, metals melting and medical experiments. Most activities are televised, including a joint news conference. SATURDAY July 19 8:02 a.m.—Apollo and Soyuz undock, with Apollo moving into position in relation to the sun so that it creates an artificial eclipse for the Soyuz cosmonauts, who photograph it (TV). 8:28 a.m.—Apollo and Soyuz redock, with Soyuz serving as the active vehicle (TV). 11:26 a.m.—Final undocking (TV). SUNDAY Jul 20 Apollo and Soyuz conduct independentex- periments throughout day. MONDAY duly 21 6:51 a.m.—Soyuz descent module lands in Soviet state of Kazakhstan. Astronauts conduct experiments during day, mainly biomedical and crystal growth in a furnace. TUESDAY July 22 Astronauts spend most of the day photo- graphing the earth in resources survey. WEDNESDAY July 23 8:23 a.m. — Astronauts hold televised news conference, answering questions from reporters at Johnson Space Centre, Houston. THURSDAY July 24. 5:18 p.m. —Apollo lands in Pacific Ocean 100 miles west of Hawaii (TV). New Fairview building opened by agr, society Opening ceremonies were he W Friday evening for the Fairview Building, recently constructed at the Woodstock Fairgrounds. Fairboard manager Bev Wallace said the building will be used at fair time to house the ladies exhibits and displays. During the remainder of the year It will be available for dances, weddings and other activities. The building was constructed by Advanced Farming Systems add. of Kitchener at a cost of ta10b000. Money for the project was raised by the Agricultural Society. It is 1z.5-feet by 50-feet and will hold up to 250 people. The building was opened with a ribbon -cutting ceremony. Attending were both presidents of agricultural society, Lloyd Topham and Alma Kelly, Woodstock Mayor Lea Cook, County Warden Perry Sibbick and Oxford MPP, Dr. Harry Parrott Dr. Bruce Halliday, Oxford MP, was invited but was unable to attend. Canada and was subsequently Supervisor, General Supervisor and Assistant Superintendent in the Oshawa Parts Warehouse. He became Superintendent of the Central Parts Warehouse in 1960, a position he has held until his most recent appointment. Mr. Bidgood has been in- volved in a number of outside community activities in the Oshawa area, including playing baseball for the General Motors Colts and the Oshawa Mer- chants teams. THREE TRANSFERS SCHEDULED Spacemen visit between ships History made in linking 40 of Soviet, U.S. spaceships (HOUSTON (AP) —Apollo and Soyuz spaceships linked up in space today in the first meeting of United States astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts high above I the globe. J The two ships came together 140 miles above theearth over Europe, climaxing two days of orbital pursuit during which as - Vance Brand and Donald Slay- ton guided Apollo as the hunter "We'll hug them like friendly hears," Soviet commander Alexei Leonov said. before the ! astronauts and cosmonauts em- barked Tuesday on the. first in- ternational mission of space de- tente. About three hours after dock- ing, Leonov and Stafford, the two commanders, scheduled the long-awaited "handshake in space" in a connecting tunnel I between the two craft. It will be a symbolic moment for these two space veterans I who have become friends during two years of training. They'll exchange greetings and their country's flags and 'Lenonov is to present Stafford with a United Nations flag to BLUES CHASER The really happy rnan is the one who can ,11006 the saettery when he hits to take a de- lonr 0 carry back to earth. Stafford ringside seat to an event which and Slayton then move into the the five spacemen hope will en- Soyuz for the first of four crew hance detente and lead to fixture transfers planned in the two cooperative space missions by days of linkup. many countries. WELCOME PLANNED WILL ALL TAKE TURNS The cosmonauts had deco- Three more crew exchanges rated their cabin with welcome are planned Friday, with Brand, messages for their U.S. visitors. Slayton and Valero Kubasov, the During the morning the Apollo other Soviet crew member, each astronauts steered their ship having at least one chance to through five course corrections visit the other country's ship. as they gradually and smoothly Stafford and Leonov also will moved in on the Soyuz. make another trip through the When the spacemen awakened tunnel that day. today they were more than Sconnecting W miles apart, but the Apollo They will conduct joint medi- manoeuvres closed the gap cal, metals melting and scien- between the U.S. spacecraft and tific experiments, share meals Soyuz. and exchange personal gifts be. Nearly four hours before the fore holding a televised news planned latchup, the astronauts conference Friday, spotted the Soyuz as a spec in The two ships 'will disengage the sky and established radio Saturday and then will attempt contact with the Soviet space- A second docking, with Soyuz men:' serving as the acting partner. They are to .rT_hange Their They will then go their separate country's i.agnand Looney is to ways, with Soyuz returning to Present Stafford with a United earth Monday. Nations flag to carry back to earth. Stafford, Brand and Slayton This and much of the activity will remain aloft until next during two days of linkup will be Thursday, to conduct additional televised to earth, giving experiments, mainly in earth millions around the world a observations and astronomy. • Natural gas shortage predicted for winter Exports to be cut, home supply, too Cutbacks in gas supplies worry quarry operators By DAME DAUPHINEE of The Free Press The operators of several quarries in the Woodstock - Ingersoll area are getting ner- vous about future fuel supplies, with possible natural gas cutbacks coming as soon as next year, Naturalgas, which is used to fire the limestone kilns of the four area quarries, has come into short supply, and the heaviest consumers — which include the quarries — will be the first affected. The tension among the four operations —. Beachvilime Ltd., Domtar Chemicals Ltd., Canada Cement Lafarge Ltd., and the Steel Company of Canada Ltd. (Stelco) — stems from at least two indicators that plant man- agers say could force them to turn away from natural gas to other forms of fuel, prob- ably coal. Last week, federal Energy Minister Do. nald Macdonald announced that both domestic consumption and U.S. exports of natural gas may have to be curtailed due to diminishing supplies. The quarry operators have also been con- fronted with a letter from their natural gas supplier, Union Gas of Chatham, stating that when current contracts expire, the quarries may be forced to look elsewhere for fuel or face cutbacks in supply. William G. Stewart, the president of Union Gas, says his company has sufficient sup- plies for the next 12 months, but after this time, the residential consumers will be given top priority for supplies, lie says larger companies are in a posi- tion to "foot the bill" for conversion to other forms of fuel if it becomes necessary. For at least two of the quarries — Canada Cement and Stelco — the news comes at an inopportune moment. Botts operations have plans for extensive expansion over the next 10 years and a forced switchover to coal could severely hamper these changes. A spokesman for Stelco says his company already has plans on the board for a new kiln andthat will be coal fired. The Canada Cement spokesman stated the problem of switchover is not difficult — it would take about one day. The problem ar. !sea from establishing connections with cum - ponies that sell coal and setting up the tran- sportation routes to the kilns. Residents of the area have already voiced their concern about the possibility that large coal -trucks may soon be travelling the streets of Ingersoll and Beachville. If coal must be used to fire the kihus, the Canada Cement spokesman said it would have to come by lake freighter, which would mean off-loading the coal at Lake Erie ports and trucking it the 40 miles from the lake. Re said coal would have to-beimported from the United States or Eastern or West- ern Canada. The situation has reached the point where a Toronto -based company is researching the method of converting gas -fired kilns to coal power. Calcimatic Canada Ltd. sells limestone kilns around the world and although only five per cent of its business is done in Can- ada, it is looking for contingency plans that will apply to their kilns when the crunch comes. The quarry operators say they are waiting for some indication from Union Gas about what their next step will be: and Mr. Stewart says he is waiting for the energy minister to make final decisions about fuel allocations. "1 have no idea what we are going to do, all I can do is wait for Union Gas to de- cide," said the Canada Cement spokesman.. "To a large extent, I am at their mercy." "I guess the next month will clarify the situation. The gas company will know where they stand — who they can supply and who they can't." He said Canada Cement has a contract with Union Gas for supplies of natural gas until the end of 1978, but if the federal gov- ernment steps in with definite statements about fuel allocation, the contract may be voided. Mr. Stewart said he considers all contracts with large companies to be "legal con- tracts" and unless the federal government decides otherwise, they will attempt to abide by them. "We do have ample gas for the next 12 months," he said, "but what will be the flow of gas next fall? "Trans Canada (the Union Gas supplier) ,has been having difficulty maintaining, its flow of gas. "We have adopted a practice that we will not take on any new industrial contracts." Meanwhile, quarry operators are waiting for some word about. the next move. If natu- ral gas supplies are sufficient to keep them supplied, and most don't believe this, then they are in a comfortable situation. But if the gas valve suddenly gets shut off, then there begins a frantic scuffle to find coal suppliers and set up transportation routes. It also means a greater expense since the use of coal involves drying and crushing the material before it can be burned. BLUES CHASER Noaoe; ht cost: of Imtoor futlure, out file Wd (cost". GARAGE SALE. Oxford County council Wednesday night voted to ac- cept an offer to purchasle the county's old patro9 garage and yard in En by Knox Unit4� Church in Embro for $20.000- ti4 condition of the sale of the old building at SL Andrews an(1 Argyle streets!Would be than the county would Rave the right to retain an overhead crane. Woodstock picks bypass route Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A proposed Woodstock track bypass close to the western boundary of the city was approved in principle Thurs- day by Woodstock council in a 7-2 re- corded vote. Aid. Philip Poole, who favored the route reconnnended by De Lenw Cather, consult- ing engineers and planners who conducted a R180.o01) study, attached conditions to coun- cil's tentative approval. Under the conditions, city council would not give final approval until problems in- cluding fog conditions, school bus routes. noise, possible loss of gravel deposits and the feasibility on an underpass for the by- pass at Bower Hill Road have been solved. Ald. Poole was supported by Mayor Leslie J. Cook, Ald. Wendy- Calder, Aid. Emmeline Hedley, Aid, Walter Hulme, Aid. Gordon La Salle and Ald. Joseph L. Pember. Opposing the route dose to the city were Aid. Stanley Manton and Aid. William B. Dutton. Aid. Dutton, who supported Counh Road ti south of Embro, from Governor's Road over Highway 2 to highway 401 between Beach- ville and Ingersoll, said the city paid WOW toward the study but the rest of the county participated in the expenditure of $140,000 as provincial taxpayers - ..people who say^ it is a city bypass can't lee beyond their nose," Ald- Dutton said- "it us it counts problem." County Road 8 was behng studied as a by - puss were route as early as 1� oid t967 when ear- lier Wft CNM I O Ln D 0 V vu v3u'-T'�'4 �� ❑n t� y ,?�..��c`�'.Sae?aoo K�W 5`d E�vg5o 33a ENEy ^iaa 0'3 °��'"° a �v is ecaomo+°' e°>3T"'oiq'y'S -�a oo �ma :08250j0 ...why,'. pcE'^T as .9"'8�cm'a�°ac' co"' >E$a> �',—�S..��'•�s"u� �`o cL.v—+v ��x' nuLa j�u�j��v a aw � .var c �ao M xoy'wo 5ao�wo �.9.:Om ,a4; SEba5am ��mEa— v_ ��IV m8cao > �30 W 5i 1�e aa -0 Q .S ,18s ° o CCsZ C a u Ju . o , w a w n n p w Av3a.acAE��{ cv �cmMa �E.oro�..f•Gbas n Yz_0. Slm nw 0 �L'oEam p 6om° vaw Azry ro Lroiy �v7�w Ow TOro7 F'S roLT�ao�; a ?o o av°uc�ao"° �'= �� k�vAa u�4�auo uQgrovas s'Ca2 EE M�e1tl.A?mru ayc "O" u 5Ojt SIL, . ° 3 .S &E asu.,.Lo. �+ ski IV o 3 5 E act cc c. u w's 16 2a 0ay. E w oc� ay.'u'.ya o o' -o a aci 'v n'y3.51 vta.ro mha% wC6ma 5It °"ovc3,aai° wa`Biov�Lwy@roowl °3t�roNC .,❑; E:cC2.8oiO.'taG n 2 W °ad`c 5vR000C >�Exma�cL� We 3c"o vro a 5mo �b).,nM00a E3E�pOu H° V IQ�� O C •O A v W a M ,E.8 e J a= I, S—a"iocuc .S8 u8 m,qqL°, 'S w'-'m o.sv� �uoG�m`.3sd�M 3�35 naco'3 cy�ia a, E`5eeqi vo•�"'m.F�Eai9i--'q 4°50'aILI u ro N U s % 6 N C O u 0 cwo�oodm=>av,cMo3 wr d�o•"ww vE meo v o E u >ro La 3 aui e v 9 0^ G m y a n y 5 ro C .'row p y O 'aC b ma-cppL a.a �g"_.w. w3 Lucv'oE ey �aOLo Z3 A Cax oa " "f~ 3ESmES E-b'¢E x mv.�.S auk �`�� u°o XI 3m3Laa cooc0 -Yec'C•5ooL Sv_TiL�"c-�^o 'sOvvvE>oc_o$�vao,s.,v ro`o3,c�'_o'3m`c�y3.aoco `^u, awd a�'a•>, a"asNo, c Lm c<a°a$m^h%�6v °-Wr�s° .sca ma2ma%°erow.5 x3 rom G:o waca �d:o°4 Ft°u cdT3 w aa8 u N a avacma;^�� Ol�vm�, _ $mt �' °0 do��8 a5 aguro�waav4iaop,c� oda 0ziiE w3u da mevuu 3'S `� La "vuvo3w"E a4 �5w5 •�=w��O�uaoO jow L;�o"cvo a`d�Emo3 .a� ro'OL w�a�iwm onaci a"i�as`0 is °acoE�GwL�c�,v>ca iu `0 a.i3 "Eva°a°'o �-' v 5ymc3$'.o :�adm'��s Q"wo a�:: .°. .boa o$v ,o y'3 `Soc�.cc`8._°L a>i�m�a m a i;o2 �a>.m n `e E; am aE" >, ro.m�p o.S .� vs M v vaa.t`�avi3y x`Q''O� o•vo T,�ema v Ma o cn.T. °c d. c.c. m oC ono .Na ab w� mh•,629 m$ Maoa i3scvno y 8 a v `S a`$'c^-a_d�_ v �sac��3tLo�oaEa>mv'xc GrwycQ7�g83";g aui:Darla°�c�.o�$>•�n�d:°=aroim.="Ec Tna 2v, u3_E sF E... 9iroE uv3w L o �5vro`�... >, $. sc3M �'c5 s'm �3 �aa•a a a >CL�°. E _E oa�ca o� MIS N " O 0d�°'SaL 0aY$`�3'af�'i Moped law in effect TORONTO — New legislation defining mopeds and their operation goes into effect im- mediately, Minister of Tran- sportation and Communications John R. Rhodes announced toga y. The new legislation now makes it illegal for anyone under 16 years of age to operate a moped on Ontario roadways. It also makes it illegal for anyone to carry a passenger on a moped. Under Section I of The Righ- way Traffic Act, a motor assisted bicycle or moped must not weigh more than 126 pounds, it may not have a piston displacementof more than 5o cubic centimetres and it may not have a hand or foot operated clutch or gearbox driven by the motor and tran. sferring power to the wheel. A moped must have pedals which are operable to propel it at all times and it may not be able to travel taster than 30 miles per jurisdiction where the speed Limit hour on level ground within a is 50 miles per hour or more, distance of one mile from a Additional legislation requiring standing start. licences for both the moped and Municipalities have also been the driver and the wearing of given the authority to ban helmets will become effective at mopeds on roadways under their a later date. BLUES CHASER 'rite teat/ things ore gulag to Cfilaum u_$ n 3lood tieing that Was dwt't 1101W a onuncy- bark guamutee. 0 E 40 County up in air about space BY CAROL LBARII Oxford County council members are still at a loss about how to acquire additional office space in the county building without major expenditures, but they are not prepared to adopt suggestions coming from their public works committee. At a regular meeting of council Wednesday evening, members turned down a suggestion by the committee that the provincial court staff be asked to vacate offices which they occupy on the first floor of the county court house. The suggestion was contained in a report submitted by chair- man Seldon Wilkinson, who argued emphatically that if the county did not have the use of its own building, it should at least be better compensated for the space which is occupied by the province. In his report he told council that his committee is "still at- tempting to present council with some satisfactory long-range solution to the administrative office space problem", and that it could think of only one further possibility - asking the province to vacate. Members took a dim view of the suggestion, which according to Warden Perry Sibbick would not be feasible anyway. "I think the county has a responsibility to provide facilities for courts in the county," he said, adding "I think that the province can demand this." When told that the province pays $l per square foot for space used, an annual total of $36,000, plus over 66 per cent of main- tenance and upkeep costs for the building, Councillor Wilkinson responded that he thought the province was "getting a bargain," and that is was "time we upped the amount". Clerk -treasurer Gerald Staples advised, however, that the province does not have to pay anything for the space it oc- cupies. "That's why it's called compensation," he said. The public works committee came under strong criticism at the previous meeting of council for acting on its own initiative, in Ingersoll council gets pay raise INGERSOLL — Town council Tuesday voted itself a raise which will increase a eouncillors' allowance by $300 this year and another $300 next year. The mayor will get $500 more this year and an additional $500 next year. By the start of 1976, the annual allowance for councillors will have risen from $1,900 to Y,2,400. The mayor's pay in 1070 will be $4,500. Currently it Is $3,500, Mayor Gordon Henry said after the meet- ing, "We are probably one of the lowest paid councils of our size, I think it is safe to say we are ate 0f the lowest in Ontario. It's a very modest Increase taking into account the amount of time that Is spent on numlel. pal business." presenting drawings and estimates for a new cotmty building as a solution to the space p r o b l e m. The committee offered the proposal as an alternative to renovating the court house basement, regarded by architect Leonard Dickson as economically unfeasible. Members were adamant in rejecting the proposal for a new building, and also tended to agree that the expenditure involved in renovating the basement was not warranted. When the third suggestion by the committee, contained in its July 23 report, was also turned down, members expressed frustration over the responses to their various proposals. "I think the public works committee took a lot of abuse from the other members of council for overstepping our bounds," charged Joe Pember of Woodstock, "We were just trying to do a little foresight." Councillor Wilkinson said that the committee was "just asking for suggestions." But council members were uneasy that the suggestion contained in the report would be acted on by the committee, and voted to have it deleted from the report. Defer bypass motion A delegation of citizens, armed with a petition bearing 1,945 signatures of people opposed to the proposed Woodstock truck bypass, sat through an entire session of Oxford County council Wednesday night, only to see members vote in favor of deferring a resolution dealing with the matter. The delegation, headed by spokesman John Cook, presented a brief to council at the beginning of the session, outlining the group's objections to the proposed route, and advocating that County Road 6 be developed as the bypass route. fiis arguments followed the lines of objections which have been heard throughout the area since the proposal was unveiled earlier this summer, and no discussion followed the presentation. Members of the delegation waited in anticipation of a motion introduced at council's last meeting by Woodstock councillor William Dutton and deferred to the July 23 meeting. In a recorded vote of 13-4, council members approved a recommendation by Woodstock councillor Walter Hulme that the motion again be deferred until the councils of Zorra, Woodstock and South-West Oxford have had the opportunity to debate the subject more fully. Coun. Hulme said that the three municipalities had not fully debated the merits of the preferred route, and that county council should not act until such discussion had taken place. The motion in question calls for the county to declare the proposal unacceptable and to recommend that the existing county road be considered as the official bypass route. It was deferred to the August 27 meeting. In other business, council decided, on a recommendation from Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, to follow up on remarks made July 9 by visiting Ontario Treasurer Darcy McKeough about the county's entitlement to grants as a health unit. Mr. McKeough, according to Mayor Henry, had stated that Oxford, as a restructured government, was entitled to health unit grants similar to those given regional municipalities. He requested that a letter be sent to the minister "I don't want to vote the judge out of the court house," com- mented Woodstock councillor Phil Poole, adding that, as a school teacher, he was inclined to think of more modest solutions, such as portable classrooms. In other business, council did authorize the public works committee to hire an assistant county engineer to assist county eingineer Don Pratt with what the committee described as a triple work load resulting from the restructured system. The assistant would be a fully - qualified engineer with a salary ranging from between $18,000 and $20.000 annually. asking him to follow up on his statement. Grants would in- crease from 50 to 75 per cent under the regional scheme. In other business, Mayor Henry, chairman of the board of management for Woodingford Lodge, the county's home for the aged, advised council that ten- ders are now being called for the 100-bed addition to the home. He said that work should commence on the project by Sept. 1, with the expected date of completion set for September of 1976. BLUES CHASER An economist is a mon slut thinks iu I. -mows more about money than the ntou alto. has it Ingersoll faces $ 5 7 increase in 1975 taxes ING.ERSOLL — Town residents will face an average increase in municipal property taxes of $57 this year. Town council met in special session Tues- day to set the Lac rate. Ingersoll is the sueond muntcipahty in Oxford to do so this year. Total expenditures for 1075 are $2A56,974. The budget calls for an increase of 14.36 mills for public schoNsuPPorting residents and 13.87 Chills for separate school support- ers. Based on the average $4,000 assess. monl, lho public $chool supporter's bill will tau $431 and Ilse sepurdo school supporter will pay $444). Property tax jumps $64, in township Free Press Woodstock Bureau DRBMBO — Blandford-Blenheim Town. ship residents face an average farm prop. erty tax increase of $64. The township budget, the first set by the council since restructuring of Oxford Cocimy in Januqry, was. announced Monday. The restructuring program joined the old town- ships of Blandford and Blenheim. Former Blandford Township residents will be taxed an average $48( — an increase of 12.6 mills — on an average $5,000 farm assessment. The rate for -former Blenheim Township residents, based on the same as- sessment, is $445. an increase of 12.8 mills. Mayor Perry Sibbick, warden of Oxford County, said he was pleased with the first budget, saying the increase is less than the current rate of inflation. He said the largest portion of the increase is due to public school costs, up 8.23 mills for former Blenheim residents and 10.65 mills for former Blandford residents. Mayor Sibbick said the levy for former Blenheim Township residents for township and county purposes is 34.15 mills, up 2.15 mills from 1974. He explained the 1974 rate had been cut by two mills to reduce some Of the township's operating surplus. Deputy clerk -treasurer Keith Reibling said residents of the former Blenheim Township will have a lower tax rate in 1976. He said, the township council had a r'20,000 operat- ing surplus when it was joined with Bland. ford Township council. The Blandford coun- cil had a 344,000 surplus. Clerk -treasurer I. J. Raines said Blenheim hasn't had to borrow money in six years. 'the rate for residents of' the former Blandford Township for township and county Purposes is 42.53 mills, an increase of 4.41 mills. County Of Oxford AUDITING SERVICES Proposals will be received by the Undersigned until Tuesday, August 19, 1975 for the appointment of Auditors to audit the accounts and transactions of the County and of every local Board of the County. Applicants must be licensed by the Ministry of Treasury, Economics and Intergovernmental Affairs. Details may be obtained from the Clerk -Treasurer's Office, Court House, Woodstock, Ontario. G. R. STAPLES Comity Clerk -Treasurer Box 397, Woodstock, Ontario. N4S 7Y3 Mr, and Mrs. John Hume 4 Photo by Gasparatto) COLES-HUME Anne Elizabeth Coles and John Robert Hume recently exchanged marriage vows in St. James Anglican Church, Ingersoll. The bride is the daughter of Leonard Coles. Ingersoll and the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hume, Shelburne. Rev. T. Giffin, Ingersoll, performed the double -ring ceremony. Maid of honor was Judy Ryan, Waterloo and best man was AI Henderson, Shelburne. A reception was held at Woodstock Shrine Club. Mr. and Mrs. Home will live in Toronto. SOUTH-WEST OXFORD Area mill rates increase sharply Addition to cost $1,728,700 Contract awarded for home Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — GBvesy Construction Ltd. of 71Bsonburg was awarded the contract for a 100-fled addition to Woodingford Lodge, Oxford County home for the aged Thlirsday for thelowest bid of $1,728,700. Mayor Gordon B. Henry of Ingersoll, chafrman of the lodge (ward of manage - meat, said the price is well within the $1,- BLUES CHASER The green light it Me signal for the rrmw, in the ear behirul you to blow has horry 867,586 approval by the ministry of commu- nity and social services and Ontario Murdei- pal Board. The letting of the contract, Mayor Henry said, is the culmination of three years, work, including a scaling down of earlier Proposals. Construction is expected to take one year, starting on receipt of approval by the ministry. MILL RATE UP AND DOWN Zorra-Tavistock budgetapproved Furnishings will cost an additional $loo,000 which is not included in the contract price, Mayor Henry said. Brian Garrott of Kyles, Kyles ,and Gar- ratt, architects, Stratford, designed and one. floor addition to be attached to the east side of the 160-bell home on Devonshire Avenue in the north of Woodstock. Five family groups have been planned in the addition with each of the groupings to have separate lounges. Included features are a therapeutic pool and all inner court shuffleboard area. Councillor at large Kenneth Peers of Norwich Township said it is expected to be the final addition to the home. Ald: Willimn B. Dutton of Woodstock said any additional homes would be lit the forth of satellites such as Tillsonburg or another community in the county, Mayor Henry said that tie had never sewn the bits as close on a large project. Oman Construction of Waterloo submitted it bid of $1.769,241; Logan Contracting of Stratford, $1.770,500 and Mrose Construction of Scnrboruutth, $1,946,000, 6;rnest Wood, home administrator, sold 110 Iwrsons hata aeYtdeda Applied for adm#t- lance, • 0 • Courtland Co. robbed of $50,000 in jewels VALUABLES LEFT BEHIND Area theft loss is set at $2,550 Reorganizing utilities to be discussed in fall Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A meeting is planned this fail to discuss reorganization of municipal utilities in the restructured Oxford County. Woodstock Public Utility C o m m i s s i o n learned of the proposed meeting Tuesday in a letter• from S. A. Baldwin, chairman of a provincial steering committee for rebtructur- ing municipalities. No dale has been set. Trevor J. Slater, chairman of the Wood- stock commission, said at the commission's monthly meeting the Woodstock group will attend. John Ilousom. commission manager, said there will be discussions on the mechanism by which a local study team may be estab- lished to make recommendations for restruc- turing of municipal electrical utilities. Tillsonburg Public Utilities Commission. he said, asked for the study to resolve prob- lems arising from annexation in the restrue- turing of Oxford County Oils year. . A solution to the TBllsonburg problem, Mr. Baldwin said. could only be accomplished if the reorganization encompasses all the county The provincial steering committee was es- tablished by Ontario Hydro on recommenda. tion of the energy ministry. Woodstock commission members author- ized Mr. Rousofn to meet with Woodstock and Oxford engineering department officials to work on an agreennent for county as. sumption of water facilities. Commissioner Douglas Hoskin gained com- mission support for a review of water rates. Changes would be effective in 1979. The previous rate increase was in September, 1973, George Douglas, past chairman of the commlasion, urged that a separate rate be considered for water for fire protection. In other business, the commission ended a policy of free Installation of additional Dight- ing for Woodstock fair. It cost 8859 in 1974 and has been estimated to cost about $1,000 this yet¢, Ur. Water said the agricultural society is a proUUmaking orgunizatlon, with a race- track and beer parlor. An extension rd an eightinch water Una on Ingersoll Road to the Dominion Food Store; a distance of 300 feet, was approved. The line will be extended further if agreements are signed by 11 property. owners in the city beyond the store. BLUES CHASER Middle age is when when you want to see �how long your car will last and not how fast ri it will go. i Hostage released in Montreal area TILL.SONBURG, Oul. "CPI — Bandits wearing Hallowe'en masks held up jewelry -making firm near here around midnight and fled with .loot valued. by provincial police at between $40,000 and $50,000, but a police spokesman said this afternoon a6 but $2,550 worth of jewelry and cash has been recovered. The robbers —armed with automatic handguns and sub- machine guns —kidnapped com- pany general manager Wes Dickenson as a hostage but later dropped him off in a suburban Montreal shopping plaza after driving from the plant about 15 miles south of Woodstock. Original reports said the in- vadersof a compound enclosing the plant and the homes of some executives of Cadman Manufacturing Co. Ltd. got away with $25o,000 worth of gold, silver and diamonds, but provincial police later scaled the figure for the original haul down to $2,550 and then bounced it up again to the S40$50,000 range. Insp. Fred Blucher said police recovered four gold bars and 35 pounds of silver near the scene of the holdup at Courtland, leaving only two men's rings worth $2,500 and $50 in cash in the hands of the robbers. The original $250.000 figure came from a member of the Cadman family in an interview from the compound, apparently under the impression that 30. year -old Mr. Dickenson had been forced to allow the bandits to clean out all the company Cpl. William varden of the provincial police in this area said that apparently the robbers were scared off before the job was completed. It was reported they fired shots at another resident of the compound, which houses sev- BLUES CHASER .1 recently completed survey shows that 90 1 per cent: of those asked think the "don't knows" are running the cormfnt. eral company employees hu well as executives and members of the Cadman family. The holdup began with the bandits—policesaid there were three—burstinginto the Dicken- son home. Mrs. Dickenson was held at gunpoint while two men to her husband to thepant' Insp. Blueber mid they If E with Mr. Dickenson in his car, - but quickly abandoned it and switched to a waiting geta- way car. He did not disclose where the gold and silver were found and had no information on why the bullion would have been aban- doned. Mr. Dickenson was dropped off in a shopping plaza in the Montreal suburb of Pointe Claire and-laterflew to Toronto, from where he was being taken home. Provincial police officers flew to Montrealimmediately to help police there in efforts to trace the gang. The robbers were described as speaking with french accents.. A member of the family said they werune armed with automatic handgs and sub -machine guns. Provincial police had been given an alert Aug_ 8 that four known criminals had left there in a light aircraft.. which appar- ently led to an early police belief that they had escaped by plane from one of numerous small landing fields in southwestern Ontario. The family member who spoke to a reporter around dawn said watchdogs, which normally roam the compound were locked up at the time of the holdup. The gold was delivered to the plant late Thursday and the robbers struck about IL30 p.m - "They knew what they were doing," the informant said add- ing that there were strong suspicions that information was released somehow from inside the plant. "We don't advertise," this family member said. -That's why we never were robbed be- fore ' $600,,000 in grants planned for county Dr. Harry Parrott, Oxford The s000,000 figure was first cappita grants, to create a total of which was built up long before Member in the last Provincial revealed. by Warden Perry $93d, in funds created by the two joined the county this Parliament has confirmed that Sibbick last month as a tenative restructuring, year in restructuring. Oxford County will be receiving figure used in the county's $800,000 in special assistance budget calculations. Dr. Parrott said the province grants because of restructuring. is still reviewing some grants to In a news release today, Dr. With $200,M)this year, Oxford Woodstock and Ingersoll to Parrott said the county will be will be receiving $197,810 in cover the funds the two receiving the money in equal transitional grunts anti $,W.788, municipalities must provide to payments over three -years, representing Increases in per match the county surplus fund Taxes will rise, fall according to area Free Press Woodstock Bureau HICKSON — East Zorra-Tavistock Town- ship council struck its 1975 tax rate Wednes- day and depending on where township resi- dents live, their taxes could rise or fall. In former East Zorra Toumship, the resi- dential mill rate rose 8.416 mills to 80.901 for public school supporters. For separate school supporters the rate is 94.993 mills. It means a public school supporter in that area with a residential assessment of $4.000 will pay $323.20 in municipal taxes this year, an increase of about $84. In Tavistock, the residential rate rose 1.- 654 mills to DUN. There is no separate school rate for Tavistock, so residential tax- payers assessed at $4,OD0 will be billed $362: 62. In the former North Oxford portion of the township, the rate dropped 10.063 mills to 71.7752 mills for public setfool supporters and 74.691 for separate school supporters. A pub- lic school supporter with a residential as- sessment of $4,000 will pay $287. Commercial rates changed by comparable amounts throughout the township. In the for- mer East Zorra Township, the commercial rate for 1.975 is 91.671 mills; in Tavistock, 103,770 mills; and in North Oxford, 81.147 mills. Council passed a total balanced budget of $1,504,267.58, with taxes bringing in $867,347.- 03. Township clerk John Killing said in all three areas, education tax rates were up while township rates were down. There was almost no discussion of the budget, which got first, second and third readings within about 15 minutes. Wednes- day. Council had its first look at it Aug. 6. Mayor Harold Vogt complimented Mr. Filling on. what he said was a "fine job" of Fire chief resigns co-ordinator post Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — W. H. Martin, Woodstock fire dmief and president of the Ontario Asso- ciation of Fire Chiefs, has submitted his re- signation as fire co-ordinator for Oxford County to county council. Chief Martin's resignation is effective Sept. 1 and although he was not available for comment, the decisioncomes hard on the heels of a provincial government deci- sion not to pay the 44 county and regional fire co-ordinators in Ontario for their sea vices. The coordinators normally receive no reimbursement for the additional duties re- quired for that position such as keeping up- dated on technological changes in firefight- ing and preparing a county emergency plan in the event of large fires. Chief Martin told The Free Press last week the co-ordmittors decided at a meeting last fall they were prepared to resign if the Province refused to compensate them for performing duties above those required by a fire chief. A fire co-ordinator is appointed by the county or region and normally he is the fire chief of the largest municipality in that area. Chief Martin's resignation as fire co- ordinator does not affect his position as Woodstock fire chief. Bill 95, the act to restructure the county of Oxford, lists the responsibilities of the co-or- dinator as "establishment of an emergency fire service plan and program for the county btetudhrg the establishment of training facili- ties for firefighters." Chief Martin has stated the elimmaton of the system of fire co-ordinators throughout the province would set the provision of fire service in Ontario "back 30 or 40 years." The Oxford County administration and f)- na lot committee discussed and accepted Chief Martin's resignation Wednesday al. though they expressed concern about their next step, "If you want to interpret the Bill (95) — it compels him to be fire co-ordinutor ,even without us appointing him," said Les Dick- son, mayor of Norwich Township. "I think he is a little disillusioned with the pooltion. "The only thing we can do is try to con- vince him he should stay on," he said. "If he wants to resign, then there is noth- ing much you can do but accept his resigna- tion; said Woodstock mayor Les Cook. No mention was made during the course of discussions of the resignation about the Ontario fire co-ordinators demands for pay- ment for the extra services provided as a consequence of their being fire chiefs. Notice of Chief Martin's resignation will be sent to county council which may either accept or reject his resignation. unravelling the complications of tlfe new budget, made more difficult by the creation of the new township with Oxford County re- structuring. Residents and businesses in the township have already paid 30 mills, In installments March 30 and June 20, The final installment Is due Oct. 31. Council also decided Wednesday to hire one or more adult school crossing guards for the main intersection in Tavistock. Tavis- tock Public School principal Doug Hilderley told council he plans to remove student crossing guards because he feels it is too dangerous. The new crossing guards will have to be sworn in as special constables. Applications for the position are due Sept. 2 at the township -office here. Tavistock po- lice will patrol the intersection for pupils un- til the new guards are hired. DEATHS HARRINGTON — At the Windsor Western Hospital on Thursday, August 21, 1975, Ward C. Harrington of 135 Lyndale Crescent Woodstock in his 56th year, beloved husband of Mary (Baia) Harrington, dear father - of Patricia, and Mrs. David Mooney (Marilyn) both of Toronto, and Mrs. Paul Sutton (Joyce) of Hamilton, brother of Mr. Jack Bell (June) and Tom Harrington both of Woodstock, also survived by his father Kenneth Harrington of Wood- stock - Friends may call at the F. E. Rowell Funeral Home, 134 Riddell St. Woodstock where complete funeral service will be held on Saturday at 7 p.m. Rev. Dr. D. D. Gaynor will officiate with burial later in Oxford Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial donations to the Heart Fund would be appreciated.A23- 71 IN EAST ZORRA-TAVISTOCK Police dispute probe is sought .- g Police advisor studies T'stock TAVISTOCK (Staff) — An the village police and East Ontario Police Commission Zorra-Tavistock Township advisor has been here to conduct council, a preliminary investigation into The advisor conducted in requests for an inquiry into a terviews with Police Chief Peter feud over overtime pay between Grant, Constable Ron Rudy and East Zorra-Tavistock Mayor Harold Vogt. Police commission chairman Elmer Bell has said the ad- visor's investigation is only a preliminary action to find out if the requests for an inquiry are Justified. The inn airy was requested by Chief (:rant and several Tavisuck businessmen. GM job office to open General Motors of Canada has announced it is opening a t eYlporary office in Woodstock ,lug. 25. The premises are located at 669 Dundas St. East. Applications for employment at the new National Parts Distribution Centre which is currently under construction at a site in the city will be ac- cepted, Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, and 1 r30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Interviews with individuals will begin in early September. WARD C. HARRINGTON Ward C. Harrington, of 135 Lyndale Cres., Woodstock, died Thus., Aug. 21 at the Windsor Western Hospital. He was 55. He was born in Guelph, son of Mr. Kenneth Harrington and the late Mrs. Harrington- He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force for 27 years, retiring as Warrant Officer in April, IWO. He had served with the NATO forces in Europe for four years. Following his retirement, he was clerk -treasurer of West Zorra Township and most recently was assistant clerk treasurer of Zorra Township. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 319, Embro and Saguenay William Price Lodge, number 97 AF and AM, Kenogami, Quebec. He is survived by his wife, the former Mary Baia, three daughters, Patricia, Mrs. David (Marilyn) Mooney both of Toronto and Mrs. Paul (Joyce) Sutton of Hamilton. Also surviving are one sister, Mrs. Jack (June) Belt, and one brother, Tom Harrington, both of Woodstock. His father also survives. Resting at the F. E. Rowell Funeral Home, 134 Riddell St., Woodstock, commencing 2 p.m. Friday. Funeral arrangements will be announced later. Timbrell letter predicts lower hydro rate jump WOODSTOCK — The province h a s pronused a "moderation of rate Increase" in response to a protest letter from (Oxford. County about proposed hydro rate increases, 'The reply front Energy Minister Dennis Timbrell said the proposed 28.7 per cent in- crease is being postponed until Ontario Hy - rim expenditures are reduced to cut costs, lie said hydra's capital budget isbeing pared by $1 billion, administration costs by 10 per cent and hiring is being frozen for 60 days. "I am confident that initiatives by the government said Hydro will result in a moderation of the rate Increase in January, H7,6" he wrote. • Federal riding plans divide Oxford in two Halliday puzzled by redistribution By GORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Oxford would be divided into I '1 two federal electoral ridings in a proposed redistribution revealed Tuesday. A four -man commission has proposed altering the Ontario federal riding system to add seven seats. Oxford would be split along the Thames River with East Zorra-Tavistock and Zorra townships being added to Middlesex. The riding of Middlesex - Oxford would include Landon and North Dorchester, West Nissouri and Westminster townships beside the two Oxford areas. Oxford riding has been left to include Blandford-Blenheim South-West Oxford and Norwich Townships along with the municipalities of Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg. The riding would also include Burford Township in Brant County. The proposal comes from a decision by Parliament last year to increase the seats in the House of Commons to 28o from the current 264, meaning Ontario would have 95 seats instead of 88, The commission, headed by Ontario Supreme Court Justice Campbell Grant, cut the province up west of Oshawa to create the new seats, including one in the Oxford and Middlesex area. Middlesex is divided to become Lambton -Middlesex and Middlesex -Oxford. The two other London ridings, London East and London West, were only altered slightly. Dr. Bruce Halliday, Member idenfor nxloe., calledParlford slitstrang He tomthpe SOtinel-Revew Tuesday he was surprised to we Oxford carved up after a Bruce Halliday ...split strange' provincial riding redistribution and a new regional government system had left the area basically intact this year. The commission, he said, has not taken into account long- standing community ties and divided Oxford like a metropolitan area. Two new seats are proposed for Metropolitan Toronto; one for the Oshawa -Pickering area; one for the Mississauga - Brampton area; one for the Kitchener -Waterloo area; and one for the Niagara Peninsula. The commission will hold a series of eight public hearings starting in Toronto Oct. 6. Hearings will be held in Landon, Oct. 14 and in Windsor Oct. 16. After the hearings, the commission will work on a final report expected to be completed sometime this spring. In addition to Mr. Justice are Prof. Walter Tarnopolsky of York University, County Court Judge F. L. Gratton from North 'Bay and Nelson Castonquay, Canada's representation commissioner. Mr. Castonquay is a member of redistribution commissions in all provinces. •� THE COUNTY ENGINEER Requires A SECRETARY THIS CLOSEUP shows Oxford Middlesex(46) Elgin (14) Brant (64). Landon West (44) (from and surrounding areas that (4) Haldamand-Norfolk (25) map supplied by Mines and would be affected by Cambridge (6) Mtchener (37) Resources, Ottawa) redistribution plans. Oxford (60) Guelph (24) Waterloo,(87) Perth To perform a variety of general office duties including typing, filing and bookkeeping. The successful applicant will: — Be a self starter capable of working ef- ficiently wth a minimum of supervision; — Have better than average skill in typing from tape-recording equipment; — Be proficient in the use of all types of office equipment; — Have a good general knowledge of bookkeeping practise: — Have a warm personality and enjoy meeting and working with other people. If you meet all these requirements and are interested in a position which offers enjoyable working conditions plus above average salary and fringe benefits, Send a complete resume, in your own handwriting to: DONALD L. PRATT 822 Hughson Street, Woodstack, Ontario, Redistribution carves up Oxford County boundaries Federal and provincial officials seem determined to carve up Oxford County in election boundary redistributions. Eaarlier this year the provincial electoral boundary commission redrew the election map for Ontario and included Blandford-Blenheim Township with the Brant riding, despite protestations of local and provincial politicians. The original provincial recommendations proposed even more drastic cuttings up of Oxford. The preliminary recom- mendations for the federal Oxford riding have just been released and they go even further in splitting Oxford County among two ridings. The recommendations call for the inclusion of Oxford County ridings generally north and west of the Thames River and its tributaries(Zorra and East Zorra- Tavistock townships) south, north and east of London. The remainder of Oxford County and Burford Township in the Haldimand-Norfolk region is tied together in the new Oxford riding. The proposed redistribution ignores traditional focuses of the townships involved and would split Oxford dealings among two members of Parliament. At the municipal level, both in the old county and the new restructured governments, Zorra and East-Zorra municipalities focus on Woodstock as their seat of government. Even at the provincial level, with the exclusion of Blandford-Blenheim Oxford County is generally intact which is to the ad- vantage of local residents in dealing through their MPP with Qlteen's Park. The recommendations for the new federal boundaries, in light of the traditional and contemporary focuses of the county, make little sense except perhaps in population terms. Burford Township has its local and provincial focuses on entirely different centres, One can sympathize to a degree with the problems of the federal redistribitution body. It had to create additional seats in Ontario within certain population criteria. But to break up the boundaries of a riding that federally, provincially and municipally has always been a unit makes little sense. County fire co-ordinators on rotation The position of county fire co- ordinator now will be rotated yearly, with fire chiefs around Oxford, Oxford County council decided Wednesday. Meeting in closed session, council took the action because it had to replace Woodstock fire chief William Martin, who resigned because the province won't pay fire co-ordinators in Ontario for their sen•Ices. The fire co-ordinators are responsible for mutual aid among fire departments in a county or a region. Chief Martin, who is president of the Ontario Fire Chiefs Association, said he resigned to set an example to other fire co- ordinators. and the province. Council also voted to advertise for a new county solicitor because lawyer James Carn- wath has resigned the com- mission- Oxford County council plans protest of boundary changes Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A protest over the pro- posed splitting up of Oxford County in the redistribution of federal riding boundaries is plannedby Oxford County council. Councillors voted unanimously Wednesday to oppose the proposed redistribution in which Zorra Township and East Lorra-Tav)s- lack Township would be Included in a new Middlesex -Oxford federal riding. In the redistribution proposal, Burford Township to the southeast of Oxford County would be added to the Oxford federal riding. Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Bland - Bypass route pick deferred by Oxford ; Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Oxford County council deferred action Wednesday for the third time in deciding which route it prefers for the controversial Woodstock truck bypass. Members voted 10-7 to postpone the route selection until the Sept. 10 meeting while council seeks specific figures on existing hourly north -south traffic flow, its source and destination. The action came at the urg- ing of aldermen Philip Poole and Walter flulme of Woodstock. Deferral followed a one -hour debate on a resolution which would designate County Road 6 (six miles west of here). as a bypass extending from Governor's Road, over High- way 2 and connecting Highway 401 at Fol- dens Strikes in salt industry 40 causing some shortages By THE CANADIAN PRESS Salt hoarding and spotty shortages on supermarket shelves are appearing through- out Ontario in the wake of two prolonged strikes in the in- dustry. Miners and plant workers at the Canadian Salt Co. Ltd. in Windsor walked off the job April 28 to back contract demands. A month later workers at the Domtar-Sffto evaporator plant in Goderich left their jobs for the same reason. Both companies are still strike -bound. Among these feeling the pinch are consumers searching for coarse pickling salt to put down summer produce. Same retailers, uncertain that orders will be filled, have turned to the United States for supplies and are limiting customer purchases for household salt. In Cambridge some hoarding has been noticed and in Sarnia panic buying has resulted in an upsurge in sales by distributors. Dave Harrack, grocery man ager of Miracle Food Mart in Sarnia, said Tuesday many ms- tomem have purchased as much as eight pounds of table salt. ,AFFECTS CANNERS Spokesmen for canning firms in the Windsor area termed the situation "serious" saying they were forced to turn to U.S. and Maritime suppliers and face higher prices due to freight rates. In Chatham canning factories reported no problem with salt shortages, saying they had enough to last through the proc- easing season. Shortages in water -softening salt also have been spotted in some areas. In Kitchener, dis- tributors of the pellet or crystal salt, relying on Port Huron, Mich, for supplies recently turned further afield when told they could no longer count on that source. In Guelph, retailers were also relying on U.S. supplies of wa- ter -softening salt, occasionally running short. Accompanying reports of spotty shortages are predictions of higher prices for all qualities of salt and products using salt in processing. Andrew Anderson, president of Green Giant of Canada Ltd. in Windsor, said prices on some canned food products had been raised because of higher freight costs for salt. An alternate route — recommended by De Leuw Cather, consulting engineers and plan- ners — passes close to the west of Wood- stock and is supported by city council. Count. Ross Livingston of Blandford-Blen- heim Township said he was unaware of the existing north -south volume of traffic being considered with east -west traffic in the by- pass study. Woodstock Mayor Leslie J. Cook said the consultants' preferred route close to the city most closely follows the terms of reference to handle both east -west and north -south traffic. Aid. Poole said the route close to the city has been projected to carry 94 per cent of the through Woodstock traffic, compared with a 50 per cent capability for County Road 6. Tire transportation ministry, which partici- pated with Woodstock in the bypass study, has directed that the bypass should also be aimed at providing relief to the Ingersoll raid Beachville areas. Aid. Poole said Woodstocles through truck problems and the Beachville area quarry traffic are two problems. Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry concurred, >,nd said the Woodstock bypass would not ;:ice away the additional heavy traffic for Ingersoll to be generated from the quarry urea heading toward Lake Erie, In other business council accepted the re- signation of William Martin, Woodstock fire chief, as county fire co-ordinator, effective Sept. 1. It also authorized its administration and finance committee to prepare a plan of de- velopment for a 240-acre park between Beachville and Woodstock being purchased from Canada Cement Lafarge Ltd. BLUES CHASER These dulls no guy titfrtics of gettfnp nmrried oa $100 a weelc; flat girl has to be making at Least twice that. ford -Blenheim Township encouraged council to take action and said the redistribution would take away part of the riding which Oxford has cherished for so long, The warden and G. R. Staples, county ,clerk -treasurer were commissioned to pre- pare a brief to be considered by the four - man electral redistribution commission (jet, 14 in London. Mayor Gordon B. Henry, Ingersoll, said the riding boundary should be maintained as the existing county boundary. Coun. Ross Livingston, Blandford - Blen. heim Township, said the publication of the proposed federal riding change has confused voters now facing a Sept- 18 provincial elec- tion. Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP,. (PC —Oxford), a resident of East Zorra-Tavistock Township, said: "I am all for challenging ft. I am anxious to see many briefs about it go low London." "I am loping Zorra Township will do It," Dr. Halliday said, after being informed .his own township has planned to oppose it. -I would hope Oxford Federation of Agriculture would see fit to do it." Dr. Halliday said he plans to file his own brief supporting the concept of keeping Ox. ford whole. Advance notice of appearances at public meetings must be submitted before Sept 11 to commission secretary Brian S. McGool in Toronto, he said. Reporters wise guys? Woodstock Mayor Leslie Cook wrapped the knuckles of reporters covering Oxford County council Wednesday for making wise -guy comments while the sensitive question of going into closed session was discussed. Mr. Cook charged that a• "certain member of the news media" was making quips while council voted 10 to 7 to go into closed session for personnel and legal matters: In my view, the news media are here to report on the com- ments made and that's all," he said. BLUES CHASER Unit teaching his son to dries. "Go urn preen. stop on red, and take it easy iclien 1 turn white." it 411 Company's water request deferred Free Press Woodstock bureau WOODSTOCK — A request for extension of water service to a site for the head office of the wholesale division of M I.. Turner (Ontario) Ltd., a half -mile east of Wirxl- stock, was deferred by Oxford County coun- cil Wednesday for committee consideration. If. L. Turner, prebidenl of the Blenheim - based firm, said in a letter to council the firm plans to build the office on County (toad 4, south of Iffghwuy 2, near Bonds Corners. A 6,0110 to 7,000-squaredoot building is planned for the Norwich Township site, eust of the new plant of Genera Motors Canada LW, lie said the firm, manufacturem anti dis, tributors of farm and outdoor power equip. ment, has it 20,000-squure400l manufacturing building at Blenheim which it plans to ex. pand by 12,000 square feel, In other business, council referred a m, commendation of Aid. Walter tlulmo of Woodstock for an Index of available indus. trial land within Oxford County to the plan- ning, committee, Mayor L oNlie Dickson of Norwich ']own - ship stud the. county has to be prepared for industrial development. General Motors Canada Ltd., he said, has already applied for rezoning of the unused portion of Its property at the edge of Wood- stock where its multi -million dollar national Parts warehouse is being built. Development of this nature is going to lake glace close to 14-hway 401, Mayor Dickson auid. •1 Ingersoll will pass on Wintario draw INGERSOLL, — The Ingersoll special events committee has reconsidered Its deci- sion to be host for the Sept. 18 Wintario lot- tery draw. The town is the first municipality to turn down the event. Special events committee chairman Doug Harris said the committee no longer wants the draw because it conflicts with the pro- vincial election the same night. The decision to play Trost for the event Jobseekers line up for work About 350 jobseekers stood in line for up to five hours Monday waiting for a chance to fill out an employment application for the new General Motors warehouse to be opened in Woodstock. Byron Blundell, supervisor of personnel administration for General Motors, said about 342 applications for the 250 positions available were processed yesterday. Applications will be taken at the employment office, located on Dundas St. near the Cedar - wood Plaza, at least until January, Mr. Blundell said. But no interviews will be conducted until the last weeks of Sep- tember. Mr. Blundell said GM would try to staff the new warehouse with as many local workers as possible but would process each application on its merits. Unskilled labor is needed, he said. Official plan review okayed Oxford County planning committee voted Thursday to start a review of its official plan. The review will include public hearings and consultant's studies over 1976 and 1977 to finish a new plan by Jan. 31, 1978. The province has told the county it must have a new plan for all areas in Oxford by 1978 because it took over planning responsibility from several municipalities, including Woodstock, under restructuring. was made before the announcement of the election. The draw was to have been the kick-off for the annual cheese and wine fes- tival Which starts to Ingersoll .Sept. 18. "We just feel there are too many prob- lems at that time in conflict with the gen- eral election, that it is of no value to our community. We will concentrate all our ef- forts on the cheese and wine festival," said Mr. Harris. Ile said the decision came after several meetings of the committee and Dr. Harry Parrott, MPP (PC —Oxford). "The general election could not be changed, obviously, and there's no way that the Wtnlario draw could be changed because they make the draw every two weeks. They're locked into 1t every two weeks," said Mr. Harris. He said the committee will ask Wintario to hold the draw in Ingersoll at some later date. 'Group plans bid to save 'Norwich historical house NORWICH — An Otterville Thursday the Ontario Heritage remaining cost themselves," delegation plans to ask township Foundation would likely foot up Mr. Johnson said. council Monday to support their to two-thirds of the maximum He said the committee will bid to restore an1860soctagonal $40,000 bill if the project recommend council donate house as a historical site, qualified for assistance, municipal property to ac- Norwich deputy clerk Wayne "It looks like the local group is commodate the building, Johnson said the delegation told interested enough that they may suggesting Norwich also take on township recreation committee well be able to meet the partial committment for future Committee tour set to find office space Oxford County planning and plans since January, the two public works committees department's -haven't found a Thursday decided on a joint tour solution to relieve cramped of the county courthouse Sept. 11 quarters in the courthouse for new ideas to improve basement. department facilities. Proposals from the com- Starting 10 a.m., both groups mittees have included will be inspecting the building in everything from a new ad - hopes of sparking fresh insight ministration building to massive into more space. renovations. However, both ideas were Wrangling with expansion shelved by county council. BLUES CHASER Sip+r in a loan -company window: "Now uoa can borrow enough mcmelf to pet COW pletel9 out of debt." Zorra T p. opposes change in riding Free Press Woodstock Bureau INGERSOLL — Zorra Townshipcouncil has opposed inclusion of its area in a newly - proposed Middlesex -Oxford federal riding. Coun. Barry Wallace, Mayor Robert Math- erson and Councillor -at -large Robert Blair were named Tuesday to a committee to pre- pare a brief for the boundary redistribution commission when It sits Eli London. Oct, 14. Court, David Slater described Woodstock .,is the colturrd centre for the area, the cen. tre for health services, property registration, low enforcement, courts and education. Mayor Matheson said'. "I don't like the new boundary set out for us. If we had a representative near London he possibly �i ouldn'l. be too syrnpatirettc towards our area." The boundary commission proposed lransferring Zorra Township and .East orra-Tavistock 'Township into the new middlesox-Oxford riding:from Oxford riding. Ilurford Township would be removed from Brant In Oxford, •4t is u railroad right from the start," Coud. Wallace said, "I don't think we can change it." The commission, he said, will allow just one spokesman unless they decide ptherWisc Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP (PC4.Word) ap- poses the realignment and has encouraged opposition to forward a brief to the comiuk lion or mail u letter to him, Oxford. County and Woodstock councils �jlod lust week to opimse the riding bound- ary cbang0. maintenance. The restoration group hopes to gain council's support Monday. enabling the group to apply to the heritage foundation in time for the last hearing for this year's projects,Sept. 15. "There is some urgency to this project," Mr. Johnson said. "The present owner has in- dicated that he will be demolishing the building in a year if the restoration plan isn't started." Mr. Johnson said the house will likely be moved to its new undetermined site by October or November_' Councillors so keen on good roads Oxford County council has re- arranged its September meeting schedule so that most of its members can go to a convention in Calgary, The Sentinel -Review has learned. County council normally meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month — but in September only one meeting I,; scheduled for Sept, 10, That's because of the Canadian Good Roads Con- vention running from Sept. 22 to 25, Warden Perry Sibbick said in an interview Wednesday. CLOSED -DOOR Mr. Sibbick said the decision to cancel the Sept. 24 meeting was made in a closed -door session at its last meeting, July 23, But council will be holding an extra meeting in October to make up the time, Mr. Sibbick said. Meetings have been scheduled for Oct. I, 10 and 29. Mr. Sibbick said he didn't know how many councillors are going to the convention. The good roads convention, an annual afliar, is known to be highly popular among municipal Politicians across the country. One councillor said privately the meeting dates were arranged quietly because many of his colleagues were afraid of being embarrassed by the news media. Zorra Township council approves �, m i l I rate boosts By IRENE STANIONIS Sentinel -Review Staff Writer DICKSON'S CORNERS — Zorra Township council Tuesday approved 1975 mill rates ranging from'89 to 99 mills for residential assessment and 98 to 112 mills for commercial. West Zorra will have to bear the single largest increase with homeowners paying $356,20, based on the average $4,000 assessment. This represents a $48 increase over 1974. Residents of East Nissouri were the next hardest hit with a $85,60 increase, with Embro at a $27.20 hike and North Oxford at $17,00. "Any increases to the mill rate this year over last year are due entirely to education,' Township auditor Marvin Thomas told councillors yesterday. Zorra will have to pay 12,15 per cent of Oxford Countv board of education's elementary school municipal requisition. plus 11,67 of the secondary school. The township a total public education burden amounts to $907,012 this year --the first time mwuicipallties will be paying jointly under restructuringg. Mr. Thomas told councillors they had the power to Adthe transitional mill rate total BBl 95, recommending it be phased into a five-year plan until they equalize the mill rate in all former municipalities "Until you bring in market value assessment, you're going to have separate mill rates," he said. confused by the delay in establishing, a single townsttip- wide mill rate, Councillor David Slater protested the five-yeer plan, arguing: "If we hand this tiring over to accountants for five years, we're just becoming puppets, I think we're capable of settuip our own mill rate here at home.' He advocated working towards a single mill rate based on a single township assessment. Township clerk Gordon Gregory told councillors it* ministry of economics, treason, and inter -governmental affairs specified each municipality had to have separate mill rates under restructuring --there's two choice he said. "I don't think there are too many of us who understand this," Councillor Ted Nan- cokivell said. "We have someone at the top of the ladder telling us what to do, "We've accepted Bill 95 so tar... we can't run from it nun The School Bus Stopping Law changes September 1st. Here are the new regulations and what they mean to you: Effective September 1st, all traffic from both directions must stop whenever a chrome -yellow school bus flashes its red signal lights front and rear... regardless of the posted speed limit. (The penalty for not doing so is a maximum fine of $100 and 4 demerit points.) The law applies everywhere —on high- ways, country roads, and city, town or village streets. Until now, motorists going in the opposite direction had to,stop only when the posted maximum speed limit was more than 35 miles per hour. But as of September 1st, everyone must stop —except in one in- stance: motorists going in the opposite direction from the school bus on the other side of a multi -lane highway divided by a physical barrier. As a motorist, you must drive with extra care whenever you see a school bus in front of you or coming towards you, because if the school bus flashes its red lights, traffic from both directions must stop. If all of us observe this law our children will be that much safer. Remember, school bus safety is everybody's responsibility. As a parent, encourage your children to follow the school bus safety rules learned at school -helping the bus driver by behaving quietly and keeping seated until it is time to leave the bus. For more information on the School Bus Stopping Law, write: Public and Safety Information Branch Ministry of Transportation and Communications 1201 Wilson Avenue Downsview, Ontario M3M 1,18 Ministry of Transportation and Communications John Rhodes, Minister Government of Ontario William Davis, Premier • CJ 0 County to survey municipalities Uzford County council Wednesday voted to sw•vey its eight area mwniclpafill. to compile an inventory of privately and publicly -owned industrial land. The inventory was urged by WoodshVk Ali!. Walter Hulme who said the county should be preparing for future industrial development under new provisions of the Oxford Restructuring Act. Committees to retain own lawyers Oxford County council voted Wednesday to allow at least temporarily its four standing committees to retain solicitors as they need them. Granted, on the advice of its administration and finance committee, hopes to save money by not hiring a full-time solicitor. James Carnwath resigned last month as county solicitor to devote his time to real estate law. The new system will be reviewed by the committee at the end of the year, council decided Woodstock approves massive tax boost Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Taxpayers here face it massive tax increase — described as a re- cord by Mayor Leslie Cook — in the city budget approved Thursday night. Home owners who are public school sup- porters face an almost 17 mill increase over the 1074 budget, amounting to $65.60 on art average $4,000 assessment. Separate school residential taxpayers can expect a 15 mill increase — a $00 increase based on the average assessment, Commercial taxation will go up 20 mills for public school supporters, 18 nulls for separate school supporters. Mayor Cook said about half the increase can be attributed to education costs. lie said the increases in taxes for city and county purposes is lower than he had originally ex - petted, The increase in municipal costs — about BLUES CHASER Economists are really busy these days. They spend hall their time telling us what's going to happen — and the other hall ex- plaining why it didn't. Aldermen protest county's employing Stratford auditors Two Woodstock aldermen been the county's auditors for decided to leave the auditing objected Wednesday to Oxford several years, but the com- work with Monteith and Mon - County council using a Strat- mittee last week heard teith because the firm was ford -based group of auditors. presentations from the Stratford familiar with the county's-ac- Aldermen Wendy Calder and firm and four others as part of a counting system. Joseph Pember voted against review. "Their presentation was as the appointment of Monteith and Ingersoll Coun. Douglas good or better than the others," Monteith and Co. Ltd., which Harris, vice-chairman of the Court. Harris added. was recommended by the ad- committee, told council two of "I don't believe the County of ministration and finance the presentations were from Oxford should be using auditors committee. Woodstock firms. of the county of Perth," Aid. Monteith and Monteith have He said the committee Calder said. 11 mills for public and separate school Sup- porters, as opposed to the 20 he had. ex- pected — came partly from expenses Woud- stock and area hadn't faced In previous years. Mayor Cook said same of the extraordi- nary costs could be blamed on restructuring — with the city setting $87,W0 aside each year for five years to go toward matching a surplus of the other municipalities m the newly -restructured county of Oxford. Mayor Cook added that the late setting of the budget resulted from the restructuring, the uncertainty of provincial grants and the. question of responsibility for some services. Some services, originally a city respomo. bility, were cut late, he said. About 75 mulls of this year's taxes have already been collected in interim billings, the city deputy treasurer said. ASSISTANT COUNTY ENGINEER The County of Oxford requires a Professional Engineer (civil), with a minimum of 3 years experience in municipal or government service, to assist in the operatio0 and management of the County Public Works Department. The position will be primarily related to the maihhettance and construction of the County Road System, with secondary respon- iibildies in the areas of waste disposal, traffice, engineering, sewer, water; public buildings and building inspection. Salary to $20,'BOD lepending on qualifications. ;Qualified persons who have a keen sease of responsibility and who'I would enjoy being part of a small, dedicated, no-nonsense County management team, are invited to submit applications to! Donald L. Pratt. Oxford County Engineer, P.O. Box 397. Woodstock, Ontario. swl E k Zorra arena plans approved By WAYNE MacPHERSON, Free Press Woodstock Bureau INGERSOLL — A $565,654 Embro-West Zorra arena and community hall was ap- proved in principle Tuesday night by Zorra Township council. Council endorsed the project and its pro- posed financing. Whitney Construction of Brampton will not start work until after Nov. a to make maxi- mum use of grants. said Rowland Rather. ford, Embro-West 'Zorra community centre committee chairman. The grants will cover $297,878 ul the esti- mated cost, with the balance of $267,776 to be paid by residents of the former, West 'Zorra Township and the former village of Embro, Joir. Rutherford said. Two-thirds of the municipal cost, $178,000,. will be paid by the former municipality of West Zorra. Mr. Rutherford said the Frabro area Optimist Club bas approved payment of $17,258 of the municipal share, leaving $72,000 to be raised by Embro ratepayers. ALICE GARNER Liberal PETER KLTNSTRA HARRY PARROTT New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative BLUES CHASER 11 Somebody Offers you the world wl a sl i rer plotter. take the Pfeffer. NEAR SALFORD NEW INDUSTRIAL SUBDIVISION City, twp. councillors row in water debate By CORD MclVroSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Norwich and Woodstock councillors clashed Wednesday over extending water services 'from the city to a proposed in- dustrial subdivision on County 'Road A near Highway 2. Last week, county planning and public works committees in i joint meeting recommended hat the services not be extended News leaks out on landfill site By GORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Oxford County has obtained an option of 60 acres of prime farm land near Salford for a landfill site, The Sentinel - Review has learned. The land being considered for the dump is a half a mile west of the village of Safford on the second concession. It is being purchased from Grant Hutchinson of RR 1 Salford. Marilyn Way, whose farm is across the road from the 'proposed landfill site, said in a telepPhone interview today residents in the area have been told by South-West Oxford Mayor George Jakeman to send five persons to represent them at a hearing with the township council. Mr& Way said she and her husband, Thomas, learned of the pending sale this month. She said a couple of Salford residents knew earlier, but were "sworn to secrecy." Woodstock Aid. Joseph Pember Wednesday night said the option was taken on the land by county council in a closed - door meeting last August and one of tho councillors leaked it to Safford residents. The land is being purchased to replace an overcrowded site owmed by Superior Sanitation Ltd. in Holbrook about six miles west of the Salford land. The county has had to replace the Holbrook site, used for Woodstock and Ingersoll gar- bage, on orders of the provincial environment ministry. Ald. Pember said the new site, if approved by the en- vironmental hearing board, will be much cleaner than the Holbrook site. "It will be landscaped and they won't even be able to see it, he said. "Whoever leaked it has cost the county a lot of time and money. We'll probably have to expropriate it now." He said he saw no harm in disclosing the plan to reporters because Salford residents already knew about it. Mrs. Way said the residents have contacted local township councillors but details have been only given reluctantly. "One of our township coun- cillors said he was sworn to secrecy and we weren't sup- posed to know about it until it ,was all completed," Mrs. Way added. They also wanted to know who told us." She said residents in the area were angered when told of the site. Alice Garner, the Liberal's candidate in Oxford for the ge t. 18 provincial election, said today she had visited the site and is opposing it. "If this is regional govern- ment, to heck with A," Mrs. Way said. "How can they do this without consulting local residents?" Mr. Jakeman could not be reached for,comment. 100-bed addition begun at Oxford home for aged WOODSTOCK — The first sod was turned Monday for the 11,968,00o, loo-bed addition to Wooding'ford Lodge, Oxford County'8 home for the aged. Ingersoll Mayor Gordon B. Henry, chair- man of the committee of management, sold the addition should he comPletetl by next September. About In persons have applied for admix, lion to the home which has been three years in the planning The first stage was built seven years ago and eslntalns 100 beds. to suit the 23-acre project. planned by J. L. Turner (Ontario) Ltd„ a Blenheim - based farm equipment manufacturer. Norwich Coun, Kenneth Peers and Norwich Mayor Leslie Dickson objected to the com- mittees calling the subdivision "premature" and moved to have their recommendation discarded. But they settled later with having the word "premature" deleted from the recom- mendation. The committees voted not to give the services after Wood- stock city engineer Carl Hevenor told them they should wait to see if the city's sewage system can handle industrial development just east. of Woodstock. The city has been cultivating a major industrial park in its southern tip since the 19Ws. "I don't recall the city engineer, Mr. Hevener, making remarks that GM was premature when it is 100 feet away," Coun. Peers said. referring to the million-9'V foot distribution centre being built by General Motors of d- p to b m' to n- a it :d n- e- re to in re le at A SMILE FOR PERRY - The junior showmen under 13 vears of age, took to the ring at Woodstock Fair last weekend, in a special class sponsored by the warden of Oxford County. Winner of the class was 12-year-old Denise Green of Norwich who received a silver trav from the warden, perry Sibblek of RR 1, Princeton, W 0 • Strike roundup around country By THE CANADI.AN PRESS Ontario school teachers in Perth, Kitchener and Toronto have agreed to hefty ppaay In- creases while tough strikes for better wages are continuing MIDAIR forest and food industry workers in British Columbia, and telephone employees in the Maritimes. In Toronto, 12,000 elements" .school teachers reached tents. live agreement of a two-year contract that will give them an average 37.1-per-cent increase in wages. Under the deal, they will earn an average $17,415 a year. Secondary school leachers in the Lanark school district of Perth will receive a 28.4-percent wage package increase, while, in Kitchener, Waterloo County separate school teachers voted for a one-year contract calling for wage increases averaging 23.4 per cent. In the B.C. forest industry, talks have resumed between un- ion and management but there were no indications of a settle- ment in the prolonged strike. The B.C. government denied published reports that it was planning a major move to re- solve the dispute that has shut the forest industry, In Vancouver, Clint Jackson, operator of a corner grocery tore, reported his business has Increased by 47 per cent since a Tabor dispute closed 125 Greater Vancouver supermarkets Sept. 5. So far, there have been no signs of a break in the dimputt, involving mentcutters, bakers and retail clerks. SITUATION TENSE; In Halifax, union officials ar ousted Maritime Telegraph and Te-lepttone Co. Ltd. with using strikebreakers as the dispute which began five weeks ago heated up. Feelings have been tense since Thursday when Ukets surrounded company buildings in Halifax, Sydney and New Glesgow. Among the strikes in progress or threatened this week: —In Halifax, rotating strikes against Nova Scotia Power Corp, got under way involving about 150 of the firm's 1,300 workers who want more pay, —A strike of caretakers that has closed eight schools in Moose Jaw, Sask., continued for the second week alter negotia- tions collapsed. —Talks have resumed and counteroffers have been made by management in an attempt to solve the strike of 3 500 asbestos workers at Thettuord Mines, Que., that began five months ago. One union representing 1,000 workers made a counter proposal in its contract negotiations with two com- panies. CONSUMERS HIT —Public transit systems in London and Kitchener were strikebound this week because of wage disputes, .affecting thousands of commuters in those Ontario cities. In Mon- treal, city buses and subway trains were rolling but a strike threat by maintenance and of- fice workers still remained. In Buchan, Nfld., about 55o workers at the American Smelt- ing Refining Co. walked off the job to protest the suspension of two miners. —Union leaders in Vancouver warned they will go on strike against the Vancouver post of- fice within 30 days because of a breakdown in talks. They are unhappy with working condi- tions. —Montreal police undertook a public harassment campaign by blocking traffic at major inter- sections during rush hours to protect the lack of progress in contract negotiations with the city. —In Ottawa, the possibilbty remained of a national strike by 22,000 inside postal rite a, ei- ther within the next week or by mid -October. � � 1 MEN Planned landfill site gathering opposition By GORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff W Ater South-West Oxford Township Mayor George Jakeman has joined Salford area ratepayers and the Oxford County Federation of Agriculture in opposing a proposed county landfill site. "'(Tie people are opposed to it and 1 represent the people," Mr. Jakeman told The Sentinel - Review in a telephone interview. South-West Oxford township council was to be given a rRion and brief today from ford area residents opposing the proposed Salford site. Monday I'M, the Oxford County Federation of Agriculture voted to oppose the Salford site. The Sentinel -Review revealed last week that county council was considering a txr-acre site on FIR I Safford for a landfill site. Ali{ ough initial reports said Oxford must tell gov't. leave boundaries alone Dear Sir: It is now time for the people of Your paper encourages Oxford County W snap out of any utilization of your "Letters to complacency and say to the the Editor" column on matters Government - leave us alone - of public interest. we are satisfied with the The proposed recom- boundaries as presently con- mendations of the Federal stituted and do not want to lose Electoral Boundaries Com-. any more of our cherished mission for Ontario as an- heritage and proud traditions. nounced on August 19th, are not Our identity as the'Oxford' we. only repugnant to the vast have known during our time majority of Oxford County would vanish if the proposed residents, but cannot be sub- redistribution occurred. Pride in stantiated in any logical man- identity is an essential ner, as Oxford County requirement for good citizen - population presently meets the ship. The people of Oxford did required number of voters for a not register their hurt pride, one member constituency. when under the mistaken guise Oxford County, as ppresently of economic processes, the constituted, has a long history Of Government abolished the honourable and loyal traditions "Oxford Rifles" a regiment of that cannot be surpassed by Militia that Oxford was in - residents of any comparable tensely proud of and which area. Through the years, the contributed greatly to Canada's proud name of Oxford (possibly heroic efforts in bath World the banner county of Ontario) Wars, as well as in peacetime. has been known as the Dairy and. The time will surely come Cheese Capital of Ontario. Her again when the proud men of people, many of whom are Oxford will be needed. Why is descendants of settlers from there a concerted effort made by England, Ireland and Scotland Government and its appointees (as an example - the Scottish to the taking away of incentives, Zorras) are proud of their an- destroying the traditions that cestry who developed from the instilled pride, loyalty, raw forests the wonderful leadership and integrity among country we now have. our people? Are there hidden The history of Oxford must be motives dictating policy rather preserved so that future than for the public good? generations may grow up in the Oxford must not be strangled knowledge that from within her by the lack of understanding on borders many outstanding the part of an appointed com- leaders contributed greatly to mission as to the sterling the development of a better qualities of her people who are Canada - in the fields of united in preserving the prin- statesmanship, sports, ciple of self-determination in agriculture; in every facet of such matters affecting Oxford human endeavour Oxford County. County has consistently been in The proud people of Oxford the forefront of proud must not be bandied around as achievements. mere chattels at the whim of There must be a halt to the those devoid of understanding of gradual erosion of public pride in the historical and traditional the feelings of our people. (values that have made the - Sincerely,. people of Oxford very proud of W. Evan Sutherland, ,their past accomplishments. RR 2, Thamesford Council okays mobile homes A proposed mobile home development off Hwy. 19 jusl south of Ingersoll was approved by Town council Monday by a margin of only one vote. Following a heated discussion by councillors — split almost down the middle on the pros and cons of such a development so close to town — council finallyy overthrew a planning and all• visory committee recom. mendation to oppose the development. the county had obtained options for s0 acres of nrxt lass for. intend on the second concession about a half -mile west of the village Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick revealed in a lelephOnfs interview Monday night the county has bought the site from Grant Hutchinson, of RR 1 Safford, for $W.( M1 And Mr. Sibbick disclosed that the county is looking for up to NO acres of land in the Salford am, The county is currently tryftt# to negotiate options for the rest of the land it needs, but now may be forced into expropriation proceedings because new of the scheme has leaked out, said Mr. Sibbick. He said the 60 acres was. purchased quickly because it was on the market. Mr. Sibbick said a con- sultant's report from M. M: Dillon Ltd had recommended several locations around the county for a landfill site. Salford was one of them. He said county works com- mittee —of which Mr-Jakernaa is a member — had proposed to council that Salford be selected. "He (Mr. Jakeman) now is under a lot of pressure„" Mr. Sibbick said. Mr. Sibbick indicated that test drilling in the soil in Salford was planned after the county has gamed access to the remaining acres. "ibis is a I��gway from becoming a randfidl site," he added. "We still have a lot of testing to do and the province has to approve it yet, so a lot of the opposition is premature." Meanwhile, Grant Hutchison., the former owner of the Salford land, told thee county agriculture federation that he was under the impression the property would be used for housing and small farm operations when he sold it. He said an offer to purchase was received from the Wood- stock legal firm of Treleaven, Graham, White and_Coad for an unnamed buyer. The deal closed Aug. 29. More than 100 federation members voted to oppose the site, while two )did not support the resolution. Blandford-Blenheim Coun. Ross Livingston told the federation the county must find a landfill site immediately to replace an overcrowded one in Holbrook in Norwich Township. The Holbrook site is more than filled to capacity and the Ontario Environment Ministry has ruled that the county must stop rising it by late next year. The federation was presented with a petition from the Salford group. It was signed by fp persons. Salford residents hammered out an accompanying brief in a meeting called over the weekend. The brief said: — The road east of the Salford Intersection is already a dangerous intersection and truck traffic created by a. land- fill site will just make it worse, — Litter on County Road 46 would be an "unsightly mess"; — A landfill site would attract skunks and rats; — Emphasis should be placed on promoting recycling with action from higher levels of government, enforced separation of garbage and establishment of depots for various classifications of wrap, Edgar McKay, of RR S Embro, presided of the Oxford federation, said the property committee of the federation will work with the Salford citirens. Mr. Jakeman said the county should look at recycling and incineration as alternatives. He atso said a Tillsonburg aite could be used for two years as a stop, gap. "Naturally, they (Abe residents) are opposed to a dump in the area and 1 think it would be aPptxiad an in the county,' he altdeli. Mr. Sibbick said Rdwe laid - fill sites in the area won't resemble the Holbrook MW because of new provdtietal. e said the landfill site would even be seen (coin the raad muse of landscaping se warden was echoed by th-West Oxford Couu. man Paton, who told 'the tinel•Heview the public is to be "edu catod" on what landfill site under now stations would look Ilke Agricultural group opposes landfill site By WAYNE MacPHERSON Free Press Woodstock Bureau $100,000 grant for arena R'UUD57'OCK — The Oxford County Federation of Agriculture Is opposing the lo- cation of a county landfill site about a half - mile cast chi SalfoM. Announcement float places third in parade i Fret Press Woodstock Bureau EMBRO A float announcing a $100,000 Wintario lottery grant to aid consturction of the $600,000 Embro and West Zorra arena and community hall managed only to place third in the Embro and West 7orra fair par- ade Monday. Judges awarded first prize to an entry of junior grades at Zorra highland Park Public School. The winner was entitled Small World, Hearings extended on boundary changes Prev Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — The federal electoral boundaries commission for Ontario has ex- tended its hearings in London to two days because of the number of objections raised to proposed boundary changes. Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP (PG —Orford), said Friday the commission has agreed to extend file hearings to Oct. 14 and 15 from the orig- inal plan to hold them on one day — Oct. 14 only. He said between 30 and 4o groups and in. dividuads have sent in notices of objection to a proposal to create a Middlesex -Oxford federal riding that would include `Lorra Township and East Zorra-Tasistock Town. Shift, now in the Oxford riding. Oxford riding would get Burford Township from the Brant riding. T h e most common objection, Dr. Ifalliday said, is the face that, historically, the geographical county boundaries have coincided with Oxford riding boundaries. In addition, he said many families have roots in the area going back 150 years and Oxford gets $408,000 in LIP aid they don't want to be transferred out of the .Oxford riding. 'Another consideration is that Zorra and East Zorra Tavistock townships centre on Woodstock and Ingersoll, not London, Dr. Halliday said. He said rural people in Middlesex "don't want to see this any more than we and the people in Burford which are being pushed into Oxford." Tile orgainzers of the hearings hope that Objections from Oxford residents will be heard Oct. 15, although, arrangements can be made to have them heard the first clay it complications arise, he said. Free Press Woodstock Bureau WO ODSTOCK — Oxford County has received $408,000 in Local Initiatives Pro. gram grafts, Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP (PC — Oxford). announced Saturday. oxford received $7.5,000 in grants Lust year. Successful to -ant applicants will be an- nounced in about six weeks, Dr. Halltda said. Deadline for submitting LIP spplic❑- lirms was last Friday. A cvmstituencp advisory group for Oxford will muke recommendations to Robert An- dras. minlileir of manpower and immigra- tion concerning the LIP applicants. Members of the group ate Dr. Harold Alexander, Ruth Hatt. Jmnes Copeland, Don- ald Crabbs, WaYae Gard801160, Douglas Htlderlcy, John E. King, Matt Lansway. Keith fatter, Joseph Penner and Arthur Rfdrar. - Gas price comes down at city station Gas prices dropped to 66.9 cents a gallon at one Woodstock service station last Friday — the lowest in the city. "We've about tripled business since then," says gas attendent Aubrey Chambers, at Elliott Brothers on Peel St. Although traffic into the station is always busy, cars are now usually lined up five and six at a time before and after hours and during noontime. Co-owner John Elliott says the gas bar was able to lower its prices after the Texaco distributors dropped theirs. Texaco spokesmen could not be reached for comment. Jean Watson, with Shirley Foster after announcement (Staff photo) Jean Watson selected Iwoman of the year' By CHRIS NIXON Sentinel -Review Staff Writer An Innerkip woman has been chosen Woman of the Year by a special committee established by Margaret Birch, provincial secretary for Social Development and overseer of International Woman's Year. Jean Watson, active in the educational field both locally and provincially for the past 29 years, was one of 25 female Ontarians selected for the honor. She and the remaining 24 women were chosen over 260 other nominees. "I was astounded when I received the news," Mrs. Watson said Monday. "I certainly didn't anticipate an honor like this at this stage in my career," said the mother of two daughters and one son. Mrs. Watson was working at Pro resolve Conservative Candlime Harry Parrott's campaign committee office Thursday when she received word of her selection. "I didn't even know I was nominated," she said. According to Lynne Laurie, co-ordinator of Ontario International Women's Year, Mrs. Watson was nominated by the executive of the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario. Mrs. Watson, retired four years ago, is a member of that association's executive, was president and chairman in IW2 and president in 1973- 74. The selections were made by a three -member com- mittee chaired by Lotta Dempsey of the Toronto Star. "The committee went over the list of 260 for a full day before re -checking the lists Wednesday," Mrs. Laurie said. Women of the Year were chosen from a good cross section of the province.' Her involvement in education began in 19M when she was elected to the East Zorra Township School Board. In 1953, she was elected executive secretary of the Ontario School Trustees Association and was editor of the Canadian Journal and Ontario Education. She served in those latter two capacities until 1972. In 1954, she was appointed to the Woodstock Suburban High School Board and in 1954 was elected president of the Ontario Association for Curriculum Development. She became president of the Ontario Education Association in 1959. Mrs. Watson became a member of the board of governors for Fanshawe College in 1966 and one year later was the recipient of a Canada Medal for her in- volvement with the Federation of Woman Teachers Association. Her work with Fanshowe continued into V172, when she was elected vice-chairman of the board of directors. She was reelected to that office the following year, Mrs. Watson's husband. Alex, the former Itmerkip postmaster, died in, 1%3, .i 16 f,) May spray For mosquitoes Encephalitis cases confirmed among 16 By MIKE F'UNSTON of The Free Press Ministry of the environment and Windsor health officials will meet this morning to de. cide whether to spray parts of Windsor with insecticide following the c o n f i r m a t I o n Wednesday of 16 cases of the St. Louis strain Of encephalitis. The St. Louis strain is spread by mosqui- toes. Dr. Joseph Jones, Windsor -Essex medical health officer, said Wednesdav night there are 43 suspected cases in addition to the 14 confirmed. ThirtY-three persons are in hospi- tal and 14 have been discharged. No new cases were reported Wednesday, he said. A Windsor woman who had encephalitis died in Victoria Hospital in London in late August while the death of another woman in Windsor is believed linked to the disease. The latter death occurred Sept. 8 and tests are still being carried out. Dr. Jones said spread of the disease by: mosquitoes has been linked to two main rail lines going into the city. "We've had a lot of wet weather lately and there's a lot of stagnant water (excel lent breeding grounds for mosquitoes) near the tracks that isn't normally there," Health officials will work In co-operation with the environment ministry H the deci- sion to spray is made, he said. "We have to be careful with tiny spraying because some sprays can be too toxic for humans." If it is done then a mild chemical of low toxicity would likely be used, he said. Dr. Jones has also recommended the clos. ing of Point Pelee National Park near Leamington, because the park contains swampy areas where mosquitoes thrive. The park is almost across Lake Erie from Cleveland,. where there is an encephalitis outbreak, said Dr. Jones. Cleveland has about the same number of cases as Windsor. 90 persons witness city Wintario draw By CHRIS NIXON Sentinel -Review staff Writer The holders of ticket 93712 in series 22 and four of the Wintario draw held here Thursday night are richer by $100,000. And 34 other persons holding tickets of that number in any other series are $10,00o richer. Another 28e persons with ticket numers ending in 3712 net $1,000 each and 2,916 persons holding tickets ending in 712 win $100 each. About 90 area residents set aside the provincial election and braved the rain to attend the tenth draw at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 55 on Brant Street. The hall is capable of seating 300, A Branch 55 spokesman blamed the election and inclement weather for the empty seats. No one in the audience claimed winning any money after the.8:30 p.m. draw was completed. On hand for the occasion were Marshall Pollock, QC, and managing director of the Ontario Lottery Corporation, Harvey McCullochchair- man of that organization's board of directors and Rev. Walter McLean, a member of the board. Mr. McCulloch presented the local Legion branch with a trophy which will be competed for in a pee wee minor and major hockey tournament in Woodstock in December. Mr. McLean commended the local entertainment which included a few tunes by the recently -formed Woodstock Pipe Band and a gymnastics display by trampoline artists David Levoinios, Ian Stocker and Larry Wells. This evening's Program is a very real credit to the spirit and talent of your community," he said. The winning numbers emerged from a Ryo-Catteau model lottery machine, reputed to be among the most UP to date machine of its kind in the world. MACHINE COMPACT The machine is compact, Tavto istock police chief resigns under TAVISTOCK — Tavistock Police Chief when It dew eldef has commenced his du - Peter Grant has handed in his resignation, ties, I effective Nov. 30. 1975 or as soonas a new Ile said contents of the police commission Poll(* chief can be found, East Zorra-Tavis- report will not be released until "such time Lock Mayor Harold Vogt announced Thurs- as council decides that It would be of inter, day, est or beneficial to the general public." The action came after a meeting between Mayor Vogt said council unanimously East Zorra-Tavistock Township council and bucked the police commission report. Untarlo Police Commission m a In b e r s An Investigation started following letters Wednesday. to the commission from Chief Grant, former The chief and township council have been reeve William Ducklow of Tavistock and at loggerheads for several weeks over pay- other village residents. ment ofovertime and other matters. Complaints front the police department, , In a news release Thuraday, Mayor or Vogt which includes the chief, a full -tine const- able and a part-time constable, were mainly said: "Upon submission of a report to the over payment for overtime, Fast Zorra.Tavistock Township council on Chief Grant sold prior to the investigation Sept. 17, 1978, by the chairman of the On- that "the muyor and council flatly refuse to tario Police Commission, council concluded pay overtime. I requested them to get extra that, with respect to policing In the former help and they've done nothing about it." The vilpago of"reVIStoek, that Police Chief Peter chief said on Aug. 21, that the village had 18 Grant should be immediately relieved of his - hours of police protection four (toys a week duties." add night hours of protection) ihnm days a liloyur Vogt said Chief Grant will tease to week. perfona any function as a pollue officer Ilowever. In his statement Thursday, fire Mayor Vogl said "council made a written presentation to the pollee department in January of this year pertaining to overtime. However, with an insubordinate and indiffer- ent attitude, the chief rejected the entire contract. "This should be made public as there was some question as to payment of overtime 'hours. "Action against the chief should have been Initiated earlier by council and in particular at a time when Chief Grant stated he would under no condition answer a call to a cer twin business establislmtent (Arlington Motor Hotel), within the village. "There are other contentious issues that toticam council pertaining to the police de- partment but the chief refused to vatuatarily attend the council meetings and on tvro oc- vasions was instructed to attend by resolu- tion." Chief Grant was unavailable for comment Thursday night. Tavistock police said to had gone away for the weekend. stands seven feet high and weighs 480 pounds, A metal body is sur- mounted by a plexiglass sphere which is composed of two hemispheres moving in opposite directions on a horizontal axis. Ten rubber balls, mmnt- bered from zero to nine were introduced into the sphere. The machine was then started and the counter - rotating hemispheres ac- tivated, causing the balls to bounce within the sphere. The selections of the balls were made by pushing a button, a task performed by members of the audience. Consequently, one ball fell at random into a receptacle at the base of the sphere The numbers on the ex- tracted balls represented the digits of the winning ticket number_ An identical machine was used to select the winning series number. The next Wintario draw will be held in Sault Ste, Marie Oct. 2. PCs returned, but in minority NDP takes over opposition spot PC defeats, retirements mean big cabinet shuffle Parrott increases margin in keep*In Oxford ward returns Garner Klynstra Parrott (Liberal) (NDP) (PC) St. Andrews 643 377 1%6 St. David 1149 555 1829 St. George's 893 371 1379 St. John's 461 234 767 St. Patrick's 562 347 1966 Ingersoll 1039 627 1795 Tillsonburg 1390 435 1956 East Zorra-Tavistock 1160 269 1374 Zorra 1734 '434 1600 Norwich 1595 421 2193 South-West Word 1260 493 1716 Total urban vole 6157 2946 9758 Total rural vote 5749 1637 7663 Advance poll 669 92 935 Total vote 12,595 4,675 17,776 Per cent popular vote 35.94 13,34 50.72 /.d%�i� . gjIf; _" I71 Oxford riding Mrs. Parrott smiles as Harry talks to his campaign workers Maff photo) r *\I DAVIS ANNOUNCEMENT Ontario against plan for airport TORONTO (CP) — Ontario Premier William Davis an- nounced Wednesday that the Provincial government abso. utely, is opposed to the con- struction of the Pickering air- port. He told a news conference fol- lowing a cabinet session that the decision was made Wednesday Its a result of negative in- forgsation concerning traffic jancrtnergy problems associated w� air travel. rq. Davis said the federal government went ahead with Plan doomed, officials say OTTAWA (CP) — Transport Minister Jean Marchand said today that Ontario's opposi- tion to the Pickering airport project makes it "almost im- Possible" to build the airport. Although upset by the prov- ince's position, Mr. Marchand said be doubted the federal cab- inet would take the province to court to ensure that services such as roads and sewers are Provided to the airport site, just east of Toronto. Asked whether the Pickering airport is likely to be scrapped, Prime Minister Trudeau said: "I don't know if it is likely but it is possible. If we can save $40o million and the people in Toronto don't mind the con- gestion, then I would be happy to invest the $401) million else- where." Mr. Marchand made the com- ment prior to a federal cabinet meeting to discuss an announce- ment Wednesday by the Ontario government that it now opposes the airport and will not provide services. work while negotiations con. cerning cost sharing were not decided. He said there clearly is no need for an airport at Pickering just northeast of here. Earlier, John Rhodes, minis- ter of transportation and com- munications, said the Ontario government will not provide any servicing such as roads and sewer and water for the airport. Mr Davis and Mr. Rhodes said the government will oppose any expansion of existing facilities at Toronto International Airport at Mallon. QUESTIONS SERVICES The premier said he saw no legal means whereby Ontario would be able to prevent con- struction at the airport, but added he doubts whether the federal government has the right to provide its own services. The NDP leader, Stephen Lewis, told a news conference earlier Wednesday after a caucus meeting that he would ask the Ontario government to stop airport construction. Mr. Davis said the cabinet's decision was made without awareness of the NDP move. Liberal Leader Robert Nixon, Premier Davis ... gives the word whose party has opposed the airport for more than a year, said Mr. Davis's statement is "late in coming." Mr. Davis "seemed to be very elated about the airport three years ago," Mr. Nixon said. Planned redistribution slammed by trustees The Proposed federal electoral boundaries redistribution didn't Sit well with members of the Oxford County Separate School Board so they've decided to send a delegation to London. The Electoral Commission will,ehear complaints about redietribution during a two-day session in London, Oct. 14 and 15. C The proposed changes for Oxford riding will mean Tavistock will be shuffled Into Middlesex -Oxford riding and several other communities in the west of the county will also be taken out of the county. "There's no bloody way," said James Copeland, chairman of the Board. I don't know why they want to do this, they should leave it the way it is." He said he didn't understand why, with the aim of 80,000 people in a riding, the Com- mission would want to knock off 9.000 of Oxford's 81,9oo. "It's just going to confuse the county when it comes to federal elections Just like Blenheim and Blandfo do provincially," said r'rank Sloan, director of Education said the request for the board's comment came from Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP for Oxford. Mr. Sloan said Dr. Halliday was asking the Board to con- sider the matter not as a Board matter, as much as something that will affect the "Community interest". He said Dr. Halliday was not coming to the school board but coming to 12 people who represent the interest of the county. Mr. Sloan said that since the Oxford County Board of Education also planned to send a deleggation to the hearings in tamdon, perhaps the two boards could make a joint presentation. Mr. Copeland and Lloyd Zinger were approved as representatives to work on a brief for the Commission. Metric scale deadline will be met by schools The onset of the metric system making it official," he said, isn't far off and the Ministry of Secondary school Instruction Education is sure at least one in metrics will begin in 1976, but segment of the population will expensive shop equipment will be prepared when it does come, have to be purchased over a The Ministry released a policy period of time, Mr. Johnston statement for leachers this said. week that shows they mean With the committee's aim to business, advise the board on metric The policy statement says the implementation, one of the first schools should be priorities is to educate the "predominately metric" by teachers, he said. 19M, two years before the "The committee's main national deadline of 1900. concern this r will be to Kerry Johnston, chairman of provide works for teachers Oxford School Board's metrics who feel a for additional implementation committee, professional development," he says area schools will meet the said. deadline. And also to help out the The metric system is already teachers, the ministry of being taught at the elementary education will soon release a school level, he said. Metric Style guide for teachers, While the provincial govern- he said. ment guidelines say elementary Instruction was to begin In 1975 Mr. Johnston said some areas in the schools will be affected and 1976, Oxford county public more than others by the schools have been teaching the changeover to the metric system longer than that. system, "The teaching of Those areas, he said, were measurement is complete in the home economics, science. Kindergarten to grade six levels shops, mathematics and in a large number of classes, so physical education. the ministry regulations are just He said the public would soon be getting weather reports in the metric scales and consumer packaging is already being "It's not just the school kids this will effect," he said, 'It's going to be hitting all of us." FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 26, 1975 Oxford opposition grows to proposed change Opposition is growing in Oxford County to proposed boundary changes in the federal riding of Oxford. Oxford MP Bruce Halliday reckons between 30 and 40 groups in the county will oppose the proposals of the federal electoral boundary commission at hearings slated for London, Oct. 14 and 15. The commission has suggested splitting the current Oxford riding in two, with areas generally north and west of the Thames River being lumped in with rural Middlesex County to form a new riding of Middlesex -Oxford. The remainder of Oxford County plus Burford Township in Brant County would make up Oxford riding, The proposals have puzzled Dr, Halliday. He claims the population of the county, about 80,000, is ideal for a federal riding and the proposed boundary changes ignore the traditions of a century in the area. The latest addition to the growing opposition to the riding boundary changes was the Oxford County Roman Catholic Separate School Board. A member of the board suggested boundary changes would cause confusion among the electorate as they did in the recent provincial election with Blandford-Blenheim. added to the riding of Brant -Oxford- Norfolk. The provincial riding of Oxford, which lost Blandford to the Brant - Oxford -Norfolk riding in recent redistribution, could have been. carved up even more had it not been for united opposition from the county. The original provincial redistribution, proposal had included areas in Norwich and Tillsonburg for inclusion in the Brant -Oxford -Norfolk riding, With this as a precedent, united opposition to the proposed federal boundary changes could have a great effect on the final recommendations of the federal electoral boundaries commission. London mayor champion Free Press Woodstock Bureau I,NGERSOLL — London Mayor Jane Bige- low rolled up her jeans, kicked off her shoes and trampled out enough juice to win the '.Mayor's Grape Stoup at the annual Inger- soll Wine and Cheese Festival Saturday. Rig feet didn't mean a thing as Mrs. Bige- lorv, dubbed the Thames Valley Tornado, out -stomped her all -male opponents to pro. dta�e a record 18-and-a-half pounds of juice by mangling the grapes in a bathtub. Mayor .Fred "Tohacco Leaf' Peacock of Deihl was second with 13-and-a-half pounds of juice. A good portion of his grapes were crushed when he accidently slipped into the vat. SL Thomas .Mayor William "Elgin. Flash" Neat was third with 13 pounds of juice. Other competitors included last year's winner, Mayor Gordon "The Champ" Henry of Ingersoll, Mayor Les "Fast -Footed" Cook PIPELINE PROGRESS Work is underway near oil from Sarnia to Montreal. end of the year, rainy weather Embro on the Interprovincial Although the pipeline is ex- has slowed work considerably. Pipeline which will carry crude petted to be completed by the (Staff photo) GIaSP;;o Cay LSO, -% O s7� .0 '� a .q0 O C ; a� N V x� m6 BLUES CHASER Part of the wage-earner's problem Is that his pay cheques are minus tax — whereas bills are plus fax. grape stomper of Woodstock and George "Sugar flush" Jakeman, mayor Of Southwest Oxford Town- ship. Conpetitlors in the stomp contest were al- lowed three minutes to ravage the grapes with the stomper extracting the most juice, according to weight, declaredthe winner. "We originally started out with a to - minute stomp," master of ceremonies Stew Thertell said. "But in 1909 we almost killed the mayor of Paris, who is on the elderly side, so it was reduced to three minutes. Stompers are helped by a "slave girl" who keeps the drain clear of pulp to let the Juice flow freely Into a milk can where it's measured. .1 • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 i:00 AM. to Noon - OLD TYME MARKET Memorial Centre. No Charge. Home baking, crafts, fresh fruits and vegetables. Convenors - Annette & John Gillis All Day - I.B.A. SIDEWALK SALE Convenor Bob Mott 4:00 P.M -- BIG CHEESE CAR RALLY Novice Family event. Scout Bldg., Victoria Park. Expert Class for Rallyists -- Simple Instructions. 80 to 90 miles. 3 to 31),2 hours. $3.00 - car. Convenor & Registration- Lynda Haycock,485-4683. 9:00 P.M. -- THE CHEESETOWN PUB DANCE Music by the Kas Kades. Memorial Centre. Dress casual. $5.00 per couple. Souvenir Tankards. Convenors - Mike & Mary Hutt ********** Watch for IDCI Centennial Events During Festival Week. CHEESE WAGON operated by Senior Citizens Throughout Festival Week Convenor- Helen Beynon ********** FESTIVAL TICKET OFFICE Located at Corner of Thames and Charles Streets 7�Fridays mg - e68131h. 72:00Noonto-8 P.M. ne? & 14th. 10: A.M. to5:00 P.M. Regular —furs -Opening Sept. 2nd. Noon to 5:30 P.M. Fri. Noon to 8:00 Closed Wednesdays During July & Aug. - Tickets Available By Mail or at Alf Boniface Confectionery Mail orders for tickets from Special Events Committee P.O. Box84, Ingersoll, Ontario Please send cheque or money order with requests for tickets Avoid Dissappointment- Order Early Welcome Committee Paul & Carol Stueck Don't forget to wear your Festival F4ower every day. Available at Festival Office Convenor Olive Huntley FE5TIVAL'76 SEPTEMBER 18 To SEPTEMBER 25, 1976 INGERSOLL 1975 Cheese and Wine F estiva I Events LUNUS 0 September 20 to September 27 • 0 CHEESE AND WINE FESTIVAL EVENTS SEPTEMBER 20 TO 271 1975 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 12:20 P.M -- PARADE - - Victoria Parkto Memorial Centre via Noxon St. to Thames St. Local National Floats Entry forms available, apply P.O. Box 84. Convenor - Neil Fishwick At Conclusion of Parade MAYOR'S GRAPE STOMP Memorial Centre. No charge. Convenor - Jim Robins 9:00 P.M. -- CHAMPAGNE BALL Memorial Centre. Music By The Jimmy Dorsey Band Souvenirglass. S20.00 per couple. Advance sale. Avoid Disappointment- Order Early. Convenor - Cliff & Mar j Martin 11:00 P.M. -- FESTIVAL QUEEN SELECTION At Champagne Ball Memorial Centre. Convenor - Shirley Bier SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 12:30 P.M -- FRIENDSHIP VISITS to Hospital, Nursing Homes and over 90 year olds. Official visit with the Mayor and Festival Queen. Convenor Jean Simpson 1:00 P.M. -- FUNSHINE SUNDAY - - Memorial Park. Activities and Entertainment For the Whole Family. Plan to Eat Lunch At Our"Funshine Fry" No Admission 8:00 P.M. -- MESSAGE OF CELEBRATION St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. Featuring "Credo" Silver Collection Convenor Bob Clemens MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 8:00 P.M - IT'S A SMALL WORLD TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 8:00 P.M. TO ? -- FUNGALORE No Charge Henderson Hall Dancing and Singing For the 60's or More Convenors - Jean & Fred Brady WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 8:00 TO MIDNITE -- ROMAN TASTING PARTY Souvenir Glass. Memorial Centre. Foreign Wines To Try, Old Favorites To Buy Advance Sale S2.50 Per Person Convenors Jean & Zip Cole THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 CALICO KITCHEN -- Henderson Hall 11:30 to 12:45 P.M. - BUSINESS LUNCHEON. $2.50 per person. 1:30 P.M - LADI ES LUNCHEON. Speaker Edna Staebler Author "Food That Really Schmecks" A salute to Italy S3.50 per person. Convenor -Isabel Ward 1:00 to 10:00 P.M. & FRIDAY AFTERNOON ANTIQUE SHOW & SALE Fellowship Hall $1.00 per person Church St. Furniture, Glass, Jewellery Refreshments Convenor- Bill Hawkins FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 9: 00 P.M- TO 1:00 A.M. -- CABARET NIGHT AT CHEESER'S PALACE Semi -Formal Memorial Centre. Floor Show, Dancing, Gaming Tables $2.50 per person Advance sale. Convenors Wilson & Barb McBeth 8:30 P.M. -- LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL Ingersoll Collegiate. Ingersoll Collegiate, Tour The World With Local Talent $1.00 per person $2.00 advance $2.50 per person at door. Convenor Christine Williams Convenor - Larry Bannon • *! County council votes for alternate bypass By GORD McINTOSH SentinebReview Staff Writer Despite last-minute arguments from Woodstock councillors, Oxford County council Wednesday night voted 12 to 4 to push for County Road 6 as a route to bypass traffic around the city. Council became the latest of four Oxford municipal councils, including Ingersoll and South - No county action on Tfburg request Oxford County council Wednesday night would not take action on a request from Tillsonburg to include the ex- tension of Concession Street East in the town in the county road budget. The town wants Concession Street extended with counttyy money the same way Wood - stock's Devonshire Avenue east of Clarke Street to Lansdowne Avenue was rebuilt earlier this year. Woodstock persuaded the county to declare that section of Devonshire a county road so it could get some value from its county levy, which the city had to pay for the first time because of restructuring. But council decided Wed- nesday night that further ad- ditions to the county road system must wait for com- pletion of a consultants study commissioned last May to determine which roads should be taken over under restruc- turing. Under the Oxford restruc- turing act, the county took responsibility from area municipalities for suburban roads. ' Tillsonburg Mayor Seldon Wilkinson and Tillsonburg Coun. Kenneth Webster said the road extension is needed to provide extra access into the town and to relieve traffic congestion on Concession Street at Tillson Avenue and Oxford Street, the .old section of Highway 3. ' I take a rather dim view of one of the municipalities trying to get a road included when it doesn't adhere to provincial criteria for the study, ' Warden Perry Sibbick said. Sutherland to head ex -warden group William Sutherland was elected president of the Oxford County Ex -Wardens Association at the organization's annual meeting Thursday night. Mr. Sutherland, who was reeve of the former municipality of West Zorra Township, now part of Zorra Township, served as county warden In 1964. He succeeds former Blenheim Township reeve Peter McDonald, who was warden in 1963, A former reeve of Dereham Township, Harry Armstrong, was elected first vice-president, and Hugh Munro, former reeve of East Nissouri Township, was named second vice-president, Elected directors of the association were Vernon Cuth- bert, former reeve of West Oxford Township; Glen Kitchen, former reeve of East Oxford Township; and Gordon Aa en former reeve of Blan fort Township. William Sutherland .. 1964 warden West Oxford, to oppose the bypass route proposed by consultants and running just west of Woodstock. Only Woodstock has endorsed the route. Traffic count figures compiled last month by De Leuw Cather Ltd., engineering consultants, and prepared for consideration at Wednesday night's meeting, indicated that the proposed bypass route would divert far more north and south traffic from Woodstock than County Road 6 would. AVERAGE DAY The figures, based on origins .and destinations of vehicles travelling on Highway 59, North 'say the proposed route would remove 1,100 cars and 380 trucks from the highway on an average day while a County Road 6 route would remove only 120 cars and 20 trucks. But the figures received little mention as council passed its motion urging County Road 6 as the bypass route between Folden Road and Highway 401. The motion was originally proposed July 10 by Woodstock Aid. William Duton, who says the route Dropsed by De Leuw Cather would do nothing for municipalities around Wood- stock. Since its introduction, Aid. Dutton's motion has been tabled three times, the last time Aug. 27 when several Woodstock - councillors pushed for the latest traffic -count figguurres. Woodstock Ald. Walter Huhne challenged council to refute the new traffic -count figures. He found no takers. And Woodstock Aid. Joseph Pember told council the area that would be affected by t¢e proposed route, including gra el quarries and farm land, w Id eventually be marked for development, anyway. "This road is going to help the county because it will hold development," Aid. Pember said. "It will lock (developed) land in. "I just can't see us spending that money for professional opinion and then just throwing it away. "Sometimes you have tasay the experts are right and the public is wrong. Most of the people don't care one way or the other. VOTING COUNT Voting for County Road 6 were Zorra Coun. Robert Blair, Norwich Mayor Leslie Dickson, Aid, Dutton, Ingersoll Coun, Douglas Harris, Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry, Bland - ford -Blenheim Coun, Ross Livingston, Zorra Mayor Robert Matheson, South-West Oxford Coun. Norman Paton, Norwich Coun. Kennetb Peers, Warden Perry Sibbick who is Blandford- Walter Hulme ... issues challenge Voting against County Road 6 were Woodstock Aid. Wendy Calder, Aid. Hulme, Aid. Pember and East Zorra- Tavistock Conn. George Wilhelm. Absent were Woodstock Mayor Leslie Cook, East Zorra- Tavistock Mayor Harold Vogt, South-West Oxford Mayor George Jakeman, who are all on vacation, and Woodstock Aid. Philip Poole, who was away because of a family death. The route proposed by the consultants would run southwest Joseph Pember ...deplores waste off Highway 59 North to cut through County Road 30 and Governor's Road and then further south to connect with Highway 401 at Mill Street. Final word on a bypass route will rest with the Ontario ministry of transportation and communications. The consulting team headed by De Leuw Cather is to present its proposal to ministry officials this month at a meeting in Toronto. Mayors from Oxford municipalities are also to be at the meeting. Lease renewal turned down for parkland Oxford County tycouncil Wednesday nigh renew leases on land slated for a park between Beachville and Ingersoll along the Thames River. Canada Cement Lafarge Ltd., which sold the land to the county earlier this year, had leased parcels to farmers for pasture use, The leases expire Dec. 31. Council's administration and finance committee recom- mended that the leases not be renewed because the land should be available for public use as soon as possible, said Norwich Mayor Leslie Dickson, committee chairman. BLUES CHASER Mayta+,}t'wt c:au't take ft nilh coo, but it's nice that there is vile place YOU can tau without it. '76 school additions to cost $2,207,000 Norwich mayor Tp. preferY s largely park tree Press Woodstock Bureau BEACHVILLE — Norwich Township Alayor Leslie Dickson, touring the 260-acre site of a Beachvilledp-Woodstock park Sun- day, said he would prefer to see the area kept largely- undeveloped. Mayor Dickson, chairman of Oxfords County council's administration mid finance committee, said there is no use trying to ctvw trees next to the Thames River which hoods regularly, "Some would like to develop it consider- ably and 1 wouldn't like to develop it at all except for planting a few trees on high spots," lie said. I could see the river as being a canoe course only," he said. "I can't see motor boats," he said, suggesting the water is too shallow. Mayor Dickson, who viewed the park with other members of his commission, said there is no doubt some Picnic area will be Provided. But he said picnic areas mean garbage problems. A SUNDAY STROLL County councillors visit park to see what they got Members of county council and interested citizens stroll through the rev parkland near Beachville. (Staff Photo) Councillors from South-West Oxford Town- ship, Mayor Dickson said, are interested in obtaining a portion of the park site for a ball field, although it has yet to go to county council for consideration. Gerald R. Staples, county clerk -treasurer said contact has been made with ministry of natural resources Planners at Aylmer to ob- tain assistance in establishing a master plan for the park. Mayor Dickson said the Beachville-to- Woodstock park, between the CNR mainline and CPR line, will be available to the public '.on obtaining the deed from Canada Cement- LaFarge Ltd., and after existing leases for cattle grazing expire Jan. 1. The property is being Purchased for $50;000. It is the first county park, he said, al- though Oxford has more than 800 acres of county forests managed under agreement with the ministry of natural resources. One site, Zenda forestry tract, has a trout pond, he said. Oxford is also developing a 10-acre arborn trim, or display of a wide variety of trees on a site north of the Thames River, south of IInnerkip, he said. Mayor Dickson said he is hopeful that about 100 varieties of trees will be planted, There are 50 to 60 varieties which grow readily in this area,, but Plans are to bring in other varieties which will thrive in this local climate. 1975 -ee Anti -Rabies Clinics -Oxford Couni To reduce the danger of Rabies infection in dogs and cats HAVE THEM VACCINATED Tuesday, FOLDENSCORNERS New Township Garage 9:OOA.M:12:00 Noon October 14, 1975 BEACHVILLE Gord's BP Station 2:OO P.M.-6:00 F.M. No.2 Highway (East) Wednesday, WOODSTOCK Para Mutual Bldg. 9:00 A.M: 12:00 Noon October 15,1975 Fairgrounds 2:00 P.M: 7:00 P.M. Thursday, KINTORE Township Garage 9:00 A.M: 12:00 Noon October 16, 1975 EMBRO Fire Hall 2:00 P.M: 6:00 P.M. Friday, PLATTSVILLE Community Centre 9:00 A.M.-12:00 Noon October 17, 1975 Monday, BRIGHT Fire Hall 9:00 A.M: 12:00 Now October 20,1975 INNERKIP Fire Hall 2:00 P.M: 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, DRUMBO New Township Garage 9•00 a.m. - 12.00 moan October 21, 1975 HICKSON Fire Hall 2.00 P.M. - 6.00 p.m. Wednesday, WOODSTOCK Para Mutual Bldg. 9:00 Ahl: 12:00 Now October 22, 1975 Fairgrounds 2:00 P.M: 6:00 P.M. Thursday, DEREHAM CENTRE New Township Garage 9:00 A.M; 12:00 Now October 23, 1975 INGERSOLL Former Liquor Control 12 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Board Store Friday, OTTERVILLE Fire Hall 9:00 A.M:12:00 Noon October 24, 1975 Monday, OXFORD CENTRE Community Centre 9:00 A.M: 12:00 Noon October 27, 1975 NORWICH Fire Hall 2:00 P.M: 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, BURGESSVILLE Fire Hall 9:00 A.M; 12:00 Noon October 26, 1975 TAVISTOCK Fire Hall 2:00 P.M. 6100 P,M. Wednesday, TILLSONBURG Works Dept Garage 2:00 P.M.-7:00 P,M. October 29, 1975 20 Foundry St, Thursday, TI4AMESFORD Fire Hail 2:00 P.M. 6:00 PM. October 30, 1975 Due to the incidence of rabies in skunks, fora and other wildlite in Oxford County, rabies clincis are again being requested by County Council. Your pat may become Infected if m contact with a wild animal suffering from Rabies. You, in turn, we subject to infection if bitten or scratched by a rabid animal. The shove Rabies Clinics are being conducted by Agriculture Canada, Health of Animals Branch in coopeasilion with Oxford County Councg and Oxford County Health Unit. Dogs and can Mould be vaccinated entry Vast for better immunity, Vaccination is FREE OF CHARGE TO OWNERS REGARDLESS OF COUNTY OF RESIDENCE and you we urged to present your dots and can for vaccine aon at ANY clinic. PLEASE BRING ONLY DOGS AND CATS FOR VAACCIINAT O peen. QVM Dr. G. O, Sutherland, Health of Attired, Branch„ Oxford County Health Unit, Agriculture Catads, Woodatodt, Ontario. Telephone 539,6121, 69 Light St., Woodstock. Om. Telephone 537 6791. 0 Parrott joins cabinet in shuffle of 15 Universities seat for Oxford MPP BYPAULKNOWLES Oxford County M.P.P. Dr. Harry Parrott was sworn in as a member of the provincial cabinet on Tuesday morning. Dr. Parrott, who was re-elected to his second term on Sep- tember 18, has joined Premier William Davis' cabinet as Minister of Colleges and Universities. Mid -way in his first term, Dr. Parrott was named Parliamentary Assistant to James Auld, then Minister of Colleges and Universities. In yesterday's cabinet shuffle, Mr. Auld moved to the management board of cabinet, and Dr. Parrott moved down the hall to the Minister's office. Harry Parrott is one of seven new cabinet ministers named by Premier Davis yesterday. Eight veterans changed port- folios, and 10 retained their post from the last session of Queen's Park. Dr. Parrott, interviewed last night by this paper, noted that immediately following his swearing -in at 10 a.m., in the chambers of Lieutenant Governor Pauline McGibbon, he attended his first cabinet meeting. But despite the added load of being a cabinet minister, the Oxford M.P.P. intends to remain, first of all, the Oxford M.P.P. Former reeve's funeral scheduled for Thursday WOODb"lY)CK — Funeral service for H. Clair Peers, 87, of RR 4, Woodstock, a for- mer reeve of East Oxford Township, has been set for Thursday in Woodstock. He died Monday. Mr. Peers, who served on township council as councillor from1940 to 1945, was reeve in IW6 and 1947. A son, Kenneth Peers of RR 4, Woodstock, also a former reeve of the township, is coun- cillor at large for Norwich Township, The elder Mr. Peers was a past president (It ft:Toronto District Milk Producers AM. clatibe. posts BLUES CHASER Movies are made by directors in their Xs, for producers in their 40s, for distributors in their Gos, for teen -alters. DR. HARRY PARROTT, front Queen's Park as Minister of conducted by Lieut.-Gov. who becomes Chairman of the right, MPP for Oxford County, Colleges and Universities. The Pauline McGibbon, left. Dr. Management Board. (Toronto was sworn inyesterday at swearing -in ceremony was Parrott replaces James Auld Bureau Photo) PEERS — At Woodstock General Hospital on Monday, October 6, 1975, H. Clair Peers beloved husband of the late Lilian Margaret Clarke of Lot 7, Concession 4, East Oxford (Stage Rd.) in his 88th year, dear father of Kenneth, of East Oxford, and grandfather of i David and Nancy Peers. Friends will be received at the M. D. (Mac) Smith Funeral Home, M Wellington St., N. Woodstock commencing on Tuesday at 7 p.m. where funeral service will be held on Thursday at 2 p.m. with Rev. W. A. Henderson of Knox Presbyterian Church of- ficiating. Interment in Presbyterian Cemetery. 08-71 County arboretum plan completed by ministry Ontario natural resources ministry officials have com- pleted the design of the Oxford County arboretum off County Road 4. Plans shown to county ad - Ministration and finance committee Wednesday call for 464 trees of different varieties on the site two miles south of Innerkip. John Nolan of the ministry told the committee the trees are being planted in clusters of four. The ministry will be planting trees ranging from white cedar to tamarack from Northern Ontario, he added. He said there should be ample parking space in 1.6-acre parking lot. Planting will take place over the next year, The arboretum is among several forest tracts in Oxford being developed jointly by the county and the ministry. Librarians take day off to develop Oxford County Library was closed Wednesday while its 26 supervisors and staff members took part in a development day at Ridgetown. The supervisors travelled to. Ridgetown, where they toured Bookshelf Binding Ltd. In past years, the library staff has set aside one day for a workshop but, said chief librarian Jane Webb "this vear, we did something just a little different, " The library resumed operations today, open the regular haws from 9 a.m. to s p.m. NO PURPOSE SPECIFIED GM wants rezoning — but planners cautious General Motors wants the Woodstock property for urban specify for what purpose. county to rezone their 300-acre industrial use, although it won't The company has no im- BLUES CHASER Of course. you can enjoy a glorious vacation and stay within your budget. But not in the same summer. Reid to retire as commissioner free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — William A. Reid said Wednesday he will retire as Woodstock indus- trial commissioner next January. Mayor Leslie Cook said the position will likely be phased out because industrial promo- tion has became an Oxford County responsibil- ity. He said Mr. Reid, in his late 60s, has agreed to stay on to assist in the sale of the remaining., 150 acres of industrial land owned by the city. The mayor said Mr. Reid played an impor- tant part in the development of the city's southeast Industrial area. Mr. Held became industrial commissioner fit:. 1970 after serving as a member of the former industrial commission. i a. N's° Q+O• N uo,,gypp, _— w o w 3 � p�.BC 3a _ ��'r.9�'ip amaVi �05�pLy��_00 34 y O G _♦ Al �_m w in mv_C.- e`er �wai�v-o.G.w,.a EuMWO y 44s 0 O J O� Sy� `u�ova+�a3o3ca>.5e`.con 1/V11J ��i��yM W� WO 0,� G� �L maio S3 a 'd lit&w r 4A NO T ■_��IjS'3ca a/{¢'.4', 5ya,,`a � C,5� q yyv pu � u�'Sc"gW.i 5 ^Q pY a'.r'i. CV At Hy,'um O iio3c�WIN* � Oxford to protest change in riding By GORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer The proposed federal electoral riding of Middlesex -Oxford would mean a candidate would have to be from London to win an election because of a con- centration of urban voters, Oxford County Warden Perry Sibbick says in a brief to be presented next week. Mr. Sibbick is to appear before the federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario Tuesday at a public hearing in London to oppose a redistribution plan that would split the Oxford federal riding (roughly along the Thames River. �The townships of East-Zorra- i Tavistock and Zorra west of the i Thames would become part of a new riding of Middlesex -Oxford with half of the electors coming from London. The rest of the Oxford riding would remain I intact while taking in Burford identity and geographical 'Township in Brant County. boundaries." Mr. Sibbick says Oxford The warden adds: County should be allowed to —In addition to losing two remain as a distinct riding as it townships if Oxford is carved has provincially because the up, over 15,000 residents or 18 area "contains a more per cent of the county s preferable mix of residents— population would be switched to certainly one with more proven the new riding; common interests and historical —Oxford's 81,043 population background." meets the commission's "We believe all the people of quotient for equitable ridings in Oxford can best be served by a Ontario within 42 people; person who has campaigned: —The London area could be exclusively in Oxford County, divided into three ridinis who stands a good chance of meeting the commissions being a resident of Oxford and quotient very closely with an who can provide the necessary average 78,943 population, access and service for the job, without spreading beyond the Mr. Sibbick says. boundaries of the city; "We honestly believe the —The new riding would contain creation of the �troposed district "a mix -match of urban, known as Middlesex -Oxford will suburban and rural residents confuse the elector, disturb the who have few common interests county's community of interest, nor even a common related reduce participation in political name"; activities and disrupt existing —The province has seen fit to political associations." maintain the basic county Oxford, he says, has retained boundaries, both in restruc- its boundaries since Con- turing and provincial riding federation, first with two redistribution this year. electoral districts, Oxford North The warden's brief was and Oxford South, and one whole prepared by Oxford County riding since 1935, clerk -treasurer Gerald Staples "There has never been a and distributed to county concentration of residency council's administration and among our members," he says. finance committee Wednesday. ,.The growth of Oxford County County council passed a has been well con tefned and has-nmdnHno onnnsina the Mid - not been subjected to rapid urbanization. 'Obviously the commissions of the past have recognized Oxford as an ideal federal electoral district particularly because of Its population, community of Interest, pride of Ids hearings Tuesday and edneaday at the Faculty of lw building at London's liversity of Western Ontario. Mr. Sibbick's brief was to be .rented Tuesday afternoon, mediate plans to develop the whole parcel off Highway 401, but wants it ready when needed, General Motors representative Glenn Bumstead told Oxford County planning committee Thursday. We're not looking at this year and probably not next year," Mr. Bumstead said. "Things happen quickly and we have to meet them as they happen. By the time we get to a point we know what we want to put on a site, we almost have to be ready to start construction, If we don't, we lose it." Bill Stirling, director of plant engineering, said only one-third the site is currently under construction for a plant to open in January. 1 "There's enough land [here you could probably put two other buildings of the size of the warehouse we're building now," Mr. Stirling said. "It could be an assembly plant, centre for parts manufacturing or a major of- fice. Although he wouldn't elaborate on General Motor's specific future needs,. Mr. Bumstead said the site would require a basic water system for consumption and fire protection. storm and sanitary sewers and ready access to major road- ways. "You're requesting a whole . bunch of services we can't provnide,' committee chairman Keneth Webster said, referring to the freeze on major con- struction in Woodstock until current sewage treatment facilities are.expanded. "Don't you think you're a little { premature in your rezoning request!" Mr. Bumstead said rezoning now wouldn't mean develop- ment would mushroom on the site overnight. "Once this has become urban, we're still not going to be in a position to build anything. without your permission," he. said. "We �just want the land , there waiting." "Woodstock is going to have to bear the brunt of services you 'mentioned," Woodstock alderman Wendy Calder said. "I'm concerned what impact your developpent is going to have on a commre unity of our size you didn't mention housing, schools or fire protection." "If this area is developed it's going to mean employment, then housing and the rest that comes with it," Mr, Bumstead said. "We feel this area is a natural for industrial development. Whatever happens will be of benefit to the community Councillor Norman Patton pointed out that the policy has been that the county doesn't approve rezoning until they're aware of future use. The committee unanimously voted to circulate the company's application, reserving judgment until after they get community reaction. MP named UN observer Dr. Bruce Halliday, Member of Parliament for Oxford, has been chosen to be among parliamentary observers at - the United Nations General Assembly this week. Besides participating in work of the 30th assembly session, the Iayearold MP will also be involved with standing com- mittees. Boycott threatened over closed meet4F ing Woodstock Aid. ,foseph Pember vowed Wednesday to boycott meetings of an Oxford County council committee unless the sessions are opened to the Public. Ald. Pember issued the challenge to his colleagues on the public works committee when he told county council meetings should be held in camera only for bona fide legal and personnel matters. If the committee feels it has to be closed to the public, unless it's on a legal or personnel matter, then I will not attend that meeting," he said of a +> Residents object to landfill site Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A proposed Oxford County sanitary landfill site near Salford will leak garbage run-off into the town's water systems, a Salford area delegation told county council Wednesday. Louis Barrett, delegation chairman, said there are six swamps on the site, 1,200 feet east of the hamlet, three of which overflow in wet seasons and four of which have tile out- lets. "We are of the opinion that water from these swamp areas is feeding some of. our shallow wells and that they may be polluted by runoff from the. garbage," Mr. Barrett said. Warden Perry Sibbick suggested that the ministry of the environment should conduct tests on the site to substantiate the delega- tion's claims that the site is unsuitable. Mr. Barrett, a retired engineer, said he thought the ministry would find veins of gravel in the clay, "and 99 per cent of the time the vein of gravel is a water -bearing vein, he said. Mayor Leslie Dickson, Norwich Township, said councillors were not aware of gravel de- posits at the Salford site, but were convinced by reports from the M. M. Dillon Ltd. of Lon- don that it was one of only three sites in the county which would lend itself to use as a landfill site. Mr. Sibbick said the county has purchased 60 acreson the site but wants to expand it to 200 acres. He said the site would last 15 to 20 years, and that six existing landfill sites will last for only three to six months more. He said plans are being made to truck gar- bage from each of the existing landfill sites to the new county site. He said the alternative site choices aren't being followed up and aren't being disclosed. Mayor George Jakeman of South-West Ox- ford Township said the London consultants advised against proposed sites in Woodstock and Tillsonburg because of leaching problems but made no mention of gravel deposits at the Salford site. In other business, council decided not to form a county building inspection system. In- gersoll was reported to be the only munici- pality in favor, although Blandford-Blenhelin Township was inquiring about costs. Council supported a Brant County submis- slon to the electoral boundaries commission, seeking to retain Burford Township in the new federal riding of Brant. Burford Township was to be added to Oxford riding. The proposal will be presented to a hearing in Welland Oct. 28. meeting set for Oct. 23. County council's three other standing committees meet openly, but the public and the news media have been excluded from works committee since it was formed last January. Ald. Pember said the com- mittee members have felt they Mobile homes park comes under attack An Oxford County council showdown over a proposed South-West Oxford mobile home site was postponed Wednesday by procedure — pending a deputation from the developer. The 2B-acre mobile home site, endorsed, with reservations, last week by county planning committee, was the targetof strong objections from several councillors, Including Ingersoll mayor Gordon Henry. The proposal was set aside until later in the meeting while council dealt with the rest of planning committee's recom- mendations, but before debate could be renewed South-West Oxford Mayor George Jakeman made a motion to table the matter for a presentation from developer Russell Clifford. Under rules of procedure, a motion to table a matter cannot be debatedexcept over the length of time it is to take effect. Council agreed after taking 20 minutes to dispute procedure. The mobile home park would consist of 101 units, Iva miles south of downtown, Ingersoll off Highway 19 in South-West Oxford. Mr. Henry said the park would residents constitute there wouldnhegtaking developer's appearance. advantage of Ingersoll amenities such as parks and .recreation facilities while town ratepayers foot the bill. He was echoed by Woodstock Ald, Joseph Pember. Both men criticized a lagoon sewage - disposal system they said would be used with the park. But Mr. Jakeman said thgg lagoon has been taken out of plans for the park. The proposal should be tabled because of "mis-information" being circulated about it, Mr. Jakeman said could speak more freely if reporters were not present at their meetings. "If I can't say It when the Press is there, I shouldn't say it at all," Aid- Pember added. Tillsonburg Mayor Seldon Wilkinson, works committee chairman, told reporters after the council meeting it didn't matter to him "one way or the other" if the sessions were public or not. He said that, as committee chairman, he had nothing to do with the committee's decision to "elude the public, Another committee member, South-West Oxford Mayor George Jakeman, said he was undecided about open meetings. East Zorra-Tavistock Coum George Wilhelm said he was in favor of open meetings Warden Perry Sibtiick, who has a seat on all standing committees, has been a vocal critic of most closed meetings. Aid. Pember also told council he won't accept any deductions from his pay cheque from the county for walking out of the committee meetings. "H I am deducted for not attending that meeting, all hell will be raised by me." he said. He said he had no objections to the county's purchase of so acres of farm land near Salford for a proposed landfill site being conducted in closed session because a municipality has the right to get the best purchase price it can, But, he said, the purchase must have been leaked by a county councillor to Salford area residents because inquiries were being made before a story on the proposal first appeared in The Sentinel -Review Sept. 11, Salford residents have mounted a protest vigorous against the landfill site with the backing of the Oxford Federation of Agriculture and several South-West Oxford Township councillors, including Mr. Jakeman. PUC increases rate for hydro 20.8 p.c. 0 Trudeau imposes 10 P . c. ceiling on prices, wages By ISAAC TURNER of The Free Press OTTAWA — Prime Minister Trudeau unveiled his economic program to solve Can- ada's current economic problems Monday night. It includes guidelines which restrict wage and price increases to to per cent per yeMrar. . Trudeau announced formation of a new anti.inflation review board and a "special ad- ministrator" to roil back any excessive in- creases effective at midnight Monday. The program, described by Mr. Trudeau as the heaviest imposed upon Canadians since the Second World War, will restrict wage in- creases to a maximum of $2,400 a year. The guidelines take effect immediately and will be enforced on all federal employees, on the 1,500 largest companies in Canada, virtu- ally every construction company and their employees. The gmdelines apply as well to all profes- sional people including doctors, lawyers, ac-, countants and engineers. Mr. Trudeau said he has asked the pro- vinces to join as full partners in the attack upon inflation. He has asked them to apply the federal guidelines to all provincial and munici- pal public service salaries, to rents and professional fees under their jurisdiction. Under the guidelines, prices charged by firms, including federal Crown corporations. will not be allowed to increase unless the firm's costs increase. If a company's costs go down it will be expected to reduce its prices accordingly. In order to protect low-income earners, the guidelines will not apply to any increase up to 8000. Every form of income will be strictly su- pervised by a new prices review board which will have the power to order price increases. rolled back or a pay increase cut hack.'If the board's direction is disobeyed, stir penalties, backed by the full force of the law, will be swiftly applied, said Air. Trudeau. 10 p. c. spending limit Ontario accepts federal ByPATCROWE of The Free Press TORONTO — The provincial government will attempt to limit its spending increase next year to 10 per cent, Treasurer Darcy McHeough said in a lengthy appeal in the legislature Thursday for support for federal wage and price restraint. The 10 per cent figure would contrast sharply with the 20.1per cent average in- crease over thepast two years. The spending restraints would be accompan- ied by: • An unspecified reduction in the planned borrowings next year by Ontario Hydro of $1.9 billion: • An extension of the present freeze on the civil service complement until the spring of 1977; • An -immediate freeze on the salaries of about 130 senior civil servants, all of whom are earning more than $90,000 a year and none of whom have received a pay increase in a year: • Limiting the increase In grants to munici- palities next year to the growth of provincial revenues, now estimated at 12 or 13 per cent. Anti-inflation bill goes to Commonc. The warden said Oct. 18 he was disturbed to see party politics becoming involved with y councillors being 1 to vote the way local irs want them to, he a "burning issue" that restraint Warden warns council about 'influence' votes Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick Wednesday night told county council its votes should not be influenced by the councils of affiliated municipalities. He said area municipalities often expect their represen- tatives on county council to echo the local body's views and vote that way. "Instead county councillors should vote for what they think is right", he said. At county council, seven of the eight Oxford area municipalities are each represented by their mayor and a councillor -at -large. Woodstock is represented by its mayor and five aldermen. "That mayor and councillor - at -large are elected by the people of the area municipality and they are not sent there by the councils", Mr, Sibbick said. "At no time should that council have any juriidiction or any influence on how that councillor votes," has come up again. Mr. Sibbick's remarks Recently, Ingersoll Mayor marked the second time this Gordon Henry was criticized by month he has spoken out about several town councillor, par. ticularly Marian Coyle, for not voting the way they wanted at county council over a proposed 101-lot mobile home subdivision. Although Ingersoll council has supported the subdivision Planned for 20 acres south of the town limits, Mr. Henry has opposed it at county council. Perry Sibbick ... Oxford Warden Wage controls catch 500,000 conducting negotiations, strikes WOODSTOCK-INGERSOLL, ONTARIO, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1975 Woodstock, Ingersoll mails stop, area posties join national strike '',0C1"OBER 22, 1975 Last local mail • delivered today • By CHRIS NIXON SeadnebReview*if Writer Mail has stop arriving at both the Woodstock and Ingersoll post offices today as the nationwide strike of inside postal workers entered its second day. Woodstock post master Ben Hook said the 25 local mail carriers will take to the streets with household mail for the last time today. BLUES CHASER The difference between "he's good-looking" and "he's looking good" is about 20 years and 40 pounds. Inside postal workers strike Historic papers show survey of Oxford County in 1793 ' Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK - Early surveying in Oxford County dating back to 1793 has been detailed to Oxford Historical Society members by George Douglas, president of Ure and Smith, Springbank Consulting Engineers Ltd. Mr. Douglas said his company's information goes back to the first survey in 1793 by Au- gustus Jones who worked with "his Indian pa in parts of West Oxford, Blandford, nh Bleeim and East Oxford townships. lie said a William Hambly surveyed North Oxford Township in 1799 and the first portion of Dereham and Norwich, assisted by Colonel John Boswick. Records showed the surveying of the Wood- stock town plot in 1833 by Charles Rankin. Boundary lines were retjuired to be estab- lished for different townsFups in the province by Parliament in an act in 1798. Monuments were to be set up to mark the corners of lots. "For wilfully defacing or removing such, the stern legislatures of those days considered that the only punishment to fit the crime was the death penalty, and it was ordained that the condemned was to suffer death without the benefit of the clergy, truly an appalling fate for what today would be scarcely considered a crime," he said. Mr. Douglas said he has often wondered why surveyors, even though they may read in some cases to three places of decimals, al - Oxford grants total exceeds $397,000 Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Local Initiatives Program grants for Oxford County ranging from a $21; sin allocation for development of sweet poLa- ioes to $27,000 for removing tree stumps from the bottom of Gordon Pittock Lake were an- nounced Friday. The two grants are among 17 totalling $307,- 313 which will provide employment Por 120 persons. Details were released by federal Manpower and Immigration Minister Robert Andras and Dr. Bruce Halliday, MP (PC-Ox- program will begin Nov. 3, f roject :rs will be hired through Canada Man- power centres. William MCLelsh Vannatter of Ingersoll was allotted $21,510 for research in to the growing of the sweet potato as a new food Industry for Western Ontario. Tavistock names new police chief TAVISTOCK — Alexander Balara, an Exeter police con- stable, will replace retiring chief Peter Grant as the Tavistock police chief, effective Nov. 12. One of 10applicants for the job advertised FFaast month, Corer Belazs has eight years ex. perience with the Aylmer, Exeter and Milverlon police departments, He will be paid an annual salary. of $13,OOe, He' cording to Easi Zorra-Tavistock mayor Harold Vogl. Although there's been no immediate plan to expand Tavistock's three-man police force — as suggested by the Ontario Police Commission — Mr. Vogt said the new chief will be responsible for presenting any changes needed in the department to township council. In a telephone interview, Constable Balaza said the township's police committee said nothing about any changes to be made in the department. There was no mention of more moneyy or men, he said. Pnllee chief Peter Grant, who agreed to retire on or before Nov. 30, will leave the force Nov. I1. ways add more or less until finding a regula- tion in research. He said it stated: "in consequence of the hasty and unprofessional manner in which the townships of this county were surveyed, the lots in some entire concessions 'overrun' their intended compument from 10 to 60 acres, while others run short, but not the same ex- tent Butthe government knows nothing offi- cially of these errors, and wants 'more or less' in all the deeds issued by the government to cover all such errors." By the 1880s, Mr. Douglas said, drainage plans and engineering work became just as important as the extensive land -subdivision was in the 1860g: " Based merely on what the eompagy has, which encompasses all land subdivisions, roads, railways, bridges, drains, sewers, and gravel pits, he said, one could compile a "very -respectable geographical history" of Oxford County. Mr. Douglas displayed early architectural drawings of historical Woodstock area build- ings made in the IBM. "Evidently the amhi- tects at that time were not too keen on dates, nor were they specific about dimensions," he said. "I would hate to have to build from them. "However the art work can only be des- cribed as 'lust great'. Thq craftsman at that time n e been good, and capable of tm- provising." Mr. Douglas said his Woodstock firm is be- lieved to have originated with Lt.-Cal. William George Wonham and Col. W. M. Davis- Survey records of Lt.-Col. Worsham held by the corn - pang indicate that it's roots at least indirectly go back to Wonham's arrival in Oxford County in the mid 18408. He alluded to plans made by the firm for construction of Oxford County courthouse and poor house built for a combined cost of oO11 between 1891 and it193 and paid by deben- tures. Future uncertain now for old Royal Hotel site at Brock and Dundas (Staff Photo) County Is municipalities extend water service Oxford area municipalities should have the authority to extend water services within their own boundaries, county council decided Wednesday night, Taking the advice of its public works committee, council now will sign agreements with any municipality wanting to extend its water service. The local municipalities will also have the authority to maintain the ex- tended service under the new policy. Tillsonburg Mayor Seldon Wilkinson, works committee chairman, said the county will continue to oversee all water services in Oxford. Under the Oxford Restruc- turing Act, water services came under authority of the county, but transfer of power is possible under the legislation. The transfer was first proposed by Norwich Township council. Oxford rabies clinics draw 8,284 pets THAMESFORD — Anti -rabies clinics in 19 Oxford County centres ended Thursday at Thamesford with the vaccination of 563 pets. The Agriculture Canada clinics drew 8,284 1 pets, 4,779 dogs and 3,505. cats. At an earlier series of clinics in 1973, a total of 9,383 pets were vaccinated and in 1972, 10,- 410 pets. Agriculture Canada has investigated 56 ra- bies cases throughout Oxford this year. Woodstock mall plan `down drain' Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK—A roposed$5-million,two- block downtown mall ' is down the drain,'" Mayor Leslie Cook told Woodstock council Thursday night. Mayor Cook said he has contacted Subilo- mar Properties Ltd. of Montreal, which re- uortedly had been seeking funds to continue with the development. Arrangements will be made for reopening of Perry Street, which would have been In the centre of the development, the mayor said. The city had offered to sell the street, Perry street fire hall, former Oxford Hotel property and adjacent parking lots to the developer. Council had signed the agreement in Sep- tember, 1974. But the developer returned in April this year In an effort to re -open negotia- tions on the amount of annual rental the city would pay for an enclosed parking garage. The city stands to pick up leases held by the developer. In other business, council asked its parks, arena and recreation committee for an in- depth study on proposals for a municipal golf course on Upper Thames River Conservation Authority property on the south side of the Thames River, east of the Innerkip Road, or on the former Woodstock Golf Course site west of the city. The study is to be completed in February, 1976. - Efforts by Aldermen William Dutton and Joseph Pember to have the proposal post- poned until the fall of 1976 weren't supported. Aid. Pember questioned the timing of the proposed a city, said, is ure by faced�w th a o • city for a golf course. The city, $8-million expansion of its water pollution con- trol plant. "It is not the time to be talt ing about a golf course," Aid. Pember said.. The glderman said he would not vote for either proposal now, af- ter conferring with city treasurer Cyril Ewins, who has been cautioning council on its increas- ing capital debt. Aid. Dutton said the environment ministry has promised a report on possible provincial grants which would he available to the city on the sewage treatment plant works within about two weeks. Without grants, he said, the treatment plant expenditure would cost the city $200 a year per household. i Water system report closes open meeting Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK Until Thursday Oxford County council hadn't opened its public works committee meetings to the public in about 10 years, except to open tenders for road pro- jects. Thursday's open-door test didn't last the en- tire session. When the subject of a single, separate water commission to cover all of rural Oxford arose, the committee decided to go in camera. Mayor George Jakeman of South-West Ox- ford Township said In open meeting that he wanted the matter, covered In a report by county engineer Donald Pratt, to be dealt with as soon as possible. He said the report "will be the eventual sys- tem of the county taking over small water sys- teuM'" Part of the proposal was discussed In the open meeting, but Warden Perry Slbbick mayor of Blandford-Blenheim Township, salts be would not speak about the report in public, so It was discussed In private. Open discussion covered pproblems with wa. ter systems in Centennial Cam•t, south of In - "mall _ and Loweville subdivision in the for - Oxford Township; and a planned subdivision In the hamlet of lnnorkip In East Lorra•Tavls- ock Township. The commutes recommended approval of a county council reselotiot, tabled In Septem. ber, calling for an agreement with each of the area municipalities to maintain and extend water service within the local municipality. Warden Sibbick said after the agreements are signed they will be operated under the old local system — the same as before restructur- ing of the county last January — but exten- sions would need county apppproval. Tillsonburg Mayor Se on Wilkinson, the committee chairman, said the county engineer must have control over pipe sizing and valve controls. Mayor Jakeman said, "We are In a bind in our area and are not prepared to carry on fi- nancingg" for Improvements in the Loweville subdlvlslon. Ile said South-West Oxford Town- ship feels It is up to the county to carry on ft- noncing or make Improvements In local subdi- visions. The county Is supposed to look after the service Mayor Jakeman said, observing the township hasn't the equipment. Mr. Pratt was requested to prepare esti- mates on the cost of repairs to the Centennial Court water system. A letter from J, F. Janse, district officer of the ministry of the environment, recom- mended "the huusekoepping In and around the puntplouse should be Improved and the door oftlt0 pumpho )so should be kept lucked•" The 152-Mnl drilled well supplies untreated water to 10 services. "Proper ventilation" was re- commended for the pamphouse. The water supply was described In the re- port as "very hard with an iron content" but chemically satisfactory. The committee gave its approval for a well site on an 18-lot subdivision of Albert T. Hargreaves In lonerkip. No action was recommended on a re-appii- cation by H, L, Turner (Ontario) Ltd. of Bien- heim for extension of water service to a pna- posed Industrial mall on County Road t, agent one -halt mile east of Woodstock in Norwich Township. Mr. Pratt said a better from the Blenheim company indicated if water service isn't ex- tended, the planned development will be moved. It was the Ingersoll Industrial cotnmissloner who attracted the Blenheim firm to an Inger- soll site after a problem of extending service from Woodstock arose, Warden Slbbick said, Mr. Pratt was instructed to take site dis- tances back from the CPR level eroaA all of Governor's Road before the next meeting, af- ter a recommendation by the Canadian tran- sport commission to Impose a "suitable speed restriction' The committee w,as nottflod it grade sepsrs• tlun Is under review by the ministry or iran- sportaton and Comm uticagons for the vromw Ing two miles west of Woodstack. 0l 0 a Family, Children ) s Services opens $110,000 addition Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — The $tlo,000, second -Boer addition to the offices of the Family and Chil- dren's Services of Oxford County was opened Sunday. An open house followed the ribbon -cutting ceremony. Or Harry Parrott, Ontario minister of col- leges and universities and MPP for Oxford, said the cost of such projects was secondary Old ledgers give insight into Embro Free Press Woodstock Bureau EMBRO — A set of ledgers, once used for the mundane recording of prices and profits, are now providing an intimate insight Into the history of Embro. The ledgers of Hector Sutherland, one of the village's earliest businessmen, turned up re- cently when his daughter's estate was being closed. Mr. Sutherland came to Embro before 1881 and opened a store at the corner of Commis- sioner and Huron streets. According to one of the ledgers, he remained in business until 19Z6. The books are now owned by Vance Day. Besides offering nostalgic notes such as the purchase of a bedroom suite in 1888 for $12, the books are filled with entries on the weather including the dates of first snow, gar- den plantings and lawn mowings. Besides being In the retail furniture and gro- cery business, Mr. Sutherland was an under- taker. The books reveal that in the late 19th cen- tury, a funeral could be purchased for $38 in- cluding the price of the coffin, with prices ranging from a low of $12.75 to about $68. The ledgers also show that electricity was turned on for the first time here Jan. 8, 1897, with power supplied by a local miller. They record the cost of $600 worth of fire in- surance for his store at $9.60 a year from 1905 to 1925 and $12 a year before that. to the time and effort the Family and Chil- dren's Service staff put into their work. if a change to prevention rather than a cure becomes a reality, only then will the burden on these services be eased, he said. Jeanne Deans, executive director of Family and Children's Services in Oxford, said PCS has 102 child-care cases, four in nursery, 20 in adoption probation, 52 in foster bomes, 14- receiving treatment and 12 elsewhere. In the protection and prevention depart- ment, 105 families with 209 children are cared for by five social workers and a supervisor. In sin -parents services in September, 46 unma ed mothers were given attention. There are now 67 approved foster homes In the county and with more teen-agers coming under its Jurisdiction, FCS is considering a group home where up to six teen-agers will re- side, the executive director said. Of the 102 children who are FCS wards, 38 are 13 or older. The original headquarters was erected in 1954, and since 1969 additional office space has been used in the county library building. A PLAQUE FOR APT. TOM Captain Tom Williams — until by Sweaburg United Church appointed Minister of Colleges recently listed in the Guinness Women Sunday. Friends and and Universities was there to Book of Records as the world's relatives from far and wide present him with a plaque on oldest active flier — wasgivenan came for the event and Oxford behalf of the provincial open house for his 90th birthday bIPP fir. Harry Parrott, newly- government. (Staff photo) Sundays, too Retail sale ban lists 7 holidays By PAT CROWE of The Free Press TORONTO—Legislation that would make it illegal for most retail outlets to operate on Sundays as well seven public holidays was in- troduced in the provincial legislature Wednes. day by Solicitor -General John MacBeth. The legislation, which the government In- tends to become effective Jan. 1, provides for fines up to $10,000 for failure to comply. Several exemptions from the restrictions are contained In the bill. Any retail business employing a maximum of three people, which occupies less than 2,400 square feet of floor space and sells mainly food stuffs, tobacco, newspapers or perlo& call, pharmaceuticals, bygenle or sanitary products would be exempt. Also exempt would be outlets selling gaso- line, antiques, nursery gardening products and fresh fxutt or vegetables (between April 1 and Oct. 21). The bill comes at a time when most major grocery chains have either opened on Sundays or annouNced their Intentions of doing so. The subject of retail store hours on Sundays and holiday* has been a source of controversy for several years. Mr. MacReLh said he hopes the legislation will bring about a slowdown In the growth of materialism in. society and lead to an "im- provement in our quality of life." The restrictions would not apply to premises which exist for educational, recreational or amusement purposes. Nor would they apply to the sale of goods or services which are inci. dental at such premises. Mr. MacBeth explained, as an example, that a golf club pro shop would not be prohibited A section in the bill gives municipalities the right to pass bylaws exempting retail bu- slnesses from the restrictions "where it Is es- sential for the maintenance or development of the tourist Industry." Mr. MacBeth said he expects this section to be widely used In Northern Ontario. The holidays listed are New Year's Day, Good Friday, Dominion Day, Labor Day, Christmas, Victoria Day and Thanksgiving. A section In the bill would give the cabinet the authority to exempt any retail business from the restrictions. The legislation would not apply to the sale of liquor under a provincial licence or permit or to the sale of any goods or services permitted now under existing federal and provincial le to" governing Sundays. Klslal R would not apply to sales involving meals, living accommodations, laundromats and oiler col"perated services, rental of veil Iles or boats and the servicing or repair of vehicles or boats. Mr. MacBeth said he believes the majority of people "want a quieter Sunday," He said there has been much dlsagreement on how this can be achieved. He added he is open to suggestions from the opposition on defining such things as what constitutes a small store. He said, for exam le, the 2,400-square-toot maximum stated In the bill is an arbitrary one and could be modified as the bill procedes through the legislature. BLUES CHASER 4 sign in a bookstore: "Butt Christmas books now —so you rau Mid them before mailfag.' .4 Sod -turning ceremony marks start on new truck facility Fore Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A sod turning ceremony Friday officially started construction of the $3 million Track Engineering Ltd. trailer manu- facturing facility here. Truck Engineering president and chief exe- cutive officer V, B. Kink and Mayor Leslie J. Cook turned the sod at the 90-acre (Highway 2 site, using a digger made by 'Truck Engineer- ing. The new facilities — two buildings, one for manufacturing and the other for finishing, painting and Inspection — are being built by James A. Vance Construction of Woodstock, They, will be adjacent to Truck Engineering's Woodstock sales and service centre. W. W. Uff0man, vice-president of opera- tions, said the company's staff of 315 employ - Leaders in Municipal Finance in Canada ARNPRIOR B C. MUNICIPAL FINANCE AUTHORITY BROCKVILLE DURHAM REGION.. FERGUS FORT FRANCES GUELPH HALDIMAND-NOR FOLK LINDSAY METROPOLITAN TORONTO MIDLAND MUSKOKA NIAGARA ORILLIA OTTAWA-CA R LETO N OXFORD COUNTY SARNIA TOWNSHIP SAULT STE. MARIE ST. THOMAS TIMMINS VANCOUVER Through fiscal agencies, we assist in raising the capital required by these municipal borrowers. We also make markets in the out- standing issues of these and many other municipalities. Your enquiries are invited. Burgess Graham Securities Limited 44 King Street WLst, Toronto, Ontario M5H 1 E6 • Telephone 364-8,171 Established 1909. Association established by dealers at flea market INGI'A SOLL — A formal association has been established by merchants at the Burgess- ville Anti ue and Flea Mart on Highway 59, Burgessville. The new president of the association, Mrs. Jessie Robins of Ingersoll, made the an- nouticement Thursday. She said about 70 mer. chaltts met In Woodstock Wednesday night to fermailze their relationship. Mrs. Robins said the proposed provincial regulations on Sunday store hours will allow the continued operation of flea markets on Sundays. The association will be Improving the quality of business at the site, she said. She said more than 40 dealers from all over Southwestern Omario,take part In the Sunday markets. The name of the association is the Burgessvine Dealers' Assoclallon. ecs Is expected to Increase 50 per cent in the next five years. Off -highway trailers with capacities of too to 500 tons and trailers to meet construction In- dustry transportation requlrements will be builtatthe 66,000-square-foot manufacturing. facility. The finishing building win be 11,000 square feet. Construction is expected to be complete by next June. Woodstock near $20 million building value Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Construction projects here could surpass the $20 million mark this year, building inspector Garth Ede said Friday as the total approached $17.5 million. Mr. Ede said a permit for more than $1 n ll- lion will be issued shortly for a 100-bed addi- tion to Woodingford Lodge, the Oxford County home for the aged. lie said the previous high total was $12,151,- 651, set in 1973. Woodstock's engineering department issued 73 permits during October for construction valued at $2,252,696, increasing the total for the first 10 months of 1975 to $17,429,643. Ex-Embro reeve dies in his home Funeral services will be held Tuesday for Robert George Campbell, a former reeve of Embro who died last week at his (Woodstock home. Mr. Campbell, 63, was reeve Hof the former village in 1055 and 1956. Born in Dufferm County, he is survived by his wife. the former Laura Hume and his mother, Mrs. William Campbell of Elora. The funeral will be held Tuesday at 1.30 p.m.. at the Wayne L. Smith Funeral Home in Embro with burial in North Embro Cemetery. A Masonic service is to be held at the funeral home tonight from 8 to 8:30. Mr. Campbell is also survived by three children, three sisters and two brothers. Once operator of a feed mill in Embro, Mr. Campbell had moved to Woodstock in the past year. Residential construction up in Ingersoll INGEINOLL— Residential construction in ngersoll i, up 47 per cent so far (Ills year i'onipared with the some period in 1971. In his monthly report for October, building inspector Edward Hunt said total value of re- 4 ential construction so far In 1975 is $111991- jel, up from $7sh240 by the end of October last fear. CHIEF NAMED Robert Knight was named chief of police in Norwich on Friday. The appointment was one of three announced by Norwich Township Council. Negotiations are off in the postal dispute 0 Insurance on autos to jump, by 25 p.c. Staff dinner party rates closed meet A private dinner party for Oxford County council and staff in December rated a closed -door meeting Wednesday. The party will be held Dec. 12 at an undecided location, it was decided in a closed session of county council. The county has held a dinner in honor of the warden for years. This year's version can be ex- pected to cost about $600. Warden Perry Sibbick said after the meeting. Mr Sibbick said the dinner was approved behind closed doors because council was discussing who should be united and who shouldn't be. SEWAGE STUDY Oxford County council's public works committee has decided it has no objection to the Ontario environment ministry conducting a study on whether Beachville should have a sewage system. The ministry plans a public hearing in Beach- ville Nov- 27. The sewage system was originally requested by the former village council of Beachville. Bypass route could cost 'Too much', says mayor A route touted by consultants known as the technical advisory for a Woodstock byppaass may not committee, heading the year - be feasible at all M">or Leslie Cook indicated Tjtursttay night, long bypaas study of the new 'ILesday. Mr. Cook told city council he cost estimates A meeting of the emucultants has learned that the route and council slated for Nov. 20 is proposed to run just west of the to be a rehash of what the city would cost $i1.64 million if technical committee was told criteria set down by the city last this week, he said. July when it endorsed the He said the consultants will scheme is followed, not $6 want to know if council has million as originally estimated. changed its opinion about the -fir light of the information we bypass, now have," Mr. Cook said after No date has been set for the meeting," I couldn't support Woodstock area mayors to meet a bypass that is going to cost in Ontario transporation and excess of $11 million with no communications ministry of - guarantee of the truckers using ficials over final selection of a it route, Mr. Cook said. Mr. Cook told reporters he Final decision on a bypass would now support County Road route rests with the province, 6, further west, as a bypass Mr. Cook told council added route, the choice of the county, costs occur because of the Ingersoll, South-West Oxford conditions city council imposed and Zorra councils for "partial on approval it gave to the relief" from truck traffic consultants route. congesting Woodstock. He said Among other things, council County Road 6 would at least said it didn't like level crossings relative truck traffic from at two railway lines and at several quarries in the Beach- Bower Hill Road. vine area. Officials from the ministry The route, oriigginally proposed by De Leuw Cather engineering now sav they will not allow the to include route a grad crossing consultants and endorsed by the at the Canadian Pacific Railway city runs southwesterly from line near Highway 2. Highway 59 North to cross "The feasibility study will Governor's Road and run fur- show there is no feasible route ther south to connect with High- that fits the criteria we gave way 401 at Mill Street. them (consultants)," Mr. Cook COUNTY SCHEME said. The county scheme would run Truck drivers, interviewed by south of Embro down County the consultants in surveys, have Road 6 — four miles west of indicated that they would avoid Woodstock — to connect with a the proposed bypass route cloverleaf at 401. because of steep grading — even Mr. Cook said De Leuw Cather though it still holds the most informed a group of municipal potential for traffic relief, Mr. and provincial civil servants, Cook said. PUC turns down GM expansion for further study Zorra township decides to hold vote on liquor DICKSON'S CORNERS — of the fence is wet and the other Zorra Township Council voted Tuesday dry " said Jim Gibb, councillor, to hold a liquor referring to the situation in plebiscite concerning licensed Thamesford where one side of dining lounges during the next the street can sell liquor and the municipal election. other can't. Dennis Hall, owner of the "The Ontario government should standardize the liquor Highland Restaurant in Embro approached council with a regulations," he added. petition of 1,549 names in sup- Sparky Inner worked on changing this fewyearsago .port of licensed dining lounges. The petition needed 1,409 but it nothia been names to meet the required done since then," he said. The council will establish the number of names to hold a plebiscite. pplebiscite questions which will be held during the December Mr. Hall started the petition in election in 1976, the middle of September and The council will save ap- says that in three weeks he was proximately $5,000 by holding able to get the required number, the plebiscite at the same time of names. as the municipal election, "It's ridiculous that one side `Mayor Matheson said. No signs postal talks will resume POSTAL DISPUTE Some of sorters 40 at work despite plea from union Alcoholism a major concern of Judge Groom Judge R. G. Groom represents a rare breed in the provincial judicial system —he's one of two part-time judges left in Ontario. There wasn't enough work to keep you busy all the time, back when I was appointed," Judge Groom said in an interview. "But as the years go by. the load becomes heavier. ,,Most jobs now are so heavy they require a f WI -tune person. r' Appointed in 1941, Judge Groom will celebrate his 35th year on the bench Feb. 1. He was called to the bar in llM, a graduate of McMaster UnivemitY in Hamilton and Toronto's Osgoode Hall Law School. 'I was very fortunate I didn't have to go through the trauma =sung people have W go through today in deciding what they want to do," JU09C Groom Said. It had always been understood in his family that he'd be a lawyer, he said. Becoming a judge was a different matter. Once nominated for Rohodes theft, assaults, and impaired Abstainers Insurance in help people in trouble." "In the necessity for dealing with people as individuals is scholarship while at McMaster, driving, says he's dealt with less Tillsonburg in 1956, Judge in Probation is more common today, Judge Groom says. -he obvious," he said. "Everyone he reminisced about appearing statutory offences in recent Groom still retainsan interest has three probation officers has the right to a fair hearing. at the board of selection and years due to the Justice of the the company. attached to his court for loth "Although you may be an- being asked his ambitions. -Naturally, I told them about Peace system. "It enables them to deal with PREJUDICED "There was only one occasion criminal and family divisions. noyed with someone up before for breaking the law, you try wanting to become a lawyer," quasi -criminal offences like where a question was raised in my court because I might be Bail applications, also in greater use, used to be an ex- you to dislike what they did instead by IRENE STANIONIS prejudiced," he said. "I had another judge take the case." ception during his early years on the bench, he said. An arrest of the person." Hesitant about revealing his Sentinel Staff Writer "1 feel my interest in AA makes me sympathetic to an would mean a stint in jail, regardless of the charge, until age. Judge Groom will admit he's reached retirement age. "Although, I first -Review individual's plight because I've the scheduled court appearance. when was appointed, the retirement age he "And Mr. Justice speeding," he Bald. seen what's happened where alcohol is involved." INCARCERATED "Less than one per cent of was set at 75," he said. "Not but said. sedgewick, who was on the Alcoholism is a prime concern Judge Groom says there is a those individuals arrested are that I'd stay that long, I don't think I'm finis yet." board, said to me 'doesn't with the judge ... one that greater emphasis on held incarcerated until trial," Born in Berlin, Ont.—which anyone want to be a judge?', frequently crops up in his rehabilitation in the community by the courts in recent years. the fudge said. Sentencing ltaa also changed should date him, according to aril, not really having con- sidered it, I replied, of course, P courtroom, "I'm not a drinker, I never The new hllosoph of dealin p Y over the years to keep up with the judge --he is married and the father of two sons. everyone can't be a judge. was, although people might with offenders, he sand, is one o society. Judge Groom takes pride in OPPORTUNITY confuse that from my prevention. being able to relate to in. "But when opportunity when itself, I thought relationship with Alcoholics Anonymous," he said, "There's an old saying that it's better at tithe DARRYI.EATON dividuals who enter his cour- had Bled en had enough experience, even - "'I'va seen what marvelous the lop of the cliff, than a f cliff, ative Woodstock native Darryl Vim, especially YnunPeoPle, "When f cease to sym- then, that I was able to do the .. things AA can do. In my court wark, I've come across some hospital atthe bottom," he said. "That's what is happening". Eaton performs tonight with the Woodstock Strings In a concert pathetic ... cease to have an jar Judge Groom, basically in- miraculous transformations." "We have more people trying at WCI. The concert begins at empathy towards young people, then it's time to quit." volved with criminal work like Having helped establish to help. -more agencies trying to 8:15, Judge R. (;. Groom Extension of city fire service to two rural areas recommended Woodstock municipal services Martin, the committee decided committee Thursday night that providing protection as for voted to recommend that fire awn, as the Village of Muir, as service beextendedtotwo Small Norwich requested, was r- areas outside the city limits. feasible. Chief Martin said two built-up But the committee's areas on the city's fringe could recommendation is only a be served within five minutes. fraction of what was requested One is off Highway 59 im- by Norwich Township council mediate)y south of the city earlier this year. limits, while the other is along Acting on the advice of Highway 2, east of Woodstock. Woodstock Fire Chief Bill He said the two areas could he protected from the fire Roads in the areas are clear Trucks would travel — department's Parkinson Road and well -maintained in winter sometimes on gravel roads -- 12 station with a "minimum risk" and fire trucks would be able to miles to get to Muir and 4y¢ to to the cif return to Woodstock easily if Oxford Centre, taking 18 to 20 Part of the areas has a water suddenly needed, the chief minutes and eight to 10 minutes supply and the departments added. respectively, he said. pumper truck would have He said Norwich asked for The time element, he said, enough water — 500 gallons — to. protection from the fourth would be. too great for the save a life because of the short concession North including the Woodstock trucks to be of any time element, he said. Oxford Centre area. assistance. 'DIES ON ORDER PAPER( Mobile homes debate fails to materialize BY GORD MCINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer A contentious issue two weeks ago, a 28-acre mobile home subdivision south of Ingersoll apparently died on the order paper Wednesday at Oxford County council. The subdivision in South-West Oxford Township, proposed by developer Russell Clifford, drew heated debate Oct. 29 and 15 when councillors were evenly split. The subdivision was tabled twice - Gasoline prices This time council received a drafting the project, that the report from planning director housing ministry deleted Peter Atcheson on existing provisions from the 1973 county mobile home policy drafted in official plan amendment which 1973 and approved by the would have supplied proper - province last year. zoning for the subdivision. And Woodstock Aid. Walter because of a technicality. But Mr. Atcheson-and Aid Hulme said the re rt showed d. Hulme at council --said the that the developer given an subdivision would not conform erroneous impression to council- to the county official plan. PROVISIONS The subdivision was approved Council was told Oct. 29 by D. by the county in 1973 and the R. Barker of the Kleinfeldt land on lots 17and 18 of the first group, consulting engineers concession in West Oxford, 1,000 feet south of Ingersoll, was - designated suburbaninsteadof rise rural in the official plan amendment. � But the ministry deleted the designation from the Peter Atcheson official plan amendment ... planning directOr because a mobile home sub after freeze lifted division would not have fitted move on your part," she told SIBBICK — After a short illness at Brantford General Hospital on Monday, November 17, 1975, Earle Chesney Sibbick of RR 1 Princeton in his 82nd year. Dearly beloved husband of Rheta (Clement) Sibbick of Princeton. Dear father of Mrs. Wilbur (Mildred) Guthrie of Paris, Perry of Princeton and Austin of Toronto. Also survived by one sister, Mrs. Charles (Etoile) McAllister of Lakeland, Florida and several grand- children and great grand- children. Friends will be received Wednesday afternoon and evening at the Rumble Funeral Home Princeton from wherethe funeral service will be held on Thursday, November 20 at2 p.m. Interment in Princeton Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Ontario Heart Foundation would be appreciated ,by the family. NW71 SEWAGESTUDY Oxford County council's public works committee has decided it has no objection to the Ontario environment ministry conducting a study on whether Beachville should have a sewage system. The ministry plaits a public hearing in Beach. ville Nov. 27. The sewage system Was originally requested by the former village council of Beachville provincial policies for suburban Aid. Hulme. areas, Mr. Atcheson said, while DEFERRED r Mr. Barker had told council And two motions deferred + approval was held up because from Oct. 29 until Wednesday location criteria in the amend- were not dealt with. One was ment was incomplete. from South-West Oxford Mayor "I think the developers were George Jakeman to approve the being less than frank in their project while the other was an Imp presentation," Ald. Hulme said amendment by Woodstock Aid. JUREof the Ocl. 29 meeting. Joseph Pember to grant ap. Woodstock Aid. Wendy proval-in-principle only. Calder, a member of county Warden Perry Sibbick asked planning committee, which council if any action was in - recommended approval for the tended for the motions. No one :' subdivision to council last responded. month, said Mr. Atcheson's Council was meeting with a ,�t report put the issue in a different bare quorum with six coun- a light. cillors absent, included Mr. Aid. Hulme persuaded council Jameman said. to table a motion to approve the Aid. Caldersaid there was still subdivision Oct. 29 until it saw a possibility at least one of the the re rt. motions would be proposed at 109 "This was certainly a good calmed's next meeting, Nov. 26. BLUES CHASER Confidence Is that feeling you have iiefare You really understand the problem. County request opposed in city An Oxford County request to co-ordinator's position should go appoint Arthur Hardy, deputy to Ingersoll Fire Chief Les Woodstock fire chief, as county Harlow because the town has the fire co-ordinator was opposed next lamest full-time fire Thursday night by city dep{�aartinen . municipal services committee. He said it would not he The county, at the urging of its reasonable to appoint the deputy administration and finance chief to the county post because committee, wants the deputy he would often have to work over chief as a replacement for his boss, Chief Martin, Woodstock Fire Chief Bill "As far as I am concerned, Martin, who quit the job earlier this Is impossible," he said, this year. Chief Martin told the coin The Oxford Restructurinf Act mitten he found the count . i says the Woodstock fire ch of is position impossible to deal wdt I county fire co-ordinator because he had no budget to automatically, but with no pay, carry out the responsibilities of So Chief Martin quit. the fire co-ordinator, such as Aid, William Dutton, coin- training volunteer firemen mittee chairman, said the fire around Oxford, 0 0 The last remains of the old Oxford County Home (staff Photo) County poorhouse remains now an isolated cemetery An isolated cemetery off County Road 30 in East Zorra- Tavistock township is one of the last traces of the Oxford County House of Refuge. Located in a cornfield im- mediately northwest of the Oxford campus of Fanshawe College, the graveyard is marked by one granite Bross with an inscription "Erected in Memory of the Residents of Oxford County Home." The present Fanshawe building was chartered as the Oxford County House of Refuge when built in 18M3 It was known as the Oxford County home later in the 20th century. Leonard Coles, former county clerk -treasurer, said Monday the last burial to be made in the cemetery was in 1950. The cemetery is riddled with groundhog holes and more than 10 graves have fallen in. There is also old farm equipment in the yard, surrounded by pine trees. Still owned by the county, the cemetery is also surrounded by farmland with the exception of a small access lane from County Road 30. No sign of resumption of postal negotiations By THE C7ANADIAN PRESS 'Me national postal strike Gerald Staples, current county clerk -treasurer, told The Sentinel -Review grass in the cemetery is cut twice a year. He said the site was cleaned up two or three years ago. There is no way of telling who or how many persons are buried there, he said. Fanshawe bought the building in 1969 from the county. By then, the building was known as the county home for the aged the predecessor to Woodingford Lodge on Devonshire Avenue in Woodstock. crawled through a weekend propaganda blizzard to its 28th day today, still with no sign the Post office or the Canadian Un- ion of Postal Workers (CUPW) Intend to resume negotiations. Already the longest postal strike in Canadian history, it has destroyed dozens of small businesses dependent on the mail for survival, created others filling the void left by the strike and already made it impossible to mail Christmas parcels or cards outside the senders' local area with any hope of arrival this year. The union continues to de- mand $2.73 an hour over its av- erage base pay of $4.5e an hour in a 27-month contract and Postmaster -General Bryce Mackasey continues to say he only has $1.70 an hour additional Farmland assessable by market Farmland purchased by developers and left idle should be assessed on the latest price it fetched on the market, not on its agricultural designation, Oxford County council has decided. The resolution was moved by Woodstock Aid. Walter Huhne, who said developers are pulling off a "land -grab" in the property taxes they pay while holding vacant agricultural or open -space land Last year, Aid. Hulme said, Scant Investments Ltd. paid $1,283 for 171 acres of farmland off Devonshire Avenue in the northeast section of Woodstock; it plans to build a mammoth subdivision on. Taxes on some single homes in the city, mean- while run as high, he said. available over a 30-month contract. All but this basic monetary hurdle have been passed by ne- gotiators. The only slight hope might be that Treasury Hoard President Jean Chretien, and the federal cabinet, might app; ove a larger offer by Mr. Mackasey as has been urged by union spokesmen. But no sign of that had shown by Sunday night. Meanwhile, the Montreal to - cal, the most militant in the country, had a show of solidarity Sunday at which. 4,400 inside workers pledged support for their executive. Marcel Perreault, the fiery lo- cal president, told the workers the first strike fund in the un- ion's history would start func- tioning Friday. No forced restructure for PUCss says 0fficial But no expansion either unless local study done Q o � : �Eb ss 0 1 O CD CD C) r� v T O T �1} O 0 n Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A meeting will he held within a month to consider forming an Oxford County committee to study restructuring of hydro and public utility services, Trevor J. Slater, chairman of Woodstock Public Utilities Commission, said Thursday. Plans for the meeting were drafted when re. preseatatives of 13 local commissions and eight Word municipalities discussed guide- lines for formation of local study teams and their purposes were explained by a provincial steering committee, Steering ' committee chairman S. A. Baldwin of Ancastersaid options include formation of a single hydro utility commission or creation of commissions for each of the municipalities. Any restructuring, Mr. Baldwin said, would be carried out only with local initiative. He suggested the selection of 10 to 12 mem- hers, with an equal mmnber of municipal and utility representatives, if a committee is formed. The cost of the study, he suggested, could be between $3,O110 and $4,000. Mr. Baldwin said differences have existed in service policy, rates and standards of service among utilities. hydro studies, he said, have found that changes in a utility's service area, caused by a change in municipal boundaries, have resulted in time-consuming and costly complications in there-allocation of. system facilities. Inequitable rate structures, he said, have confused and annoyed consumers, who found It difficult to understand why utility bounda- ries had not been changed to conform to those of the new regional municipalities. Restructure studied for hydro servicing Coun. Clem Brumley, Tillsunburg, said resi- dents in the new area of TBisonbur are pav- ing 15 to 20 per cent higher hydro bills than re- sidents in the older section because they are being serviced by Ontario Hydro at Aylmer. ills all -electric home, he said, costs more than $ioll more than it would if he was served by Tilisonburg Hydra. Court . Harvey Beaty, Zorra Township, said Thaulesford has an identical' problem, having a residential area one -quarter the size of the village outside the Thamesford commission area being serviced by Ontario Hydro. Ingersoll Mayor Gordon B. Henry said the town hasn't a problem of Its own directly. It is. however, working on a cost arrangement for the maintenance, upkeep and repair of the Beachville Electric Utility. With a broader financial base, Mr.. Baldwin said, utilities should be able to attract a higher degree of technical competence. All of the county would have" ) be Studied to allow the Tillsonburg hydro conuuisaun to as, scone the servicing of an additonal 700 cus- tomers added to that munlclpsllty in restruc- turing at the beginning of 1975, the chairman said. Robert McCall, chairman of the Tillsonburg commission, said water and sewage services were extended to the new area of the town and questioned the need for the study of the entire county for hydra expansion. Such a move without the study. Mr. Baldwin said, could have an adverse effect on the re- maining rural area, resulting in a dramati9 raleincrease. The province, he said, has required that an entire' county or region be examined at the same time. A study, he said, could settle other problems that might surface in the coming decades. Road cost figure is $18.7 million By GORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer A preliminary report presented to th�ford County public works committee but never made public indicates an expanded county road system will need $18.7 million in refurbishing costs in the next 10 years. The figures were presented to the committee Nov. 6 in a closed -door meeting. The rreeppoort, prepared by McCor- mlek, Rankin and Associates Ltd., a Mississauga -based group of consulting engineers, is a preliminary to a study on county road needs under restructuring. A copy, obtained by The Sentinel -Review, says more than;7 million worth of work is needed now on the current 275- mile county system as well as roads assumed from Woodstock, Ingersoll and TFllsonburg. REPORT The report says $6.01 million and $1.4 million will be needed for reconstruction and resur- facing work respectively over the next five years. Total costs come to $14,5 million over five years with the addition of the immediate $7 million needed. In six to le years, the county road system will need $4.2 million. the study says. Most arterial and suburban roads not now in the county syystem will be absorbed under :Oxford Restructuring Act. The consultants study was commissioned last May to find out which roads mainly in Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg should be added to the county system. Although the final study, already two months overdue, is not expected for several weeks, the preliminary report does indicate which roads the con- sultants think should be taken over by the county. Included with the roads proposed for assumption in Woodstock are Mill Street between Parkinson Road and Dundas Street, Parkinson between Norwich Avenue and Mill Street, Vansittart Avenue between Dundas and the nor- thern city limits, Dundas from Vansittart to Beard's Lane. In Ingersoll Proposed to oin the county system are Whi ing Street from Holcroft Street to Highwayy 401, King Street bet- ween R'hiting and Ingersoll Road, Thames Street between Canterbury and King streets and Charles Street between Thames and the Eastern town boundary !n Tlllaonburg, streets ppramsed for assumption include Til son Avenue between Venison and Oxford streets and Broadway street between Concession and bate streets. Maintenance costa, mean- while, can be expected to go from $W,000 next year to $1.2 million In 1906, the report says. Council annoyed on health issues Fears of a district health council being formed by the end of the year, sparked Oxford County council to assail the. province for secrecy. Several councillors have conceded that there was nothing that could stop the health ministry from forming a district health council for Oxford; Middlesex and Elgin counties but they complained bitterly about being ignored. The issue was raised by Woodstock Aid. Walter Hulme, a member of council's health and Social services committee. lie told council a top health ministry official indicated at the convention of the Association of Regions and Counties of Ontario in Cornwall last month that a tri- county health body would be formed by the end of December to be called the Thames Valley district health council. MEMBERS Aid. Hulme said the official, W. Allan Backley, an assistant deputy minister in institutional health services, told the con- vention names of potential members of the council had already been drawn up and submitted to the ministry. County council, Aid. Hulme said, has never been notified of any health scheme plans since it First r.giatered its opposition. "Since we haven't been provided with the courtesy of having our objons listened to we shoulecti d be provided with advance information telling us who our representatives are," he said. Council voted to send a request to Dr. Harry Parrott, Ontario Colleges and Univer- sities Minister and Oxford MPP, and Liberal leader Robert Nixon, the Brant MPP, asking their help 1n getting all "per- tinent data" on the situation. it was also decided to ask the health ministry to send someone to speak to council Nov. 26, "I really think It has been rammed down our throats," Woodstock Aid. Wendy Calder said. it was one of those things where they were saying, "Sorry, that's it" Aid. Hulme said the list of names for the Thames Valley council were compiled by a iteering committee of the Oxford District Health Services council, an advisory gawp set up by the province two years ago. j9 m b�i=70 tb~Tp a`�� >'�.� rn'-y7 ne.-'oaeae omrl o a�E �c�at�7 by Ii7t0 zz map m!°ppm�emi ra- o...s�m eC :N,y,C C'O 6.�O1 r' o 0o no,"�rCjm jmc-=M C cemn rig/ r"'Ntw Lwas lair ^��^\ CL viassa a O Z3 CD rnz `D .r JAN. I IF APPROVED ,Mandatory seat belt legislation proposed Village ability to pay sewer costs queried Free Press Woodstock Bureaa BEACHVH.LE — Mayor George Jakeman of South-West Oxford Township is wondering if Beachville, with a population of about I,0o0 persons, can afford a proposed $I.1 million provincial sewage works program. Mayor Jakeman said the cost will be $130 per household: per year, and there are a lot of retired people in the community. I Oxford County engineer Donald Pratt said anything over $130 will be paid by the pro- vince. He said cost of the proposal is more than $1,- OW for every man, woman and child in the community. The ministry of the environment will hold a hearing at Beachville Legion Thursday at 1:30 Proposed city bypass route unsuitable, says consultant By CORD McINTOSH Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Woodstock should com- promise and accept County Road 6 as a traffic bypass because a proposed route is too expensive and trucks won't use it, an engineering consultant told city council Thursday night. Stephen Donat, traffic study manager for De Leuw Cather Ltd., said any route close to city boundaries is not suitable because of s grading and high costs inelu .g the bypass route his own consulting firm proposed to city council last fie told council — while several aldermen were visibly annoyed — new information has ruled out the proposed route. Mandatory adjustments to the route, including a grade separation at a Canadian Pacific Railway crossing north of Governor's Read, have Pushed the cost of the route running west of the city to $11,6 million instead of $6 million as originally estimated, he said. A county Road 6 route would still cost $5.6 million to build as first estimated by the con. sultanta, he said, Interviews with trucking firms done since the route waF proposed, he said, have in dicalHd truckers would not use it berause of steep grades. \10Ic5 0\1 0 Innerkip community honors Jean Watson By JOHN LEC'KIE Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Jean Watson of Innerkip is a unique person. At least the residents of Innerkip seem to think so. Close to 300 of them gathered in the Innerkip Central School auditorium Saturday night to honor Mrs. Watson for her many achievements for the com- munity And M. nrmrm..a to p.m. Owners and occupants of land adjoining possible sites for a sewage treatment plant have been notified of it. Mayor Jakeman said the facility has been designed to accommodate the community unlit it expands to 2,500 persons by 1990. Mr. Pratt said a similar program at Platte-' ville has been 10 years in the planning and has yet to start. 0 0 010 SA *0%x % Unit postpones move to hire tank inspector f`rtr Press Woodstock Bureau WOODS`fOCK — A move to hire a full-time health inspector for septic tank installations was deferred by Oxford health unit Wednes- day. The health unit deferred the recommenda- tion after Aid, W'llham B. Dutton of Woodstock asked whether the $16.90o provided by the ministry of environment for sewer installation inspection could be legally used to empiay a full-time Inspector or whether it belonged to the county general fund. Ile also asked it part of the money could be used to purchase two transit levels fur check - lug the sill of Alto. The two levels are to be boated at TI11so0burg and woodslack. The health unit has asked Gerald Staples, county clerk-trensuror, to find Out if the money can be hose dt pia ,all Uk, within a few, His ran inspector. eport days. M. R. Bragg, chief public health inspector for tile Oxford lthad inlas mended hiring a full-time Septictak pot` tor. NOVEMBER 24, 1975 Inside workers return t'Ioob in Ingersoll Woodstock post office delivers 31800 cheques Between 3.800 and 4.000 old age pension and veterans cheques were delivered in Woodstock today — the first mail since the start of the five. week old postal strike. "We have a full contingency of postal carriers out for the 22 routes." said assistant post. master Howard Allison. "Each carrier will have about 180-20o cheques per route ... most of the mail should be done by noon. Although the carriers usually deliver 1,000 pieces of mail on a daily average, they will receive a full days pay for todays delivery. Mr. Allison said each post office was notified by the Postmaster -General a week ago that special arrangments had been made to allow cheque delivery. "Every office had to use their own judgment considering the particular situation they were in," he said. "Quite a few offices delivered theirs Friday." _ For the second or third time since the strike began, striking inside workers didn't set up picket lines, Mr. Allison said. "We can only assume the clerks have been instructed by their national executive to back off the carriers while they're making delivery," he said. Jerold Jasper, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in Woodstock, says picket lines were taken down for the day since the local union planned a regular weekly meeting for the morning, "But we wouldn't stop the carriers from working either," he said. "It's part of the agreement we have between the two unions." - H luskas' ordeal ends in acquittal after second trial By MAC HAIG of The Free Press WOODSTOCK — "I want to go home and see Tammy" With those tearful words, Bonnie Lee Hluska wrote a happy end to her second murder trial this year and to an ordeal with her husband that began almost two years ago. An Ontario Supreme Court Jury found Mrs. Hluska and husband Brian not guilty Wednes- day of the murder of their infant daughter Brenda Lee in a house fire Feb. 7,1974. The ayear-old Dereham Township couple had started the third day of Jury deliberations apprehensively, awaiting the verdict with Mrs. Hluska's parents. There was no reaction from the prisoners' box just after 12 noon when jury foreman James B. Pelton announced the 11 jurors found Mr. Ifluska not guilty. But when he announced a brief moment la- ter that the jury also found Mrs. Ifluska not guilty, she broke into sobs of relief and cried on her basband's shoulder. And a few minutes later outside the court- room, Mr. Hluska remained impassive while his wife, still in tears, called for her surviving daughter, now five years old. It had been about noun on a cold winter day when Mrs. Ifluska, after dropping Tammy, leaped from an upstairs window of their burn- ing home and into a police Investigation that Icd to two murder trials and eventual acquit- tal. She was charged with non -capital murder July 24, 1974, and Mrs. Illuska was charged' Live. 2. The Crown alleged they had set the fire deliberately to collect $1.fki0 fire insurance on their furniture. Brenda Lee died In a down- *tairs den. The first trial began Feb. 4 and ended March 19 with a hung Jury. The Jury had re- tired to consider its verdict late In the after- m,on of Monday, March 17, and, unable to reach a verdict, had been dismissed Wadden. day afternoon. The second trial began Oct. 20 and, after five weeks, retired late Monday afternoon to consider Its verdict; The liluskas, free (m bell throughout, were ordered into custody byMa- damJustice M, M. Van Canlp Monday night and Mrs. lOusks wept openly before Iteing taken to London's loll overnight. MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1975 Seven -month strike ends in Goderich BY JULIAN HAYASM of The Free Press GODERICH — A seven -month strike by 50 workers against the Sifto Salt division of Dom - tar Chemical Ltd, ended as they ratified a three-year agreement Thursday. Robert Stewart, former Canadian director of the International Chemical Workers (ICW) and now acting as "consultant" for the ICW Local 682, said the wages -benefits package to- tals about $2 an hour. Mr. Stewart said the agreement means min- imum rates of $4.98 an hour under the old con- tract will rise to $6.95 and the old top rate of $6.10 will go to $8.21. The old average wage was $5.40. BLUES CHASER Ontv a politician would ask you to buy a ticket to a $11sl-a-plate dinner and then give � ou a speech on how he intends to stop infla- tion. VOTE TONIGHT Postal workers reach tentative settlement Bridge, community centre ceremonies held in Embro BY ARTWILLIAMS EMBRO--The Zorra Township Council took advantage of the Sod -turning at the site of the new Embro and West Zorra Com- munity Centre and officially opened the new Rowland Rutherford bridge Saturday afternoon. During a brief sod -turning - program, Isabel Parrott, wife of Dr. Harry Parrott, minister of Colleges and universities and Oxford MPP filled In for her husband and assisted Rowland Rutherford in turning the first sod for the new $%5,M4 Embro and West. Zorra Community Centre. Construction of the complex will begin in January with completion expected for a July opening. Mayor Robert Matheson of Zorra Township (a consolidation of Embro, West Zorra, North Oxford and East Nissouri in the restructured Oxford) after congratulating the community centre committee on their achievement, invited the gathering to move to the east sideof the village and partake in the official opening of the new $110,000 bridge spanning the Thanes River Al the bridge he announced flint the bridge will be officially known as the Howland Rutherford bridge to com- memorate the last reeve of the village of Embro and his council which began the planning of the new bridge which the Zorra council -completed, Festivities for Embro were topped off in the evening by the Embro and West Zorra Optimist Club sponsoring a dance at the Woodstock fairgrounds featuring the Carleton Show Band. Final reading for seat belts TORONTO lCP) -- Legisla- I.ton making the use of seat belts mandatory In Ontario received third and final reading in the legislature Tuesday night, and now requires only the formality of royal asaen( by Ia.,Gov. Puidlne McGibbon to become law. • • J 5J C X w LO 1° �ME Mail service restored as long strike ended Local men glad to be back but unhappy with the pact FIRE CO-ORDINATOR County council will contact the Ingersoll police and fire com- mittee for its comments on a proposal to appoint a member of that fire department as county fire co-ordinator. An earlier attempt to secure the service. of a member of the Woodstock Fire Department failed. OFFICE PAYMENT A recommendation from the county's administration and finance committee requesting the final payment toward the construction to the addition of the Family and Children's Services of Oxford County was approved Wednesday. The payment is $17,245,83. Narrow margin decides By DOUG LONG The CANADIAN PRESS Mail service was restored across the country Tuesday, bringing to an end the longest strike in thehistory of the post office. The 22,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Work- ers (CUPW) began returning to their jobs, many of them grudgingly, after voting by a narrow margin to accept the tentative agreement. Them were no reports of any serious problems as the rust shift returned to workfollowing the 43-day strike. But union leaders say there is a tagging bitterness among many of the workers and peace in the past office is not assured. Results released by union headquarters in Ottawa show that of 14.541 votes cast, 7,531 or 51.9 percent favored accepting the agreement while 6,M or 47-5 per cent voted no. There were 141 spoiled ballots. Joe Davidson, CUPW presi- dent, told a news conference Tuesday that such a close vote after a six -week-long strike in- dicated the membership was behind the national executive as headquarters had maintained during the strike, issues NEW BANK BRANCH OPENS Oxford County Warden Perry ribbon•culting Monday to oU Norwich Avenue. seen with the Bank of Comm me and Ter Sibbick (second left) and ficlally open the new branch of two officials are, left Gordon Bragg, manager a(Staff er of the new . Woodstock Mayor Loalle Cook the Canadian Imperial Bank of Ormston, vice-president of thebranch, oerformed I.he ceremonious Commerce at Norwich Place on County water system proposed in Oxford Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — A proposal to establish a county water system for rural municipalities, leaving operation and maintenance at the lo- cal level, will be made to Oxford County coun- cil Dec. 17. Under the county council public works com- mittee proposal released Friday, the county would retain responsibility for planning, de- signing, construction and financing of capital Improvements to waterworks in Tavlstock, Embro, Norwich, Thamesford and Otterville, Including all smaller municipally -owned wa- terworks in rural municipalities. Special consideration toward assuming and operating cooperative community water sys- tems in Brownsville, Mount Elgin, Springford and privately owned services in Innerkip and Dorland subdivision has also been recom- mended. The report says waterworks of rural mumcl- palities "have been adequate" until now, but "serious deficiencies" are becoming evident and the need for `large scale capital improve- ments is becoming obvious." The water rate for about 2,500 rural custom- ers has been estimated at $95 a year including cost of future capital improvements. That rate is paid by rural consumers on the fringes of Woodstock and Ingersoll and is less than that paid in municipalities where provincially owned and operated water systems have been ..built. Rates there are$105 a year. Cost of maintenance and operation of rural water systems is reported to average $34.65 a household each year, with capital Improve- ments levied as an extra charge. The proposal says it doesn't intend to have persons to whom water service in unavailable pay toward the cost. "We do not mean to Imply the county should be obliged to provide water service for every resident of the county," the report says. It recommends the sPoctal water rate be added to the users' tax bills and collected for the county by area municipalities. The committee described it as "Impractical to consider providing for maintenance and op- eration from the county level, as this would no doubt be more costly and not necessarily any improvement over the present system." "We are anxious that the proposed system be capable of administration with a bare mini- mum of staff at the county level," the report says. It has recommended the entire operation, in - eluding capital works, be financed as much as possible from current revenue and short-term loans. It also recommends entering into agree- ments with Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Wood- stock councils to give the municipalities au- thority for the administration, operation and maintenance of waterworks within their boundaries and adjoining areas. The waterworks In Woodstock, Ingersoll and Tillsonburg were described as being profes- sionally managed and in "much better condi- tion" than any of the smaller ones. LIP spokesman should meet council committee decides Oxford County Council should learn mechanics of federal Local Initiatives Projects (LIP) in the area by inviting the local project officer to speak at a January meeting, a council committee decided Wednesday. Coon. Doug Harris of Ingersoll was critical of the projects at a council meeting Nov. 26. He suggested that the government should examine the administration of the projects. Conn. Harris told the ad- ministration and finance committee Wednesday he had received a lot of response to his comments. Wilma Bolton, project officer for the constituencies of London and Oxford, told him she would be willing to speak to county council in January to try to straighten out some of the problems, he said. The committee agreed with Surplus predicted for Oxford County Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Warden Perry Sibbick forecast Wednesday that Oxford County will end its first year after restructuring with a "good surplus" from its 1975 budget of $5,032,- 172. The warden told county council's adminis- tration ppad finance committee that as of Nov. 30, thVi ounty still had 25.1 per cent of the year's budget left. County clerk -treasurer Gerald R. Staples told the committee three of the county's eight municipalities will receive credit adjustments on their individual county tax levies, accord. ing to the latest revenue ministry calculations. The other five will have to make additional tax payments. Final levies for the year based on original calculations were due Nov. 26, Mr. Staples said Norwich Township will receive a credit of about $5,000 on Its $295,7$5 levy Woodstock $2.,633 on its $821,636 and South-West Oxford Township $2,094 on Its $248,245. Ingersoll must pay an extra $4,413 on Its VA1,490, East Lorra-Tavlstock Township $3,- 471 on its $214,296, Zorra Township $757 on Its $297,370, 7111sonburg $ru3 on its $337,019 and Blenheim-Blandford 'township $400 on Its $2.52,562. Two finance committee members, Mriyar 1. Re J, Cook of Woodstock and Mayor Robert Matheson of 7.orra Township, proposed that county council stayy within government oatWo. flatkm guidelines fn HIM budget and salary ne- gotlatlam. The proposal %III be considered Wednesday at county council's meeting. Mayor Cook sold Woodstock planN W remain within tho guidelines, "Until it has been tried, who is going to say it won't work," he said. Warden Sibbick wants to see what the anti- inflation board does with agreements between Oxford County board of education and its teachers. for Increases of 32.31 and 34 per cent. Mayor Leslie Dickson of Norwich Township Request referred A request for a grant to build an addition to the Tillsonburg and District Museum was referred to the 1976 budget deliberations by county ad- ministration and finance com- mittee Wednesday. The $20,000 addition would provide an art and craft display area as well as meeting space. In their request to county council the board of the "fillson6urg and District ,Museum Society said the 20 ft. by 50 ft, addition was made necessary by the expanding services of the museum. They said they hoped to receive the services of building classes at Manshawe College which would make the cost of the addition lower than other buildings under construction. The administration Lind finance committee decided In refer the matter to next year's budget since no funds for the project were budgeted this year. Coun. Harris that council should take her up on her offer. Ms. Bolton said today that she did not want to see the sponsors of the projects taking abuse when they did the same thing any Canadian had the right to do in making an application. They had no control over whether or not their projects were funded, she said. The committee's recom- mendation was referred to county council. said: "I saw red when the school board said it will go to hat for the Increase." County council's finance committee received a letter from provincial Treasurer Darcy MtKeough explaining the province wants to limit spending In 1976-77 to 10-per cent. Committee endorses controls The administration and finance committee of Oxford County council decided Wed- nesday to go along with suggested federal and provin- cial guidelines for wage set- tlements in 1976 and for restraining spending in 1976 but they would like to see other sectors try a little harder. "How can county employees be expected to go along with it when school boards seem to get away with ignoring it," said Warden Perry Sibbick. "1 am going to be interested to see the response of the anti- inflation board to the 32 to 34 per centincrease," he said. Leslie Dickson, mayor of Norwich Township, agreed. "When I read that the school board is going to bat for tir, teachers I see red," he said. "That is in clear defiance of theuidelines set down by the. provignce. 1 feel we are obliged to give the guidelines a try to sin, mittee supported a n Woodstock Mayor )k to recommend of the suggested to the 1976 budget "We *it seem to want controls unless they affect 'me' per- sonally," Mr. Dickson said. 0i DECEMBER 12, 197fr Cabinet sits into night to approve postal pay III TAIL -A Will — Prime Tlmisler Trudeau tt .emerged from an extended cabinet meetingC'Thmadav night to announce thm e gmernent .'I has decided to overturn a decision by the and inflation board against a pay a+vard that ended a six -week poslatstrikc last week, ile said cabinet had decided it was *'in lice (� -,realer public interest" In let the agrocntent >umd. The cabinet reversal of the anti-inflation board ruling, made public after the second cabinet meeting on the issue in 12 hours, ends Ihe threat of renewed postal strife over Ihe. Asked if the decision damages the anti-intln- liun program, be said: .:The Canadian people. who have suffered a lengthy postal strike which ha, sent under many small businesses ... will .seer the guv. errunent held out and did not give the portal workers anymore than they thought. reason- able", . Ilear.hed at III, other al'Irr the decision Jean -Luc Pepinchairman of III( autbinflatlon board, simply said he had no contntcnt oil tho decision. The cabinet had belorc i1r a written ruing from the anti-inflation boaul that said the sel.. Ilement exceeded accepl.able annual pay awards under the restraints program by about six Percentage points. The 30�raonth contract gives (he 22.000 mem- bers of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) a 17.75 per cent annual pay increase. The board said that tut more thaman 11.0 per cent raise was Justified, Wreckers start to strip interior of Hay mansion BY IRENE STANIONIS Sentinel -Review Staff Writer Demolition of the 70-yearold Hay estate, located at Dundas and Blandford Streets, began Monday. Teperman Wrecking Ltd. moved into the house, vacant for the past few years, at about a a.m. to start stripping the in- terior of any saleable items such as fireplaces, plumbing and hand -carved woodwork. "There wasn't a window left whole in the place when we came in," foreman Karl Staffers said at the scene. "The toilets 'and sinks had all been smashed by vandals too." Mr. Staffers said all decorative panelling and trimmings would be removed before the main house was demolished. "Even mouldings," he said. -We don't usually bother with them but in this case they are antiques." There were about four or five prospective buyers through the house looking for anything from doors to antique plumbing, Mr. Staffers said. What isn't sold at the site will be moved to the company's ,yards in'Kitchener for future sale, he said. JOB 3 WEEKS With five menonthe job, he said it would take about three weeps to level the buildings on the property. The start of demolition yesterday effectively put a stop to community efforts to save the historic site. The original house, called Eastdene, was built by J. S. Short appointed Woodstock's. first postmaster in 1835. It was later occupied by -Henry BLUES CHASER The average MP's Idea of waste is a dollar that is spent in anolhermeniber's• riding. C .Mi. Trudeau li.ntecl three reasons that.the I abinet considered in Its decision. • The importance of maintaing w•aga parity' with letter carriers, who earlier this year received a similar settlement: 0 The postal workers previous contract ex- pired last Dec. 31, "almost a year t i • Thaiprevious contract was signed prior to Jan. 1, 1974, which according to the restraints program- is a factor in deciding whether pay awards above the guides are allowed. The anti-inflation board ruling recognized the historical pay relationship with letter car- riers, but said that did not automatically jus- tify Immediate wage parity between groups. Mr. Trudeau said he hopes the cabinet deci- sion "means the can he flexible .. during the transitional period." Teachers De Blaquiere during the 1840's, whose father was the Hon. Peter t o Boyle. De Blaquiere. Henry Huntingford, the last of the distinguished British gen- tlemen who originally settled the area, left his farm estate north of Woodstock to also live in the house until his death in 1893 at age 93. The current house, still called Eastdene, was built: by James Hay Jr. in 1905. He had married Isabella Short the daughter of the original owner. "It was modeled after an English country home," said local historian Edwin Bennett. "The first home was a one-story Regency cottage." Mr. Bennett said the intricate. wood panelling and decorative work that helped make the house a showplace was hand- made by an expert Scottish woodcarver the Hays imported to work on the house. T.L. Hay, son of James Hay Jr. and the last owner of Eastdene, died in 1952, but the house remained occupied until 1971 when the widow died. Taken over by National Trust,. the house was sold to a development company despite wide -spread protests by area citizens groups. "1 only hope the developers retain the name Eastdene in some wary, a street or something,' Mr. Bennett said. "It had so much local historical significance." NSULTING FI plague 'flier cabinet met without Postma,lcr-f;en, oral Bryce filackasey, who was a featured ac- tor in the split that developed between the gov- ernment and Its anti -Inflation board, he was In ,Montreal for the evening.. Mr. Trudeau, Treasury Board President Jean Chretien and Mr. Mackasey had earlier said they felt the settlement should be at - lowed. "Obviously we wouldn't have agreed (to the settlement) if we didn't think 11 was within the guides and within the spirit of the law," Sir. Trudeau said Wednesday. strikes continue areas of Ontario 1976 date given for county study The long -overdue county road needs study should be completed early in the new year, Oxford Warden Perry Sibbick said Tuesday. The report, ordered up by the county late last spring w-as to be presented to county council near the end of September. But the county has received no material. "By what 1 understand everything is put together now," said Mr. Sibbick," I think they (.McCormick and Rankin Consultants) haven't been able to work on it as fast as they has originally anticipated." Cormick-Rankin was earn, missioned by the county after collector roads which were maintained by the now defunct suburban roads commission, fell under the county's jurisdiction with restructuring, Through the consultant's report, the county, is trying to determine what refurbishing of the roads is needed and what the cost will be. Mr. Sibbick said he knew of no specific problems the con- sultants may have run into. County engineer Don Pratt said he requested the con- sultant's present him a draft copy of the report shortly after the study was undertaken but the draft copy has never arrived- "I wanted to take a copy to the works committee for study before itwent to council," he said, "but I haven't received anything." The consulting firm probably found itself bagged down with other jobs• he added. No solution found yet for bypass problems Expansion amendment from GM turned down by Oxford planners Redesignation of GM land premature, planners say By W Al NE 11facPHERSON Free Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK — Redesignation of Ill acres of General Motors of Canada Ltd, land from rural to industrial development is premature, Oxford County council was advised Thursday by Its planning committee. Committee members considered the official plan change premature Thursday, until "ap- proprf to municipal services are available". The recommendation will be forwarded to counh council for its Dec. 17 meeting. Coon. Kenneth Webster of Tillsonburg, plan- ning committee chairman, said the recom- mendation would leave It open to General Mo- tors if they wanted to install appropriate serv- ices earlier. Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Blandford- Blenheim Township, said future development of the General Motors land is "high priority to all of us". The property, in Norwich Towmship, at the southeast end of Woodstock, is part of 300 acres purchased by the all motive 5rm. A multi -million dollar parts distribution cen- tre is being constructed on part of the land, on the north side of Parkinson Road, partially in Woodstock and partially In Norwich Township. Planning director Peter Atcheson said the question is whether the property can be serv- iced and the timing of a policy for extension of services. - Woodstock, Mr. Webster said, is planning to Increase the size of its sewage treatment plant. He was hopeful the areas designated for expansion will be dealt with In preparation of a new official county plan. The committee recommended retention or Marshall, Macklin, Monaghan Ltd. for prepar- ation of an official plan at a cost of $105,000, to be completed over a 24-month period. Prepar- ation of an aerial map, Mr. Webster said, would cost an additional $22,000. Also recommended is Investigation by; the consultingg firm of problems Involved with ex- tension of municipal services beyond munici- pal boundaries. William Stirling, a General Motors represen- tative, said the firm doesn't know when the properly will be required. He said the firm wants to be in a position to move quickly when the opportunity arises. The GM spokesman said the need could arise within the next week or as long as four, five'or 10 years. Mayor Leslie J. Cook of 1oodstock said in a letter to the committee he wa supporting Gen- eral Motors fully as an individual recalling a commitment to give co-operation for a smooth transfer to the locality. City council had also said the redesignation was premature. Norwich Township supported the General Motors application. The committee, in other business. decided that an application by Oakland Developments or Woodstock Ltd. for redesignation from ru- ral to urban of a 166-acre property on Bower Hill Road in South-West Oxford Township for a residential subdivision was premature. J. W. Disher of C. C. Parker and Associates Ltd., Hamilton, asked that the development, just west of Woodstock, be considered as an alternative to proposed residential develop- ment in the city. He said the Bower Hillproposal is closer to services, being adjacent to a city water reser- vo r. BLUES CHASER Asked if she had any abnormal children in her class, the teacher replied: "Yes, indeed. There are two children who have good man- ners. " GO train, TTC bus crash Train -bus collision claims its 9th victim TORONTO 1CPI — investiga- tions continued today into the crash of a Go Transit commuter train and a Toronto Transit. Commission bus Friday which killed nine persons. Dr. Donald Bunt, the in- vestigating coroner, said he doubts whether there will be a public inquiry unless criminal charges are laud.. Four men and four women, all of Toronto, were killed and 20 persons injured Friday when the train struck the bus, which had stopped on a level crossing on St. Clair Avenue in the city's east end. A ninth passenger, a woman, died in hospital Sunday of head injuries suffered in the crash. One person was in critical condition in hospital Sunday and seven others were in fair or satisfactory condition. No one on the train was injured. Donald Sine, the bus driver, was taken to hospital after the accident and treated for shock. Mr. Sine has been a TTC driver for 21 years and received an award for safe driving in 1974. t"11\by 4�.L...Wy �O�J] ��•0 .0 Cmc.� .�..40 E -aowaJci •`'3o �?o ��'u�.�_.. "4°o=�,D oud6 �„ ."�"',•o'-, 'ppw ;n cam. `'° '^ " W ¢a0 ;n v� T w 4 ✓0y •....> u B E ac-.cct� pu3��n—cesroat �'a '-cs� dw-ao.,,y 3.um. u`mao�dE vma.v cw .p—`o3��; V f0 v;9'E a'�oa�neca uiva O'.. ov "Ey E zF oSca.yaar a ' y•�CU-�yi u`'-, E .c E C District health council plan protested Pree Press Woodstock Bureau WOODSTOCK —The proposed Thames Val- ley dlsh'ict health council is another weaken- Ing of local authority by the provincial govern- ment Ingersoll Mayor Gordon Henry told Ox- ford Nunty council Wednesday. FnUowing a presentation to council by a ministry of health official on the now health council, Mr. Henry sold It "!h another arm of the provincial government.•' Ha sold tha health council will be responsi. ble to the mhttatry of health and not to any lo- cal authority Stephen Skorcz, ministry of health area co- ordinator on the implomentoLion of the health counell, said It will be consumer dominated and will make recommendal Ions directly to file provinceon priorities for service., "Health care is a function of the provincial government," he said. 'flue council Is to cover Oxford, Elgin, and Middlesex countles and London, Ilo said, and will be formed in early 1070r fie said Oxford County will have five mem- ber, on the council, Efµhl five, London five and Middlesex four. Mr. Skorcz was Invited In the council maet- Ing to answor questions after council mom - bars expressed concern that local councils would have no volce in the health council but would have to pay the bills, Mr, Sknrcx said the ministry has reconr Invaded three municipal. council members be part of the health councils, In other business, council followed Its pill ning cenunittce's recommendation that it pro- posed redtwlgnation of 11 acres of General Mo- tars of Canada Lid, land from rural to ludus- trial dovelopmenl Is premature unfil expanded III nicipal services are available. Warden Perry Sibbick, mayor of Blandford- Bk inholm Township, sold future dovalopgtattl of the General Motors land in Norwich Town- ship, just outside Woodstock, is "high priority to all of Its." The It I acres is part of 301) acres purchased by General Motors at the southeast boundary of the city, A multimillion dollar parts distri- butlnn contre is nearing cotitpioilon on part of the property. Council also aviceptvd a planning conunnittee report to retain Marshall, htacklin, Manaahan Ltd. for preparation of an urficial plan for the county at a cost of $1N.i,lakl In be completed aver a acmumh perivdl i 0 0 0 Inflation- figih tern ihphlights of the, anti-inflation program announced h� the federal goy eniment Thursday: hanlily allowance payments frozen Opportimitleaior Youth program scrapped. Salaries of Ml'+, senator,, senior civil serx'ants and supreme court ,ius- 'ticv.N frozen. Tulcii spendtug uui> of t146 million and of another :SI hillion I rom u176 77 e*livaales. Compare of Young C;nadium dWiandvd. l oc t13n31ieti4istti Program severely cut back. information Canada will largely be absorbed by other departments - About $30 million cut from budgets for new, government buildings. Subsidies orM million for transcontinental rail service eliminated. Foreign aid as a percentage of the gross national product will fail. Extension of postal services postponed. Department of national defence headquarters staff cut. to per cent and some military bases consolidated. The CBC won't receive additional money for "planned growth" next year. 1-year appointments for land committee Citizen members of the Oxford County council Wednesday, County land division committee with reservations, approved the will be appointed for one year recommendation from Its terms instead of serving planning committee, negating suggested staggered terms. some councillor's earlier stands that the terms should be staggered. William Ducklow, 11, Baigent and C. W, Dew will sit on the committee during the coming year. Planning committee chair- man Ken Webster said setting - up one-year terms was the only BLUE'S CHASER way to assure all or most areas Boss to new em 1oyee: "I want you to know of the county equal represen- that my door is always open — so please walk tation on the committee. by quietly." - "Rather than stagger the terms," he said; "we felt we - - - - should take a chance and see what happens this time." Aid. Walter Hulme lost his battle to have the recom- rnendation deleted from ft planning committee's report. "The recommendation will leave the county in an equally great sense of urgency next year," he said. -TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1875- Laboratory staff questions closing oflacility free Press Woodstock Bum W(iODSfOCK—The-m-memberstaff of the iegionai health laboratori' here is questioning the ministry of health decision to close the lab. Dr. Arden Irvine, director, said Monday. Dr. Irvine said he was notified about the clo- sum only two hours before the ministry made a public announcement Friday. Closure date is March 31, when the 197-a-76 fiscal year ends. -T here was no explanation outside of geo- graphic location and economics." Dr.. Invite said. ne Woodstock public health lab has been the flatio jild-Norfolk region and Oa - last year it handled a workload of 3.4 mil- lion tests, fifth highest of the ministry's 15 similar regional public health labs. Besides handling medical tests for doctors and hospitals, the lab has conducted food qualitwater, wimmingood poisoning areareas, ktests. (fortests well the Ontario sen*u>g y ford, Brant Perth and Waterloo counties since it was opened rive years ago at a cost of sm.- 0 c$ Milk Commission) and other aspects of public health. A year ago it took over microbiology testing for Alexandra Hospital in Ingersoll. For three years a courier servicehas been used to transport test specimens and results to and from the lab to outlying areas which has, �O art �04* �O tc of z°r arm e��e D� ar tvs's'r`�etbr��y°m�ef�'teae'i'ei7se�sSsC�9 dt o eye' '. ss't• �' 0 7' Y40 t0' o' art o 4; accounted for about 90 per cent of the work- load. Cost of operating the lab during 1975-76 has been estimatedat $393.800, of which $303,600 is salaries and benefits. The remainder is mostly supplies and equipment. Dr. Irvine said it is not (mown where the to- tum testing will be carried out, although there are regional labs in London. Hamilton and Palmerston. The ministry indicated it may turn to private labs for the service. '-I don't know what the cost of private labo- ratories would be in relation to public health laboratories," said Dr. Irvine, adding that he hoped the ministry made the comparison be- fore making its decision. Dr. Irvine said he sees a need for the local lab because some tests don't turn out well if there is a delay in testing, which might happen if specimens have to be transported further afield. The Woodstock lab aimed for testing within 24 hours, he said. He said some hospital laboratories — such as Kitchener and Guelph — don't perform the Dr. Harry Parrott. Oxford MPP and minis- ter of colleges and universities. said in an in- terview that "all of us regret to have any of these facilities closed.. . "You can't hope to make ecomoe ies without making difficult decisions,- be said, adding, the economic cutbacks are `absolutely essen- tial." There doesn't appear to be another choice. he added. Dr. Parrott said closing the lab won't mean a loss of servim lust a transfer to other laba- ratories. Arrangements will be made ever the next four months for rechanneling the ca_se- luad, he added - Plans for future use of the building. on the Oxford regional centre ground- north of Wood- stock, are not completed, he said. County of Oxford uu�L�/�V//II.DD� �nIO/�/7O'2^LIJ LI PERRY C. SIRRICK Warden 40 L THE COUNTY OF OXFORD INCORPORATED 1850 RESTRUCTURED JANUARY 1, 1975 AREA 500,608 acres 782 square miles POPULATION 80,365 EQUALIZED ASSESSMENT $697,794,904 MILES COUNTY ROAD 273 TOWNSHIP OF BLANDFORD—BLENHEIM Formerly Township of Blandford and Township of Blenheim TOWNSHIP OF EAST ZORRA—TAVISTOCK Formerly Township of East Zorra and Village of Tavlstock TOWNSHIP OF NORWICH Formerly Townships of East Oxford, North Norwich, South Norwich and Village of Norwich TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH—WEST OXFORD Formerly Townships of Dereham, West Oxford and Village of Beachvil le TOWNSHIP OF ZORRA Formerly Townships of East Nlsap Url, North Oxford, West Zorra and Village of Embro MEMBERS OF OXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL - 1975 - 1976 Municipality Name Address Phone No. SLANDFORD—BLENHEIM Perry C. Sibbick R. R. Nt, Princatnn Res, 4584666 Ross Livingston R. R. N4, Bright net. 632-7565 EAST ZOR RA—TAV[STOCK Harold W. Vogt 57 WToodsttoocck St. S.. Re, 655-2941 George Wilhelm R. R. M2, Tavistock Res. 462-2513 W. Leslie Dickson R. R. M2, Burgeswille Res, 424-9875 NORWICH Fl, N4, Woodstock Ras. 467-5565 Kenneth Peers R. SOUTH—WEST OXFORD George Jakeman R. Ft. #1, Beachville Res, 539 1366 Res, 485-0908 Norman Paton R. R. N1, Mount Elgin Robert C. Matheson R. R. M3, Embro Res, 4754503 20 R R A Robert Blair R. R. ./F4, Embro Res. 4754305 TILLSONBURG J. Saloon Wilkinson 26 Hyman St., Tillsonburg Res. 8424061 Kenneth Webster 63 Parkwood Dr., Tillsonburg Res. 842-2173 Off, 842.3677 INGERSOLL Gordon B. Henry 120 Duke St., Ingersoll Res. 485.2392 Oft. 485-1020 Douglas Harris 250 Tunis St., Ingersoll Res. 485-1867 Off. 485-1200 WOODSTOCK Leslie J. Cook 752 Gladstone Dr., Wootlstock Res. 537-8379 Off. 539-1291 Wendy L. Calder 133 Vansittart Ave., Woodstock Res. 539-3083 William B. Dutton 444 Vincent St., Woodstock Res. 537.3173 - ON, 539 1251 Walter Hulme 292 Broadview Ave., Woodstock Res. 539-1591 Off. 537-3414 Joseph Pember 207 Catherine St., Woodstock Res. 539-3004 Off. 537.5002 Philip Poole 467 Buller St., Woodstock Res. 537-5977 Off, 539-2344 0 is TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS TOWNSHIP OF BLANDFORD—BLENHEIM Clark-Traasurar . um .... office: 4 3-534 .. . 1. J. Home. Drumbo Offide: 463-5347 Home: 463.5365 Deputy Clark-Trrasurer ........... . .. • ... Keith Ralbli.g Keith Reibling Building Inspector ..... Drumbo Office: 463-5347 Rod Superintendent Herb Balkwill Drumbe Office: 463-E389 Home: 463-5343 Tax Collector . , .....Robert Hoskin Drumbo Office: 463-5347 Home: 463.5336 Mayor Perry C. Sibbick R. R. #1, Princeton, 458-4666 Date of Meetings. Second end Fourth Mondays Township Office, Drumbo TOWNSHIP OF EAST ZORRA—TAVISTOCK Qerk-Treasurer Hickson office: 2-26 .. John V. Killing Hickson Office: 462-2697 Hama: 462-2833 Rod Superintendent ................ John S. APPIetOn Office: 462-2698 HOMO: 462-2345 Walter 6chaefar Tax Collector _ _ ... , , , . , Office: 462-2697 Heme: 655-2964 Building InaPO"Of ..James Harmer and Drainage CommleslonOffkce: 462-2697 Home: 462.2442 Mayer Harold Vogt ........................ ... ...... Tevistock e66-2941 Data Of MeetlnN: First and Third Wednesdays TownehlP Offira, Hickson TOWNSHIP OF NORWICH Clerk ............................ Robert C. Watkins P.O. Box 100, OtteMlle Office: 879-6568 Deputy Clerk ......................... Wayne Johnson P.O. Box 100, Otterville Office: 879-6568 Treasurer ............................. Merlin Howse P.O. Box 100, Otterville Office: 679-6568 Deputy Treasurer ... .. ....... ....Fred Lowes P,O. Box 100, Otterville Office: 879-6568 Rood Superintendent ................... Robert Butler Otterville Tax Collectors ............... Merlin Howse, Fred Lowes Mayor ........... ................. W. Leslie Dickson R, R. #2, Burgeswille, 424-9875 Date of Meetings — Second Monday and Fourth Tuesday Township Office (interim) Otterville TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH—WEST OXFORD Clark ........................... Mrs. Helen L. Plops R. R. 81, Mount Elg Office: 485-0477; 877-2702 Home: 842-371: Deputy Clerk ......................... A. B. Forrest=F R. R. Mt, Mount Elgin Office: 485-0477 Treasurer . ... R. E. Saunders R. R. #1, Mount Elgin Office: 485-0477; 877-2702 Home: 842-4314 Deputy Treasurer A. Douglas Watson Office: 485-0477 Home: 423,6350 Road Superintendent ..................Lawrence Rooke R. R. #I, Mount Elgin Office. 877-2953 Home: 877-2944 Tex Collector ............................ L. B. Curry Office: 485-0477 Home: 539-2674 Building Inspectors ................... Donald Fleming Home: 485.0917 A. D. Robinson Home: 485-2941 Mayor ............................. George Jakeman R, R. #I, Beachville 539-1366 Date of Meetings- First and Third Tuesday Township Office, Dareham Centre • TOWNSHIP OF ZORRA Clark -Treasurer ........................ G. L. Gregory Office: 485-2490 Home: 349-2256 Deputy Clark-Traamrer ................ Ward Harrington Office: 485-2490 Road Superintendent ................ William D. Smith Office: 485-2490 Home: 475-4274 Tax Collector .......................... Donald Pasch Office: 485-2490 Drainage Commissioner and Building Inspector ......................E. G. Rout Office: 485-2490 Mayor .......................... Robert C. Matheson R. R. A3, Embro 475-4503 Data of Meetings- First Tuesday of Each Month Township Office, R. R. ®3, Ingersoll TOWN OF TILLSONSURG Clerk-Trwwrer ......................... K. E. Holland Town Hall, Tlllsonburg, Office: 842-5252 Home: 842-8127 Deputy Clerk -Treasurer ................. David C. Morris Town Hall, Tlllsonburg, Office: 842-5252 Home: 842.4188 Road Superintendent .................. James Hornsby Offke - 20 Foundsry Street, 842.5951 Home: 842.4657 Tax Collaetor ......................... David C. Morris Town Hall, Tlllsonburg, Office: 842-5252 Home: 842.4188 Building Inspector .......................Harry Saelens 3B4 Simcoe Street, Office: 642-2211 Home: 842.5705 Mayor ........... J. Seldon Wilkinson 26 Hyman Streit, Tlllsonburg 842-4061 Data of Meeting - First Tuesday of Each Month Council Chambers, Town Hall, Tlllsonburg TOWN OF INGERSOLL Clark -Treasurer ..................... Wm. A. Maclnwre Town Hall, Ingersoll Office: 485:0120 Home: 486-2303 Deputy Clerk -Treasurer ............... Mrs. Merlon Riley Office: 485-4186 Home: 485-1302 Road Superintendent ................. Stephen Kovacic Office: 485:4930 Home: 485,2457 Tax Collector ...................... Mrs. Marion Riley Office: 485<786 Home: 485-1302 Building Inspector .................... Office: 485-0120 Mayor ............................ Gordon B. Henry Office: 485-1020 Home: 485-2392 Date of Meetings — First and Third Monday Town Hall, Ingersoll [fib �lrl l'i[eLhb91 GIH3 Clerk Co-Ordinator .................... Kenneth Miller City Hall, P.O. Box 40, Woodstock Office: 639-1291 Home: S39-9048 Deputy Clerk ......................... John McGinnis Office: 539-1291 Home: 539-3047 Treasurer .............................. Cyril Ewins Office: 539-1291 Home: 539-1537 City Engineer .......................... Carl Havenor Office: 539-9808 Home: 639-4222 Building Inspectors ................. . Garth Ede Office: 539-9808 Don Parker Office: 539-980B Industrial Commissioner .................... W. A. Reid Office: 539-1291 Home: 53'-6955 Mayor ............................... Leslie J. Cook Office: 539-1291 Home: 537-8379 Data of Meetings - Every other Thursday City Hall, Woodstock kT- EI J LAND DIVISION COMMITTEE Councillor Kenneth Webster Councillor Ross Livingston Councillor Norman Piston Councillor Wendy Calder Mr. William DUCkIOW, 73 William Street, Tavistock Mr. Hartwell Balgant, R. R. N3, Ingersoll Mr. C. Wesley Dew, R. R. #4, Woodstock TREE CONSERVATION COMMISSION J. C. Eichenberg...... . ....... 16 Lisgar Ave., Tillsonburg Phone: 842-4814 Ross Calder ..................... R. R. 2, Thamesford Phone: 283-6254 John Mitchell Jr. ....... ............ R. R. 2, Innerkip Phone: 469-3362 David Chambers _ . .............. Norwich Phone: 863-3149 WEED INSPECTOR 8urnica McAllister ... . ....... . .. . ..... Salford Phone: 485-1759 OXFORD HEALTH UNIT M. O. H. ..................... ... Or. G. O. Sutherland Woodstock Office Phone: 539-6121 Ingersoll Office ................. ........... 485.0570 Norwich Office ............................ 863�2330 Tillsonburg Office ......................... 842-2979 COMMITTEES ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE — Dickson, Cook, Harris, Matheson, Sibbick HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES — Dutton, Blair, Henry, Hulme, Peers, Poole, Vogt, Sibbick PLANNING — Webster, Calder, Livingston, Paton, Sibbick PUBLIC WORKS — Wilkinson, Jakeman, Pember, Wilhelm, Sibbick WOODINGFORD LODGE — Henry, Dutton, Peers OXFORD COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH — Peers, Dutton, Henry DAY CARE — Poole, Blair, Vogt FAMILY & CHILDRENS SERVICES OF OXFORD COUNTY Blair, Hulme. Poole, Vogt OXFORD COUNTY LIBRARY —Dickson, Harris, Matheson, Sibbick OXFORD MUSEUM — Cook, Dickson VICTORIAN ORDER OF NURSES— Hulme NORWICH & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY — Peers WOODSTOCK HOSPITAL — Cook INGERSOLL HOSPITAL — Henry TILLSONBURG HOSPITAL — Wilkinson k COUNTY OFFICIALS Warden ................... Perry C. Sibbick 4594666 Clerk & Treasurer .............. G. R. Staples 537-3911 Deputy Clerk & Treasurer ...... Howard G. Day 537 3911 Road Engineer ................... D. L. Pratt 537-7961 Administrator Woodingtord Lodge .. J. E. Wood 539-1245 Office Manager Woodingford Lodge ...... B. O. McReynolds 539-1245 Administrator, Oxford Social Services........ G. H. MacKay 5373428 Assistant Administrator Oxford Social Services ...... H. J. McCulloch 537-3428 Planning Director. . . . ......... J. P. Atcheson 537-5524 Librarian, Oxford County Library .................. Mrs. Jane Webb 537-3322 Executive Director, Family & Children's Services of Oxford County ..Mrs. Jeanne Deans 537-3425 Court House Custodian ...........Howard Pye 539-9710 Solicitors .... MacDougall, Carnwath & Lawonas 537-6629 Auditors ...........Monteith, Monteith & Co. 271-6550 PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS County Judge . ..... ........ Kenneth Y. Dick 537-5811 Provincial Judge........... R. G. Groom, O.C. 537-2369 County Court Clark and Sheriff ................ A. A. Bishop 537.6561 Assistant County Crown Attorney.. � ..... • - F. J. Porter 537-2611 County Judge's Secretary and Court Reporter ....... Mrs. Sylvia Reid 537-5B11 Provincial Court Reporter ... Mrs. Sharon Heath 537-2369 Provincial Court Clerk, Criminal Division...... Miss Margaret E. Ross 537-2369 Provincial Court Clerk, Family Division ........ Mrs. Jeanette Hill 537-2369 Land Registrar ........... Robert K. Thomson 537-6286 Jail Superintendent ............ D. M. Fraser $37-2411 Provincial Police Staff Sergeant ................. J. K. Ross 539.9811 Probation Officer ...............T. H. Griggs 539-4803 Legal Aid Director ............ J. D. Carnwath 539.2381 0 Cj - NOTES - Hearstb ��I'•tty��ents things turned out the way SA1 FIIANCISCO (CP) — F»live news- paper heiress Patricia Hearst and three rad- ical comrades were arrested Thursday, end- ing one of the longest and most bizarre manhunts to American history -Almost by chance, FBI agents spotted two of Mtss Hearst-s comrades in the Sym- Wiese Liberation Army (SLA), Jogging on William and a San Francisco street. Emily Harris were taken without a struggle, an ar- Miss Hearst and Wendy Ymove , tist linked to the radical movemeennt, were apprehended about an hour in the taak's shy custody at an apartment Mission distric4. Miss "Think God she's all righn'a barely Hearst's mother, Catherim, said in audible voice when informed of the. cap- tures. was 1R, Her husband, Handolph A. Hearst, New York on business and said as he. hoarded a plane for San Francisco, "I am — —a E very pleased that they did." Hearst said that despite the I dtnrtbtliirV; charges against his daughter, " aAything will happen en that score; after all she was a -kidnap victim, you must remem- ber." 3 hours after In a crowded $ rtrratt was/aarraignod on her arrest, charges that included bank robbery and federal weapons violation. Her hair a reddish -brown color, cut in a shag style, the slightly-lmtlt Mtss Hearst lis- tened as the charges, against her were She Te by Magistrate Owen Woodruff- tinted glasses and appeared pale. Asked by the judge if her name was Yes i- cia Campbell Hearst, she answered: Miss Hearst was kidnapped from her Berkeley apartment Feb. 4, 1974, by the the bad h r c pto s an declared her she had joined self a revolutionary. r -1 LJ rs�. a - f a�_ x. 'i ,',I 1 _ r . 11 i ! .:. 1,1 .Y Y.IL MaLf111 y q ! IN Y i x SrI .. 1} t ..• r I I I a.l y, 1�� f _ r � < L 1 J f S' • S `i. ! �' I !, �,. - a,iG! �1 c . _s �. Y 4° f ifa. _I ,I, li y IN r Ic..:• vy r - 4: dL- 1 3' I. - 4. .}, ' ttJ f .�1' 7 ,!� 1 •'W ■ ! •�%:' �. -� - i l t f ... aa,'I � - _ _ _ ,_ IN ±4 IN, INii f f .. 1 f:. J, i P ..• IL I • _"y 1 4 J y - -