The Acton Free Press Wednesday March 1970 OUR READERS WRITE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT IN AND Realizing that over exposure can breed apathy I beg your indulgence while I sing one more chorus of the Wedding March In an effort to assure a harmonious marriage between and Vol I guess I should also sing a line of rowrow row your boat for those who think Im only interested in rocking it As you- council k presently drafting correspondence to the Minister of Municipal Affairs confirming our position on this subject I am hereby soliciting any constructive suggestions from individuals or organisations who would like to comment on Acton future political requirements Only by incorporating the collective opinion of interested can we hope to achieve maximum benefits from the proposed legislation To fully comprehend and appreciate the importance and necessity of reorganizing municipal governments into larger regions of administration we must first be willing to objectively analyze the inefficiencies in our present system In considering revolution changes during the last century in most aspects of our social requirements think we all must wonder if the present municipal structure that was established by the Baldwin Act in could be an effective means for servicing the needs of the people in 1970 I assume that the Baldwin Act was based on the premise that one of the components of a virile democracy is strong local government Due to complications arising from industrialization of former rural communities and growth of suburban populations most local governments could not adequately handle the responsibilities originally established by the Act over Hit pint demit the government lint been forced lu diminish powers of local government by taking direct or Indirect control of limit of the Important lunclloiii or municipal government linn reducing towns mid city to of piovlntliil policy on local This truly the limit principle or democracy Hie municipal level government but due to Inability of these smaller units to cope with the ever Increasing pressures for more mid greater efficiency he provinchl governments hive peihapi taken Hie only alternative available under tlic present system alternative consisting ol a wide variety of hoards commit toes mid departments with overlapping jurisdictions mid boundaries must result in conflict and waste oT time and resources Due to the fact that some smaller icecivo a higher various per capita provincial grunts than lugtr municipalities Annual report of Statistics we can conclude that the province is pitifully and thereby removing part of the incentive for small units to merge into larger and more effective governments A quick review ol the chaotic grant anil rebalc will testify to the enormous cost of administration at both levels of government that must relied itself in an ever tax rate Before town and city council cm accept the responsibilities taken over by the province and the permission to tax accordingly a structural change resulting In strong local government is imperative In reviewing the proposals of the Minister of Municipal Affairs pertaining to government for Hilton and Icel is out line J in Design lor Development Phase Two it is quite evident that the Regional governments arc going to receive some of the responsibilities that the province has acquired over the years will bring power of ting and implementing local policies closer to the people Mr proposals are by no means complete and as he has stated arc at present primarily of a tentative nature however they do have the potential of forming the nucleus of a very effective government in and Peel provided each accepts the In continue thut will complement I lie principle in fur Development liise Iwo in plumule ltllillo that will bed terve the of tin residents In their own respective Although I definitely feel the maximum lieriofll from legion will lit derived liuni a II and am iluimiiiiluii us complied to Hilton done I will not a Hermit In ilili brief premutation to on the and com Certainly distinct igts and idviiiiiiie but to this dale I hive not seen any slyilflcinl Id the minister of mid Peel In January and hope he will not niter this pirl of tils plans when fro final legislation In spile lit obvious advantage obtainable it the provlneid and first tier stage of government through rcgli outlined above 1 agree wc must he concerned Impllcilloru the second level which will on the it It seem to the most direct on of total Although I thai the Minister s I itcsl proposil lor lot il government that is i Hum of portions of and Nossig iwcy and all of Ac km resulting in a popuhliin of approxim 1 1 is probably his only Hive considering pressure for retention ol identity etc must disenchantment with I the problems Hi this are Is presently struggling will find a slower solution thin if the suggest of Aicj population ippioxuu is adopted Some of problems from Hit Inefficient procedures from not being able to employ the full time services town hutor engineer or profcssroiul or our inability to tike a positive to renew il and public works insion mis due to hunted issessmenl could be when our new town is formed Hopefully il lliese problems do exist our tier Regional Bo will mt us p il relief by providing economic consultant services or by rfthtr subsidies until i with adequate lisstssmtnt poltilalion I the above problem wlilelj I tinted above It forced to live with urn lire a definite step forward that w illy mid other aspects of our id mlfjil otherwise have plagued us for I tome I feci pml mid have done their with J ilnterely hope Mr Kens comment thai tot and Peel could still he H li f some ultra pro tu my i for plebiscite on llie In or and Peel yet in I not the collection of a percentage of yes no 1 fnpproximate cost of Ai an I the money be spent if had to be spent on llie m mil compiling results of a detailed on all relited if Regional Government llieicby collecting the views of who are willing to investigate the projxn offer concrete constructive Any individual eels by having the opportunity vote on Hut i hereby encouraged to write Mr McKUdi or extend in jii Atti council who I sure will consolidate ill iiion received attempt to incorporate it Iheu letter My as tint brief request comment are not could serve only to outline a few general in the vihdrty the of Regional government I will ive wn unqiue problems to solve new licics develop that will promote this higher si ird of I il g in our unties Marks PS Change is ineviijble hut change for the belter is full time job Percy French was Irish begorrah Editor NoteAs sure as the 1 7th of Starch rolls around each year The Free Press a St Patricks Day contribution from Mrs Catherine Graham R I Llmehause which we are pleased as punch to print since those from the sod add a dimension to the world of letters wed be loath to miss Begorra the Saint Jay falls next Tuesday less than a week before the first day of Spring PERCY FRENCH IRISH PObT Dear Sir Ireland has produced many writers down through the centuries some famous some not Percy French was himself not so well known as a poet but his songs will live forever He was born at County Roscommon There was great simplicity about this man that gave him direct contact with people of all classes and creeds He was the perfect example of a human being who didn t give a button whether people regarded him as a gentleman or a tramp Perhaps he was ahead of his time He knew Ireland as well as he knew the palm of his right hand and had genuine sympathy for Ireland and her people He wrote about the enduring things of life fun laughter courtship generosity wit and rural intrigue and relatives wrote Percy French and told him to grow up and take an interest in politics whiskey race meetings foreign securities etc but I am still the small boy and shall remain so he said Percy French was a frequent visitor to our of County Down He was a great friend of the local doctor Dr Floyd who just died about two years very old man There is a granite fountain tu his memory at Newcastle County Down Of course he made the Mountains of Mourne famous Newcastle lies at the foot of the Moumes injtlns song THE MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE O Mary this London a wonderful sight With the people here working by day and by night They don grow potatoes nor barley nor wheat But there gangs of them digging for gold in the street At least when 1 asked them that whjt I was told So 1 just look a hand in the digging for gold But for all that I found there I might as well be Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea There arc beautiful girls her 0 never mind With beautiful shapes nature never designed Don t be starting them fashions now Mary Machree Where the Mountains of sweep down to he sea I wonder what he would say about the fashions of today Perhaps his best known poem is Come back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamcsduff is County Cavan the ancestral home of the Reilly It is said he wrote the poem on a bet that although he could rhyme almost anything he couldn work in in rhyme He did Now most new born babies appear in a huff And start with a terrible squall But I knew I was born in Ballyjamesduff And tint s why I smile on them all 4lic baby a man now he and tough Still Whispers come over the sea Come back Paddy Reilly to Come back Paddy Rally to me There is a story told once when Percy French was visiting the late King of Sweden and began his antics the king laughed so much he fell off the royal chair He used to play tennis with him Percy French was an engineer and got his degree at Trinity College He once poked fun at a slow radway journey he took through County Clare The railway sued him for impertinence and brought him to court He was late for the hearing and rushed in hear the judge ask Why are you late Says he The tram wasn t on time Case dismissed One last anecdote an example of his poetical conversation Arc you right here Michael arc you right Do you Hunk we II get home before the night Catherine Graham R 1 Li melt o use els Play Bridge One advantage duplicate the of remits oilier If ml playing rubber bridge and a game ironlrnct anil ate defeated arc several ihougliM thai could through your mind Did you mess a play give you the contract Did the opponents defend particularly well it just he lie of cards Mint beat you You never know at rubber bridge but it duplicate the result will cllyou Let us took hand from ll c Acton bridge Club West dealt with South NORTH J 11 A C II D C J LAST S 10 7 C 10 SOUTH 1 Q 10 DAJS2 Till BIDDING WEST NORTH LAST Pass Pass 1 SOUTH NT Opening of diamond There arc several paths that the bidding take bat they all lead to South 1 am lhat every Last would open the bidding in lie third position in spile of the fait mat he holds no South might double opening bid for takeout in case North would bid two hearts and may reach game in hearts One point about North s two diamond bid Tins is not a cue bid Tlu is the Stayman used over a no trump opening bid Usually Stayman a two bid However when the strip puts area on map The Edit The Acton Free Press Dear Sir I congratulate you tot giving space in your February edition describe the plight of your local area citizens who wish to the Rosslake airstrip in order your community to the air crossroads of the world It is a great pity that more of the good citizens of your town do not realize that at no cost the taxpayer or public the Rosslake airstrip is putting your area on air maps all over North Anfcnca The people that would speak out the community airfield in 1970 arc of the same type of mind as those individuals who spoke out against the coming of the automobile back in the early 1900 because these noisy horseless spoiled their peace and tranquility Just as the automobile replaced he horse and buggy a more method of personal utility transportation for pralticjl purposes private aircraft is superseding the ear as a superior mode of personal transportation Those who speak out a community airstrip speak agamst progress Yours COPA Bill Peppier bidding and your partner one no trump si owing 16 IB points a bid in the opponents suits asks partner bid a four card major suit if he has one South bids his spades and North on game As you look esc cards you may be surprised to find out no one Tom Van named to committee Tom Van Ins been appointed lo township committee of adjustment Council pissed appointing Mn Van to the effective April 1 at their Monday night Mr Van Sickler replaces Don Matthews who resigned you re driver between the ages of and 10 watch The Ontario Safety League and the Canadian railways say most accidents at level crossings involve dnvers between the SAY HAPPY EASTER With Flowers Flower Mart MILES WEST OF ACTON ON No WITH EVERY WE GIVE YOU A SMALL POTTED HUM FREE FROM THE ERAMOSA EASTER BUNNY Distributor of Home and Firm Petroleum Produtts Serving and District HEATING OILS LUBRICATION OILS ft GREASES DIESEL FUEL Phone 8532174 OIL BUXNtR SALES A Young St Acton four spades As I il tic beet this article would wonder what wen lie mid f nd trouble will i he all fn Looking that provided lint dots not alumni 1 like ii lump Ll should be able one club two diamonds on or I earls and si son riff dm I you lay lit Hi and l if you can make spades vl en ill lie Last Weeks winners at llndge Club lull Hill WaitkSI and Coals Mr and Mrs Dickson l Belly and lied for foorlli Coils and Cam Simian villi Dick irustind lomWirnes a BtmS a WHOLE KERNEL CORN 5 1 iMBuSspiiiir a I 2 MACARONI 31 4 I rum urn mm Grapefruit Jr 3 UAH ill If Sum -ass- WILKINSON BLADES- l IG CANOIES 3 3 I 1 nor Cottage Rolls nuts a a as nuLuimrMtLs a 4 YOUR FRIENDLY ACTON IGA STORE