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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1981-05-21, Page 1Shaw says we've had enough Wants stiffer penalties to combat crime Politicians and judicial of- • ficials attending the official opening of the Exeter police station may have thought they were in for a holiday, but they ended up with a :;,serious challenge instead. Repeating comments he made earlier in the day at the •regional meeting of police chiefs at the Legion hall. Mayor Bruce Shaw said it was time to tell the law Makers and enforcers that a change was needed to com- bat the criminal acts con- fronting society. He made reference to the "disgusting" assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II to note that it was enough to make people cringe and throW up their arms and ask what the world is coming to. He also mentioned that events in Ireland and throughout the world gave evidence to the number of sick and disturbed in- dividuals in society, but add- ed that people in this area are not isolated as they saes: child abuse. wife beating and other criminal acts inflicted by one individual against another. "It's time for per- missiveness to end," he GANG LEADER — Doug Raymond played Bernardo and Kathy Giffin was Anita in the South Huron District High School production of West Side Story. T -A photo Council requests PUC salary list Exeter council met with PUC officials during an hour and a half "recess" in Tuesday night's session of council in an effort to clear the air on some matters of mutual concern. Council attempted to open negotiations on the sewer surcharge collection fee, and while they did get a promise from manager Hugh Davis to find out how the billing factors are ascertained by Ontario Hydro, PUC chairman Murray Greene indicated there would probably not be any reduction in the present charge of 54 cents per bill. Greene said he could see no reason to change the present cost and vice- chairman Chan Livingstone noted that council could do the billing themselves if they felt the Commission was charging too much. Correspondence received by the two groups did appear to clear the air on the matter of who has control of the water budget and the setting of water rates. Arson is suspected in blaze Arson is suspected in an early morning fire Monday that levelled a vacant house, barn and outbuildings at a farm about a kilometre south of Lieury. Parkhill OPP said a passerby spotted the blaze about 3:00 a.m. at the farm on concession 8 of McGillivray Township own- ed by Douglas Mawson. RR 8 Parkhill. An old tractor valued at $500 was destroyed in the barn. A family member in- dicated Tuesday that there was a small amount of in- surance on the home and barn. The Lucan and Parkhill fire departments responsded to the alarm. In answer to a telephone call from Davis, an official from the ministry of intergovernmental affairs said that in his opinion, the responsibility for setting the budget and the water rates rests with the commission. However, C.A. Godkin, manager of the field services branch of the ministry, did note that the council may request such information as they deem necessary from the commission at any time. Prior to the meeting with the PUC officials, council accepted a recommendation of the finance committee to ask the PUC to provide 1980 actual expenditures for the hydro and water department budgets and also the 1981 estimated budgets. Council also asked for the salaries of all PUC em- ployees. Greene asked if the salary information was to be treated confidentially by council or was to be made public. Mayor Shaw, a member of the commission, replied that the finance committee would decide that. Two men handed jail terms A Zurich man was sentenced to 30 days in jail and an Exeter youth receiv- ed a 10 -day jail term when they appeared for senten- cing before Judge W. G. Cochrane in Exeter court, Tuesday. Edward J. Neeb, Zurich, was given the 30 -day term for a purse snatching inci- dent in Exeter on December 29. The accused ran up behind a 69 -year-old Exeter woman and grabbed her purse. The purse was later found in a creek and $22 in cash was missing. Paul Thomas Pridham, Exeter, was sentenced tp 10 days in jail for the March 1 theft of stamps from his mother and another 10 -day term, to run concurrent with the first, for taking a motor vehicle owned by his mother on March 14 without her con- sent. He had previously pleaded guilty to the charges. Michael McQuiggan and Timothy McQuiggan. both of Exeter, were placed on probation for one year. Michael . was given a suspended sentence on two charges of possession of stolen property and Timothy was fined $100 for theft of approximately $800 worth of jewellery that belonged to his mother. A Huron Park man. Floyd Sydney Costain. was fined' $500 or 50 days on a charge of dangerous driving arising f.rom an incident on December 19 when he rammed the rear of a vehi- cle with one he was driving. Costain was also placed on probation for six months and ordered to refrain from drinking alcohol during that period. Costain was in custody awaiting sentence for the driving charge. Two Zurich area men, Christopher Groot and Robert P. Jeffrey. appeared to face charges of wilful damage. Groot pleaded guil- ty to two charges and was fined $100 and placed on probation for three months. He was ordered not to drive a motor vehicle between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Jeffrey was given a suspended sentence and placed on probation for three months, being ordered not to drive between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Ellis V. Stewart, Hensall, was fined $300 or 30 days on a charge of impaired driving and Ralph Michael Wells, Huron Park. was fined $200 or 20 days for dangerous driving. A Kippen man, Robert J. McCallum. was given a suspended sentence and placed on probation for one year on a charge of posses- sion of stolen property. Herson lredale. Grand Bend, was fined $250 or 25 days on a charge of common assult. The charge was laid after he assaulted OPP Constable Jim Rogers who was investigating an acci- dent in which the accused was involved. said in reference to lenient court sentences. Saying that people had to be held responsible for what they do. Shaw said the courts had to realize that when offenders are caught by the police. society can no longer tolerate minor sentences , and reprimands. "We don't want these peo- ple repeating what they've done and we don't want them in our midst," the Mayor commented. He concluded by saying that people had to speak up to say they've had enough and want a change. Shaw said he was repeating his comments because the chairman of the police chiefs' group had pointed out that he was speaking to the 'converted when he addressed them. Huron -Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell, who noted that rural Ontario wasn't ex- periencing the same degree of violence to which Shaw made mention, agreed that the courts had to get a little more severe in their penalties. He suggested that some of the minor penalties handed down made the police wonder if they should put the effort into apprehending and charging offenders. "We simply have to work more closely with the police." he concluded, ad- ding that he hoped the reports of Klu Klux Klan ac- tivities in the Lucan area were nothing more than rumors. Elmer D. Bell, Q.C.. who acted as chairman for the opening. also used the occa- sion to get a couple of bugs out of his bonnet. He said he hoped the new bill of rights for Canadians would not go as far as those of the U.S.A. where they are such that they curb the power of the police enor- mously. He said police in the U.S.A. can't effectively deal with syndicates and crime brokers and the bill of rights concentrates on rights and doesn't say much about an individual's responsibility to society. He said , he hoped the is courts wouldn't interpret the bill as they have in the States. The former chairman of the Ontario Police Commis- sion also expressed some tears about the new Freedom of Information act, noting it could snake successful prosecution against a criminal ahnost impossible as the police may have to divulge the whole record they may have against an individual. He explained that the police were a "silent ser- vice" and had to depend on politicians to be vigilant of what is included in new legislation. "We have to be sure we don't curtail the operations Please turn to page 2 RIBBON CUT — With Reeve Don MacGregor and Councillor Lossy Fuller holding, Mayor Bruce Show and Police Chief Ted Day cut the ribbon to officially open Exeter's new police station on Sunders St., Wednesday. In the background are Huron - Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell, chairman Elmer D. Bell, Q.C., and members of the local police deportment. S. Imes voca Serving South Huron, North Middlesex One Hundred and Eighth Year & North Lambton Since 1873 EXETER, ONTARIO, MAY 21, 1981 Price per copy 40 Cents Osborne tax rate increases 28% jumps 17% for Stephen owners Big deficit Most farm and residential taxpayers in Usborne township will be facing a 1981 tax rate increase of about 28 Percent. The rate for farm and residential property owners paying public school support will be charged a total mill rate of 180 mills. The levy last year was 140 mills. Separate school sup- porters will be charged 177.478 mills. In 1980 their levy was 143.577 mills. The increased rates were approved after careful consideration and lengthly debate on recommendations from auditor E.E. Bender to balance the 1981 budget. Council had earlier received the 1980 audit report which showed an operating deficit of $46,695 for last year. Bender said the main reasons for the deficit were that some anticipated revenues did not materialize and council spending restraints did not match the reduced revenue. The auditor strongly recommended to council that it should not abandon the policy of building up a reserve for working capital instituted in 1980 even though requisitions on council this year have been increased by 27 percent for county pur- poses, 22 percent for elementary school and seven percent each for secondary and separate schools. In order to fulfill the auditor's recommendations, the rate for township pur- poses was increased from 38.175 mills to 60.501 mills. The interim payment to be due on June 15 will be for 100 mills and the balance in the final payment in the fall. Please turn to page 2 COMPARE WETNESS — Exeter fireman Norm Tait and Tom Tomes of the Huron Pork department pour water out of their boots after Mondoy's water boll contest in Crediton Woodham man dies in Kitchener collision A 26 -year old Woodham man was killed and his wife badly injured. Saturday. when their car collided with another on Waterloo Regional Roads 4 and 12, about five kilometres west of Kitchener. AT CCAT GRADUATION — Former Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Peter Hannam was the quest speaker at Friday's graduation at Centralia College. From the left are Hannam, CCAT princiipal Doug Jamieson, Dr. V.E. Currie and assistant Deputy Minister of Education and Research Dr. J.C. Rennie. T -A photo D. Charles Webb died from injuries and his wife. Deborah. 26. was in serious condition at SI Mary's Hospital in Kitchener The driver of the other car was not seriously injured Webb is the son of Donald and Doris Webb. St Marys. and his wife is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd .lar- ques. Woodham The deceas- ed man is survived by three childred. Nathan. Amy and Gordon. An' obituary notice appears elsewhere Only three minor injuries were reported in the four ac- cidents investigated he the Exeter OPP over the holiday weekend. despite heavy traf- fic in the area The police were busy keep- ing check on drivers over the holiday period and 55 were charged A total of 29 were charged with speeding as a result of the use of the mobile radar gun. and another 15 were charged for failing to wear seat belts There were three liquor offences and four other charges under the Highway Traffic Act. There were three ac- cidents. Saturday. the first occurring on Highway 81 south of the Crediton Road when a vehicle driven. by Robert Montgomery. Lon- don. went out of control and flipped onto its roof ' He sustained minor injuries and damage was listed at $2.000. A vehicle driven by Wayne Wilson. RR 3 Zurich. swerv- ed to miss a dog on conces- sion 12-13 of Hay and skidded into the ditch and then flipped onto its roof. Damage was set at *800 and the driver and a passenger. Jonathon Muma. Parkhill. suffered minor in- juries. The other Saturday crash was on .lohn SI. ih Zurich when a vehicle owned by Frontier Refrigeration Ltd.. Toronto. was struck by an unknown vehicle Damage was listed at $800 The final crash of the week was reported on Monday when vehicles driven by Rodd Elliott. Dashwood. and Grant McGregor. RR 2 Kippen. collided on conces- sion 2-3 of Usborne north of Highway 83 Damage was set at $900 One theft investigation is being conducted by the Ex- eter OPP this week as well. A 1952 Ford tractor owned by Mel Gaiser. Exeter, was stolen in Stephen Township School jump hits Stephen Most taxpayers in the township of Stephen will be finding increases ranging from 12 to 17 percent when they receive their 1981 tax notice. The rate for farm and residential property' owners supporting public schools will rise from 160.07 mills to 188.06 mills. For a property with an average assessment of $7.000 the tax rise will he about $195. Separate school sup- porters will be paying 184.4 mills an increase of 20 mills from 1980. in the police village of Centralia. the public school rate will be 182 41 mills and separate school supporters will pay 178.75 mills. Last year's rates were 154.37 and 158.52. respectively. In Dashwood. the public school ratepayers will be charged 190 11 mills as op- posed to 161.38 in 1980 and the separate school levy will be 186.45 mills Last year it was 165 53 mills Crediton taxpayers will be charged 182.97 mills for public school support and separate school supporters will pay 179.31 mills. Last year the rates were 154.81 and 158.96 mills. respective- ly. in a breakdown of in- dividual levies. the general township rate is up by 6.42 mills to 49.51 mills. the County of Huron mill rate is up from 24.95 to 32 43 mills. the public school rate has risen from 48 14 to 59.16 mills while the separate school levy is_ 55.5 mills.- in 1980 it was 52.29 mills. The 1981 Ontario budget stated a 15 percent difference between residen- tial and commercial rates for all purposes As a result the overall commercial rate for public school supporters will be 216.94 mills. in the three police villages. their own rates are basically the sante as last year with increases appear- ing in the township ad- ministration rate which is a percentage of the general township rate along with the education and county rates. As Dashwood ratepayers own their own fire depart- ment the administrative rate is reduced by five mills. but. garbage collection adds another 2 5 mills. The township 1981 budget approved Thursday night calls for total receipts of $2.- 522.585. Total assessments on which 1981 taxes will be levied amount to $6.943.590. Tax notices are expected to be in the mail by June 1 with an interim payment of approximately one-half due on June 15 and the final in- stalment payable on or before November 30 The penalty for non- payment of taxes by due date will be one and one- quarter percent and the same rate applies on the first day of each calendar month thereafter in which default continues Building boom , bust if local builders and suppliers were hoping that spring would bring forth some activity. they didn't get much respite during April Exeter building inspector Brian Johnston reported Tuesday that permits valued at $27,533 were issued during the month of April. Twelve permits were for residential renovations and additions valued at $13.483 and there were two swim- ming pool permits for a value of $8.500. The balance of the list included five permits for tool sheds and garages and one commercial renovation and addition The April total is believed to be the lowest for Exeter in a number of years Find no evidence of Klan in Lucan Rumours that Klu Klux Klan members are operating a training centre in the Lucan area appear to be completely unfounded. Lucan OPP Sgt. Bruce Shaw and his officers con- ducted an intensive search of the suspected area and failed to come up with any signs of Klan activity. Shaw told the T -A Monday. "We checked with all area farmers, municipal officials and employees in Riddulph and McGillivray townships and area rural mail couriers without any indicatum of the rumoured training centre. - The firs: suggestion of Klan actis ay in the Lucan area was made in the Ontario Legislature on May ti h. NDP Mike Breaugh. when itreaugh made his announcement. Solicitor - General Hoy McMurtry said he had heard rumours over several months. hut. had been unable to detect any hard evidence to support the rumours