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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-06-27, Page 26v � u ` GCDERICH SIGNAL -STAR, rTH JRSI?AY, JUNE 27, 1974 JAWS JOTTINGS ANON QUEEN*S PARK The final report of the Select Committee on land drainage was tabled in the Legislature this_ week.- The report con- cluded that food production in Ontario could be doubled if agricultural land was properly drained. ,':Once water is removed the soil Warms.up five times as •fast. Poorly drained eland would take two weeks to 'become, warm enough for ger- mination white'Properly drained land would take two days, thereby extending the growing season by 12 days. In many cases this will double production", Mr. Henderson. reported. If more 'drains will double food productiorjone of the Committee's ides will" also double Government subsidies for their installation. To help farmers tile their lands it is suggesting a major 'change to the Tile Drainage Act, in- creasing from 75 percent to 90 percent the amount of 10 year loans and abandoning the 4 percent interest charge. The report of the Committee also ='-recommends that the. Minister of Agriculture be given the right to petition for drains for farmers to prevent obstruction by groups of lan , ',downers who are: not interested `''1t draining the land. It „also - reported confusion over legal procedures of the old system of arbitrating disputes and said the Province should set up a drainage Appeal Tribunalto hear disputes in an informal inexpensive and sympathetic manner. The 'Committee also recom- mended that the Province set up a Task Force or perhaps 'a committee to investigate bringing the present 20 pieces of legislation scattere&through several Ministeries under a single, ministry. (Atario Treasurer, John White, threatened to take the Federal Government to Court if it do:n not consider the, - Province's .50 percent tax on speculative land profits: to be deductible from Federal Cor- porate and Income taxes. Federal . Department of - • Nat' na1 Revenue officials said �• is an income tax, nota tax on land, despite changes in the - name made by Ontario Revenue Minister Arthur Meen for just that reason. Companies oould find them- selves paying up to'110 p€rcent of their profits on land sales in taxes 'but Revenue Minister Meen has powers to refund all or some of the taxes collected in ".the meantime if the tax proves not to be deductible and is confiscatory of company profits • If the Ontario tax was deduc- tible, profits an land would be taxed from ,,65 percent to 80 percent which Ontario Treasurer White said is a. strong deterrent to speculation but well short of confiscation of proceeds. INTRODUCES BILL Labour Minister, John MacBeth, introduced a Bill amending the Workmen's Com-' pensation Act, which' will benefit those workers whose pensions have been depreciated by inflation: The amendments will provide benefits for most ihjure.d ' workmen presently receiving a: Workmen's Qom- pensation Board pension, • The pensions which are presently" in existence will be increased by a maximam of 60 percent based on the following formula: For those ,persons who became eligible for disability. pensions during 1973, their pensions will be increased by 4 percent: F.or .those who became eligible for pensions in 1972, their pensions will he adjusted by 8 percent: cluded in the Legislation are as follows: 1. The earning ceiling for the calculations of benefits will be raised to $14,00Q.,per year from the present figure of $10,000. 2. Minimum total permanent disability pension and widows' allowance will be increased by four percent. to $260.00 from $250.00 per month. 3. Full benefits to 'partially disabled injured workmen who are unable to find suitable em-- ploivment will now continue as long as the workman'is attemp- ting to find employment or ac- cepting training which the Board may deem advisable. 4. The Bill will also deal with dependants' pensions. The., requiremenCthata dependant's pension not ' exceed the deceased's earnings will be removed. This means that dependants of a deceased in- jured workman will not be 'ef- fecied by that workman's for- mer salary. 5. The.amendments will also cover the situationwhere a per: tnanently total disabled ' pen- sioner dies of a cause unrelated. to the injury which entitled him to that pension. •The depen- dants of that workman will now be entitled to . receive Workmen's Compensation Board Benefits as if the work- man died as a result of his in- jury. 6. The amendments will also ensure that the pension to a permanently,- totally disabled workman will never, be less than the pension which would be payable, to his dependants if he dies. 7. The clothing allowance for the repair or replacement of ...clothing worn or damaged by reason of wearing an artificial limb will be increased substan- tially to reflect cost changes since these allowances were established in 1968,. In order to cover the costs of these benefit changes the Minister pointed out that the assessments to industry will be increased by an average of 8 percent. Prior to these changes average Workmen's Cornpen- •sation assessments amounted to approximately 11/2 percent of an' employer's payroll and these benefits-wiil increase that 11/' percent ley.8 percent to ap-. proxmately 1.6 percent df. an employer's payroll. These in- creasedindustry assessments will become effective January 1st, 1975. GAINS FOR SENIORS. The GAINS Bill to provide a' Guaranteed Annual Income for senior citizens, the blind and disabled was given second reading in the Legislature this week. It has been sent for fur- . ther consideration to the Social Development Committee _ and then it will be returned to the House fot•; `third reading. The legislatiori,provides a'mini,mum income -Of 32600 per .year for a qualifying single person and $5200 per year for a married couple where both spouses qualify. The -Legislature hasbeen dealing with Bills 'moist of ,the- week along with the estimates of the Ministries of Community and, Social Services and Colleges and Universities. It will , .,likely prorogue for the summer recess next week. I have had the privilege and pleasure of rrreeting'ostudents from several schools in the Huron Constituency over the past few weeks and I hope that their visit to the Legislature was both educational and en- joyable. For those who bre eligible for pensions in 1971, their pensions will be increased by 10 percent,. and for each fur- ther year_ a person has been eligible for disability pension prior to- January 1st, 1971 that pension will be increased by an additional 2 percent per year to a maximum of. a 60 percent in- crease. The formula will be ap• - plied to the original pension of the worker. f'or example if a person was injured in. 1945 the maximum 60 percent increase will apply. If that,results in an amount in excess of the new minimum of $260.00 per month, the worker will get that increased amount, but if the figure is less than $260.00 the worker will get the $260,O0 minimum. Mrs 'MacBeth is hopeful that the legislation will pass the House in time for it to be effec- tive July Other changes ' in pension benefits which are to be in; French Horns & Baritones (L to R) John McAstocker, Carol Stewart, John Greidanus. Wendy McAstocker. Earl Reaburn, Iria Stewart Bandshell, Conductor.. Charles Kalbfleisch Saxophones & Flutes (L to R) Gary Peters, Sandy Freeman, Mary Ellen McGill, Jim Peters, Liz. Scaman, Shirley McMillan, Ruth Boomer. Trombones & Bass Horn (L to R) Stephen, Sinith, Brenda Stewart Luise Stewart, Don McMillan. Missing: Mark Riley. 11111114111.111111111111111111111111.111111111 ft 1111111 11 11 > •IIi1 NMIMf' 11 i 11111111.1 Pgrcussion Section (L to R) .John Scaman, •Pat Martin,'Tom McGill. Clarinet Section (Lto R) Gerda Potzel, Bonnie Dunn; Carol Meyers, Dwayne Lip- ner, Eleanor McMillan, Jody Brissette, 'Wanda Linner. Missing: Kelly Ross, Trumpet Section (L to R) back row: Ernie McMillan, Wendy Greidanus. , Philip Main, John Brady:',(L to R) front row: Elizabeth McMillan, Ronnie Butler. Missing•: Pat Shore. SUNDAY �AND CONCERTS Goderich;ATTXE Harbour Park iTiziri•A.RIAJR.H"rw From The New Lions Club: Band hell SUNDAY, JUNE 30 SUNDAY, JULY SUNDAY, JULIE 1 4 2:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. -Two Conaerts - Paris Citizens Band SUNDAY, JULY 2 1 SUNDAY, JULY 2.8 Goderich Laketow* Band and the Official Openingof the New Lions' Bandshell 7 Clinton Legion Pipe Band and the -Mary Lynne Telford Highland Dancers Mount Fkirest Cameron Highlanders Pipe Band and the Mary Lynne SUNDAY,. AUG. '1.1 SUNDAY AUG, 1 8 Stratford Fourth BatallionRoyal Canadian Regiment Pipe Band and the Haddral Highland Dancers Mitchell Legion Band HOFFMEYER '524-7861 ALEXANDER & 0 • CHAPMAN INSURANCE & REAL EST. 524.9662 524-7161 CLIFFORD ESSO SERVICE CENTRE REAL ESTATE BRECKENRIDGE HARDWARE 524;7379 524-8612 x,524-9097 524-8131 - Grafi Laurie Ginn, daughter of Mr. and !Mrs. Gerry Ginn, RR 2 C,linn graduated from St. Jdsdph=s Regional School of Nursing, on Friday, June 21. Laurie received her education at Taylor's Corners and Holmesi,ille Public Schools, and G.D.C.I. She plans to at- tend'the University of Windsor tiff the fall. SCHAEFER'S INTERIORS 524-8437 LADIES WEAR 524-7x232 F.E. HIBBERT & SON 5244811 ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 524-1312 524-8311 •