HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-12-24, Page 23Page 22—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1986
An old
Clinton News -Record
December 15, 1910
The dinner was served, he says, up in the
great hall, where the Squire always held his
Christmas banquet. A blazing crackling fire
of logs had been heaped on to warm the
spacious apartment, and the flames went
sparkling and wreathing up the wide-
mouthed chimney. The great picture of the
crusader and his white horse had been pro-
fusely decorated with greens for the occa-
sion. Holly and ivy had likewise been
wreathed round the helmet and weapons on
the opposite wall, which I understood were
the arms of the same warrior.
A sideboard was set out on Which the
display of plate might have vied (at least in
variety) with Belshazzar's parade of the
ashioned Christmas dinner
vessels of the temple; "flagons, cans, cups,
beakers, goblets, basins," and ewers, the
gorgeous utensils of good companionship
that had gradually accumulated through
many generations of jovial housekeepers.
Before these stood the two yule candles,
beaming like two stars of the first
magnitude. Other lights were distributed in
branches, and the whole array glittered like
a firmament of silver.
The parson said grace, which was not a
short familiar one, such as is commonly ad-
dressed to the Deity in these unceremonious
days, but a long, courtly, well Worded one of
the ancient school. There was now a pause,
as if something were expected, when sud-
denly the butler entered the hall with some
degree of bustle. He was attended by a ser-
vant on each side with a large wax light, and
bore a silver dish on which was an enormous
pig's head, decorated with rosemary, with a
lemon in its mouth, which was placed with
great formality at the head of the table.
The table was literally loaded with good
cheer, and presented an epitome -of country
abundance in this season of overflowing
larders. A distinguished post was allotted to
"ancient sirloin," as mine host termed it,
being, as he added, "the standard of old
English hospitality, and a joint of goodly
presence, and full of expectation."
There were several dishes quaintly
decorated, and which had evidently
something traditional in their
embellishments, but about which, as I did
not like to appear over curious, I asked no
questions.
1 could not, however, but notice a pie,
magnificently decorated with peacock's
feathers, in imitation of the tail of that bird,
which over -shadowed a considerable tract
of the table. This, the Squire confessed, with
some little hesitation, was a pheasant ple,
though a peacock pie was certainly the most
authentical. But there had been such a mor-
tality among the peacocks this season that
he could not prevail upon himself to have
one killed.
When the cloth was removed, the butler
brought in a huge silver vessel of rare and
curious workmanship which he placed
before the Squire. Its appearance was hail-
ed with acclamation, being the Wassail
Bowl, so renowned in Christmas festivity.
Its contents had been prepared by the
Squire himself, for it was a beverage of the
skillful mixture of which he particularly
prided himself, alleging that it was too
abstruse and complex for the comprehen-
sion of an ordinary servant.
The old gentleman's whole countenance
beamed with a serene look of indwelling
delight as he stirred this mighty bowl. Hav-
ing raised it to his lips, with a hearty wish of
a Merry Christmas to all present, he sent it
brimming round the board for everyone to
follow his example, pronouncing it "the an-
cient fountain of good feeling, where all
hearts met together."
RINr' EW UPDATE FOR TENANTS AND LANDLORDS
The Ministry of Housing announces the
Rent Review Guideline for 1987..
The Rent Review Guideline for next year has been calculated at 5.2 per cent.'i'his is the amount by
which a landlord can increase the maximum rent for a unit during 1987 without approval from the
Ministry of Housing.
In passing the Residential Rent Regulation Act, 1986, the Ontario Government has created a
new system of rent review for the Province of Ontario to increase protection for tenants and to
encourage the construction of new rental housing.
One of the important features of this new legislation is a Rent Review Guideline that reflects
changes in inflation and promotes proper building maintenance for tenants.
he major features of the Residential
Rent Regulation Act are:
• The extension of rent review to
cover all private rental units in
Ontario.
• The creation of a streamlined rent review
process, designed to be accessible, quicker and
ensure consistency.
• The establishment of a fle5dbia Rent Review:-
Guideline,
eview:Guideline, adjusted annually to reflect changes
in inflation and other economic factors.
• The creation of an Ontario -wide Rent Registry
to record the maximum legal rent for every
rental unit in the province.
• A Residential Rental Standards Board to
ensure the proper maintenance of all rental
properties in Ontario.
The Guideline has changed.
Until now, the Guideline has been a fixed amount
that did not change with economic conditions.
The new Rent Review Guideline will be
adjusted annually. It will be calculated using
the most up-to-date components of the
Consumer Price Index and other economic
indicators. And it will apply to all rental units
in the province.
How the new Rent Review
Guideline is calculated.
•The formula used to calculate the 5.2 per
cent Guideline for 1987 is based on changes
in the cost of maintaining a typical well-
run rental building.
• The new Guideline calculates the average
change in costs over the preceding three-
year period.
• Tenants receive greater protection in times
of high inflation.
• Landlords have sufficient funds for good
building maintenance. A new Residential
Rental Standards Board will help ensure
proper maintenance of rental units through-
out Ontario, and failure to meet these
standards may result in either suspension
or forfeiture of rent increases.
Tenants can apply for a
review of rent increases
that are at or below
the Guideline.
Tenants who wish to challenge a 5.2 per cent
Guideline increase may apply_to the Ministry
of Housing for rent review on such grounds
as changes in the standard of maintenance
and repairs.
Landlords are required to
justify a rent increase
greater than the Guideline.
A landlord who requests more than the 5.2 per
cent Guideline increase must apply to the
Ministry of Housing for rent review to justify the
increase. The landlord and tenants will review
the matter with staff of the Ministry of Housing
at a local Rent Review Office. A decision
reached at the local level may be appealed by
either the tenant or landlord to the newly -
created Rent Review Hearings Board.
The Guideline will be
announced by August 31
each year.
In future, the Ministry of Housing will announce
the Guideline by August 31 for the upcoming year.
Some landlords have already served their
tenants with notices of a rent increase due early
in 1987.
Tenants in buildings
constructed after 1975 are
protected for the first time.
These are tenants whose units are being brought
under rent review by this Act.
• Landlords who have charged tenants more
than the Guideline since August 1, 1985, will be
given a 60 -day period early in the new year to
justify these increases.
• Landlords not applying to rent review within
the 60 -day period must rebate excess rents to
tenants.
• For the present, tenants should pay the amount
requested in the notice from their landlord until
the matter is resolved by rent review.
• Under no circumstances should tenants make
immediate deductions from their rent cheques.
Ontario
Ministry
of
Housing
Hon. Alvin Curling, Minister
Only one rent increase
allowed annually.
• Landlords must give tenants at least 90 days
written notice of a rent increase.
• The rent for a unit can be increased only
once in a 12 -month period.. -
Tenants in buildings
constructed before 1976
continue to be protected.
These are tenants whose units were under rent
review prior to the passage of the new Act and
whose units continue to be under rent review
• If the landlord's rent notice is for less than the
5.2 per cent Guideline, the tenant should pay
the amount in the notice.
• If the landlord's rent notice is for more than
the 5.2 per cent Guideline, the most the tenant
should pay is 5.2 per cent.
• If the landlord has applied to the Residential
Tenancy Commission for a 1986 rent increase
but has not yet received a final order, the tenant
should pay the amount in the landlord's notice
or 4 per cent, whichever is less.
• If the Iandlord has been to rent review and has
received a decision, the tenant must pay the
amount approved by the Residential Tenancy
Commission.
For more information, complete and
return this coupon.
MINISTRY OF HOUSING
RENT REVIEW DIVISION
4TH FLOOR, 777 BAY STREET
TORONTO, ONTARIO M5G 2E5
YES! Please send me further information
explaining the new Rent Review Guideline.
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
I POSTAL CODE
Send today for more information about the new Rent Review Guideline