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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-01-07, Page 2Pe a 2 -Citizens News, Jen.7/76 The Treasurer of Ontario, Darcy McKeough announced in the Legislature this week an increase in GAINS payments. Effective January 1,1976, the Guaranteed Annual Income levels will be increased to $265-.00 a month for a single pensioner and $530.00 for a pensioner couple. Thus the maximum GAINS cheque in January for the single pensioner will be $38.88 and for a couple $98.64. The Attorney General tabled a report in the House by a special interministerial committee proposing new counter measures against drinking driving in Ontario. Mr. McMurtry said that prosecutions under the Criminal Code for impaired driving, re- fusal to take a breathalyzer test or having a reading over the legal limit of .08 have not significantly reduced the drinking -driving problem. Death and injuries have continued to escalate. He said the present system has three main drawbacks. The fact that the police officer must have reasonable and probable grounds to . believe that the driver is impaired, placed a great onus on the officer and may dissuade further action in cases where an investigation may be warranted. Jottings by Jack - from Queen's Park Increase in guar The breathalyzer machine is a complex instrument and requires a trained technician located at the station, not at the roadside. Lastly the .08 legal limit is some- what arbitrary when applied across the driving population as a whole. Extensive scientific evidence indicates a large per- centage of the driving public is dangerous when driving a vehicle with blood-alcohol levels below .08. A new approach is needed and the report, Mr. McMurtry said may offer part of the solution. The report among other things recommends a 24 hour licence suspension on suspicion that the driver had been drinking "in such quantity as to affect the driver's physical and mental ability." Random roadside checks by police officers without prior warn- ing or evidence of drinking - driving could also lead to a 24 hour licence suspension. A public education programme designed to inform drivers of the im- plications of drinking -driving would significantly improve chances of being exonerated of .impaired driving if stopped at a random roadside check. The report proposes impound- ing car keys of vehicles to ensure compliances with license sus- pensions. It also recommends training programmes and ade- quate instruction to police officers to assist them in recog- nizing a drinking driver and at the sane time distinguishing those cases which should be prosecuted under the Criminal Code. The report) suggests that a central record of 24 hour suspen- sions be maintained as part of Gets 90 days for breakin A former area man, Donald Dawes, London, was sentenced - to 90 days in jail when he appear- ed before Judge Glenn Hays Q.C., in Exeter court, Tuesday. Dawes pleaded guilty to a break, enter and theft charge arising out of a breakin at the Exeter curling rink on December 31. A total of $116 was taken, along with some cigarettes and liquor. A search of Dawes' residence uncovered some of the liquor. His brother, Ronald Dawes, u as found guilty on a number of bi eak and enter and theft charges and he was remanded in custody until January 13 for sentencing. He was charged with breakins and thefts at C.A. McDowell Ready Mix, the curling club, Tuckey Beverages, Exeter Produce, Quality Produce, Grand Bend Cleaners, Don Taylor Motors, and the Exeter arena. Several of the thefts were from vending machines at the bus- inesses. Entry had been gained by keys taken in the breakin at Tuckey Beverages. Nicholas Houwert, Seaforth, 16, was also convicted in the breakin at the curling club and he was remanded out of custody until February 13 for sentence. Judge Hays expressed concern that the youth's parents were unaware of the charges being laid or the fact that Houwert was in court on Tuesday. _ . A fourth man, David Lee Dunn, Brussels, pleaded guilty to the breakin at Quality Produce on November 11 and he was re- manded in custody one week for sentencing. In other cases heard by Judge' Hays. the following fines were levied: Donald Malcolm Stewart, London, was fined $150 or 15 days and had his driver's licence suspended for three m.onthF after pleading guilty to a charge of driving while his alcohol content was over 80 rags. He was charged on March 9 after police noticed signs of his im- pairment. Robert McArthur, RR 3 Dash- wood, $100 or 10 days on a charge of possession of mari- juana. Seeds found in his home were analysed as marijuana. David Cyr, Zurich, $75 or seven days on a charge of poss- ession of marijuana. Seven grams of the drug were found in a car in which he was a pass- enger. Howard Dayman, R17 3 Kippen, 5100 or 10 days on a charge of causing a disturbance at Les Pines Motel on November 15. Bean board elects Taylor Lloyd Taylor of Elgin County was elected chairman of the Ontario Bean Producers Market- ing Board at the annual conven- tion held in London on Tuesday. Past chairman is Phil Durand of Zurich who withdrew from the election for chairman prior to the nominations. Mr. Durand cited personal reasons and the extremely heavy demands of the chairmanship as his reasons for stepping down. Bill Baxter of Perth County was returned to his position as vice-chairman. Also elected were executive members John Michael Hardy of Middlesex County and Lou Sherman of Kent County. A meeting of the members of the county committees followed the election of officers. Motions passed at various county meet- ings were discussed. The meeting discussed the con- troversial motions to have the board market the beans directly to foreign buyers, bypassing the dealers but no action was taken. the current system of licence review. Repeat offenders could then be made subject to tougher penalties by provincial author- ities. The proposed measures, which are expected to be intro- duced in the Legislature early in 1976, would give the police considerable discretionary power, and will be similar to existing laws in British Columbia and Alberta. Opposition Leader Stephen Lewis has indicated tentative endorsement of the Attorney - General's proposals, saying the idea "doesn't seern to me to be a terrible violation of civil lib- erties," while Liberal Leader Robert Nixon is "concerned about giving police too much dis- cretionary power" even though obviously something must be done about drinking drivers. The metro teachers strike continues, and announcements by the federal and provincial governments are going to affect this situation considerably. There are to be new ceilings on education spending in the pro- vince, and we now have the steed income details of the federal govern- ment's regulations for its pro- gramme of wage and price controls, The education ceilings have two components - grants paid by the province and revenue generated from local property tax. With respect to the Federal anti-inflation guidelines, on November 28, the Anti -Inflation Board said the Metro Sclfool Board's offer was excessive under the wage guidelines which permit increases of up to 12%, but gave no indication of what figure it would consider more appropriate. Ontario's Bill 5, requiring most stores to close on Sundays and holidays, has been passed in the Legislature. The Legislation will be a little easier on drug stores, allowing them to open on Sunday if they employ no more than four people on that day. However, the stores must sell only drugs, hygiene products and sundries on Sunday. Stores will be allowed to open Sunday if they close on Saturday for rel- igious reasons - although the Legislature agreed to strike the reference to religion from the Bill because it might be consid- ered unconstitutional. New Democrats and Liberals forced a change in the Legislation which will require pet shops to close. Stores which will be exempt from the provisions of the Bill are small grocery stores, milk stores, news and tobacco stands and antique and handicraft shops. The selling area in these stores must be less than 2,400 square feet and they must employ no more than three people in the store on Sundays and holidays. Service stations and plant and flower nurseries will be exempt, regardless of size, and fresh fruit and vegetable stands will be exempt from April 1 to Nov- ember 30, during the growing season. The Legislation prorogued this week with the New Demo- cratic Party supporting the government against the Liberal motion which would have had the Province set up its own anti- inflation review procedure to deal with certain groups that clearly come under provincial jurisdiction in dealing with the anti-inflation guidelines. FUEL Co-op heating oil is a top quality product that is scientifically tested with guaran- teedquality to meet your satisfaction. The product is controlled to meet the requirements of your particular area and will flow freely wherever you are living all winter long. 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