Ontario Community Newspapers

Whitby Free Press, 30 Jul 1975, p. 4

The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PAGE 4,WEDNESDAY. JULY 30,197b, WHillY -Htt PHRSS whity Serving Over 27,000 Readers. r Published ove an Assistant Editor - Blake Purdy .Assistant Editor - Blake Purdy ry Wednesday. Contributing Editor - Jim Quail Production Manager - Marje Burgess Display Advertising Manager - Robin Lyon j M.B.M. Publishing Classified Ad Manager - d Photography Ine.. Shelley Crowlev Voice of the County Town Mike Burgess, publisher-Managing Editor. The Free Press Building l21 Brock Street North, Whitby, Ontario, Box 206, Whitby Mailing Permit N. 2941 Phone 668-6111: - Prison should not be bulit Whitby residents are facing one of those troubled periods where untold growth and develop- ment complete with highrises looms on the horizon. On top of all this we're losing a Mayor who has served this town faithfully and competently for the better part of the last decade. Now as if we don't have enough to concern ourselves about (don't forget the airport) it ap- pears we are about to be blessed, compliments of our generous government, with a 10 million dollar penitentiary. It's not exactly going in at the four-corners, but Port Perry is . just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from Myrtle.....and it's appearing that Port Perry council is going to decide in favour of welcoming such an establishment. Despite the number of jobs that will be created by this new 'industry' its difficult to balance the scales in favour when there are so many obvious reasons why we shouldn't be in favour. Some will say "that will be miles north of us".... well, we all KNOW that prisoners NEVER escape but in the OFF chance that such a dastardly deed might happen, where would such an escapee head to? We would assume that a large majority of the inmates would be from Toronto and the Toronto area. Hence the most logical, and fastest route would be straight down Hwy. 12 to Hwy. 7 or Hwy. 401. Or if you're lucKy, you might nave an unex- pected guest for supper, or the weekend, or what- ever. And we feel quite sure that prison officials will help us out by giving out lots of weekend passes..... A 'County' jail such as we now have is one thing. It's a stopping over place for locals, many may get probation or only a short sentence, or be released after court. A penirentiary is a place most often inhabited by hardened criminals, some incar- cerated for the worst crimes imaginable.....murder, rape, etc. Is this what we REALLY WANT? Come on Port Perry Council, don't sell out your taxpayers and OUR taxpayers just to get a few more bucks flowing into your area. Poor car service makes reader sick Dear Sir; General Motors dealer advice 1975 Pontiac Le Man's sport coupe, purchased in March 1975 from Bruce Bissell, Pick- ering has been returned several times for adjust- ment and to date only paint and tire adjust- ments been made with nearly 200 miles added to car while in Bruce Bissels. I brought this to Mr. Bruce Bissel's attention. I was only told "what do you want me to do, undo the speedometer?" "Why did I come there to buy a car?", "I was too hard to please." "What was I looking for, a perfect car?" and that "General Motors don't make perfect cars. He only sells them, don't make them. I should go to General Motors if l'm not happy". It makes me damn well sick to think I payed nearly $6,000 for - this kind of treatment. This car has been tied up six davs out of eleven and did not correct a front end stabilizer part of steering device broken away from frame. Yours truly, Vince Myette, 342 Rosedale Drive, Whitby, Ontario. E i/EIV A 77 A/E/&HBOR/OOD-/ Ontarjo Hydro hike labelied "appalling" Dear Sir; Ontario Hydro's multi- million dollar expansion program threatens Ontar- io users with a whopping almost 30 percent in- crease in rates over and above the recent 10 per cent increase. If Hydro has its way power rates will DOUBLE in the next few short years. When put under the gun by Ontario Treasurer Darcy McKeough who was former Energy Mini- ster and well qualified to question hydro opera- tions, Hydro executives finally, after some objec- tion, agreed that expen- ditures could indeed be cu t b y s o m e $1,000,000,000 (billion) by cutting administrative costs and in part from a reduction in expansion charge. The Minister termed the increases "appalling". If Hydro, under pres- sure from the Govern- ment, can* come up with an unbelievable $1 billion cut in a few days, it would seem feasible that the Ontario government should order an investiga- tion into the affairs and management of Ontario Hydro. (A similar invest- igation into Quebec hydro has revealed some startling information). How much featherbedd- ing and waste is going on? The entire economy of the Province is founded on inexpensive power. liii "Father of Hydro", Adam Beck, said before his death " emnemuber ,what l'm telling you. They have no cause to raise hydro rates. Watch what they do after l'm qoi." Sir Adam would turn over in his grave if he saw the 29.7 per cent increase on top of the already increased rates. Hydro has flagrantly ripped-off its Users by charging them increased rates on power used prior to the increaseddate. In some cases power used 3 months prior to the increase. This was both fraudulent and illegal. Hydro officials must ac- count for their monopo- listic bureaucratic actions. Hydro exports vast amounts of hydro to the United States. Did Hydro increase their rates to the U.S. users by the same amounts charged . its Ontario users? Does Hydro propose to in- crease rates to the U.S. by 29.7 per cent? Are Ontario energy users in fact subsidizing foreign sales and future users, as do small users now sub- sidize large users and often wasteful uses. If Hydro would concentrate on cutting down peak loads by users, rates could be cut, not incr3ased. Hydro reserves have been criticized as too large and expansion plans too grandiose. The multi-million dollar "iv- ory tower" headquarters is an example. Why does it have to be located in a congested downtown Toronto area on expen- sive land when it could easilv be in the suburbs or better still in the country with lots of parking? Toronto City Council Executive Committee was told recently that the proposed.$22 million transformer station for Toronto is a potential health hazard. Quoting from Ontario Hydro's own publication Power over People. (what an appropriate title for a monopoly) , that leakage of chemicals is expected which when they enter the atmosphere initiate *ielectrochemical pro- cesses known to be harm- fui to ail living things." Much of hydro credibil- ity has been lost over the aluminum wire contro- versy shown by CTV net- work as a fire hazard in homes. Bigness is not better - no more than might is right! Conservation is the only answer for ail our resources, if we are to keep virtually - every- thing manufactured in Ontario from skyrocket- ing in price. Otherwise inflation will devour us ail. It is a slow painful death we only recognize when its too late. , An old Greek proverb says "Terrifying are the weaknesses of power". Sincerely, Dean J. Kelly, Box 1,000 Port Perry, Ontario LOB 1NO * source - Toronto Star.

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