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The Canadian Champion, Friday, March 18, 2005-7 ,ýNearby rînk collapses *OUR READERS WRITE unucer wgmor snovw TH AAIAN CHMPO 'lime Capsules 'are gems of information extracted from past issues of The Champion and other publications in order to provide a window into Milton 's past. Explanatory comment is sometimes pro- vided to place the situation in context. March 1905 The (Georgetown) Conservator says Usat the skating and curling rink at Georgetown collapsed under Use weight of snow last Thursday. The building was flot very old. but bad been considered unsafe for some time and had flot been used this winter. The Merchants' Retail Association of Milton was organized on Use 24Us and on Monday evening met and elected Use fol- lowing offices: President, A. HigginboUsam; First Vice President, A. McKay; Second Vice President, G.A. Hemttreet; Treasurer, J.W. Bews; Secretary, E.F Earl. Similar associations have been orgamized in other towns. The object is Use advancement of tr-ade and mutual protection. The latter objeet is affected by Use different local organrization reporting customert who fail to settle, s0 Usat if they attempt to trade elsewhere they will be spotted. The County Clerk bas received retuma of the assesament and population of the County as per assesament rolis of 1904. Population: Trafalgar 3,301; Esquesing 3,282; Nelson 2,585; Nassagaweya 2,073; Milton 1,450; Oakville 1,740; Georgetown 1,307; Acton 1,490; Burlington 1.232. Total 18,459. All arrangements bad been made for the playing of the retumn match between the Acton and Milton young ladies' teamsaiS the rink Usis evening and the band had been engaged. The match was called off when it was found that the lessees of the rink made wbat was considered an unreasonable demand, forty per cent of the gross receipta. al] expenses to be paid out of the remaining sixty per cent. The young ladies were greaîly disappointed and s0 were many people who had hoped to sec the match, but as the team was organized late in Use.season Usere was no arrangement about matches, and Use lessees were in a position to ask as much as Usey pleased. The Canadian Carpet Co. are installing Capsules power looms in their factory and doing away with the greater portion of their hand looms. This wilt enable them te tumn out a larger quantity of carpets than heretofore. The new machinery being installed is worth about $7,000. The Canada Sweat Pad Co., of which S. Syer. of Use Canadian Carpet Co., is Use head is turning out 40 dozen sweat pads daily. Wmn. Harbottie was elected secretary and Dr. Robertson treasurer of Halton Agricultural Society. Spring shows having been unprofitable for some years il was decided flot to hold one this year. It was also decided Usat at next fail fair members who are non exhibitors shall receive four admission tickets on turrendering Useir membership tickets at the gate. It is Use intention to establish a lodge of Daughters of Rebecca shortly in cofinc- tion with Milton Lodge, No. 92, I.0.0.. and preparatory tu doing so, Use lodge gave an "at home" a thUe Oddfellows' hall last Thursday night. The Rebecca degree is a side degree in Oddfellowship for Use bene- fit of0Oddfeflows' wives, sisters and daugh- ters, and membership is open to Use broth- crs also. The attendance at the "at-home" was from 125 to 150, fully half of those present being ladies. There was good music, the carpet had been taken up and the floor waxed, and ail enjoyed themselves greatly. It is expected that the Rebecca Lodge will be instituted within a few weeks with about 40 members. The work of initiation will be performed by a team of 24 ladies from Gaît. Oddfellowsbip is booming in Milton. Fred Wales of Milton exhibited 68 birds last week at the Eastern Ontario Stock and Poultry Exhibition at Ottawa. He carried off 68 prizes- 26 firsts, 13 seconds, 17 thirds, and 2 fourtha. This material is assembled on behalf of the Milton Historical Socie'v bv iim Dilis, Dear Editor: I'm disappointed to sec Usat the same-sex marriage debate is being referred to as protection of mninori- ty rights. Despite their conflicting views, both Canadian Minister of Health Ujal Dosanjh and Mary Cummnings refer to the issue of same-sex marriage as one of minority rights. However, in my opinion. same-sex marriage bas absolutely nothing to do with minority rights, but everyUsing to do with individual rights. 'Me legal battle being fought these days in the House of Commons is whether or flot two people of Use saine tex have Use right to make a public commitmrrent 10 each oUser for Use rest of Useir lives. If you examine the United Nations Declaration of Rights and our own Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Use answer to Usis ques- tion should be simple. By denying same-sex couples the right 10 marry, we're violating individual rights. No one's forcing religious groupa to performn the ceremonies. Religions groups' rights are pro- tected. Il's a choice of Use individ- ual. The protection of our individual rights bas allowed our nation 10 grow socially and Usat's what sepa- rates us ftom Third World nations. If we were 10 examine the women's movement in Use 20Us century, we can draw some similar- ities 10 the same-sex marriage debate. Agnes MacPhail foughî bard for the righî of women 10 vote. The basis for lier argument was, why flot? She argued that there was no real reason why women should- nIt be allowed 10 vote. Today Usafs easy 10 comprehiend, but in 1919 many people objected, including some women - who argued UsaI Usey couldn't compre- hrend the complexities of govern- ment. We know today UsaI Usat's simply ridiculous, but people once believed it. AnoUser example is Use 'Persons Case' in 1928, wben women were denied Use right 10 hold public office on Use basis Usat Usey weren't 'persons', and Usai only qualitied persons could hold office. The 'Famnous Five' took the case 10 Use Supreme Court of Canada and lost. OnIy after Usis group appealed 10 Use British Privy - where Usey oven'uled Use Supreme Court of Canada, describing Use rulmng as outdated - were women considered 'persons'. Today, il's easy 10 comprehend that Usis origi- nal classification violated women's rights. Closîng Fourth Lîne is stupîd and irresponsîble (Thse following letter was addre.ssed to the Town of Milton 's planning and public works departnent, and a copy wasflled with The Champion.) Dear Editor: 1 can't believe that. with the Town's support. the Region has closed Fourtli Line before the infrastruc- ture 1u accommodate the overflow of traffic bas been put mbt place. How can Usis road be closed before Derry Road bas been upgraded. and before lights and sidewalks are installed between James Snow Parkway and Thompson Road? No additional traffic liglits on Thompson have been installed aI Laurier Avenue and Childs Drive. The poor people trying 10 gel ouI of these streets already have a bard lime. and now -in my opinion - il will be an absolute nightmare. Why would the Region and Town close FourUs Line without any new roadways in place? What about Use added cost for cabs 10 go the long way around to the Wal-Mart plaza or Bishop Reding Secondary School. 1 just can't undersîand Ibis. Il makes no sense 10 me and quite frankly. I think closing Fourth Line is juat plaln stupid and irresponsible on Use part of the deci- sion makers of the Region and Town. They should be ashamed of themselves for flot thinking this tbrough. Heather J. Kirton Milton who con be reached bv e-mail at E-mail your letters ta the edîtor ta miltoned@ahaltonsearch.com. jdills@idirect.com. This 2005 Mazda3 GX Includes: V Automalc Transmission V Cowenin ack ag fl V 15"Wheels V Air Condition V 6W4O Rar Suat s(SWd~ng Whist Audoc Control V Engine immobdizer q17uel 81.9 Astea 0,4 N.o m A Reminder ... Good things corne in "13" Finance From: Milton , Same-sex marriage issue is about protectîng TIme %H indîvîdual rights, flot about mînorîty rights How different are these exam- pIes from Use same-sex marriage debate today? In my opinion, they're flot. One of the most misguided argu- ments against same-sex marriage debate, 1 believe, revolves around the protection of family. First of alI. by today's standards people don't gel married just 10 procreate. Many heterosexual couples gel married knowing that Usey neyer intend 10 have children. And UsaI's okay. By contrast, many couples UsaI aren't married have children. And by today's standards, UsaI's okay as well. So 10 use the argument Usat stud- ies show UsaI opposite-sex mar- niages are Use beat environment for raising children is, in my opinion, misleading. Today, marriage is about more Usan just raising cil- dren. Il's about two people maldng s commitlment 10 each oUser for life. What's great about living in a democratic nation is UsaI we have Use riglit t0 debate. But we need 10 be very careful UsaI we don't take away people's riglits. That's why Use world created Use Declaration of Rights and our country created the Charter of Riglits and Freedoms, 10 hold us accountable. Brent Austin Milton