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=e pn ~ FR Sh TS - he PEAR NY : Rios eS a3 REN "Sa A I Toei 4% wa a POR ---- - EDITORIAL TOPICS Year-End 1969 Forecast BY THE HONOURABLE JOHN P, ROBARTS PRIME MINISTER OF ONTARIO Twelve months ago, as we looked back on a most successful Centennial year and looked forward to 1968, | predicted that the total value of goods and services produced or provided in Ontario would equal the increase of our Centennial year of 1967. We "predicted then that the Gross Provincial Product would rise by eight per cent. Few forecasters thought that we would be able to maintain our rate of growth during 1968. But it now looks as though our Gross Provincial Product. will reach 26.9 billions of dollars, or another increase of eight per cent which is precisely. what we estimated for 1968 with the outlook for 1969 of a similar nature and a similar growth. The growth in the Ontario economy during 1968 was reflected in rising incomes, rising production, rising investment and rising employment. You could see our growth in terms of the number of housing starts, increased purchases of automobiles and actually in a general jump in sales of a wide variety of consumer products. Increased sales of course mean more prod- uction which means increased employment which generally means an increase in services required by our people. All of .this-add up to an increase in our Gross Provincial Product which is just about what we predicted would happen. The soundness of the Ontario economy and the prosperity of our people make me equally' optimistic about 1969. We look for another increase in our Gross Provincial Product of about two billion dollars. The important unknown of course for our economy is the economic health of the United States. There is also renewed uncertainty in world money markets which could have an affect on the growth of Ontario's manufacturing. But we feel that both the Canadian and Ontario economies are sufficiently strong to with: : stand any such adverse effects if they should develop during the first six months of next year. We look forward to 1969 being -a most rewarding year for the people of Ontario : Cigarette Smoking And Heart Disease You are probably well aware of the established link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. But are you aware of the link between cigarette smoking and heart disease? The greatest risk of cigarette smoking is death from a heart attack, says the federal health department pamphlet, "Am | 'an Exemplar?". About half the premature deaths of cigarette smokers are caused by heart attacks. This danger is found among younger as well as older smokers. How cigarette smoking increases the risk of heart i attack is not known. Studies point to three possibilities-- the increased heart action and need for oxygen caused by nicotine, the decreased ability of the blood to deliver life-giving oxygen to the heart because of the effects of the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke, and faster blood clotting in smokers, the pamphlet says. PORT PERRY STAR COMPANY, LIMITED Serving Port Perry, Brooklin and Surrounding Areas P. HVIDSTEN, Publisher WM. T. HARRISON, Editor Member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association Member of the Ontario Weekly 'Newspaper Association Published every Thursday by The Port Perry Star Co. Ltd., Port Perry, Ontario. : Authorized as second class mail by the Post Office > Department, Ottawa, and for payment of postage in cash. Subscription . Rates: In Canada $3.00 per yr., Single Copy 10e. the New Year on a pleasant note. LET'S HEAR YOUR VIEWS" Nothing like a good dose of the 'flu to make you feel like turning out a column of deathless prose. I feel like a fighter on- the ropes in the fourteenth round with the crowd yelling to the other guy, "Kill him! Kill him!" So perhaps you'll forgive if we don't "sparkle too brilliantly today,-and just clear up some -items this' week, then begin the _Néw Year with a fresh slate and a sound "constitution. We had a very merry Christmas, thank you. But an insidious old custom is being revived. No less than three different groups of carollers appeared at the door, and had to be suitably entertained. By the time the last gang had left, we were. well into Christmas morning, among. 'other - things. It's a charming old tradition, but I hope . it doesn't spread too far. If it does, next as Eve I think I'll just eall the cops ang' have the carollers charged with dis- tyrbing the peace. It would be a lot cheaper. or once, everything fitted when the gifts were opened. See me in my new off-white turtleneck sweater and Pierre Trudeau will look like somebody from Hayfork Cenire. Kim, 'with her 'usual exquisite sense of timing, almost turned Boxing-Day into a boxing match when she :announced she'd like to go to Israel and work on a kibbutz for a year, after finishing high school. So a couple of years from now, I may be a Jewish grandfather. That would he a switch, Church bells and a blazing log fire and jolly evening with old friends brought in Not for me the $30-a couple New Year's Eve in a nightclub with a lot of idiots in paper hats, "throwing streamers, blowing their little horns and kissing everyone in sight. Speaking of bells, Lt. Col. John McEwing, has a bell in the belfrey which is bothering him. Describing himself in 'a letter as a "sentimental nut," he says he has bought the bell from the 'little red schoolhouse he attended as a boy, near Port Elgin, Ontario. That bell has many memories for him. He planned to present it, no strings attach- . occurs, ed, to the new consolidated school which has replaced the little one-room country schools, as a symbol of all of them, those humble institutions where many a great man- got, his start. The Colonel flew east and talked to the - architect responsible. He was enthusiastic. OF DAYS GONE BY 50 YEARS AGO . Ld Thursday, January 9, 1919 The subscription list fpr Port Perry's gift to her return. ing soldiers is now well started and a number of persons have given liberally to the fund. This is what might be expecte as our towns people have given many evidences of their thor- ough appreciation of the soldiers. Like many another town, -Port Perry has of late found difficulty in finding a suffi® ient number of competent nurses , during these days of sickness. In some places there is a central organization fo' look after this matter. Such work could be undertaken by the Patriotic Society or The W.C.T.U. 25 YEARS AGO ¥ Thursday, January 13, 1944 While stationed at Hagers- ville, Cpl. Maunsell Gerrow, R.C.AF. received his Serg eant's stripes and given a position in Belleville Hospital, on the nursing staff. Raymond Snooks, 19, of Port Perry, an employee of Ontario Motor Sales, suffered injuries as the result of an accident in Oshawa when the truck -he was driving collided head-on with a' large truck from Toronto: which was over much too far on the east side 'of the road: At the Port Perry Council inaugural meeting Reeve W. a M. Letcher reviewed the town's very favourable finan- cial position and advocated a . continuance of the pay-as-you go policy. But the trustees stalled. They were going _- out of office at the end of the "year, and "couldn't make up their minds" ahout hav- ing something as old-fashioned as an 1875 school bell on the premises. To me, it seems an excellent idea, and I hope the new board will be receptive to the Colonel's idea. We talk a lot about Cana- diana, and preserving our heritage. Why 'sell it to the scrap dealers? This brings us in a round-about way to the new school system in Ontario, which promises to be interesting. The old local school boards, chosen in their own com- munities, are being scrapped, and 'county boards, elected, have already replaced them. Theoretically, the idea is a good one. It should give equality of educational oppor- tunity to all- children. That's the purpose. In the bad old days, before 1969, the fatter centres got the best facilities and often the best teachers, while the leaner ones had to struggle along with what they could ~ afford. I hope it works. But I have reservations. Many a time have I seen something made bigger, so that it would be more efficient and cheaper to run. Usually, the opposite Expenses increase and efficiency decreases, because of sheer size. Parkinson's Law takes over. Empire- building begins. Already hundreds of new administrative jobs have been created for the new system. Under it, board members will receive a stipened, and no doubt, ex- -penses.-- The old boards worked for noth- ing. Paperwork will double, then triple, 'and so on. Hope I'm wrong. . It will take a couple of years to tell. "And by that time, the system may be so rigid that changing it will be like getting an elephant to stop standing on your foot. Any comments? ~--Toronto Telegram Syndicate --Allbright, - Balsam. He 15 YEARS AGO Thursday, January %, 1954 The 50th Wedding Anniver- sary of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Owen on December 23, 19563 when they received = their. many friends and relatives during the afternoon and evening. - Donald Pargeter, milkman, won the large Christmas Cake at the Carload Groceteria, Blackstock. Playing their strongest game this year, P.P. Lions swamped the visiting Ux- bridge Int. ""C" cage quintet here 69 - 39 to ring up their 7th straight victory and remain undefeated in 0.A.B.A. play.? 10 YEARS AGO Thursday, January 8, 1959 The General Store at Sonya which was operated by Mr¥ and Mrs. Day burned to the ground Wednesday, December 24th. A timber wolf was shot in Uxbridge Twp. by Malcolm 'was. accompanied by his father? Russell Allbright and Jim Kight, The Port Perry Figure Skating Club has now so many enthusiastic members that it had made plans for securingé® the services of a professional instructor.