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A Growing Newspaper in a Growing City | ie 0s ana Dail Succeeding The Oshawa Reformer y Times PROBS. Fair and Colder Tonight and Sunday. Local Snowflurries, VOL. 10--NO., 37 OSHAWA, ONTARIO, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1932 12 Cents a Week; 3 Cents a Copy EIGHT PAGES a: TO EQUALIZE COUNTY ASSESSMENT Local Retail Merc ASSOCIATION TO SEND OUT QUESTIONNAIRE TO | CITY RETAIL STORES Directors Met Yesterday | and Delayed Definite Ac- tion Till Individual Opin- ions Obtained WOULD RAISE FEE FOR TRANSIENT TRADERS Urge Enforcement of By- law Governing Hawkers and Pedlars -- Favour Better Parking Facilities The regular weekly meeting of the directors of the Oshawa Retail Merchants Association held yester- day in the office of the secretary of the Chamber of Commerce was well attended and a number of uestions of paramount interest to the merchants of the city were dis- cussed, : Chief among these was a discus- sion relating to the policy of retail business houses closing for half a day each week. It was decided by the directors that before any de- finite action was taken a question- naire should be sent out to each merchant in order to ascertain his personal point of view on the mat- ter. The list of questions which will be sybmitted include the fol- lowing : The Questionnairg Are you in favour of closing all retail stores in Oshawa at 1 p.m. on Wednesday during the daylight saving months of May, June, July, August and September? ; . Are you in favour of closing all retail stores at 1 p.m. each Wednes- day for every month in the year year with the exception of the month of December? Are you in favour of closing all &etail stores at 1 p.m. on Saturday in preference to Wednesday? Are you in favour of closing all retail stores at 10 p.m. on Saturday night and the night previous to hol- days? Hawkers and Pedlars Some considerable discussion was alsp directed at the practice of hawkers and pedlars canvassing from house to house in the city The directors took action by pass- ing a motion instructing the secre tary to secure a copy of the hawk- ers and pedlars by-law, now in force in the city, from the City Clerk and petitioned the Peace Of- ficer to sec that no infractions of the by-law be permitted. It was pointed out that this action was taken in order to protect the local market gardeners and farmers in Oshawa trade zone, ' Transient Traders' Fee . After completely discussing the transient traders by-law it was de- cided that His Worship the Mayor and th, City Council be petitioned to change the transient traders fee from $100 to $250 and request the 'privilege of a committee of retail (Coutinued on page 3) WILL REHEARSE ON WEDNESDAY Dr. Fricker Will Direct Choral Society For First Time The first rehearsal of the com- munity chorus of the Oshawa Choral Society, under the leader- ship of Di, H. A, Ficker, conduc- tor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Toronto, will be held in the au- ditorium of Centre Street School at eight o'clock, Arrangements have been completed with Dr. Fricker for the rehearsals, and with the Mendelssohn choir festi- val in Toronto now over he will be available every Wednesday evening, with the possibility of extra rehearsals as the time of the presentation of the program approaches. Keen Interest 'is being taken by music lovers in the great pos- sibilities which exist for a Dr. Fricker choir in Oshawa, and over one hundred singers have already qualified to be members of the choir. Dr, Fricker will be at the Centre Street School on Wednesday evening for a further brief period of. testing, and any sinwers who have not yet had teste, or who were asked to come back for a second 'hearing, are ureed to be In attendance at 7.15 on: Wednesday evening to meet him. The rehearsal will start at eloht a'clock, Immediately after the brief tests of individual volces wre completed, All choir members are asked lo be on hand promptly for this rehearsal so that 'all can have the full benefit of Dr. Fricker's attendance, hants Discuss Weekly Half-Holiday v REEVE OF THORAH | | JOHN ROSS The appointment of Counci¥or Ross, Reeve of Thorah, to the newly organized Cemetery Com- mission for Ontario County meets with general approval, MR. SINCLAIR WAS NOT FAST ASLEE Apparently Took Excep- tion to Report on Hours He Keeps Toronto, Feb, 12.--At the ses- sion of the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, W. E. N, Sinclair took occasion to open the proceed- ings with a hreezy reference to a report regarding the absence of Liberal members from Wednes- day evening's Conservative sup- per-dance at the Royal York, A report said his followers declined to pay the $2 ticket fee, and that when he was called on the tele- phone at eleven o'clock that night to be asked why he was not there he was soupd asleep, In view of the proposed cut in seselional iIn- demnities, he felt sure the mem- bers had sufficient justification in not spending the $2, "What I would like to know," observed Mr. Sinclair, "is how anybody can be reported to be sound asleep if the telephone does not ring. I was not sound asleep at that hour, as much as I admit it is a good time for the farmer to he asleep. I did not get a tele phone message, and I was reading at eleven o'clock. I am sorry if the affair was not a complete site. cess, but I want to correct the impression that we wilfully stay. ed away and the more important question that I was sound asleep at eleven o'clock," (00D SHOWING FOR PENNY BANK Amount on Deposit By Oshawa School Pupils Doubled in Year In the report of the Penny Bank in the schools of Canada, {or the months of November and December, 1931, it is revealed that Oshawa schools stand well up in the list of schools taking part, with an average weekly percentage of pupils depositing of 45 per cent, It is stated that there is a total on deposit at the end of December amounting to $1,317,978.92, of which $10,910.- 27 belongs to the pupils of Osh- awa schools, This figure com- rares very favourably with the tolal to the credit of Oshawa scholars last year, which was $4,- 696.85. During November and Decem- ber the percentage of pupils in the Oshawa schools taking part in the Penny Bank were as fol- lows: -- Mary Street, 57; North Simcoe St, 65: King St, 48; South Simcoe 47; Ritson Rd., 45; Albert 8t., 44; Contre St., 34 and Cedardale 32, It ix stated in the report that there has also been an increase fn the number of schools taking part in the Penny Bank move- ment, A year agc thére were 448 schools taking part as com= paved with 474 at the end of De- cember. A number of the schools made very excellent showings during November and December, Cornwall leading the way with 00 per cent, of its pupils making deposits, while 8.8. No. 6," Dar- ington, was second with a pur ALEXANDRIA IS THREATENED BY A RAGING FIRE Eastern Ontario Town Fac ing Possible Destruction This Morning EVERY MAN FIGHTING After Four Hours Flames Still Spread--Many Are Homeless ® Alexandria, Ont,, Feb. 13.-- Driven by the fury of a terrific west wind, fire starting at 5.60 o'clock this morning threatened complete destruction of the town. Breaking out in a garage in the centre of the town, the flames quickly spread t adjoining prems fsce, and four hours later were still beyond control. Five stores, with several dwel- linge and barns, had heen des- troyved at 9.30 o'clock with an estimated loss of $100,000, and the flames were spreading to other homes and offices. Every man in town is engaged in the fight to stem the wild on- rush of the fire. Bo far the fire has been confined to one side of the narrow main street and every vracaution is taken to prevent the spread of the flames to the opposite side where there are a number of stores, an hotel, a hank and several dwellings. Several families are homeless aud women and children have 'een sent to homes on the out- skirts of the town away from aanger, REPORTS HEAVY VALENTINE MAIL Twenty-five Per Cent. Above Normal Last Night in This City Much has been sald in recent times of the trend of modern thought and it has seemed as though the old saying, "The Old Order Changeth ylelding place to new" was a criterion of the times, However, there must be some of the old spirit of the days when knighthood was in flower, as Postmaster F. J. Mathison assert. ed this morning that the malls passing through the local Post Office last night = were about twenty-five per cent, above nor- mal due to the pumber of Valen- tines being exchanged at the use of Cupid. There may be something in the fact that 1932 is Léap Year and that the young Jadies are taking matters into thelr own hands, hut the truth of this could not be ascertained as a perusal of the mails was not permitted. CAUSE DAMAGE Highway Washed Away When Dam Burst at Tillsonburg Toronto, Feb. 13 -- Waters that shouldn't have risen until March or April rose yesterday through South- ern Ontario, catching unawares communities already fooled a dozen times by the vagaries of the queer- est Canadian winter in recent years Rivers, streams and creeks all contributed their share of muddy water to torrents that overflowed on fields, ran down a hundred vil- lage streets and poured into une numbered cellars, The greatest destruction in any one area occurred probably at Till sonburg, where the Tillson Dam at the junction of Nos. 3 and 19 high- ways burst, washing away the high- ay for 300 feet, he dam was built 75 years ago, and ig a familiar sight to motorists who have passed along the highway through 'the town, Its menace was first noticed by Charles Upfold, night operator at the Wabash sta- tion when coming off duty. Seeing that the bank was rapidly cutting away under the road bed the phon- ed Aran Sutch and remained on ard till the mayor and Street uperintendent Young arrived at the 'scene. With the waters rapidly rising all trad Bic over Highway 19 was stop- ped at 5 am. Another large por- tion of the east bank went down accompanied by a long strip of highway, telephone lines and guard rails, Upfold's presence of mind prob- ably saved many lives as the high- centage of 84 per cent, way carries considerable traffic," \ (By Whitby Staff Writer) Whitby, Feb, 18.~"Ow. ing to the present condition of depression, and the finan. cial condition in which we find ourselves through the imposition of provincial highway taxation upon us, which has compelled us to burden our taxpayers, we be- lieve, to the limit of their ability to pay, it has been moved by G. B. Johnston, seconded by E, L. Chapman, that this Council now in ses. sion place itself on record as absolutely opposed to any fur ther program of provincial highway construction within our county, unless the High* ways Department assumes ninety-five per cent. of the total cost of construction and maintenance, such construc. tion, if any, to be performed by manual and horse labor, that the unemploymnt condf* tion by rellef and the farm- ers and others with teams be given opportunity to relieve themselves of their financial burdens. Further, that the clerk be and is +hereby in. structed to forward a copy of the resolution to the Hon, orable Mr. Macaulay, Miuis- ter of Highways," © The above resolution, passed b: the County Council on Friday norning, gave expression of Council's desire to ease the bur- den of th taxpayers .in the various municipalities of the county, and to effect a policy of economy this year in connection with provin. cial highway construction in On- tario County this year. With a bill for $76,000 before them, for new highway construction work done last year between Brooklin and Greenwood, several members of the Council were quite out- spoken on the question of cutting down to give the taxpayers a Iit- tle breathiffy. space, There were other members, however, who looked upon the passage of the resolution as a ser| ous mistake, claiming that ft would add to the Tong list of un- employed men in the county, pre- vent the circulation of money which was much needed in all lines of business today, particu- Highway Construction is Opposed by Council County Councillors Will Forward Resolution to Minister of Highways Asking That No Further Work Be Un- " dertaken Owing to Heavy Expense larly on the farms, and cause oth- er counties where provincial high- way construction work was still welcome as an unemployment re- lief measure to prosper while On- tario County sat back with little work being done and the working men, so to speak, longing for the flesh pots of Egypt. The debate on this resolution took up the better part of an hour and in the end it was adopted by a close vote. The resolution was similar to one introduced two days previous by Reeve Charles I, Mackey, of Whithy Township, and not unlike one hrought for- ward early in the session by Reeve W. J. H. Philp, of Brock. Unys Bad Mistake Reeve Jackson, of Whitby, said that he was not one of those who believed that the Dominion or Province should curtail expendi- tures to the limit, In view of un- employment conditions and the low price of farm products, he be- ileved that the governments should be encouraged to make all peeessary expenditures, "You cannot get money unless you spend it," gald Mr, Jackson, add- ing that if there was no money moving, the merchants or farm erg could not pay their bills, He believed that if the Council pass- "d this motion it would be mak- 'ng a tremendous mistake, Reeve Johnston, of Canning- ton, sponsor of the motion, ven- tured the opinion that not § per cent, of the $75,000 expended for highway construction {in thir county last year, remained in the county, The cement was brought in from outside by outside trucks, and outside men, skilled in the art of cement laying, were used, He did not blame the contractor, but the fact remained that this money was not spent in the coun- ty of Ontario, Confirm Salary Cuts A bylaw was passed to put into effect the reductions in salaries of county employers, recommend- ed by the special committee ap- pointed by the warden to consid- er the whole question of econo- my in county expenditures. All salary reductions, including those of the county councillors, take ef. fect on March 1st, of this year. London, Feb. 13.--News was received In London yesterday from Viceroy Lord Willingdon of India, containing a full report of heavy fighting which broke out at Bannu, in the Northwest Frontier Province, with symp- tomatic repercussions in North Kashmir and Baluchistan, last Wednesday night. Nearly 800 men were killed in the battle, Military forces are controlling all communications, and the strictest censorship has been im- posed, preventing news of the heaviest fighting yet seen, leak- ing out until it was revealed in London today. A concentration of more than 12,000 tribesmen attacked with guns, aeroplanes and searchlights which they were using for the first time, engaging four battal- fons of Gurkhas, two battalions of Sikhs and a battalion of Scot- tish troops. British Officers Killed A raging battle, lasting from dusk until dawn, ended in the tribesmen's retreat, after they had been dri from the forts which they had occupled during the night. The British lost 2 white officers, 14 Indian officers and 270 men were killed. Eleven officers and 140 infantrymen and 40 gunners, all white, were wounded. Five hundred Afridi tribesmen were killed. The Viceroy reports that the British were unprepared for the onslaught, believing that the con- PROPOSE TO FORM DEFENSE LEAGUE Ottawa, Feb, 13. -- Formation of a Defense Association, consst- ing of representatives of the Can- adian Infantry, Artillery and Cavalry Associations, is under discussion here today at the an- nual meetings of the Canadian Infantry and Artillery Assocla- tions. Colonel L. W, W, Slack, M.C., of Canning, N.S, is presid- ing at the meeting of the Cana- dian Infantry Association, of which he is President, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel G. A. Drew, presai- ded at the Council session of the Artillery " Association, Another Little War - Breaks Out in India British. Troops Engaged Against Warlike Tribesmen on the Frontier--British Outposts Bombed by Planes and Evacuated But Re-captured Later centration of tribesmen was due to & celebration ending the Ram- adan fasting period and the Mos- em new year, First, two light planes bombed the British outposts at Bannu, and the British replied with ar- tiilery. 'A battalion of Sikhs and two of Gurkhas advanced, but at midnight the tribesmen sud- denly turned on searchlights from the hills, * meaning steady artillery and ine-gun fire, "which was", fled by aerial bombs. Sikh 4 Gurgha trodps troke, and the cribesmen, led by officers of. the former Imperial Ottoman Army, now in the pay of Afridi chieftains, took the British culposts, Guiposts Are Retaken The tribal batteries were sllenced at dawn while Highland- ers and Gurkhas recaptured the outposts under cover o tanks and planes, A number of Turks were discovered amon,, the dead. At the same time and accord ing to the same plan, Baluchistan natives suddenly attacked Dera Ghazl Khan, in the Punjab, with the help of exi lAegfdanhiefflod the help of exiled Afghan sup- porters of the former King Am- anullah, The tribal attack was repelled after six hours of steady fighting. Another attack was made at Nunza, in Kashmir, by tribesmen also believed to have nathered for the Ramadan ob- servance, Troops o! the Mahara- Jah fled and troops are being rushed from Siaklot and Secun- derabad northward, Two British battalions are leaving Egypt and another from Malta, in response to the Viceroy's urgent appeal for more white troops. In addition to taking over all means f communication, the mil- itary is understood to have evae- vated all foreigners, CONFERENCE IN JUNB (By Canadian Press) London, Feb, 13.--~The For- eign Office announced today that the Lausanne Reparations Con. ference will be held next June and that its object has been en- larged to include not only reparas tions but other world economic difficulties as well, BATTLE RAGING ALL DAY TODAY COUNCIL CONSIDERED ASSESSMENT VALUE IS UNFAIR IN NEAR SHANGHAI Japanese Launched Attack Heralded by Tremend- ous Bombardment SHANGHAI SHAKEN | Chinese Preparations For| Defense on Elaborate and Effective Scale Shanghai, Feb, 13. -- China ond Japan prepared on twin fronts today for a struggle to the death as the silence before the storm settled on Shanghal. China summoned all available man power and aircraft to repel an imminent and more determin- ed Japanese offensive on the dey- asted sectors of Chapel and Woo- vung. Four squadrons of planes were coming up from Canton and additional {nfantry was being thrown into the lines. Reinforced by upward of 20,- 000 soldiers, the Japanese naval command served a warning with a tattoo of shells on the Woosung torts and on the Chapel ruins that they were girding for a su- preme onslaught on an enemy who bas held them at bay for two weeks, Heavy Bombardment Shanghal, Feb. 13, -- The Cha- pel section of Shanghal was blast- ed and torn today by howitzer shells and alr bombs, and at the conclusion of the bombardment the Japanese announced they, had succeeded in breaking up a threatening Chinese counter-at- tack before it got started. The bombardment of Chapel. started by Japanese howitzers in the fog and mist at 8.05 a.m. and followed up by six big air bomb- ers, succeeded in scattering men- acing Chinése troop concentra- tions, the Japanese naval com- mand sald. For a brief period all Shangha! even to the business district, shook to the heaviest cannonad- ing since the fighting started more than two weeks ago. Then, as the fog cleared away, the Japanese bombers could be seen over Chapel where for an hour or #0 they searched out their ob- jectives and, as they picked them up, dropped their loads of des- truction and death, If Nantao should be attacked, the 50,000 foreigners in the Settlement and the millions of dollars invested there, would be endangered by host!lities on three sides, and confronted by a battle tleet on the fourth. Warship Asked to Move The approach of a criels in the battle tor possession of the Woo- sung forts was indicated yester- day when Japanese-authorities re- quested the British 10,000-ton crulser Berwick to abandon its moorings near Woosung and move upstream, so as to be be- yend range f fire of the Chinese forts and the Japanese warships. Alarmed by what they consider convincing proof that the Japan- ese army was strengthened by the arrival of transports with an ad- divional 10,000 soldiers on Thurs- day, and that the'Japanese plan an early attack on Nantao and Tunghwa, the Chinese made fey- $rish preparations along the river ront, PAYSTRIBOTE T0 BOY SCOUTS Minister of Welfare De- clares Movement Great Aid to Peace Toronto, Feb, 13.--~He would rather hang his hopes for world peace on the Boy Scout move- ment than on world courts, Hon. W. G. Martin, Minister of Public Welfare, told the Provinclal Council for Ontario of the Boy Scouts Association in the Royal York Hotel last night, Sparing nothing in his praise for the movement, Mr, Martin paid a wa tribute to General Sir Robert Baden-Powell, found- er of the Boy Scout movement. Officers elected were as fol- lows: Patron, Sir William Mu- lock; provincial commissioner, H. A. Laurence, Toronto; president, J. W. Mitchell, Toronto; vice- president, W, J, Hickey, Welland, Fraser D. Reid, Toronto, J, F. M. Stewart, Toronto, Col. BE. 8. Wigle, K.C., Toronto; honorary secretary, Percy G. Cherry, To- ronto; honorary treasurer, C. Q. Ellis, Toronto. "The Scot ig: a tidy oan. He likes his whisky neate \ SPEAKS FOR CANADA SIR GEORGE PERLEY | Head of Dominion's delegation who placed this country's posi. tion clearly before the Disarm. ament Conference in Geneva to- day, "ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN NOW" Definite Stand Taken By Canada's Delegation at Geneva (By Canadian Press) Geneva, Feb, 13.--'Canada will wholeheartedly support any constructive proposal for the Hmitation and reduction of arma- ments, and we believe that action toward this end should be taken, and taken now, Further delay will be fatal." Thus emphatically Sir George Perley, Minister without port- folio in the Dominion Cabinet and chlet Canadian delegate, placed Canada's position before the World's. Disarmament Cone ference today. CITY COUNCIL TO MEET ON MONDAY Communication From The Board of Education Expected With the City Council meet- ing in regular session on Monday night there is a probability that some communication from the Board of Education will be tabled regarding the latter's stand in connection with the reduction of its estimates in adopting the civie budget. While no announcement has yet been made regarding the pol- icy to be adopted by the Board on this matter, the Trustees were unanimous at their 'brief meet- ing on Tuesday night, following conférence with the Finance Committee, that their estimates should stand as prepared and submitted to the Council, INJURIES PROVED RATHER SEVERE 0. Conlin, grocer of Harmony, who was hurt in an accident yesterday afternoon when his car collided with that driven by W. H. Ferguson, also of Harmony, was removed to his home from the Oshawa General Hospital this morning, His one leg, which was fractured is in a cast but he is resting more quietly, Besides the fracture of the leg he received severe cuts above one eye. It {is expected that Mr, Conlin will be confined to his bed weeks. W. H. Ferguson, it was report- od from the Oshawa General Hos- pital where he is receiving treat. uvient, is somewhat improved in this condition this morning. The scalp wounds he received are of a serious nature and the doctor has ordered him to be kept very quiet, . FROZEN TO DEATH (By Canadian Press) Winnipeg, Man, Feb. 13--While his team of horses stood by his side, Peter Regitnig, Silver Plains farmer, was frozen to death in a blizzard which raged over Manitoba on Thursday. His body was found on Friday and the horses, almost stiff with cold, were standing near- by. They had been ont all night in ten below zero weather: for some' MANY CASES Basis of tnvestigation will Be Per Centage Set by Court of Appeal in 1926 REEVE C. MACKEY NAMED CHAIRMAN Report Will Govern Levy of Rates in 1933--Will Be Presented at June Session of the County Council (By Whitby Staff Writer) Whitby, Feb, 13.--A special committee of E. L. Chapman, Fred T. Rowe, Charles L. Mac~ key, William Parrott, John Bruce, Isasc Catherwood and G. B, John- ston was appointed by Warden Robert Somerville at County Council meeting on Friday fo equalize the assessment of the various municipalities of the county for 1932, and for the pur~ pose of the 1933 levy of county taxes. This Committee will meet at the Court House, Whitby, on the first of June, to go into the whole question of assessments in the county in a manner, it is ex- pected, never before undertaken, and the report will be submitted to the Council at the June session which opens about the middle of the same month, Reeve Charles Mackey, of Whitby Township, 1s chairman of this important com- mittee, The action of the warden In appointing the committee follow- ed many hours of discussion, dur ing which Deputy-reeve Willlam Parrott, of Reach, who hag made an Intensive study of the whole question of assessments, present- ed to Councll a recommendation which he declared was strictly in accordance with the Asgsesément Act. The Township of Reach has for six years contended that it was too highly assessed, and al December session moved to have a bylaw repealed which was adopted as the equalized aseess- ment of the county for the next five years the assessment which has been in effect sinca the year 1926. Mr. Parrott, speaking for his municipality on several ogca- sions, made a plea for no special consideration or favors, but only i what it was legally and justlv-en= [| titled to under the Act. At one stage his implication that . the representatives from Reach had been treated by past Councils as hoboes looking for a hand out at the back door, or as spoiled chil- dren erying for candy, with the candy well den by Counell, was resented several members of Council, who contended that the men from Reach had always been looked upon by Council as men of honor and integrity, and had always been treated as such, Startling Statement One of Mr. Parrott's somewhat starting statements was to the ef- fect that as the result of the pol fey carried out for years in this county in equalizing the assess- ments of the various municipali= ties, there were hundreds of thousands of dollars of assessed property in the county which had never pald the county a dollar im levies for the past four years. Many new houses were never ase sessed, while others that had been burned down were still being car- ried on the assessment rolls. Mr. Parrott argued that the report of = the judges on appeal in 1926 was a perfect judgment, made by hon- est and qualified men, and must have been produced by a perfect process. If applied to the 1932 as« sessment it would make equally as perfect a product. Mr. Parrott asked that in arriving at the pro per equalization for every muni- cipality, the valuators adhere strictly to the statute which laid down what they must do. Much Discussed Question Time and again this matter of assessment was brought up and prolonged the length of the Couns ofl session easily a day, of not (Continued on page 3) EE EEE EE EN EEE JOHN ROSS Sr ---- 4 In Ontario County there are two men of the same name, John Ross, who are prominent in municipal and county affairs, To one or both, The Times owes an expression of re- gret, At the meeting of the County Council on Thurs. day, the Reeve of Thorah, . John Ross, was appointed as one of the members of the new Cemetery Com- mission. The Times pub.' lished the photograph of the other John Ross, for- ad Reeve of East Whit Y. It was a nice looking photo of a very pleasant and estimable gentleman, but, unfortunately, did not fit either the headline or the note underneath. LJ LJ L . ¥ « - * - . - . - ~ » . LB * » . » rn EE . . . . LJ * . " . J LJ . . LJ . - » . . . * . * LJ . Ll] - LJ - is - Tr LS NB TL TET EE BS I WR ££.