By Maurice Fenelon, northern affairs officer With Christmas now gone, consumers have prepared for the Bank in Schreiber to celebrate 75th Anniversary December 15, 1987 To our friends and Clients: On Monday, January 18, 1988, we _ will observe our 75th Anniversary of the opening of the Schreiber branch of the Bank of Montreal. Our. success, like that of any other business, depends upon th goodwill of our clients and we appreciate your having chosen the Bank of Montreal to meet your needs and provide the opportunity to have grown along with Schreiber. We have tried to service, in a friendly, neighbourly spirit, the personal and business interests of this community- to combine the experienced facilities of a nation- wide, 170 year-old institution with understanding and personal service to the individual. We look forward to continuing to work with you, your family, your friends and your business, however and whenever we can be helpful. Let us thank you for your patronage by having you, our clients, put your name on a ballot (please, one per client), and we will have a draw on Monday, January 18, at 3 p.m. for five shares of the Bank of Montreal- the first Canadian Bank. We also invite you to visit the branch on this special day for cof- fee and donuts and to give us the opportunity to thank you in per- son for your ongoing support. Sincerely, G.A. Drage on behalf of the staff. holidays and festivities we all look forward to. There is, however, a few things we do not look forward to and that is receiving three identical tics or a sweater two sizes too large or a gift that is unsuitable for other reasons. What would you do if faced with this situation? You would return the items to the seller for a refund or exchange right! Sounds simple doesn't it, but buyer beware, it isn't always so easy. In fact, stores don't have to take back any merchandise, unless they have agreed in writing to do so. But the best way to avoid problems is to shop carefully, par- ticularly when buying a gift. Know clothing size, colour pref- erences, and other necessary details before spending any money. When buying an appliance, always be sure it is covered by a satisfactory warranty. For health reasons stores nor- mally won't take back such per- sonal clothing as underwear or bathing suits. Comparison shopping at rep- utable stores will help avoid regrets over a purchase and should all but eliminate the need to seek refunds. To be safe, check refund and exchange policies in advance. Although they do not have to do so, many retailers post notices at check out counters explaining their terms for accepting returns. Some shops offer refunds of the full price. Others issue credit notes that can be used on future purchases in the store. Unless an item is custom- made, many retailers allow cus- tomers to exchange items they do not want for similarly-priced mer- chandise. And there are shops which adopt an "all sales final" policy. If no signs are posted, ask the following questions: -are full returns offered? if not, what form of compensation, if any, is available? -at Stores which allow returns of some kind find out what proof of purchase is required. Is a sales slip, cancelled cheque or charge bill needed? -does the merchandise have to be in its original packaging, total- ly unused, with labels still attached? -do returns have to be made within a specified time? In order to take advantage of refunds or exchange privileges, be sure to comply with all the shop's requirements and have a valid reason for taking merchan- dise back. | Handling returns costs the retailer money and the expense may have to be reflected in high prices. Some merchants charge cus- tomers who are returning goods 10 per cent or more of the origi- nal price to cover the cost of LAW OFFICES OF EDWIN W. (TED) PAGET 3 BARRISTER & SOLICITOR... jf. located at TERRACE BAY OFFICE Simcoe F.aza 825-9379 or 9395 Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. SCHREIBER OFFICE 302 Scotia, 2nd Floor 824-3122 Every Tuesday 10:00 to 4:30 p.m. OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY The Olympic Torch is coming to DATE: Terrace Bay. The Olympic Torch Planning Committee urges everyone in the Community to not miss the chance of a lifetime opportunity to witness part of the Winter Olympic Games by attending the Olympic Torch Ceremony to be held in Terrace Bay. MONDAY, JANUARY 11th, 1988 TIME: 3:00 p.m PLACE: SIMCOE PLAZA ADJACENT TO MUNICPAL OFFICE "JOIN IN THE OLYMPIC SPIRIT" © Page 3, News, Wednesday, January 6, 1988. Sure, it is a very nice gift, but.... _ putting the item back on the shelf. Occasionally, shops may find a reason for refusing to take back merchandise despite policies. Explain the situation calmly to a sales clerk, then go to the man- ager if it is necessary. Be prepared to compromise, perhaps by taking an exchange instead of a refund or agreeing to have the store repair the item free. If an agreeable solution isn't found, send a registered letter to the person in charge or hand deliver it. Include your name, address and phone number, a full descrip- tion of the product purchased, when it was bought and the price. Send copies or receipts or other documentation. Outline the complaint, how it has been dealt with so far and propose a solu- tion. And remember, if you need batteries for children's toys, cam- era flashes and other Christmas gifts, buy them well before Santa's day and remember to check the battery size. Merry Christmas and the best in the new year to all our clients. For further information contact the office of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, 2 Gilbert Street, Peninsula Building, Marathon, Ontario, POT 2E0, or call 229-1153. For areas outside of Marathon ask your operator for Zenith 33160. WANT TO APPEAL YOUR ASSESSMENT? You still have time to appeal your 1987 assessment if you feel your home or business property has been improperly assessed. Your assessment is important because the amount of property tax you will pay in 1988 depends on it. The assessed value of your property is multiplied by the municipal and school mill rates to determine your prop- erty taxes. Notices of Property Valuation were mailed to property owners and tenants whose assessments have changed since last year. Open house information sessions were held in your area to give you the opportunity to ask ques- tions and correct any errors. The Assessment Roll was delivered to your municipality on December 22, 1987 and will be used to calculate the taxes you will pay in 1988. You can review the Roll at your municipal office during regular business hours. If you believe your property has been improperly assessed and you have not yet registered an appeal, you still have until January 12, 1988 to mail or deliver your appeal to the Assessment Review Board. And remember, even if you did not receive a Notice of Property Valuation, you still have the right to appeal. Appeal deadline -- January 12, 1988 The Assessment Review Board is an independent tri- bunal under the jurisdiction of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General. It is intended to provide you with an additional opportunity to have your assessment reviewed if, in your opinion, it is not fair and equitable with the assessment of similar properties in your area. The Review Board is more informal and relaxed than a regular court of law. You may present your own case, retain a lawyer, or ask a relative or friend to speak as your agent. To help you in filing your appeal, Notice of Appeal forms are available from the Assessment Review Board, your Regional Assessment Office, or your municipal office. You can also use the reverse side of a Notice of Property Valuation, or write a letter giving the property address and roll number along with your reasons for appealing. Appeals should be forwarded to the Regional Registrar of the Assessment Review Board at the address shown below. In those parts of Ontario designated for French Lan- guage Services, you can appear before a bilingual (Eng- lish/French) Appeal Board. Please check the space provided on your appeal form if you wish to use this service. Ministry ®) : Revenue Ontario Regional Registrar ASSESSMENT REVIEW BOARD MINISTRY OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 85 Great Northern Road Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6B4Y8 eo a *@- 66 6. 6 S586. ¢ 6 bee 6 6 we Cle) 6 Ss © be > 656 6 Se SO SEW CF 8 PP eee eRe