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PAGE FOUR THE DAILY TIMES-GAZETTE ° FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1951 J. H. ORMISTON Editor and Manager PHONE 703 a WHITBY AND DISTRICT NEWS RC5T. CORBETT New: Editor PHONE 703 pi Aon Central Control Of Assessors Is Recommended Recommendation that local municipal assessors should le engaged by, and should work directly under the control of the County Assessor in the interests of general efficiency, was made by County Assessor Gordon McLean of Uxbridge to County. Council yesterday. He also sounded a warning that from now on local assessors must return their rolls by September 30 or be subject to a penalty. One year, an assessment roll was not returned until the following Feb- ruary. Mr. McLean also told council frankly that he is recom- mending a check on many who have been registered on as- sessment rolls as "joint owners" but are not so recorded in their property deed. H Values Increasing A number of interesting and im- portant points were covered by Mr. McLean in his report as follows: All real property in the County of Ontario continues to hold up in value, Farm property gains in sale value, especially in the northern parts of the County, were slower than other properties. Considerable growth has taken place in the past year in Urban and Suburban pro- perty buildings and there is a con- stant demand for further subdi- visions in these areas, hence the expectations of further increases in the total assessments for the year 1951. During the past year the Depart- ment of Agriculture conducted a soil- survey of the entire rural part of the County. Soil survey maps can now be obtained from this department and should be of great help to the local assessors to rtin the difference of soil and e productivity of each type and thereby assess these lands more in keeping with their actual value from an earning standpoint. A list of the transfers of property should be obtained monthly by each municipality from the Regis. try office in Whitby, These trans. fers will enable the local assessor to work out the correct acreage and description of all land which he is assessing. Copies of registered plans of all subdivisions should also be obtained. There are several municipalities which are not get- ting this service. Crown Properties Section 38 of the Assessment Act was amended to ensure that the tenants of Crown Property who occupy domestic establishments shall be liable to taxation no mat ter what the terms are of such oc- cupancy. With this authority we assessed that part of Crown owned buildings occupled by caretakers of Post Offices and the residences of the lock masters also owned by the Crown on the Trent Canal. The Crown appealed against the assess- ments of the dwelling houses on the Trent Canal and the local Court of Revision sustained these appeals no further action will be taken on these assessments until a Supreme Court decision is received from a similar case which will be held soon in another County. The assessment on the residence of the caretakers of post offices was not appealed against and therefore will. stand. The Orillia Secondary School Area assessment was equalized on the same basis as the previous year -- that is the equalized as- sessments of the municipalities in coe County, which are part of this area, were taken at their full value and the Townships of Rama ahd Mara were each allowed a dis- count of one-third off their County equalized assessment. The result of this settlement was a loss in Gov- ernment grants of $1400 to this school area. It is your County As- séssor's opinion that the settlement between the two counties should bg worked out on the basis of 100 percent to Ontario County and 138 1/3 percent to Simcoe County. Section 90 of the assessment act ys that when equalizing the as- ents within a county the ag- gregate assessment fer the whole cpunty shall not be reduced. My opinion is that this part of the act hould be followed between coun- ties as well as within a county. 'During the past year an attempt was made to bring the assessments of the various Telephone Com- panies up to date. With the permis- sion of W. H. Westney, Chairman of the Assessment Committee, I engaged J. W. Hare of Whitby to assist me in getting the necessary | sessment. Makes Report GORDON McLEAN of !'xbridge, supervising assessor for the County of Ontario, made an excellent report to council yes- terday. Many suggestions and recommendations were incorporated in the report which is published in this issue. have the date stamped on it show- ing in which year it was purchas- ed. Where the total revenue from the dog tax is insufficient to pay the losses sustained by the owners of animals killed by dogs, the municipality should raise the dog tax to cover this deficit. A careful checkup was made of. all 'the Charitable Institutions throughout the County and many changes were made in these as- sessments. These institutions must be incorporated and must have been approved by the Lieutenant-Gover- nor in Council before they can be exempted from taxation. Other camps or institutions who have received a charter by a private bill from the Provincial Legislature have been exempted from all tax except school and local improve- ment tax. However the Gospel Halls and other buildings which are used exciusively for religious teachings are also exempt in those camps where no charter has been obtained. Ask Central Control At the general meeting of the County- and District assessors of Ontario held in Toronto on No- vember 30th last, a discussion arose in relation to Counties with a County assessor employing ea per- manent staff of assessors, directly under the supervision of the County ' Assessor, working from a central office, for the purpose of assessing all municipalities in a County. It was felt that a more equitable as- sessment could be arrived at, with- out the variance of interpretations that exist under the present set-up. After much discussion it was felt mendation in this respect should come direct from the County Coun- cils concerned. They could if they wish pass such a resolution, stat- ing their recommendations and forward it on to the other Counties in the Province for their endorsa- tion. It was mentioned that the District Assessor had the power to emplay, and this has a similar set up to that suggested. Section 59 subsection 1 of the as- act reads as. follows: by- the majority that any recom- Whitby . Day By Day Accounts of social events, aay news items of local Interest and of visit: are ted PHONE 703 Cost of Operation of Public Schools Last Year Was $51,8 10.50 Frank Wells, Brock Street South, came home from Oshawa General Hospital yesterday and is now mak- ing good progress following an operation. * + 0% PAPER SALVAGE TOMORROW Whitby Boy Scouts will be out in force again tomorrow morning for another blitz on waste paper. This regular collection provides an op- portunity for every householder to get rid of that accumulation of papers and magazines that litter the woodshed or cellar. The only thing the Scouts ask is that the bundles be tied up so they can eas- ily be handled by the boys, and placed out at the road curb by nine o'clock in the morning. * + % CASTLE CHAPTER TO MEET The Castle Chapter of O.L.C. will hold their regular monthly meeting on Monday, Jan, 22nd., at 345 pm. in the Common Room. The guest speaker will be Mrs. F. H. M. Irwin of Whitby; Mrs. Irwin will speak on the Scandin- avian countries where she spent the summer of 1950. The guest mus- cian will be Miss Marion Whit- field of Toronto; Miss Whitfield is '1a former Whitby girl. Many Whit- : | by people will remember Miss Whit- field's grandmother, Mrs. T. G. Whitfield, who was a member of the Castle Chapter, This is an open meeting, all friends of the Alumnag and O.L.C. will be welcome. ¥ 7 "Notwithstanding any other public information, When we were ad- vised that the Woodbridge and Vaughan Telephone Company were being taken over and would be- come part of the Bell Telephone System we decided on a waiting policy as we have always received full co-operation from this latter company. However further investi- gations of other independent com- panies will be made this year. Land Revisions Urban, suburban and lake front land values will be revised this year as your assessor found great discrepancies in their existing as- sessed values. A revised schedule for these properties will be sub- mitted to the assessment commit- tee at a later date, in time for this year's assessment. Your assessor has found that in some cases the local Courts of Re- vision are giving rebates to the owners of dogs, which are not ac- cording to the Dog Tax Act. (a) The Assessor shall assess all dogs in their proper category. If the owner claims that the dog died between the date the assessment was made, and the time of the tax payment no rebate shall be given by the Court of Revision, (b) The fact that a person has paid a dog tax in another municipality does not exempt him from the tax pay- ment in your municipality unless the assessor finds a tag fixed to the dog at the time he is making the assessment, and the tag must or private act heretofore passed in every municipality the assessment shall be taken between the 1st day of January and the 30th day of September, on which the taxes of% 1951 will be levied and those who do not are liable to a penalty of $200 under Section 212 and in fu- ture the Assessment Rolls must be made within the prescribed times for the taxes of the following year. However, if for some uncontrollable reason, this Assessment Roll can- not be completed by September '30 of this year, your Council may ap- ply, prior to September 30th to the Dept. of Municipal Affairs under Section 9A of the Department of Municipal Affairs Act for an ex- tension of 60 days to complete this Roll. If the Municipal Board refuses this request or if no by-law has been passed then any taxpayer in the municipality may appeal against his assessment and the en- tire roll must be withdrawn and the roll of the previous year used. The assessor then shall a new assessment under on 57A and write into this roll all changes which were written into the origi- nal assessment roll for the current year. ' Empty Buildings During the past year several lo- Brock THEATRE PHONE 618 WHITBY EVENING SHOWS: 7 and 9 2:10) (ISTER WRITTEN BY WALDO SALT BUSC 57 MAR STORES WCROES Tene THURS., FRI, SAT. p-m.--SAT. VIRGINIA ° ii HA JAN. 18, 19, 20 MATINEE 1:30 She W WARNER BROS. colon By TECHNICOLOR cal ors had considerable dif- ficulty in assessing buildings found vacant. For the most part these were farm buildings and were not being used for any pose dur- ing the year 51 he owner claimed that siné ese buildings were not being used that they were of no value to the land and there- fore either should not be assessed or at'least should receive a much lower assessment than buildings of the same kind that were in use. You County Assessor's opinion is that the assessor has no right or authority to assess these buildings for a lesser amount than buildings of similar kind presently in use, but that under section 125 of the As- sessment Act, the local Court of Revision has the Authority to give an abatement or refund of taxes to the owner, Engagements Mr, and Mrs, Robert Melrose an- nounce the engagement of their daughter, Marian Rhonda, to Peter Leonard Cooper, son of Mr. and Mrs, Peter r, of Simcoe, On- tario, The arriage is to take place in Whitby Baptist Church = Saturday, February 17, at 3 .m, Permanent revenues were trans- ferred from the Crown to the Pro- vincial Assembly of Lower Canada in 1831, . Ww Council Deals With Much Work At the opening of County Coun- cil at the Court House building in Whitby yesterday, Major Moss of the Salvation Army, and Mr. Brown, of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, were each heard speaking in support of their written requests for grants. Both men gave excellent presentations of the work being carried on with- in the county and in a larger field. It was also learned that there are 46 blind persons being served in Ontario County. Prime object of the work is to relieve them from economic insecurity. One motion was passed at the morning session. It was in con- nection with W. J. Hare's 1950 ac- count for $2,000 for preparation of the County Home debenture by- law. The motion asks Mr, Hire to present™ forthwith other accounts for legal services rendered the county during the past year. Feel- ing of the council is that know- ledge of the sum of the other ac- counts will assist it to determine its pleasure on the $2,000 account. Some of the correspondence which is being dealt with by the various committees is as follows: A letter from the Clerk of the County of Hastinigs requesting Council to endorse a resolution of the County of Hastings petitioning the Provincial Government, to amend the Juror's Act to provide the litigants would not be able to elect trial by jury unless their claim exceeded $500, A letter from the Clerk-treasurer of the County of Waterioo request- ing Council to endorse a resolution of Waterloo County Council peti- tioning the government to adopt a policy of paying bounties on foxes destroyed in Southern Ontario. A letter from the Clerk of the County of Grey requesting the Council to endorse a resolution of Grey County Council petitioning the government to pass legislation permitting the Federation of Agri- culture to levy a commodity assess- ment of an amount sufficient to provide adequate finances on all farm products. A letter from the Clerk of the Town of Simcoe requesting the Council to endorse a resolation of the Town of Simcoe petitioning the proper Government authorities to have all penal executions car- ried out in some provincial centre rather than at the' County Seat. A letter from Monteith and Monteith, requesting an increase in the. Auditors' fees, A letter from the Clerk of the City of Oshawa requesting 'the County to appoint a committee to meet with Oshawa City Council to discuss the matter of the Chil- dren's Shelter, A letter from the Secretary of the Ontario Association of Man- agers of Homes for Aged and In- firm, requesting renewal of mem- bership in said Association. A letter from The Whitby Dis- trict High School Board, request ing the sale of a portion of the County Home property as a High School site. A letter from the Secretary of the Ontario Conservation and Re- forestration Association requesting a renewal of the $25.00 grant, A letter from H, L. Fair, Agri- cultural Representative, requesting the following grants for 10851: Statutory Grant $500; Ontario County Crop Improvement Associ- ation $100; Junior Extension Grant $400; Special Grant to winner of trip to 4-H Club Congress, Chicago $75; Quinte District Seed Growers' Association $25. Whitby Public School Board closed the year 1950 with a balance on hand of $2,710.62. Total receipts' were $54,521.18, and expenditures $51,810.50. . These figures are disclosed in the financial statement presented to the Board Wednesday evenihg by Secretary-Treasurer. C. E. Bow- man. Largest item in the receipts column is $28,887.04, which was the amount of the town levy for public school educational purposes. Larg- est bill the Board had to foot was $35,552.00 for teacher's salaries. De- ducted was the sum of $2,080.52 for superanuation. ; Herewith is the complete state- ment as adopted by the Board: RECEIPTS Bal. on hand Jan, 1-50 ..$ 5407.46 Gen. Legislative Grant .. 17,582.93 Town Requisition 28,887.04 Individual School Fees .. 204.09 Ont. Hospital * Pupils .... 381.56 Insurance Return Prem. . 1486.16 Sale of Lots 450.06 Receipts from other 4 31.88 Total Receipts $54,521.18 DISBURSEMENTS Teachers Salaries . 35,6562,00 Less Superannuation 2,060.52 $33,482.48 Instructional Supplies Music Library H. Economics .. . Manual Training . Class Room Supplies .... 166.88 211.00 28.03 13.44 1,385.97 y $ 1,805.32 Administration Administration School Office Secretary's Office ....... Advertising and Audit. .. Miscellaneous 451.33 170.01 8.23 656.47 Auxiliary Agencies Sports Equipment ,...... 71.28 607.92 Miscellaneous 8.00 $ 687.20 Maintenance & School Operation Salaries Unemployment Insur, Water, L Fuel ... 'Rent Caretakers Supplies Repairs & Replacements , Decorating & Electric Fire Insur. Prem. Compensation & Liability Miscellaneous 5,288.80 120.12 1,111.86 3,132.23 150.00 981.98 1,327.20 1,253.70 1,672.62 88.51 ... 51,810.56 2,710.62 Total Disbursments Balance ; $564,621.18 Canadian munitions plants ship- ped 62,000,000 shells overseas in the First World War. BOY SCOUT PAPER DRIVE SATURDAY January 20 Please have papérs bundled up for Whitby Boy Scouts and ADDITIONAL WHITBY NEWS ON PAGE 5 laced by curb in the morning. 4 Please co-operate to assist the boys in their useful work. "AS YOU TOWN THE LITERARY TREAT OF THE SEASON WHITBY ROTARY CLUB is proud to present Shakespeare's by the College Players ©.LC) TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 6 in the 8.30 TICKETS -- 50¢ LIKE §T" HALL PROCEEDS FOR ROTARY COMMUNITY PROJECTS To Wed Soon MARIAN RHONDA MELROSE Daughter of Mr, and Mrs, Robert Melrose, whose engagement to Peter Leonard Cooper, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Cooper of Simcoe, has been announced. They will be mar- ried in the Whitby Baptist Church on Saturday, February 17. Will Operate Billiard Parlor Of High Order With the worthy objective of furnishing Whitby with the best billiard parlor service, Mr. Charles Probert of Port Perry, has taken over the business of the Palm Bil- liards, Dundas Street West, next to the library. The new owner of the business announces that it is his aim to operate a first class billiard parlor, not a pool room, a place where citizens of the town will be glad to. 'go to enjoy clean, healthful recreation, under the most ideal @nditions, Mr, Probert announces further that no hoys under 18 will be allowed in the billiard room. Al- ready several improvements have been made in tables and quip- ment, and others are contemplated. "It is our aim to make this place a centre of wholesome, well direct- ed recreation," Mr. Probert told The Times-Gazette, A complete stock of Smokers' supplies and other articles, as well as newspapers and magazines will be carried at all times. Mr, Probert clmes to Whitby from Port Perry, very highly re- commended. He was proprietor of the Terminal Grill, and increased and improved the business of that establishment considerably. The Town Council on Monday night ap- proved of the transfer. of the bil- liard bar, or license to him on the Jecommendation of Chief Ronald ve. | Halls By BARBARA KNIPS Last Tuesday, the Bantam Bas- | | ketball team began their regular | schedule and inflicted a 29-12°de- feat upon their opponents from | OC.V.I. All the boys' teams have started out with a bounce, all hav- | In High School | New Assessment Manual Seen As 'Guess To A Guess' "Adding a guess to a guess," was how some members of the Ontario County yesterday referred to meth- ods incorporated in a new provin- cial assessment manual which is now being advocated for general use throughout the province. Council was addressed by F. H. Cade of the prayincial assessment department. He outlined the methods of 'the new manual, now in the hands of every municipality and pointed out what he claimed are its advantages over the present system, now in uniform use in every Ontario coun- ty municipality with the exception of one. 2 The thorny and well-nigh insol- uble problem of assessment was dis- cussed by council at length. Numer- ous questions were put to Mr. Cade as to how a system of rental values, the basis for the new system, would be established. Mr. Cade sees little added ex- pense, should any municipality see fit to adopt the manual. No coun- ty in the province has, as yet, though he says seven are seriously considering' it. He predicted that the new system would not alter ru- ral values much but will increase commercial properties substantial- ly. Added to the "rules" of the manual, it will have to be adminis- tered by assessors of intelligence, diplomacy and common sense, he said. The new manual wipes out the present system of allowances for depreciation and obsolescence. Ren- tal capitalization estimated at "nor- mal" replacement costs is on the basis for the new system. f course, its adoption by any munici- pality would mean a general re appraisal of all properties. Mr. Powell of East Whitby: "In ing won their first games. So keep it up! This afternoon there will be four games in the school gym. Junior and Senior girls and Junior and Senior Boys will play against Port Perry. Report cards were given out this week end. Need more be said? Don't forget to pay those Hi- Lite subscriptions. your spot assessments made in this county were any marked flucta- tions found as between the present assessment and the new one?" Answer: "Very little, except for commercial properties." Mr. McIntyre: "Don't you allo; for differences between assessmen! of brick houses and brick veneer?" Answer: "All such differences are reflected in the rental value." Mr. Westney of Pickering made the point that under the present system members of the Court of Revision have at their disposal, full data on how the assessment is based and this is most valuable in maintaining and explaining assess~ ments. Mr. Cade replied that a carefully worked out scale of rental values would be substituted.in place of the present system. Touching on the rental values of farms proved to be a really "hot poe tato".. Mr. McIntyre further aske ed why different methods (periods of years) were used in arriving at the capitalized values as between houses, farms and factories. At the end of the discussion, Reeve Ernest Hayes of Port Perry, summed up the feeling of some members saying that the new mane ual would result in added work, added expense and substantial dise satisfaction on the part of propere ty owners, Whitby Classified Lost and Found FOUND -- RED HOUND, FEMALE, strayed to Joseph Teel's, R.R. 1, Whitby. (J19) For Rent FOR RENT -- ONE FURNISHED bedroom, comfortable. Suitable for 1 or 2 géntlemen, Apply 320 Walnut Street. ' (J22) Wanted To Rent WANTED TO RENT--2 UNFUR- nished rooms for 2 adults. Urgently needed. Phone 2684. (J20) Room and Board BOARDER WANTED TO SHARE room with young man. New home. Good meals. Phone 615. (J20) Articles For Sale FOR SALE-HAY FOR SALE. 1% tons baled. Phone 2153, Whitby. J) TENDERS The Whitby District Area School Board Invites Tenders for Interior Painting and Repairs to Exterior Brickwork Last Day for Acceptance of Tenders January 27th, 1951 For further Particulars and Specifications apply tc | . S. THREADGOLD, Works Supervisor WANTED WHITBY | | PHONE 439 under the most ) at any time. you welcome. NOTICE Billiard Parlor Under New Management We take pleasure in announcing that we have taken over the business known for some years as the Palm Billiard Parlor, Dundas Street West, next to the library. It is our intention to operate a first-class billiard (not Pool) room, a place where you will be glad to come to spend your spare time in clean, healthful recreation ideal conditions. Already we have made some improvements in the billiard tables and equipment, and we are planning a complete renovation. Our billiard paflor will be well conducted and it will be our pleasure to welcome you Boys under 18 will positively not be admitted nor will loafing on the premises be permitted. We will carry a complete line of smokers' and other supplies; soft drinks, ice cream, papers and magazines. Drop in when you can. We want to meet you and make --Charles Probert THE PALM BILLIARD PARLOR