Eastview Wars Against Ontario Over Right to Dismiss Officials Management Commission May Be Appointed If New Mayor Persists in Open Interference. (By I. N. S.) Eastview row has been THE called a "tempest in a teapot." But even teapots crack and those close by are frequently burned in the consequent mess. Similarly Eastview's plight, though small, is significant of a dangerous unemployment situation. It is exemplary too of case when Democracy fails and the voice of the people is unwise. In a paragraph the situation is this: Eastview's unemployed have elected a Council sympathetic to the workless; Coun-1 cil wants to dismiss its important officials; but Eastview is under the control of the Ontario Municipal Affairs Department and the department will not fire without just cause; Council refuses to accept this "interference" and seeks by petition the support of the town. Widespread Trouble. But the Eastview trouble cannot be even fairly summarized in ! paragraph. Council is in disagreement, officials are distrusted, many will not work for relief, taxes are not being paid and vagrancy and rumor have disturbed the little town across the Rideau river so that the chances are n not remote that the Ontario Government will be obliged to set up commission to manage its affairs if the Mayor and his followers persist in their determination to oppose the Department. Dr. A. DesRosiers, M.L.A. for Russell, and number of influen-1934-35); tial citizens, have voiced strong disapproval of Mayor J. B. Charette's action. But before presenting their views we should perhaps Look into the history of the trouble and get some perspective. Looking Back. Eastview's financial position was growing rapidly worse up until May 1, 1935 when the Ontario Government stepped in and took over its debts and managed it as a defaulting municipality under the Municipal Affairs Act. Emile Martel, relief officer, states 445 families are on reHef, and 2,390 Individuals whose bill for food, clothing and housing comes to about 150,000 a year. The town's population is about 1,000. Then, too, there ate those who earn very small pay but are not on seller, MAYOR J. B. CHARETTE. and many of these cast their votes with the unemployed with the feeling they've got nothing to lose. The province has been paying 100 percent. to of the relief costs of the municipality, including administration, up until last September. Since then the town has paid for its own relief administration but gained all the relief money by grants in aid from the province. A New Council. At the last election a new Mayor was chosen, together with a new reeve and Seventy percent. of the electoral list voted. and 60 percent. of the vote was by unemployed, which Charles leader. E. Collard is the recognized Mayor Charette gained 1.167 votes against Donat d Grandmaitre, the previous mayor, and his reeves were given comfortable majorities. The New Council is: Mayor, J. B. Charette (Reéve in Reeve, Joseph Robert; Deputy-reeve, Thomas E. Leonard (Councillor 1935); Councillors: 1, Stephen B. Withers (2nd term), 2, Denis McShettrey, 3, David Gingras (3rd term), 4. Edward Lavergne, 5, Leo Cantin, 6, Treffle Cousineau (3rd, term). In the campaign several members of the Council intimated they would fire some of the town's employes, or at any rate would lower their salaries. Here are those for whose positions new applications were to be called at Jower salaries, for a total saving of $3,000: Romeo Begin, clerk-treasurer, $2,100; J. A. Casault, tax collector, $1.200; Theophile St. Amour, works foreman, $125 monthly; Paul Crete, assistant, paid by the hour; Emile Martel, relief officer and. constable, $1,440 (no extra What Price Your Child's Life? Take Nobody's Advice Except Your Family Doctor's on Which APPROVED BUY "bargain" clothes, shoes, , playthings for your child if you wish. But. before you bring unknown, bargain close-outs in drugs for your child to take ask your doctor. Any doctor, any child authority will tell you this, Tell you to know all there is to know about any medicine your child takes internally: Do this about any drugs you buy for your child. And do it, too, for your sake as well as ours, about the frequently used "milk of magnesia" given children. Ask Him About "Phillips" Ask particularly about Phillips' Milk of Magnesia: He will tell you, welknow, that for over 60 years doctors have endorsed it as SAFE for your child. One of the finest that men of science know. The kind of remedy you feel secure in giving to Now Also In Tablet Form. Phillips Mille of Magnesia is now made in two forms, Liquid and tabMADE Remedies are MEDICALLY for Children let. Each tablet contains the exact equivalent of a teaspoon of the liquid form, tastes like peppermint and they are casy to get children to take. A big box costs only 254 at drug stores. But - -see that the words "GENUINE PHILLIPS' MILK OF MAGNESIA" are printed on any box or bottle you accept. Safety For You and Yours NOW ALSO You can assist, others by refusing to accept a substitute for the genuine Phillips* Milk of Magnesia. Do this in the interest of yourself, and your children - and in the interest of the public in general. PHILLIPS' MILK OF MAGNESIA remuneration for work as relief officer): Victor Jolly and Albert Berard, assistants to Martel, monthly. The Act's Power. J. A. Casault, tax collector, was told to go immediately. But it Council was not acquainted with the Municipal Affairs Act Mr. Begin was and he refused to leave the town hall and advised his confederates to remain at their jobs. Act's clause in this re• spect which Mayor Charette and his colleagues (with the exception of Councillors Stephen Withers and David Gingras who have opposed the dismissals the start) seem. to have overlooked, reads: Department shall have control and charge of the appointment and dismissal of its (the officers. employes and servants, their powers, duties, salaries and remunera• tions." With the affair thus deadlocked Mayor Charette and Reeve Robert rushed to Toronto where they talked with R. J. Moore, supervisor of Municipalities for the Act. Mr. Moore told them, in effect: "You cannot fire any officers for political reasons but must show me ficiency, documentary go back exidence Eastview of inef: carry on with the knowledge the Department is trying to help you, not hinder you." Mayor Insistent. Unfortunately Mayor Charette did not appreciate the frankness and good sense of this advice. When he returned he told the newspapers he would carry out his scheme of dismissals despite the department. He declared, moreover, that applications for the positions would be called for at last Wednesday night's meeting of Town Council. Whereupon Mr. Moore packed his bags and moved to Ottawa to attend this meeting, hoping to smooth things out quietly but determined it neceasary to make it quite clear who was in charge of Eastview. Mr. Moore got the jump on the Council meeting by having a chat with the mayor and several of his colleagues Wednesday afternoon, chat that must have been fairly forceful for nothing happened at the regular session of Council Wed• nesday night. Hundreds gathered around the little town hail expecting fireworks, but the 110 that gained admission to the 35-foot square room for the Council session heard little worth remembering and the remainder outside in the cold just got their noses dirty against the window panes. But at the end of the ses• sion Mr. Moore entered the room and indicated he would be glad to talk with Council informally. and the hall was cleared of all but the prees. MOORE PATIENT BEFORE COUNCIL With laudable patience and pains. taking care Mr. Moore told the rather ill-humored Council that delaulting municipality within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Aflairs Act la under the control and charge of the Ontario Government. The official enlarged upon the old maxim that it is the man who pays the piper who calls the tune. This, of course, is as it should be. A town unable to manage its own affairs. unable to pay its creditors and unable to feed its residents is fortunately able to take refuge under the Ontario Government: but when it takes that refuge it must expect to submit its management as well. Quietly and clearly Mr. Moore then explained the Municipal Alfairs Act: "It wouldn't be fair for you to have our protection and not submit to some control." and part of this control includes our insist• ence that no employes be dismissed without just cause. I have been shown no cause for any dismissals, but merely that for political rea• sons you would like changes made. find also that you have not discussed the problem with those you would dismiss and have thus given them no chance to mend their L ways or restrain from such minor habits as you dislike." Continued Mr. Moore: "We've got to establish your name and credit, have got to get down to business and work in the best interests of the municipality. I ask you to take the chips off your shoulders and work out your own troubles without: holding grudges." No Starvation Wages. Councillor Leo Cantin: "But we want to save the town $3.000 by replacing these officers with men lower salaries and the Ontario Government is against us.' Mr. Moore: "You put that in very nice way, but sometimes we spend more money when we try to save. And as for lowering the wage of Mr. Begin ($2.100) I must first see your budget, but it is not the policy of the Government to approve starvation wages nor to allow. see-sawing among employes to lower salaries." At this point of discussion of dismissing Mr. Begin, Mayor Charette leaned over and asked Begin for a cigarette. He got one. Councillor Cantin: "But is not Begin's salary the largest in Ontario considering the size of the municipality?" Mr. Moore: "No. not nearly." Mr. Begin: "I'll take $200 less than the average wage of the clerks of all municipalities of the same size." That seemed to settle that. Cantin Persistent. Councillor Cantin, his voice be. coming less polite as each point failed: "When the Ontario Gov. ernment came to power did it not fire lot of people for the same reason?" Mr. Moore laughed the question away, saying it was out of. his Jurisdiction. Councillor Cantin took a glass of water and then began a recitation of general complaints against taxcollector Casault. He had been discourteous and severe. alleged the Councillor, and had consistently used the singular "tu" Instead of the plural "vous" in addressing women. Mr. Moore: "Have you spoken to. Mr.. Casault, with view to having him soften his attitude. or to hearing his side of the story?" Councillor Cantin. admitted he had not spoken -to Mr. Casault, OFF THE RECORD -By Ed Reed ED REED "We always let him start Arst-he can't keep up with us!" Captain Misses His Ship Again And Must Continue the Chase Bad Weather Prevents Him Catching Liner at Hamburg and Vessel Again Forced to Sail From New York Without Him. NEW YORK. Jan. 10.-(P) Captain Hans Kieff has missed his ship again. The Hapag Lloyd liner, Reliance, to which Kieff had been signed as staff captain, sailed last night on a world cruise without him, the second time he had failed to connect with the boat. He missed the boat at Hamburg last week after his former ship. the Deutschland, had been delayed by bad weather. Then he boarded the Europa for its westward trip, hop- Mr. Moore's rebuke was a quiet smile. Crowd Remains. It was getting late but still crowd pushed about inside the adjoining firehall and faces jammed against the windows. Mayor Charette rose, his heavy glasses little steamed by the heat of the room, and with a respectful but halting voice addressed. Mr. Moore: "I am entirely dissatisfied with the great powers the department has taken. We are the elected representatives of the town but we have no rights. We cannot keep order this way. There's a lot of red tape to go through before we can even dismiss an employe who is incompetent. I don't think it is fair. but if the Government rules it that way we'll have to take our medicine. But I say now. I am. going to take this thing higher up if I can, I am going to find out what the people of Eastview think and it necessary take it to the Legislature when the members are sitting." Flare-up. Mayor Charette then roused Mr. Moore's ire by passing him Coun• cil's motion that J. A. Collard be paid $25 for tax-collecting services from January 2 to January 8. This is the man Council. would appoint tax collector in place of Casault. They named him at last week's meeting but he has done no work. nor has his' appointment been approved by the Government. Mr. Moore abruptly threw down the request, adding: "Mr. Mayor, believe you desire my confidence. If that is so please do not attempt to put over anything like this on me. I have never in all my experience seen so obvious a farce." Mayor Charette. moving away from the table: towards his coat and hat, retorted: "I have not much confidence in you anyway. I intend to go higher with this whole affair." And the meeting broke up. Some of the councillors indicated they would co-operate with the depart•ment, others were silent. There can be, of course, no appeal* to a sitting Legislature other than through the Department of Municipal Affairs, which Mr. Moore rep-resents. Should he so desire Mayor Charette may appeal to the Municipal Board, but prominent residents of Eastview are urging him to accept Mr. Moore's advice and in this urging all thinking persons will join. Otherwise Mr. Moore's ex• ceptional courtesy and patience will have to be supplanted by harder and more oppressive measures. A New Attack. Mayor Charette is now circulating petition about Eastview. He feels. it he gets great list. of names to support his case he will be proven correct and it is his idea to take the plea to Premier Hepburn or whatever authority is in charge at the time of his visit. To this observer the petition scheme seems an aimless procedure. What if he does get a long string of names to his paper, would it procure anything? Hardly. The only thing that will get Mayor Charette the dismissal of his employes is documentary evidence that they have been inefficient. To any one who has read the act it is plain that the control of hiring and firing is with the department either with the support of the people or against It. In fact this matter was brought up when Mr. Moore met the councillors. Councillor Lavergne in• timated that if council were to resign now and .appeal to the elecEDUCATIONAL.• OPERATING ENGINEERING Steam, Refrigeration, Internal Combustion Power (Diesel), Marine, Hoisting and Traction Engineering offer splendid opportunities for men who are, prepared 1.C.8. to become operating engineers. training fits men to meet the requirements. Use the coupon. CANADIAN, LIMITED your Course DOO ing to overtake the Reliance in New York. He was supposed to board the Reliance at quarantine last night, but the Europa also was slowed up by bad weather and Hapag Lloyd officials decided to let the Reliance sail without him. The Europa reached port today. Now Capt. Kielf must continue his chase. By taking a ship leaving tomorrow for South American ports, he has a chance to catch up with the Reliance at Bahia, Brazil. on January 22. torate on a platform of dismissals they should be re-elected. Mr. Moore answered: "I don't care." So what value is a petition? M.L.A. Opposes, Mayor. Dr. A. DesRosiers, M.L.A., for Russell, unconsciously provided us with the best conclusion to this article when he declared: "Mayor Charette and the members of the Eastview council are treading on very thin ice by their attitude towards the Departmenty of Municipal Affairs' ruling, and they would be very well advised to adhere to Mr. 4-Moore's instructions. The Government will not long tolerate this continued interference and refusal to recognize authority on the part of Mayor Charette* and others. and it matters are not soon straightened out it is almost certain that a supervisor will be ap• pointed to administer the town's affairs, As for myself, I am definitely against council's plan to dismiss employes, and I will do all in my power to prevent any such action. "The Government at Toronto is quite cognizant of the situa• tion in' Eastview, and is aware that the whole thing is nothing but *grudge move,' and based on promises made during the election campaign. It is my opinion that an attempt is being made to take advantage of the ignorance of many unfortunates who are on relief at the present time, and that certain members of council are playing on the sympathies of these people." Major G. H. A. Collins, former mayor, stated he had "very. defi• nite" opinions concerning the controversy, but declined to voice them owing to his former political connections in the town. He did say, however, that he considered all the present officials, and particularly Romeo. Begin (clerktreasurer) very efficient, and that the town should co-operate with the Government, which is "paying the piper." Britain Stands By Oil Embargo For Enforcement : If Adopted by League and Support Given. LONDON, Jan. 10.-(C.P.-Havas) -Informed quarters said tonight Great Britain still adhered to her policy announced last month regarding imposition of an oil embargo against Italy. The Government then made clear Britain would support an oil ban provided the League of Nations decided upon it and Britain had assur• ance of support League members, should Italy retaliate by warlike measures. The League council is scheduled to meet January 20 and it is under• stood there may be a meeting 'soon of the League committee of 18 to consider the oil embargo. When the committee meets. it was predicted Chairman Augusto de Vasconcellos would ask for report on Italy's present oil supplies, the consumption of oil in the war operations. and figures on present United States exports of oil to Italy. FUNERAL OF MRS. LAWRENCE. Largely attended by relatives and friends, the funeral of Mrs. Jean Lawrence, wife of Thomas' H. Law• rence, 30 Windsor avenue, who died Wednesday in her 22nd year, was held Friday afternoon from the Radmore Stewart funeral home. 1323 Wellington street, where ser• vice was conducted by Rev. Russell McGillivray. Interment took place at Pinecrest cemetery, Included in large, number of foral tributes were pieces from Coulter's Drug Store, Ottawa Retail Druggists' Association, and graduates of class 1927, O.C.P. Chief mourners and survivors besides her husband, were her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Rylko: tour brothers and three sisters, who reside Lin Stellarton, and one sister, Miss Angeline Rylko, of. OtI tawa, IN CANADA
