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Although they know that accusing fingers are being pointed at them, particularly by house- wives and frustrated wage-eamers, political, business and union leaders so far have been un- able to find acceptable solutions to the wages- prices spiral, and therefore to inflation in gen- eral. The restraints that have been tried in the Unit- ed States, Mr. Heath's current pay freeze, and various measures in force in some European countries have never been popular in free en- terprise societies. And yet these may be a means of keeping inflation in check in Canada. Why such drastic measures? Here is one an- swer: Many governments, employers and uni- ons gradually are coming to the conclusion that inflation benefits nobody. Those who seek high- er salaries know their wages generally cannot keep pace with rising prices. Govemments that give their civil servants automatic annual in- creases, tied to the cost-of-living index, also contribute to inflation - but also seem to be caught in the vicious circle of wages chasing prices. Manufacturers, in trying to give their shareholders higher dividends, contribute to the dilemma by constantly raising the prices of their products. [ The rate of inflation in each European mem- ber country of OECD was faster than that in Canada. And yet there are dangers for Canada, as we have important economic and trade ties with Europe. Indeed, at a recent conference of economics, Professor John Kenneth Galbraith said that he at least believes wage and price controls are inevitable for Canada. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reports that in recent months the rate of inflation in Europe has doubled to an annual figure of 10 per cent. This is the fastest inflation rate Europe has seen since the height of the Korean war more than two decades ago. From the looks of the situation as it stands now, a city won't get too far with a protest against a regional decision. At least we won't know until it has tried and then it may betoolate. A question of this sort raised by a council member only goes to show how vague the terms of reference between municipality and region have been outlined. Not only is this vague but no one also knows how far or how successful a municipality will be in disputing the region's interference. This one incident pointed out the region has the power to rule on subdivision plans which are of importance to the region as a whole. What subdivision won’t be of importance to the region? What makes one more important than the other? Who knows? Some doubt was expressed if the region could interfere in any project it chose. Monday night's example at council left be- hind the beginning of a thought. It is duite probable the city doesn't have as much say in matters against regional government as was originally thought. The fact that it is a problem which is known to regional governments in other areas doesn't make the answer that much closer. Just how far a region's authority extends into a munici- pality's affairs has yet to be distinctly defined and we're wondering why. The problem the aldermen faced as to whose jurisdiction a certain subject falls into is not a unique one for municipalities struggling under the transition from county to regional govem- ment. 4 Waterloo Chronicle. Wednesday, Fobmary 28, 1973 Is it a regional matter or is it our problem? That's the question which confronted Water- loo city council members Monday night and it doesn't look like that will be the only time the question will pop up. Wehre in danger Who gets the problem I thought, “I'll fix the old devil." I'd brought two beers along. I knew he was teetotal. It was a hot day. and the beer was the colour and temperature of you- know-what. Offered him We knocked off for lunch. I was glad. I was pooped. I pulled out my two meagre sandwiches, and Ab hauled out a lunch that would stag- ger a truck driver. He forced apples and bananas and great hunks of cheese on me until it was coming out my ears. "Dam' good thing I had my hat on," he quipped, looking ruefully at his cigar, which had been mashed in the fall. Of course, he was just a spring chicken then, at the height of his faculties. He was only 80 years old. We had a good day. I got thirteen speckles and a brown and he filled his creel. The only untoward incident in the moming's fishing was when he stepped into a hoghole. felt flat on his face and hit his head on a rotten stump. I remember the last time we went trout fishing togeth- er. I was to pick him up at 5.30 a.m. or some such hour. and have breakfast with him. I arrived at a quarter to six and he gave me hell. Then he forced me, a cof- fee-and-toast man, to shovel down a huge breakfast of bacon and eggs, enough for a logger, which he had rea- dy. There are still a few of the old breed left, thank good- ness. And one of them is my friend Ab Cordingley. Received a letter from him this week, and. as with everything he says and writes, it was right to the point. He doesn't waste any words. The letter ends thus. "Hope U ROK." He told me bluntly that he still reads this column and "Sometimes think U R OK, sometimes off base." He never had any hesitation in telling me what was wrong with my line of thought. To my face. Bill Smiley Then the fire brigade ar- rived, and soon confusion became chaos. We got his wife over to our house and into a hot cup of tea. Ab nipped around like a twelve- yearoid, telling people what to carry out and driv- ing kids back from the fla- mes. I got our kids out of bed. so that they could We'd been doing this for about five minutes when Ab stopped at the bottom of the stairs and yelled up, "Dammit, Annie, I told you to get down here." The na- mes Were roaring in the roof by now. I realized with hor- ror that his wife, who had bad legs and trouble walk- ing. was still up there. Unaware of this, we two hustled across the street and started carrying out of the house such valuables as potted plants, old pictures worth about seventy-five cents on the open market. I got the fire brigade, and told them it was Ab Cording- ley's house, and hung up. In a small town, you don't give addresses, you just say whose house it is. Unfortun- ately, the fire brigade went to Ab's old house and dith- ered about for ten minutes before someone remember- ed he'd moved. "That gravel is hell on the feet," he observed, while I reached for the phone. The mad between us was paved in gravel. Try running a- cross it in your bare feet, at 82. “Call the fire brigade, Smiley. The dam' house is on fire." He had his pants pulled on over his flannel pyjamas. and was in his bare feet. Had been going to bed. A couple of years later, we became acmss-tlie-street neighbours. One evening a few months later, about IO p.m., there was a banging on our kitchen door. It was Ab. one. He was not only a tecto- taller but a gentleman. He took it, drank down the gas- eous horror, and said calm- ly, "Haven't had a beer in 20-30 years." Haw TRAVEL Published every Wednesday by Fairway Press, a division of Kitchener-Waterloo Record Ltd. 30 Queen St., N., Kitchener Ontario Address correspondence to Waterloo Square Wat- erloo Ont. Telephone_744_63_6_4. -- But why does the gov- ernment not undertake an extensive trap research program to develop gqod humane traps? ' The provincial and fed- eral governments receive For a number of years now Canadian Citizens have been requesting the gov- ernment to abolish the legis- lation holding traps which are used to obtain wild ani- mal furs. The answer giv- en by the government is that there are not enough humane traps available for the trappers. He's everything you're not supposed to be these days. He's prejudiced. He's 100 per cent opposed to Grits, booze and laziness. He be- Quite a guy. He's 93 or 94 now, and still has a mind that would make many fil- teen-yearo1ds look senile. He's a walking encyclope- dia. He doesn't pretend to be an intellectual. but has read thousands of books and can still recite poetry he learned in public school. Dear Editor, Many people of 82 would have been utterly daunted by such a set-back. Not Ab. He'd have been more dis- turbed if the Tories had lost a by-election. watch something they'd re- member all their lives - a fine old house going up in a glorious pyre of blaze and smoke. There's something heart-wrenching and at the same time thrilling in such a sight. _ “Abolish leg traps" Here 's a man worth a salute In Canada: one year $8: in United States and Foreign countries: one year $10 PAY WERE SUBSCRIPTION RATES ESTABLISHED 1854 'endy Herman, editor substantial royalties from the trapping industry so why not use the money to develop humane traps? Then they can abolish the leg-hold traps like other countries have done years ago. d That would put an end t3 this barbaric and atroci- ous cruelty. I urge our Canadian peo- pie to please write to their elected representatives re- questing that the manuiac- turers use and sale of leg- hold traps be forbidden in Canada. Good health, Ab, and long live. It seems to me that one winter he took some empty bottles to Texas. told the natives the bottles were full of Bruce Peninsula air, and suggested it was worth at least one dollar a bottle for its purity. And he has a sense of humour. Re used to winter in Texas and took great de- light iCtelting the proud Texans that their mighty state could be dropped into one of our Canadian lakes and not even cause a ripple. But ttiere's something en- t1t'er,i,'S,' about his preju- dices. e' _ are right out in the 'tdrili bet he believes in capital punishment, God, and heaven. I'll take him away ahead of your smarmy liberals any day. lieves in hard work, making money, and leaving some- thing worthwhile behind, like a firtrt-rate hospital. J. Bicks