14 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



and tourists generally. The Staff consists of a Superintendent and fifteen 

 Rangers, a number of whom due to a restricted vote have been subject to 

 temporary lay-offs or reductions in wages. 



Rondeau Park 



This Provincial Park in Kent County is adjacent to one of the older 

 settled portions of the Province and is, therefore, accessible by paved roads 

 from Hamilton, London, Windsor, Detroit and other nearby American cities. 

 It comprises approximately five square miles, much of which is virgin forest. 

 Wild deer abound and many forms of bird -life find habitation there. It 

 also has one of the most attractive bathing beaches in the Province, and 

 macadam roads reach cottages of artistic designs and homelike attractiveness. 

 The Park affords a rare combination of modern Summer Resort possibili- 

 ties with Restaurant, dancing, tennis, miniature golf and horseback riding 

 on one hand and a mixed timber growth consisting of almost every species 

 indigenous to Old Ontario. The Park, situated on a beautiful peninsula 

 extending into Lake Erie and having water facilities on both sides, is in effect 

 the only outstanding natural rendezvous within the South-western part of 

 Ontario that is owned and controlled by and for the people. On certain 

 occasions during the year it is estimated that 10,000 people visit this Park 

 in a single day, and with the winding roads throughout the Park it abounds 

 not only in scenic beauty but has all the advantages of an attractive Summer 

 Resort, where those who wish to soliloquize in solitude or partake of the 

 joyous activities of sport may readily do so. 



THE PROVINCIAL LAND TAX ACT 



This Act was passed in 1924 and became effective in the year 1927. Prior 

 to the time of the passing of this Act, there were companies and individuals 

 owning large tracts of land lying in the unorganized sections of this Province 

 who did not contribute anything to the Provincial Revenue although they 

 directly benefited from the general improvements made and the different 

 conveniences provided such as roads, fire protection, provincial police pro- 

 tection, etc. 



While this Act has been in force since the year 1927, there are large numbers 

 who are in arrears of payment with a result that last September an ultimatum 

 was issued to all delinquents over the signature of the Minister in which they 

 were given a period of time to take care of the tax arrears in full or at least 

 forward substantial payments to reduce the amounts outstanding. There 

 were approximately six thousand notices issued and it is interesting to note 

 that while we had only a month left in the Fiscal year, our revenue amounting 

 to $131,447.74 increased 10% over the preceding year due no doubt to the 

 urgent demands made. This increase in the collections gave us the second 

 largest year we have had since the inception of this Act. 



While the tax arrears amount to approximately $360,000.00 without 

 penalties it is worth noting that of this amount no less than 77% is owing by 

 eight companies, several of which have never paid any taxes under the Act. 

 One of these, responsible for no less than 65% of the total arrears, has disputed 



