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The Huron Expositor, 1960-12-08, Page 2Since 1860, Serving the Community First Published at SEAFORTH, Q,NTARIO, every Thursday morning by McLEAN BROS., Publishers ANDREW Y. MCLEAN, Editor BVI 1 p A Member Canadian Weekly, Newspapers Association, Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association, Audit Bureau of Circulations Subscription Rates: • t1U U = Canada (in advance) $2.50 a Year s 1 p Outside Canada (in advance) $3.50 a Year 41 L Ate• SINGLE COPIES — 5 CENTS EACH Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 8, 1960 Television oses In Urge For Self -Improvement There have been many occasions in recent years when it appeared that television literally had taken over, insofar as providing entertainment was concerned. In the process, movie theatres have had to give up in what turned out to be an uneven struggle; spectator sports, particularly in smaller communities, withered and, in many cases, died for lack of pa- tronage, and meetings on behalf of even the most worthy causes could musteron occasions less than a bak- er's dozen. So, it was with some satisfaction that we noted recently that despite its successe , television had failed to triumph or the urge to self better - Sunday Sport ort Problem The Exeter Times -Advocate sug- gest editorially that Sunday laws prohibiting certain activities are out, of date "and may well be. doing more harm than good in this age." Says the Exeter Times -Advocate: "Young people, and older ones, too, could be occupying their Sunday af- ternoons in much worse fashion than by skating, bowling, watching a ball, game, seeing a movie or some such pastime. Not a few now spend the idle time loitering around the streets, driving around in cars seeking ad- yenture of some sort. "We might as well face it suggested one member of our discussion group, the open Sunday is coming and our • church people would be better to pre- pare to cope with it than to create enemies by opposing it. "To be realistic the open Sunday is being developed right now in spite °of the 'blue laws'. Many area arenas provide Sunday skating; bowling clubs are operated on the Sabbath, to cite two local examples of the trend. Devious and questionable means are being made to circumvent the law and public opinion allows it. "The problem, then, is with us now —the conflict between law and pub- lic opinion over Sunday activity. How do we solve it?" ment. A recent report shows that no few- er --than three -quarters -of -a -million adult Canadians are spending their leisure and their dollars buying them- selves an improved education. Many are attending evening classes at uni- versities, more than 30 of which now provide courses leading to a degree. Others are content to study one or more of a wide range of subjects, the greater understanding of which will make for a fuller life. Unfortunately this trend to self- improvement has not manifested it- self in Seaforth, where in recent years it has become necessary to can- cel adult night classes at the High School because of lack of interest. On the other hand, perhaps the attend- ance at night classes is not the test that should be applied in every com- munity. Is not the fact- that mem- bership at Seaforth Carnegie Lib- rary increased by 250 to 850 in re- cent months; an indication of the in- terest the people of this community have in reading and thereby inform- ing themselves? Thought For Taxpayers The Chesley Enterprise asks this 'interesting question at tax -paying time: "Did you know that the taxes you pay on your house do not cover the cost of services which the town provides?" The Enterprise goes on to explain: "Were it not for the com- mercial and industrial taxes, proper- ty rates would be much higher. At least, that is the general rule: We were talking to the mayor of an On- tario town.the other day, and he was telling us that 'some of the ratepay- ers were always urging that more houses be built and that they needed a real estate development. Yet, from a municipal standpoint, the town los- es money on every new home. It means more streets, sewers, water- • mains, street lights, and possibly a larger police force, not to 'mention more school classrooms. The revenue from houses does not meet the cost of servicing them." HALF - PAST TEEN WH/CH LAA E. ' / MAKE A LEFT TURN FROM ?...WHY PO YOU ASK?? -----SUGAR AND SPICE By W. (Bill) B. T. SMILEY This is a trying time of year. Across the land, a lot of people are in a stew about something. Merchants who have gone to the hilt on the overdraft, for a big stock, are.sweating out the pre - Christmas doldrums. Students who have had a ballall fall are green as they face Christmas exams with nothing in the belfry. Housewives look forward to the Christman chaos with sheer dread. But I'm not worrying too much about any of them. .The merch- ants will wind up a few dollars ahead of last year. The students will totter through on a mixture of luck and nerve. The housewives will emerge on Boxing Day, bloody but unbowed. The people who have my deep sympathy, this time of year, are the men and women in hundreds of municipalities who are standing before a mirror, try- ing to look firm, intelligent and able, as they seek to muster en- ough courage to run for public office. * * The annual nomination meeting is the best show in town. It pro= duces enough high drama, low comedy and suspense to make some . of„ f.lie..so-called masterpiec- es' of W. Shakespeare look pretty filmsy. For ten years I attended every nomination meeting, as a newspaperman, and on a couple of occasions as a candidate. I wouldn't trade it for a season's ticket to the Stratford Festival. THERE'S STILL TIME SEE OUR COMPLETE SELECTION OF as Cards ... AS WARM, AS SINCERE, AND AS FRIENDLY AS A HANDSHAKE SEE THE NATIONAL: LINE Order NOW Through THE HURON EXPOSITOR Phone 141 Seaforth clash of personalities, for the rap- ier thrust of wit, give me a nom- ination meeting, every time. The chairman of the school board de- fends himself like a tiger when some pretty sharp questions come up about teachers' salaries. The chairman of the library board paints a sweeping picture of the town's cultural progress, with 300 more books borrowed than last year, and two new shelves added to, the library. • By ROBERT H. HARPER THE CAT'S EYE A cat went to London, according to an old nursery rhyme. And when she returned, she was asked if she had seen the queen. Her reply is worthy of note. She said she had not seen the queen but that she had seen a mouse that ran behind the throne. So you will know that this squib is not really about the cat's eye but about What she was prepared to see. Two ladies drove down into a pleasant valley and one of them, surveying the scene, exclaimed: "Isn't it beautiful!" Her compan- ion, the owner of a large planta- tion, directing her gaze to a field of corn beside the road, replied, "Yes, but it is too thick." Two men, driving, reached the top of a long slope, and one of them, en- tranced by the purple majesty of the mountains in the distance, ex- claimed, "Magnificent!" His com- panion, an old woodsman, looking upon a towering oak beside the road, said, "Yes, there's many feet of good lumber in it." So you will realize that men generally see what they are pre- pared to see, and what they want to see. And it will be surprising to find how much of good there is to find and how many beautiful things there are to see by the man who has beauty in his heart. But it's 11:30 and a lot of the spectators have drifted out. They have drifted out. After all, tomor- row's the day the magistrate holds court, and there are some pretty interesting cases. * * * It's a pity, but by the time there's a chance for the new can- didates to speak, there's nobody left but the chairman, looking blue, and the caretaker, who has to sweep up after the meeting, look- ing black. Little Mrs. Bantam, the candidate for school board, rises anyway. It's understood that she has prepared a pretty savage at- tack on -the other members of the board, and has a bold, new plat- form to propose. She looks at the chairman, who is nodding, at the caretaker, who is muttering, and at young Punkiss, who has fallen sound asleep; while waiting his turn. - * * * She bursts into tears and stamps out. Awakened abruptly, Punkiss leaps to his feet. • His chance has come. Now is the time for that brief, witty and gracious speech he has prepared. He blurts:"Mr. Chairman, fellow ratepayers, I wanna thank my nominator and seconder and if elected I will do my besta serve to the besta my ability." And from such gallant souls as Punkiss come our local legislature and that ,spark of fire that keeps democracy burning bright. * * * Before the meeting gets really warmed up, there's lots of fun. The mayor and the reeve have their heads together, figuring out how to skate over the thin ice of that substantial deficit. The expert needlers in the crowd are sharp- ening the points on their questions. The practical jokers are nominat- ing the local idiot, dead people, and the town's loose woman. The inevitable drunk is on hand, not quite tipsy enough to be thrown out. And sitting there, still as the grave, staring wildly into space, are the brand new candidates, who have thrown caution to the winds and decided to "go out for" a seat on the council or school board. It's a pretty tense business for them, I can tell you. * * * Don't talk to me about your Kennedy and Nixon. Those big fellows have staffs of advisers and consultants and public relations men and prexies and moguls and campaign managers and experts and party machines and ward heelers and all sorts of things on nomination night. They're not alone. * * * But that determined -looking lit- tle woman in the fourth row, who "turns alternately red and white, like a neon sign, is as lonely as a deaf mute on a raft in the Sahara, She has keyed herself to a frightening peak of nerves. She has never spoken in public before. And she is going to run for a seat on the school board and try to gin- ger up that all-male, inert body, which is all talk and no action. She is fierce, but frightened. And look over here. Young Pun - kiss is "going out" for council and he looks it. There's a fine film of sweat on his face and • he grips the back of the chair in front of him with the same expression as a kid on a roller coaster. You can't blame him. He's going up against Doc Socum and every- body in town owes the Doc. Pun - kiss bas only been in town for 12 years and has a lot of nerve to try for a seat. There's some pret- ty raggedy material going on the ballot this year. * * * There, the speeches are start- ing. Listen to old George giving it 'to the mayor about the side- walks. 'Old George knows a thing or two about those sidewalks. He helped build them 52 years ago. There's Joe Slosh, with a skinful, going after the reeve about the taxes on his place. Says he won't pay a cent till they pave the street, put in a sewer, and install a street light in front of his house. His total taxes are $18 and he's two years in arrears. There, the chief is ushering him out, same as last year. Just a Thought: It is not so important that we always be "right"—but it can be- come a serious matter when we cling to our position long after common sense and fact make i clearly evident that we are in the wrong about something. A *DUFF OTTAWA REPORT ON THE RAILS? OTTAWA—The threat of a strike by 111,000 non-operating employees of the Canadian Pacific and Cana- dian National 'Railways has only been postponed, and not removed. It remains a major national problem. An exploration of the background to the unprecedented stop -the -strike legislation enacted by Parliament leads to so many blind alleys that the average observer is inclined to the conclusion that no one can find a way out of the maze. This latest railway strike threat originated back in November, 1958, when the Board of Transport Com- missioners granted the two major railroads a 17 per cent increase in freight rates to cover an earlier wage increase. Eight provincial governments rushed to Ottawa to protest to the Cabinet, which has the final authority to accept or reject re- commendations of the Board of Transport Commissioners. Th e Cabinet listened sympathetically to the provincial representatives, but went along with the Board. A howl went up from shippers and consumers, and the Govern- ment decided to listen. On Decem- ber 9, 1958, then acting Prime Minister Howard Green (in the absence of Prime Minister Diefen- baker who was out of the country on his world tour) announced the formation of a Royal Commission to look into the whole field of rail transportation. He said the Gov- ernment's intention was "to pro- vide both an immediate allevia- tion of discrimination where it ex- ists, and a long-term solution of the broader problems." The 17 per cent freight rate increase was tempered by a $20,000,000 subsidy, which ran for one year, and has since been extended up to April 30, 1961. The Government also pro- claimed a "freeze" on further freight rate increases. Everyone expected • the Royal,. Commission to report by, mid -1960, but it is still sitting, and a report isn't possible until next March. In November 1959, the "non -ops" opened negotiations for a new con- tract. A conciliation board head- ed by Hon. Justice J. V. H. Mil - vain, of Alberta, heard the disput- ants, and issued a majority report recothmending what amounts to a. 14 -cents an hour wage increase for the 111,000 "non -ops". 'rime finally ran out last week, and the unions called a strike. To prevent it, the Government has now enacted legislation prohibit- ing strike action until after May 15 next year. The Government obviously is hoping the Royal Commission will come up with some spectacular recommendations that will solve for all time the monotonous cycle of wage increases and freight rate increases. History of previous Royal Com- missions into railway problems would suggest the opposite. This Royal Commission is con- fronted with .the same limited problem faced by earlier com- missions. The railways are faced with growing - competition from truck and air carriers. They, are rapidly losing passenger traffic. Yet, :their costs continue to rise. In this situation, it is inevitable that freight rates must be increas- ed to cover increased costs, and also inevitable that an increasing burden of the rate increases will be placed on a smaller portion of the traffic Truck competition fore - Where Was the First Music Festival in America? In May, 1908, the first music festival on the North American Continent took place at Edmonton, Alta. The groundwork for music competition festivals in Canada was laid in 1905 at the inaugural ceremonies in connection with the formation of the provinces of Al- berta and Saskatchewan. The Gov- ernor General, Earl Grey, who was present, expressed interest in do- ing something practical to promote.. interest in music and allied arts and later he suggested a Dominion wide festival. A group in Alberta, after studying the rules and regu- lations laid down for Earl Grey's competition, decided they were more interested in the type of com- petition that had been sweeping England and Scotland—the music competition festival. After study- ing a collection of syllabi from the principal festivals in Great. Bri- tain, this Edmonton committee un- der Howard Stutchbury, drafted a syllabus that provided for choral competitions, vocal solos, duets, trios, quartets, piano and violin solos, and–so forth. Saskatchewan soon followed the lead of Alberta and had its first festival in 1909. ePrepared by the Research Staff of Encyclopedia Canadiana) Where Are the Highest Tides in the World? At Burntcoat Head on Cobequid Bay in Nova Scotia. Burntcoat Head is a cape that juts into this inlet of the Bay of Fundy. The high tides at Burntcoat Head range from 46 to 54 feet above the low- water levels. * * * Where is the Graveyard of the Gulf? Anticosti Island at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River was once known as the graveyard of the Gulf because of the many ships that were wrecked along its shores. The weather in the area is very severe and navigation is danger- ous. Since the Canadian govern- ment built four lighthouses on the island, the number of shipwrecks has been greatly reduced. This large, low-lying island, a part of Quebec's Saguenay County, is 135 miles long and has a maximum width of 30 miles. It lies about 1a miles across the Jacques Car- tier Passage from the north shore of the St. Lawrence and about 45 miles from the Gaspe coast, The island is owned by a pulp -and - paper company. * * * And so it goes. Don't tell me about the Roman senate, or the }louse of Commons. F'ot vivid * * * Who First Made Paper From Ground Wood Pulp? Charles Fenerty, who was born at Springfield Lake, Upper Sack- ville, in Nova Scotia in 1821. As a youth he worked in the sawmills owned by his family and he 'be- gan to experiment in the making of paper from spruce pulp. 'the practicability of making paper from wood fibre had long been re- cognized by scientists and paper had been made experimentally by the action of chemicals on wood. As early as 1838 or 1839, Fenerty succeeded in making paper from ground wood pulp. He was the first man in North America ,to do so, and may have been the first in the world. Experiments were made in Germany almost at the Same time as renerty's. ,Fogerty died at Lower Sackville, N.S., in 1 2. First Nurse: "There's one pa- tient in my ward who doesn't try to make love to me." Second Nurse: "One of my pa- tients is unconscious, too." in the central provinces, and the brunt falls. on 'the 11aritimes and the far West. •In addition, there is the complicating factor of the Crows Nest Rates, under which the railroads are denied the right to raise their rates on the ship- ment of grain to export points. If there was one railways op- erating in Canada—if the Govern- ment expropriated the CPRS—it would be a relatively simple mat- ter to subsidize railway operations. But the CPR is privately -owned,, and it resists, for obvious reasons, any attempt at subsidization. A more exasperating situation could not. be devised. In the face of mounting unem- ployment, the Government decid- ed, courageously, that a strike was out of the question. Some of the steam has gone but six months from now, when the strike prohi- bition runs out, the issue could erupt again. For the railway _employees, the legislation has raised a new prob- lem. Current federal legislation grants them the right to strike to back up wage demands. Yet the emergency legislation takes away that right, and if it proves accept- able to the general public, they could find the right to strike taken away for all time. Policemen, nurses, civil servants, many classes of workers are denied the ultimate economic 'weapon, and there are many arguments in favour of ap- plying a similar restriction on rail- road workers. That would involve compulsory arbitration, something the rail un- ions despise, and something Prime Minister Diefenbaker, during his days in opposition, fought bitterly, One of the unfortunate aspects of the current dispute is that no one seriously contends that rail- way employees are overpaid. They are the victims of circumstances. There have already been sug- gestions that the leaders of the 111,000 'non -ops". will swing their unions strongly toward the path of the New Party, in protest against the Government action, and as a means of protecting their• interests in • the future. Although the chief spokesman for the "non - ops", Frank Hall, says he wants the issue kept out of politics, it was notable that he said he want- ed to watch the debate on the anti- strike legislation "to find out who our friends are". By virtue of numbers alone, the "non -ops" comprise an effective political force. If the events 'of last week cause them to embrace the New Party, it alonewill be able to feel satisfaction. * * * Capital Hill Capsules Prime Minister Diefenbaker is reliably reported to have been scared off all TV duels with politi- cal opponents by the U.S. presi- dential campaign. He is said to have rejected flately a CBC re. quest that he appear with Liberal Leader Pearson and CCF Leader Hazen Argue on a proposed series of TV shows. The word has gone out to other Cabinet Ministers and backbenchers to stay away from the magic eye. Many are ignor- ing the suggestion. * * * Government 'backbenchers are already building up pressure to have the Government renew the $200 acreage payments for West- ern- farmers in 1961. Some con- cede much of the money was spent in Prairie beer parlors, but say it made farmers a bit happier, and es the railways to lower their rates that's all that counts. IN THE YEARS AGONE Interesting items gleaned from The Huron Expositor of 25, 50 and 75 years ago. From The Huron Expositor December 6, 1935 Seaforth will have both Inter- mediate and Junior hockey teams on the ice this winter. The Dun- can Cup games are being organ- ized. Officials appointed were: Junior, Manager, C. P: Sills; coach, J. E. Willis; trainer, Geo. Lilley; Intermediate: manager, A. W. Dick; coach, Gordon Muir; trainer, J. R. Walker. The 1935 issue of the S.C.I. Alumni Year Book is nearly com- pleted and it is expected it will go on sale next week. Dwen Geiger, veteran member of Hensall's council, was elected reeve of the village for his 13th term in a three -cornered contest held Monday. The snow of this week has Made perfect sleighing on the highways, but on the cbncession roads there is not quite enough snow yet. A 23 per cent increase in the pro- duction of hay and clover in 1935 for the whole "of Canada is esti- mated by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Committees have been at work for some weeks now arranging for the annual dance of the S.C.I. Alumni Association, which will be held in Cardno's Hall on Christ- mas night. Four charges of hunting without a necessary licence were disposed of and one charge of frafud was laid over for two weeks at police court. Reeves 3. M. Eckert, of McKil- lop; W. R. Archibald, of . Tucker - smith, and Acting -Reeve I. Hud- son, of Seaforth, are in Goderich this week attending the. Decem- ber session of the county council. Mr. W. A. Sclater, who has been visiting his mother, Mrs. William Sclater, left on Monday for his home in Regina. ' Mr. Alvin. Sillery, Osgoode Hall, Toronto, spent the weekend with friends here. The William McCulla estate bas disposed of the farm on the North Gravel Road, between Winthrop and Walton, to Mr. Thorpe Rivers, of Seaforth. * Seaforth now has a second mov- ing picture theatre, Mr. Ben Duf- fie having opened one in the vacant store in the Carmichael block. The Hydro -Electric Commission expect to have the transmission line from Stratford to Seaforth' completed by February. The chief architect of the Gov- ernment in Ottawa has promised to have the plans of the,new Post Office building in Seaforth ready and the contract let by the end of January. Subscribers on the new Stanley Telephone line are requested to get their phones and take them home. Mr. Fred Beuermann, McKillop, had the misfortune to have one of his fingers cut off while taking wood away from a circular saw. Anniversary services will be held in the Presbyterian Church, Walton, Sunday, December 4. Dr. Murray, of Toronto, will preach. Mr. Laxton, Clinton, had his shoulder dislocated the other day by being thrown from his wagon. A dog frightened his horse, caus- ing it to bolt, On Saturday afternoon, Victoria Hall, Jamestown, was destroyed by fire. A new organ, furniture, pictures, books, etc., all fell prey to the flames. From The Huron Expositor December 2, 1910 Brussels Public School has had the unique record of having only two principals in nearly 40 years. The Clinton hockey club has been organized. It was also decided to form a town league, * * * From The Huron Expositor December 4, 1885 We understand that the Salva- tion Army have purchased a lot near the residence of Mr. John Kale and intend erecting a Bar- racks thereon shortly. The carnival at the Roller Rink on Friday evening was largely at- tended. Mr. Alex Sciftt; carpenter of Sea - forth, had the end taken off one of his fingers while working in Broadfoot's planing mill last Mon- day. Mr. C. W. Papst has added a large music box to his store and can now charm his customers with sweet music. Laidlaw & Rairley have had a handsome new lamp erected in front of the Central Grocery, to light their customers on their way during these dark nights. Charlesworth & Brownell have now got moved their new store in Hill's old stand. The attraction at the roller rink on, Monday and Tuesday nights nekt will be Downie & Austin's Parlor Circus. The first meeting of the Mech- anics' Institute Literary Society will be held next Tuesday' even- ing. A successful wood bee took place at the residence of Mr. W. Kyle, Tuckersmith, when eight boys cut and piled nine cords of stove wood in six hours. A city boy on a night hike in the Rocky Mountains inquired of the guide, "Is it true a grizzly won't attack you if you're carrying a flashlight?" "That depends," said the guide, "on how fast you're carrying it." "Why are you stopping?" she inquired as the car came to a halt. "I've lost my bearings," her date answered. "Well, at least you're original," said' she. ."Most fellows run out of gas." TUBE fIADY FAMILY KNOW JUST ME IN1N& TO MAKE, FOR AUNT MILLIE'S BRTHPAY, M'DQAR BY LLOYD BIRMI1IGWAM DAD MAGE A CARVING BOARD 1. CHOOSE A HARDWOOD LOG WITH NICE GRAIN AT LEAST 12" IN DIAM. CUT OFF SECTION 2" THICK AND ISN LINSEED BA K..O. SEAN LETSMOOTH. RUB RUB WRH It00 STEEL WOOL. REPEAT PROCESS UNTIL SURFACE IS swam. ti