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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1961-04-06, Page 2Since 186Q, Serving the Community First Pub14ed at SEAS ORTH, ONTARIO, every Thursday morning. by McLEAN BROS., Publishers ,' o ANDREW Y. MCLEAN,. Editor t Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association, Ontario 411'aABC - Weekly Newspapers Association, Audit Bureau of Circulations O Subscription Rates: Canada (in advance) $2.50 a Year Outside Canada (in advance) $3.50 a Year SINGLE COPIES — 5 CENTS EACH Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa 1,A SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, APRIL 6, 1961 Speeches Will not If speeches can solve the problems facing agriculture, the future for the Canadian fanner looks pretty bright. In the few short months during which he has been Minister of Agri- culture, Hon. A. Hamilton undoubted- ly has made more speeches before va- rious bodies across Canada than most, if not all, of his predecessors in office over much longer periods. Certainly, if copies of some of those speeches which have reached this office—sent postage free from the recently estab- lished Public Relations office in the Department of Agriculture—are an indication, no Canadian minister of agriculture since Confederation, re- gardless of his politics has been re- sponsible for such an outpouring of propaganda at the taxpayers' 'ex- pense. The purpose of all these thousands of words is, of course, to indicate that the position of the farmer has never been better. There can be no objection, we agree, if the Minister, by means of speeches, attempts to convince the farmers of Canada that thea Utopian conditions promised by Mr. Diefenbaker in the campaigns of 1957 and 1958 have, in fact, come al ort. As a member of the govern- ment, it is his responsibility to ex- plain and defend its policies. It is another matter, however, to use the services of the information division .of the department—services which are paid for by the taxpayers of Canada—to 'advance his political arguments. If Mr. Hamilton wishes to advance the cause of agriculture, he would do well to distinguish be- tween his functions as a politician, and his functions as Minister of Agriculture. The need for all these speeches, all this propaganda, arises because it is politically desirable to create the im- pression across Canada that all is well with agriculture in the face of an increasing cost price squeeze. Just what has happened to the farmers' financial position is indi- cated by a study of figures revealed Statistics Show H As a winter of abnormally high unemployment in Ontario draws to an end, the County of Huron can be 'comforted by the fact that conditions were "not so bad" in Huron. We may not boom to the peak, as some areas do, in "good times," but, on the other hand, neither do we 'sink to the depths, as some areas do, in "bad times." Probably we're just a good, substantial even keel section. At least, that's what, , statistics at the National Employment Office at Gode- rich would seem to indicate. As a matter of fact, Huron County was better off in January (the usual peak unemployment month) 'of this year than it was in January of 1960. There was a total of '730 men listed as seek- ing employment in Huron in Janu- ary, 1961, which was about 100 less than in January of the previous year. One of the major contributions to this preferable state of affairs was probably the winter works program at both the Clinton and Centralia RCAF Stations. Some 135 men have been provided with work at these two stations from last November up to.. the present time. These winter works- programs have included con- siderable painting and repairing. of MAP buildings, installing of many new .combination storm and screen altrrninu'rn doors, building an arena at 1Clinton and a curling rink at Cen- tralia. -Cif the 730 men listed as seeking ii p1ay'ment in Huron in January, many of these were seasonal work - ,ere Aitch as sailors, construction Workers, etc. Now, with Spring com- itiO,Ovcr the horizon, the tide is be- glaiirrg to tarn and the list of un- empIoyed is starting to fall o. Some `t0 been called to work at the Atgfnic mower Plant at Douglas. Correct Problem in a recent debate in the Commons. The index number of farm prices in 1958 was 245.5; in 1959 it was 243.1, and in 1960 it had dropped to 236.6. Comparing these figures for those three years with the prices of com- modities and services used by farm- ers in the same period, including liv- ing costs, we find the following: 242.7, 249.8, 253.6. The result is that the index of farm prices declined by 3.6 per cent between 1958 and 1960, while at the same time the price of commodities used by farmers increas- ed by 4.5 per cent. This is what is meant when the farmer says he is caught in the cost -price squeeze. Un- doubtedly it is because of this situa- tion that the Minister of Agriculture feels he must use every possible means of publicity in an effort to convince the public, particularly the farming public, that conditions are not really so bad after all. To Meet Competition Necessity of Hydro and local Utility Commissions adopting a more realistic attitude in the face of mounting competition fromnatural gas is emphasized by the St. Marys Journal -Argus: "According to James S. Duncan, Chairman of the Ontario Hydro Electric Power Commission, the com- petition provided by the sale of na- tural gas in the province and the resultant loss of revenues to Hydro, will probably mean a rise in rates for power. If this line of thought is put into effect it will be `right -down -the - alley' for gas companies to get out and try and sell more and more gas appliances, including water heaters." The Journal -Argus says: "Seems as though Hydro, having lost its long- standing monopoly, is not very realis- tic when it meets competition. The price of hydro should be going down instead of up if the Government -run HEPC is not going to find itself in the present positionof the Canadian railways," the paper concludes., uron "Not- So Bad" Point; a number have been recalled to start work on the Maitland River. Bridge; more are being taken on at the Ontario government hospital as the tempo of construction increases; others are going out to other con- struction jobs. All in all, Huron County can con- sider itself comparatively fortunate in -the matter of ' unemployment. There are many other places in the province which have fared very much worse during the past winter. —Goderich Signal -Star. Letters Could Help The task of calling attention to matters that might be rectified if given a bit of publicity is not the sole responsibility of the newspaper in a community. Improvements and changes for the good of the community as 'a whole should properly be shared by all citi- zens of the town and the district. A newspaper's first responsibility is to inform. Any newspaper worthy of the name is always ready and willing to serve its community in any good Cause, but it has the right to expect that readers who wish to express their vie*s on controversial matters avail themselves of the press by tak- ing the trouble to write a letter. There are those who would like to see, and seemingly expect, a publish- er to go to bat for them, to air what may be nothing more than a per- sonal peeve or prejudice. Newspapers are ' not policemen. Betterment of the community is ev- erybody's business, not the news- paper's alone. It is merely the med- ium , through which constructive criticism cash be expressed.—Luck- now Sentinel. SUGAR and SPICE For the past six or seveu months I've been thrown, perforce, into. the company of large gobs of teetl- agers. It was the one thing about teaching of which I was leery. Like most other people, I was fed- up to the ears with talk abput teen-agers. It seemed as though they had almost taken over our society. We read lurid accounts of vicious de- linquents and teenage mothers. We listened to the crude beat of their favorite music, and watched oily punks with sickening hair -dos sob it into microphones. And ev- en on the more wholesome side, it became monotonous, with the constant emphasis on teen -towns and teen -clubs and teen -fashions and hi -news. Mind, I had nothing personal against them, though they seem- ed more than necessarily insolent, unkempt and unlovable. I was just bored by all the fuss made over them. Perhaps I was a little envious. Nobody had been very enthusiastic about us when we were teen-agers, I mused. At any rate, I was somewhat less than enthralled at the pro- spect of being thrown` into the pit with them every working day. In fact, I was downright aghast at the idea. M I know what you think. You think I'm leading up to the con- fession that I've changed my mind completely, that I've swallowed the teen-age mythwhole, that r think they're just a swell bunch of youngsters, a little mixed-up and crazy, but pretty darn won- derful underneath it all. Not at all. No such pap. But when you cope with a couple of hundred of them every, day, and then reel home to try to handle one of your own, you're bound to develop some reaction to them a little stronger than mere annoy- ance. M M My own responses vary between quaking rage, when I can barely keep my hands away from their ears, and waves of warm benevo- lence, when I find them absolute- ly lovable, and would do anything in my power to make them happy or help them. Not strangely, it's when they are acting most like adults that they are most unbearable. And it's when they are most like children that they are most delightful. It figures, eh? When they try to build a wall like that behind which most of us terrified adults crouch, they fare selfish, cruel, vain, sneering, prom- pous, perfidious, sneaky and gold. But when they're not trying to keep from being hurt, they're like a different species—loyal„ copr- teous, honest, generous, eager, fair, high -principled. Parents, even the most calm and .sane of them, can never quite ad- just to this fact—that their teen- agers are true Jekyll-Hydes. As a result, they do all the wrong things. They roar at them when the kids wantto act like adults. They spoil them silly , when the kids act like angels. They throw up their hands when they should be throwing down the gauntlet. And so on. Even teachers, after years of exposure, are not immune. Just the other day one of them strode into the staff room, puiiple in the face, and roared, "Either that kid by -god goes, or I go!" And five minutes later, when several had agreed that young Joe was a verit- able monster, same teacher was hotly defending young Joe as "not a bad kid, really, underneath." M These views on teen-agers, of course, are only generalities, bas- ed on a few months' observation. There are some teen-agers who are plain slobs, mentally and physi- cally, and like it that way. There are others who are astoundingly mature. The first class will be- come the drones of our society. The second will make our lead- ers. And in between colnes the vast majority, even as you and I. These are the kids who are a little lazy, but work enough to get by, who are a little crooked, but wouldn't take the pennies off a blind man's eyes, who . are soft as egg -yolk inside, but tough on the surface, who are basically kind, but can be cruel as broken glass. Recog- nize them? These are the irate taxpayers, the grumbling workers, the confused parents, the harassed citizens of a few years from now. I'm glad I'm not a psychologist, trying to analyze them, to excuse them for their faults to find a reason for everything they do. It's far more fun just watching them, changing your mind about them every two days, having them catch you flat-footed, getting sore at them, teasing them, praising them and roaring at them. Then, of course, there's the tre- mendous accolade one gets once in a while. I'm sure it is the thing that keeps most teachers going long after the flesh is faint. Just last week I got sort of warm and soft all over when I overheard one of my students tell another, "Ah, Smiley's not a bad old type. Got some temper, though." One wise teacher told me early in the game, "All you have to do is remember that they're just peo- ple." He was right, of course, but it was like saying to Clyde Beat- tie as he stepped into the cage the first time, "All you have to do is remember that they're just lions." NO /O d (Prepared by the Research Staff of Encyclopedia Canadiana) Row Did Midale Get Its• Name? Midale, the Saskatchewan vil- lage half way between Weyburn and Estevan, got its name by combining parts of the names of Dr. R. M. Mitchell, speaker of the province's legislative assembly from 1917 to 1919,, and John Dale, the first townsite agent. The com- munity, market centre for a grain - growing district was incorporated in 1907. * M Where is the Only Deep -Water Port on the South Shore of the St. Lawrence? The town of Rimouski, situated at the mouth of the Rimouski Riv- er 180 miles downstream from Quebec City, has the only deep- water port orf the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. The town is connected by ferry and air ser- vices with .,Baie Comeau bn the north shore. In 1950 half of Rim- ouski was destroyed by fire that caused .damage in excess of $10,- 000,000. Within two years, how- ever, the devastated area had been rebuilt with wider streets, finer homes and modern commercial buildings. Who Founded 60 Quebec Villages? Father Francois Xavier Antoine Labelle, who became known as the "apostle of colonization," founded 60 villages north of Montreal in an effort to combat French-Canadian emigration to• the United States. He was born in 1833 at Ste. Rose de Laval in Lower Canada and was ordained in 1856, After serv- ing in various parishes, he became in 1868 parish priest of St. Jerome, an office he retained until his death. A huge man, renowned for his feats of strength,w Father La- belle became a legendary figure. He was the friend of many politi- cal figures and in 1888 was appoint- ed deputy minister of colonization for the province. He died at Que- pee city in 1891. A?:2 The Weeke As you folks 'knew, I've been with you for some new acid the tett of living index eotighties to climb . '• REV. ROBERT H. HARPER THE BIBLE TODAY The opening of new Bible Houses throughout the world to provide centres of Bible Society work, and facilities for increased Bible dis- tribution, has proved successful. A report from Nairobi says that Scripture distribution has increas- ed to 200,000 copies annually which is twice the former number. Plans are being made to increase circu- lation to 350,000 and to increase the number of colporteure through- out this area. A report from the Geneva Bible House a Bible distributing agency with branches in France, Italy, Portugal, North Africa, Transvaal and Brazil, announces that after three years' work a new Bible House has been opened in Kakar (Mali, West Africa). The Australian Government as- sisted the British and Foreign Bible Society to erect a new Bible House in Canberra the capital of the Dominion. The Prime Mini- ster gave the dedication address and said that the Bible House was one of the most beautiful build- ings in the capital. Suggested Bible Readings Sunday—Psalms, 96:1-13 .Monday -2nd Timothy, 3:1-17 Tuesday—Philemon, 1-24 Wednesday—Hebrews, 11:1.40 Thursday—Psalms, 23:1-6 Friday—Psalms, 46:1-11 Saturday—Ephesians, 6:1-24 "Excuse me, sir, have you seen a policeman hereabouts?" "No, I haven't seen any sign of. one for the last five minutes." "Thanks, bud; give me your watch and cash quick." A Teitas rancher shot a man dead and telegraphed a Houston lawyer, offering \ a $5,000 fee to represent him. "Leaving for your town at once," came the reply. "Bringing three eye -witnesses." The proprietor calledhis wait- resses together and said: "Girls, I want you to look your best today. Give the customers a big smile. Kid them a little, serve them quick- ly and get out of the way." "What's the matter?" asked one waitress. Replied the owner: "The beef's tough again." A Nero was taking an examina- tion fo� rural delivery carrier. Among other questions he was asked: "What is the distance between the earth and moon?" His prompt but indignant reply was: "See heah! If you's a -going' to put me on that route I quit right now." A McDUFF OTTAWA REPORT TIME TO SETTLE DOWN Chances are your local M.P. is home this week mending his poli- tical fences and reporting on his stewardship in Ottawa since the fourth session°of the 24th Parlia- ment_ began last November: His Baster recess visit to the grass roots provides an excellent opportunity to ask him what he has accomplished for you in the 78 days he has spent in the House of Commons during that time. The -question may embarrass him. Because the simple truth is that Parliament has accomplish- ed virtually nothing, since Christ- mas at least. If your M.P. os a Government supporter, he will explain this waste of the taxpayer's money by telling you the Opposition is at fault; that it continually fili- bustered the Government's legis- lative measures and did its utmost to block progress. And he would be right, in part. If your M.P.'s a Government Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, he will tell you the delay -was caused by the Government, which failed to bring forward the legislation forecast in the speech -from the throne four and a half months aga. He, too, would be at least partly correct. But the simple truth lies some- where in between these two points of view, as so often happens in political discussion. The only point on which Government and Opposi- tion can agree is that there has been virtually nothing achieved by the session so far. Parliament was called early for its 1961 session, ostensibly to en- act measures to deal with unem- ployment, and also to get the pub- lic's business done before the op- pressive heat of Ottawa's summer dulled the wits and sharpened the tempers of legislators. The M.P.'s left the starting gate at a gallop, scrapping by aIunani- mgus vote the usual formalities of the throne speech debate, and plunging into the Government's legislative diet. Five significant bills were dispatched quickly, in- cluding the emergency measures to forestall the national railway strike called for early December. But somehow between Christmas and New Year's, while the M.P.'s were catching their breath around the fireside, the enthusiasm and drive went out of their system. Parliament re -assembled on Jan- uary 16, ,after a noisy National Liberal Rally had urged the Of- ficial Opposition to return to bat- tle with vigor and bring the Gov- ernment to its knees. The vigor never appeared; nor did the Government show any fur- ther evidence of the haste with which . it opened the session. The Commons committees which do so much of the work were not even set up until well into Febru- ary. Several of them still remain to be called, and given something to do. Most of the work—and the head- lines—has developed in the com- mittee. -on broadcasting, which has been examining witnesses from the CBC, Board of i3roadcast Gover- nors and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. But even now; it is only half -way through its work. Another committee examining the new Civil Service Act is only get- ting started. Parliament was given a supple- mentary budget by Finance Mini- ster Donald Fleming before Christ- mas, but it has still not finished considering it. Therefore, to Mr. Fleming's apparent annoyance, the main budget, due for presentation before Easter, has been held up. The Government itself has been busy. Judges have been appoint- ed, new diplomats named, a trade promotion conference held, a Na- tional Productivity Council estab- lished to increase the efficiency of„ Canadian producers. But most of the legislative work outlined in the throne speech on November 17 still languishes un- touched, not even produced for ex- amination by the Commons. The Government has promised a sweeping revision of the Criminal Code in its application to capital punishment. A revised Immigra- tion .Act is scheduled to be pres- ented. Important legislation which will compel corporations and trade unions to publish their financial statements has merely been intro- duced, and allowed to gather dust on the order paper. Major chang- es are still expected in the Un- employment Insurance Act to pre- vent what the Government believes to be widespread plundering of the fund by persons who really do not qualify for benefits. The Columbia River development treaty, signed with the United States early in January, has yet to be submitted to Parliament for ratification, al- though it has already received the blessing of Congress in Washing- ton. What, then, has Parliament been doing all this time? It has devoted hours and hours —and more hours—to futile, but necessary discussion of private member's bills. The M.P.'s who sponsor these bits of wishful think- ing know in advance that they will not be accepted by the Govern- ment, and allowed to go to a vote, But they defend the practice with the explanation that public debate creates a climate of public opin- ion which may goad the Govern- ment into future action. There has been tedious examina- tion of departmental spending esti• mates, an annual chore that Par- liament quite properly ,undertakes, but generally spends more time discussing in a political way than really examining. Further hours and hours -- and hours -;have been devoted to in- cessant questioning of the govern- ment benches by the opposition, sometimes on questions of nation- al importance but often on bits and pieces calculated to create em- barrassment,,rather than to draw information. If your M.P. is home this week, it might be an ideal occasion to counsel him to drop the politicking and get down to work on the Coun- try's really important problems, IN THE YEARS AGONE Interesting items gleaned from The Huron Expositor of 25, 50 and 75 years ago. From The Huron Expositor March 27, 1936 Deposits of Seaforth pupils in the Penny Bank hive decreased from' $1,555.77 to $1,339.54 in the year ending Feb. 29, 1936. The annual concert by pupils of the Seaforth Public School on Fri- day evening was enjoyed by an audience that crowded Cardno's Hall. The operetta, "Dame Dur - den's School," proved to be the most enjoyed number. Green Front Department Stores will open their Seaforth store in the Cardno block on Friday of this week, Mr. Jack McKenny is the local manager. Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Tweedsmuir will visit Strat- ford on May 28, according to an announcement made this week. Mrs. Will Worden, of Cromarty, went to Toronto last week for an operation on her throat, which was a success. Dr. E. A. McMaster had a large Xray machine installed in his of- fice this week. Mr. F. P. Gavin, Inspector of High Schools, paid an official visit to the Seaforth Collegiate Institute this week. Mr. Tom Cluff, who has been an the staff a the Dominion Bank here for several years, has been transferred: to the Guelph branch of that balk and assumed his new duties on 'Monday. Mr. George McGavin, of Daly's Garage, is in Toronto this week attending the service school for mechanics, held annually by the Ford Motor Company. Mr. Thorpe Rivers is having a cement foundation placed under the residence he recently purchas- ed from the Cudmore Estate on North Main St., before moving his family from the farm. Mr. Scott Cluff had the misfor- tune to fall from a tree on his farm and fracture a bone in his foot. He will be laid up for a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell Suther- land have moved to the former Charlesworth residence in Eg- mondville. Kenneth, the .little son of Mr and Mrs. Fred E. Willis, under- went an operation for appendicitis in Scott Memorial Hospital on. Monday of last week. From The Huron Expositor March 31, 1911 Mr. and Mrs. W. French, Port Elgin, have now got nicely settled in their new house on, the 3rd con- cession of Tuckersmith, where they will be found the , best of neighbors. The very changeable weather has greatly retarded the making of syrup and many of those en- gaged in it are finding the work rather lagging. Mr. Wi;amSproat, of the 3rd concession, Tuckersmith, has been adding to his possessions by pur- chasing the 100 -acre farm of Guy Caldwell. The end of March is here and still we have the snow with us, which gives us five solid months of winter, the longest on record for many ,years. The town council at Hensall are taking hold of fire protection and are devising ways and means of getting something suitable for the protection of the village. Mr. W. C, Cook, who prepared the plans of the New Commercial Hotel in Hensall, which is°to be a fine three-story building, 54 x 54, has been awarded the contract for erecting the same. Mr. T. W. Parlmer will soon have his new premises ready for his restaurant, confectionery and ice cream parlors in Hensall. Mr. C. H. Broadfoot left on Mon- day en route for Moose Jaw, where he purposes going into business with his brother, Mr. Alex Broad - foot. Mr. Thomas Daly has purchas- ed the general parcel delivery busi- ness and is now in possession. ,+ The E. McFaul Company are giving up the north store which belongs to Cardno Bros. and have had the 'front removed from the Roberts' store and placed in this store, while they have put their full glass front in the Roberts' store which they will use in the future. M M From The Huron Expositor March 26, 1886 Mr. W. G. Collins, who has been salesman in Pickard's store in Sea - forth for some time, has purchas- ed a stock and business in Cobourg and has left with his family for town to live, Mr. John Govenlock, of McKil- lop, returned home from Manitoba on Saturday last. Messrs. John Walter and Robert Scott, of Roxboro, are now agents for the fruit and ornamental trees of Leslie, of Toronto. Mr. George Kidd, son of Thos. Kidd, of this town, left on Tuesday for Nebraska, where he has se- cured a good situation. Mr. J. L. Smith has the contract for making the new uniforms for the members of the Seaforth Band. The other day as Mr. Gray was coming to town with his milk cart, the axle of the vehicle broke and the horse taking fright, ran away, causing a desperate fall in milk, but no person was hurt. Mr. T. G. Prendergast for sev- eral years a resident of Seaforth, has removed his family to Strat- ford this week, that being a more central point for his business. Mr. Alexander McDonald, son of Mr. Solomon McDonald, of Eg- mondville, has started in the blacksmithing business in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich,, in company with another •young man. Masters James Killoran and J. McFadzean, of the Seaforth High School, have been awarded full grade B certificate at the Art ex- amination 'recently held. "t r. Hanover has returned to Sea - forth and will assume the practise of his profession here. A SMILE OR TWO "Is this dog ever smart! When our house caught fire he broke away from us, dashed back into the flames, and what d'you think he brought out? My fire insurance policy, wrapped in a •.damp towel. A man who went to have his thinning hair cut met up with a barber who wanted to singe it in- stead—at double the price. "Each hair is a tiny tube that sort of bleeds at the cut end," he said, "so it gets weaker every time your hair is cut. But singeing seals the end), and the hair keeps its vigor." "Then can you explain why the hair on my chin is growing strong- er all the time though each hair has been cut off every morning for 25 years?" "No trouble at all," answered the barber. "You just ain't the kind of feller that story was made up to tell to." TIM BABY FAMILY BY LLOYD 611IINBDAM PAD MADE A JUNIOR -SIZE MIRROR AND TOWEL RACK FOR SUZY.., %1