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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1961-04-20, Page 2Since 1860, Serving the Community First rub/tatted at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, every Thursday morning by McLEAN BROS., Publishers ANDREW Y. MCLEAN, Editor Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association, Ontario. .• Weekly Newspapers Association, Audit Bureau of Circulations 0 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 SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, APRIL 20, 1961 Must Protect Citizens' Ordinary Rights Necessity of providing a protection for the ordinary rights of citizens so that they will not be accidently crushed by pqnderous government administrative machinery is stressed in an article in a recent issue of Maclean's Magazine. The writer is Dr. Donald C. Rowat, Profes- sqr of Political Science at Carleton Uni- versity in Otta'tva, and a brother of Lloyd Rowat, Seaforth. ' Dr. Rowat points out that in this age of the welfare state, thousands of admin- istrative decisions affecting the lives of individual citizens are made each year, sometimes by lowly officials. And if some of these decisions are arbitrary or un- justified, there is no easy way for the citizen to gain redress. It is true, he points out, that, in the past, the courts were the bulwark of in- dividual rights. He feels, however, that the common law has lost its flexibility and is no longer an effective instrument for remedying the wrongs of modern adminis- trative action. The courts are too costly, cumbersome and slow, and the vast ma- jority of administrative decisions carry no formal right of appeal. As a solution, Dr. Rowat suggests we turn to the Scandinavian countries, long regarded as models of democratic gov- ernment. In social experiments, indus- trial relations and penal reform they have often been in advance of other democra- tic countries. The Scandinavian coun- tries have a special parliamentary officer known as the Ombudsman, which might be translated loosely as citizens' defend- er, grievance man, or public watchdog. His job is to receive complaints from citizens about the way in which they have been treated by government officials, to investi gate these complaints if he thinks them justified and, where he finds that they are justified, to seek a remedy. Some- times this involves no more than explain- ing fully to the bewildered citizen the reasons for the decision of 'which he has complained, and warning the government office in question that in future it must explain the reasons for its decisions more fully. Sometimes it involves directing a department to discipline one or more of its officers, or in more serious cases prose- cuting in the courts an officer who has taken unlawful action. And on important questions of principle it might even in- volve recommendations to amend the regulations or the law, the Maclean article suggests. The Scandinavian Ombudsman is ap- pointed by and is responsible to parlia- ment and reports to a special committee of parliament. But he is entirely inde- pendent of the executive and even of par- liament in his decisions on individual cas- es. His work is followed closely by the newspapers, and they often report and discuss his decisions. Dr. Rowat concludes by emphasizing that if it is found that the Scandinavian Ombudsman cannot be adopted directly, then we must develop our own form of citizens' defender. Other area towns have discovered the wisdom of orderly growth. Seaforth can ill afford to continue to ignore the need that exists here. Planning Delay Is Costly Seaforth Councils on several occasions have nibbled at zoning and planning, but on each occasion have shied away before any positive action was taken. Each year that passes produces more reasons why immediate , action is neces- sary. Each year results in additional new construction, conversions and altered us- uages coming into being, which renders more difficult the introduction of an or- derly plan. Area towns are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of proper planning. In Huron, three towns have established planning boards and have been recogniz- ed as planning areas. These are Gode- rich, Exeter and Clinton. In Perth,Mit- chell, Listowel, Palmerston, St. Marys and Milverton have established planning boards. Exeter has joined with neigh; boring municipalities in an area board, and a similar arrangement is being studied at several points in Perth. Facts as the basis of advertising investments • Once upon a time, all business men Ovho advertised were, willing or unwilling, perforce speculators. They couldn't help it, because in those days they had no way of knowing what they would get for their money. Today, advertising money can be invested on the basis of facts—the information in the reports of the Audit Bureau of Circulations, a cooperative, nonprofit association of nearly 4,000 advertisers, advertising agencies, and publishers. The ABC has established standards for meas- uring the circulations. of ne*spapers E D and periodicals, just as there are definite standards for the weights and measures of merchandise. This newspaper is a member of ABC. Our circulation is audited by experienced circulation auditors. The facts thus obtained are issued in ABC reports which show how much circulation we have, how it was obtained, where it is distrib- uted, and other information that tells business men what they get for their advertising money when they invest in these columns. Ask to see a copy of our ABC report. Num • This newspaper is a member of, the Audit Bureau of Circulations, an asso- ciation of nearly 4,000 publishers, advertisers, and advertising agencies. Our citculafion is audited regularly by experienced ABC circulation auditors. Our ABC report shows how much circulat'on we have, where it goes, how ob- tained, and other facts that tell you what you get for your advertising money whoa you use this newspaper. SUGAR and SPICE ,., By , Bill Smiley Something new, and particular- ly odious, is threatening to destroy any semblance of domestic placid- ity at our place. A shadow has crept across the little pale sun that shone, however dimly, on our household. Hot words and cold looks are the colors of the, day. It seems like a little thing. But it's making me depressed, irrit- able, moody, sullen and generally irascible. Perhaps if I get it off my chest in this space I'll feel better. Briefly, my wife is now handling our finances. In the old, happy, carefree days in the newspaper business, I han- dled the family funds with no stress, no strain, no tension. I used to pick up the mail each morning. If there were any bills, I stuck them in my hip pocket, unopened. After a week or two I'd empty my pocket into a drawer at the office. Every month or so, I'd look them over, and pay a few of the more urgent demands. I ran contra -accounts with some of the merchants. They'd run up a big advertising bill, and I'd run up a big bill for drug's, or hard- ware. At the end of the year, we'd have a grand reckoning, square up, and all would be serene. Little money changed hands, and all parties were satisfied. It was as primitive, and just as efficient, as transactions in the old days of trade, I never paid the premiums on my insurance policies until my month's ."grace" had run out. I was always one winter behind in my fuel bill. I paid tht taxes on the last day of the year, or a few weeks later. I made the payments on the mortgage and the car when- ever the spirit moved me, im- pervious to threats, warnings and the other trappings of the bill col- lector, As a result of this tight money policy, there was usually some ready cash on hand for necessi- ties, like smokes, magazines, crocks, gas for the car, and birth- day gifts. When we were going on a trip, or off to the city for a big week end, I'd just write a cheque, get my partner to coun- tersign it, and cash it at the gro- cery store. When the bank manager called, I spoke right up before he could say a word, and told him, "All right, George, I'll get some money in right away to cover those cheques." Oh, once or twice a year, I'd have a good grumble about all the bills coming in, but nobody paid much attention, including my- self. At the end of each year, we owed the business another thou- sand dollars, but the way I ex- plained. it to my wife, that was perfectly logical, as my partner wasn't married, so didn't need as much money as we did, She thought this an eminently sensible explanation. This system worked to perfec- tion. We were happy. I was re- spected for my -financial acumen. In fact, my wife. used to listen, rapt, when I discoursed on higher economics, interest rates, finance companies, and things of that sort. There was never a cross word about money. There was never much money, either, but that didn't seem to matter. Now, we seldom talk about anything else. I come home from school now, haul out a cold one, and sit down for a friendly chat. Five minutes later, there are bills and receipts all over the kitchen table, I'm defending my former monetary policy like a depressed minister of finance, and she's attacking it as mercilessly as the auditor -gen- eral, ' I don't quite know how it hap- pened, but since we came here, and I went on a regular salary, the Old Girl has taken over the purse -strings. Perhaps it's be- cause the mail now comes to the house. At any rate, she pays the bills and does the banking. We have also acquired, somehow, a mon- strosity called a joint account. As nearly as I can learn, this means that I endorse my pay cheque and from here on, she takes over the joint. All I can say is that her sys- tem has plunged us into the worst economic gloom we've ever ex- perienced. First of all, she has the insane idea that you're sup- posed to pay your bills as soon as you get them. As a result, we never have any money. She even thinks you're supposed to pay things like church dues and doctor's bills. Just last month she nearly put us right on the rocks. She came across an old tax notice that I had thrown in the waste -basket. What did she do? She sent off a cheque for the entire one hun- dred and seventy dollars. It meant I had to smoke mak- ings for a month. She didn't see what she's done wrong, even when T carefully ex- plained to her that they can't seize the property until your taxes are three years in arrears. . * * ,* In the long run, we may get out of the soup, if I can teach her the primary fact of home financ- ing—that you never pay a bill un- til you have to. What bothers me is her complete absorption with money. How would you like to go to bed with a cross between Scrooge and the Chancellor of the Exchequer? It's humiliating , for a former Good -Time Charlie, who could buy a round with the best of them, or plunge for a raffle ticket with a flourish, to have to ask for his lunch money. But what cuts deep- er than that is the fact that she knows where every nickel she gives me is spent, I'm supposed to be at the dangerous age. How do I finance it if I want to sup- port a mistress, or buy a one- way ticket for Bali? (Prepared by the Research Staff of Encyclopedia Canadiana) When Was the Great Northern Railway of Canada Built? The Great Northern Railway of Canada was a short eight -mile line built in 1885 between New Glas- gow and St. Jerome, Que. It was included in the Montford and Gat- ineau 'Colonization Railway in 1903 and the whole was taken over by the Canadian Northern Railway in 1905. This line had no connection with the American -controlled Great Northern Railway, which enters Canadian territory at various points in the West. Where Did the Micmac Live? The Micmac were • an important Algonkian-speaking Indian band or bands who occupied, when the white man arrived, most of Nova Scotia, northern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The name Micmac means ':allies." The Micmac became early allies of the French and were correspond- ingly unfriendly to the British. Af- ter the cession of Acadia to Bri- tain the hostility of the Micmac continued and it was not until 1779 that the last warfare between them and the British ceased. In the 18th century a number of Micmac were taken to Newfoundland by both dt.e French and the English, whom they aided in the extermination of the aboriginal Beothuk. 6&241 14. Weekr ". . . and then they were married and he paid through the nose ever rafter" REV. ROBERT H. HARPER A FATEFUL MONTH One of the earliest recollections of any of us is that of "April Fool." And one of my own recol- lections is that of the day I start- ed off somewhere and my father called me back. Obediently I turn- ed and went back, when my father smiled and said, "Do you know that is the first day of April?" Afterward, I thought that Papa had a little advantage of me, be- cause I was an obedient boy, but I had to admit that I was well fooled in the first day of April. I do not know the origin of April Fool, not having ever tried to learn. But I do know that the observance is quite old. But how did it originate? I must try to find out. This I know—April is a fateful month. The Civil War began and ended in April, and other wars of the United States began in April. Thomas Jefferson and U. S. Grant were born in that month, and Abraham Lincoln was assassinat- ed in April. By no means unim- portant was the Pony Express which was •inaugurated in April. Just a Thought: Someone once asked a boxing champion what he considered his most important asset—his speed or his knockout punch. He re- plied: "Neither, my most impor-• tant asset is confidence; I always think that I can win." Eventually, of course, he lost, as we all must do from time to time; yet it is quite likely that confidence often spells the difference between suc- cess and defeat. Who Founded the Edmonton Bulletin? Frank Oliver, a native of Peel County, Ontario, in 1880 founded Alberta's first newspaper, 'the Edmonton Bulletin, which he con- trolled for the next 43 years. Born in 1853, he was the sen of Allan Bowsfield, but he adopted his mother's maiden name of Oliver. He worked as a printer on the Toronto Globe, where he came un- der the political influence otf George Brown, and on the Winni- peg Free Press before moving to Edmonton in 1876. Entering poli- tics, he sat as an Independent Liberal and then as a Liberal in the House of Commons from 1896 until 1917, serving as a cabinet minister in ' Laurier's government from 1905 until the government's defeat in 1911. He did much to en- courage immigration to the West and he was one of the few prom- inent prairie Liberals to support Laurier in the 1917 election. From 1923 until 1928 Oliver was a mem- ber of the Board of Railway Com- missioners. He died in Ottawa in 1933. A McDUFF OTTAWA REPORT THE BLIND EYE Against the pressure of time, the Federal Government lnyst soon make some far-reaching de- cisions about the multiple prob- lems of the national railway sys- tem lying on its doorstep for over three years. As a guide to possible solutions, the Government has before If at long last the first report of the MacPherson Royal Commission on Transportation, a report that was outdated before it ever saw print. Staring it in the face is the threat of a nation-wide strike of 110,000 non-operating union work- ers on May 16, the same strike that was only averted last De- cember by force of legislation pushed through Parliament at the eleventh hour to outlaw a walkout until May 15.. The issue remains the same, the unions' demand for a 14 -cent -an -hour wage increase recommended by a federal con- ciliation board. The price tag for all railway employees, operating and non-operating: $50,000,000 in a full year. Then, too, the Government must decide what to do about the $20,- 000,000 -a -year subsidy it introduc- ed in 1959 to roll back part of the 17 per cent increase in freight rates made necessary as a result of the last wage increase granted to railway employees in 1958 and due to expire on April 30. The Cabinet must also consider what to do about the railways' application for a further 12 per cent increase in freight rates, which was first filed with the Board of Transport Commission- ers in April, 1959, and then held in abeyance when the Government put a freeze on any increase iii rates pending the report of the Royal Commission. Using 1959 figures as their base, the commissioners recommended payment of Federal subsidies to the railways on a declining scale, beginning with nearly $100,000,000 in 1961 and dropping to about half that amount at the end . of five years. They considered this sum was required to compensate the railways for services they were running at a loss in the public interest, such as the movement of grain at rates set in 1897, and to -enable them to strengthen their competitive position by easing out of other money-losing operations such as passenger and branch line services. From the point of view of the Commissioners, an even more fundamental purpose to be served by its recommendations was - to allow the companies to break out of the vicious circle which for years had led them to apply the heaviest proportion of sueessive freight rate increases on th reas of Canada least able to pay em, the Maritimes and the West. Be- cause of the severe competition they faced from other forms of transport in Ontario and Quebec, the railways imposed the lightest share of the burden on the Cen- tral provinces. ' The extent of the assistance pro- posed by the Commission may ap- pear substantial on the surface. It shrinks in significance when it is recalled that the $100,000,000 peak subsidy proposed for this year is for both the Government-owned Canadian National Railways and the privately -owned Canadian Pa- cific Railway. Since the Treasury in the last fiscal year had to pay out $67,000,Q00 to cover the CNR deficit, plus the sum made avail- able to roll back the last freight rate increase, any additional sub- sidy involved is not very great. It shrinks even further in sig- nificance when it is recalled that the Commission's calculations are based on 1959 figures and do not take into account the possibility of the railways incurring a huge new increase in expenditures of $50,- 000,,000 to comply with the recom- mendations of the conciliation board. The Government has made it quite obvious it was looking to the MacPherson Commission report for a way out gf the dilemma pos- ed by the demands of the railway unions. The subsidies proposed by the Commission undoubtedly would provide the companies with the funds they require to pay the wage hike sought by the unions (al- though the Federal Government might still have to pick up the bill for additional CNR deficits). The danger is that by using the funds made available to them for short- term solutions to short-term prob- lems, the railways will lack the funds the Commission considered necessary to put themselves into a strong competitive position for the long haul. ' Like Nelson with the telescope to his blind eye, the Commission managed to work its way through its first report without ever once seeing the continuingrailway la, bor crisis simmering in the back- ground. It pointedly ignored one of the most vital of all factors in the problem facing the national railways—steadily mounting wage costs. The Commission sought to put itself above such mundane consid- erations. Its concern was to find a way to make the railways com- petitive. Once they were competi- tive, the problems of wages would resolve themselvesasthey did in any other industry, the report sug- gested on the basis of ability to pay. Over the past 10 years succes- sive conciliation and arbitration boards have refused to accept this as the governing factor because the railways were forced to main- tain many services at a loss in the public interest. If those ser- vices were in the public interest, then the public treasury and not the railway workers should be call- ed on to subsidize them, they said. Having provided a subsidy to cover the theoretical cost of ser- vices maintained in the public interest and having given the rail- ways freedom to compete on equal terms with other forms of trans- portation, the industry should be left on its own (to sink or swim) the report said. "Within a competitive environ- ment and with the free enterprise philosophy, the s e adjustments must be made internally by each railway and between the railways and labor. If sufficient adjust- ment cannot be made to enable the railway to be an active com- petitor, then the responsibility is not union the public to assist." A noble sentiment that, but fraught with all sorts of political perils. IN THE YEARS AGONE Interesting item's gleaned from The Expositor of 25, 50 and 75 years ago. From The Huron Expositor April 17, 1936 Victoria Avenue United Church, Chatham, at vongregational meet- ing on Sunday, decided to extend a call to Rev. Charles Malcolm, of Egmondville United Church, to be- come minister of that church at the end of the conference year. Miss Elizabeth Thompson had the misfortune to fall dogn the cellar stairs at the home of her sister, Mrs. T. G. Scott, on Tuesday. She was badly shaken up but fortunately no bones were broken. The district convention and ban- quet of the Supertest Corporation, held in London on Thursday, was attended by a large number frorii this district, including H. J. Mel- lon, C. Bender, A. W. Dunlop, M. E. Clarke; J. C. Crich and R. F. McKercher. R. S. Warwick, eldest son of Dr. J. D. and Mrs. Warwick, of Brussels, has been appointed town clerk, secretary -treasurer of the Morris and Grey Telephone Co., and secretary -treasurer of the Hy- dro Electric Company. Between 35 and 40 children gath- ered at the Hensall Library for the story hour on Saturday after- noon, which took the form of an Easter party. Improvements and alterations undertaken by the Park Utilities Commission. in the .town clerk's of- fice have been completed and the office redecorated, The S.C.I. Alumni Association has completed arrangements to take its successful play to Wing - ham on Tuesday, when it will be presented under the auspices of the Hospital Auxiliary of that town. ' Mr. William H. Grein, of Tuck- ersmith, had the misfortune to lose a valuable horse from lock- jaw this week. Rev. C. A. Malcolm, of Egmond- ville United Church, attended the M. and M. Conference in Whitby this week. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey McLaren, of Hensall, this week moved to the second of Tuckersmith where they Will live in Mr. Harry Caldwell's house. * * * From The Huron Expositor April 21, 1911 Mr. D. Weismiller, of Hensall, left this week for the West on a prospecting tour with a view of looking up a place to engage in the mercantile business. On Saturday there were several flurries of snow and on Sunday morning the ground was quite white. Mr. H. Livens has moved his grocery stock into the store in the Whitney block, lately used as a bowling alley. ' - Scott Bros. have let the contract for repairing their block, which was recently damaged by fire, to. Edge and Gutteridge, and men are now busy at it. Frank Sills, as representative of the Western Football Association, and Charles .Sills, as representa- tive of Varsity, have been elected vice-presidents of the Ontario Foot- ball Union. Seaforth Citizens' Band has en- gaged the well-known and popular comedian, Tom Marks and his company, who will appear in Card - no's Hall on Friday evening. An Oddfellows' lodge of instruc- tion was held in Goderich on Good Friday, which was well attended by members in the district. The little daughter of Mr, and Mrs. Harry Tyndall, of the 5th concession of Tuckersmith, met with a painful accident, when she fell out of her high chair, fractur- ing her arm at the elbow. Mr. and Mrs. D. B. McLean, of Tuckersmith; near Hensall, left this week for Unity, Sask., where they purpose remaining for the summer. The firm of Balfour & Sussons, who have been carrying on busi- ness in Kippen for the past four years, have sold their store and good will to Mr. Jacob Deitweller, of Moorefield, who comes to the village very highly recommended. * * * From The Huron Expositor April 16, 1886 Dr. Smith has purchased the comfortable cottage on Goderich Street from Mr. Hugh Robb. Mrs. Smith, Sr., intends coming to town to reside and is going to occupy it. Mr. George Sproat has sold the Campbell farm on the 2nd conces- sion of Tuckersmith to Mr. Francis Coleman, of Stanley. Plowing has now become gen- eral in this area, and if the wea- ther keeps favorable farmers will be sowing in a few days. Mr. Noble Cluff is having a new steam engine and boiler placed in• his pump factory. Mr. Thornas Govenlock has a contract to purchase 800 young cattle from a Northwest Ranch- ing Company. Mr. G. Ingram, of Hensall, is getting material on the ground for the erection of a fine large furni- ture store on the south side of King St. beside his present one, which he finds' is too small for his business. Mr. J. P. Marshall has given the contract for the rebuilding of his brick block of stores to R. & W. Welsh, of Hensall, and the work is already going on. Mr. R. M. Hazelwood, who has been in the employ of Rannie & Urquhart, of the Hensall flouring mills for the past few years, left this week for Chippewa, near Wel- land, where he has engaged with a firm in the milling business. The Presbyterian Church at Wal- ton has extended a call to Rev. Mr. Watt, to be their pastor for the coming year. It's the LAW . • It is an offence to play any game of nine or ten pins, base- ball, cricket, lacrosse or other games in any street or alley within the Town of Seaforth, according to Bylaw 441, of 1942 (Sec. 52), of the Town of Seaforth. Section 126 of the bylaw pro- vides that a fine of up to $50 may be levied upon conviction. THE HANDY FAMILY SHOES SHOED SHOES- I'M ALL OVER YOUR CLosET- WORKING WHYJUCANNOR 2'T YOU KEEP ON AT, THl M INIORDER, TH MOM BY LLOYD rnnMgNDIAY JUNIOR MADE A SHOE RACK.. ATTACH DOORSTOPS TO i's'k' STOCK CUT 'TO Fir CLOSET DOOR • • •