Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1978-06-22, Page 2ehind the scenes- By Keith Roulston Consumers' movement loses respect . Well, the price 'of beef has been up for about two months now and already the clam& has,-statted. I'm not surprised, of course, and neither I'm sure. are The Majority of Canadian• farmers. We all knew that it was. coming. I have little. respect for- the consumer movement in Canada anymore.. it's sad, because the consumer movement can do so much good, but in Canada the movement has.lost alt its credibility, for me at least; through its endless yammerings about food prices over the years. The latest calls for - action against the price of beef such as increasing imports are just the latest in .a long, inglorious record for •the consumers association when it comes to food. It is the consumer movement, after all, that has been'so strongly against marketing ------\ -boards for farmers, ,one of the :few defences, imperfect as they are, that farmers have in , the jungle of modern business. Consumer activist spokespersons such as Beryl Plumptre, 'Barbara Shand or whoever else is preSident of th'eabssociation at the time, have argued that marketing boards 'artificially inflate 'the' price of food and support inefficient producers. They've made Mountains • out• of • mole- hills whenever something went' wrong in a marketing board such as the rotten egg mess a couple of years ago, and use these as arguments that the whole concept of the marketing board is wrong. They've scoffed at arguments from farmers that marketing boards don't really make that much difference in food prices, that what they do most is even out the peaks and lows by stabilizing prices at a rate both farnier and • consumer can live with. • One of the few areas where the consumer groups have not had a.chance to, scream -has been in. beef. Beef producers have fought Vehemently against a marketing, board 'their' • business preferring to stick it out in the bad times and recoup during the good. The past four years have been those bad times, so bad that many farmers went broke, or switched to some other kind of farming instead of beef production. The result issa shortage of beef and the prices _have soared. Now maybe I missed it, but I don't recall reading one word, hearing one speech from aconsumer spokesperson calling for action to help the beef, farmers through their hard years. Consumer groups just went along their merry way eating 'cheap beef (though even then I'll bet they grumbled about the cost) and never thinking why. the beef was cheap or that it had ,.to end. Now, when the gOod times the beef men patiently waited for have' finally arrived, the consumer groups are calling for the government to take action to get the prices down again. Leaders of the consumer movement are either stupid, or' downright dishonest and either way, I can't have the least respect from them., They could be, stupid, „I suppose, not realizing how hypocritcal they are, on one hand, being outraged by marketing boards but on the other not being willing to live with both the ups and the downs of the,open market system. They could be that ignorant of the farm situation that they continue to make such idiotic demands. If so, they are too stupid for the elevated positions they hold, They do not deserve the national attention they get when they get up and make one of their speeches. The other alternative is that they are ,dishonest, that„they know what is really going on in agriculture and they ignore it 'because the truth would not sit well with the rank and file membershipof the group. In such case they should be turfed out for dishonesty just as, dishonest politicians' should be turfed out._ Beyond the leadership, however, is' the ignorance of consumers in general who still apparently believe thaar there is a free lunch. A couple 'of ye ago people were going around with the idea that we could all demand -Tigre money whether in wages or profits. without somehow-having to .pay. the price for it. Our current economic situation have. shown that we had to pay the 'price for that greed, that suddenly nobody else in the, world can afford to buy .the goods we. produce because they are too expensive. Today on the other end- of the scale we have'people thinking that they can forever get food at,below the cost of production. Because farmers lost money for four years and the price of beef remained low, consumers expect it ever tp he thus. They fail to see that if farmers arc losing money they aren't going to produce and if they don't produce there is a food shortage that will inevitably bring higher prices. YOu can't, force farmers"to be slaves, to produce food forever at below what it costs Them to buy and feed those animals. It is astounding that this self-evident fact hasn't become known' to the average Canadian consumer or is it just that she doesn't really want to know. ., fxliositor alits 31u 011 Since 1860: Serving the Community First Published at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, every Thursday morning by McLEAN BROS. PUBLISHERS LTD. ANDREW V. McLEAN, Publisher ' SUSAN WHITE. Editor , • Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association ' Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation Subscription Rates: Canada (in advance) $12.00 'a Year • Outside Canada (in advance)520.00 a Year SINGLE COPIES — 25 CENTS EACH Second Class Mail Registration Number 0696 Telephone 527-0240 'SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1978 Nothing to do? We hope that some pf those who • say there's nothing to do in a small town are spending this weekend in Seaforth- and area. Those who are Will likely crawl away from here exhausted on Sunday night, wondering how in the world we natives ever keep the pace. If you're not too wornout-from the fiddlers Contest in Hensall and the craft Shraw-i n Seaforth last weekend, here's just .a bit of what you can chose to do this weekend. Friday night's relatiVely quiet but it`' might be an idea to go to the drive-in or drop in at one of several open, wedding receptions, or if you're the right sex; stags. Saturday you could spend........the, afternOon at an auction, shopping downtown or at the beach. Saturday night things perk tip with the Lions toef barbecue and dance here in SeafOrth. After dancing for a couple - of_tiours to. Shannon here you could drive—OVer to, Blyth for the theatre benefit dance. A -swing band from Hamilton's playing there and a midnight buffet will fill any hunger pangs yOu're having as a result of dancing away all that barbecued beef. One of the. Most serious victims in the campaign to ban three books from the Huron 'County , high school curriculum may be our' tolerance of one another and our tolerance. of viewpoints other than our own. The public meeting in, Clinton last week clearly demonstrated the opinions of both sides are polarizing and open discusSions .don't seem to be bringing people any . closer to a mutual. understanding. First, there's a definite genera- tional clash. The students feel hurt, and sometimes insulted that the adults who want the boOks removed from the curriculum don't trust the judgement or the young adults Whci are their children, 'the same young adults who can drive a car at 16 years, and vote PtA 8 'years. No doubt the parents of today's teenagers are confused by the changing values of our society, and think salvation lies in clinging to the old standards. But to paraphrase-one of the more impassioned students, our schools must prepare young people for today's society and not shelter them from the realities of life. Unfortunately, the Huron County community is dividing into other, camps over the issue. One dangerous development is that many parents are blaming the secondary school .teachers tor---the confrontation and labelling them "immoral." Perhaps the real issue ,here is that skyrocketing education costs and the whole growth of the educational system has. resulted in ordinary parents feeling alienated from the schools that are teaching their children. The days of- the- community school, when parents kneW the .few To the editor: As a concerned home-owner and tax payer for from 25 to 50 years in Seaforth, We who have homes for sale are,tieedlets to say,very upset, that Seaforth Council has seen tit to approve new homes in our town at this time, espeeially when the Developer is from out of town. Surely Council knows that there are between 75 and 100 houses for sale in Seaforth right now. • Wit , not take care of your own people, instead Of letting an outsifler who has never paid taxes here come in and ruin any chance of Again there are wedding receptions that many will want to attend. , Sunday after attending the Church of your choice, you really shouldArop out to Beechwood Pottery to have a -look at their wares and a glass of homemade Sangria. Then several churcheS have Sunday School' picnics scheduled in the a f tern° on-,11._you..a nvo Iv ed he re-- you could go back to the beach for awhile and plan to be in Bayfield's old town hall Sunday at 4 for 'the WarcirObe's first fashion show, "Heat Wave". You may not g:1 time, for supper' Sunday but don't despair, sandtiviches, cookies and other goodies will be served there. ' . After a leisurely look at what's new ' in the clothes line you'll just make it back to SeifOeth in time for the C. band concert in Victoria Park at 7. • The London Police Highland Band, a top-group that Dr. Charlie Toll's been trying to bOok for years, will toe playing.. • The concert finishes about dark, giving your visitors who thought they'd have a boring weekend in a small town time to drive back to the peace, and quiet of the CRY. a victim teachers on staff, are long behind us. Both parents and teachers are going to have to make a greater effort today to' meet each other" halfway, in deciding what's best for the students. A third division in the community is between Members of fundamentalist religions, who interpret the Bible, literally, and members of the -more permissive -churches who take a broader interpretation of religious teachings. • The fundamentalists see the three books- in question as immoral since they use dialogue which take the Lord's name in vain and they believe the plots of the novels don't follow the traditional morality of their sects' teachings. Writer Alice. Munro, one of the panelists at the open meeting, tried to point out that all three novels are very moral books, re-affirming the idea that compassion and lOve for our fellow man musr I be the basis for society. As June Callwood, another panellist pointed out near the meeting's end, the sad-thing was that nobne was listening to anyone else's point of view. Instead of showing respect for the opinions of others, whether agreeing -with them or 'not, the session had become a confrontation. The issue of censorship in Huron' Co u nty-is-now -be i ng-watched-a s-a t est the country as a very important test of our right to freedom of information. Surely this is the time we must listen to each other with the most tolerance, and must discuss the book issue quietly, rationally 'and without the heated emotionalism of the recent debate. After all, our children, the future leaders of the country, are watching. It seems that a strike of brewery workers that doesn't occur, is more important to our area • broadcasters than one that affects thousands of livestock producer-listeners. All day Sunday. on Monday morning while I am writing this and still now word froni CKNX radio on the strike of packing 'plants. No word to pass on from the Pork Board on how best to handle shipping of hogs. The Tomtit-6 sta-tion affiliated with the CBC carries the news. but our CBC affiliated rural station CKNX is silent. When I phoned this morning, their newsroom simply said that no one had told them. Is that a . news service? It is time CKNX wakes up to the fact that the majority. of their listeners are farmers, Is it any wonder that farmers whb live in the reach of the London station turn their dial to 980? • fitly Debbie Rooney Expositor Asks this week wanteato find out if people,t hint: .housewives should 'get paid for What they do and asked, "Do von think housewives should be paid a salary?" Mrs. Jim Papple of R. R. #4, Seaforth said, "I think sometimes that would make it seem More like work than something that you choose to do. The trouble is with other' women, out working they're getting a salary. It would Make you feel like the work you were doing was more worthwhile, but I think most Here we have a radio 'station in an overgrown village thacappajently find city news more important than rural news. If one drives through the U.S.A. Midwest, all one hears in the Morning hour-s is the latest farm news and that comes from city stations with h undreds of thousands of urban listeners. It is time that our broadcasters wake up to in fact That the jobs Of most of Their listeners depend on agriculture. The lame excuse that-it wasn't 'on the wire ••• services fs.no excuse at all. A news service seeks out the news, but I'm too harsh and CKNX hasn't got the money for a phone call to the offices of the Ontario 'Perk Producers Marketing Board in Toronto. Adrian Vos mothers think their' work is worthwhile." Mrs. Frank Nigh of R. R. 44, Seaforth, said. "Yes I think they should 'because they're Ntcontributing a'lot to raising a child if they've got children at home--far more than if they're out of the home." "I-do a lot. out on the land that you can't claim on income tax," she said. She thought hOusewives who had children and farm housew'ive's should get paid. Mrs. Herb (Myrtle) K either of 'R, R. ,#2, (Continued on Page 3) Tolerance is This is a very inopportune time to advertise new cheap homes which probably and hopefully will riot be a reality for, some time, but natut'ally prospective buyers will wait for this marvellous?? chance to own a brand new home. While we continue to pay higher taxes we believe this projeCt should be Shelved for now • or studied further, in the interest of eititens here: 'Apartments yes, we do need badly. Seaforth Citizens with Homes for Sale. • New houses not needed Expositor asks: selling nice, older, but modernized homes. To the editor: Beer more important than farm news? , i ..10 the ye ars agooe ii rpiirhey ,Seaforth . sidewalk. built in 1903 • JUNE 211 1878 A. G. Van Egmoljd Woolen Mill in Blyth is now in fall swing and prospects are good for large business. Mr. William Somerville, son of Mr. Somerville of McKillop.' who, has for several months occupied the position as night telegraphic operator at the Great Western Station in Guelph, has been , promoted to the position of day operator at Brantford. We are gird to learn that Mrs. Modeland of Tuctersmith who Was so severely injured e couple of weeks ago, is,so far recovered to raise herself in bed. • J.G. Athent has returned from Dakota where he has taken up attractive land on which his sons, intend to settle. Robert Winters shipped front Seaforth station, a mammoth ox which he had purchased form John Thompson of Hellett. The animal weighed- 2,300 pounds. The house and lot on Goderich. Street belonging to. William Robertson, was sold by-a public auction on Sunday to Alexander Davidson of the Commercial Hotel for $1,220. A very painful accident happened to a little girl, third daughter ci Mr, Edreard"Cash. It seems that she fell going through the • ..gate and that in the falling, the hook of the chain caught her in the mouth.' It forced the hook through her cheek. The Seaforth Band took the fourth prize at the tournament at Goderich on Friday last. ' Members of the Egmondville Grange are erecting a,neat new tame hall in which they willhold their meetings. The building is being erected on the lot purchased by them immediately opposite the old church, „ A son of qr., Henry Jackson was thrown froM a horse he was • riding. He fell in front of the horse.and might have been killed only for the'care the animal took to avoid tramping on his body. .Mr. Alec Gerdiner of the 14th ,concessionin McKillop has a lamb ten weeks old whichweighs 86 pounds. JUNE 19, 1903 Mr. and Mri. Samuel Barton of this town celebrated their Golden Wedding at their residence on Monday evening. Mr. and IvIrs -Bartoir were 'married in-Daltay; 'Sebtlaiid, -by `Rev: Blair. Immediately after their marriage they - left 'their native • home and came to Arnerica on their wedding trip. The worthy couple are both still hale and ' hearty and we are wish that their numerous friendS will join the Expositor in the Wish that they may still be spared' in health for a good many years. ) The people of Harpurhey are having a, piece of cement ,sidewalk laid down between Seaforth and that place. This is a good moverntent and they should keep at until the whole walk is of-that material. The Tuckersmith Council gave a grant of $20 to the work and the McKillop guncil allowed the statute labour . to be use in this way. Messrs Kennedy brothers recently purchased foin spring lambs, three months old, from William Chesney of Tuckersmith ' which averaged 57 pounds each. Mr. Chesney raised good lambs and the Messrs. Kennedy always try for the best. The Seaforth Milling Company have go to work at the erection of their elevator. The cement foundation and binsai/-..iovki being built. . Egmondville people are having the spire of their church which was injured by lightning a few weeks ago, reAdired. At a meeting of the managers of the' Presbyterian Church on Monday, evening, several tenders for the different departments of the the proposed Church improve s were received but were not considered satisfactory. Mc. R. N. Brett who -always es to be busy is supplying the people with a metallic electrical hair comb, for which he has the chief agency for this district. . Rev. William Aitcheson of Harpurhey, who has juSt graduated from Knox College in Toronto, has received a unanimous call to . the congregations of Rocky Saugeen •and Doorknoc4c the Cotinty. erGrey. • - Mr. John T:*Diekson and, his two eldest daughters returned from a short trip to Toronto after attending the commencement exercises at the University of Toronto when Miis Dickson was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts by the senate of the University: - 'Miss S.J. Chesney. was ticketed to Melita, Manitoba, and. Percy Smith of Leadbury to Moose Jaw thiS week by Greg and Stewart CPR Agency. A stranger with a leg and an arm off found a gold charm and' left it at the Expositor office to be claimed and th.. owner can get. it on proving property. Mr. Jehn Mills of Tiarlock met with _a serous loss last week, he having lost thiee horses, ,two of them being v-luable and the other a good work horse, hey died of a disease the vetenarians call spinal meningitis caused by the animal eating or drinking some poisonous matter in the form of animal or vegetable- decay., JUNE 23,1928 Considerable improvements are being made to, the farm buildings 'in Tuckersmith' this summer. School House#4' iS•being reparied.- A bsement is being put under it and also a heating system installed. - The football match played in Tuckersmith on Tuesday between Kinburn and St. Columban resulted in a most decisive win being a win for St. Columban, The score was 4-0. A. W. Dick, Seaforth, refereed to the satisfaction of both teams. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bennett of Walton are looking after the farm of Mr. Robert McFarlane while he is on the trip to Ottawa,,,, Mr. andMrsRobert Jamieson and Mr. and Mrs. George Leitch have treated themselves to a new Bell piano purchased form Mr.. J. A. Hugill. Mr. Roy Webber is nursing a , very sore finger having contracted blood poisoning, resulting from a blood blister. Our farmers in the Hensall district as well as our gardeners were delighted by the fine rains of the past week. Dr. William Aberhart alis leased an office in the Queens Hotel block and is having it fitted up for the practice of his profession. He is a graduate of the Seaforth Collegiateandforonto University and 'for the past year has been ' on the staff of 'the Western Hospital in Toronto. ' A great deal 6f-interest is being manifested in the services of June 24th and the anniversary supper and program on .Tune 27th, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the present Church in • ygmondville . - Messrs. W,. A. Crich, Charles Adams, Cbad Glew, and G.D. Haigh, are up in th Nort Bay district this week on a fishing trip. JUNE 26, 1953 Starting at 11 o'clock on.Wednesday morning when he left his private railway car at Goderich with an entourage of Colleagues. and reporters Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent launched on a day-long Huron County tour, which. included stops at Ion-de-shore , -Myth , g-fave , and a formal meeting at Clinton the afternoon. The Prime Minister was in the riding of Huron in the interest of A.Y. McLean; Liberal candidate. Teachers and pupils in Seaforth new public school, according to a member of the board, are well pleased with their, surroundings. All grades now occupy the building. The restaurant business formerly owned by AlecCarpen, Main Street, had been purchased by Wright Bros. of Windsor, Under the new ownership, the establishment will be managed by Don Eaton of town. A large crowd attended the reception at Walton in honour of Mr. and Mrs.' Shortreed, newly weds o the community, last Week. They were presented with a purse of money and a coffee table. • Misses Marian Chamberlain, Marian Laudenbach, Blanche -Westeott, Marilyn and Barbara Hillis, left Wednesday to take summer poiitions at Oakwood Inn in Grand Bend. • Complimentieg,yiss Kay Bell, bride elect of Saturday, June 26, Mrs. Garfield Brodbrick was hostess at her home for a ilresentation in Miss Bell's honour. Some twenty-five friends attended. She was presented with a beautiful trilight floor lamp and other gifts, by Miss Marlette Petzke, Mrs, Archie McGregor held a presentation at her home last week for Miss Kay Bell•whose marriage to Lucien Guy Bedard, Crumlin Airport, was solemnized in Carmel Presbyterian Church, Hensall, on June 20.