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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1978-08-24, Page 2ttt sidewalk. Now we'd hate to see an innocent game of street hockey at a, time when there's very little traffic, broken up. But many many times our' , kids are at risk when they play 'in 'the streets. If the new bylaw gets them off the streets for their own good, it'll be doing something important. His experience ought to help There's an old saying that used to hound Richard Nixon - the famous, "Would you buy a used car from this man?" It's a saying that Frank Miller, Ontario's new provincial treasurer, has also heard on occasion before he entered the legislature, Mr. Miller used to make his, living selling used cars. The used car business is credited with teaching Mr. Miller something about survival in the real world. Survival skills are probably the major prerequisite for anyone who_ tackles the responsibility of handling the government's pursestrings, on either the provincial or federal level. In the past, finance ministers have tended to have shorter reigns tha their counterparts in the other p tfolios. Remeber the Honorable John Turner, the man touted as Canada's next prime minister? Well, although his political career is hardly totally eclipsed yet, Mr.Tylner's stint as Minister of Finance led to his withdrawal from the political arena in order to salvage some of his popularity: Then of course there was Donald McDonald,- another veteran member of the House of Combo ons who decided to retire from politics after a period of handling Canada's finances. Only time will tell Whether Jeah Chretien will be able to survive the cabinet post any la better than his predcessors. On the provincial level, Darcy Mckeough has fared a little better. The Chatham - area politician managed to survive a conflict of interest scandal some years ago and bounced right back into politics. He was the man most people hail- as the successor to Premier William Davis. In the lait two years however, even things in Canada's wealthiest province haven't been quite so rosy. Mr. McKeough had to withdraw his original proposal for a hefty O.H.I.P. increase -,nd the municipal tax reform he had been advocating for some time has been temporarily abandoned, apparently at the urging of Premier Javis. Mr.s McKeough, who might easily have waited another decade in the wings before William Davis steps down from Ontario's top job has . decided to pursue his fiscal policies in the private sector. Frank Miller. is a brave man to step into the breech. The finance portfOlio, even for, a former car salesman, can't, help but create headathes in these days bf inflation and c,shaky economic outlook. If Frank Miller can survive the duties of 1 r c • -rer of Ontario, then 44 he'll prove himself a better man than rn 'he other 'veteran politicians who have tackled the Job. '7•771.,7r-7,77- the "4ittron (gxvositor Since 1860, Serving the Community First Published at SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, every Thursday morning • by McLEAN BROS. PUBLISH RS LTD. ANDREW. N. Md.EAN,_Publishcr SUSAN WHITE. Editor Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and Audit Bureau of Circulation Subscription Rates: C.anada advance) $12.00 a Year Outside Canada (in advance) $20.00 a Year SINGLE COPIES 25 CENTS EACH Second Class Mail Registration Number 0696 ' Telephone 527-0240 gar • ' °ems t-t« • -•%,.."'„, -•e:Vii*m•-• b. or ttp. • ' ' "10t t ,344,a. SEAFORTH", ONTARIO, AUGUST 24, 1978 it's needed All's quiet in the woods In the years agone Grain buyers haunt the streets in 1878 Seaforth residents were probably startled last week to read that, with the passing of a new streets bylaw by Seaforth council, it would hencefOrth be illegal for more than three or four of them to gather on a street or sidewalk "so as to obstruct traffic." Taken at its narrowest, Seaforth's new bylaw could conceivably break up a gab feat_of five or six senior _citizens „who happen to. block the sidewalk. But that's not what it's for and, as is the case with many laws, we in town have to trust that the lawn's provisions will be enforced sensibly and fairly. A clause by clause reading of the bylaw could give a civil libertarian a few shivers. But according to our police chief, our mayor and many .citizens who live downtown, Seaforth has a serious problem on Main St. at ,night. These authorities feel the new bylaw is absolutely necessary to give our police power to deal with the problem. We've heard stories about 20to 40 kids congregating at the Main Corr, throwing beer bottles and garbage, harassing those wficiTrie Iridovvntown apartments. and swearing and jeering at passers by. We haven't seen these incidents but we have had first hand experience at living downtown, putting up with a heck of a lot of noise and then calling local police and being told they can do nothing. For the sake of the majority of citizens who don't congregate on Main St. to disturb the peace, it's necessary that the police be able to stop the noise and the damage. If the law can do that, it may be a good law. If you'd like t6 study it for yourself, bopies are available to the public in the town clerk's. office. That said, we have to ask why kids are loitering in mouthy angry bunches on Seaforth streets. ,The_old. "there's nothing to do in Seaforth" will be raised here, but parents with chores they could use some help with, minor sports authorities who are crying forvolunteers and homeowners who'll hire casual labour if they could find it will diSpute that. , The problem would seem to be getting kids who litter through boredom or lack of imagination and those who have work they could do, together. The new streets by law has other clauses that we have seen a crying need for and we hope they'll be stirctly enforced. A quick reading , increasing congregation, the seats now The fine weather rSoTf 24,1903 increasing made indicates that police will be able to outlaw skateboarding, reckless bike harvest being all taken op. ' - operations easy ironz few days more, every riding and any games which are "a public nuisance" on street or AUGUST 30, 1878 We notice in last week's Galt's Reporter "Mr. S. Barton from many years past a resident of this town. has left Galt to become a reSident of Seaforth., During hiS residence in. Galt Mr. Barton made many warm friends, who wile earnestly rgretting that he was leaving and hOpe that his 'step will be one that will advance:" • - Messrs. Robertson and Hickson shipped .400 tubs of butter from Seaforth on wednesday. The butter was shipped to Montreal and was intended 'for the lower piny inces. ' We learn with pleaSure that .the :Members of St. Thomas Church in this town determined to niaterially • enlarge their present church edifice by adding to each side an. additional wing. - This enlargment is rendered necessary on account of the rapidly We in Canada have lived in peace for so long that we tend 'to take it very much for granted. While we complain about, our economy, .our • own national problems of misunderstanding .1 people of Czecho- 'slovilkian heritage` this week arc remem- bering the terror of'a mere 10 years ago. It • was then that the brief freedoms of the "Prague Spring" came to a .crashing halt when the Russian tanks rolled in. For us on this side of the Atlantic it was one,niore sad example of the long number of unhappy events in the history of Europe. For those who lived through it, it was an event that would change their lives and the history of their country. I have .1 friend who was among those who was shocked that morning in August to hear that the Russians had invaded, Through him I think. I've conic to understand a little 'more about the event and the tragedy that the , people of Czechoslavakia have gone through. My friend was a theatre director in one of the smaller cities of Czechoslovakia early in 1968 when he received a telephone call from a friend who was working with Radio Prague. the state radio station. The friend -told him of the exciting changes that were taking place in the capital. The tight controls that had existed for 20 years of Communist rule were loosening. he said. Come to work at Radio Prague. the friend urged, and be part of the excitement. My friend Jan knew all about the controls. Even. in live theatre they were evident. Before a play could be shown to the, public it had to be seen and paSsed by the state censor to make sure there wasn't anything in it to undermine the' government, In radio and television. there was no such thing as a live program because live broadcasts coUldn't be controlled. Everything was pre-recorded so-it amid be checked by the censor. Jan knew something was ,going, on differently from the norm of the last 20 years but people outside the capital didn't know for sure what was happening. In February 1968. 20 years to the month after the -Communists had taken over the country. aboOt the time Jan went to work at Radio Prague, things began to change, Before everything that went on air had -to be approved from 'an antonymous secretive room upstairs ill the building. Suddenly this room was being ignored. More and more the station was Switching to live broa ts,_The radio, like the rest of the countr avas feeling new freedOms under the relaZe government Now the grain,'is coming into town, three • buyers Messrs. Charters, Whenman, and McGregor and Uryi. Liart of the Fkitiring Mill are to be seen standing on the corners of the streets on the .look . out. The markets are supplied from Bayfield to Farquhar and out to the lake. •• The new school -house between the 10th and lith concession in Tuckermsmith is now completed. The services of Miss Reid, a lady fmni Montreal, has been obtained as teacher and she is to be congratulated on having such a neat and comfortable school in which to begin her labours at Hensall. Farmers generally in TuckerSmith Township are very much diSappointed about their spring wheat this -season. Fall wheat and oafs yield well but peas and' barley are light crop. • farmer will 'be happy threshing operations will 'be the order of the day. The entrance to Normal School ex- aminations were too difficult for many of the pupils- who 'attend our continuation, school and many of these students ,,are old enough to learn a trade or try housework. Oat cutting is finished at Chiselhurst and hte farmers are now drawing in, • Most of th,e local farmers. have finished cutting -their grain at Constance and threshing is the order of the day.- Harvesting in the Kippen diStrict is in full swing, the warm sultry weather having: ripened the oats quickly. A large- number of young fellows left Hensel! on Thursday morning on 'the harvesting excursion for the west, where they will assist in the bumper crop out there. Mrs: G. T. Turnbull of town was hostess to a Trousseau tea at her home, in "fionor of her oldest daughter.Ella Wanless. Mrs. Turnbull received, assisted by Mrs. Holiday of Stratford, the various rooms were in charge , of Misses Jean Murray, Mary Laing, Anne and Jean Goverilock.. A month ago the town disposed of the Big Flour Mill which had not been in operation for several years to the Wolverton Flour Mills of St. Marys. The Mill is now working' night and day. ' 0.n Wednesday of this week the Sandford building, the• large 3-story brick, factory on Main Street, was purchased by the Pure Foods Products Company of London who will operate the plant very shortly. On Labor Day, Sept, 3', the 100th anniversary, of the opening of the Huron Tract and the building of the Huron Road from Stratford to Goderich will be celebrated by all the towns and villages on this road between and including these two centres. AUGUST 31,1928 Miss Helen Davidson of Brucefield left Monday to attend the Westervelt School in 'London. The simple words "Thank you" meansa whole lot to 'the persons to whom they arc spoken especially if those people have done their utmost to help neighbours in times of disaster or trouble. . To my way of thinking two such people are Bill and Ruth Mott and their children Lynda and Jim at Family Paradise Park. Bill and Ruth never say no to any 'appeal for help especially when a barn or other building is burning and the Fire Department needs to 'draw water 'from their ponds The chief of the Fire Department has expressed his appreciation but I wonder about those, whose buildings were destroyed? I wouldn't expect the owners to say thank you at the time 'of the loss, perhaps, but when the ashes have cooled I know a telephone call or While attending "Lloyd Eisler Jr. Night" this past spring, I . oyerheard many comments which indicated displeasure with the present P.A. system at the - Seaforth Arena. One would have thought that most of the people dissatisfied with the sound and lighting at the arena would have gladly contributed to an event which would raise funds to upgrade these two facilites. With numerous and conflicting social events scheduled during the summer, perhaps there are people who are unable to attc,1 some events, but who nevertheless The Cromarty Church which has beep going under remodelling is ,nearing com- pletion. Messrs. Cliff Smith, 'Adrian Hogg, 'Jack Hulley, Bill Roe, Tim Eaton, Joseph Broom, Donald Calder left on a harvest excursion to the west. R. McClaren of near Hensall has disposed of his show road mare to W.J. Roberts of Fordwich. • Messrs. A. and , J. Broadfoot, the well known horse breeders of Tuckersmith Township suffered a heavy loss when their registered 'Clydesdale died at the farm. She's one of the finest brood mares in 'the country. „ AUGUST 28, 1953 One of the best hockey players to emerge from Seaforth teams-in recent years, Gar Baker, 20, son of Mr. and mrs. Albert Baker , of town leaves his home ground this week for Perth, Scotland where he will join the Perth Panthers for a season of competition in Scotish professional league. Saturday evening a farewell party was given in his honor at the home of Mrs. Wlaker Hart of Tuckersmith where some 30 friends gathered to spend a social eveninewith him. ' He was, presented with a black' Gladstone bag. Following a meeting Of, the Seaforth Agricultural Society, it was learned that the local Turf Club had join forces with the society and will now be known as the Seaforth Agriculture Society and Driving • Club. The other day at-John. Shanahan,;s farm in Hullett, Alec Morris threshed 700 bushels of wheat in five hours. Mr. Stephen Lamb has disposed of his lumber yard to Messrs. Cluff and sons of the Seaforth Sash and Door Factory. Amice strong spring of fresh water has been struck in the well bored at the big mill here at a depth of 82 feet, a card to Bill and Ruth yvould be well received. When Bill and Ruth host a reception for any occasion, or open their facilities for a "benefit do", then I feel very strongly that those who are the beneficiaries-either forget or don't know enough to say thank you for the time and effort put into preparing for and hosting the event. This is not just hearsay--I have been present at some of these events, and was disappointed when no word of appreciation was spoken to them. Come on everyone, let us all brush up on. our manners and show Bill, Ruth, Lynda and Jim that we do appreciate their efforts and that we are happy they live in this community. . Yours truly, An Interested Bystander would like to contribute to worthwhile projects such as these. I do hope that this is the case concerning the cancellation of the Dancethon.. • I would ask Madam • Editor that you forward the. enclosed $50 to the reereation office as a contribution to a new sound and lighting system at the Seaforth Arena. Name witheld by request EDITOR'S NOTE: Anyone else who would Me to contribute to the campaign 'for a new P.A. and lights can forward donations to Seaforth recreation director Clive Buist. 13ehind the scenes by Keith Roulston What we take for grante • • • of Alexander Dubcck, It went 'that way through ,'the 'spring and summer as the freedom grew and the unease of the Soviet Union grew, The Warsaw Pact countries were partic- ipating in military manoeuvres., in Czecho- slovakia that summer but when they ended. instead of going home as planned, the troops didn't leave. They kept making excuses for not going back to their respective countries. Then 011 'August 21, they moved in. All night. Jan recalls, you could hear the drone of huge aircraft landing troops and tanks in the city: In the morning the tanks were in the streets. The Russians, despite their opportunity•to plan the invasion, were ill prepared. One. of their first objectives was to silence !Radio Prague so it couldn't rally the people to fight the invasion. But they mistook a nearby museum for the Radio Prague building and opened fire on it instead. When they did find the right building and capture it there was no one present who knew anything about ,a radio station so instead of simply shutting the station down, the soldiers put it out of commission by shooting up the control panels with machine guns. They didn't succeed so easily .in putting the station off 'the air however, because Jan and'his .friends went on transmitting with portable equipment. moving whenever the soldiers were able to locate their station. They were helped by Czech soldiers. lie slept at night with his back window open to , be ready to escape if the soldiers or police, knocked on the door. Finally he decided the time to escape had come and he crossed the border to Austria and came eventually to Canada to a new life as a shop owner. His was just one of thousands of stories that came out of that exciting and perilous time in Czechoslovakia. Many like Jan escaped to Canada and other western countries. Some Of the leaders of the era stayed behind to try to worrfor improve- ment within the country. Many could expect to suffer. All now must live knowing they must always be wary of what they say, what they do, even what they might tell their frieyends s.w we in Canada have our troubles, but at least we have the freedom to be able to complain ab9ut them. The evils that we attribute to our politiolans can at leait be said in public without fear that we'll end up in prison for what we say. Even with unemployment, even with national disunity, would any of us change places with people in Czechoslovakia? • To the editor: Family deserves a thank you Let's get a new PA