Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1968-08-22, Page 2REFLECTIONS (Photo by Bob Beavers) 75 years ago LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Sir: To those few people considering buying property in Clinton one word from a disillusioned tax payer "DON'T"., The co.operation of mayor and council is nil. Two years ago the town put tile through two of our neighbours yards. We are now left with a ditch fed by a two foot drain pipe running through our backyard on our property. in the words Of bur mayor, "We don't intend to do anything about it.' That's certainly Calculated to soothe a tax payer, We recently cut down some dead trees we considered a Inetmee only to learn that we couldn't haul the wood to the town garbage dump. The town dump- isn't open to the people of Clinton. I Ain sure there are other irrate Clintorilans Who have ren into similar situations, I believe We aren't the only people to have Suffered in Silence, Marlene D. Beer Cantelon leave tomorrow on a visit to the World's Fair. The trustees of the Collegiate Institute have engaged Miss. O'Connor of Oshawa as a successor to Miss Flume at a salary of $500 a year. This is the same salary as paid before. 55 years ago THE CLINTON NEW ERA AUGUST 21, 1913 Miss Ethel,Me.Cay of NdiWibhn- , cum , A 11A:34, You know, that postal strike wasn't all bad. I know it was a great inconvenience for some people, and meant a real , financial loss for others. But there was a certain quiet satisfaction in knowing that you didn't have' to answ- er those urgent letters. There was relief in the thought that you wouldn't be getting three or four bills every day. And there was positive pleasure in not being bombarded by ad- vertising flyers and other third-class mail. In short, there was a slight hiatus in our daily scramble. Of course, the day of reckon. ing came, whin all the bills came in one bundle, and there was no way of putting off writing those letters. But there was a little peace there for a while in at least one aspect of our bedevilled lives. It started me thinking about what would happen if the entire communications system was tied up by strikes. Everything: telephone, televi- sion, radio, newspapers, the lot. Do you think we'd sur- vive? I do, In fact, if the whole noisy, bothersome business ground to a halt for a couple of months, we'd probably all live a couple of years longer. Those who would suffer most would be the young and the old. Taking away the squawk and thump of their transistors from the ears of teenagers would be like tear- ing a baby from its mother's breast. Robbing the elderly Of their morning news and their evenings with the Beverly Ifillbillies re-runs would be arrant cruelty, But T don't think the rest of its would Suffer, 1 think we'd thrive and grow fat and calm and interested in real life, on a couple of months of peace and quiet. Those who have been out of touch with "eiVilization," on n hunting or fishing trip will know what I mean. One simply does not miss the omi- nous headlines, the grave news reports, and the assort ed garbage contained in our niasS Media. In such conditionS, a neUrs• paper is for lighting a fire with, or cleaning a fish on, is visiting her cousin, Mrs. E. G. Courtiee." Miss Marion Harland is visiting in Stratford the guest of Mrs. Lorne Murch. Mr. Morley Counter and Mr. Ike Rattenbury are visiting with Mrs. Dodds Holloway at Sturgeon Tails. They will also spend some time in Muskoka and at Toronto before returning. Misses M. Pinning, ,alld Wilkin spent a few days in HerisM1.'" .'" " ary t rt Radio is completely unneces- sary. Lack of telephones n.eans that nobody can get at you with bad news. And sit- ting around a fire, with friends is a lot more enrich- ing than sitting around watching third-rate old mov- ies. Indulging in the mass me-' dia, or surrendering to them, or allowing them to rule your day, is merely laziness and habit. And the deeper you sink into the slough of words, the harder it is to break out. Some people are addicted to the morning paper. It's like the first cup of coffee or the first cigarette. They are surly and uneasy until they unfold it. And what do they get? Wars and rumors of wars, strikes and rumors of strikes, a lengthy rehash and expansion of last night's TV news, pompous editorials stating the obvious, and as- sorted junk. Some never read a paper at all, but depend on their news from the radio, The thing goes all day long with a steady stream of commer- cials, semi-hysterical disc- jockeys pouring forth piffle, and the same news and weather reports, almost ver- batim, every 'hour. Don't think this doesn't erode the soul. Some make the telephone their news media. They're not interested in world or nation- al news, but only in the local gossip, and they literally spend hours a day exchang- ing inanities with other ad- diets. I would not care if we never had a telephone in the house, One of my mottoes is that no telephone call is ever worth answering. Then, of course, there are Some people who are hooked On all forms of commlinlea. tion. As a result, they never read a book, never think an original thought, and can be led around pOlitically by thei nose, These Mass media add a lot to life, but. they take a lot away as well. tlncier their Constant barrage, We fail to cultiVate our own gardonv I'm all for some quiet, Would you like to try it? THE CLINTON NEW ERA AUGUST 18, 1893 Last Thursday evening ,the building of the Clinton Organ Company on Mary Street burned to the ground. The home of Mr. James Ford across the street was badly blistered and sparks were carried right up to Albert Street. All the, machinery and stock were a total loss. , 'Messrs. A. T. Cooper and .Gr ' tii F.""Eitiersob "rep'r'esented ' Clinton Bicycle Club in the races at Goderich yesterday; nearly all the wheels in town were there. Messrs. David and Peter Dear Sir: .. With interest I have *read your suggestions in changing the slogan, for Clinton from the "Hunting Ground of the Hurons" to the "Home of Radar." I must say this is a marvellous suggestion. I would feel that Brigadier-General K. R. Greenaway would be very happy to hear that we have adopted this new slogan since he played a part in donating the radar antenna to the town. For history's sake I was probably one who under pressure, desperately searching for a simple ensign and slogan reached out for the Boy Scouts arm flasher and dreamed up Hunting Ground of the Hurons, for a much needed *Clinton Brochure at that time. Let us now bury the Hurons and go modern with a symbol of the Radar Antenna and slogan "Home of Radar." • Yours very truly, Duff Thompson SUGAR AND SPICE by Bill Smiley Our mass media Business and Professional Directory J. r E. LONGSTAFF oPTatit ETRIST 11A1901S/ZIAlt ZTeRdEnE71"/ For appointment phone 41124010 3EAFORTH OFFICE 1r-1240 ti R. W. BELL opromETRIST The 'Square, GODERICH p24-7•41 RONALD: L. McDONALD CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 39 St. David St. Goderich 5244252 INSURANCR K. W. COVIONOL)N, INSURANCE L NEAL. EsTAT Phones: Otitos 4414147 '' RN. 14-7044 HAL HARTLEY Phone 48.24693 `LAWSON AND WISE INSURANCE .— REAL MAT INVESTMENTS. Clinton Office; 482.9644 H. C. Lawson, Res.: 462.916 4. T. Wise, Res.: 44112.72 ALUMINUM PEOIMMS Por Air-Master ,Alumbion Doors and Window" and Rockwell Power Took JERVIS SALES R. L. .lerelts— 6$ Albert at. Clinton --482-9390 ......... •0 ERV1 Attend Your Church This Sunday NOTE — ALL SERVICES ON DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ONTARIO STREET UNITED CHURCH "THE FRIENDLY CHURCH" Pastor: REV. GRANT MILLS, B.A. Organist: MISS LOIS G RASBY, A.R.C.T., Service at Wesley-Willis United Church during August and first Sunday in September. Office 'Main Street SEAFORTH, Insures: • Town Dwellings • All Class of Farm Property! • Summer Cotta0es Churches, Sohobls, Fhalla Ekterded C V e ra g e (Wind, smoke, wate O r dathste, falling objects etc.) is also available. Agents; James Keys, RR 1, Seatorth; V. J. Lane, AR 5, Sea- ,Tortly Leiper, Jr,, Londesboro; SelwynBaker Brussels; }Weld Sguite,' Clinton; George CoYne, Daiwa Q. mail* Seafortb. Clinton Nevirs-Record CLIN'TON NEW` ERA Amalgamated THR HURON. ,NEWS-RECORD Established 1881 Published Every Thursday At The Heart Of Huron COurity Clinton, Ontario, Canada Population 3,475 shoal costrtimuswio this sobilehttoo, aro the egoism of ths only„- wet te Ai1f inaliorey CI* ill IC4 hinnansor. hothothoe at Seeoae Clan Mon, roil oak, boonfreesto Onawa mad fI Ormolu of mimeo is cult simodarnem finish% Ai 4n:0os Coseds 1W Oreet ernes: OM • sew; 00,010 Non 1104 tiardwa 60, Mite 00,480 II Cows; Established 180!) • 1924 4 I 4 It iS an undeniable fact that, the Ontario Government has been steadily increasing MOW' vehicle fees for all Vehicle classifications over the past 13 years. For exam*, in 1955, 4-cylinder cars were rated at $5,QQ. In 1964 this went up to 815.00, while the rate scheduled to go into effect in December,. 1966, will be $20.00. Similarly, 6-cylinder cars which were rated at $10.00 in 1955, cost $20.00 in 1964, and will cost $27.50 next year.' As for 8-cylinder cars, they were rated at $10.00. in 1955, $25.00 in 1964, and will coS t $35.00 in 1969. These latest increases, combined with higher gasoline and diesel fuel taxes recently imposed by the Ontario Government are unjustified. An Ontario Motor League study, Taxation on the Motorist in Ontario states: "Substantial revenues are derived from licences and permits (in 1966,496 million) despite the fact that they exist primarilY for regulatory and administrative purposes. We have no objection to their use in this manner provided the basic rules of equity are not abused". That these basic rules have been and are being abused, is made abundantly clear in sundry briefs, submissions and communications which have emanated from Officers of OML affiliates, from other bodies concerned .with the use of • Ontario roads and highways, and, indeed, from statements appearing in the report of the Ontario Committee on, Taxation (Smith Report) itself. Many of these communications have been directed to the Provincial Government over a period of years in a sincere endeavour to clarify the situation and accitiaint the Government with the need to re-examine its policies regarding motor vehicle taxation. For example, in 1964, in a letter to Honourable J. N. Allan, then Provincial Treasurer, it was pointed out: "The motorist is becoming resentful that there seems to be a continuing effort to classify him as a dual taxpayer - on the one hand as a motorist, and on the other hand as a general taxpayer. Although this may have been a valid impression at one time, when the motor vehicle was considered a luxury, the importance of the motor vehicle "Would. "norm Contradict this philosophy,. This :was recognized, by the: Federal GOvernMent when it removed excise taxes on motor vehicles. It was not predicated on the fact that the motor car, is not a luxury, but a necessity of modern society". • And again in February; 1966, it was pointed out: "The Ontario motorist enjoys the dubious honour in that the Ontario Government now collects a higher percentage of its total revenue from motorists than most of the provincial or state governments on this continent. In 1964; direct taxes collected from the motorist in the way of licence fees and gas tax represented almost one quarter ofthe general revenue of the Ontario Government. Of important signifigance is the fact that this is over and above the motorists' tax contributions to municipal, provincial, and federal governments as a general taxpayer. "A large portion of the burden of motor vehicle taxation falls heavily on the lower and middle ' income class group, adding severely to their cost of living. This has been emphasized by figures published by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, Which indicate that 'one third of the families in Canada earning less than $3,000. per annum own a motor vehicle." The need for substantial increases in motor vehicle taxation is specifically called into question by a submission made by the Automotive Transport Association of Ontario to the Honourable C. S. MacNaughton, Provincial Treasurer, in March of this year. It made the following points: "The figure of $550 million for annual average road expenditures used by the Ontario Committee on Taxation appears seriously inflated. Our own calculations, baged partly on estimates of future program expenditures published by the Ontario Department of Highways, indicate that the true figure is some $200 million lower, i.e., in the neighbourhood of $350 million. "A partial explanation of the tHE foregoing discrepancy of about $200 million may well be that the Committee included Department of Highways' expenditure on the "Commuter Rail Project" in its estimate of $550 million. In the 1966-67 fiscal year, $9.6 million was spent on this. "More serious is the fact that the Committee has included in its $550 million cost figure the whole of anticipated municipal expenditures on roads, but has failed, to.. rh its revenue estimate of $37.6,Million,thefi,oad ,funds ,Which the municipalities will contirubute from their own tax proceeds. It is obvious that the Committee's revenue estimate of $375 million is far too low for legitimate comparison with its "future" 'cost estimate of $550 million. In the 19 66-67 fiscal year, ' Provincial Government motor vehicle revenue alone totalled almost $389 million, $14 million more than the Committee's revenue estimate. And this excess of actual over projected revenue may be expected to increase rapidly over the remaining years of the program period. "It is increasingly ' clear that there could tie no possible justification for increasing motor vehicle tax rates. This conclusion is reinforced by the certainty that the total highway revenue from all sources available in future years will be far more than sufficient to cover provincial and municipal needs combined. Indeed, if there is a case for any action, it is for a reduction in user taxes." Finally, the Report of the Ontario Committee on Taxation (Smith Report) itself raises 'a significant query regarding the fair apportioning of motor vehicle taxation when it states: "The fees set for' Passenger vehicle licences do not, on the surface, violate our principle that similar vehicles should pay similar fixed charges, but they do raise the question of appropriate variations in weight among passenger vehicles regarded as similar vehicles. In Table 30 4 between the 'small' categbry and the 'large' category there is a weight difference of less than 3,000 pounds. Whether this is sufficient to justify a maximum fee that is 67 per cent higher than the minimum fee may be doubted." We feel the above evidence points to a need on the part of the provincial government to withdraw its proposed licence fee increases, and to reduce gasoline taxes to the level whereby Ontario motorists pay only their share of highway construction and maintenance costs. Wesley-Willis — Holmesville United Churches • REV. A.J. MOWATT, C.D., B.A., B.D., D.D., Minister MR. LORNE DOTTERER, Organist and Choir Director SUNDAY, AUGUST 25th 11:00 a.m.— MORNING WORSHIP. Ontario Street United Church will join with us. Sermon: "HONEST DOUBT AND MORAL CERTAINTIES" 1 1:00 a.m. -- Nursery and Junior Congregation., • HOLMESV1LLE 9:45 a.m.— MORNING WORSHIP.. 10:30 a.m. — SUNDAY SCHOOL. CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH SUNDAY: AUGUST 25th Student Minister: The Rev. W. DeJong . 10:00 a.m.—Morning Service -- English. 2:30 p.m.- -Afternoon Service -• Dutch. Every Sunday, 12:30 noon, dial 680 CHLO, St. Thomas listen to "Back to God Hour" 'EVERYONE WELCOME -- ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH The Rev, R. U. MacLean, B.A., Minister Mrs. B. Boyes, Organist and Choir Director NO SERVICES DURING MONTH OF AUGUST 8:00 p.m.— Evening Service. 9:45 a.m.-- Sunday Sc h oo l.Speaker: NEIL LOWEY 11:00 a.m. — Worship Service. Tuesday Prayer and Bible Study 7:30 p.m.— Evening Service. 8 ,00 p .m. THE McKILLOP MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY 2 Clinton News--ReCord, Thursday, August ?2, 1,968 Proposoci .1.01CreaSe 0.110$10.104. ~11111111•MOMMEMINIMM111.1•111MMINIMMIONINNW AINNVImMIMM/ From Our Early Files PENTECOSTAL CHURCH MAPLE ST. GOSPEL HALL Victoria Street Sunday, August 25th W. Werner, Pastor 9:45 a.m. -" Worship Service. Sunday, August 25th 11:00 a.m. - - Sunday School.