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Clinton News-Record, 1971-10-14, Page 1Thu rs gift y.„ October 14, I 9 7 106 Peers r Oinfon,Oniorio Oct, 5 67 47 _6 62 49 752 38 6 59 34 e 56 47 1,0 58 38 11, 56 44 Rain ,68" 61. 40 76 53 74 53 73 54 70 60 • 66 40 61 32 Rain .85" i5 cents Weather 1071 1970 HI LO HI 1.0 300 attend Huron Federation meeting to hear party representatives speak on farm policy Representatives of all three parties were at Central Huron Secondary School last Thursday to discuss the farm policy of their parties with farmers from all over Huron County. Seen on the stage before beginning their debate are, (left to right) Charles MacNaughton, Conservative candidate in Huron, Murray Gaunt, Liberal candidate in Huron-Bruce and Paul Carroll, New Democratic candidate in Huron. Standing at the microphone is John Stafford, president of the Huron Federation of Agriculture, who sponsored the meeting. About 300 persons attended , increased production costs cause subscription price increase tielagates to the Western Ontario Waterwoks Conference held in Clinton on Ottober 13 view a display of equipment in the Clinton Canadian Legion Hall. The conference involved pertonnet involved in the waterwOrks field from Huron, Perth, Middlesex, Oxford, Kent, t ssex, Elgin and LambtOri. Past thaitreah of the conference is Gus Boussey of "Clinton Public Utilities Commission. Town council not optomistic about future of Base Mayor Don Symons said Monday night that lie is not impressed by the statement made Friday by Defence Minister Donald MacDonald that he is still willing to talk about the future of former Canadian Forces Base Clinton. Under questioning by Robert McKinley, MY, kir Huron in the House of Commons on Friday, MacDonald said he was willing to meet with responsible elected bodies on the question. "Does he not think that all elected bodies in Huron are responsible?" the Mayor asked. On Friday Transport Minister Donald Jamieson officially informed the Commons that the base has been turned down as an air traffic control school or for some related activity. The base has been up for sale for a month through Crown Assets Disposal Corporation, Oct. 14 has been set as the last day to accept bids. The base includes housing, schools, churches, recreation facilities, workshops and administration buildings in a complex which was once home for more than 1,000 people. Mr. McKinley questioned the two ministers in the Commons in an effort to get an answer to a letter written by John Berry, Huron County clerk-treasurer, asking for a meeting with Mr. MacDonald. For his own part, said Mr. McKinley he had no reply from Mr. Jamieson about the possible use of the base as an air services school though he had assumed it had been Bob Goldharn in Clinton tonight It will be hockey night in Clinton tonight. Former Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings star defenceman Bob Goldham will be in Clinton Thursday night, October 14 to conduct a coaches clinic, He will be holding an instructional hour from 6.7 p.m. upstairs in the auditorium, then at 7 p.m. will demonstrate hockey techniques on the ice. Any boy taking part in the Clinton Hockey Program is welcome to come out at 7 p.m. and watch the demonstration. st column Planning ter the winter carnival will begin tonight when a meeting will be held at the Community Centre at 8:30 for those who would like to help organize the biggest event of the winter. * * The annual Christmas Country Fair begins Wednesday at Carlow. It will take place Wednesday from 10 eat. to 9 p.m. and again on Saturday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. John Plumtree will be there again showing his wood crafts and his sister Kathryn will be along to show her knitting and needlepoint. IVIrs. Ralph Feltz will show knitted novelties arid slippers and there will be several displays from Benmiller. Mrs. Wendy Hoernlg will have pressed wild flowers stationery and five ladies will co-operate to produce a Most unique display correlating horticulture and crafts. The display will be tailed The Flower Pot. * * * Local industrialists will have A chance to gain valuable knowledge on Tuesday When the Department of Trade and Commerce holds a product development -Oleic at the Victerian InfeMotor Hotel in Stratford. For the five dollar registration fee the induatrialist Will get $1500 worth of business and teehnleal consultant's time. * * * If your oat is looking a little dreary these days, there are some local ladies who will help it look its best again. The Ladies of Beta Sigma Phi sorority will hold a carwash Saturday afternoon at Carter's West End Supertest. The motley raised by the project Will be used in con service Work, * * * The winter hockey program begins in Clinton on Saturday. Plana have been made to make this the best year so far for the monor hockey program. • * * The Newt.Record is looking for reporters of high school and youth activities in the area. We now have one reporter at Central Huron Secondary School but Would like one or two more, We would also like to get reports front the elementary schools and on youth activities hi general, Want to give it a try? * * * There have been a number of changes in the polling subdivisions in Milton this year width we do not have the space to note here. Voters- would be wise check at the Town Hall where a list of polls is on display in the foyer. turned down when the base was put up for sale, "Thanks to the representations the honorable member has made on innumerable occasions I have had the most exhaustive study made of the Clinton base, along with the minister of national defence, to ascertain whether it would be feasible to use a portion of it as an air traffic control school or some related activity," said Mr. Jamieson. "I regret to advise him that we concluded it was not a suitable site and we shall be looking elsewhere." It is understood the department wants something closer to a major urban or air traffic centre. Air traffic control is now being taught at Uplands Airport in Ottawa. Mayor Symons wondered who had really made the decision to stay in Ottawa, Mr. Jamieson or some of his "high-paid civil servants", He said he was teary that this was a decision made for the same reason the county turned down decentralizing its offices to other towns in the county. When this suggestion was made earlier in the year the explanation was made that it would not be convenient for the staff to have to move from where they were settled. (Goderich), Councillor Clarence Denomme, chairman of the industrial committee, didn't draw much hope from the words of the ministers either. "It's just another political move to give us false hope," he said. It was reported that the town is planning awards for the members of Clinton's two Ontario Baseball Association championship teams. Nature of the awards has not yet been worked out. The Mayor congratulated the members of the teams at the meeting Monday saying they had brought credit to their town. He also praised the Clinton Public School team which Friday won the second annual bicycle rodeo. He gave special credit to Constable Tom Fortner of the Goderich police force who arranged the rodeo. Council is concerned that it appears headed for another deficit and spent considerable time discussing how to cut back on spending, Increased production costs and newsprint prices have forced an increase in the subscription price of the Clinton Newt-Itecotel. J. Howard Aitken, general manager of the INieWs-Ilecord announced this Week that the subscription price of the paper will increase to eight dollars per year effective October 29,1971, He rioted that most newspapers in the county havealreadyAffereased their rates. Both the Eliot-et TiM6-Advotateantl the Goderich Signal Star have intrOritideel, the night dollar rate, The WthOarn Adviihee-Tirries- last spring raised ;its suber'fption rates to $10. The economic situation of the Huron County farmer is either rosy or gloomy, depending on whether you are looking at it from the side of the government or the opposition. So it appeared during the meeting of candidates from all three parties in the upcoming provincial election held in Clinton Thursday night. The meeting, sponsored by the Huron ,Federation of Agriculture, drew about 300 persons to hear Charles MacNaughton of the Progressive Conservatives; Paul Carroll of the New Democratic Party and Murray Gaunt of the Liberal Party. Mr. MacNaughton and Mr. Carroll are from Huron riding, while Mr. Gaunt is the present member for Huron—Bruce. Speaking first, MacNaughton concluded his speech by telling the audience he admitted his party's agricultural programs were not perfect. "I doubt if they ever will be. But I can say to you, with conviction, that the government I represent will continue its efforts to perfect them to the greatest extent possible," During his 15-minute address, Mr. MacNaughton reviewed some of the benefits which had come to Huron while he was its representative, He informed the audience of the growth of Centralia College of Agricultural Technology from 76 students in 1967 to 250 today and of the good work of the Veterinary Service Laboratory also located at Centralia. "Under the government's farm tax rebate," Mr. MacNaughton said, "Huron farmers have received almost $700,000. Mr. Aitken said the News-Record waited as long as possible before raising the rates but had been unable to keep up with rising costa. There have been three increases in the cost of newsprint in the last year, he said, and such costs could no longer be absorbed by the newspaper 'without a price rise. Single copy price of the paper will increase to 20 cents per Week. New subscriptions 'will be .accepted at the old rate until Oct. 29 and those °Whose subscription expires before June, 1972 may they take advantage of the offer before the above date. "Added to this," he said, "was the shelter grant exemptions," "Ultimately," he said, "and if we can secure the co-operation of the federal government, our objective is to provide substantial relief against property tax through the income tax which more accurately measures the ability of each taxpayer to co 'ribute to public programs." "In the 11. :ntime," he said, "the government is making changes in stages to take the burden off property tax." In Huron the province picks up 71 per cent of the cost of education. He later pointed out that the Liberals were promising to pay 80 per cent of education costs but in Huron, with 71 per cent of costs picked up by the province and the shelter and farm tax rebates, the province was probably paying more than 80 per cent already. Mr. MacNaughton said his government is studying ways to combat problems in egg production and said the hog and corn market problems were because of pressure from outside the province which could only be combated by action by the federal government. "Action to increase the quota for industrial milk was being considered by the government," he said, "but before premature action was taken, a full study of present and future market trends should be made." Mr. Gaunt said the fact that 3,000 farmers are' leaving the land each year is evidence that farming is not attracting young people. "There isn't enough money for young people," he said, "and many older farmers are being forced right out of the picture." "Egg prices, hog, grain and corn prices are all too low," he said. "This is not merely an economic problem, it's a human problem," he said. "A way of life is being uprooted." Dealing with the milk shortage, Mr. Gaunt said he had always agreed with the objectives of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board and the Canadian Dairy Commission, but the quota system had become so rigid that it can't adjust to the market. He pointed out that this year Ontario couldn't fill the export demand for cheddar cheese and is expected to have to import butter. He blamed these shortages on the inflexibility of the OMMB and the dairy commission. "These shortages should have been foreseen by the agencies a year ago so that quota changes could have been made at that time," he said, "rather than waiting for a crisis before making a 10 per cent quota adjustment as had been done this fall," "The Liberals," he said, "believed the family farm must be preserved and part of the policy to help preserve it was through tax reform, not just rebates, but comprehensive tax reform." "A first step," he said, "would be the province picking up 80 per cent of the cost of education," He later pointed out, after criticism of the plan by Mr. MacNaughton, that the 80 per cent would be the provincial average, "The province now pays only 55 per cent of education on the provincial average," he said, "and Huron got '71 per tent," Under the Liberal plan, Huron might get as much as 06 per cent of education costs 'paid by the province, "The Liberals," he said, "would abolish succession duties, which, along with the move by the federal government to discontinue estate taxes, -would mean families would no longer have to sell farms to pay for death taxes." Mr, MacNaughton later claimed only a small percentage of estates now pay provincial succession duties at present.) Gaunt said the Liberals would return assessment to the county level where an individual could deal face to face with the assessor arid if there were mistakes in assessment, they could be rectified easily. "Under the county," he said, "assessment had cost $1.50 per capita, but under provincial assessment, the cost had mushroomed to $4.50 per capita, and with the increased costs, red tape had grown." Mr. Gaunt said that the year before last Ontario had imported more agricultural produce than it had exported. "His government," lie said, "would help combat this by giving forgivable loans to farmers to produce products that are in short supply." "The Liberals," he said, "would encourage the federal government to give faster tax write.offs to farmers for storage equipment so that farmers can store crops and take advantage of better prices in the off season," "And," he said, "his government would move toward some standardization of farm machinery parts and would set up a central depot for distribution of parts of all makes." Paul Carroll said the N.D.?„ rejects the claim by some that the family farm is outmoded and the Mute lies in a corporate operation Which is vertically integrated from the land itself to the retail outlet. "There is some evidence," he said, "that in Ontario today we are now passing the point of optimum efficiency in farm size — that point being hi the range of 300.600 acres." He said the corporate farm might not increase efficiency but certainly would bring a speedy end to the rural community as it is today. "Farming," he said, "was not just a business, it was a way of life." Mr. Carroll said the N.D.P. realized Ontario had a large number of farms that were not economically viable and that the total of farms' must be reduced. "However," he said, "based on 1966 figures, even if all farmers with less than $25,000 capital value of their farms had been abandoned, more than half the farmers remaining would still have been earning a 'less-than-satisfactory income'." "The N.D.P.," he said, "would legislate to restrict corporate ownership of farms and to keep farms in Canadian hands. It would initiate tax reform, including taking over 80 per cent of the cost of education and separate assessment for farm land from farm residences," Mr. Carroll said the N.D.P. believes in producer-controlled marketing boards which would be empowered to bargain collectively with food processing and retailing companies over the terms and conditions of contracts between these firms and individual producers. A system of deficiency payments set up H Mr. Willis Cooper approves, the $25,000 he wants to give Clinton for a memorial to his parents, will be used for a combined meeting hall for toy Scouts, Girl Guides and senior citizens. Town council made this decision at a closed council meeting on October 4 after opening and reading suggestions sent in by people in the area, At council on Monday evening, Mayor Don Symons extended his thanks to all those who had taken the time to send in their suggestions. Sixteen letters were received, The mayor said about 50 per tent of the letters suggested more housing for senior citizens. Others wanted the money put towards a new town hall and one wanted the money used for a sailing club for young sailors. In making the decision, the mayor 44 council felt the Guides, Brownies, Scouts and Cubs had been kicked hither and yon for so many years that they needed a permanent home. If Mr. Cooper approves, the clubhouse will be built at the Community Park on the site formerly occupied 'by the Annie Blacker house Which has been molted. The building will also be available to senior citizens thus serving a double duty. Mr. Cooper has been informed of the council's suggestion by letter, He had asked for such suggestions earlier in the summer when he sent a letter to council telling of his desire to donate $25,000 toward a memorial for his parents, Mr. and Mrs, A. T. -Cooper. Mr, Cooper senior was a former mayor of Clinton and a long-time merchant. Council also passed a bylaw at the Meeting which makes it illegal to stop on Victoria Street on the west side between to full-time farmers on viable farms as a short-range measure. A crown corporation would be set up to wholesale and distribute all makes of farm equipment and parts, allowing dealers to handle any kind of machine. There would be mandatory testing of farm equipment, Long-term, low interest credit would be extended to farmers. Following a short rebuttal by Mr. MacNaughton, Mason Bailey, vice-president of the Huron Federation of Agriculture, told what the federation would like to see the government do. He said the federation wanted to see the farmer get equal return on his investment in capital and time as other segments of the e co n o m y He said producer'elected marketing boards should be maintained. Long-term credit should be extended to the farmer with no interest in the first year, three per cent for the next five years and the going rate thereafter. The federation favoured guidelines for disposal of animal waste, It wanted to see nonreturnable bottles banned. It wanted the complete removal of education taxes from property assessment and wanted farm land assessed according to its ability to produce. It wanted to insure that farmers would not be hurt by expropriation laws, It opposed the take-over of Auto insurance by the government. Mary St. and the Main corner. The protection to persons and property committee is to investigate the problems involved with hooking up an automatic alarm system for Hearn Wholesale to compliment an automatic sprinkler system in case of fire, There will be no cost to the town for such a system, Gaunt favours it con trots During the question period at the Amon Pederation of Agriculture meeting Thursday, the candidates were asked to comment on --.4he growing gap between the amount of money a farmer gets fora product and the areoutit the consulter must pay, Mr. MacNaughton said there wasn't much wonder the prices went up with the huge demands made by labour unions. Mr,„ Carroll replied that unions often made such high demands because of the great increases in prices, The New Democrats had consumer policies to help control prices and, to a certain extent, wages as well, A price review board would be set up to require companies to justify increases. Mr, gaunt said there was no question that labour is partly to blame for big increases, but companies were alto at fault for over-compensating on these increases, "I feel we've come to the point," he said, "When we're going to have to accept wage, price and profit freeze as they have done in the United States." A. T. Cooper memorial could be hail for Scouts, Guides, senior citizens