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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1970-12-03, Page 73At Royce Kellens of William Street got a better Christmas present than he expeoted last Week when his ticket was drawn from the hundreds of r... Clinton of tickets turned in by shoppers during the Christmas period. It took two men tb turn the drum before the lucky winner was chosen betause soniewhere between '350,000 and 1100,606 entries were deposited. IMO Smith, president of the -Clinton Retail Merchants Association presented hitt With the cheque on Monday morning, — staff photo, 011.1101101.111011001000010101111111000111110040010NININNINM000111000101141410111111100101iiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimoimiimigiiiippioiooliimiummoimoillimin1W Ontario cents' FR I 84344. 10$ Year,. No, $3 7.11fur$dayp• Iloceofber $1, 1970 ofilonlimmoinumilifilifilimmuumoimminionomilmoomimionopoommilnommimomiliiimonmonnimmonomuilioltionnotomotoolowilifoommutomplooloomoolliloffiloommium 1 st Column Federation briefs local members Long discussions on county " Guidelines Well, it's been quite a year. Looking beck it seems most of the news has been bad,, but there was just enough good news thrown in to keep spirits bouyed up. Hanging over everyone's head for the past year of course has been the knowledge that our major source of employment and revenue the CFB Clinton is coming closer and closer to its closure date. Added to that was the economic slowdown that has been hurting the whole country. Then there was the closure of one local factory and lay-offs at another. But balanced against that was the knowledge that people still had lots of money to spend. Borseracing came' to Clinton during .the summer and was so popular the number of dates had to be increased. Every Sunday from $20,000 to $50,000 changed hands down at the track. Then Christmas came and the Clinton merchants in their biggest, and most successful promotion in some time, found out people still like to shop in Clinton. How much money was spent in Clinton during December is not known for sure. But it is known that stores participating in the promotion handed out between 400,000 and 500,000 tickets, each representing one dollar spent. * * A major concern this year was the crime front where we had just about every crime . possible in a small town. The year started off badly with a tragic murder, progressed through assorted breakins, vandalism, and beatings to arnattempted bombing. All the time the police were battling with crime, town council was battling with their budget, trying to figure out how to get the most police protection for the least expense. While council cut and pared their budget they enviously eyed the county education budget that again grew this year. (But. enough said before we arouse the ire of the new board too). * For the News-Record it has been a pretty good year, This is the 52nd issue since this editor came to Clinton and we hope we've served you well. Some things we do know for sure and we're a little proud of them. For one, we held the line against inflation. In fact you are now getting more for your money than you were a year ago in your newspaper. The number of pages this year has, increased by about one third. Circulation is also well ahead of last year. In face of the economic situation it's been good progress and the people of the Clinton area should be compliniented on their confidence in their newspaper, In the face of several rises in newsprint prices (three in the last year at latest count) we've been able- to keep from increasing advertising or subscription rates because of this growth. Others in the county have not been so lucky. A month ago, two papers, the Listowel Banner and the Wingham Advance-Times boosted their news-stand price to 25 cents and subscriptions to $10 per year. * * As for predictions •for 1971, well may be we should make a few first that are almost sure bets. We'll have snow for winter carnival in February and it will be gone so we can celebrate July 1 (come to think about it, the way it's been snowing lately that may not be such a sure bet). Several members of the Board of Education will take exception to comments in the News-Record, and we will again make the public works department angry (though not as long as they do as good a job of cleaning snow as they've been doing), The Spring Fair will be the best yet. The Redmen from CHSS will either win the Huron-Perth senior basketball crown or come close /to it. The Clinton Juniors will have to scramble to win a playoff spot in hockey, By next fall some Solution to the problem of the base will be found and we will have new hope. With this accornplished, planning will begin for development of the Bayfield River and talks will be underway with Tuckersmith to co-ordinate development of the area between the base and Clinton. Charles MaeNaughton will run in the next provincial election and Win, The NeWs,Reeord will look back at these predictions this time next year and wonder what went wrong. Weather 1970 1060 HI LO HI LO Dec, 21. 25 11 26 12 22 19 10 28 4 28 26 10 9 -2 24 32 16 13 -10 25 25 16 18 -2 26 21 13 21 10 ' 27 22 5 26 12 28 24 , 16 Rain .30' Snow 19" Local members of Parliament heard beefs from the beef producers and talked turkey with poultry producers and other farmers Tuesday afternoon as they met with members of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture for the annual Members of Parliament dinner. Robert McKinley, M.P. for Huron, and Murray Gaunt, M.P.P. for Huron-Bruce, attended the luncheon and heard 13 briefs presented afterward by heads of the commodity*sections and various committees of the federation, John Stafford, president of the federation led off the speakers and expressed concern over the problem of ,pollution in farming. He said pesticides and the disposal of animal waste would be of increasing importance in the years ahead. "Are we to be harassed by laws and regulations more stringent than the producers of competing provinces or countries?" he asked. "Will livestock producers be compelled to invest scarce farm funds for pollution abatement equipment without an adequate increase in returns? Will our urban friends be permitted to establish residence to enjoy the benefits of country living, and then later on cause problems because of farm smells?" The problem of research fOr better methods of disposing of animal wastes was discussed by Gordon Hill of Varna, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. He asked if there was any way to encourage research on practical system of waste disposal. Mr. McKinley said that it had always been his opinion that good systems, properly operated, worked well and presented few problems. Several cases now before the courts in Huron and Bruce counties where neighbours are complaining about the smell from nearby farming facilities were discussed. It was pointed out that in many cases the farming operations had conformed to all rules and recommendations laid down by the Department of Agriculture, Ontario Water Resources Commission and other authorities. Don Pullen, Agriculture Representative for Huron, said later in the meeting that research was going on by the Department of Agriculture but that solutions would never come fast enough in face of the growing pollution problem. Mr. McKinley asked what effect the banning of DDT had had on farming operations. Mr. Hill pointed out that in many cases there was no good economical alternative. He also said that produce coming into the country from outside often Carried DDT. Mr, Gaunt said he understood that special licences to use DDT had been issued for those who could not find an alternative pesticide. This had been permitted to tobacco growers and to lettuce growers in the Holland Marsh area after they had suffered from an invasion of cutworms. Red tape had been a problem with special permits for the lettuce grower Mr. Hill said. By the time they got permission to use DDT the crop was already lost. oAnother major topic discussed at the . meeting was a proposal by Mason Bailey that some of the funds being paid in welfare be diverted to help farmers pay for hired help, He pointed out that input costs were now so high on many farms that the farmer, his wife and family had to work long hours seven days a week to complete work. With the small amount being paid for farm produce it was impossible for farmers to even pay the minimum wage for farm help. Why should an able-bodied person getting a good living on welfare ever go to work for less money, he wondered? "Hopefully, someday, someone will find more realistic solutions to economic problems, than subsidies and welfare programs," he said in his brief. Mr. McKinley said he couldn't agree more. Fruit growers, he said, were unable to hire competent labour and had to import it. But the government, he said, seemed to be hindering this by saying the transient workers should pay some of the cost of travelling to the jobs. Gordon Hill pointed out that much of what Mr. Bailey advocated would be implemented under a negative income tax plan. The cost of this so far, Mr. Gaunt paid, was prohibitive. Cost might be cut, according to Mr. McKinley, if 'all unemployment and Welfare programs were administered by one department but, he noted, this would mean a great deal of trouble in winning acceptance from the civil service. Other briefs presented at the meeting dealt with crop insurance, snowmobiles, junior farmer and 4-H groups, importation of butter, commodity councils, milk quotas and pricing, pork production, community selling projects, soil management and problems of beef production. Text of the I3 briefs will be presented in the next few weeks on the Arm page of the News-Record jrO your information. For some people, liquor is an important part of Christmas. For a local man, it was so important he broke his way into the Liquor Control Board store on Christmas morning and made off with four bottles. Police said that a charge has been laid but did not release the name of the accused. Police also investigated three accidents over the Christmas period. One involved an errant salt truck that badly damaged Vodden's Jewellery on Tuesday morning about 5 a.m. It went out of control on the slippery street and knocked over a PUC pole on Huron Street and took one corner out of the shop. The truck was owned by W. C. Barber and son of Port Rowan. A Strauss Transport Ltd. truck was involved in an accident on Victoria Street, December 17. A car owned by Austin Shea of Clinton was also involved in the rear-end collision, .\ Six session beef course offered A six session course is being offered at the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food Board Room, Clinton from January 6 — February 17, 1971. The course, programmed by Stan Paquette, associate agricultural representative for Huron, will offer study on "Nutrient Requirements and Feed composition," "Ration ,,.Building," ,"Beef Calf Production," "Production Costing," "Grading and Marketing". Course participants will include Ralph McCartney, beef cattle specialist, Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food, Guelph. Graeme Hedley, secretary-manager, Ontario Beef Improvement Association, Dr. Ron Usborne, ' meat science department, University of Guelph and Stan Paquette, associate agricultural representative, Huron. Charles Gracey, Manager of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, will be banquet speaker at the conclusion of the programs, Enrolment is limited to 35 producers. Farmers' rebate cheques in the mail The government announcement of the rebate came after a summer-long campaign by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture for the removal of education taxes from property. The rebate is approximately equal to 50 per cent of the education taxes paid by farmers. Many farmers across Ontario withheld the education portion of their property taxes during the campaign, to protest what they called the unjust and inequitable taxation of farm property. Gordon Hill, Ontario Federation of Agriculture President, said at the time of the government announcement, "This is a triumph for farmers and their organizations. There is no doubt that the government would not have granted farmers this rebate if they hadn't prodded the government into action." Following the rebate offer, OFA called ,off its tax-withholding activities for a "wait-and-see" period. The farmers' organization promises to resume tax withholding in 1971 if the government fails to announce a plan to remove all education taxes from all property. Vas. Mary Evelyn Glazier who was seriously injured in an accident near Lapeer, Michigan, on Decoriber 4, died Monday, December 21, in Strathroy. The 65 year-old Clinton woman had suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries in the trash which had killed het son, Mervin, 42, of OshavviL MrS. Glazier was being transported from Lapeer COunty General Hospital in Michigan to a London hospital to be nearer her husband so he could visit her durieg the Christmas seasons During the 105 mile journey her condition Worsened and was taken to StrathropNicidloSex Hospital where she died about 1p.m, She was born in Hullett township On July 29, 1005, the daughter of Serail and Charles Johnston. She Married Clifford Glazier On January 7, 1925 and Spent her life as a housowife: The couple lived all their lives in Huron County Council concurred provided any presentation be made jointly by a committee comprised of representatives from the Association of Ontario Mayors and Reeves, the Ontario Municipal Association, the Association of Counties and Regions on -Ontario, and the Ontario Association of Rural Municipalities. 3. Municipal people be consulted by the province prior to the introduction of legislation dealing with local government responsibilities, re-structuring or re-organizational processes. — Council concurred. BOARDS OF EDUCATION 1. Mandatory legislation be introduced to provide for a joint capital budget committee representing area councils and their corresponding school boards and that such committee be authorized to make recommendations, upon approval of the respective appointing bodies, to the Ontario Municipal Board. — HtirOn Connty Council did 'not' Concur and recommended that each elected body make its own financial decisions. 2. The Ontario Municipal Board continue to have the authority to approve capital expenditures for school boards and councils, but that it be mandatory for the OMB to provide detailed documentation of the priorities to be established. — Huron County Council did not concur but did agree that local officials should be able to establish their own priorities. 3. The ' division of functions be maintained with education being the responsibility of elected boards of education and provision of other municipal services, the responsibility of councils. — Council concurred. 4. A closer liaison be established between school boards and councils and both bodies work together to produce a tax bill which will define the allocation of tax dollars to each. Council concurred. ASSESSMENT 1. Now that the province has assumed the function of assessment, it be retained as a provincial responsibility. — Council did not concur and expressed the hope that at some future date, the assessing function would be turned back to the county. 2. We register our disfavor with the current equalization factors being used by the province and request that they be altered to guarantee equal sharing of the costs of shared services. — Council did not concur. 3. The province be requested to give top priority to the reassessment of all real property in Ontario. — Council concurred. Space does not permit complete publication of this report this week. Other recommendations dealing with Municipal reform will be printed next week. the Clinton area. Mrs. Glazier was a member of Ontario Street United Church. Surviving besides her husband iS one daughter, Mrs. James (Thelma) Wilson of Blyth. Two brothers, Gordon of Londesboro, Louis (Buster) of Clinton and three sisters, Mrs, Cecil (Fdith) Cartwright, Mrs, Charles (Pearl) Brumey and Mts. Lloyd (Mae) Pease all of Blvth. Funeral services took place on Thursday, December 24, from the Beattie Funeral Home with the Rev. W.H. Wonfor officiating. Interment was in Clinton cemetery. Pallbearers were W. A. Glazier, Doug Fronton, Charles Brandon, William Holland, Reg. Ball end Doug Kennedy. Flowerbeatera Were Frank Wilson gric Glazier, Arnold Pease, Barrie Brintiley, Dale and Wayne Pickard. 49406004 BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER Members of Huron County Council spent just about a day and a half on "Guidelines For Action,1970" a report prepared by the Special Study CoMmittee of the Association of Counties and Regions of Ontario. The document was an effort to update "A Blueprint for Local Government Re-Organization." Huron County Council was just one of 37 county councils in Ontario invited to make a thorough study of the document and to forward their ideas concerning it to the. study committee for reappraisal before the final drafting of the report is presented at the mid-term meeting of the Association of Counties and Regions of Ontario in April. "We should have our say," noted •the warden, Roy Westcott as the councillors plunged into the study. The following is a clause by clause study of the report, including the study committee's recommendation and Huron County Council's proposals: GENERAL 1. Each political party in Ontario be asked to prepare and distribute, prior to the next provincial election, its platform on municipal government. — Huron County . Council did not concur, 2. The provincial government be asked to include this association in future federal-provincial conferences which deal with matters relevant, to local government. — Charge laid in break-in A PUC truck was involved in the third accident. Thomas O'Connell of Clinton was driving the truck on Victoria Street when it was in collision with a car driven by Agnes Kapstein of Brucefield. Charges are pending. Mailmen begin delivery of $20 millioh of cheques to Ontario farmers this week. The cheques result from the October 6th, 1970,' announcement by the Ontario government of a Farm Tax Reduction Program, designed to reduce the burden of municipal and education taxes on farm property. Each farmer will receive a cheque equal to 25 per cent of his net property taxes. Mrs. Clifford Glazier Woman dies from injuries