HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1972-11-16, Page 44—Clinton News-Record, Thursday, November 10, on
Editorial contrite' t
Back to the drawing board
After what happened Monday and
Tuesday of this week, municipal elec-
tions seem to be an exercise in futility.
After all the chickens had come home
to roost and the last dog was hung, the
tally of the nominations shows that in
most towns, villages, and townships
around Clinton the possibility of an elec-
tion seems to be the exception rather
than the rule,
In fact, in the case of Clinton and
Seaforth, there weren't enough
people who would come forward to fill
the council seats by acclamation!!
In Clinton, there is only a race for the
mayors post and the deputy-reeve‘ seat,
There will be no election of any kind in
Bayfield, Hensall, Auburn, or in the town-
ships of, Stanley, Hullett, Tuckersmith,
Colborne. There will only be election of a
reeve in Goderich Township and
only liquor plebiscites in McKillop.
All the Separate School posts were
filled by acclamation in the area served
by this paper. Only the Huron County
board of education has any chance of
making it possible for the elector to
choose a representative.
Democracy in this part of Huron
County nearly doesn't exist. The people
look like they couldn't care less.
This whole basis of our country and of
its fundamental freedom was founded on
a grass roots municipal government elec-
ted from the people, by the people and
for the people. If the people of this part of
the county pont even care what happens
to their own local political institutions.
then the Ontario Provincial government
isn't going to care either, and they will
smother us with regional government.
Then you'll have to go to Stratford or Lon-
don or Owen Sound to make your voice
heard,
And the chances of a Big Brother like
Regional government listening to you
would be minimal.
Some people blame the crises we are
facing in municipal government on the
new Municipal Elections Act and are cur-
sing the Provincial Government. You
elected them last October.
Others blame the lack of good can-
didates on the apathy of the people and
the reluctance of good people to let their
names stand. Thath a poor excuse.
There will be new nominations for
councillors in Clinton and hence a new
election after the December fourth elec-
tion. With two elections in less than two
weeks we will have a tendency to shun
running and forget about voting.
Please don't. Get out and put your
name in or get one of your friends to run.
Grass roots democracy is a precious
jewel and a thief is waiting to steal it if we
don't guard it all the time.
Guest opinion
Hunters: Beware!
Hunting season is here again and with
it come all the usual problems of this time
of year. Some careless hunter will blow
his foot off, or worse blow a companions
head off, some will likely become lost and
give police some anxious hours and so
on and so forth.
In addition to these difficulties hunters
often bring upon themselves and the
authorities, many careless sportsman can
bring misfortune upon the public at large.
We hasten to note that the majority of
hunters do not fall into the categories of
the above. Most use common .sense and
follow the laws of the land and their own
good reasoning. Little else is needed to
enjoy a safe and satisfying day in the
bush but there are those who make
things rough for all the others.
The most common person brought to
grief by the carelessness of hunters
would be the farmer. We dedicate this
warning to them in the hopes it will save
them some difficulty.
Last week one farmer contacted this
paper complaining that the carcasses of
dead animals had been left on the road-
way outside his gate. It may sound like a
petty problem but on deeper investigation
it has depth. These animals could
possibly be rabid and dogs or other
animals could contact them and sizeable
financial loss result through stock deaths
or quarantine.
This farmer got no satisfaction from his
township reeve regarding the removal of
the animals, but more to the point, some
hunter should have seen to their burial.
Secondly, careless hunters every year
kill farm stock accidentally by stray shots,
Remember before you shoot to be Cer-
tain the line of fire is• clear.
Perhaps the least serious, but most
common, problem farmers face would be
gates left open. Hunters might take more
care if they were the ones dragged out of
bed at three and four in the morning to
round up stock strayed over the better
part of a township.
There is but one answer to these dif-
ficulties. Take more care. Respect the
rights of the property owners over whose
land you hunt, it will make for a much
better hunting season for all concerned.
GODERICH SIGNAL-STAR
A curious mixture of boos and cheers
"Maybe now the government will know what it feels like to be in a minority."
Hidden voices that hurt
a
THE CLINTON NEW ERA Amalgamated THE HURON NEWS.RECORD
Established 1865 1924 Established 1881
Clinton News-Record
A member of the Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association.,
Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association and the Audit Bureau.
of Circulation (ABC)
second class mail
registration number — 0817
'SUBSCRIPTION RATES: (in advance)
tanatiA, $8.00 per year; U.S.A., $9.60
JAMES E. FIT2O8RALD—.8ditoe
J. HOWARb AITKEN — General Manager
Published every Thursday at
the heart of Huron County,
Clinton, Ontario
Population 3,475
THE HOME
OF RADAR
IN CANADA
Now that we've all settled down
after that abortion of an elec-
tion, we can get back to the im-
portant things of life; what's for
dinner; our bursitis; raking the
last of the blasted leaves;
dusting off the curling boots;
and worrying about our kids.
Just before we bury the whole
unpleasant mess, however, may
I promise that I will make no
more election predictions? Oh, I
Was right, I warned that the
Canadian people are among the
most volatile in the world when
it comes to politics. They proved
it.
And I prophesied that the
Tories and NDP would gain,
and that it would be the
Liberals again with a minority
government. But they didn't
have to take me so seriously. I
didn't mean that size of a
minority. From now on, I shall
desist from making forecasts, as
it seems to put the hex on things,
However, I take back none of
what I said, Mr. Trudeau never
did have the common touch, the
politician's instinct, Mn Stan-
field still Sounds as though he'd
got both feet into one leg of his
long-johns. And Mr. Lewis was
never More smarmy than when
the returns were coming in.
Despite my disenchantment,
at the last moment I decided to
vote Liberal, chiefly because of
fear that what did happen might
happen. A ship of state with no
rudder, two wheelsreen fighting
for the wheel, and the winds of'
change blowing up into a
typhoon.
Some riding results Were of
particular interest to me, I was
glad to gee that my old friend,
Ross Whither, with whom
shared a couple of campaigns
when we were mere boys, was
one of the Lucky Liberals to
squeak in.
I was sorry to see another old
friend, Perry Ryan, who
represented Toronto Spadina
for years, get the axe. He made
the political mistake of standing
by his principles, and quit the
Liberals for the Tories when he
couldn't agree with policy. A
pity.
I was also sorry to see Paul
Hellyer elected. He is a
politician whose ego seems
equalled only by his ambition,
The record; Ran for Liberal
leadership. Beaten. Liberal
cabinet minister. Quit. Founded
Action Canada - a flop. Joined
the Conservatives. He may have
great abilities, but I'll never
forgive him for unifying the ar-
med forces.
You see how little our vote
depends on reason. I mentioned
those three to suggest what a
fickle creature the average
Canadian voter is. I'd have
voted for Whither, Liberal, for
old times' sake. For Ryan, Con-
servative, because he's a good
man, And against Hellyer, Con-
servative, because of his many-
coloured coat.
There's an old-fashioned idea
that Canadians are a reserved,
conservative people, because we
live ih a stern and rigourous
climate, and aren't given much
to either dancing or rioting in
the streets,
The idea is completely un-
founded. True, we don't do
much of anything in the streets
for six months a year, except
scuttle along, cursing, noses
dripping.
But behind those steady, grey
facades that others see live the
real Canadians; pulsing,
passionate; not grey but purple.
In fact, some times that purple
peeps through, usually in those
same noses,
Perhaps the most obvious
example to illustrate the wild,
emotional, inner Canadian is
the Canada-Russia hockey
series of recent fame.
When our team was getting
clobbered, most of us went
around in a surly, cynical,
almost vicious mood, snarling at
wives and children, scoffing at
our players, denigrating that
vast, philanthropic institution,
the NHL, You see, we were suf-
fering. Our pride was hurt in the
way that the pride of no mere
Latin could be hurt.
But when our team began to
win, we showed our true selves,
exuberant, friendly, joyous, ac-
tually cheering out loud,
throwing our arms around com-
plete strangers.
Oh, it did the heart good, I
can tell you, to see the Canadian
character as it really is. None of
this "good losers" nonsense of
other northern races. Our hearts
were in every cross.check, And
every one of us was there, at
least in spirit, as our boys, at the
winning goal kissed each other
and hugged each other and slob-
bered over each other.
Show me another nation that,
can boo its "boys" in defeat and
cheer theta in victory, as we did,
and I'll show you another
nation with real heart,
Anti that's what, we'k like in
elections. All heart, No brains.
Give us a brilliant, colourful
prime minister and we cheer
him to the rafters. As long as
he's winning. We're a funny lot,
Columnists, too, must obey
rigidly the newspaperman's car-
dinal rule of never breaking a
confidence.
I wouldn't even attempt this
piece today, which will be full of
disguise and camouflage to
protect the central figure, had I
not seen an advertisement for a
device called "The Snooper"
and realized my duty to recon-
struct Mr. X's story as a public
service.
The advertisement has ap-
peared in Esquire and other
glossy periodicals. It is among
suggestions for Christmas gifts
"for ,the man who has
everything."
The Snooper, to get right to
- the point, is an electronic device
!"guaranteed ,to amplify conver-,
cations 500 feet away." ft was"
developed, apparently, in war-
time for short-range spying. It
weighs a mere four pounds, yet
beamed at a voice well beyond
normal hearing range will
register it loud and clear. The
advertisements for it are
headed, "Have Fun!"
It was precisely that, the idea
of having fun, that induced Mr.
X to make the experiment he'll
regret to his dying day, a whim
that, in his case, caused a man
TEN YEARS AGO
NOVEMBER 15, 1962
About 20 tons of shelled corn
was shovelled into the rain-
filled culvert on Highway 4, bet-
ween Brucefield and Clinton on
Saturday to allow half of a
broken trailer-truck which had
been carrying it, to be winched
from the watery resting place.
The driver evidently missed
the detour and drove his load
into the ditch.
Fifteen high school principals
from Nova Scotia were given a
conducted tour of RCAF Station
Clinton on November 7. While
at Clinton they visited Radar
and Communications School,
Training Standards Detachment
and School of Instructional
Technique.
For the third time, the James
T. Craig and Son sawmill and
lumber company was awarded
the Certificate of Merit for
operating during 1961 with no
accidents.
15 YEARS AGO
NOVEMBER 14, 1957
Lawrie Slade, a partner in the
firm of Remington Brothers who
operate IGA food stores in Kin-
cardine, Chesley And Wingham,
will move to Clinton at the end
of the year to assume the
management of a fourth store
now being erected here.
Mr. and Mrs. Slade and their
children have resided in
Wingham since the Remington
firm purchased the former
Smith Grocery there about two
years age.
,J.A. "Bert" Gray, principal of
Clinton Public School received
his Bachelor of Arts degree at
convocation at University of
Western Ontario last month,
Mr. Gray has been principal of
the local 1.1-room School since
September of 1956 and prior to
that time, was principal of Blyth
Public School.
25 YEARS AGO
NOVEMBER 13, 1947
Bayfield has purchased a fire
pumper and trailer from the
town of Goderich for $1,000.
Murray Roy, Londesboro, will
represent Huron County Junior
Farmers at the National 4-H
Club Congress in Chicago this
month.
Group Captain B.A.
McGowan laid the wreath at the
cenotaph for RCAF Station
Clinton. Clinton Citizens' Band
under the baton of A.C. Robin-
son, assisted with the music.
Eph Snell will be judging
sheep, but not showing, at the
Royal this year. William J. Dale
is taking his heavy draught
team, and a two-year-old, as
well as a stallion of his father-
in-law's to show at the big fair.
40 YEARS AGO
NOVEMBER 17, 1932
Monday was a lovely autumn
day, fine enough for outdoor
sports and the Horseshore Club
was busy again after a few days
halt, This latter sport was in-
dulged in by its enthusiasts
every month last year.
At the memorial service, each
of the school children carried a
poppy, and as they marched
past the Cenotaph, pinned it to a
pillow placed there for the pur-
pose.
Some unseemly confusion in
Toronto over whether or not to
have a holiday on Rettietn-
branee Day was gently chided
and the editor remarked, The
veterans are not going to let the
day turn IOW "Just another
holiday" and public Opinion is
going to be toe strong for the op-
posing forces, They might just As
well surrender gracefully first as
had all gone. The tape had spun
its course. Mr. X poured himself
a tall drink and, chuckling and
grinning, sat down to listen.
The minutes that followed
must have been crushing.
Through the sounds of clinking
glasses and the mumble of party
talk came the voices of his
guests, dissecting him by conver-
sational surgery.
It came to him that he had
been no more than 60 seconds
from the room before they set-
tled like vultures, on the
weaknesses of his character. He
heard his fiancee laughingly
deriding the forceful opinions
that, he'd thought, she wholly
admired. He heard his closest
friend recounting and relishing
an.episode in which he, Mr. X
had looked foolish. •
Mr. X sat there, stunned,
pouring liquor into himself to
fill the emptiness where his self-
esteem had been, and some of
the light of the world went out.
As we talked that rainy day in
the cabin of his small cruiser,
many months after the event,
Mr. X said many reflective
things that clearly indicated he
had tried his best to heal the
wound of that experience. It was
as if he'd put a Band-Aid over a
wait and do it ungracefully
later;
55 YEARS AGO
NOVEMBER 15, 1917
An order in council from Ot-
tawa prohibits the export of
sugar to British possessions
without a license. This will end
the sending of small parcels of
sugar by Clinton residents to
their relatives in the old land.
This practice had reached con-
siderable proportions.
The Rev. E.O. Fordo, new
Baptist minister, took his first
sermon on Sunday morning.
Gordon Curiinghame has the
distinction of being the first
buyer in Clinton of the Victory
War Bond,
Brown's Fire Sale continued,
and with the additional offer
that with every purchase of $25
or more, the customer was to
receive a choice of either a
mahogany or walnut bench,
free.
75 YEARS AGO
NOVEMBER 12, 1897
A few days since, G. Mill of
shotgun blast in the head.
He had come to realize, he
said, that all groups tend to be
maliciously' critical of absent
friends and that he, himself, had
caught himself in precisely this
situation. I remember him
saying, "It's really just a way of
fortifying your own ego by
deflating others, isn't it?
Everyone does it."
He had rationalized it in
many melancholy ways yet it
was obvious that he had been
hurt, that he'd become cautious
and suspicious of the loyalty of
every acquaintance and, con-
sequently, more withdrawn.
I found myself wondering if
each of us might not be a less
trusting wayfarer, lonelier in
society,-if we knew what others
really thought or said of us.
All of this, told under an oath
of secrecy, came back to me
when I read of The Snooper. I
felt I had to write something as
a warning to anyone tempted to
invest in The Big Ear.
In a sense, I feel as strongly
about it as Mr. X. I was one of
the guests he left behind that
fateful Boxing Day afternoon.
To this day I don't know what I
said.
the base line, sold a horse for
export, receiving, it is said, a
price that reminds one of the
boom days in horseflesh. A.
Wise, Goderich township, sold
one at $136, and E. Wise, one at
$126. For about 10 years the
Rattenbury bus has been pulled
by a bay team, one of which is
about 30 years old; its legs have
given out, and its place is being
taken by a black horse.
We have had delightful
weather almost every day
during the past week, yet it has
been changeable, Saturday was
like a summer day and doors
were left open, everyone
remarking on the mildness of
the weather. Tuesday, quite a
heavy snowstorm was experien-
ced.
During last week, a number of
Goderich and Colborne farmers,
who usually trade elsewhere,
sold their grain in Clinton
Market, and expressed their in-
tention of coming here in future.
One reason for doing so was the
difference in the market
quotations, Goderich papers
quoted wheat at 80c, while it
was quoted here at 82, and as
high as 83 was actually paid.
Dear Editor;
Please allow me to cemmen
on the title of the Rernembranc.
Day notice "Freedorn,Man
made not God-given", I woul
like to rephrase it "Freedo
God-given through Man's Ser
vice". Through the sacrifice o
many brave soldiers, Go
worked His plan of freedom fo
war-torn countries and for ours.
In an active way we ma
show Him our thankfulness b
honoring and remembering th
dead; by easing the burdens an
sorrows of the veterans an
relatives; and by living a life
service to God who truly make
us free.
Sincerely yours
M. Van W
R.R. 3, Clinto
Bigotry
Dear Editor:
With the local elections pen-
ding, it is appropriate to con-
sider the record of the Huron
School Board.
Our present board has had
very little influence on
educational policies, since their
main concern appears to be
directed to the ,build-up of a
bureaucracy to relieve them of
the necessity for making
decisions. Occasionally they do
step into administrative matters,
and the recent example of rejec-
ting the request of the Christian
School Board for assistance in
student transportation is a case
in point,
One is appalled by the lack of
co-ordination in , the busing of
our children. The object of the
formation of the larger school
district was to promote economy
and efficiency, the same shib-
boleths used to support the
larger assessment units. Neither
objective has been met, yet this
same slogan has again been
dusted off to apply to the
abolition of our local govern-
ments for the benefit of a remote
regional bureaucracy.
How can efficiency be fur-
thered when we still have com-
peting bus lines collecting on the
same roads? Where is the
economy?
The vice-chairman of the
board, John Broadfoot, not only
says he is not interested in this
matter, but that it will cost the
taxpayer more money. Surely he
knows that the supporters of the
Christian school system pay all
their costs, and relieve the rest
of us of the very considerable in-
crease we would have to find in
local and general taxes should
they disband.
One can only assume that this
is an extreme example of
bigotry, that does not reflect the
attitudes of our citizens. Is the
board so confident that our state
system is so good that all must
conform - or else?
The decision Of providing
transportation support for the
Christian schools must only be
made on the grounds of common
sense, as well as the worthy
causes of saving money for our
taxpayers, and of providing an
alternative system of education.
Morgan Smith
Bayfield.
Opinions
In order that.
News—Record readers might
express their opinions on any
topic of public interest,
Letters To The Editor are
always welcome for
publication.
But the writers of such
letters, as well as all readers,
ar e reminded that the
opinions expressed in letters
published are not necessarily
the opinions held by The
News—Recottl.
we get
letters
Remembrance
who thought he had everything
to feel that he really had
nothing.
Given a rainy day, a slight ex-
cess of the grape and a lull in
the fishing, the snug cabin of a
small cruiser is calculated to
make the strongest men babble
their innermost secrets. These
were the circumstances under
which Mr. X told me of his ex-
perience.
All that I can safely tell you
about him is that he's a
bachelor, affluent, a highly suc-
. cessful professional man. His
personality is outgoing, amiable,
engagingly opinionated, inclined
to be somewhat too hearty, but,
all in all, a pleasant companion
,.and a decent citizen.
a/1: . Two years :ago „Mr, X was
,1 given an expensive tape recorder
as a Christmas gift. On Boxing
Day, entertaining a group of 10
or 12 in his apartment, he was
called away for what I'll call
business rkasons. On a impulse,
without telling anyone, he swit-
ched on the recorder and left it
running. It would be a million
laughs, he thought, to play it
back to the assembled guests on
his return.
Unfortunately his return was
delayed for hours. The friends