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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1973-02-22, Page 4we get letters Dear Editor: Mr. Hill's excellent lette points out the need for a fun to find a more humane trap, believe in my previous letter mentioned that C.A.H.T (Canadian Association fo Humane Trapping) has alread just such a fund. The Canibear trap invente by Frank Canibear, while great improvement, is far fro perfect and so research must g on to find something better. All contributions to "C,A.H.T." are gratefully received, however small. The address is : "C.A.H.T." Box 934 Station F, Toronto 5, Ontario. But don't let us decry the im- portance of letters. One letter has little impact on an indif- ferent government but multiplied by 100 or a thousand, the results can be astonishing. Write and keep on writing. So far, only indifference has been shown by our various governments. Every member of parliament, Provincial and Federal, should be made to watch the film "They take so long to die". An aroused public can do much-Let us get busy and be one. Sincerely Mrs. E.D. Fingland Clinton 004' 1-1/MosToti "We can finally keep up with the Joneses — he was laid off today!" Rewrite our gun laws The recent shooting deaths of Toronto policemen is a dramatic example of why this country must re-write its laws on handguns. In the city of Toronto alone, there are 80,000 registered handguns and an unknown number of unregistered ones. (A member of the provincial gover- nment of Ontario estimates there are 120,000.) In Canada the figure is estimated to be 660,000. Such an ar- moury in the hands of any persons who wish to purchase guns can be nothing but a serious threat to the safety of thousands of people. The Canadian Bar Association is to be commended for: its stand last fallon7hati- dguns. They asked that the Criminal Code be amended to limit the possession of handguns to police, specified public officials (e.g. the cap- tarn of an airliner while in flight), and certain persons such as Brink's officers. They would allow no unregistered firearms and would require that before a firearm can be registered, a person ob- tain a certificate of competence in its Care and use. This would apply also 'to shotguns and sporting rifles, thus lessening the incidence of hunting ac- cidents. Canada's gun laws, as they stand, are far stricter than those in the U.S., and they .have helped save us from the violence experienced in that country's ciffertaMerl-re'Strictions such as those suggested by the Canadian Bar Association are a sound step toward greater protection of society and of the gun owner himself. THE CLINTON NEW ERA Amalgamated THE HURON NEWS-RECORD Established 1865 1924 Established 1881 Clinton _N ews-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) Canada, $8.00 per year; U.S.A., $9,50 JAMES E. FITZGERALD—Editor J. HOWARD AITKEN — General Manager Published every Thursday at the heart of Huron County' Clinton, Ontario Population 3,475 THE, HOME OF RADAR IN CANADA 4—CLINTON NEWS-RECORD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1973 Editorial commen t Let's do it again Clinton's Fifth Annual Winter Carnival is over for another year and before the dust settles after nine fun-filled hectic days and we all resume our normal Eves, lets start to plan now for next year's Car- nival. This one was the best ever, accor- ding to all reports. The enthusiasm of the organizers and participants of the 1973 version was so overwhelming that any future event can't help but be a success if everyone gets behind it and helps. From the opening Torch Light parade on Friday night to the grand finale dan- ces last Saturday night, the whole Car- nival was a success. Credit for the success of the nine.day event has to first of all go to the Carnival committee themselves who did a com- mendable job of setting up the different events, making sure everyone played their part and informing the public what and .where they were being held. A big round of applause has to go also to the many organizations who put their whole club or group behind the Winter Carnival Committee and made it the big event that it was. Special mention has to go to the Kinsmen, the Lions, the Women's Institute, the Legion, the Snowmobile Club, the Figure Skating Club, and the staff of the Clinton Com- munity Centre. Many others too numerous to mention also threw in their help. This paper would like to send a special thanks to Chairman Bill Crawford, co-chairman Mary Divok and Recreation Director Mike Stephens. Without their kind assistance, our job of covering the event would have been im- possible, Financially, early estimates place this year's profit at upwards of $1,500, one of the biggest year s ever. The money will be plowed back into recreational ac- tivities in Clinton. The decision of what projects to back will be left up to the various organizations who participated in the Carnival. And last but not least, by any means, a big thanks to the weatherman who kept us on the edges of our seats until the last minute and then provided us with 10 inches of snow and perfect, crisp, clear weather. There must have been a lot of prayers said in Clinton the week before the Carnival. Next year's Carnival chairman, Mary Divok, will have a tough act to follow, but we know Clinton will be behind her 100 per cent. Bill tells it like it We all have to stand up and be counted sometime, even though we manage to duck out of it until the last trumpet sounds. People who express their honest opinions are not always popular, but I never aimed for that, so here goes. My opinions on some of the burning issues of the day. Open winters. I'm in favour of them. We've had a beauty this winter, with only a few cold snaps, only a few feet of snow, a peachy January thaw, and lots of sun. I'd like to say my heart goes out to the skiers and snowmobilers, but it would be a lie. I don't care if their snowmobiles sit in the back yard and rust, or if their skis warp into pretzels. I have nor- mally moved about twelve feet of snow from one place to another by this time of winter. This year I've moved only about three feet, and I'll settle for that. Men's clothing. Modern' trends nauseate me, There's nothing in the stores but yellow and purple shirts, hideous ties that would go with nothing ex- cept a wino's eyes , and checkered pants with a flared bottom. What ever happened to the white shirt, the modest single- shade tie, and the well-cut gray flannels? Most of all' I hate those great fat ties. They're about four inches wide and made of stuff as thick as a greatcoat. Trying to tie one in an elegant knot is about as easy as trying to lace your shoes with half- inch rope. Nieces and nephews. I'm all for them. We had some of ours for the weekend and it was a delight to see their minds and talents developing. Jennie and Sue played a ripping flute duet, is as well as their piano pieces. Little Steven spent the weekend chasing our cat, who was just as anxious to avoid his caresses as he was to give them. Finally, in perplexity, he said, "Hey, Uncle Bill, do you know what kind of cat this is?" I muttered something vague. "She's a scaredy-cat" he stated triumphantly. Toilets and tires. It never fails, but they do, nearly always when you're expecting guests and need both. Saturday mor- ning, armed with huge shop- ping list, went out and found a flat tire. The garageman raised his eyes when he had to clam- ber over two loaded golf carts to get at my spare, in February. Sunday morning, with seven people on deck, the toilet blocked. No plumbers available. Now that we've dealt with major issues, let's take a look at the minor ones. A great deal of ink and hot air is being squandered these days on two of them: the Montreal Olym- pics and capital punishment. I'm against them both. First, the Olympics. Isn't it rather significant that the last two Olympics have been held in the countries with the most booming economies in the world, Japan and Germany? Maybe they could afford them. Canada, in my opinion, cannot. Our population is too small, and our national debt too big, to take on an international ex- travaganza noted chiefly for its bickering and back-biting. Not to mention murder in Mexico and Munich. Who needs the Olympics, anyway? It's a great spectacle, but so were the Roman games, with their chariot races, throwing lions to the Christians, and such thrilling vents. Canada needs the Olympics about as much as it needs another set of Rockies, And they'd cost about the same, and be of as much use. The chief difference is that the Rockies remain, and we can look at them. The Olympics will be here today, gone tomorrow, with nothing to show for it but a big, fat bill. We had our day, with Expo. We showed the world that we could put on a really big show. And we're still paying interest on the money Mayor Drapeau diddled out of the federal government for that one. You don't see Britain or France or even the U.S. cram- bling to get the summer games. They can't afford 'em. Nor can we. Prime Minister Trudeau has said that Montreal will not get more than a token support from the Federal government. That is so much you-know- what. There are ways and means and the wily M. Drapeau knows all of them, and some that haven't been thunk up yet. And the whole concept of amateurism is an international laugh, what with totalitarian countries employing their best athletes in the armed forces, where they can train all year round. It's probably too late to stop the juggernaut, but it's not too late to throw some sand in the wheels, If the citizens of greater Montreal were told that they, personally, had to foot the bills for the games, M. Drapeau would probably wind up at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River, with all the other sewage dumped in it. Oh, yep. I'm against capital punishment, too, but I've run out of space. Maybe next week. Give and take If you've wondered about your Uncle Jack's brightness of eye and lightness of spirit in the past few days put it down to the visit in these parts of Mr. Charles Lynch, Ottawa correspondent, television per- sonality and one of nature's noblemen. Our notes today will concern the subject of the joys and hazards of argument. I mention Charlie here at the outset because he's ,well high heaven- sent for anyone who adores the pleasures of that dying art. I hold to the theory, you see, that argument is one of the casualties of the climate of con- formity. Orde"ly discussion, tidy. debate we still have. But argument, which the dictionary defines as "to offer reasons to support or overthrow a proposition, opinion or measure," is at best a flaccid imitation of what it was when every issue was considered to have two sides and the result was spectacularly vocal. It does appear these days that the status quo has become so damnably status and so 10 YEARS AGO FEB. 22, 1963 Over 350 enthusiastic Liberals braved treacherous driving conditions Wednesday and selected Gordon McGavin, a Walton implement dealer as their choice to contest the Huron riding in the April 5 federal election. Three Clinton ladies will participate in the district entry in The Eastern Canada finals of the Ontario Bowling Proprietors' Association in Islington in the near future. Mrs. Doug (Phyllis) Mclsaac who topped the district ladies, will compete in the singles division while Mrs. Joe (Betty) Daer and Miss Kay Shar:p will be members of the mixed entry. Placing four men on the ten- man team which will represent this Western Ontario zone in Eastern Canada finals of the Bowling Proprietors' Association, is a record in it- self. Twenty-two zones will bowl off at Islington on March 16 and 17. The Clinton bowlers are Joe Daer, who finished fifth and will bowl on the zone men's team; Dave Reid, who finished in top spot will represent the zone in the singles final, Eugene Garrow, finished tenth and will bowl with the zone mixed team, and Ron Burbridge last year's singles champion, who finished seventh this year will bowl on the zone men's team. 15 YEARS AGO FEB. 20, 1958 The Clinton Legion Memorial Hall is proving its worth to the town and com- munity. Although this week is an exceptionally busy one, there is something doing at'the hall practically every evening, On Monday after school the completely quo that to voice a ,minority opinion, in public or in private, is both frustrating and pointless. Controversy has come to seem almost disreputable. The dissenter may have the feeling of being silenced under 40 million marshmallows. His voice rises shrilly, defiantly, but down come the muffling marshmallows in the form of soft answers, patient and patronizing courtesy and, worst of all, the sticky curtain of boredom. We see this, in a national way, in the minority govern- ment of Pierre Trudeau and the careful maneuvering of the NDf, once the liveliest of arguers, now filled with an un- seemly caution. The opposition opinion, while spoken, seldom sets fire to the old-fashioned skyrockets of argument. The flare of tempers rarely illuminates the house on the hill. It is happening, too, on the purely social level and a man who thinks of argument as a form of sport or entertainment or intellectual exercise seems Legion sponsored Brownies met and early in the evening the Girl Guides held their weekly meeting. Later Monday evening the 16-member Legion executive held their monthly meeting. Another pack of Brownies met Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday evening the Legion sponsored Bannockburn Pipe Band held regular practice — and so it goes. Fierce winds throughout Sunday and Monday and again on Tuesday afternoon and evening coupled with several inches of snowfall, brought about ground drifting in near- gale proportions, with the result that traffic was paralized throughout the area, , Western Ontario and many parts of the United States. 25 YEARS AGO FEB. 19, 1948 Hon. Brooke Claxton, Minister of National Defense paid an official visit to the RCAF Radar and Com- munications School, Clinton. Four families were rendered temporarily homeless when fire damaged the married quarters building at the RCAF Station. The famous Huron by- election of 1948 has passed into history, In Monday's heavy polling, much greater than expected because of the winter weather Thomas Pryde, Exeter business man, Progressive Con- servative, defeated Benson W. Tuckey, Liberal, also an Exeter business man, by a majority of 682, 40 YEARS AGO FEB. 23, 1933 Things got a bit rough after the hockey game last night. The fault was more with the fans, doomed to run out of players. Oh, you can have some har- mless fun with any mildly quarrelsome opinion on whether Canadian professional hockey is doomed or whether Marlon Brando's newest flick should he banned as por- nography or whether Nixon isn't the worst president in history. But sally forth with an earth- shaking pronouncement on any meaningful aspect of our life and times, even if it is only to provoke a few fast rounds of therapeutic bickering, and you might as well seek opposition from a pail of clams. The people who really like to argue, who 'fancy themSelv*es as rebels or heretics, are fated to seek expression among their own kind and, finding an at- mosphere of agreement to their most racical views, lapse into sullen and bitter silence. What these poor souls need is a portable Charles Lynch, the arguer's home companion, defender of the faith, supporter of traditions and order, magnificently prepared and equipped to take on all corners. perhaps, than the players, but it is a pity people cannot remember that hockey is one game and prize fighting another. They do not mix well. 55 YEARS AGO FEB 21, 1918 Mrs. Frank Dickson and son Clayton returned on Monday from a month's visit to Toronto In view of the activities of the military and Dominion police in rounding up defaulters, it would appear ad- visable for young men who ap- pear to be of military age to arm themselves with birth cer- tificates, in case they do not come within the age limits of the classes that have been called. 75 YEARS AGO FEB. 18, 1898 The announcement that Premier Hardy would be present at Clinton on Monday to address the electors on the questions upon which they are now asked to pronounce, aroused the greatest interest Charlie and I disagree on practically everything from bir- thcontrol to life in the hereaf- ter. We disagree on the British monarchy, on religion, politics, women's liberation and almost anything else you care to name. The fact that most of his opinions are held by the majority and that my own are uniformly scorned, some, in- deed, being my very own, is not really significant. What delights me about Charlie as an arguer is that he never bolsters his beliefs by the argument that they are accep- ted and therefore invulnerable. He has reached them by the painful process of examination. He keeps-his,,convictions under scrutiny, subject to change, and for that reason he is always eager to test them by argument and this, as I say, is all too rare. • I must add, of course, that he hangs grimly to all his wrong ideas in the face of my clear and shining truths, but that only serves to make him the worthy opponent that every natural born arguer needs and deserves. among Reformers and Conser- vatives alike. The Clinton Brass Band was at the station to welcome the •Premier upon his arrival. The meeting was held in the Town Hall, a spacious building, which was packed to the doors and even down the stairs, with an audience which from the first was demonstrative in its en- thusiasm. An accident occurred at Fair's mill yesterday morning, which, though of a serious nature, was remarkable in the fact that no serious results at- tended it. The governor belt of the saw mill engine ran off, allowing the engine to run wild for a minute or two. Wat Marlow, with commen- dable nerve went down and checked the engine, and just at the same moment, the large fly wheel burst, scattering in every direction, One large piece weighing a possible hundred pounds or more, passed up the opening where the saw works, out through the roof, and lan- ded over behind Miller's shop, on the opposite side of the street Dear Editor: Rev. Gene Miller pointed out in his "Empty Pew" of last week's Clinton what religious leaders for centuries have been teaching, as follows: 'Hell is the place and state of punishment for the wicked. God prepared 'this place before the creation of man, of suf- ficient capacity to accom- modate all "sinners". That all who have died as "sinners" are there. That the fires of hell are fed constantly with brimstone, and burn without ceasing. That in those flames the wicked are suffering conscious punishment; that their punish- ment is torment, eternal in duration, and that there is no hope for those who are there ever to get out.' Those same "religious leaders" have earnestly conten- ded that the Bible supports their conclusions. In fact, on March 10, 1903, Dr. E. L. Eaton, minister of the North Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, a member of the Pitt- sburgh ministerial alliance, made as their representative a formal offer to debate the sub- ject of "Hell" along with five other propositions, with C. T. Russell. The debates were held at Carnegie Rail before packed- out audiences. It was reported in the Pittsburgh, Nov. 2, 1903, that one of the attending clergymen came up to Mr. Russell, saying: "I am glad to see you turn the hose on "hell" and put out the fire." Jehovah (whose name occurs, according to the "tree of knowledge" appearing just below the "Empty Pew" ar- ticle, 6,855 times in the Bible) is a God of LOVE, and he has provided for the blessing of all obedient mankind by means of his kingdom under the ruler- ship of the glorified Christ, during which He will "judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed, and He has furnished a guarantee to all men in that He has resurrected him from the dead." (Acts 17:31) And this clearly disassociates "the traditional concept of God's "judgment" and the "Biblical judgment." The "Good News" that was to be preached down through the centuries since the day of Jesus was to be "ABOUT" the Kingom. However, at the 24th. (continued on page 5)