Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1967-11-30, Page 1Clinton News-Record THE NEW ERA 102nd Year No. 48 THE CLINTON NEWS-RECORD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1967 THE HURON RECORD 86th Year SINGLE COPIES 12c1Q2nd Year No. 48 Reeve dismisses criticscolumn BY G.C, Bounctestball pf,thjs year’s municipal election is the indust­ rial expansion issue. Was the town’s industrial committee planning to take advantage of the Ontario government’s as* instance Bragrpjn for slow- growth areas before the nomlm ation meeting? Reeve Duff Thompson, chairman of the committee, says yes. His critics, council candidates Cameron Proctor, Clarence Denomme and Ted McCullough, who hammered the subject at the nomination meeting, say no. Here are the facts: Jack Delaney, head of the municipal section, Ontario De­ partment of Economics and Dev-, elopment, interviewed in Tor­ onto by telephone, said his office sent an industrial survey form to,Clinton in October. It was completed and returned prompt­ ly. With the questionnaire, Mr. Delaney’s office had sent a letter stattag that Clinton could ask the Ontario Development Corporation for an application form to be designated as a slow- growth area. An application form was re­ quested about six weeks ago, according to ReginaldRibbons, of the Ontario Development Cor­ poration. But the form was not returned until after the nomin­ ation meeting. ¥ ¥ ¥ The Ladies Conservation Club of Clinton has donated $176 to the Centennial Arena, full purchase price of a new hot dog machine. * * * Arena manager Doug An­ drews expects the new machine to be able to cope with young appetites whetted by sports. Mr, Andrews adds that since the arena was opened in June, the concession has sold more than 2,000 pieces of bubble gum. We know where the hot dogs go- - but what happens to all that bubble gum? , • ■ ¥ ¥ ¥ Instead of the usual served luncheon, UnitedChurchWomen of Wesiey-Willis Church are off- ering a smorgasbord buffet, Thursday* November 30, be-'1 tween 11:30 _a.m. and l.p.m. Tickets.“obtainable at.the door, are $1.25. ¥ ¥ ¥ This year, Canadians cele­ brating the centennial. of Con­ federation have probably for- gotten that 1967 marks another anniversary- • hardly one to be celebrated—in the golden aik Diver sary of the federal income tax. When Sir Thomas White, then minister of finance, introduced his Income Tax Bill in 1917, he assured Canadians that it was a temporary measure and would be abolished at war’s end. In 1917 the income tax on corporations was 4 per cent; it is now more than 12 times that. A married man without family earning $6,000 a year was required to pay . $120 in­ come tax; he would now pay roughly $600. For a temporary tax, it has done pretty well for itself. in of * * * Women take heart! Men middle years (45-64) die heart attacks three times more often than women in the same age group, according to the Ontario Heart Foundation. At age 50, men are five times more likely than women of the same age to suffer a heart attack. "HARVEY"REMAINS INVISIBLE By Kenneth C. Bolton It takes a well-disciplined cast, strong in stage technique, to mount a memorable produc- tlon of Mary Ellen Chase’s comedy hit, “Harvey.”' Unfortunately, the Pegasus Players of CFB Clinton were not quite up to the challenge, although their efforts at the Pegasus Theatre last week-end caught the fahey of two full­ house audiences who braved heavy snow and blistering wind to attend. “ ' Sei in a city in the Fat West, the play Centres abound the eccentricities of a middle- aged bachelor, Elwood P. Dowd, and his pooka friend, Harvey, a six-foot Invisible rabbit. Success Of thjs deceptively difficult play, Which has be­ come a classic of theAjnericih Stage, hinges on the ability of the aOtor playing Dowdto create a credible Harvey. John Bhttye tackled the role vvith ho small degree of fiheSse^ .drawing enthusiastic Reaction from the audience cast members, Battye’s biggest and follow T fault Was WOl “Tom” Eadie, Base Warrant Officer, is shown shooting the first arrow to officially open the CFB Clinton Archery Club. The club, organized to provide year-round facilities in conjunction with the field range of the Clinton Bowmen Archery Club, is open to all personnel and dependents at the base. Associate membership is also available to civilians in the local area. Nominations promise hot election In what promises to be a lively municipal election, Clin­ ton will see two.way battles for the mayor’s chair and reeve, ship, three candidates fighting to become deputy reeve, and several newcomers scrambling for council seats. By contrast, all public uti­ lities commissioners and school trustees whose terms expire this year will be re­ elected by acclamation. Those nominated and quali­ fied were: Mayor: Don Symons, George Wonch. Reeve: Duff Thompson, James Armstrong. Deputy Reeve: John McFar­ lane, Gordon Lawson. Council; (six to be elected) Cameron Proctor, Norman Livermore, Wasley Holland, Frank Cook, Clarence Denom- me, Harold Lobb, Ted McCul­ lough.; Public1 Utilities (by acclama- ■7tW):Hgr»tley, JohnT. Wise, Antoine Garon, Charles Brown. Public School Board (by ac­ clamation); Robert N. Irwin, Laurie Slade, Ken S. Wood, Eric Switzer, Eugene McAdam,, Harold Wettlaufer. During his nomination speech, Mayor Donald Symons welcomed newcomers to the municipal race. He said: “Those who learn to serve, learn to live.” Listing council accomplish­ ments during his three years in office, Mayor Symons men­ tioned the centennial arena, a drop-in club for senior citizens at the library, parking meters, a new lighting system, and high­ ways into town. But he said that Clinton, although the hub of a prosperous agricultural county, was not attracting new industry. “We need more planning,” Mayor Symons said. “We are expanding, but we’re experienc­ ing growing pains.” During the next two years, he added, council should plan a drainage system. It should build new sidewalks, install stoplights, and complete un­ finished streets in order of priority starting at the south end of town. “It is difficult to run a town on a small budget, knowing that there are so many things that overuse of facial gestures.,What he had was good • visually, he was excellent for the part — but Directress Susan E. Carmi­ chael should have puttlie brakes on him when he started to over­ work a good thing. Admittedly, mine is an ex­ pert’s medium, but the credi. bility gap between Dowd’s com­ prehension of the pooka and our own was too wide in this production. Elihore Guthrie was effec­ tive as Elwood’s put-Upon sister, Veta Louise Simmons, who Is mistakenly admitted to the rest home, Chumley’s Rest, to which she brings Elwood to be Committed. As her daughter, Trudy Kihg- Well Seemed a little unsure of her interpretation of the socially-minded Myrtle Mae, who suffers acute embarrass­ ment over her uncle’s peculiar behaviour. At times, she was demure arid sweet* and at other times she was tomboyish and ’ obstreperous, although she crated a few very good comedic moments. Strangely, one Of the best bits of acting was a vignette by Louise oakesf as Mrsf isthel need tobe done,”MayorSymons said. “But those who started things for us 100 years ago showed foresight. I hope that ■ 100 years from now, people can say the same of us.” Deputy Reeve George Wonch, challenging for the mayor’s chair, called for a two-year program ’ of tree removal, stump-cutting and road build­ ing. Criticizing the present coun­ cil, Mr. Wonch saidfuture mem. bers, in striking their commit­ tees, must choose their com- ' mittee chairmen more care­ fully. “When I took over the public works (roads) committee in August,” he charge, “it was headed for debt and disaster.” Mr. Wonch also proposed a “house-cleaning in the bylaws department.” VWe need new bylaws, and we? need to put teeth in the old one,” he said. “Among others, w'e should have bylaws covering ' parking, particularly overnight, school crossings, snow removal, and garbage and debris burning.” And the industrial planning department, Mr. Wonch said, needed a “good going over.” “All we get are glub-glub reports and no planning,” he charged. In conclusion, Mr. Wonch said decisions' should be made by council, not singly by the mayor, or the town clerk. “The town should be run by council, and not by one man,” he declared. Duff Thompson, incumbent reeve, pointed out that he not only represented ratepayers on town council, but also worked for them at the county level. “I totalled the days I worked this year for the town of Clin­ ton and the county of Huron,” Reeve Thompson said. “I’m ashamed to say I only worked for 60 days. But then, I had to run a business, too.” Growing influence of the county in the affairs of the town was stressed by the reeve when he pointed out that Clinton rate* payers already had county as­ sessment, ambulance service, planning department, board of education, and library system. If elected, Reeve Thompson Chauvenet. This is little more than a cameo part, but the act* ress played a very convincing wealthy aunt. Plaudits for the be st-sus­ tained acting in a major part must surely go to Mary Lee James, who was a charming and believableRuthKelly, nurse at Chumley’s Rest, who manages to win Elwood’s ad­ miration, even though she can’t seem to attract young Dr, Lyman Sanderson, the crisply efficient assistant at the rest home, Despite a certain Wooden- heSs, Al Camerofi managed to be faitly convincing in this latter role, although any subtlety of Characterization went by the boards. Ron Bezant Was a real’crowd­ pleaser as the loyal, ox-like attendant DUah Wilson. His en­ thusiasm more than made up for his lack of stage experi­ ence, and he emerged a very rough-cut diamond on the whole. Alan ’ Goodfellow* another, newcomer to the footlights, ishows a lot of promise, al­ though hC tended to monotone hiS dialogue* With experience and good direction, Goodfellow (continued on page jf) fight promised, he would make his decisions with the welfare of all taxpayers in mind, and work for efficient spending of their money. Councillor James Arm. , strong, attempting to move up to the reeveship, declined to make a speech. “I made promises before I was elected three years ago and found that I couldn’t keep them,” Mr. Armstrong said. “It was impossible to keep them. I can only say that I will do my best.” Councillor John McFarlane, setting his sights on the deputy reeveship, called for “organ­ ized progress”, particularly with respect to drainage and sidewalks. “We must get the water off the streets,” Mr. McFarlane maintained. “We now have the equipment to do it, and the equipment should be used. And we need a program of repair and. replacement of sidewalks. In 10 years such a program could cover the town.” Councillor Gordon Lawson; also trying for deputy reeve, noted his record of service to the community with regard to street lighting, the fire depart­ ment, the centennial arena, and the senior citizens’ club. “I’ve learned a lot in three years on council,” Mr. Law- son said. “My only regret is that I didn’t start 40 years ago.” Clarence Denomme, making his first bid for a council' seat, said he was disturbed because Clinton was slow to take ad- vantage of opportunities avail­ able for industrial expansion, and was doing nothing to al­ leviate a housing shortage. “Industry will not come to Clinton unless we go out and sell ourselves,” Mr. Denomme noted. Defends his attack on reeve Councillor Cameron Proctor, in an interview with the News- Record, made the following statement to support his critic- ism of town council’s industrial committee and its chairman. ‘Last Thursday night, Nov- embei’ >23, 1967, at the regular nomination meeting I made some statements concerning in­ dustry that liave been quoted and misquoted on the street of the junior activities com mittee of the fair, are left to right, John McIntyre, Stormount County, ueta juu^uigj vjumih, wiiuvvf mvuw*, c> John Bradley, Huron County, sheep; and Jeffrey John Bradley, of R. R. 3 Goderich, was one of four Ontario Junior Farmers to receive gold iexi io rigm* uunn mcimyre* owjmvuui v-uumy, medal awards for judging skill at the rfecOht beef judging; Elgta Cubitt, Simcoe South, swine; JllnlOr FOriher ihter—county judging com- UUUII mauiey, nuruii vuuiiiy*- oucey, euiu uuiucj petitions held at the Royal Winter Fait, Receiving Nurse, HhltOn County dairy cattle. (Dept. Of Agri- their medals from Jack McArthur* chairman culture Photo) Harold Lobb, another new­ comer, said he ‘‘didn’t have too many chips” on his shoulder, but he thought better parking facilities shouldbepro­ vided near the new post office. Ted McCullough, also a fresh­ man candidate, said he was concerned about Clinton’s lack of industry and housing. He called the Ontario govern­ ment’s industrial, equalization plan, by which the province heavily subsidizes industry (continued on page S) No election in Stanley There will be no election ' in Stanley Township since all incumbents were returned by acclamation. They are: Reeve Elmer Hayter; Deputy Reeve, Anson McKinley; Council (three to be elected), Thomas Consitt* “ Calvin Horton, John Scotchmen School Area Trustees for Huron County School Area 1 (two to be elected); Bruce Keyes and John Taylor. Hullett holds nominations Nominated in Hullett Town­ ship elections were: For Reeve: Donald Buchanan (incumbent) and Hugh Flynn. Council (four to be elected): Len Archambeault, Joe Hunt­ ing, John Jewitt, Charles Scan* Ion, (acclamation). Hullett School Area Trustees (five to be elected); Eric Ander­ son, Morris Bean, Glen Carter, Thomas Cunningham, Joe Gib­ son and Kenneth Hulley. and the newspapers and I feel they should perhaps be clari­ fied. ‘First of all, I have been a membei' of the industrial com­ mittee of the Clinton Town Council for the past 3 years. At the August meeting, I broach­ ed the Subject at open council that I could not recall a meet­ ing being called by the chair­ man in those 3 years. Nor can Duff Thompson, reeve and chairman of council’s industrial committee, has dismissed his critics at last week’s nomin­ ation meeting as purveyors of “half-truths.” “They didn’t tell the whole story,” Reeve Thompson said. At the nomination meeting, council candidates Ted McCul­ lough, Clarence Denomme and Cameron Proctor critized Clinton’s lack of effort to at­ tract industry. Mr. Proctor, a member of the present council, said he had been a member of the industrial committee for three years, and in that time had been called to only one meeting. He also charged that a prospective industrial settler had been turned away and re­ ferred to Centralia. (See News-Record nomina­ tions story in this issue.) Reeve Thompson, opposed in tlie election by Councillor James Armstrong, said final application for provincial as­ sistance as a slow-growth area was made 'for Clinton after the nomination meeting, but the questionnaire which came with the application form was filled in and returned six weeks be­ fore. “We were certainly working on it,” Mr. Thompson declared. If the province designates Clinton a slow-growch area, in­ dustries moving into Clinton, or existing industries wishing to expand, could receive loans from the Ontario Development Corporation of up to one-third of new capital investment. ■ Mr, Thompson said that be­ fore the nomination meeting, he had spoken by telephone with‘ an official of the Ontario Deve­ lopment Corporation who want­ ed to know why Clinton’s pop­ ulation was decreasing, as in­ dicated by the returned ques­ tionnaire. Clinton’s population dropped 9.3 percent during the past five years, just below the Huron County decrease of 9.8 per­ cent. “I told him (the official) that both the town and the county were exporting people because there was no employment,” Mr. Thofripson stated. “And I said, that if employment could be pro­ vided, Clinton and county people wno had moved away would be tickled to death to come back.” Pointing out that for two years the industrial committee had been, operating “without a dime,” Mr, Thompson said it needed two things to operate successfully: an expense bud­ get, and an objective. “Then we can move immed­ iately when we have the op­ portunity,” Mr, Thompson not­ ed. He added that it was impos­ sible to talk of Clinton without including Huron County, the largest agricultural county in Ontario. “In the past, I think agricul­ ture has been a little antagon­ istic toward industry,” Mr. Thompson said. “But we must accept the fact that industry and agriculture must live to­ gether. Industry consumes 55 percent of the agricultural pro­ duct. Agriculture consumes 55 the one other member of the committee, Mr. H. F. Noonan. Shortly after on August 28,1967 a meeting was called by the chairman. The sole "purpose of this meeting was to discuss the possibility. of erecting a sign on a parcel of land that the town owns on the Bayfield Road. This sign is not up as yet, but the manufacturer assures me that it should be ready percent of industry’s product, They have to be partners,’’ Answering Councillor Proc* tor’s charge that he had been invited to only one industrial committee meeting in three years, Mr. Thompson said: “There is no point in calling, meetings when nothing can be accomplished. Why waste people’s time when there are other, more urgent matters to attend to,” Provincial goyerment files on Clinton have been kept up to date, Mr. Thompson said, so that industrial prospects could decide whether they wanted to take< a physical look at the town. Five such prospects visited the town this year, but none found it suitable. Mr. Thompson admitted that he referred an industrial pro­ spect to Centralia, and gave this explanation: Manpower centre aids Centralia An itinerant service of the Canada Manpower Centre is now open at Centralia to serve Area clients. It is under, the jurisdiction of the Goderich of. fice. The office is located in the Huron Park Post Office Build­ ing just south of the main gate of the Centralia Industrial Park (formerly ‘ Canadian Forces Base). C. M Jutras, Manager of the parent Canada Manpower. Centre at Goderich, in mak­ ing ’the announcement, said that one of the main responsibilities of the new office will be ser­ vicing new industries locating' at Centralia and assisting work­ ers to find suitable employment at the new Indsutrtal Park. Mr. Jutras also stated that the new office will be prepared to provide assistance to any client residing in the Exeter- Centralia area, whether they are employers seeking staff, Clinton colts start season with big win over Listowel Clinton’s intermediate hoc­ key team started its 20-game schedule last Thursday evening with a win over .Listowel. Tonight (Thursday) they take on Milverton in the second home game in Clinton’s new com® munity centre and arena. Game time is 8:30 sharp. Tonight’s game is the first in a very hectic week for the Colts:, be* cause they go back to Palmer­ ston on Friday, play back in Milverton on Sunday at 2:30 in the afternoon; then have two away games at Listowel and Milverton next Thursday and Friday. Entered in the two-section WOAA Intermediate “C” league the local team plays a double schedule with 'the other three teams in the southern section and a’ single schedule with the four-team northern, section. . around December 1st of, this year. also made the statement at the nomination meeting that I personally found it quite shock­ ing to know that the chairman of our industrial committee should suggest that a prospect­ ive new industrialist go to Cen­ tralia to look for a site. This was. done strictly on his own without the knowledge of other members of the committee or even any discussion with council members. The reason given at a later date by the chairman to town council for the hasty dis­ patch of this prospective indust­ rialist was that this man was in a big hurry and just could • not stay around while anyone else was founded up to talk to him. This could very well be, but I personally find it di£ ficult to belieVe that any person who is looking for an area in which to'establish a new plant is" in that big a hurry. How much better it would have been if tlie whole committee had been present and possibly other rep. xesentatives of the business community sb that an effort could be done, aS it has been done in many municipalities where money has been raised locally and the necessary build, ings bhilt to accommodate the industry/ ‘•The one industry that came to Clinton during these- past 3 years Was Highland Shoes, which Operated ih part et the Par-Knit Hosiery building for approximately 10 months of 1967* When they were thinkihg of coming to Clinton theyshow- (cohtinned oh page $) A manufacturer of large paper boxes was interested in Canada Packers building as a possible factory site, and came to look. Bqt the building was not large enough, Mr, Thompson referred him to Centralia, “If I couldn’t have him, then I wanted to keep him in the county if I could,” Mr. Thomp­ son explained, “I thought if he found what he wanted at Cent« ralia, we might get a feeder industry here, at least.” Mr. Thompson, after five years on council, three of them as reeve, said that ifre-elected this will probably be his last term in office. “I would like tobere-elected because there is so much un­ finished business,” Mr, Thomp­ son said. “It takes at least a couple of years before you’re trusted at the county level, and I’ve served those.” pr workers wanting temporary or full-time employment. Initially, this office will be open Monday through Friday from.9 a.m. to 5 p.m, and have a staff of one or two. Tele­ phone number is 228-6932. Mrs. J. D, Hislop, Clinton, will work at the office full time. Return Coiborne council intact All members of Coiborne- Township council were re­ turned to office by acclamation' at a nomination meeting Friday November 24. Members of council are: Reeve, Wilmer Hardy; council­ lors, Orville Ribey, Norm Durst, Roy Allin, and Doug McNeil; school trustees, -Mrs. Ben Homan and George Robert­ son. Entries in the league are: South. Clinton. Milverton, Listowel; North, Wingham, Shelburne, Kincardine and Wiarton R. J. “Bud”- Schoenhals is coach of the young Clinton team for the second year in inter­ mediate competition. All evening games are called for 8:30 o’clock while games scheduled for Sundays, start at 2:30 p.m. Crash victim dies in coma Mrs. Cameron Addison, 24, of Wellington Street, Clinton, in a coma since September 6 as the result of a par accid­ ent, died Tuesday, Nov. 28 at Clinton General Hospital. The former Beverly Jean Biggin, Mrs. Addison is sur­ vived by her husband, a son, Timmy, parents, Mr. and Mrs, Lawrence’ Biggin, of London; brothers, Murray, of Goderich Robert, of Canadian Forces Base, Clinton, and twin Bruce, with Canadian Forces in Ger­ many; sister, Mrs. William (Dawn) Saville, of Rochester, Michigan; ' and grandmother, Mrs. Alvarette Biggin, of Clin­ ton. The funeral, will be held Thursday,. November 30, at2:30 p.m. at the Bail Funeral Home, Clinton. Air cadets hold annual meeting at CFB Clinton The annual Air Cadet Con­ ference was held at the Can­ adian Forces Base on Saturday 25 November, with officers rep­ resenting 17 Air Cadet Squad- rons from Various parts of Ontario in attendance. The event enables the Air Cadet officers to meet with regular service personnel, be­ come acquainted with the oper­ ation of a base, and discuss pro­ blems concerning the training and supply Of Air Cadets. Town to host Detroit teams Doug Andrews, manager Of the Centennial Arena, reports that midget and juvenile hooka/ teams from Detroit will Visit Clinton to play local youngsters On Saturday, December 16. >