HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1974-10-03, Page 4The invasion of violence
Like a slow but deadly cancerous
growth, personal violence has crept Into
the usually quiet and Placid towns and
villages in Huron County,
Early last Sunday morning, it burst
open like a 'festering sore and suddenly
everyone was vividly aware of it.
Personal violence has always been
with us, but not to the extent that per-
sons have been afraid to talk out or be a
witness in court, or even leave their
homes.
Once we laughed at such a situation
when it existed in one of the major,
American cities like Detroit, but it is
slowly spreading into Huron, and we'd
better be ready for it.
Violence, such as the act carried out
against a Clinton policeman's private
car last Sunday is merely an opening
sign of things to come.
What will happen next.' Will the in,
oidence of other violence ,Increase? Will.
someone end up dead?
The talk in town recently of the for-
mation of a vigilante squaci-la more con-
ducive to the wild west of the late 1800s,
not to quiet, modern Ontario of the
1970s.
It's a horrible thought to even think of
taking the law into your own hands. We
in Canada have for years been proud of
one of the fairest and best judicial
systems in the world. What has, gone
wrong?
If nothing else comes out of last4Sun-
day's incident, let it be a re-
examination of our judicial system and
our society. Have the courts been too
lenient? Or are they merely a reflection
Df our permissive society?
A critical nurse shortage
The United Nations is alarmed over a
world-wide nurse shortage -- so critical
it is holding up health services delivery
In both developed and under-developed
countries.
Right now Europe is short '50,000 nur-
ses — but poor nations are hardest hit.
North America has a ratio of 50 nurses
per 10,000 population; the Soviet Union,
41; Europe, 28.5 -- but Asia has only 5.5
and Latin America and the Caribbean
limp along with a bare 2.3.
A United Nations study found, nurses
dreadfully underpaid and under-valued
with more deserting the ranks than en-
tering. Experts feel the traditional image
of nurses associated with religious or-
ders and charity, poverty and obedience . .
must :go.
Today's nurses must have more
knowledge and skill, their training is
longer, their hours unpredictable, yet
society values them less. While salaries
in the medical profession 'soar, pay .for
nurses in many countries falls far below
fledgling clerks and unskilled manual
laborers.
In Canada shortages are defined by
long waits for hospital beds and new
medical wings being unable to open for
lack of staff. The crisis will worsen
unless nurses are given better pay and
working conditions, higher social and
economic status, collective bargaining
and even the right to strike. (con-
tributed)
Sugar and Spice/By Bill Smiley
Maybe I could change history
Time to catch up on some correspondence.
From the sublime to the ridiculous.
Letter from old friend George Cadogan, of the
North Shore Leader, Newcastle, N.B.
"Dear Bill: Are you going to the (newspaper)
convention in Toronto July 24-27? I have a room
at the Sheraton, but Elda won't be going; you
could use the other bed. Perhaps you know the
Americans will be there, and we expect about
2,000 delegates. Speakers will include Pierfe
Trudeau, Nelson Rockefeller, and Father
McLaughlin, the priest who is a speech writer for
Richard Nixon."
Well, thanks, George. It would have been
sublime. The Sheraton is,a luxury hotel. In other
words they charge too much. But I certainly
wouldn't have minded seeing some of the old
weekly editors' gang, or what's left of it. And I'd
have rather enjoyed knocking around with
Flower Boy, Rocky and the good Father.
Alas, `twas not to be. Thanks to our
magnificent postal service, I received your letter
about Aug. 4th.
And my, my, what a lot of changes have taken
place since that convention. Pierre, after a sally
into the streets where the common people are, is
safely back in his ivory tower, or crystal pliace,
scoffing at any suggestions that he do something
about inflation.
Nelson Rockefeller is now Vice-President of
the United States. And I hope Father
McLaughlin hung onto a parish. For he sure is
out of a job as a speech writer for you-know-who.
That I didn't make that convention fills me
with a deep sense of frustration. If I'd been able
to get even one of that illustrious trio alone for a
moment, I might have been able to change the
whole course of history. Providing I had a club in
my hand.
Well, thanks again, George. (George Cadogan
is a modern Don Quixote who is idealistic and
afraid of nothings At present he is galloping,
lance at the full tilt, against a monstrous Wind-
mill, K. C. Irving, who practically owns the
Maritimes.) And give my love to Elda and the
kids and the grandkids. Hang in there and slug it
out with old K. C.
It seems the New Brunswickers are after me
this year. Just the other day I got a phone call,
on a Saturday morning, from Gordon
Fairgrieves, publisher of the Hartland (N.B.) Ob-
server. I didn't even snarl at him, though it Was
9 a.m. our tipie, and I'm not the best of company
at that hour on a Saturday morning, my day to
sleep in.
He soft-talked me, that man. It took me a
couple of minutes to realize it, ' as I was still
groggy from watching the late, late show. I have
an orgy every Friday night, because I don't have
to work on Saturday. It's a compensation thing
from my childhood, when my mother called up
the theatre manager and told him not to let me
in to she Wednesday afternoon matinee, because
I was not only skipping school to go, but swiping
a dime out of her pure for admission. I was
about ten.
Anyway, Gordon gets the year's award for
sweet-talk and persistence. He invited me, and
my wife, and any kids who were around, to come
down to 'Hartland for the Remembrance Day
weekend. It sounded pretty nice, the way he put
it.
As an after thought, he just happened to men-
tion they'd like me to speak at the Legion dinner.
As a carrot for the donkey, he tossed off the fact
that I'd be in distinguished company. One of ,
their speakers in the past had been Milton ,Gregg,
V.C., former Minister of Veterans' Affairs.Crafty
devil. Gordon, that is, not Milton.
He extolled the beauty of the Maritimes in
November, the fact that our bedroom at' his
house would have a TV set, and various other
allurements.
I was tempted. That's why I called him a
devil. A pleasant weekend in the Maritimes. A
change from the dull schedule. New people, new
faces, travel. I didn't say. no. Said I'd let him
know. The wife — you know — don't know what
she has planned. (She was in bed and not in the
mood for consultation, with her broken ribs.)
I was tempted, and I stand before you,
brethern and sistern, and I admit it. I put out a
few feelers, while the old lady was asleep. Called
the travel agency. Yes, I could just make it to
Fredericton and back on the weekend, without
losing a day's pay. And if everything ran on time.
It would only cost me about three hundred
bucks, if I took my wife. And only six or eight
hours to write a speech. Not bad. And free room
and board down there. Oh, yes, I was tempted.
And the good Gordon didn't leave a stone un-
turned. Same night there was a telegram, phoned
from Toronto, backing up the phone call. Three
days later a letter: "It will be a pleasant break
for you all . . . you will enjoy yourselves in our
small town of 1,000 people . . . obtain enough
copy for ten columns . . . find out what New
Brunswick islike . . . and also what one of the
smallest Legion branches in the province does on
Nov. 11th.
Well, if it does what most of the other bran-
ches do, after the parade to the cenotaph, I've
already been there, Gord.
Finally, i faced the Old Battleaxe, laid out the
project. "Don't be ridiculous", she said. "Don't
you remember that we're having a family
reunion at Grandad's that weekend?" I didn't.
Sorry, Gord. Sorry, chaps. But I'm still temp-
ted. The Last Post in Hartland would be
something. The last post at Grandad's is the last
post in the fence.
Looking back over this column, I wonder
which is the sublime and which is the ridiculous:
a bunch of politicians spouting platitudes at the
convention, or me sprinting to N.B. to spout
some fun to the Hartland Legion?
ITHE CLINTON NEW ERA
Established 1865
Ilernber.:vonedlee
hNwrPnpsr
Ameelellen
HUB OF, HURON. COUNTY
Amalgamated
1924
Published every Thursday
at Clinton, Ontario
Editor James E. Fitzgerald
General Manager,
J. Howard Aitken
Second Class Mali
istration no. 0817
THE HURON NEWS-RECORD
Established 1881
Member, Ontetio Weekly
Neweesmor Ameelrhon
SUISCISPYION NAM:
CANADA $10.00
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-THE HOME
Of IADAR
IN CANADA'
The Jack Scott Column
NI
From our early files • • 0 • • • •
"411 the safety features are standard equipment this year the CAR is optional.",
Dog meets tub
The subject for our lecture today is How to Bathe a Labrador
Dog. This will apply also to Alsatians, Chows, St. Bernards,
Airdales, Shetland Ponies and other large, cunning beasts.
It is a good idea to allow yourself a weekend for the project,
making the initial preparations on a Saturday morning. This
consists of carrying out a large wash-tub to a well-cleared place
and filling same with water from a large garden hose which has
been hooked up for this purpose. Is all that clear?
These arrangements should be carried out with a jaunty,
matter-of-fact air. The dog should be ignored completely. You
will notice from the corner of your eye that he has trotted
briskly to the hole in the fence at the first sight of the wash-tub
and is standing there, wagging his tail, grinning, poised for in-
stant flight.
Do not look at the dog directly. Labradors, particularly, are
eye-readers. That is to say, they can read their masters' intent
like an open book with one glance. If the dog should look into
your eyes and perceive the word "Bath" he will be off and run-
ning.
An excellent idea is to pretend that the wash-tub is for some
other purpose. A 'toy sailboat pushed around the surface a few
moments may help to- allay the dog's suspicions, although not
much. Or, again, the children I'may be encouraged to use the tub
as a wading pool, as if this were its primary purpose.,
Having readied the tub, the dog's master should return to the
house, whistling thinly. He will then proceed stealthily to a
vantage point where he may observe both dog and wash-tub.
Venetian blinds are ideal for this purpose.
By late Saturday afternoon or early Sunday (if the Labrador
is an old dog) the pet will have approached toward the tub out
of sheer, animal curiosity.
Now is the point where help must be enlisted. A wife will be
found to be of considerable assistance and this is just another
good reason for marrying. Together you proceed on tip-toe,
making a flanking attack on the beast and, at the final moment,
rushing the dog as you utter shrill cries to confuse it.
Labradors — and, indeed, most large dogs — are true sport-
smen and after five or ten minutes of struggle will concede vic-
tory in a gentlemanly way. This is usually at the point where
you are carrying him between you like a sack of wheat and the
dog realizes that the game is up.
Since very few Labradors will fit into an ordinary wash-tub it
is necessary to perform the operation sectionally. In the general
confusion care must be taken to see that the wife is not. flung
into the tub by mistake.
The actual washing of the dog is relatively simple. Jinx, my
own Labrador, for example, must feel like a fool for having
resisted so strenuously and is almost coy when being lathered.
This brings us to the rinsing. For some reason dogs are
thrown into a panic when squirted with a hose (or mine is,
anyway, and she's disgustingly normal) and that is why, as I
said in the beginning, a long hose is recommended.
The hose is turned on, the dog leaps wild-eyed from your
soapy grip and The Chase is on. A wife will come in very handy
here, too, for blocking any available escape routes and, uttering
shrill cries, will act as a sort of native beater.
As the dog comes around you try to give him a good squirt
with the hose. Clumsy' Got your wife again, didn't you?
This is about alkthere is to it. As you carry the wash-tub
away the dog will approach to make friends again with his most
endearing No Hard Feelings look and, peace having been
restored, will lie down happily and roll in the dust for several
hours.
4
PAGE 4--CLINTON NEWS RNQORP, THURSDAY, opToogR, 3, 1974
10 YEARS AGO
Oct. 1, 1964
In mid-November, Clinton
and Goderich will join the ever-
growing number of cities, towns
and villages on the North
American continent that can
dial their own long distance
call.
The 108th annual edition of
the Bayfield Fall Fair opened
in Bayfield Wednesday under
sunny skies. Fair officials said
a record of entries was
exhibited including more than
2,000 exhibits from public
school children alone.
Mr.. and Mrs. John Perdue of
146 Huron Street, Clinton,
celebrated their 55th wedding
anniversary Tuesday. The
couple has three sons and one
daughter, Clarence, Clinton;
Raymond London; Harry, Lon-
don, and Mrs. C.J. Livermore,
Clinton.
Mildred Crich, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Crich of
Tuckersmith has received her
RNA having graduated from
Wingham General Hospital.
She is now on staff at the
hospital as a nurse.
Nearly 1,000 persons atten-
ded Clinton Lions rummage
sale at the arena Saturday.
Over $7 00 was cleared by the
local service club for welfare
work in Clinton and area.
Househbld items and furniture
were sold by auction and
clothing, boots and shoes were
sold from booths manned by
Lions and their wives, The
most popular booth was the
baking booth which was
cleared in half an hour.
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon
Graham have been frequent
visitors to their Bayfield cot-
tage this summer,
25 YEARS AGO
Oct. 5, 1949
Mrs, F.W, Johnston returned
home on Monday after a week's
visit with Georgetown, Norval,
and Brampton friends,
Mrs. R.B. Johnson returned
to Bayfield last week after
having spent ten days in
Hamilton and London.
Grover Clare was elected
mayor of Clinton's Teen Town
for 1949-50 on the first meeting
of the Town Council, Tuesday
evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mid-'
dleton enjoyed a trip to the
Manitoulin Island last week
where Mr. Middleton attended
the cattle sale at Little Current. . .
Mr. and Mrs. Bill McAsh
spent the weekend at Toronto.
Local and provincial police
are carrying on a thorough
investigation of twin burglaries
which were perpetrated in the
main business section of Clin-
ton on Sunday and Monday
nights, or, to be more exact,
early Tuesday morning. The
more serious of the two was at
Jackson's Jewellery Store
somewhere between 12:30 and
1 a.m. early Tuesday, when
jewellery to the value of $1,000
was lifted from the show win-
dow.
Mayor R.Y. Hattin reported
that the bell-and-flasher system
would be installed at the CNR
level crossing on Victoria St. in
a week or ten days. He con-
sidered the town as "very for-
tunate."
50 YEARS AGO
Oct. 9, 1924
Thomas Wigginton has star-
ted putting in new lock boxes
and re-arranging the present
boxes at the Post Office and
David Kay has started painting
the building.
J.A. Ford and Son have ptr-
chased the building they occupy
and the one next to it from
Jacob Taylor.
The Lion Tamers Club have
taken rooms over, Wendorrs
Restaurant for the winter mon-
ths, '••
Those assisting at the League
meeting in Ontario St. Church
were Misses Jean Plumsteel,
Lulu Crich, Margaret gall and
A.J. McMurray is attending a
plowing demonstrations in St.
Thomas.
The Moderation League has
set up quarters in the office of
Jacob Taylor on the Midway.
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Cook,
Sarnia, are visiting with the
latter's parents, Mr. and Mrs.
John Schoenal.
Mrs. Long has sold her
residence on Albert St. to John
Aitken head of the Huron
Casting Co. Mrs. Long and
Miss Mamie plan to spend the
winter in California.
Roy Ball has been placing his
radio speaker outsidp so that
passers can hear the broadcasts
of the World Series baseball
games. This is the first op-
portunity many have had to
hear those games.
Mr. and Mrs. M. T. Corless
have been called to
Burgessville on account of the
sudden death of the former's
mother.
Mrs. Wilfred Pickett and
Mrs. W. G. Moffatt are in
Toronto on account of the
illness of their father, James
Du nford.
75 YEARS AGO
Oct. 5, 1899
The snow storm which raged
in the Northwest about the
middle of last week swept over
Clinton and district, last Friday
night and inflicted a great deal
of damage. The storm does not
appear to have raged so severly
in all parts of the county, accor-
ding to all reports received.
Miss Haley has returned to
Goderich from her trip to
Detroit and Port Huron and
has reopened for the season her
dressmaking establishment in
the Mechanics Institute Block,
On Friday Mr, Edward Mar.
shall of Goderich township shot
an eagle on the lake shore
which measured seven feet
from tip to tip of wings.
Mr. Josh' Cook came down
from Wellington county for
Saturday and. Sunday, He has
charge of several gangs up
there for the Apple King and is
still as busy as can be on fall
fruit. As he took time by the
forelock and secured a good
stock of barrels he rather has
the advantage of other buyers.
Mr. John Westlake,
Drysdale, returned home from
a wheeling tour and other
exhibitions.
100 YEARS AGO
Oct. 8, 1874
The Livery business of D.
Kennedy has increased so
much that he has been com-
pelled to make a large addition
to his already large stable.
At the recent matriculation
examination of Toronto
University, John Turnball,
lately a pupil of the Clinton
High School, succeeded in
carrying off first-class honours
in mathematics, and second-
class honours in classics. .
On Saturday night last a
brilliant display of the aurora
borealis took place a short time
after sunset. Bright streaks of
white light shot up in rapid
sucession to almost mid-
heavens and illuminated them
beautifully.
The carriage shop on the cor-
ner opposite Fair's mill, used
by Messrs. Cantelon Bros., and
owned by Mr. W. Grigg, has
been sold to the former.
At last the "heated term" is
over and chilly mornings and
frosty nights indicate the near
approach of winter.
Seaforth is incorporated, and
will henceforth be known as the
town of Seaforth.
Last night salt was struck at
Mr. Kidd's well, near Seaforth,
at a depth of 1045 feet. 'This
bed is equal to any yet reached.
Population shifts
In 1873, 75 per cent of
CarIlda's population supplied
to-1 for the country. Today,
only seven per cent of the
population is working the land,
Jack's Jottings
Late last week Uonald
'Vine announced the long
theawa ited rehabilitationP vinci
al
pol icy
renewal
for
of residential buildings.
The Government has
allocated $10 million for 1974-
1975 for this program with a
further commitment of a
similar amount for a further 2
years if the program proves suc-
cessful,
"The program, called On-
tario Home Renewal Program
(OHIO) provides per capita
grants to municipalities in On-
tario to administer directly as
loans to homeowners who wish
to repair the home they oc-
cupy," Mr. Irvine stated in his
ministry's news release.
Municipalities will be
required to draft minimum
housing standards, guidelines
or bylaws, stating clearly an Ac-
ceptable minimum standard for
health and safety. It is expected
that this standard will vary
"from municipality to
municipality, large urban areas
with a history of housing stan-
dard bylaw enforcement main-
taining a high level
rehabilitation standard, and
small or rural municipalities
with a much more relaxed stan-
dard.
The Province will contribute
$150.00 per housing unit in the
program towards ad-
oministrative costs, including in-
spection costs. Municipalities
may find that this sum is insuf-
ficient to cover the cost of
properly trained inspectors and
co-ordinated inspection
The funds allocated to the
program will be for
municipalities under 10,000
population, $4. per capita; for
municipalities between 10,000
and 99,000 population, $3.00
per capita; for municipalities
over 100,000 population, $2.00
per capita.
In addition grants up to
$25,000.00 will be available for
areas of less than 10,000
people.
It is estimated that ap-
proxiamtely 100,000 homes or
about 5 percent of the housing
stock is in need of repair. It
makes good sense at this time
of very high costs for new
housing to invest public money
in maintaining our existing
stock of residential property.
Because much of our poorer
housing is occupied by families
of lower income, the terms of
the loans are designed to en-
courage, these families to take
advantage of. this opportunity
to paint-up and fix-up. Loans
will be available on a sliding
scale of interest rate from 0
percent to 8 percent, over a
term of 15 to 20 years, depen-
ding on income. The maximum
loan is set at $7,500.00.
It can be expected that the
Provincial program will be tied
into the Federal Residential
Rehabilitation Assistanc
Program (RRAP) whereve
possible. R.R.A.P. has bee
designed to be used in conjunc
tion with Neighbourhood Im
provement Program (N.I.P.)
'the Federal Government'
program to upgrade and rene
neighbourhoods. Most RRA
funding will be used in N.I.
areas. The Provincial progra
has the advantage of /Dein
available to hom,eowners wh
live outside the designated i
provement areas.
In general the Federal co
tribution will be used to reduc
the Provincial funding so th
the maximum OHRP will n
exceed $7,500, less federal fu
ding. There is some suggestio
that an agreement of continue
occupancy of the rehabilitatio
house may allow a portion
the OHRP to' be forgiven.
A serious deficiency in t
Provincial program is the la
of any consideration for la
dlords and their tenants. T
Federal program allows fu
ding for the rehabilitation
rented property provided thatl
rent restraint agreement
reached with the landlord.
excluding landlords, a serio
disservice is done tenants w
will be forced to pay addition
rent to cover repairs ordered
buildings under the n
municipal housing standar
And because lower inco
people, especially those w
rent, occupy the most run do
property the effect of the ent
cement program will fall m
heavily on those who can ie
afford it.
This is a most unfortun
aspect of the new program a
one that I hope can be chang
With new housing prices h
and going higher, a grow
proportion of Ontario famil
are living in rented housing.
many large cities, this prop
tion is over 50 percent. Prose
tenants can't be expected
pay the cost of renewal of o
buildings, often rundow
because of years of neglect,
the other hand landlords fac
with the, cost of rehabilitati
will choose to raise rent
cover the costs or close t
building and sell for other u