HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1956-01-19, Page 1Eighty-Second Year Price Per Copy Ff -EXETER, ONTARIO THURSDAY MORNING, JANUARY 19> 1956
Plates, Licences Stolen
SUSPECT RING
BELIEVE RING STOLE PLATES—Police believe an underground car stealing Ting was be
hind Monday morning’s break-in at the local licence bureau when a number of plates and
.permits were stolen. Authorities have not determined whether the fire which followed the
■break-in was deliberately set or not. The blaze caused $800 damage and might have
threatened an entire business block it it hadn’t been checked by the fire department.
Alarm was given by the night telephone operator, Mrs, Cliff Brock, when the wires shorted.
Above, Police Chief Reg Taylor surveys the ruins. A door has been placed across the
window which thieves opened to gain entry. —Jack Doerr Photo
Sells Beer To Minors,
Widow Gets $50 Fine
Mrs. Bessie Taylor, Nelson St.
"who sold beei’ to a carload of
■minors, was fined $50 and costs
by Magistrate Dudley Holmes in
Exeter Court Wednesday after
noon.
The magistrate, who usually
raises a bootlegging penalty when
miners are involved, assessed the
minimum fine in view of the fin-
•ancial condition of the widow.
He warned her, however, “If you
•are up 'before me again, it will be
.a jail sentence.”
Crown Attornew .Glenn Hayes
told the court the accused sold
beer to two boys, 17 and 18 years
of age, from the Ailsa Craig dis
trict. Two girls, one 14, were in
the boys' car when the beverage
•was purchased.
“Daughter Intoxicated
Investigation -by police was
•sparked by the 14-year-old’s par
ents who ^complained when, their
-daughter came home intoxicated.
Defence Counsel James Don-
melly, of Goderich, said the accus
ed had been a widow for 13 years
n
Huron House
Open In June
The new Huron County court
house, originally scheduled to be
completed by the first of this
year, should be finished in -time
for the June session, Property
■Committee Chairman Bill Mc
Kenzie said this week.
Tentative plans have been set
for the opening during the week
■of May 24 when the public will
■be invited to inspect the $750,-
■000 building.
Chairman McKenzie, reeve of-
Exeter, said ho major delays
have. occurred but a ^number of
minor .setbacks have held up
■construction. The building was
started in September, 1954, after
fire burned the old one.
Stonework Finished
All outside stonework and
windows have been completed
and workmen are now eng'aged
in laying the terrazo floors,
» plastering and lathing.
Heating, plumbing and venti
lation work has been completed
.and elevators are expected to be
'“'installed shortly.
Major task remaining is the
■interior trim. Wood panelling
wiill feature the interiors of the
•council chambers and the court
room.
While construction is progress
ing, county officials are seeking
the assistance of Legion branches
in compiling a list of veterans
who served during recent wars-
The names will be recorded in a
book which will be placed in a
.special memorial chapel in the
new building.
Heads Band
At bash wood
Syd Baker, who has played in
bands for 33 years, was re-elect
ed president of Dashwood 'Citi
zens Band at its annual meeting
(Friday night
T. Harry Hoffman, who has
played for 31. years, will continue
.as conductor. His assistants will
be Ellwood Truemner and 'Stew
art Wolfe.
Gerald Martens and, Jack. Gals-
■er were named vice - presidents
.and Mrs. Blaine Dators is soc-
srctary-trcasurdr,
Arrangements are being made
•for the annual banquet in the
near future. The secretary-treas
urer reported a substantial bal
ance of funds.
Practice will be resumed On
Thursday evenings. The band is
looking for new members.
and had no means of support ex
cept for a small pension. Plead
ing for leniency, he said: “Fifty
dollars means as much to her as
$75 to larger operators,’5
“I still don’t like selling to
minors like this,” the magistrate
said. “If this case came under the
Liquor Control Act she would go
to jail.”
Exeter Police Chief Reg. Tay
lor told the court the Taylor
house on Nelson Street had been
“under observation” for some
time for suspicion of bootlegging.
■OPP Constable John Ford in
vestigated the parents’ complaint
and laid the charge.
Kicked In Fender . »•
Thomas Kyle, 21, of Zurich,
was ordered to pay costs of 'dam
age and a fine of $10 for kicking
in the fender of a car New Year’s
-up area,”
aged the car after an argument
with its owner Harold Wei'berg.
The magistrate ordered the costs
paid before February 1.
Dismiss Driving Charge
A careless driving charge again
st Neil Gingerich, of R.R. 3, Zur
ich, was dismissed in*the only
contested action of the afternoon.
The charge arose from an ac
cident at Dashwood on November
20 when Gingerich’s car was in
volved in a three-car crash in
front of a funeral home on No.
83 highway.
, Gingerich was driving into the
highway froiA a boulevard in
front of the home when ..he was
struck by a west-bound car driv
en by Gordon O’Rourke, R. R. 3,
Dashwood. The O’Rourke car
•glanced off the Gingerich vehicle
and collided with a parked truck
causing over $1,000 damage.
iGingerich, defended by Mr.
Donnelly, estimated he had plen-
Air Force Transfers IFS
To Saskatoon Station
Only a few personnel and a
limited number of aircraft will
‘be involved in the move of the
instrument flying training school
of RCAF Station Centralia to
Saskatoon, air force officials' at
the station said Wednesday.
Transfer of the school was
announced by headquarters in
Damage $1,000
In Four Crashes
Four minor accidents were re
ported by district police this week.
On Sunday, Karl Franke, of
RCAF Station Centralia,, crashed
into a telephone pole one mile
north of the station at 1.30 a.m.
Provincial Constable Elmer Zim
merman, who investigated, esti
mated damage at $175.
A car driven by Richard Me-
Falls, Exeter, became stuck in an
icy rut near the arena and slid
into another vehicle owned by
Bill Higgins of Exeter. Total da
mage amounted to about $150, ac
cording to Police Chief Reg
Taylor,
Blinded By Lights
Robert Levia, of RCAF Station
Centralia, said blinding headlights
of an oncoming Cai’ forded him off
the country toad ■ leading to the
air statlo'n Friday evening. His
vehicle missed a corner an d
plunged through heavy wire, fence
which encloses the station. Dam
age was estimated at $450 by OPP
Constable John Ford.
A cat driven by Wayne McBride,
of R.R. 3 Zurich, suffered $250 damage Monday night when it
struck a snowbank on No. 4 high
way near Kippen and hit the
ditch, OPP Constable Cecil Gib
bons investigated,
ty of time to make a turn onto
the highway since he was in a
30 mile-an-hour zone. The defence
suggested O’Rourke was exceed
ing the speed limit.
The crown contended it was
well-known tihat drivers do • not
heed 30 mile-an-hour signs when
they are on the open road.
-Magistrate Holmes critized the
placing of such signs outside a
municipality. “I think it is a
mistake • to put a 3'0-m’ile zone
hundreds of feet from the built-
up area of a municipality.”
“Cars entering a- small muni
cipality don’t slacken up speed
at these signs because it is all
open country, They don’t slow
down until they reach a built-
For Action Against Deviates
A campaign for more drastic
court action against sex deviates
has been launched by a small
group of Exeter women who hope
to get the support of all ladies’
groups in town and district.
Mrs. R. W. Kestle, who is
spearheading the movement, said
Wednesday shS hopes to get the
backing of 1,000 women for a
resolution requesting immediate
action to stop the current wave
of sex crimes.
Groups who will be contacted
include church organizations,
fraternal societies, women’s institutes, and service clubs. Mrs.
Kestle said she had already
talked to a number of officers
of these organizations and -they
promised their support.
Ottawa Tuesday.
'An instrument flying school
was established at Saskatoon
several months ago and it will
be expanded to take over the
entire program for the air force.
Last airman to receive his
“green 'ticket” from Centralia
was Flying, Officer R. ,S. Aver,
Who has been on staff of the
Pre-Flight School at Centralia
for a year. He has been trans-
ferrred to the Communication
and Rescue Squadron at Trenton.
Attend First Mess Dinner
Nearly 200 airmen und air
women attended the first mess
dinner Over held at RCAF Sta
tion Centralia Wednesday night.
The mess dinner, a social func
tion first started with the rich
members of the services many
years ago, is held regularly by
the Officers’ and NCO’s messes
as A means of enabling the per-
sonel to meet socially.
This mess dinner—which will
be held in two sittings because of
the large amount of personnel
to be served—besides giving the
airman a chance to meet socially
also enables the. commanding of
ficer to meet many personnel, a
chance he would normally never
have on a station of this size.
The mess dinner also gave
Group Gaptain A. M. Cameron
the chance to explain to the air
men and airwomen how promo
tions on the station are given.
The CO impressed upon the
group that good citizenship qual-
epujq aud u no pejni sapi
■knowledge if a man is to be a
success in the aihfoTce.
The moss dinner1 was organized
by LAC F. D. Wynne and his
committee. The flight cadets and
airwomen presented entertain
ment skits*
Leads Warden s Race
But Loses Last Ballot
(Reeve Jack Morrissey, of Ste
phen Township^ lost his bid for
the wardenship of Huron in the
final round of one of the keenest
battles for the honor in the
county’s history. z .
John V. Fischer, of Turnberry
Township, won the position
Tuesday afternoon on. the fifth
ballot of the election.
.In one of the unusual twists possible in this type of election
in which the winner must get a
majority ovei’ all ' candidates,
Morrissey was edged • out after
leading the field on four other
ballots. He was the favored can-
Pay Schedule
In Usborne?
Usborne Township School
Area Board will meet with
teachers to discuss a salary,
schedule, it was decided at the
board’s inaugural meeting last
week. 'Date for the meeting has
not been set.
Delmar Skinner was elected
chairman of the board, succeed
ing Walter McBride who remains;
a member. Other members ard
Norman Brock, George Frayne
and newcomer Harry Dougall, •
Usborne Clerk H. H. G. Strang
administered the oath of office.
Secretary A. G. Hicks revealed
a surplus of $14,000.. The board
plans some extensive repairs to
schools this year.
Contract for school books and
supplies was let to MacMillan’s,
Exeter. Liability insurance was
purchased from W. H. Hodgson,
Exeter.
The board expressed apprecia
tion to former chairman, Victor
Jeffrey, who has served as a
member since the area was form
ed. He retired at the end of
1955.
The move arises from the re
cent death of five-year-old Susan
Cadieux, of London, whose body
was found on railway tracks'
after she had been criminally at
tacked. Similai’ assaults have oc
curred recently in other Ontario
centres.
•Disturbed by the lack of police
action against such crimes, Mrs.
Kestle submitted a letter of pro
test to The London Free Press.
After the letter was published
Wednesday, a number of local
women contacted Mrs. Kestle
and urged her to carry her cam
paign further.
“I didnt write the letter with
the intention of stirring up a
petition, but I am pleased to
think t-hat it has had this re
action.”
“I read in the paper where
they had this law to take care
of sex deviates but that the legal
profession couldn’t recall that it
had ever been put into effect. It
was all too casual 'to suit me.
Then when I read that a man
accused of indecent assault
against two young girls had been
given a suspended sentence, that
riled me up.”
She said she thought that the
courts shouldn’t wait for new
legislation to cope with sex de
viates but that they should en
force their existing laws until
better ones can be put into effect.
“We laymen can’t draft laws—
that’s, up to the legal profession
and 'the government—but we
should have enough influence
with the government to see that
laws are enforced.”
She said she hoped to get legal
assistance to draft the resolution
Mrs. Kestle’s letter to the
■newspaper read in part:
“We cannot wait for further
Government legislation, whidh
seems to require investigation,
study, debates and finally re-
Elect Reeve
For Hensall
Norman Jones, elght-year
veteran of Hensall council, lias
announced lie will lie a candi
date for reevo in the forth
coming election to fill the post
left vacant by. the death of
Wililam JParko last week.
Nir. Jones, who served as
acting reeve for several days
following Mr. Parke’s heart
attack, resigned from council
Thursday night in order to
qualify for the reevesliip at the
nomination meeting this Fri
day.
Nominations will bo received
for two posts—reeve and Coun
cillor. James. A. Paterson is
returning officer.
didate in the five-man contest.
After Daniel Beuerman, Of Mc-
Killop Township, and William
McKenzie, of Exeter, were elim
inated on the first two ballots,
Fischer and Orville Taylor, of
East Wawanosh,. were tied be
hind Morrissey and a fourth vote
had to be taken to eliminate one
of them, Taylor lost the ballot
and his votes apparently swung
to Fischer who edged Morrissey
in the final round.
Officials said the election was
close all the way. Even the can
didates who were eliminated
early received good support.
Two factors which undoubtedly
■helped Fischer win the final
round were: one, his township
hadn’t elected a warden for 61
years; and two, the warden
came from the south end of the
county last year.
‘Last year’s warden, Earl
Campbell of Hay Township, es
corted the winner to the presid
ing chair and presented him
with the warden's collar, key and
gavel, in contrast to this year’s
election, Mr. Campbell was the
first man to win the wardenship
by acclamation.
In tihe naming of committees
following the election, Reeve
Morrissey was given the chair
manship of the roads committee,
the next important post to the
warden.
Other South Huron reeves also
received chairmanships;
V. L. Becker, of Hay Town
ship, will 'head three committees
•—more than any other member
of the council. He is chairman of
the executive, agricultural and
historic committees.
Reeve William McKenzie, who
was chairman of the property
committee last year, will head
the library board in 1956. He re
mains a member of the property
committee which is in charge of
the courthouse construction.
ports. It is just like standing
around deciding how to put out
the fire while your home burns
to the ground.
These unfortunate sex victims
must (be detained and given
physical and spiritual treatment
and assistance as the case
merits; failing a complete and
sure cure, drastic measures should
ibe employed or the patient be
barred from society.
WINTER EXERCISE—Children at RCAF Station Centfalia enjoy skating on an outdoor
rink near the J. A. D. McCurdy School in Huron Park. The rink was made by air force per
sonnel living in the married quarters last week and the ice was thick with skaters when
it was first put to use. Sgt. Walter Brawley was in charge of the project, which was initi
ated by Huron Park Council. —RCAF Photo
Must Organize Strong Farm Groups
To Exert Political Influence: Forums
“The Farmer and Government”
or “How could farmers be more
effective in their political strat
egy for agriculture?” was the
topic under discussion at the
Monday night meetings of the
Farm Forums.
The 'particular questions to be
discussed and answered included
“In what ways do yOu think farm
ers might 'become more effective
in solving their agricultural prob
lems' as individuals and as mem
bers of farm organizations?”
Fairfield Farm Forum
Fairfidld Farm Forum, meet
ing at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
•Melvin King, considered that, as
Individuals, farmers might les
sen the production of products
along lines where the surplus is
(heaviest.
Each individual should build
Up his farm organization to make
it .larger and more effective be
lieving that “In union there is
strength.” The Individual should
attend each meetiiig as It is Ills
support that makes the organiza
tion weak or strong.
Operator's Call
Saves Building
Police and owners of the
Main St. building partially
damaged by fire Monday morn
ing paid tribute this week to
night telephone operator, Mrs
Cliff Brock, who turned in the
alarm.
Police Constable John Cow
en said the fire would have
been out of control if the tele
phone operator hadn’t sent out
the alarm quickly. She phoned
the Exeter office when a sig
nal, caused by a short in the
wires, flashed on her switch
board.
Occupants of the building
which, was damaged, B. G.
Seldon, B. M. Francis and W.
H. Hodgson, all praised the
operator for her actions. They
believe they would have lost
the entire building if the oper
ator hadn’t investigated the
signal. Mr. Hodgson owns the
building,
Elginf ield Man
With GM Show
George B, Crinnian, of Elgin
field, has been selected by the
public relations division of Gen
eral Motors Co., Detroit, as one
of two principal lecturers accom
panying the cross-country exhibit
ion of the 1956 gas-turbine “Fire
bird 11” experimental automobile.
The “Firebird 11” is to be the
main “theme-car around which
General Motors has built its new
“Motorama” show which will be
staged in principal cities through
out the country.
Recreation Body
Plans Changes
•Plans to co-ordinate the finan
cial administration o f .Exeter
Recreational Council and the Ex
eter Community 'Centres Board
wer.e discussed at the inaugural
meeting of the rec council Mon
day night.
- The council intends to meet
with the centres board in an at
tempt to work out a suitable ar
rangement. The two organiza'
tions are linked through the em
ployment of ' Recreation Director
Doug iSmith and his assistant Al
vin Willert, who also operate the
arena.
At least one new. appointment
will be necessary to complete the
council and the Legion has been
asked to name a representative.
Besides Chairman Glen Mickle,
the members include two new
council representatives, Ross
Tayloi* and Glen Fisher; secret
ary-treasurer Doug Gould, Rev.
N. D. Knox and Lloyd Cushman.
The forum favore-d a planned
approach to a local member of
parliament rather than the pres
sure group technique toward the
government in dealing with ag
ricultural products.
The next meeting will take the
form of a box Social to be held
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wm.
Schroeder.
Unique Forum
Mrs. Delbert Geiger led the dis
cussion with the 28 members of
Unique forum meeting at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. 'Clare Geig
er.
* The members added the thought
that Individuals should endeavor
to educate themselves on how to
solve agricultural problems and
ns members of farm organizations
should try to learn and under
stand 'what the organizations are
trying to do and give them loyal
support.
Mrs. Jack McClinchey conduct
ed recreation.
The next meeting will be'held
on January 30 at the koine of
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Klopp with
Blaze Follows Break-In,
Causes $800 Damage
Police suspect a car stealing
ring is connected with the theft
of plates and licences from the
local licence bureau early Mon
day morning.
Twenty-eight 1956 plates and
nearly 400 driver’s licenses were
takeii from the office of R. G.
Seldon, Main St. There were 200
operators’ permits and 182 chauf
fers’ permits stolen.
Police Chief Reg Taylor said
the plates may be used by an
underground ring to peddle
stolen cars in other centres in
the province.
Police and fire department of
ficials are still unable to deter
mine if the blaze was deliberat
ely set since any evidence which
may have been left was destroy
ed.
The fire started in the office
of B. M. Francis, insurance
agent,, which is at the rear of
the licence bureau. The agent’s
desk and papers were destroyed
■and the interior of the building
gutted. Loss was estimated at
$800.
Thieves entered the insurance
Consider New Truck
For Resort Brigade
Grgmd Bend council decided
Tuesday night to investigate the
qost tof a, new fire truck after it
was told by Fire Chief Lawrence
Mason that the old one was ob
solete.
Chief Mason and mechanic
Earl Thomson estimated it would
cost over $1,000 to repair the
truck if parts could be found.
Investigation into fire equip
ment was sparked by Councillor
Cam Chapman who claimed at
the inaugural meeting that the
fire -truck was not in serviceable
condition.
Mechanic Thomson told coun
cil the motor on the truck was
‘shot” completely and that a
bigger motor >wds needed to
power the vehicle. The transfer
case was wrecked; the steering
mechanism in bad repair; and
the two front tires needed re
placing, he said.
The fire truck was purchased
second-hand from the RCAF.
Mr. Thomson estimated a jeep
carrying an auxiliary pumper
would cost $300 to repair. “The
jeep is in dangerous condition,”
he said.
Councillor Chapman was act
ing reeve in the absence of
Reeve James Dalton who was
attending Lambton County Coun
cil meeting in Sarnia.
Showing it meant business in
Mrs., Meyers taking the discus
sion.’ ,
Elhnvillo North Forum
Elimville forum added the sug
gestion that the individual farm
er take advantage of literature
available from the agricultural
office and from farm magazines
and papers ito -help solve his prob
lem- and furthermore farm or
ganizations should iiot be merely
protest groups but should attempt
to offer constructive policies to
government.
Farr Line Forum
The Parr Lind forum met at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Eldon
Jarrett wibh a full attendance.
The members agreed with the
other forums that the individual
farmer could help much by be
ing Well informed and that more
public relations should be promot
ed,
An added Item was that farm
forums which is the source of
most resolutions to the Federa
tion Of Agricultural give -farmers
a means of voicing their opln-
—Please turn to Bage 10
office through a rear window
and opened a door into the li
cence office, They found, no
money since Mr.. Seldon had de
posited his receipts from licences
‘Saturday evening in the night
depository recently instajlled at
the Bank of Montreal.
Police discovered the fire Mon
day morning around 3 a.m. af
ter receiving an alarm from
night operator Mrs. Cliff Brock,
Fire shorted the telephone wires
and flashed a signal to the oper
ator who suspected something
was wrong,
ORP Constable John Ford and
Exeter Constable John Cowen,
who were in the Exeter police
Office, ran to the 'building, a
half block away. Suspecting rob
bers, the pair split up, Ford go-
dng to the rear and Cowen re
maining out front. Constable
Ford discovered smoke coming
from an open window at the back
and called the fire department.
Numbres the stolen plates
and licences have been flashed.
to police departments through
out the province,
its current campaign to curb
rowdyism in the summer resort,
council approved a by-law rais
ing minimum fines for disturb
ances from -$1.00 to $10.00.
Decision on the granting of a
licence for George Knapp to
operate a bingo concession near
the lake was postponed until
Reeve Dalton’s return.
Knapp, who owns the Penny
Arcade, has half-completed the
building already and was issued
a licence by council who under
stood he was going to operate
bowling alleys inside.
Councillor Clarence Green ob
jected to ..tihe bingo concession
because he felt it would interfere
with the bingoes sponsored regu
larly by the Legion branch dur
ing the summer.
Plan Concert
For Auxiliary
A variety program of musical
entertainment will be presented
by the Huronia Male Chorus at
’SHDHS Thursday night, January
26, .to raise funds for the South
Huron Hospital Auxiliary.
Assisting the Chorus will be
the DaShwood Citizen’s Band
and a number of guests perform
ers including Mrs. John Goman,
Mrs. R. F. Reilly and Maxine
Reeder.
Members of the Chorus, which
is famous for its annual oper
etta, plan to stage several comi
cal numbers to spice the pro
gram. Mrs. H. L. Sturgis, direc
tor of the Chorus, is in charge
To Renovate
Hay Schools
A renovation program for Hay
'schools -in 1946 was discussed by
the -township area board at its
inaugural meeting Wednesday
afternoon.
Although no definite plans
were made, the board hopes to
make considerable repairs to a
number of schools this year.
H. W. Brokensliire, who was
reappointed secretary - treasurer,
reported a balance of $24,000 in
the bank. This is used to finance
expenses until tax receipts are
in.
Board decided to continue its
policy. of providing food for hot
lunches if the teacher will pre
pare them for the children.
•Ray Fisher was re-elected
'chairman and Elmer Rowe is
vice-chairman. Members include
Lloyd Hendrick, Leonard Erb
and Clifford Pepper.
Religious Course
Presented Here
“You can teach” and “Under
standing the; Bible” are two cour
ses being1 given udder the aus
pices of the Ontario Council of
Religious Education in the dis
trict churches. The sessions open
ed In James St, church Tuesday
evening with an attendance of
45.(Carfrey Cann conducted the
opening devotional period and
Horace Delbrldge. Elimville, pres
ident of O.1C.R.E., spoke a tew
words by way of introduction.
The classes are open to any Ohe
who Is interested. Bev. J, T.
Clarke of Centralia conducts the
class “You can teach” and Rev*
S. Kerr the other One.
The group will meet again.
Tuesday hlgtt in Centralia.