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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1966-05-12, Page 4Don't panic! The announcement of the proposal that CFB Centralia should close has thrown many people in the Exeter area into a state of near panic, While this is the most serious threat to the econ- omy of the area which has come in many years, it is only a threat and must be treated in this manner. We are confident that a proper solution will be found and if the base is closed some alternate plan will be im- plemented to assist the town and area. There are many ways in which this could come about and already there is a team of men working and discussing all avenues which could assist this area. Estimates of the impact this move could have on the area are in excess of $5,000,000.00. It would also further the decrease in population which has been evident in Huron for some time and in general create a situation of the type which the federal government has been attempting to eliminate. For this reason we believe full consideration to the economic aspect of the problem will be given by the government before any decision is made. We must support and say thank you to Group Captain G. F. Ockenden for making this announcement and clarifying rumors in the area. This was an extremely fair move and gave this town the opportunity of assessing the proposal and starting work immediate- ly to solve the problem. Whether the station remains or is closed, the an- nouncement certainly was beneficial be- cause it made a great many people realize a truth that they are sometimes prone to brush aside. That is the great dependence this area has on CFB Cen- tralia. This announcement certainly will have an effect on planning in this area in respect to public services such as the proposed addition to the South Hur- on District High School as well as to the building of private homes. It could also affect the price of real estate and many other areas and it is for this reason we say, "don't panic". We would be sorry to see people disposing of homes and property now because of a proposal only to find at a later date that it was not as serious as what was first believed. It could be a blessing in disguise and only time will tell what the future will bring for this area. Centennial projects Huron County, and Exeter in par- ticular are enthused and working on projects to mark Canada's Centennial next year. The degree of this enthu- siasm was shown last week when a dele- gation, 12 strong, attended a Centen- nial workshop at Goderich. Officials classed the workshop as one of the best held in the province to date, a tribute to the workers within the county. As a newspaper, The Times-Advo- cate is willing to support all Centennial projects in the area but we find it hard to believe that the reams of informa- tion arriving almost daily from Expo 67 are worth publishing. The impor- tance of the weekly press is recognized by Expo officials and they have at- tempted almost everything from bribery on down to get weekly editors to use their material. They have offered free trips to the Expo site, free accommo- dation and meals and promises of ad- vertising to come in the future. And yet they have had very little success in getting their press releases publish- ed. The reason for the lack of suc- cess is not a stubborn lack of co-opera- tion by editors. The weekly newspaper must confine itself roughly to matters of interest within its area if it is to survive and most editors realize this. Undoubtedly we will have occasion to mention Expo many times during the centennial year as people from town and area visit this area and give their comments about it. At the present time our space is much too valuable to print columns devoted to rambling descrip- tions or preparations for Expo. The people from this area who visit Expo will be interested mainly in the fin- ished product. The right idea Drunken drivers in Finland serve from three months to two years in work colonies. They rise at 7 a.m. and after working a full day turn in at 10:30 p.m. They live in army-type bar- racks with tiers of bunks, a big wooden table in the centre of the room, and no other furniture. Visitors are limited to three hours 'each Sunday. Prisoners are paid 60 cents an hour for their work. Most of this goes for meals at 50 cents each and work clothes which they must either buy or rent. The government also deducts 25 per cent of the prison- ers' wages in taxes. And Canadian magistrates think they are being "tough" if they impose a mandatory seven-day prison term for drunk driving, first offence? Or tickle the laughter responses with a $50 or $100 fine for an impaired driver? Canada could copy the Finnish sys- tem and thereby obtain a pool of labor to carry out necessary public works projects. The drunken and impaired driver could be put to work on neces- sary municipal projects. The taxpayer would at least get something for the money he pays out in law enforcement and the custody of prisoners. (The Sudbury Star) Going-going-all gone There was a story forty or so years ago about the very rich Westerner who was confronted with overlapping fed- eral, provincial and municipal income taxes. He called the tax collectors to his office and said to them, "Gentle- men, there is my income in total for the last calendar year. I cannot pay you all in full from the income for that year, but I can invite you, and do invite you, to split this money among yourselves." As a result of the situation, the tax collectors awoke to the fact that you cannot have so much overlapping of collections that the person taxed is without income. The situation is about to be re- peated. The federal taxes, the provin- cial taxes, deductions for unemploy- ment insurance, contributions to old age pensions, etc., etc. and the muni- cipal taxes are such that some workers and some receiving income will soon have nothing left. There are people who worry about the destruction of Parliament. Possibly of greater importance would be the de- struction of government. (The Printed Word) Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 lOgenferZinies-Abuocafe SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND Member: C.W.N.A., 0.W.N.A., CLASS A and ABC Publishers: J. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott Editor: Kenneth Kerr Advertising Manager: Val Baltkalns Phone 235-1331 Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont. Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dep't, Ottawa, and for Payment of Postage in Cash Paid in Advance Circulation, September 30, 1965, 4,208 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $4.00 Per Year; USA $5.00 Reeadeue Spat49, The budget Emptiness It isn't often I have to run for cover but Monday morning was an exception. I arrived at the office just after 8:00 and I still hadn't been able to do any work by 10:30. I don't mean to suggest I lacked ambition or was sick, it was just a case of too many people on the telephone and too many people coming in to see me. Generally I have my editorials and Kerr's Korner written before Monday morning but this weekend was so hectic I had neither started by 10:30 so I ran for cover. In this case, cover was home where I am reasonably sure of not being interrupted and where, if neces- sary, I can take the telephone off the hook, lock the door and work. I guess this is one of those jobs you just never get caught up on. Thursday evening I felt I had most of my work completed and was prepared to use all of Fri- day for a little public service work as well as getting started on one or two new projects I had planned. It didn't work that way because Friday morning after I had my mail sorted a bomb dropped. This was the proposal that CFB Cent- ralia might close. I suppose there were many people who heard the news and shrugged and said, "what can I do?" When an editor hears news like that it mean a hell of a lot of hard work. The first and most important place to start is to determine how much of what you hear is rumour 50 YEARS AGO Capt Dancey was in Hensall Friday evening where he ad- dressed those present at the dance. If reports are correct he handed out some warm treat- ment to the boys not in khaki. Mr. Mark Brokenshire has opened up a new confectionery in Hartleib's block, Dashwood. The Exeter Motor Sales Co. received another shipment of Overland cars this week. The Exeter members of the Hurons paraded to Main Street church last Sunday morning. The honor roll of Main Street and Bethany churches were unveiled. The roll contains 30 names who are doing their bit for King and Country, 25 YEARS AGO Pouring of cement for the flooring of Exeter's new bridge was completed last Saturday, The flooring is 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. It is estimated there are nine carloads of stone about 360 tons, 180 yards Of sand and 2,260 bags of cement. Dr. W. E. Weekes, who is with the RC AMC, has passed his final examinations and will receive his commission as a captain. The owner of a 100-acre farm just south of Clinton confirms the sale of his property for $7,500 With $1,600 allowance for his crop, the land to be used as an airport. Mr. Wesley Johns of Usborne has purchased the residence of Mr. Walter Cutbush on Simeoc St. and how much is fact. In this case it took only one telephone call to determine that this was a pro- posal and a little extra investi- gation gave us the information as to how far this proposal had gone. The next step, of course) is to alert community leaders and tell them of the situation so that im- mediate action can be taken to protect the future of the town and area. in this case the head of the Board of Trade and members of council were contacted and almost immediately a meeting was scheduled to discuss the problem and what action should be taken. And as this pertained to govern- ment the aid of our local MPP was enlisted and later our MP, Bob McKinley. These men were able to give advice as to what steps the town could take in de- termining the true facts of the case and what alternative pro- posals the town could investi- gate if the station is to be closed. We must give a word of thanks to Charlie MacNaughton for the time and effort he gave to this cause over the weekend. He cancelled a meeting Friday eve- ning in order to be in Exeter to discuss the problem and spent a great deal of the weekend working with committees in de- termining the course of action. In case anyone has the idea this was a political move or proposal they can forget it. This matter is too darned big and important 15 YEARS AGO Coronation trumpets, Vampire jets, foreign ambassadors and Canadian dignitaries will all be part of the NATO graduation at RCAF Station, Centralia, Friday, May 18. Thirty seven acres were seed- ed by neighbors on the farm of Norman Jaques in the Woodham district Monday. Mr. Jaques is convalescing from an operation. Mr. and Mrs. John R. McDonald of Hensall are today celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary and Mr. McDonald's 95th birth- day. Huron County scholarship at OAC, Guelph went to R. Grant Morgan, RR 1 Hensel, first year degree student. 10 YEARS AGO Barbara Hodgson, eighth grade pupil of Principal A. B. Idle, won the trophy in the final public speaking contest at the Home and School Association meeting Tuesday evening. Contract for erection of the addition to Exeter Post Office has been let to C. A. McDowell Co., Centralia, for $36,000. Rev. Walter E. Strangway of the United Church Chisamba Mis- sion, Angola, Africa, will visit James Street UC this Sunday to receive proceeds from i'Opera- tion Brown Cow" — a campaign sponsored by church organiza- tions to raise funds for a dairy herd for the mission. lluron County's impressive new 000,000 court house will be Opened by Premier Leslie Frost in a special ceremony Tuesday afternoon, By Val Balkalns to the area to worry about play- ing politics and I am sure all the men working on this problem realize this. This is a threat to the economy of majorproportions and it will take the work and sup- port of everyone to find the proper solutions. It is a thrill to see the speed with which people can organize and work when faced with an emergency of this magnitude. There are times when we are forced to wonder whether there are very many people who care what happens to the town and it takes a situation such as this to show the very real concern people can have. Another interesting observa- tion could be made as the re- sult of the announcement and that is the speed with which ru- mours start and are believed. Almost immediately the old rumour started that Chrysler had an option on the base and would be taking this over. While it is within the realm of pos- sibility that this firm could be interested in a complex such as this it is ridiculous to believe the option story when no decision in regards to the closing of the base has been made and will not be made until later this month. We are sure the government would not be foolish enough to start negotiations with an industry in regards to a question which would so seriously affect an area with- out contacting top officials of the area. And so we must chalk the story down to rumour. And an- other rumour was that the Aylmer Police College would be trans- ferred to Centralia. This again is another possibility but it is only a rumour. We believe that most of these rumours are started when some- one suggests that something is possible. Others carry this one step forward and state it as a positive fact and other carry the tale to their friends until it has spread across the area. I know that there has been no decision made in regards to the closing of this base. And I also know that all the rumours I keep hearing are just conjecture and wishful thinking. It may make some people feel better to whistle in the dark to keep their courage up but it makes me feel a little better when I see a group of serious men sitting down an at- tempting to find a solution to the problem. I have much more faith in these men than I do in the rumours and it irritates me when I have people come up and attempt to tell me a lot of nonsense when I know the facts of the situation and have spent some time investi- gating this. I spent the majority Of Friday, Saturday and Sunday investigating this I spent a lot of time and a lot of money on long distance tele- phone calls. I can tell you how many feet of steam distribution (16,000) public school enrolment (523) and a lot more Seemingly useless information about the base. It is sometimes necessary to gather ten times more infor- mation than needed in order to Write a story or assist a Com- munity but It Is seldom the in- The story is told of a very pious woman and her young son who were leaving the church after the service. As the woman stop- ped to shake hands with the min- ister at the door she said, F‘Oh pastor, I'm just filled with your Message." The young boy piped up not quite so piously, (,Yes, and I've had my stomach full of it too." Just as there are a variety of ways in which we are filled so too there are a variety of types of human emptiness. Some people's lives are empty because they feel that they live in a vacuum without family or friends. Others experience the emptiness which is the result of trying to live life without meaning or purpose or faith or hope. There is a related type of emptiness which is the direct result of a misunderstanding of what constitutes real life. Too many people feel that 'real liv- ing' means being free from work, from all restrictions and respon- sibilities. 'Real living' is 'jet set living'. They will arrive when they've fulfilled their physical expectations. When they have at- tained all the physical and ma- terial things they want then life will be full. They often find out to their sorrow, however, that after they get all they wanted a bored emptiness still persists and they've wished their lives away. When I was in high school I thought — boy when I get out of here will I be happy. I thought the same thing in seminary, in Victoria and I've often felt that way here — that's how life slips away f At this point the Christian faith has always said sharply, clearly, and distinctly: If your life is centred around yourself or what you want to gain for yourself it will inevitably be empty and you will lose it. Real life will be found only when you commit your life to Someone and Something outside of your- self. Authentic life consists of self-giving. It means being freed from yourself to live life to the full. Our faith backs this up by say- ing that in creation we see the All across Canada these days, municipal councils have been wrestling with the arch-villain of all times, a mysterious monster called The Budget. Although he is made up from a combination of concrete things like sewers and schools and streets. The Budget himself is an abstract thing. He is like The Devil. You can't see him or hear him or even smell him. You can't really understand him, but you know he is there: a blind, malignant creature that cannot be controlled. You can fight him -- and get a bloody nose. You can hammer at him, chisel at him, chop at him -- and all you get are a broken hammer, a dull chisel and a blunted axe. The Budget is like an octopus. He grows bigger every year. His appetite increases, his tentacles become longer and stronger and more strangling as he grows. And when you try to come to grips with him, he exudes a cloud of black (or red) ink which obscures him from view. Of what ingredients is The Bud- get composed? Really, he's a two-headed monster, a regular Siamese twin. On the one hand, it is just a big bundle of sugar and spice: new schools;newindustries; a new library or community centre; wider streets; better lighting; sewage disposal and snow plow- ing. Progress, culture, civiliza- tion, comfort. At first glance it appears that The Budget is the most desirable thing man has dreamed up since The Devil. And on the other hand, he is snags and snails and puppy-dog tails. That's what little towns are made of. And big towns too. And the reason for all this, of course is that The Budget, this big, ugly, unmanageable brute who is impervious to human feel- ing, fell in love by some chemical accident, while a mere hulking funk of a boy, with a girl called Milly Rate. Most of us know her as Mill. formation does not have some Use. And that is Why I was forced to go home to get some work done on Monday and why I am behind in my work. I don't really mind the time spent however be- cause this is my home and my area and anything whin threatens the future of the area is of con- Cern to me, It should be a Con- cern to everyone but unfortunately it it not. self emptying, the self giving, the self spending of God Him- self. In Jesus Christ we see pre- cisely the same quality of self emptying, self giving and self spending. When we are preoc- cupied only with ourselves life will be empty simply because there's no room for anyone else. It is as we learn to love; as we learn to creatively and posi- tively give of ourselves, our gifts, our abilities that we mature and participate in real life. I believe that we are born into this world little grasping centres of egotism and self centredness but somewhere along the line we must leave the world of depend- ence where our every wish is someone else's command. We must leave it to push beyond into a world of other persons, a world that calls for voluntary restraint, a world where we are called to be aware of the pres- ence and needs of others. Some people never make it. It is too demanding. They never grow up. It is too painful for them to empty themselves of their self centredness. They nev- er want to leave the warmth and comfort of a situation where everybody must cater to them. They are therefore never able to face the new reality where fullness of life comes through self-giving. Like the Prodigal Son they know how to say 'give me' but unlike the Prodigal Son they never learn how to say 'make me'. There are too many people who only know how to receive from God, from others, from life. There is a bit of this in all of us. I believe that much sulki- ness and moodiness, much de- pression and anxiety is the di- rect result of not getting our own way or of being afraid that we won't get it. It is a painful experience to see this in yourself but it's part of the process of growing in Christian maturity. There can be little real worship or love or meaningful service without this victory over self. As we learn to give of our- selves we find that instead of being emptied by life we are filled each day with new mean- ing, purpose and life. She is just as unprepossessing as her husband. She is steely- eyed, relentless, unscrupulous and absolutely without mercy, charm, pity, looks, or any of the qualities we normally associate with that lovely creation known as the female of the species. I have known Mill Rate since she was a girl, and I am here to state, without apology, that she is a pig. It's difficult to believe that such a union could produce pro- geny. But it did. His name is Taxes. Taxes' career has been about what you would expect from such parents. He was an unpleasant child from the beginning. Un- wanted, unloved, rejected at every turn, whiney, demanding. He hasn't changed much, ex- cept that he's grown. He is now a big slob, over-fed, under- worked, menacing if he doesn't get his allowance right on time, sulky if some of it is held back. But he has a lot of promise. Around election time. He's going to cut the lawn, and wash the car, and paint the trim and smarten the old place up so you wouldn't know it. But somewhere along the line, something goes haywire. He cuts the trees, paints the lawn, and washes the lake, and figures after one year, that his allowance is not big enough. For some reason — and it certainly isn't his winning per- Sonality — Taxes has become the most-talked about man in town. Mayors develop dyspepsia, coun- cilors coronaries, when they try to deal with this delinquent. They can't quite handle him. He talks so glibly of government grants on outdoor toilet systems under the winter works program, and potential pot-holes in the roads, and (with a heart-rending sob) of the people on welfare, that he bamboozles councilors with eyes like agates, and mayors With hearts of granite, All I can say is that the muni- cipal councils have my blessing as they strive to cope with Taxes, out of Mill Rate and The Budget. With Reference To Rots A ten-year-old lad received a white rat for a present. He spent a long. time at a library on a Saturday looking up the subject of white rats. He left in disgust, He said the library Was well stocked with books on "rats how to get rid of," but not a word on "rats--the care and rearing of,"