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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1967-04-13, Page 4Zaeot maul exota4 to atatelt Horse trading was easier ,ear ..1t0Ate•-• P4i.t "About her 'heavy date' — Must he get heavy in OUR kitchen ?"' or action A time of the greatest nuisances in this dis- trict, and it is high time that some of the countless words of complaints were transformed into words of action, so people wouldn't have to consider talc- Mg the law into their own hands. Exeter council discussed the mat- ter earlier this year with a view to taking some action, but postponed it on the understanding some action was forthcoming from county council. To our knowledge, county council took no definite steps and so the matter has been delayed again, although the local council has authorized Chief C. H. Mac- Kenzie to investigate the possibility of hiring a dog catcher. This is certainly a step in the right direction and the sooner it is brought to fruition, the better. There appears to be no question that many of the dogs running at large in the district are strays and their num- bers could be quickly reduced by a short, concentrated effort of a dog catcher. With the threat of periodic and unannounced visits to the community, dog owners would probably be quick to accept their responsibilities and con- fine their animals rather than pay to have them removed from the local pound. This is the only way the situation can be controlled. No amount of pleas and warnings will do any good, as the past record clearly indicates. Too many words have already been wasted. It's time for action. Last week in Kitchener, an 18-year- old youth was sentenced to 30 days in jail for wounding a dog. The story in- dicated the dog had bitten the youth twice on the leg and in retaliation the young man had tossed a knife at him. The dog had to be destroyed as a result of the wound. We rather suspect the magistrate must have doubted the youth's story that he was merely attempting to pro- tect himself from the animal; at least the severe sentence would indicate that. Nevertheless, it points out the seriousness of the attack in the mind of the judge, and our purpose in draw- ing attention to the incident is in pro- viding a warning for area residents who may attempt to take the law in their own hands in dealing with stray dogs. The warning should be heeded most by some party — or parties — in the Dashwood area who have in the past few months poisoned three or four canines. We have little sympathy for those who allow their dogs to run at loose continuously and create problems for their neighbors, but we certainly can not condone the actions of anyone who would stoop to such drastic measures in ridding themselves of wandering dogs. The fact that anyone would leave poisoned bait around where children may get at it, makes one wonder at the intelligence of some people. Dog problems continue to be one Is it necessary? No t raising hogs is profitable While centennial year is going to be marked in many ways, it is un- doubtedly going to go down in history as the year of giant wage and price in- creases. Included in that category will be fire retainer fees for area fire brigades. Without exception, those commu- nities providing protection far others have increased prices, the most note- able being Hensall, who last week asked five surrounding townships to in- crease by eight-fold their contributions to maintaining proper fire equipment. It's difficult to say how serious they were in their requests, especially in view of the fact Reeve Minnie Noakes almost seemed embarrassed over the figures and wouldn't release them to the press. However, while the initial request may have been used only as an opener for some bargaining between the par- ties involved, it is almost safe to say Hensall will hold out for a sizeable in- crease before coming to terms. Main reason behind the increase is the fact Hensall deems it necessary to purchase a new truck that would then give them standby equipment to fight local fires if the other was out in a township. Reeve Noakes points out her council must consider their own ratepayers first and foremost, and in this she can not be faulted. However, we have pointed out be- fore that Hensall's failure to join the Huron County mutual aid system, leaves them without the protection offered by that group — not only when they are fighting fires outside their community, but also when they have a fire in their own community that requires addition- al help to fight. As we understand the mutual aid system, a standby brigade is notified make this more than a two day program; an all-breed horse show, bare-back and saddle horse racing, revival of harness horse racing, chariot and chuckwagon races, jumping competition, and introduction of polo to this area. The Exeter Agricultural So- ciety is co-operating fully in this project. A permanent horse show ring would be a great asset during the fair. There has been some discussion in regards to combining the fair and the rodeo. The Exeter Saddle Club holds four open horse shows each year for local horses and riders, and is planning a very active program for this season. Many local riders performed last year and will be working harder this year for the ribbons and trophies which will be awarded. If these shows are held at the fairgrounds, many local resid- ents will be able to enjoy these shows. The Quarter Horse Show was a success last year and will be larger this year. Again, these beautiful horses would be on display close to the residents of Exeter. Another reason for this pro- ject is to enlarge the scope of activities at the community park. The people who are spearhead- ing this are hoping to be able to improve the existing facilities if the rodeo is a financial success. Please keep this point in mind: this project is not private enter- prise! The past meetings have been attended by representatives of the Canadian Legion, Kinsmen and Lions Clubs, R.A.P., Agriculture Society, Industrial Development Commission, Board of Trade, and the Exeter Saddle Club. It is hoped that each one of these groups will be represented on the board of directors of the Rodeo Association. The estimated cost of con- structing the rodeo ring is $2,500 of which about one-half has al- ready been raised. The location of the new ring has not yet been definitely decided upon, but it is hoped that the area in front of the grandstand can be used. The grounds on the north side of the park are also being considered. The date for the rodeo is also under discussion. Labour Day weekend has always been "Rodeo Time" in Exeter but it is the feel- ing of some that an earlier date should be chosen, such as the Civic Holiday weekend. If any one is interested in sup- porting this undertaking, they will be most welcome to attend the next meeting which will be held April 17, 8;00 pm at the Victoria and Grey Trust com- munity room. It is hoped that this meeting will produce the neces- sary action to make this a suc- cessful community project. The Rodeo Investigating Committee Exeter, Ont. April 11, 1967 Dear Editor; During the past few weeks there has been several articles appearing in your paper about building a rodeo ring at the Ex- eter fairgrounds. Many people in Exeter and district are sincerely interested in such a project, but have been wondering about the motives and reasons behind the move. The Rodeo Investigating Committee would like to have an opportunity to clarify all the facts regarding this project up to date. Several years ago a group of men formed the Exeter Saddle Club as a privately owned or- ganization. Recently the Exeter Saddle Club became a non-private organiz&tion, administered by a board of directors which is elect- ed by the members. Three years ago the Mid-West- ern Rodeo Association was form- ed by three men and a rodeo has been held each year since on Labour Day weekend. The loca- tion was two miles west on Huron Street. This association was formed as a private business enterprise. The three rodeos that have been held have all been success- ful — perhaps not successful in dollars and cents, but certainly successful in attracting attention and visitors to Exeter. The pres- ent location of the rodeo grounds is felt by many to be a drawback to future expansion. In late 1966 a meeting was sponsored by the Exeter Board of Trade for all interested par- ties to meet with the Mid-West- ern Rodeo Association. At this meeting the Association agreed to co-operate in organizing and developing a community sponsor- ed rodeo at the fairgrounds. Since then there have been several meetings herd and a Rodeo Investigating Committee formed to do the necessary ground work. In a few days an- other meeting will be held at which time an action committee will be formed and given author- ity to begin construction of the new facilities. The advantages of building rodeo facilities at the fairgrounds are numerous, but the first and most important reason for doing so is simple: to promote the town of Exeter and district. A rodeo held annually could become a major tourist attrac- tion since we are located be- tween Gland Bend and Strat- ford, and both places attract thousands of tourists to this area each summer. Since the station has closed at Centralia, Exeter desperately requires something to help fill this void. An annual rodeo combined with several oth- er attractions could help do this. The following suggestions have been put forward which could most unusual centennial pro- jects we've noted took place in London, when special days were set up so residents could hold a real centennial cleanup of their homes and yards. TV coverage indicated that even the kitchen sink was among the trash collected and judging from some piles of trash, the project was certainly worthwhile. We wonder if a similar pro- ject in Exeter wouldn't be a good idea. Particular sections of town could be given specific days on which to set out all types of trash and it might provide the initiative some of us need to do a real cleanup job for cen- tennial. raise 1,000 hogs. After awhile I'll expand and maybe not raise 2,000 hogs. But I have to know first how many hogs I can hon- estly not raise before I get into this too deep. You may say there isn't enough money in this operation, and I would say you were right except for one thing. The U.S. govern- ment also pays you for not raising corn. Now I figure that the hogs I'm not raising will not eat 50,000 bushels of corn a year, so if the government pays me for not rais- ing the corn that the pigs I'm not raising would eat, then I'll be able to do pretty good for myself. At least it seems to me this is better than working in a broker's office and I hope you understand my feeling on the subject. I have a lot to learn about not raising things, bu t I'm young and willing to do it. If things go well, I may even get married and not raise any children. I haven't checked what they pay for not raising them, but surely it must be more than they pay for not raising hogs. Elmer and Jennie Rowe con- cluded the article with this com- ment; "How about volunteers to explore the possibilities of a Canadian plan?". Speaking of spring cleanup -- and it's easier to talk about it than doing it — we should also suggest that council consider cleaning up the pigeon nuisance in town. Perhaps a centennial pigeon shoot, or something along that line? A number of flocks have taken up residence in Exeter, with a particularly large group enjoy- ing shelter along the rear of the business block on the west side of Main Street. We've had a couple of residents in that area mention the problem, and while shooting the birds may be too much of a risk, the matter should be considered before the numbers continue to grow. as soon as a neighboring fire truck has been called out of its community. This means the standby brigade is ready to move at a moment's notice and this suggests that a truck from Exeter, Zur- ich or Brucefield could be at a fire scene in Hensall almost as quickly as the brigade in that community could be assembled in an ordinary case. This, coupled With the fantastic odds of a double calamity, leads us to suggest once more that Hensall at least investigate the advantages of the mut- ual aid system before expending a large sum on a new truck, if in fact its purchase is only being considered to enable to have standby protection of their own. In the deliberations over fire re- tainers, urban communities must con- sider the fact they are not able to of- fer the same protection to neighboring township residents as they give their own ratepayers. This is due to the dif• ference in water supplies, and is some- thing that has to be considered when fire protection costs are being debated. By the same token, rural munici- palities have to realize that the cost of fire protection is rising similar to all other costs, and they must be prepared to pay their fair share towards these costs if they want the protection. In the past, most area commu- nities have been able to reach amicable agreements regarding fire protection, but in some areas the topic has cre- ated a great deal of animosity between neighboring municipalities, with the re- sult that some have been unable to reach agreements and ratepayers have suffered. Understanding the problems of the other party could avoid this, and we trust that will be the case in all forth- coming negotiations. The better half has announced that spring cleanup time has arrived, and a quick glance at the basement and garage in- dicates a few hours' work in the offing. In this regard, one of the In his reply to a guest edi- torial from the W i ng h a rn Advance-Times, Gordon Hill of Varna explained last week that U.S.A. farmers average 36% of their income from government sources, while Canadian farmers get only 3%. "We can compete against U.S. farmers, but I doubt we can successfully compete against the U.S. treasury," Gordon noted. He's probably correct in that assumption, and as many readers probably know, the U.S. govern- ment even pays farmers for not growing some crops or producing some livestock. The ramifications of such a program were recently brought to our attention in an article appearing in the Ontario Flying Farmers' newsletter, which is prepared by a couple of area flying enthusiasts, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Rowe. It takes the form of a letter of application and is as follows: * * * Dear Sirs: Please forget about the job I applied for with your company as the opportunities in Texas are far greater than anything I could possibly find in your office. You see, I discovered through a friend of mine who lives in Terrebonne, that the U.S. gov- ernment pays you for not rais- ing hogs. My friend just got a cheque for $1,000 for not rais- ing 50 hogs. So, I have given this careful consideration and have decided to also go into the not-raising- hogs business. First, I have to find the right kind of farm not to raise hogs on and then I have to decide on the right kind of hogs not to raise. For a starter I would prefer not to raise razor-backs, but after I get experienced I'm also not going to raise Berkshires and Durocs. I don't plan to operate on a big scale at the beginning. If my friend from Terrebonne got $1,000 for not raising 50 hogs, then I think for a start I'll not Fences need mending 61411 4ap Last week's accident report from the local Ontario Provincial Police de- tachment noted that one of the two crashes during the week had involved a car and a wandering cattle beast. It was the first accident of the year involving cattle, but the number of such occurrences appears to be on the increase in this area in recent years. While our news item suggested drivers be on the lookout for cattle now that they are out in the fields again, perhaps we placed the onus on the wrong parties. The responsibility for the preven- tion of such accidents more correctly lies with the owner of the cattle. A thorough inspection of all fences should be made before cattle are allowed out in fields, so repairs can be made where 50 YEARS AGO A pleasant event took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Lovie, Ailsa Craig, on Wednesday, April 11 when their two daughters, Mary and Susie, were united in marriage to Wes- ley W. Dayman of Exeter and Stanley Paul of Petrolia respec- tively. Both ceremonies were performed by Rev. J. W. Baird of Exeter. Privates Will Davis, Will Brown, Gerald Fitton and Norman Norry were home over Easter. Fierce fighting in Vimy Ridge, France, has struck boys from the Crediton district severely. Lloyd England has been reported wounded and is in hospital in England. Percy Lawson appeared among the casualties on Monday. "It's always the same night- mare—all the stores are hay- ing sales and I can't find my charge-plate." necessary. Periodic inspections should be made throughout the year to ensure that animals have no means of wander- ing outside their confines. We're not certain how the law views the responsibility in crashes be- tween cars and cows, but obviously the owner of the animals involved has a moral responsibility, and we rather sus- pect, a legal one as well. This should certainly be the case if evidence indi- cates the owner of animals has been negligent or lax in taking proper steps to ensure that his animals are safely confined. At any rate, -there shouldn't be too many persons interested in testing the law in this regard and the best way to avoid the necessity is to take a few precautionary steps to ensure that farm fences are in a good state of repair. Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 15 YP, ARS AGO Huronia Male Chorus' version of Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore was enthusiastically ac- claimed at each of its four per- formances throughout the dis- trict. They staged the operetta at Exeter Thursday and Friday, in Lucan Saturday and in Blyth, Tuesday. Exeter arena will boast arti- ficial ice next season as a result of a council move to float deben- tures for $60,000 Monday night. Recreation officials of the On- tario Department of Education termed Exeter's Saturday morn- ing "fun" classes an "outstand- ing achievement" when open house was held Saturday. Spon- sored by the Home & School Association and the Recreational council it was the first such pro- ject undertaken in the province. Grand Bend School Board is seeking for a site for its new $50,000 public school building. 1881 4,10SMNAMISIMenatt ni Amalgamated 1924 ligteOrefeaime,sakasocafe SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC Publishers: J. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott Editor: Bill Batten Advertising Manager: Howie Wright Phone 235.1331 "How's the great American novel coming along?" 00,911AM MI HAI r Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont. Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept, Ottawa, and for Payment of Postage in Cash Paid in Advance Circulation, September 30, 1966, 4,427 SUBSCRIPTION RATES; Canada $5.00 Per Year; USA $1.00 I take it for a little trial spin. And if nothing falls off, and the color suits my wife, I deal. There are different types of car buyers, of course. There's the kid who makes $60 a week. He walks up to the red con- vertible with 80 yards of chrome, bucket seats and dazzling wheel discs, points to it and says, "Gimme dat one." Cheerfully, he signs the indenture papers which will enslave him for four years, and departs the lot with a squeal of tires. Where else can he find power and sex appeal for a lousy $80 a month? And there's the born horse- trader, who deals for the sheer joy of it. He spends most of his spare time in car dealers' lots, badgering the salesmen, disparaging the merchandise, and quoting the terrific deal that Honest John down the street has offered him. He seldom has a car more than six months and is deluded into thinking that his lot is improving with every trade. But for the average layman today, buying a car is an ex- cruciating ordeal. He suspects the dealer. He fears ridicule from his friends, all of whom have made excellent deals late- ly. He dreads the interview with the bank manager. He trails from one car lot to another, trying to find a buick for the price of a volkswagen. And the up- holstery must match all his wife's clothes. Not me. Not no more. Life's too short. Yesterday, I bought in 20 minutes. Let my wife drive it home. Oh, there were one or two little things. It stalled, and we discovered the battery cable was loose. The light in the ceil- ing wouldn't go out and I had to phone the dealer to find out where the switch was. One of the doors won't close, And there was a delightful bit of family excitement when my wife pushed the window-washer button, it stuck, and soapy water gushed over the windshield for five min- utes with more suds than a deter- gent commercial. But it'll all work out. Three years from how, it'll be just another rust-bucket, almost paid for, And 1 have probably added a year to my life by buying like Grampa. Try it yourself. One of the great bruising stresses of modern society to which socialogists pay little at- tention was imposed on me this week. I traded my car for a new one. This psychological crisis comes to all of us, every two or three years. It bears looking at, as a manifestation of the tremendous pressures we have to cope with, and our grand- fathers didn't. What a snap they had. They went to a reputable horsedealer and bought a horse. No sweat. They didn't even have to make the agonizing decision of whether to buy a brand new one or a late-model used. There was no such thing as a new horse. What's more, they enjoyed it. There was some good-natured dickering which usually ended with both parties thinking they had got the better of the deal. Grampa chuckled as he drove his lively gelding home, think- ing of how much trade-in al- lowance he'd received for Old Min, the mare, who hadn't much mileage left in her. And the dealer chuckled as he thought of the gelding steadily going blind, and the fact that the preacher, who knew nothing about horses, was looking for a quiet mare like Old Min. My point is that it was not the wrenching, exhausting thing that a modern car deal is. The average layman then knew whether a horse was sound. He took a look at the teeth, felt the beast here and there, hitched it up for a trial spin, and made his deal, There was only so much that could be wrong with a horse. HE could be blind, or spavined, or wind-broken. But he didn't rust, there was no chance of his brakes grabbing, his trans- mission was automatically au- tomatic, and he didn't cost $1500 a year for life. And that's one of the reasons I buy a car exactly the way Grampa used to buy a horse. I look at its teeth. That is, I lift the hood to make sure there's a motor, and open trunk to make sure there's a spare. I don't feel the beast here and there, but I kick the tires and give the doors a good slam or two. 10 YNARS AGO The Exeter and district branch of the Canadian Cancer Society has set an objective of $3,500 for its campaign this month. Chairman of the drive is Mayor R. E. Pooley. A kitchen shower is being or- ganized by Centralia ladies for Mrs. Gerald Isaac, RR 1 Clan- deboye, whose home was des- troyed by fire Saturday morning. Plans for Hospital Day on Sun- day, May 12 were made atSouth Huron Women's Auxiliary meet- ing Tuesday afternoon. The hos- pital will be open for inspection 2 to 4 pm and tea will be ser- ved. 13111 Cutting, 65, of Andrew Street retired this week after completing 46 years with the CNR. 25 YEARS AGO George Layton was elected president of the Exeter Bowling Club. Vice-president is T. 0. Southcott; grounds committee B. M. Francis; W. E. Sanders, Bert Rivers; tournament com- mittee, J. M. Southcott, Ulric Snell and R. N. Creech. Walker-Sims--At high noon Saturday, April 11, 1942, in Main Street United Church Miss Merna Sims, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. K. J. Sims of Exeter to Thomas Henry Walker, only son of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Walker of Stockport, Eng. by Rey. N. J. Woods. Mr. Arthur Haist, who is train- ing at Listowel, spent the week- end at his home in Crediton. Art moved to Niagara.-on-the-Lake, On Wednesday. "Send over soap" is the urgent SOS message of Sapper Jack Taylor in writing to his wife, Mrs. Taylor of Hensall. Soap is rationed over there and cannot be bought,