HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1969-01-23, Page 4RII
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238.2377 GRAND BEND 1s
Question pay for 'specials'
Members of Exeter council voted
themselves a pay boost at a special
meeting last week, and few people deny
that the raise was not warranted.
While $20 for a three or four-hour
meeting may appear high to the
uninitiated, the local ratepayers actually
get much more than that for their
money.
Councillors attend a number of
committee meetings during the year for
which there is no pay, and on many
occasions they are called away from
their work to view special projects and
problems that arise and have to be dealt
with on the spot.
However, we do question council
members voting themselves a pay boost
for special meetings.
Apparently these meetings are
never felt important enough to advise
the press or public that they are being
called. We presume members feel the
decisions being made are not worth
being made known to the ratepayers and
hence their practice of not notifying the
press of special meetings.
If this is the attitude of council, it
does not appear correct that they should
expect to be paid $10 for attending such
meetings when nothing of major
consequence is presented for discussion.
About one month ago some
members of council became very upset
over an opinion expressed in this
newspaper regarding one of their
decisions at a special meeting. It was
pointed out that because council met
behind closed doors the information
presented to help them make their
decision was not known to the press or
the public and therefore it was only
natural that the latter may make some
criticism that may appear to be unjust in
the view of council members.
Oddly enough, while members of
council oppose regional government on
the basis that it will remove
administration farther from the people,
they reach the same end by holding
closed meetings.
Welcome sign indeed
A tip of the hat to Provincial Judge
John Ord, Acton, who said Friday he
will resign from a Halton County board
of education committee because of pay
increases the board awarded to
administrators.
We have only dreamed that one day
some one would refuse a raise in an
attempt to fight the skyrocketing cost of
living. Now we have actually seen with
our own eyes the story of one individual
with the guts to turn down a
$4,000-a-year pay rise because it was not
"justified".
Judge Ord is reported to have said,
"The teachers are the ones who should
get increases, not the fat-cat officials."
Now our dream has taken a new
turn. Now we have visions of even
greater equality, with workers
everywhere getting a square deal and
business "chiefs" sharing some of the
spoils of progress with the lowly
"Indians."
They said we'd never see the day
when someone turned down a salary
hike. Could it be that we are finally
nearing the crucial breaking point where
thinking people cannot condone the
crushing load of debt we are inflicting on
each other?
It's a straight dollar an hour
cia“
A
tOmmutiily
newspapers
NANIetrt .4'=" *.
Times Established 1873
Advocate Established 1881
Amalgamated 1924
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
Phone 235.1331
Published Each Thursday Morning
at Exeter, Ontario
Authorized as Second Class Mail,
Post Office Dep't, Ottawa,
and for Payment of Postage in Cash
Paid in Advance Circulation,
September 30, 1968, 4,520
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $5.00 Per Year; USA $7.00
0,000.401I WrIgio
BELL
LINES
by W.W. Haysom
your telephone manager
The other day I came across an interesting article
about telephone calling in the old days. The article described
how, in 1923, roller skates were introduced in one of our
long distance centres for use by messengers carrying per-
tinent information about long distance calls from what we
called "recording" to "line" positions. At that time, a "re-
cording" operator took down the details of a customer's
long distance call and then said, "We will call you back".
Another "line" operator set up the connection and then
telephoned the caller. Beginning in 1926, CLR (combined line
and recording) ensured that most calls were completed
while the caller remained on the phone.
It's a far cry from 1969 when you can pick up the
phone in Exeter and call almost anywhere in just a matter
of seconds (where DDD is available). And for most long
distance calls you don't have to speak to the operator at all.
Did you know that the ordinary looking telephone
in your home contains at least 62 different materials that
come from all over the world. They range from the most
valued — gold — to the most common — paper. Each per-
forms a special function helping your phone to work better
and longer.
Many of these materials — iron, zinc, copper, nickel
and plastics can be obtained in Canada. But it takes the
resources of nations on every continent but Antarctica to
provide raw materials for a single phone. Tin, for example,
comes from Malaya, Bolivia and Nigeria and is used in
electroplating terminals.
To seek out these ingredients, suppliers are con-
stantly on the move to gather the needed raw materials.
Many are well-known: aluminum, carbon, chromium, top-
per, cotton, lead, nickel, nylon, rayon, rubber, silver,' steel
and zinc. Other materials have more exotic names such
as, beryllium, molybdenum, vanadium and palladium. The
latter is a precious metal that is noted for its high elec-
trical conductivity and resistance to corrosion. It's used
for practically all electrical contacts in the telephone.
So the next time you make a telephone call, and you
can call practically anywhere now, remember that, through
your phone, the world is truly at your finger tips.
When you walk away from work for the last
time—smile—secure in the knowledge that
your Victoria and Grey retirement saving plan
starts working for you the day you quit work.
We have three tax saving retirement plans from
which to choose —an "equity" plan designed
to give you greatest capital appreciation, an
"interest" plan that gets you high cumulative
income, and a high interest guaranteed
investment certificate fund fully guaranteed
as to principal and interest.
Start retiring today at Victoria and Grey.
VG
VICTORIA „d GREY
TRUST COMPANY SINCE 1 889
0
0)
happily!
quit
work
4
CROWN LOCAL COUPLE—Mr, and Mrs. Walter Peitsch, Exeter, were crowned prince and princess at
the German Canadian Club in London, Friday. Details of the event are explained below in 13att'n
Around, the editor being a guest of the royal couple at the ceremony.
Fun at the Funken Rot-Weiss
You know those people who
have been going around for the
past 20 years complaining,
"Remember the good old days,
when we used to have real
winters, with lots of snow?"
I'd like to catch the next
person who says it, and stick
him, upside down, anywhere in
our backyard. All you'd see
would be two feet trying to
semaphore "S.O.S." And you
wouldn't even see that unless he
were six feet tall or more.
Quite a winter. In our town,
you can park the car in front of
the house, and you wouldn't
know it was there, except for
the radio aerial.
Because of the flu, and my
bad back, and all those warnings
about heart attacks, and bone
laziness, I've been hiring boys to
shovel our front and back
sidewalks, about 90 yards of
them.
(Remember the good old
days, when you offered to
shovel somebody's walk and
worked like a beaver for two
hours, knocked at the door
when you were finished, hoping
for a dime. or maybe even a
quarter, and some gentle, little
old lady would say, "Thank you,
little boy", and give you a
cookie?)
Things have changed. The
kids now work for a straight
dollar an hour, if you can find
one small enough so that he
hasn't been corrupted by the
snow-shovellers' union.
However, it hasn't cost me much
yet. I've hired five, and three of
them haven't been seen since
they started working on the
front walk. We'll probably find
them in the spring, smiling
seraphically among the rotted
oak leaves and fallen branches.
But one of them, a rosy-faced
urchin called Jerry, is going to
go places. He's right on the job.
If there's a gentle snow falling,
and there's about an inch of it,
and it's seven o'clock on a
Sunday morning, he phones to
see if I want him. If it's snowing
as if there was a big hole in the
sky, and blowing like a banshee,
and drifting deep, you couldn't
get hold of that kid if you got
the whole police force looking
for him.
Much the same happens with
the chap who plows the
driveway. If there's three inches
of light snow, he's right there. If
there's eight inches of heavy
snow, I'll swear he just goes
home and sits by the fire. And
whichever, he has an unerring
instinct for cleaning the
driveway just three minutes
before the town snowplow
comes along and fills it in again.
It's sort of fun driving in this
stuff, though. It brings out the
Cossack in the mildest of
motorists. First, you eye the pile
of snow at the mouth of your
driveway. Looks fairly light and
only two feet deep.
You get the old crock going,
ie4= # • C-s%' _ us
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"Traffic down below seems to
be moving rather steadily. Up
here we got trouble!"
usually, start slowly backwards,
out of the garage, then give it
the gun and try to buck through
the drift on sheer, raw courage
and plain stupidity. Sometimes
you even make it. Sometimes
there's a foot of iron ice under
that surface of fluffy stuff. But
it's the nearest modern
equivalent to a cavalry charge
that I know, except that you're
going backwards.
What gives it a little extra
spice is that, because of the huge
banks, you can't see a thing in
either direction as you hit that
enemy line. The other day, I
nearly tallied two snowmobiles
that were whizzing past. And the
next day, an oil truck would
have got me, except that this
was one of the times I didn't
break through the drift.
You can't beat the modern
methods of snow removal,
though. They used to lug it away
in trucks and dump it in some
patch of wasteland. Today,
instead of trucks, we have the
snowblower.
And in the spring, when the
snow is all gone, you go out with
first a shovel, then a rake, and
finally a stiff broom, and remove
about four carloads of salt and
sand from what used to be your
nice, green lawn.
It's our own fault, of course.
People used to put the beasts up
on blocks in November. Today,
it's not only vital, but a matter
of pride, to keep the car in
action, even though we drive
only three blocks to work.
We're caught on the horns of
our own dilemma, and it's
painful, but it certianly keeps us
on our toes, when winter decides
that there's a lot of life in the
old boy yet, and proceeds to
prove it,
The charge has often been
made that Canadians are staid
and reserved in their manners
and often have little idea how to
let down their hair and enjoy
themselves.
We've been at many events
that appeared to disprove this
theory, but we found out Friday
night it probably bears more
truth than most of us would care
to admit.
On that occasion we had the
privilege of attending the
"Prince Proclamation" at the
German Canadian Club in
London, and if the activities
were indicative of the type of
events staged periodically by
some of the ethnic groups in this
country, then it must be
admitted that we natives really
don't know much about
enjoying ourselves.
The invitation to attend the
event was extended by Walter
Peitsch of Exeter, who was
crowned Prince at the
proceedings which produced
more merriment and color than
any other event we have ever
attended.
Prior to the proceedings
Walter had given us a book
explaining some of the functions
of the night which is part of the
Mardi Gras event sponsored
jointly in London by the
German and Dutch Canadian
Clubs.
The Mardi Gras season
comprises the period of time
between Christmas and Lent,
between mid-winter and spring,
a period of time, where there
was not much work to be done
on the farms, not too much
business in the urban
communities, and a good time
for going out, feasting and
celebrating.
Thus, Mardi Gras or Carnival
became the time of year when
people took life a little more
lightly, and (an exceptional
thing in the old days) were
allowed to poke fun at
authorities and high-placed
persons, even at the court of the
ruling Sovereign, of which
before the unification there were
quite a few in Germany.
Kings, princes and even
smaller potentates each
maintained their own Court and
in doing so, in many cases
competed with each other as to
pomp and splendour, at the
expense of course of the
population.
These. Courts and current
political features were allowed
to be ridiculed during the Mardi
Gras or Carnival season, the first
records of which appear during
the 14th century, and going on
as folklore buffoonery until the
present day.
Each year a mock Prince and
Princess are elected to ostensibly
rule the country during the time
Mardi Gras is being celebrated,
dutifully assisted by the Council
of the Eleven Jesters, being the
ironic counterpart of the
ministers of a country.
Precursors of soap-box
orators stand in empty wine
barrels at streeteorners aiming
their jokes at dignitaries passing
by and playfully ciriticizing local
politics and recent scandals.
Our book suggested that
"attending one of the gay,
frolicsome celebrations where
the participants are in full regalia
of ancient costumes is quite an
experience and you will find
yourself performing sprin5-time
rites and adjusting to the nutty
season.' suprisingly fast.
Even armed with that
warning, we were still not quite
prepared for the color,
excitement and good fun that
was to take place during the
evening.
Seated at a ringside table with
the compliments of Prince
Walter, we watched — almost in
awe — as participants for the
ceremonies took their place.
The junior and senior
Dancing Garde of the First K. G.
"London Funken Rot-Weiss"
started the proceedings off with
their intricate maneuvres and
kick-line which naturally started
the night off on the right foot
for everyone.
The visiting "royalty" and
dignitaries from other clubs were
escorted to the front amid
foot-stomping parade music.
The costumes would befit
any theatrical extravaganza one
would care to think of, and
ended up being a cross between
the hijinks of a Grey Cup parade
and the color of Queen
Elizabeth's coronation.
The royal visitors were
marched to the podium, where
official greetings were extended
and then a rousing song was sung
after which the visiting prince
had to down a rather large (you
want to believe it) flask of wine,
as members of the audience
accompanied the gyrations of his
taxed adam's apple with hand
clapping and foot stomping.
Each prince and princess was
gowned in lavish clothes and his
head-gear was festooned with
large peacock feathers that
during the evening were put into
better use by tickling the back
of some lady nearby.
*
Although much of the singing
and ceremony was performed in
German, we foreigners were
50 YEARS AGO
The Exeter skating rink
opened up Thursday evening for
the first time this season. The
open winter has had a bad effect
on the making of ice.
Monday was one of the
biggest days Mr. I. Armstrong
has had in shipping hogs. He
shipped four carloads, the
amount paid being $10,500. The
price was $17.75,
Miss Victoria Rowcliffe left
Monday for Guelph where she
will take a course at Macdonald
Hall.
Ptes Leon Treble and Gordon
Hooper arrived home from
overseas Monday evening and
were met at the station by a
large number of citizens who
gave them a warm welcome
home.
25 YEARS AGO
Mr. E. R. Hopper has
purchased from A. 0. Martin of
Mt. Forest the fine red brick
residence on the corner of John
and Albert Streets, now
occupied by Mr. Forrester, CNR
agent. Mr. Hopper gets
possession April 1.
Mr. L. Day Sr, who, for the
past 25 years has served as vestry
Clerk of Trivitt Memorial
Church, has resigned and was
made the presentation of a purse
of money.
Mr. W.C.F. Oestricher was
named president of the Exeter
Agricultural Society at the
annual meeting Saturday.
Vice-presidents are Verne
Pincombe and Percy Passmore.
The cash balance was $468.
swallowed up in the obvious
good fun which was taking
place, and even if you didn't
know why the people were
laughing or clapping, it was
impossible not to join in with
them.
The highlight came when
Prince Walter and his wife were
escorted to the podium and the
official crowning took place,
complete with a tap on each
shoulder with a sword.
Prince Walter then addressed
his loyal subjects and read off a
proclamation of 11 points which
stressed the need for merriment
and dire punishment for anyone
not joining in on the festivities.
There was even an
appropriate punishment
suggested for anyone stepping
on the fingers of someone
attempting to navigate his way
home.
Dancing, more speeches and
the carnival atmosphere
continued into the "wee small"
as it was obvious no one dared
go against the proclamations of
the prince.
Although the position
assumed by Walter and his wife
has many benefits, it would
appear to have a couple of
disadvantages as .well. The main
one being the fact that the
prince by tradition is the host
for the evening and as such ends
up paying for lunch — as well as
a few other goodies enjoyed by
the gathering.
This was no ordinary lunch
either. The chefs — many of
whom had to change from royal
—Please turn to page 5
15 YEARS AGO
Fred Dobbs, reeve of
Biddulph Township won his first
election Tuesday and became
warden of Middlesex County for
1954.
Mrs. Bill Chambers was
crowned Snowball Queen at the
annual winter dance of the
Exeter Ladies Legion Auxiliary.
A Sunday night fire at Huron
Lumber Co. Ltd. caused around
$20,000 damage, Manager A. J.
Sweitzer estimated. Only the
heroic efforts of the Exeter Fire
Department saved the loss of the
whole building.
Mr. Clifford Ersman has
bought the home of the late W.
D. Sanders on William Street.
10 YEARS AGO
Believed to be the first
outdoor winter training program
attempted in Western Ontario 20
Scouts from Goderich to
Parkhill camped in tents
Saturday and Sunday, slept,
cooked their meals and trained
in raw zero weather on the east
side of the Exeter Scout House
P. L. McNaughton, a native of
Hibbert, has been appointed the
new clerk-treasurer for Hensall.
Plans for the new Central
School in McGillivray township
were presented to the school
area board at its inaugural
meeting last, week.
A district, official of the
Ontario Department of
Highways said this week that the
building at Sarepta corner east
of Dashwood will soon be
offered for demolition, This was
once the old Sarepta Hotel,