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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1969-02-13, Page 4011054'"fe' Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 `Or OreferZintes-Usocafe SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., 0.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 Dept, Ottawa, and tor Payment of Postage in Cash Paid in Advance Circulation, September 30, 1968, 4,520 RATES: Canada 0.00 Per Year; USA $7.00 SUBSCRIPTION Probably one of the greatest ills of our many-tiered governmental system in this country is the fact that direct payments for goods or services received are almost non-existent. There's generally a grant or subsidy from some other level of government and too often this clouds the thinking that goes into decisions by those various levels of government. Last week, members of Exeter council were talking about the need for road improvements on William St. to handle the detour traffic when the reconstruction of Main St. commences again this spring. The cost of fixing William St. was roughly estimated at $15,000 and the debate then centred around how this would be paid. There would be a 50 percent subsidy from the provincial government and it was opined that the contractor should pick up a share — if not all — the remaining cost as it is his responsibility to maintain detour routes. The question was never resolved, but some members appeared to back the move to improve the road on the basis that it could be done with the town paying a very small percentage of the cost. Most members agreed that fixing the street was not a good move in view of the small amount of traffic it normally carries at the northern section, but there was still some thought it could be undertaken in view of the small cost to the municipality. No one even reminded members that the total expenditure was to be $15,000, of which at least 50 percent and probably more - was to come from tax monies. Too often governments at the various levels look at any proposed project only on the basis of what it will cost them directly. They appear to reason that as long as .some other government will contribute enough to make the cost practical for them it really doesn't really matter that the overall cost may not make the project practical. And too often we've heard members of councils quickly pass an expenditure after some someone points out: "It's okay, we only pay 20 percent of that anyway". It's a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and unfortunately no one benefits because all too soon Paul gets his chance to rob Peter and the cycle continues. While government administration is presently under discussion, it's to be hoped someone comes up with a system whereby specific areas of responsibility are outlined for each government and each will then pay the TOTAL cost for any projects undertaken within that area of responsibility. Only then will the taxpayer know that decisions are being made on the basis of need and priority, and not on the basis of how some of the money he has paid to one government can be "granted" to another government to be squandered or spent without due consideration. Have a heart! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, a time for giving and receiving love. Aside from the traditional boy-girl love affair, we would use this occasion to put in a plug for an organization that is all heart and deserves your heartfelt support. The South Huron Association for the Mentally Retarded has known almost phenominal success since its inception a year or so ago. Influential people from many sources stepped forth initially to lend their experience and knowledge to put the organization on its feet. Speakers who attended the regular meetings of the group marvelled at the progress the SH Association had made in beginning a school for the' mentally retarded youngsters in the district, Officials with the organization were gratified at the results. Recently the Association received its charter. At the present time there is still plenty of spark behind the organization but gradually, as in so many ventures, a backbone crew is called upon to carry on the grinding gruelling task of week to week arranging and planning. "Interested persons" arc dropping away now that the main foundations are laid. We would ask the citizens of South Huron to have a heart. The work for the mentally retarded is just begun and the Association needs the continuing assistance of every social and service group in the district, not to mention the willing co-operation of understanding individuals. A Valentine worth giving is your genuine concern for the mentally handicapped children, teenagers and adults — not only during February but every month until the battle is won for those who cannot fight for themselves. -r-n-:.:-ii:-...:-::.:%.---:-.---....::-:-..,...). -.-,••••• ......:-....-:?.....::.: .... • ••:::...:::.:.:.,:::„.:. .:-..::: Those degrees bug me EXETER Dutch Canadian Store MAIN ST. WIRE FLOWERS ANYWHERE EXETER 235-2603 Just arrived from Europe! MATERIALS By The Yards The Latest In Colors You Have To See To Believe ALL WASHABLE 25/ Off ALL FALL O AND WINTER Y A RD THE . . . the perfect way to express , your thoughts onValentine's Day! 4Z F4, • ROSES • SPRING POTS •• SPRING CUT FLOWERS Reder's Florist ORDER YOUR CORSAGE Now for the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority Dance on Feb. 21 $2.00 AND UP Deadline for tax savings on registered retirement savings plans Deposits made by February 28, 1969 are tax free for 1968 returns Victoria and Grey Trust offers you three tax savings retirement plans. —an "equity fund plan" designed for greatest capital appreciation —a high cumulative income plan —a G ua ra n teed Investmen t Certificate plan fully guaranteed as to principal and interest. Start Retiring today at Victoria and Grey i. 1' a VG VICTORM .d GREY TRUST COMPANY SINC'E 1889 Should consider total cost A FLOWER AND A KISS-- Tomorrow on Valentine's Day many methods will be used to express one's affection. In the picture above, John Northcott is presenting a flower to his sister Joanne while younger brother Bruce is displaying his sentiments with a well-planted kiss. T-A photo. Benefits end at the station Boost YOUR HOME etto,.. TOWN It's Good For You There's considerable discussion these days about the prospect of banning cigarette commercials from TV, radio and newspapers. In our opinion, that's utter nonsense, and that's not based on the fact this newspaper wouldn't be able to gain revenue from such sources. Fact is, no tobacco companies run advertisements in weekly newspapers. Our opinion is based on the fact that if health and government officials agree that smoking is harmful and the product should not be advertised, we think the product itself should be banned. The consideration towards banning advertisements is merely a half-hearted attempt by some officials to appease themselves. They probably think this would gain them favor in status,,. but at the same time would not seriously reduce the amount of tax revenue the government receives from the sale of tobacco and from the farmers and manufacturers engaged in the business. It's a bit of an odd-ball situation when the government collects money from these sources and then spends a portion of that money in advertising the serious consequences related to smoking. They can't have their cake and eat it too, and the sooner they face that realization the better it will be. Except for church meetings — at most churches anyway — there are few meetings one can attend without finding a fair percentage of those present smoking. However, we found an exception to that rule Wednesday night when we attended the annual ladies' night banquet of the Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Association executive at Crediton. After dinner we fidgetted around waiting for someone in the crowd to light up, but it never happened. Even during a few games and a rousing round of Court Whist, we noted that still no one was smoking. Although it was difficult, we managed to join the ranks of the non-smokers for the evening and finally remarked to our last male ready to go back to it. We now have two A.R.T.C. diplomas in the house. They look beautiful, side by side on the living-room wall. It's like sitting in a doctor's office. But what really drives me out of my skull is that not one of them can play anything. As soon as the festival or exam is over, they take new pieces, and the old ones are dumped overboard. So, during any 11-month period of the year, nobody in my family has learned the new pieces, and they've forgotten the old ones. Ask anyone to play a piece, for company, and you get the familiar whine "I haven't anything ready." I never heard of a guitar•player or a mouthorgan-player who lost his repertoire over night. But I am here to testify that a piano player of classical music can't even whistle a tune, most of the time. Aside from two degrees on the wall, and two pianos around my neck, all I've got out of the whole thing is three people who think they are gifted, talented, and couldn't play "Mary tied a Little Lamb", without six weeks preparation. opponent that it was indeed unusual that no one was smoking. He sheepishly admitted he had the dread habit and it turned out he had been in the same position as yours truly — waiting for someone to set the precedent of lighting the first cigarette. We pondered how many more in the room may have been in the same boat. However, it just goes to show that it can be done — although we had only gone two steps outside the door before we succumbed. The night had an unusual twist and one that could be considered by other organizations who want to find some way to make sure everyone pays for his dinner, and at the same time, going through those chores without much of a holdup. Past president Bob Grasby and his wife were in charge and the fee was set at $5.50 per couple. However, each lady was given a chance at dropping three clothespins into a milk bottle, and for each one finding the mark, her partner had two bits deducted from his bet. It proved to be an interesting and quick way of getting the money from everyone ill an orderly manner. We thought we were really in luck, because Mrs. Grasby had been our dinner partner and it 50 YEARS AGO Sergt. Lloyd Rivers, Ptes. R. E. Southcott and Ernie Collingwood arrived home from overseas on the S S Baltic. The boat made a splendid trip across the ocean coming over in seven days. Lieut. Em Rivers arrived home Monday from Vancouver B.C. having recently arrived there from overseas sailing from England via the Panama Canal being nearly a month on the water. He was with an Engineer Corps overseas. Mr. Melville Gladman, who recently returned from overseas, was in Clinton Tuesday and made arrangements to go back to school. Funeral services for Thomas E. Handford, who spent the greater part of his life in Exeter and community and who died at his home in Ingersoll were held ill Main Street Methodist Church Tuesday. He was a great worker among young men. 25 YEARS AGO Mr. W. R. Goulding, who, for over 20 years, has been organist and choir leader of James Street United Church, has tendered his resignation and accepted a similar position with the Talbot Street Baptist Church, London, The building on the corner of Main and James Streets, recently purchased from the estate of the late Thornton Baker by Sandy Elliott, is being remodelled and will he used by Mr. Elliot for his garage business, Stephen Township Council purchased four carloads of birch wood and have ordered seven more. Practically all of this has been sold. This will help out the fuel shortage. The large residence of the late Dr. J. W. Browning recently purchased by Mr. William Sweitzer of Stephen is being remodelled and fitted up for apartments. was on her aim that our food bill rested. It was only natural we assumed she had been practising all week after thinking up the idea, but we regret to inform that we ended up paying the full $5.50 — as did most others in the event. Getting back to smoking, we noticed a recent editorial in the Toronto Star commenting on the fact students at one Toronto school were compaigning to remove the ban against smoking on school premises. The Toronto paper urged that the ban be maintained, but added that the students had one legitimate cause of complaint on the matter. It is that while they are forbidden to smoke, teachers are permitted to light up in the staff lounge. "This is not a reasonable arrangement. The prohibition against smoking should be extended to teachers as long as they are on school property," the paper argued. "No one in authority can hope to enforce a rule unless he is prepared to abide by it himself." For obvious reasons, we have no further comment to make on that. During this weekend we decided to treat the family to a —Please turn to page 5 Some pretty earth-shaking events occurred around our place lately. First of all, my wife has taken up curling. Perhaps "taken up" is not the right phrase. "Falling down" might be closer. The first time she stepped on the ice, her feet went to heaven, and her bottom went to the other place. The earth shook (you must have felt it) and she has the purple posterior to prove it. She has fallen only about four times per game since, and has mastered the art to the point where she can look up from her sprawl with the injured innocence of a pro hockey player trying to pin a penalty on the guy who didn't trip him. For years she has looked down on the sport. She thought the curling club was a place where men went to drink, smoke, play pool and poker, curl, and get away from their wives. And she was right. Now she has learned that it is a cultural centre where women go to drink, smoke, play bridge, curl, and get away from their husbands. And she's right again, as usual. But as long as she can do it with me, and keep an eye on me, she feels it is one of Canada's grand old sports, I used to get home from the curling club at midnight. Last time, we got home at 3 a.m., after being invited somewhere for "coffee". I wish I could get the same price for that coffee that the distributors do. Anyway, the Old Battleaxe has been hooked. She doesn't know a hog from a hack, a skip from a drop-out, but with Hugh's old stretch ski pants on, and Hugh's old skiing sweater on, she's the prettiest curler on the ice. If she could sweep that ice the way she can sweep the kitchen floor, we'd be in the money every time. The second earth-shaker around here was Kim's performance in the piano exams for her degree in music. Not only did she knock off a first-class honor mark, but she topped the list of candidates. She can now add the letters A.R.T.C. after her name. That's longer than my degree. That cost me. Kim phoned, collect, between music lessons in the city, and my wife phoned every relative between here and Zanzibar. But for one wild and glorious moment I thought it was over. After an accumulated 30 years of music lessons among her brother, her mother, and herself, I thought I was home free. No more wincing as I wrote out cheques for the conservatory. No more trucking the kids all over the country, in blizzards, to play at festivals. No more sweating through performances. No more getting up at a quarter to seven to take her to the bus. No more, It seems I was wrong. My wild and glorious moment was only a moment. She wants to carry on with lessons, And her mother is thinking of resuming lessons. And Hugh will be around one of these days, broken, crooked finger and all, 15 YEARS AGO Town and village representatives meeting in Exeter Wednesday afternoon approved a proposal to form a Huron Industrial Promotion committee which would interest manufacturers and processors in locating plants in the county. Frank Taylor was elected president of the Exeter Turf Club at their annual meeting Monday. Chairman is John Morrissey, treasurer, George Lawson and secretary, Bill Allison. By an overwhelming majority of more than six to one 1-lensall ratepayers at a public meeting .Wednesday night approved issuing $30,000 in debentures for the installation of artificial ice in the arena. Mrs. Ed Nadiger was guest of honor at a party of the choir of Lutheran Church, Dashwood, of which she has been a member 50 years. She was presented with a gold pin. 10 YEARS AGO Kaye Worden of Staffa won the 1959 spelling championship at the fourth annual competition sponsored by The Exeter Times-Advocate at the Exeter Public School Tuesday night, Runner up was Joan Smith, of Crediton. Huron MPP Charles MacNaughton, who was introduced to the Legislature two weeks ago, was elected chairman of the conservation committee, Girls monopolized the prizes at the public speaking contest sponsored by Exeter PUC Monday night. Sandra Lee dory captured first prize and Margaret Howey and Pauline Aquiline placed second and third. PUG chairman L, J. Penhale presented the awards. An Usborne farmer, Harry Dougall will head the 'committee conducting the farm accident survey in Huron County. 0