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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1969-03-13, Page 4We were pleased last week to learn of the decision of the Huron County Board of Education to locate their offices in a wing of Central Huron Secondary School. It was indeed, a difficult decision to make. There were many "intangibles" to consider such as how long before regional government, how long before a regional board of education, etc. No one could offer concrete answers because at this point, it is doubtful if anyone in Ontario knows when or even if change will come. About the only conclusion that could be drawn at the meeting was that board members feel the present Huron County Board of Education is doomed. Any arrangement is only temporary. Even so, the decision to locate in CHSS was sensible. We agree that figures on paper do not always tell the full story but in our opinion, these figures were the only guidelines the board had to follow. There was just no other choice. The board is to be congratulated for choosing in favor of economy. Now we begin to wonder whether the board will hold the line on renovating expenses or whether it will go hog-wild for unnecessary frills. There are immediate indications the board will consider the provision of much more elaborate office space in CHSS than could have been expected in any of the other accommodations for rent in the county. Office space on the second floor of the assessment building in Goderich would have been adequate but it could never have been posh. There was no board room at the Goderich site and the director of education himself claimed the board could meet comfortably and efficiently in a school library or elsewhere. It was suggested at the last board meeting that if no board room was required at the Goderich site, perhaps it was not needed in Clinton either. Renovation costs could be drastically cut, it was noted, if a present science lab would not have to be moved to make way for a board room. The comparison seemed to fall on deaf ears. It was as though the board was committed to go all the way at CHSS. We got the impression the thrift machine had broken down. The board of education will make a serious mistake now if it does not treat the CHSS premises as temporary quarters." Surely adequate and respectable offices can be achieved at a reasonable cost to taxpayers. Provincial treasurer Charles S. MacNaughton in his budget speech called for restraint in education spending. Huron County has a perfect opportunity right now to comply with Toronto without sacrificing the essentials of, education. Some random thoughts Spring fever has a way of playing havoc with one's ambitions, and when that fever is suddenly interrupted due to a severe snow storm, the combination is disastrous. Hence the following potpourri: —The Ontario Safety League says that Malayan police are merciless in their treatment of drunk drivers. The husband is locked up in jail, then his wife is brought to him and locked up as well. The results are usually dramatic. —The same Safety League suggests that editors should be reminding children of the dangers of riding bicycles now that spring has arrived. Some eager fellow obviously got ahead of Mother Nature, but it is worthwhile that we remind motorists the kids have a' holiday next week and they'll be out playing. Drive carefully. —Report of the Hon. Paul Hellyer's task force has encouraged many to believe the housing problem can be solved by legislative decree. The Printed Word says the real problem—not mentioned by the task force—is the fact the house-building industry can't build a house cheaply enough for the people who are going to live in it. "Slow motion plumbers at $6 and $8 an hour are people whom house-builders simply cannot afford to employ." We also wonder how many people were cheered by the suggestion the answer to the problem may rest in having 45-year mortgages. Many readers will probably insist 20 years is even too long for such a millstone. —There's a debate going on regarding the proposed legislation to regulate the procurement and welfare of animals for teaching and research. The Humane Society is battling the change although we are now led to believe they are gaining support because of completely inaccurate impressions of the contents of the bill. As an example, the bill would impose a MINIMUM 48-hour retention period for animals, while in fact there is no minimum at the present. Opponents of the bill are wrongly suggesting the bill would impose a 48-hour maximum. Of even more interest is the fact the bill has provoked ten times more reaction in mail to government members than the medicare bill. It's encouraging to see that animals have more interest in their affairs than we humans. —We quote the following opinion that parents can help their children to get a better education by pulling a few wires — like television, telephone and ignition. —Finally, this note from the Tilbury Times: A man applying for a job asked the interviewer whether the company would pay his hospital insurance. When told this was not the case, the aspiring employee pointed out his former company paid that, plus life insurance, unlimited sick leave, severance pay, three weeks' vacation, Christmas bonus and coffee breaks. When asked why he left such a perfect place, the answer was that the other company had gone bankrupt. Well, I'm back to normal Only 3 Days Left to take advantage of our 9th Anniversary SALE ENTIRE STOCK GREATLY REDUCED Here are a few examples DIAMOND & WEDDING BAND SETS Now Reg. $200.00 Only $159.95 WALTHAM WATCHES Now Reg. $75.00 Only $60.00 SAMSONITE LUGGAGE Now Reg. $39.50 Only $31.60 Wilson's Jewellery & Gifts Exeter Pleasing you pleases us TURKEY PARTS SPECIAL FROM NOW UNTIL EASTER 10 lb. Pkg. Wings — .23 per lb. 10 lb. Pkg. Legs — .38 per lb. 10 lb. Pkg. Necks — .19 per lb. UTILITY TURKEYS UNDER 14 LB. .37 Available At Arkona RODER TURKEY FARMS LIMITED PLANT OPEN 8-5 MON.-FRI. 828-3335 5140Pla Ede,Vw CLOSED FOR HOLIDAYS March 17 to' 29 Rata 'am Toe& cutet ('tead #e-el-e4 class Commiinity newsppors tirefeilimes-Aksocafe 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 10001W61214104o•Ammo *„k„ Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept, 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 $1.00 AA, With some reservations Will the cost go up again? ,Sq7:)q.5 2ceeea Paeee Reff4aeut Last week I wrote a column which must have made faithful readers believe I was either taken with drink, or breaking down mentally. It was full of joy and good spirits, looking on the bright side, and revealing silver linings. Its a great relief to me, and it must be to you, to go back to normal. Last week was a brief mental abberration. This week, I'm back to my old sane, snarly, misanthropic self: the man my wife calls "Old Stoneface." What I propose to do today is act as your alter-ego, the brooding, dark self that is hidden behind your bright, sunny exterior. I'm going to let you take out your aggressions, EfEEIXEMVf1445371Co.r. Times Established 1873 vicariously, through mine. I'll list what I despise and detest in our society. Send in your own special beefs, and we'll keep the column going for months. Everybody hates something. There is no particular order to these items. My venom extends with equal virulence to each. First. Non-returnable bottles, I know. The old ones were bad enough, cluttering up shelves and basement floors until you had a car-load. It was a half-day's work to take them back to the store and haggle over them, because the store said they didn't sell this brand or that. But you could get rid of them. And for kids, they were, in many instances, their sole source of income. Many a Saturday I spent as a boy, searching ditches for miles, and coming home with 32 cents for a day's work. The non-returnable bottle is about as easy to get rid of as chronic arthritis. I demand that their manufacturers give every customer, free, a plastic bucket, filled with a solution which will instantly dissolve the cursed things when they're dropped into it. The same goes for cans that hold drinks, whether beer or — Please turn to Page 5 One of the arguments presented by the opponents of regional government is based on the fact that bigness always seems to cost more money in government circles. You don't have to look too far for evidence of this. Last year the department of municipal affairs convinced county councillors that all assessment in Huron should be handled by the county. We're not certain, but we presume the usual "blackmail" promises of increased grants were tossed in as an incentive, but anyway county council bought the idea and this year embarked on a county assessment system. Now hang on to your hats for the grim details! The budget for the assessment department will be $197,425 this year. That's an almost absurd figure in our estimation, and it' is interesting to note it is from $40,000 to $50,000 more than what the department of municipal affairs told county council it would be. Assessment commissioner E. F. Hall explained it rather simply. The department didn't have any idea of the cost because they had no personal experience in this field. That's about the same attitude the department has towards regional government. Plunge in before you know where you are going. Kick it off, then figure out how it is going to work, how much it is going to cost and how much it is going to improve our governing system. Stanley Township Reeve Anson McKinley indicated he was shocked at the fact the budget for the assessment department is going to cost something over $7,000 for each municipality in Huron. He further indicated it had crossed his mind that Huron taxpayers were "a damn site better off the way we were before". We find it difficult not to agree with Mr. McKinley in that regard, because the increase in assessment costs for Huron municipalities over their previous costs is almost unbelievable. Not too many of the communities in Huron paid over a $1,000 each year to their assessors, and in many the figu was not this great as the dutie were handled by a person who generally assumed the duties as clerk, treasurer and tax collector as well. It is interesting to note that in communities where one person handled all jobs, this person did not have his pay decreased when county assessment came into effect and so in reality the cost to Huron taxpayers was even greater for the new assessment department than what the figures indicate. We'll be most difficult to convince that assessment costs of $197,425 are warranted in Huron. Sure, we agree that assessing has not been done thoroughly in the past, but we doubt that too many people escaped paying what they should. At any rate, we doubt that the benefits will ever come close to matching the costs involved in instituting a system that is supposed to eliminate "inconsistencies and inequalities", Some will always pay more than they should and some will always pay too little, and we see no need to spend ridiculously large amounts of money just to attempt to prevent this, The situation is much the same as law enforcement. Some will always escape the law although they drive over the speed limit, while others will get caught several times when they drive at the same speeds. However, it would be ridiculous to add men to the police force in the numbers required to ensure that each person was in fact caught every time he exceeded the speed limit. Fact is the people would be paying so much for the enforcement they wouldn't have any money with which to pay the fines. The same may hold true for assessing. We may end up paying so much for getting the assessing done we won't have enough money left to pay the taxes the assessment indicates we should be paying. As we stated at the outset, bigness has a way of costing more money in government circles and the move from municipal to county assessment clearly indicated that. Alas, even before the system was given an opportunity to be tested, the Ontario government has indicated they will take over the assessment job from the county. We presume it will be handled by the department of municipal affairs who have already been painted as people who have no experience in assessment matters and no idea of the cost involved. However, they'll probably follow their own example set in the matter of regional government. Plunge in before 50 YEARS AGO The contract has been let by Mr. Geo. E. Eccleston for a cement pavilion and bathhouse at Grand Bend, 150 feet by 70 feet, two-storey in height, to be ready for this summer. It will be one of the finest and most up-to-date in Ontario. The town fathers have been busy selecting a team of horses. They inspected several teams this week but have not as yet made a selection. The Exeter Canning Company is ready to contract with farmers to grow corn for canning. $10.00 per ton will be paid. Seed corn of the finest quality at reduced price, 15 cents per lb., to growers on contract (advt) Henry Ford is preparing to erect a chain of factories across the country for the manufacture of an automobile to sell for $250. The car will be complete in every detail. A soldier's monument, which was recently procured from a sculptor in Italy by Mr. James Weekes, will be unveiled at S.S. No. 1 Usborne on March 28. 25 YEARS AGO Sgt. Clarence R. Knight, son of Mr. and Mrs. Reg Knight, recently graduated as an air-gunner and received his wings at Mont-Joli, Quebec. He is now taking an air-gunner commando course at Valleyfield, Que., and expects soon to be going overseas. Mr. Irvine Armstrong, who has been working in London, has returned to his home in Exeter, and has accepted a position with Mr. E. R. Hopper. Rev, and Mrs. Mair, of Thames Road, were hosts to the South Hu ron Ministerial Association at its regular monthly meeting on Monday afternoon. There was a splendid attendance of the clergy and their wives. you know where you are going. Kick it off, then figure out bow it is going to work, how much it is going to cost and how much it is going to improve things. The final blow in the announcement that the Ontario government will take over assessing is the fact that Huron completed a $160,000 building to house the assessment department last year. It was officially opened only a few weeks before the Hon. C. S. MacNaughton told Ontario residents last week the provincial government will take over assessing duties. It is too early for anyone to say whether the Huron building will be used under the provincial setup, but there is a possibility it will turn out to be a complete "white elephant". (It's only half that now because Huron county councillors built it twice as big as necessary.) This could be a costly example of what happens when the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing. It's to be hoped the provincial government soon comes up with some long-range ideas and plans so county and municipal governments can act accordingly. Making plans one year and having them scuttled the next is not only creating bad friends, it is proving extremely costly. 15 YEARS AGO One hundred of Exeter's senior citizens gathered in the Legion Hall. for their second social evening sponsored jointly by the Recreational Council and Pride of Huron Rebekah Lodge. Preparations are being made to organize the group, which is expected to meet once a month. Secretary of the Ausable Valley Conservation Authority, Fred Y. Jackson, said last week he believed the new cut at Port Franks averted serious flooding in that area this spring. Mr. Jackson said the height of water would have surpassed the level of the disastrous 1947 flood if the cut had not been opened. Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta "The Pirates of Penzance" will be presented by the Huronia Male Chorus next week. Senior and Junior Boys' Basketball teams will be competing in WOSSA championship play this week in London. 10 YEARS AGO A junior yearling raised by Whitney Coates and son, RR 1, Centralia, won reserve champion Hereford honors at the Ontario Bull Sale in Toronto recently. Exeter bowlers copped the inter-town championship by a margin of 115 pins, Team members included Bob Wettlaufer, Jack Fuller, Bob Osgood, Murray Brintnell, Jack Gibson and "Cap" Foster. Helen Cole, grade six and, Brenda Dinney, grade five, Exeter Public School, topped their grades to win trophies for ,the best verse speaking in the final competition. T-A Sports Editor Don Gravett is reported to be making a fast recovery, after suffering a fracture of the skull during a hockey game in Mitchell Spring fashions focus attention on empire waistlines, shorter jackets for suits, and hemlines at mid-calf, want a home? get a mortgage loan! A high value first mortgage loan on a residential or improved farm property will cost you less than you think— and you can arrange for convenient payments to write it off. If the property is a good risk (and our experienced mortgage people will be glad to advise you), don't let money stand in your way. Just 'phone Victoria and Grey. VG IICTORIA and GREY TRus -r COMPANY SINCE 1889 • • tl • • • •r•:•;* kgmlfk, . ,.i.elanfliWalarnegiNalaW.tt.QMOVAmet Advocate Established 1811 Amalgamated 1924 • 0