HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1970-12-17, Page 4"1 have developed a substantial
respect certainly for his abilities as a
politician, and more important, for the
substantial personal qualities and
integrity of the man."
Those words were written about
Ontario Premier John Robarts following
his recent retirement announcement, and
while many words of praise have been
heaped on the Premier, the fact that the
aforementioned came from Liberal leader
Robert Nixon gives some indication of
how much this man has been respected
during his many years in office.
There is no doubt that he deserves
the compliments and best wishes of us all
as he enters into a period of political
retirement after these many years of
public service.
While Huron MPP Charles
MacNaughton may be slightly more
biased than Mr. Nixon when it comes to
paying tribute to the Premier, there are
few who will disagree with his contention
that Mr. Robarts is the greatest statesman
in Canada today.
From a purely political standpoint,
Mr. Nixon obviously will be pleased to see
Mr. Robarts leaving his post. It's
some thing akin to the relish an opposing
team would have in learning that the
Boston Bruins would be taking to the ice
without Bobby Orr,
Speculation as to his probable
successor has included most of the present
members of the cabinet, although we are
surprised to see that our own MPP has not
been considered one of the prime
candidates.
Mr. MacNaughton has long been
considered the number one man behind
the Premier and his dedication and
capacity for responsibility are well known
and appreciated across the province. His
counsel undoubtedly has contributed to
Mr. Robarts' stature.
While he may be in a position where
he would not wish to undertake added
responsibility at a time when others
would be considering retirement, we
think he'd make a darn good Premier of
Ontario and would win wide acceptance
from the electorate.
Whatever he decides, and it may be'
before this goes to the press, there is no
question but what Charlie MacNaughton
will have much say in who becomes the
next premier of Ontario, and it must be a
great satisfaction to the residents of
Huron to realize that our member has the
ability to be considered for the post or to
be one of the foremost backers any
contender could desire.
OUR POINT OF VIEW
Picking a successor
Responsibility for host
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Without the indomitable buoyancy of childhood, how could this Vietnamese child survive? Her left arm
is gone, her right hand is only a stump, her left leg is amputated at the knee. But she can still laugh and
she is eager to learn. She is being cared for at the Save the Children Fund convalescent centre in Qui
Nhon. Could you help her and others similar to her? Send your contribution to The Canadian Save the
Children Fund, 70 Hayter St., Toronto.
Those $150 fines coupled with
licence suspensions of three months being
handed out to impaired drivers by Judge
Glenn Hays should set some people to
thinking about the penalties for drinking
drivers, even if they don't think of the
more serious consequences - - death and
injury.
While this is the "season to be jolly",
there's nothing very jolly about fines.
licence suspensions and accidents.
Festive parties will be on the increase
in the next couple of weeks and the police
surveillance will also be stepped up. As
OPP Cpl. Ray Brooks pointed out last
week, the police have no desire to spoil
anyone's fun - - but more important they
have no desire to mar anyone's Christmas
season by having to knock on doors to
advise people that their loved ones have
been killed or seriously injured in an
accident.
A policeman " knows he has two
choices when he spots an erratic driver. He
can be subjected to insults and complaints
by hauling the impaired driver from
behind the wheel of his vehicle orhe can
take the risk of letting him go to later pull
that same person's broken and bleeding
body from behind the twisted wheel of his
vehicle.
It's really not much of a choice, is it?
While the onus remains on drivers to
realize the dangers they present to
themselves and other drivers, there's an
increasing demand being made on party
hosts to ensure that no one in an impaired
condition leaves his house to hit the road.
That one for the road might very
well put the guest off the road ... or in jail
. .. or in hospital.
Several gadgets are now on the
market to test a driver's alcohol content,
and it may be a good addition to any party
this season. They're available locally at
MacMillan's.
A cheaper, but possibly less accurate
method, is to keep track of your guests'
drinks. The average person can absorb a 11/4
ounce drink of spirits or a bottle of beer
an hour.
Any person consuming more than
that amount or having a high breath test
should be driven home by a non-drinker
or someone who has stayed within the
limits.
Their life may depend on it .
And there goes another one!
RURA CONSIAU
Proclamation
The Mayor and Council
for the.
Town of Exeter
has proclaimed
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26
as a public holiday
All Residents are asked to observe
this holiday.
Eviscerated Young 20 lb. 10-
Grad. A .Turkey & up 384 lb. 16 lb. 42t lb.
also complete selection of fresh killed Hayter
turkeys. Good supply of young geese, large capons,
ducklings, etc.
Coleman's ready to serve
Football Style Hams whole or half lb. 6U
Fresh Hams whole or half lb. 594
Fresh
Sausage Meat or Side Pork lb. 490
Epicure
Rindless Bacon 1 lb. vac. pk. lb. 594
PRODUCE
Cello Tomatoes 14 oz,
Carrots 2 lb. poly bag
Canned Hams Maple Leaf midget 1% lb.
Tomato Juice Libby's fancy 48 oz.
370
2/290
$1.59
350
Roasted Coffee Maxwell House 1 lb. bag 950
Kernel Corn Stokely's fancy 12 oz. 2/390
Grade A Large Eggs doz. 474
Mini Chips Christles 5 oz. 3/$1.00
Good Old Santa will be visiting Wally's on
Sat. Om. 19 2-4 P.M,
WALLY'S MARKET
Main St. 238-2512 Grand Bend
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC
Editor — Bill Batten — Advertising Manager
Phone 235-1331
Published Each Thursday Morning
at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Registration Number 0386
Paid in Advance Cib•culation,
September 30, 1970, 4,675
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $6.00 Per Year, USA $8.00
p ...........
Utopia here for Old-timers
Canada's old-age pensioners
may not have a swinging
Christmas, but they can warm
themselves with the thought of
what a whee of a time they're
going to have in 1971, when there
will occur instant prosperity: the
basic old age pension will be
raised from $79.58 a month to a
smashing $80.
Can't you see all those male
old-age pensioners when they get
their first new cheque at the end
of January? Straight to the pub
and blow the whole 42 cents on
an orgy. Two draught beers and a
tip for the waiter.
This will produce a moral
degradation never equalled since
the days of Dickens, when gin was
so cheap you could get high for a
penny, stoned for six-pense, and
dead drunk for a shilling.
Can't you see all those
old-timers lying around in the
snowbanks every time their
pension cheque arrives?
And what about the women?
They'll be worse. You know how
women squander money. They're
just as apt as not to go out and
blow the whole 42 cents on a
plastic doily or a couple of rolls of
pink toilet paper. There'll be no
holding them.
That's only one of the faults in
the white paper introduced by a
benevolent government. Further
excesses are in sight. Do you
realize that the government is
going to retain the cost-of-living
escalator formula up to a ceiling
of 2 per cent a year for pensioners
receiving the supplement (but
eliminate it for those who get
only the universal old age
benefit).
This means that even if the
annual cost-of-living increase
crashes down to a mere 5 per
cent, these people will get their 2
per cent increase. It's incredible.
The dawing of a new, golden age
in Canadian socialism.
If you were 65 and lived to be
75, your standard of living might
drop by only 30 per cent, with
that magnificent excalator clause
built in.
The whole country is going to
be lolling in luxury; there's no
question about it. Did you know
that a single pensioner can get up
to $55 a month in supplement or
up to $135 a month when his basic
old age pension is included?
The key word there is "can".
But if he or she decides to make a
few extra bucks shovelling walks
or taking in washing, some
eagle-eyed social worker will be
Johnny-on-the-spot, and the
supplement will be cut, dollar for
dollar.
In other words, you are pegged
at $1,620 a year. That's a lot of
money. Too much to be floating
around in the hands of
luxury-loving, devil-may-care old
timers. Why don't we re-institute
the work-house, with cabbage the
standard fare and meat, boiled
horse hocks, every third
Saturday?
And what about those
widows, wives of the disabled,
and the disabled themselves? The
white paper suggests that they
will suffer an improvement in
benefits. Starting in 1973. There
goes another round of
tremendous inflation. In 1973.
You'd almost think I had some
misgivings about the white paper.
I don't. It's almost as much fun as
reading Alice in Wonderland.
You'd almost think there were an
election coming up, as one was
when Mr. King introduced the
baby bonus.
Surely the government isn't
trying to distract us from the fact
that unemployment is nearing the
— Please turn to page 10
MEHM:14.1&212MSNAt
Amalgamated 1924
Next week's issue will again be
turned over to area school
children for their' annual
Christmas presentation of letters,
poems, stories and drawings, so
this will be our final column of
1970.
It's probably a sign of our
advancing age that leads to the
thought that surely 52 weeks
have not elapsed since we sat
down to write our final words for
the previous year.
From all standpoints, it's been
a good year. Health and happiness
have abounded at the writer's
home, and in the final analysis
there is little else one could hope
for or expect.
The problems that arise
periodically often appear acute,
but the passing of time quickly
indicates they have been trivial in
comparison to the troubles which
face many other people in this
world.
We may never be able to return
to the "simple life" which some
people still desire; but really,
most of the anxieties and
problems which we face are often
self-made and there is no one to
blame but ourselves when we
allow them to spoil what should
be a comfortable existence in this
area of abundance, good cheer
and friendliness.
Some young people have
decided to "opt out", but few
have, shown us that their newway
of life is better than ours.
There's obviously much room
for improvement, but
improvements can best be made
by working from within, and not
from the outside.
* *
Christmas may be a time for
serious thought and reflection,
but we'll leave that avenue open
for those who enjoy that type of
activity.
At our house, it's a time for
excitement and anticipation, and
obviously those who do not have
the benefit of the association
with children at this particular
season are missing a great deal.
Their minds have been made
up for the past six weeks as to
what they would like to see in
their stocking and under the
Christmas tree and of course they
have the added advantage of
being able to think about
Christmas without any regard for
the bills.
That in itself may explain to a
great extent why children enjoy
Christmas much more than their
elders.
Our three lads have been
advised that Santa can only bring
one item to each so he will have
enough to spread around, but
that approach almost met with
failure recently.
We were visiting with Santa
Claus in a store and he learned
that Steve wanted a construction
hat. "And what else would you
like?" came the response.
In this day and age when
people are continually moaning
about the increased amount of
commercialism surrounding the
season, we trust some stores
haven't stooped to the place
where the jolly, old fellow from
the north is working on a
commission basis.
* * *
Sunday evening we packed the
family into the car and headed
Out to see the decorated homes in
the community. A driving
snowstorm hampered visibility to
an extent, but what we could see
gave evidence that local
homeowners have again gone all
out to add to the season,
The new-fallen snow added a
touch of natural beauty to the
scene and it is a jaunt that
everyone should take before the
season ends.
Better still, call up your
elderly neighbors or friends and
take them with you. We know
they'll appreciate it very much
and your thoughtfulness will be
long remembered by those Who
can be cheered by such a simple
and easy chore.
We would be remiss in ending
our year if we failed to extend our
sincere appreciation to those who
have contributed in any way to
help us bring the news of the area
to our readers.
The list is far too long to
extend thanks on a personal basis.
While all businesses require
customers to keep them going, we
probably take advantage of our
customers more than most other
businesses.
Not only do we count on them
50YEARS AGO
An unknown person or persons
broke into Mr. Maurice Brenner's
garage, Grand Bend, and removed
the four tires on Mr. Robert
Pollock's new sedan car and took
them away.
Hon. W. M. Martin, premier of
Saskatchewan, is the guest of his
parents, Reverend and Mrs.W.M.
Martin of Exeter.
Mrs. W. Glen of Hensall was
appointed a member of the
women's executive of the UFWO
in Toronto.
Five persons guessed the
correct weight of the Christmas
baby beef in Paul's butcher shop.
Thirty pounds of the beef were
divided equally between Mrs.
C.F. Hooper, Messrs. H. Rundle,
David Russell, George Snell and
T.R. Ferguson.
Exeter reeve and councillors
have been elected by
acclamation: reeve B.W. Beavers;
councillors, Charles Snell, W.H.
Penhale, Jesse Elston and Joe
Davis.
25 YEARS AGO
The Exeter arena and the
gymnasium have received a coat
of aluminum paint during the
past week. Flt/Lt. W.L.
Flt./Lt W. L. Schroeder who
recently returned from Ceylon
where he was attached to the
RCAF is one of 25 members who
have been awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross.
So anxious was he to be home
for Christmas after four years
overseas Calbert Cutting, a
stretcher case, who arrived at
Halifax on the Lady Nelson, took
leave from the hospital train and
arrived in Exeter the same
afternoon.
Exeter Lions Club donated
$1,500 to the British Children's
War Victims' fund at their
meeting Monday night.
15 YEARS AGO
A campaign to persuade
Huron property owners to have
interior construction done during
the winter to help offset seasonal
unemployment has been
launched by the National
Employment Service office at
Coderich.
to buy subscriptions and
advertisements, but we then
expect them to turn around and
let us know what is going on' in
the area so we can fill the
newspaper with items of interest
which will encourage them to
continue their subscriptions.
To top it off, we sometimes
express opinions that make them
an When you stop to figure it all
out, it's a wonder we can
continue to get the type of
co-operation that is needed to
turn out a newspaper.
And finally, of course, we
extend to each and everyone of
our faithful readers our wishes for
a Very Merry Christmas and the
best for 1971.
If you're in the market for a
new year's resolution may we
suggest this one: write at least one
letter to the editor in 1971. .
The proposed dam in Usborne
township was dubbed 'Morrison
Dam' in honor of the chairman of
the Ausable River Conservation
Authority, John A. Morrison.
Slippery roads caused a
number of accidents in the
district this week. Damage
totalled about $2,000.
Grand Bend took their first
step towards building a
community centre when they
agreed to purchase a parcel of
land near the village school on
which the centre will be erected.
Hensall's fourth council
position was filled at a special
nomination meeting by the
acclamation of James R.
Sangster, who will occupy the
chair left vacant by the
resignation of his brother, Dave.
10 YEARS AGO
Mayor R.E. Pooley has
expressed the town's sympathy
to its parent municipality,
Exeter, England, over the
extensive damage created by
floods there.
Stephen township's new road
grader suffered $15,000.00
damage when it slid down an icy
slope beside a bridge on the
Bronson line, four miles south of
Bay field. It ended up with all four
wheels in the air, the cab
demolished. Miraculously, road
sup't Bill Taylor, crawled
uninjured from beneath the
wreck.
The Hensall Community
Centre was the scene of a skating
party Saturday night when 200
young people skated, enjoyed a
sing-song and took part in a
devotional program provided by
the Hanover Youth for Christ
organization.
Gerald R. Godbold was
elected president of the Jatnes
Street United • Church AOTS
Men's Club at their December
meeting. He succeeds Harvey
Pollen.
Charles P. Corbett became the
fourth generation of , his family to
serve in Municipal office when he
was elected to Lucan Council last
week and headed the polls. Both
his father and grandfather have
been wardens of Middlesex
county.
.
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Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881