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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1972-01-20, Page 1FATAL SPOT — Allan Gill of the Grand Bend area lost his life Wednesday night when his car overturned in the Pollock Creek only a short distance from his home in Stephen township. The arrow in the above picture shows the approximate spot where the car left the road and plunged over the culvert. T-A photo HOCKEY ON THE STREET — One of the most popular sports enjoyed this winter by area boys is stree hockey. Engaging in a game are Braden Whilsmith, Paul Pridham, Brad Roelofson and Robert Jolly. SQUELCHING CHIMNEY FIRE — The Exeter fire department made two trips Monday afternoon to the farm of John McElrea in Usborne township to fight a stubborn chimney fire. Members of the department are shown above pulling a chain through the chimney. Fate of Huron jail is still not settled Ninety-eighth Year EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 20, 1972 Price Per Copy 20 Cents MODERATOR VISITS CONGREGATIONS — Sunday, the Moderator of the last General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Rev. Dr. Murdo Nicolson, preached to Exeter, Hensall and Cromarty congregations at Caven Church, Exeter. Above, he is shown, second from left, with Rev. Wilfred Jarvis, minister of the three congregations, Glen Bell, Hensall, Calder McKaig, Cromarty and Carman Cann, Exeter. T-A photo Third hearing necessary for Stephen water system Car Aids ,on bridge„ district youth drowns' Snowmobilers told police won't be overly stringent ALLAN GILL Damages light in town crashes Only two accidents were in- vestigated during the week by officers of the Exeter police department and damage was light. Damages of $500 were incurred early Thursday afternoon when vehicles driven by Donald Hooper, 15 Gidley and Hubertus Denelzen, 52 Andrew street collided on Main street, near John. The investigating officer was Constable John Cairns. Constable Cairns estimated damages at $150 Sunday morning when a vehicle driven by Roy Ferguson, 164 William street was in collision with a parked car on Main street, owned by Brian Hogarth, 324 Senior street. Moderator visits here ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT Arthur B. Idle, principal of Exeter Public School, this week announced his retirement. Mr. Idle, a native of Clarksburg, came to Exeter in 1954 as principal, a position he has held ever since. He started teaching in Kimberley in 1934, after graduating from Stratford Teachers' College. He has two sons following in his footsteps. Donald and Larry are presently employed in high schools at Toronto and Ingersoll respectively. A 19-year-old Grand Bend area youth drowned when his car skidded into the Pollock Creek, about half a mile from his home, Wednesday, Allan Gill, a grade 13 student at SHDHS, had gone to Grand Bend around 6:00 p.m, to get some milk and was apparently returning home when his car plunged into about five feet of water. There was no guard rail on the bridge, and the 1971 model car he was driving landed on its roof. The mishap occurred on 22nd concession of Stephen, just south of Highway 81. When the youth failed to return home, his parents, Mr, and Mrs. Four permits require plans Only - four of eight building permits submitted were ap- proved by Exeter council this week. They were for interior renovations by Henry Dyck, John St.; Jim Hennessey, Ann St.; H. Adamson, Huron St.; and a permit for Percy McFalls to shingle a roof on Hill St. The other four permits were turned over to the building in- spector to obtain proper plans from the applicants. They were for Mrs. Shirley Wilhelm to add an addition at Braemor Manor on James St.; Ben Hoogenboom, an addition at Exeter Flowers; A. Robinson, to convert the former Jake Lin- denfield building to a restaurant; and Art Whilsmith, to erect an addition to house on Edward St, continuing In a statement on proposed activities for Grand Bend council in the year 1972, Reeve John Payne said Monday night he would stress the continuation of last year's practice of economy. Payne presented budget forms to all committee heads saying, "With proper budgeting we will be able to have a month to month look at the money we spend. We should project our spending to income we expect to get." The Reeve listed several projects in 1971 that will save the village 'money. A new heating system in the village hall will cut costs considerably and the change in garbage collection with little use being made of the village dump created another saving. Payne said the dump "was costing about eight thousand dollars a year to operate." Reeve Payne and councillor Murray Des Jardins both predicted a tax reduction in 1972. They listed final payments last year on projects that will not be in the budget this year. They were the purchase of a new fire truck and the gabian basket work on the River by the Ausable River Conservation Authority. Water costs up As the result of recent meetings with Ontario Water Resources Commission officials, the cost of water to Grand Bend residents from the Lake Huron pipeline system will rise this year. Starting January 1, the cost of purchasing water from the OWRC went up more than twenty per cent. Reeve John Payne said Monday night the village will now pay 59.3 cents per thousand gallons for water. The previous rate was 49,7 cents per thousand. The OWRC has estimated Grand Bend will use about 33 million gallons of water in 1972. Rates to be charged the various classes of water qises in Grand Willis. Gill, notified police and OPP officers from the Exeter and Forest detachments joined the family in a search of roads in the area and other spots which the youth frequented. However, it wasn't until around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, that his father spotted the wheels of a car protruding slightly above the water surface in the stream. The car was removed by the use of two tow trucks and the body was found inside. Dr. Charles Wallace, Zurich, Huron County coroner, at- tributed the cuase of death to drowning. No inquest will be held. Damage to the car was listed at $2,500 by OPP Constable Dale Lamont. Assisting in the in- vestigation were Exeter OPP Cpl. Ray Brooks and two members of the Forest detach- ment, Cpl. O.L. Whitesell and Const. D,A. Munroe. Obituary details are on Page 3 of this issue. The accident was one of six investigated by the Exeter OPP this week, several of which were caused by treacherous driving conditions. On Thursday, a truck driven by Thelma Finkbeiner, Crediton, skidded on the ice-covered Crediton Road and struck a telephone pole. Damage was listed at $300 by Constable Don Mason. There were two crashes on Saturday. A car driven by Joseph Ryan, R.R. 3, Ailsp Criag, collided with a car owned by Robert Iredale Centralia. The latter vehicle was stuck in the snow on County Road 21 north of Huron Park, Damage was set at economy Bend will be announced early next week. A motion was passed at the latest meeting authorizing the Grand Bend Public Utilities Commission to take over all responsibilities of the water system immediately. Billing will be handled by the PUC effective February 1. At the moment 490 properties in Grand Bend are receiving water from the municipal system. Services are available for an additional 281 connections. The bylaw authorizing pur- chase of property from Robert Jennison and the Grand Bend Legion for recreational purposes was given two readings. The bylaw will now be forwarded to the Ontario Municipal Board for their approval. Council decided to print cards setting out rules that they expect snowmobilers in the village to follow. These cards will be sent to all business establishments in the village for distribution. The cards will welcome snowmobile enthusiasts to the village and ask their co-operation in respecting the laws and the rights of citizens. Exeter resident still in Pakistan Word has been received in Exeter regarding the situation of J. M. "Gibby" Gibson and his wife, Zella, who were in West Pakistan during the recent conflict. The former Exeter residents are stationed in West Pakistan, during Gibby's posting to the High Commissionerl's office in that country. During the conflict, he remained in the country while his wife was evacuated. She hopes to rejoin him in the near future. $250 by Constable Bob Whiteford. Cars driven by Gerald Mathers, Dashwood, and Grant Cloutier, St. Joachim, collided on Take coin boxes from car wash Two coin boxes were stolen from the Zip Car Wash on Main street north, Saturday. Car wash manager Harris West told police padlocks securing the boxes had been pried open and the trays and currency removed. As a result of investigation into the theft, Leslie Paul Isle, 81 Ridout street, London was arrested by the Exeter police department and was taken to Goderich where he will appear in court today, Thursday. Ilse was one of three men arrested in London Sunday and charged with possession of stolen goods valued at $4,000 taken from a St. Thomas home. They were released on bail. The fate of the Huron County jail was discussed only briefly at Wednesday's session of council, but if the reeve of Colborne, Doug McNeil, had his way, the five exercise yards would be torn down to make way for additional parking at the assessment office and the Children's Aid Society. "The exercise yards should be removed in my way of thinking, for a future parking area," stated McNeil. McNeil was speaking to a motion introduced by the Goderich representatives to have the jail named as an historic site. Roy Pattison, reeve of East Wawanosh, said the jail would make a location for a "special museum" but he did not elaborate concerning what speciality the museum would feature. The new committees were named as follows: (in each case, the name of the chairman is listed first)' Roads, William Elston, Elgin Thompson, Joe Hoffman, W.J. Cuthill, Joe Dietrich; Huronview, Highway 83 west of Exeter, causing damage of $225. Con- stable Bill Lewis investigated. There were two more crashes, Sunda", both of a similar nature. At 3:30 p.m., a car driven by Jacqueline Abbott, London, collided with a farm tractor operated by Elgin Thompson, R.R. 1, Kippen, The accident occurred just south of Kippen. Thompson was blowing snow from a laneway when the ac- cident occured and damage was estimated at $55 by Constable Whiteford. At 4:15 p.m., vehicles operated by James Roberts, RR 2, Kippen, and Gerald Bechler, RR 1, Zurich, collided on Highway 4 about two miles north of Exeter. Snow being pushed by a snowplow had reduced visibility as the two cars were meeting on the highway. During the week the detach- ment officers charged nine persons under the Highway Traffic Act and issued warnings to another 10. Hugh Flynn, Frank Cook, J.L. McCutcheon, Anson McKinley, Lloyd Hendrick; Health, Derry Boyle, Elmer Hayter, Gerry Ginn, Jack Alexander, John Morrissey. Library, Eugene Frayne, John Baker, John Flannery, George McCutcheon, Stewart Proctor, Don McKenzie; Property, Ken McMichael, George Bailie, Don MacGregor, Dave Gower, Harold Lobb, Harold Wild; Executive, Allan Campbell, Bob Lyons, Everett Mcllwain, Cecil Desjardine, Doug McNeil, Alex McGregor. Planning and Development, Ed Oddleifson, Roy Pattison, Girvin Reed, Paul Carroll, Mel Allan, Ian McAllister, Ralph Jewell, Roy Westcott, Clayton Laith- waite and Cal Krauter; Social Services, Harold Robinson, L.R. Ferguson, Charles Thomas, Gordon Hess. Plan new outlet for Exeter firm Exeter council quickly agreed to the recommendation of the local planning board this week to amend the zoning bylaw to permit Jerry MacLean & Son Automotive to erect a new outlet in the two lots beside the car wash north of the bridge on Main St. The lots had been rezoned to general commercial, but had been designated as a planting area to act as a buffer to the residences north of the car wash and Brewers' Retail, However, planning board member Joe Wooden explained that council and the planning board Could permit other uses for the lots if they found the planned development to be satisfactory. Wooden said the development planned by MacLean was satisfactory to the planning board. Owners within 400 feet of the lots will be notified of the decision of council and the planning board and any Objectors will be given 14 days in which to file written sa tements. Wooden said he doubted if the Ontario Municipal Board would require a hearing if there were no objectors. Members of the Exeter Snowmobile club argued and pleaded with council for over an hour Monday, but failed in their attempts to get any revisions in the bylaw okayed last week to control the machines, While the bylaw has yet to be approved by the department of transportation and com- munications, some members of council indicated that even if it does become law, the police will use a great deal of discretion and not enforce it stringently. "The police have agreed to use discretion," Mayor Jack Delbridge stated. Referring to the midnight curfew, he said that if the snowmobilers came into town or left town after that time and drove at a reasonable speed there would be "no problems." Councillor Ken Ottewell also told the snowmobilers if they sneak into town after the curfew and no one hears them there would be no problem. "We have to have the bylaw so we can enforce it when we need to," he said. Reeve Derry Boyle also followed the same line of reasoning and the comments of the three prompted Councillor Bruce Shaw to suggest they were Ontario Municipal Board hearings on proposed water systems in the township of Stephen have become a yearly occurrence and 1972 should not be any different. Only this week, Stephen council received a letter from the Ontario Water Resources Commission stating, "that after meetings with the Ontario Municipal Board, it now appears that a resumption of the water hearing is inevitable. Stephen officials now aren't sure if it will be a resumption of the first or second hearing. The original hearing was held in Crediton, July 22, 1970 to ask for permission to establish a system to supply water to residents in the westerly end of the township, mostly in the summer subdivision areas. The first request was turned down because not enough representation was made by persons in favour of the proposed talking like a bunch of hypocrites. He said members were wrong in condoning any infractions of the bylaw, "It's crazy," he said, noting the rules were spelled out in black and white and said snowmobilers would be breaking the law to follow the advice of some council members. "It's at the discretion of the police and once we pass the bylaw, we have nothing more to say about it," Boyle replied. "That's not what you're telling them (the snowmobilers)", Shaw noted. Spokesman Dalton Skinner said if any snowmobiler drives after the curfew, they are in Zurich resident wins Kin prize Douglas Meidinger, Zurich was the winner of $100.00 in the Kin Lottery II, Minikin III draw held in Cornwall this week. The Kin Lottery II jackpot draw will be held on February 14 for total prizes of $170,000.00 including a $100,000.00 first prize. Tickets for Kin Lottery II are on sale until January 31. plan. At that time Stephen of'-' ficials were of the opinion only those in objection would be heard. After considerable correspondence with both provincial groups and preparation of support, a second hearing was held on August 19, 1971. This time with different members of the OMB in charge another approach was taken and the request was tentatively turned down because of the lack of certain information on proposed rates and the inclusion of semi-agricultural lands, The township is now being asked to come up with a water rate bylaw that would include all users and any special users. Also to define semi-agricultural lands as they are presently unac- ceptable. Clerk Wilmar Wein said this week the township would be working with the engineering effect breaking the law. "Laws are made to break," Mayor Delbridge replied. Ask changes The Snowmobilers presented a written request for changes to council. They noted they were in agreement with the need of a bylaw, but asked that changes be made to allow operators a direct route home after the midnight curfew. They also suggested snowmobilers be allowed on the streets Sunday morning, but be prohibited within a one block radius of any church. Their final suggestion was that the hospital area be completely restricted except for residents living on adjoining streets. Dalton Skinner explained that he couldn't see any sense in driving around town streets anyway, but noted that operators who were out-of-town like to drive home and they don't always get there before midnight. Reeve Derry Boyle, chairman of the committee which drafted the bylaw, said Chief Ted Day indicated there was no way the police could enforce a bylaw — Please turn to page 3 firm of B. M. Ross Associates and Archie Forsyth of the OWRC in complying with the latest requests for further information, After the requested bylaw is completed a letter will go to the OMB asking for a third hearing or resumption of one of the others. Continue warble spraying At Tuesday's regular meeting, Stephen council decided to continue with the warble fly spraying program, Tenders will be invited for supply of the powder. The spraying will be handled by township employees and the charge to farmers will be the Same as last year, 15e per head per spraying. Council reserved decision on requeSts from two farm organizations for financial support. — Please turn to page 3 Dr. Murdo Nicholson, .of Calgary, Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly, spoke to the three congregations of Hensall, Cromarty and Exeter at Caveh Church Sunday. He told listeners although earthly kingdoms may rise and fall, the kingdon of Christ is eternal and therefore will never fall. He spoke of Peter's denial of Jesus and said that many modern persons have confessed their allegiance to Christ but turned •0 their backs on Him at some later date. In spite of this, Christ does not change, he said. The Moderator said Christ asks the same kind of devotion from contemporary man as he asked from Peter. When He gets it, every thing will fall into its place. Special music was provided by guest soloist, Mrs. Peter Mac- Naughton, of Ilderton, and by a Caven quartette consisting of Mrs. Dan. McLeod, Mrs Alex Meikle and Cynthia and Harold Gunn. 4 Snow dump claimed okay Communities throughout Ontario have been advised by the Ontario Water Resources Commission and the department of transportation and com- munications not to use lake and rivers as dumping sites for snow removed from streets. The snow contains large amount of salt and is believed responsible for increased chloride levels in the lower Great Lakes. The OWRC also points out the danger from gasoline which never breaks down and can build up dangerous lead levels. *ID Exeter Councillor Bruce Shaw asked this week if Exeter was adding to the problem, He was assured by other members that there was no problem, despite the fact it was noted the snow from local streets is dumped 'on the bank of a stream which runs into the Ausable River at the western limits of town. Some felt the warning was only for municipalities which dump snow directly into lakes and rivers, GB reeve calls for