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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1974-04-04, Page 1,1F • •40,4,741?•%;..:'.]::.- :. • One Hundred and Firit Year EXETER, ONTARIO, APRIL 4, 1974 Price Per Copy 25 Cents QUINTUPLETS - A very unusual event took place recently on the Staffa area farm of Rev. Daynard, A ewe gave birth to no less than five lambs. Two of the newborn were transferred to a foster mother. Above, Rev. Daynard is shown with the five healthy lambs which were born March 20. c. Town hall shell only thing salvageable, cite negligence and poor maintenance "Before we spend any more money foolishly, let's put a bomb in it, commented Mayor Jack grade, which the engineer says would have to be replaced. Other photographs show problems associated with the addition put on the northwest corner of the building and water damage to brick footing under the bearing walls. The clock tower "is in serious need of repair" although the engineer suggests another alternative to repairing it would be the complete elimination of the bell tower down to the general roof level, The wood construction of the tower has been exposed on all sides to the extremes of the worthwhile to spend a large amount of money on such an old shell will demand an answer." The report stated the building is basically sound, structurally, but needs repair in many areas, Several colored photos were included in the report showing damaged portions of the struc- ture, both inside and out. "It has a number ofareas where deterioration is in an advanced stage, but these are more as a result of negligence, indifferent maintenance procedures or poorly executed alterations in previous years," the engineer explained. He found that at several locations on the exterior, rain- water leaders are in various states of repair and some are not connected directly with the pipe which leads into the ground and presumably a sewer. This has allowed water to run onto the masonry and has caused damage to the mortar and to the brickwork itself. A related problem to this is the deterioration of the brickwork at commodation than it is now providing," The engineer recommended that before any expenditures were made, a committee should be set up to secure the cost of repairs, the possible uses to which the building could be put and to compare such costs with new construction. General discusion at the Monday meeting 'of council was minimal, but most members appeared to be of the opinion that the report confirmed opinions that the town hall should be replaced. Canadian climate and is showing the damage attributable to this. Large cracks in the walls on the second floor (inside) were also outlined, with the engineer suggesting that a "control joint" be used to rectify this problem. Even if the repairs were un- dertaken, the engineer noted that "no upgrading of the building will have been accomplished in its overall appearance, comfort or usefulness to the community," It will still be an old building needing continued care and maintenance and providing no more in the way of useful ac- Delbridge this week during a discussion of the town hall, Some of the money recently spent (the figure isn't known yet) was to hire an engineer to make a detailed study of the building. That report was only briefly discussed at Monday's meeting, although members bad copies given to them last week. " Another $2,000 was paid for an architect's work on drafting plans for a new town hall a couple of years ago, Nothing was ever done with that report, because council moved the fire hall and the works department building and com- menced negotiations with federal public works people to lease the present post office, The bill from architect Bruce Martin was submitted this week. The engineer's report suggested that if extensive renovations were contemplated for the town hall, "it will even- tually become apparent that the only thing which is 'being salavaged is the building shell and the question of whether it is NEW OPP OFFICERS - Two additional officers joined the Exeter detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police this week, Sgt. Norton W. Rhines, left, takes over command of the local detachment. The other new officer is Constable James Rogers shown at the right. T-A photo Mother, two daughters injured in area crash To consider proposal for county police Population of that area was shown as 10,637, Chief Day said the county departments had increased their Please turn to page 3 A suggestion by police chiefs in Huron that a county police force be established as opposed to having the OPP assume policing met with some support from Exeter council, Monday. Chief Ted Day made the presentation and it was termed "a step in the right direction" by Councillor Bruce Shaw. Shaw said he was glad to see people at the local level showing initiative in presenting alter- natives to the recent report submitted by the. Ontario task force on policing, The task force report recom- mended that police departments in municipalities of under 15,000 population be disbanded and replaced by OPP. Shaw said too often this type of legislation is pushed down the throats of people and part of the reason is that they failed to make their views known. Chief Day said he estimated that the recommendations to eliminate small police forces could be enacted within a year. The chiefs in Huron suggest that the police forces in the five towns be combined together and augmented with additional personnel to police the entire county. "I am sure that the cost would be less and the protection much greater," Chief Day predicted. It was suggested about 50 men would be needed to police the entire county. There would be an overall chief, one deputy and two inspectors. A map enclosed with the report showed the Exeter division en- compassing Stephen, Hay, Usborne, Exeter, Zurich, Hensall and a portion of Tuckersmith. Damages high in collisions County budget near six million, rate will jump over five mills vehicle, sustained fractures, while eight-year-old Teresa Foster had severe head injuries. Also injured was Brenda Foster, six, who had cuts and bruises. The three were taken to University Hospital in London and Teresa was placed in in- tensive care. OPP Constable Bill McIntyre investigated, setting damage at $500 to the vehicle driven by Mrs. Foster. Damage was set at $1,050 when a car driven by James Leitch, Guelph went off Highway 4 south of the Crediton Road and struck a mail box and fence. The mishap occurred at 12:05 p.m., Saturday and was in- vestigated by Constable Ed Wilcox. He also investigated a hit and run accident on Saturday. A car owned by A, Robert Haugh, Exeter was struck by an unknown vehicle while parked unattended on County Road 2 in Dashwood. Damage- to the Haugh vehicle was listed at $500. The only other accident of the week occurred in the same area at 12:30 a.m. Sunday when a car driven by Russell D. Brown, RR 3, Parkhill, backed into a parked car owned by Harry Sheppard, Parkhill. The mishap took place on the parking lot of the Dashwood Community Centre and damage was estimated at $150 by Con- stable Bill Glassford. During the week the local detachment officers charged 10 people under the Highway Traffic Act and issued warnings to another 13. There were seven charges under the Criminal Code and four under the Liquor Control Act. Damages of $3,500 resulted from three accidents in- vestigated this week by officers of the Exeter police department. Constable Alex Balazs set damages at $2,800 Saturday when vehicles driven by Ross Dobson, Kippen and Keith Barrington, 371 William street, Exeter were in collision on Main street north. At 1 p.m. Saturday vehicles driven by Clifford Brintnell, Huron street, Exeter and Donald Campbell, Huron street west collided at the intersection of Main and Wellington streets. Constable George Robertson investigated and estimated damages,at.$150, The other mishap, also Saturday, occurred on Main street, near Victoria. Involved were vehicles driven by Clifford Stephen, RR 1 St. Marys and John Glavin, RR 2, Lucan. Damages were listed at $500 by Constable Robertson, With the arrival of spring, Exeter police chief Ted Day asks parents to remind their children to observe safe driving rules when operating their bicycles. The chief urges youngsters to stop at stop signs, obey the traffic lights use hand signals when making turns and drive on the right side of the streets. Bicycle licences will go on sale Saturday May 4, Three members of an Usborne Township family were injured late Sunday afternoon when their vehicle went off sideroad 5 in the township and smashed into a tree. Irene Foster, driver of the MISSING - Several disconnected rain-water leaders are evident at the Exeter town hall, leading to damage of the brickwork. An ex- ample of the deterioration cited in an engineer's report is shown above. Won't approve truck garage Don Haines, Carling St., lost in his bid to get council approval for a proposed garage on his property to house four trucks which he operates for the purpose of hauling mobile homes. However, he indicated he may appeal council's decision. In fact, he was advised to appeal by councillor Bruce Shaw, one of those who helped defeat a motion by Reeve Derry Boyle and Councillor Ben Hoogenboom that the permit be approved. When the outcome was known, Mayor Delbridge asked Haines if he wishes to appeal the decision then. "I'll wait two or three days," Haines replied. The debate over the permit started last meeting, and after some confused voting procedures, was set over until this week. Two of those speaking against approval, Monday, where Deputy-Reeve Helen Jermyn and ,. Shaw, both absent at the last meeting. Shaw said he was concerned about the discomfort to the neigh- Please turn to page 3 turn is drawing. onits reserves this year, Berry said, inorder to hold the highway levy. He said one must look forward to 1975 when, if the trend continues and the programming in the highway department remains constant, Jack vehicle up, remove all tires Canadian investors buy Hughes Boats To remove old works building Seven containers cost' over $1,000 "We may have the cleanest town in Canada," commented Exeter Deputy-Reeve Helen Jermyn, Monday. "We'll have the brokest too," Mayor Jack Delbridge, quickly replied. The comments came after council approved the expenditure of $1,078 for seven new garbage containers for Main S. and also approved hiring residents of Braemor Manor to sweep the sidewalks on Main St. The matter of garbage cans has been a regular topic of discussion at teuncit Meetings for many'. months and has prompted some heated debate, A discussion about the proposed cans started last meeting, but decision was held in abeyance until a picture could be Secured for members to view. The pictures came this week and one glimpse prompted councillor Ben Hoogenboom to exclaim 'beautiful", "The one in the yellow dress?" questioned councillor Tom MacMillan in reference to the attractive female model shown beside the container, Mrs. Jermyn suggested council purchase one of the containers on a trial basis to see how it would appear on Main St. and also how it would stand up to the normal punishment given trash con- tainers. She implied the price was high, noting that Lucan had garbage containers that cost only $15 each. Hoogenboom said they looked so bad he didn't think people would even put garbage in Them. The motion to purchase the seven cans was then approved. The debate over sweeping the Main St. sidewalks between Waterloo St. and Highway 83 also resulted in some lengthy discussion. Hoogenboom thought residents should be able to sweep their own sidewalks, noting that he did. ,Works superintendent Glen Kells, who had made the request for the sweepers, explained that a considerable amount of sand was on the sidewalk from the winter months and it slowly made its way onto the highway throughout the course of several months, resulting in dust on the highway continually. He said if the sand was swept — Please turn to Page 9 An investment group headed by prominent Londoner Joseph Jeffery has purchased Hughes Boat Works Limited of Huron Park. Hughes Boat Works and Hughes Marine Sales were for- mer subsidiaries of United States Steel Corporation. The com- pany's new name will be North Star Yachts Limited. Purchase price was not an- nounced but present assets of the company were valued at more than $2. million. Total staff now is 150 but the new owners ' plan to triple production and expand staff by 50 percent within a year. Other Londoners in the in- vestment group are: Larry rate increase will be necessary for highways, General government will cost $272,360; protection to persons and property, $17,000; public works, $2,129,000; public health, $400,718; Social and Family services including Huronview, child welfare and social services, $2,245,673; recreation and com- munity services including planning, land division, library museum and historic sites, $449,845; financial $196,160; other, such as reforestation, development, grants, new building, plumbing inspection, $179,245; estimated surplus in 1974, $98,107. Total budget $5,988,108. County taxpayers will con- tribute $2,033,000 to this budget. "If you recall last year it was decided to accept the tax review committee's report which altered the distribution of county costs by prorating some of these costs on a population basis rather than assessment basis," said Reeve Doug McNeil, Colborne. "In addition to this change, of course, is the increase in county requirement, and as a result the overall requirements for county — Please turn to Page 3 Two cases of wilful damage were reported to Exeter OPP this week, along with one theft, Children are believed responsible for smashing lights and seven small windows in the dining lounge at the Oakwood Park dining room, Early Sunday a beer bottle was tossed through the window of a store in Crediton. The theft occurred at Larry Snider Motors Ltd. A new station wagon was jacked up and all four tires and rims were removed. The loss was valued at $400. During the week, the police recovered two antique chairs stolen recently from the Dash- wood Hotel. No charges have been laid as yet, Police are also investigating complaints of drag racing on County Road 2 south of Dash- wood. It will cost Huron taxpayers more in 1974. That was the news at Friday's session of Huron County council at which Warden Bill Elston announced the county budget was "up just a shade over $400,000" and would represent what amounts to an increase of about 51/2 mills. The Warden explained it simply. "Our services are going up every year," he said. "If we keep adding, we must have more .money." He urged all committee members to "try and hold down all new services" in the coming year. Clerk-treasurer John Berry said the total budget amounted to $5,988,108 . . . "just $12,000 short of the $6,000,000 figure," "The various committees and boards have reviewed their requirements very carefully, but despite this action there is a steep increase in the county rate requirements for the coming year," Berry said. "The increase is reflected in the general rate which is in- creased some $380,000," Berry noted, "However, one must remember that in 1973 the county used approximately $200,000 of surplus funds to hold the levy at that time." The highways department in John Webster, Exeter, has been granted permission to demolish the old works depart- ment building behind the Exeter town hall. The building is no longer required with the completion of the new facilities on Nelson St. Webster submitted a bid to council to undertake the work for the materials from the building. The work is to be done by May 15, Another bid was received from Hubert Miller, Dashwood for $25,50, Members weren't certain if he was wanting to pay or receive that amount, but assumed it was the latter. Kevin Delbridge was granted the right to lease the 50 acres at the lagoon farm west of town for this cropping season. He submitted the only bid, it was for a rental price of $5.00 per acre, Plaster knocked off walls Charge youth with criminal negligence Two youths have been ap- prehended and will appear in Exeter court at a later date on separate driving charges which resulted from incidents occurring near South Huron District High School. At about 4 p,m, Tuesday the Exeter police department received a complaint that a motor vehicle was being driven in the vicinity of the school in a careless manner, When Constable James McMeekin arrived at the scene the driver attempted to get away. As a result a high speed chase took place through town streets and oh Huron street into Usborne township, With the police cruiser in pursuit, speeds at times reached more than 100 miles per hour. The driver was finally ap- prehended in a farm yard, just before Highway 23, He was arrested and charged with criminal negligence in the operation of a vehicle. A second youth has been charged with careless driving after squealing tires in the high scheol area, 'Wing shakes home Ligh ID damages. A television set was hit at the home of Arnold Ford, a stove at the home of Chub Edward was damaged and light bulbs at the' residence of Harold Schwartzentruber were blown out. • "It was quite a bang," Mr, Hewitt Old the T-A, He and his wife were sitting in the living room at the tinle, and while the lightning strike created con- siderable noise, they had no idea of the damage it had caused, The bolt apparently carte into the house via the hydro wires and shook the whole building, Lightning struck the residence of Mr, and Mrs. Lloyd Hewitt Monday evening, causing con- siderable damage, A large piece of plaster was knocked off the wall of one bedroom, a window casement was moved, picures were knocked off the; all and most of the electrical system in the home was damaged, The home is located at the Otter of Highways 4 and 83 in Exeter and serves as the office' for Charterways Ltd. 'Other homes in the immediate area also suffered minor Smoke started to appear and the local fire department were called. Pieces of one exterior wall where the bolt exited from the home were found across the road on Tuesday morning. Mr. Hewitt said he did not know the amount of damage caused, but said it would be considerable. "It was an April Fool's day I'll never forget," he explained, The fire was one of two in the area a this week. Around 7:15 p,m,, Friday, the dual rear tires were burned off a truck on Highway 83,,about two miles west of Exeter, A mixup occurred when a motorist turned in the alarm at the local fire hall and the brigade headed east for two miles, with the usual long line of spectators in hot pursuit, They had to turn around and make their way back to the fire scene, Damage to the truck was listed at $800 by Fire Chief Gary Middleton. The vehicle was owned by T.B. Allen, Londesboro. SO far this year the Exeter firemen have answered 16 fire calls, a considerable increase over the average. Agranove, business management consultant; Robert Fuller, president of Con-Eng con- struction company, Peter Butler, Design Associates; and lawyer William Chizmar. The London investment group holds 50 percent interest in the new company. The other 50 percent is held by a management team made up of employees of the former company. They are: Ted Lane, president; Ray Singer, vice-president marketing; Bela Molnar, vice-president manufacturing, and Doug Sweeney, dealer sales manager. Mr. Jeffery, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the London Life Insurance Company who becomes board chairman of North Star,, said the "repatriation" of the boat- building firm is a welcome change at a time when Canadians are concerned about foreign ownership of their industries, The company produces fibre glass-hulled sailboats from 26 to 40 feet long. Prices range from $3,500 to $66,000 or more, depending on optional equip- ment, Current production is about 17 boats per month, The company had planned to build new production facilities last year but they were shelved, Officials said they now intend to reactivate them, Hughes Board Works Was started in 1966 by Howard and Peter Hughes in Scarborough. It was a three-man venture at the beginning, In 1969, after a fire, the little firm moved to Huron Park. United States Steel bought the company in 1969, Hughes Boat Works Limited and Hughes Marine Sales (Huron Park) Limited became wholly-Owned subsidiaries, LIGHTNING HITS HOME - During Monday night's violent thunder storm, the north'end Exeter home Of Lloyd Hewitt was struck by light- ning. In the above picture, 'Hewitt looks of the hole which was blasted in a bedroom wall. T-A photo