HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-06-24, Page 4No introduction required
Have to use native ingenuity
Condemns coverage
Judging from a letter ,to the editor this
week. Jack Malone of the Exeter saddle
club has taken exception to a. story printed
regarding problems between his club and
the local RAP committee.
Similar to many letter writers. Mr.
Malone has done little but ramble on about
the shortcomings of the news media,
without getting down to any specifics on
how his group has been unfairly dealt with
in the article in question.
It is therefore only natural to assume
that the club has little defence of their ac-
tions, choosing rather to direct their attack
on the newspaper rather than on those who
actually made the comments which com-
prised the news story.
For e Mr. Malone's edification,
newspaper editors and reporters do not
check all possible sources for items which
Don't get bitten
have been discussed at a public meeting.
Time does not permit such actions.
That does not suggest they are being
irresponsible. Reporters must assume that
the' information they garner at public
meetings is accurate. Public officials
quoted in this community have seldom dis-
torted facts in the past and when that does
occur, the news media has been able to
provide the vehicle whereby the "other
side" can have their comments aired as
well,
Had Mr. Malone presented this
newspaper with the farts to defend the sad-
dle club position. they would have been
printed.
Rural newspapers may have a reputa-
tion for technically inferior writing, as he
suggests, but with words of encouragement
and direction such as those passed along by
Mr. Malone. there's hope for us yet.
"Let me get this straight—
or a peace in Lebanon, or for a piece 2iLebanon?"
twos=
People who buy gadgets to protect
themselves from mosquito bites, may find
themselves being bitten — figuratively and
literally.
Research by university microbiology
and parasitology departments in Canada
and the United States have shown that elec-
tronic mosquito repellers are of little
value. They repudiated claims by the
manufacturers that the devices could emit
sounds which repel female mosquitoes,
Seems that there's just no such thing as
a sound which will deter those hungry
females from completing their task of get-
ting a daily supply of blood from human
targets.
The best protection is to wear protec-
tive clothing• apply insect repellent or burn
the inexpensive coils which release an in-
secticide.
As fear of encephalitis grows. con-
sumers should heed the words of the ex-
perts and obviously not those who would try
to gain from marketing items which are lit-
tle value.
Winning some grief
The basic structure of law on which our
society is dependent for its very existence
is something that should never be lightly
tampered with— but there are times when
it needs adjusting. Judges and lawyers are
aware of this need for change, but often
they find that the most advisable course is
to permit some judgement or other to
stand, in all its ridiculousness, until it is
evident to all that alterations must be
made.
Such we suspect, may be the case in the
recent decision that a boy who has recently
become the beneficiary of a $100,000 lottery
prize, can't touch the money. Judd Smoke's
ticket was drawn in a recent lottery and
his winnings were $100,000 tax-free dollars.
His father is a self-employed contractor
whose earnings are so minimal that he has
applied for relief. But the courts have ruled
that all he can use of his young son's wealth
is a pittance for the boy's upkeep. The
balance of the money must remain in trust
and untouched until the lad is 18.
When the family drove home after the
last court hearing the boy was in quiet
tears because he had hoped, at least, for a
new bike.
The theory behind the ruling is, of
course, basically sound. This same law
protects children from being exploited and
impoverished i by grasping guardians who
might have an opportunity to use trust
funds for their own ends. However, it is ob-
vious that an exception should be made in
this case, where it is quite likely the father
or some other adult bought the lottery
ticket in the boy's name and where the
needs of the family are plainly a matter of
concern.
Sometimes, it would seem, these wind-
fall lottery prizes can bring more grief than
joy.—Wingham Advance Times
I'M TRYING to figure out
some way to go and see my son in
Paraguay this summer. Maybe
my faithful readers can help,
There's nothing whatever to
stop me from just buying a plane
ticket and going. Nothing
whatever except that I can't af-
ford it. There's a pile of miles
between here and there. And the
way my wife's been throwing
money around lately — new
carpeting, new wallpaper, new
sewing machine — we'll be lucky
if we get through the summer
with enough left over to pay ad-
mission to the Fall Fair. So. I'll
just have to use my native in-
genuity, which is also present in
very tiny amounts.
Why bother. you say. Why not
let the kid come home for a
visit? Well, his monthly income
is probably around forty bucks,
so he has the same problem I
have.
He's been there' over a year
now, and for some reason, he
doesn't get our letters, though
we receive his. And he is my only
son. And he must be lonely. He
managed a long-distance call to
his mother in February, on her
birthday, from Argentina. But he
just has no contact with home.
and we can't phone him. Just as
well, If we could. the old lady
would probably be calling him
every Sunday night, at about $30
a rattle,
Besides, I love to travel. and
I've never been to South
America. His mother flatly
won't go. She's afraid of being
trampled by an elephant or
squeezed by a boa constrictor or
pinched on the bum by a South
American sheik or something.
Slowly, a plan is emerging.
There are a few blank spots, but
my itinerary is taking shape.
I think I could rake up the price
of a bus ticket to New York.
From there it's a short hop to
Bermuda. On that beautiful
island lives a Faithful Reader. a
subscriber to the Kincardine
News, who has sent back word
with a mutual acquaintance that
she'd be' delighted to show me
the island. She'd probably put us
up and feed us for a day or two.
Next • stop. Jamaica. My
nephew has a house and servant
there. I have fed that boy (of 26)
his bottle and changed his diaper
in years gone by. He owes me,
Then a zig across the Carib-
bean to Mexico City, where a
friend of a friend lives. A bed and
board and a couple of days
among the Aztec ruins would be
a nice change.
After that, we hop to Guyana.
first stop in South America. (It
used to be Dutch Guiana). My
brother worked there for a cou-
ple of years and has influential
friends in the capital.
Paramaribo. I should be able to
doss down with one of them for a
couple of nights while I get
acclimatized.
It's the next stop that worries
me. Once I get to Rio de Janeiro.
I'm home free. I have an old girl
friend there, Sylvia, She Was a
knockout when I knew her in
college, and we used to neck un-
der the trees in Queen's Park un-
til I was so weak I couldn't ha ve
gone one round with Carmen
Miranda. She might not
CCNA
.111 PJEIDON
AWARD
1974
Pounding out weekly columns
is not always the easiest of tasks,
and obviously this one is more
difficult than usual, because
there just doesn't appear to be an
easy starting point.
Normally, a person assuming a
new position would be able to use
up his allotted space by in-
troducing himself and telling the
natives how happy he is' to be
living among them.
For rather. obvious reasons,
t hat just won't work in this case
because there's very little to he
said along those lines. If you were
expecting some refreshing new
face and comments in this spot,
we pass along only our sympathy •
in the disappointment you're
about to face in realizing you've
seen and heard from this writer
before. So, let's forego the for-
malities and get down to the
business at hand.
We know readers will be
following with considerable in-
terest the report being submitted
by Ron Bogart on his recent trip
to Russia.
Ile's just bubbling over with
enthusiasm to tell some of the
highlights of the jaunt, and
because we've enjoyed chatting
with Ron we can advise readers
they'll find it most interesting.
Residents who' may enjoy
seeing some of his slides and
movies Will possibly have the
recognize the wreck confronting
her. but all I'd have to do is say:
"It's Beel. Yo chamo," and she'd
throw open the door. She'd
recognize immediately that
Canadian pronunciation of "Eu
t'amo" (I love you) which she
taught me from the Portuguese.
One big problem. Between
Paramaribo, on the north coast
of S.A., and Rio. down around the
middle of the continent, lie.about
1,500 miles of jungle, mountains.
jaguars (not the car) and can-
nibals. Enough stuff to give any
man the twitch.
So here's your chance to help.
gentle reader. If you happen to
have an uncle or brother working
in the tin mines of La Paz. high
in the Andes. we could zig over
there and let him put us up for
the night.
This would mean a jungle jump
of only about 500 miles, a mere
bagatelle, though the Andes are a
bit dicey. From La Paz, in
Bolivia. to Asuncion, Paraguay,
is a mere half day's hop.
Then it's just a day's ride by
bus up into the Chaco (or Green
Hell, as it is known) and it's a
casual. "Hi. Hugh. Thought I'd
drop down and say hello." I can
just see his face. And hear his
first remark, "Where's Mom?"
As you can see, the trip would
be a piece of cake, once we
sorted out a few rough spots, like
that jungle bit, On the way home.
we could go around by Sao Paulo,
where I know a couple of nurses,
Or did 30 years ago. No problem.
All it needs is a little eo-
operation from my readers. If
you know anyone who could put
us up for the night in Peru or
Chile or Buenos Aires, feel free
to drop a line. We'll shack up
with anyone, even missionaries.
Oh. There's one other thing.
You may have noticed that I've
been using "we" all along, and
that my wife isn't going. There's
no paradox involved.
I'm quite Certain that some
Paithful Reader has a light air-
craft, a pilot's license, and the
summer off. Preferably male,
though if the Women's Lib raises
a stink, I'll take anybody.
be perfectly willing to split
the cost of the gas. No
guarantees. of course, except
lots of southern hospitality. and
home by Christmas. d.v.
opportunity to do so in the near
future.
Ron hopes to kill two birds with
one stone, so to speak, by staging
a public showing for which the
admittance will go to the arena
campaign fund. Rorv, of course, is
chairman of the finance com-
mitlee and no doubt will get a
good reception for his project.
+ + +
Judging from some of Ron's
comments, we should all he
thankful we ended up with
Canada as our home, and with
this in mind perhaps more
residents of this community will
take lime to participate in the
Canada Week activities being
planned by the local recreation
department.
While the agenda is scaled
down somewhat from last year
for budget reasons, there will be
activities geared to every
member of the family.
Perhaps the most interesting is
the "tall tales" competition. This
could, turn out to be a most in-
teresting and taught-filled event
and hopefully everyone with a
sense of humor will be digging
into his repertoire to come up
with an entry,
+ + +
Sanitary sewers, we are told,
are designed basically to remove
a "mess" from the hack yard due
to inadequate or over-taxed
septic tanks,
However, we've come to the
conclusion that it solves very
little, particularly in the early
stages, because it merely
removes the mess from the back
yard to the front or side yard,
albeit a different, type of mess.
Our front yard, while it never
would win any awards due to its
constant battle with a dozen kids
and as many bicycles, now ap-
pears as a complete disaster area
following excavation for a sewer
hookup.
"Just pour the water to it" our
friendly plumber said as he
surveyed the mile-high mounds
of dirt left over after the ex-
cavation was filled.
Should have known better! It
merely turned dirt into mud, and
every mother knows what that
does to a bunch of kids, They
25 YEARS AGO
Exeter (England) city council
will present a mayor's gavel
to Exeter (Ontario) in honor of
the latter's new town status.
Hay township council author-
ized a $200 grant toward the
erection of Exeter Legion Hall.
The first banquet for graduates
of Exeter Public School was held
,in the gymtorium of the school
sponsored by the Home and
School Association.
20 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Cornelius Verkerk,
RR 1, Exeter, gave birth to twin
boys Monday. The second one
to arrive was the 1,000 baby born
in South Huron Hospital and
was the recipient of Many prizes
given by local businesses.
Fisherman Tom Penhale,
Bob Fletcher and Alvin Willert
came home from Chesley Lake
with a nice catch of 15 pike and
pickerel,
J5 YEARS AGO
Superintendent Alice Clay-
pole and Board President Ray
Morlock greeted area citizens
who inspected the addition to
South Huron Hospital following
the opening. Sunday. Health
wallowed around in it to their
heart's delight and sure enough,
the pile started to dwindle.
However, the reason became
unpleasantly obvious. The mud
that was disappearing from the
excavation was being tracked
throughout the entire yard and
into every nook and cranny of the
house,
The problem is one many local
citizens will be facing in the next
few weeks as all sewer con-
nections are to be completed by
November 1 of this year,
although it may be questionable
it' that target date can be met by
sonic due to a scarcity of
plumbers available to undertake
the work.
+ + +
A recent report from Chief Ted
Day indicates that poor driving
habits are becoming more of a
problem with bicycle riders than
those who drive motor vehicles.
Because the former soon joins the
ranks of the latter, that does not
speak well for the future when the
kids get behind the wheel of the
fdmily auto.
Last week, considerable
consternation arose in our neigh-
borhood when a young lad sitting
on the handlebars of his older
brother's bike got his foot caught
bekteen the front forks.
While neighbors had difficulty
freeing the lad's. foot and feared
there may be some serious in-
jury, such was not- the case,
fortunately. The youngster dried
his tears and walked away from
the scene unscathed,
However, a couple of days later
we visited London friends who
had a boy with one short finger,
the digit being cut after being
caught in the front spokes of an
exercise bike.
It pointed out that the local lad
involved in the hike incident was
indeed fortunate and parents
should obvipusly be reminding
their offspring of the serious
consequences that can result
from unsafe bicycle riding
prac (ices.
Minister M. B. Dymond made
the official opening.
Bob Russell, member of the
"Men of Accord" barbershop
chorus sang with that group
in the international competitions
of the SPEBSQSA Inc. in Phil-
adelphia last week.
S. G. Rannie . who resigned
as director of flensall United
Church choir after serving for
15 years was honored Friday
night during a presentation.
5 YEARS AGO
Fire at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Arnold Mathers, Tuesday
evening caused an estimated
$10,000 to the house and $3,000
on the contents.
Quick action by lifeguards
at the local swimming pool
saved the life of a 10-year-old
Exeter tad Sunday afternoon,
Michael Parsons, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Doug Parsons, Exeter,
was pulled unconscious from the
pool after being spotted by Cheryl
Sweet,
Elizabeth Ann Snell, daughter
of Mr, and Mrs. Russell Snell,
graduated from the University
of Waterloo with a Ilachelor of
Mathematics in Computer
'Science.
Henry B. Wright, a professor at
Yale, who confesses to often
dialogue with God tells of a time
when he was distressed about a
friend who had ended up on skid
row. After a visit with this friend
he felt God was telling him to
send the man a gold watch with a
certain inscription. He knew that
God often spoke in strange ways,
so he obeyed. His friend was so
moved with his concern, and the
inscription made Such an impact
on him that he stopped drinking
and returned to a useful life.
Wright seeing the effect of his
gift, decided to send the same
kind of watch with the same
inscription to another alcoholic
friend. This man promptly sold
the watch to buy liquor!
You see, God's guidance is
unique. There are no pat patterns
or rules because every individual
is different but God can touch
people through us if we are
sensitive to what he is saying to
us. •
Of course, skeptics like Gordon
Sinclair and others, deny that
God speaks to people today. But
God is the same today as He was
in Biblical times; He wants us to
talk to Him and He wants to talk
to us,
Bruce Larson says God speaks
to us in hundreds of ways:
through our conscience, the
Bible, through worship,
meditation, events, and through
people both friends and enemies.
Our role is to be receptive and
expectant and to believe God is
speaking.
The trouble is that most of us
are so caught upin the thunderous
whirlwind of our frustrated lives
and activities we do not hear God
when he speaks.
"Be still and know that I am
God," the Lord commanded
Elijah.The Bible also says, "Wait
on the Lord" and "In quietness
and confidence shall be your
strength."
There are also those of us who
Sir:
Objectivity is the basis of
professional journalism. The
trained reporter investigates an
event, he does not interpret it.
Factual coverage demands an
examination of an issue and
documentation of sources.
Clearly, there will be more than
one aspect of any argument, and
the principles of news reporting
dictate a hearing for all.
It is the responsibility of a free
press to present its public with a
fair and accurate summary of
news. In short, the reporter
checks all possible sources,
The article 'Saddle Club May
Lose Out. For Grounds' (June 16)
suggests the Exeter Independent
News is either unaware of the
basic rules of reporting, or
chooses to ignore them.
The astute reporter does not
fail to background himself on a
news situation, in this case the
relationship of the Exeter RAP
committee and the Exeter Saddle
Club. He does not depend on one
source for his information, nor
does he distort fact with heresay
and conjecture.
It is this type of irresponsible
and unintelligent coverage that
earns rural newspapers a
reputation for technically in-
ferior writing, Unskilled
reporters and incompetent
editors, ignoring or ignorant of
the 5 W's of journalism (who
what where when and why) can
at best produce a simulation of a
newspaper. At worst, they can
mistake facts, mislead readers
and so misuse the power of their
medium.
feel that if God is going to speak
to us it must be something
"spiritual". Larson also points
out that though God is a Spirit, He
is not "spiritual" as many of us
mistakenly understand the word.
When God appeared to Peter in
prison in the form of an angel, He
said in essence, "Quick! Get up.
Do up your belt and put your
shoes on, Now wrap your cloak
around you and follow me." After
the angel led Peter out of prison
he disappeared (Act 12;7,10).
Nothing really very spiritual
about those words but how
practical and how simple and in a
way that called Peter to concrete
action.
In the creation story Adam and
God are in fellowship and
dialogue until Adam sins. It is
interesting to note that Adam is
the one who hides from God. God
does not withdraw in shock
because of man's sin: rather He,
in His redemptive love, asks the
question, "Where are you?"
God is still seeking us as He did
Adam in all the hiding places we
have devised. Mr. Larson
suggests we might paraphrase
God's question to Adam in
questions such as: "Why are you
so busy making money?" "Why
are you in so many clubs and
activities, or in so much church
work?" "Why are you so mean to
the people you love?" "Why do
you have to pretend to be dif-
ferent from what you are?"
Although God knows the an-
swers already, it behooves us to
admit our motives are devious
and our' activities are often a
cover up. We must come out of
our hiding places and stand
naked before God so that a deep
relationship based on God's
healing love can be established.
We are often reluctant to listen
for God's guidance or insensitive
to it, but if we are obedientsand
keep listening as well as talking
to Him he will guide us,
God loves you and is speaking
to you now!
-The Exeter Saddle Club has
been victimized by such misuse.
A report .defending its position
has been submitted to Mayor
Bruce Shaw and Ruth Durand,
chairman of RAP.
Unfortunately, the public will
not hear the "other side" of the
story, unless the editor of the
Independent News (the former
and current editor of the Exeter
Times-Advocate) reconsiders the
obligations of a responsive and
responsible newspaper.
(C.Jack Malone)
Director,
Exeter Saddle Club.
Learn the rules of boating
safety with Red Cross. Always
wear your PFD (Personal Flota-
tion Device) when you go in a
boat.
It's fun to team to swim the
Red Cross Water Safety way.
When you swim, swim with a
buddy, never alone.
treferVinettabuocale
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
0,W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC
Published by J. W. Eedy Publications Limited-
LORNE EEDY, PUBLISHER
Editor Bill Batten
Assistant Editor -- Ross Haugh
Advertising Manager A—Jim Beckett
Plant Manager — Jim Scott
CoMposition Manager Dave Worby
Business Manager DIA Jongicirici
Phone 235-1331
...J.,W.arVAIMAIMEMA.M.WASIENMEMISVXMONERMECZOIMag:"':%::
Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924
Published Each thursday Morning
of Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Registration Number 0386
Paid in Advance Circulation
September 30,1975 5,420
SULISCRIPtION RATES; Canada $9.00 Per Year; USA $1 1,00
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"Cut down on your treading tepteittily rheum" •
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Criticism poor defence Guidance is unique