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Times-Advocate, 1978-03-23, Page 1Close to 100 police of­ ficers—both men and women—converged on the Huron Park area yesterday as striking employees at Fleck Manufacturing were joined by a busload of fellow UAW workers from Kit­ chener. There were three alter­ cations on the picket line in front of the main gates at Huron Park as the UAW attempted to stop two vehicles heading for the Fleck plant. Three Kitchener men were arrested, one when police said he attempted to obstruct them from arresting his two fellow workers who had been charged with mischief. The bus from Kitchener carrying about 50 employees of Automotive, arrived J male Budd before 8:00 a.m. to jpin the Fleck strikers, most of whom are women. A half dozen policewomen were on duty at the main gate, but shortly before 9:00, a fleet of OPP cruisers arrived from both the north and south to join pi con­ trolling the pickets. In all, about 65 OPP were at the main gate, while a bus carrying another 35 policewomen was parked on an Usborne sideroad about half a mile east of Highway 4. While the pickets milled about and blocked traffic, employees at other Huron Park plants managed to get through the line with no problems. However, a pickup truck carrying " ' ployees three Fleck appeared on car scene, and after a wait of a few minutes across the road from the pickets, it made its way through the mob. It was pounded and kicked by pickets, but the large contingent of police finally managed to get the vehicle through the gates. Shortly after, a identified by one of the pickets as belonging to company executive Grant Turner and carrying three people approached the picket line and it too was set upon by the pickets. It took a considerable pounding and emerged on the other side of the picket line with a smashed wind­ shield. Two of the Kitchener pickets, Paul E. Beaulne, 29, and John Edward Coleman; were charged P mischief as a result of the damage to the vehicle. They were arrested around 11:00 a.m., as the Kitchener men were proceeding to board their bus to return home. James Arthur Fox, 31, was then’ charged with obstructing a police officer. As a result, the bus delayed its departure and the Kitchener pickets remained at the scene for longer than expected. The three men were later released on their own recognizance to appear in Exeter court, Tuesday. The bus which normally carries about 40 Fleck employees to their plant did not arrive, Wednesday. UAW officials have in­ dicated that more pickets will be joining the lines at Huron Park later this week and next. Last week, about 250 workers from Ford’s Talbotville plant showed up, leaving behind them a wake of broken windows and one over-turned car. The police were criticised at that time for not being present near the Fleck plant to oversee the actions of the UAW members. On Thursday, Bob White, administrative assistant to Canadian UAW director, Dennis McDermott, said the strike at Fleck might resemble the violence-ridden dispute at United Aircraft that lasted for 18 months in Montreal. He said that while he hoped the Fleck strike would not last that Jong, he in­ dicated the UAW will sup­ port the striking members of local 1620 until a first agreement is reached. . Op Friday, 40 OPP female constables were brought into Huron Park after the UAW announced it would send a group of female members up from London to join the with One Hundred and Fifth Year Huron County’s five secondary schools will be open March 28 but whether or not there will be any for-RESTRAINED — Two employees of Budd Automotive in Kitchener are restrained by OPP of­ ficers as they attempt to stop a vehicle from entering the Industrial Park gates of Huron Park. Budd workers were assisting Fleck strikers. T-A photo Smash SHDHS windows Vandals keep busy Vandals were at work in Exeter again this week with three incidents of damage being reported. Over the weekend win­ dows were broken at South Huron District High School causing damages of $300. Investigating officer Constable reports the broken by bottles. Sunday, Johnston, RR 1, Grand Bend reported to police that the aerial had been torn off her car while it was parked at Jim Barnes windows ’were thrown beer Miss Sandra the South Huron Rec Centre. Constable Barnes said damage was about $10. Monday, Constable Barnes estimated damages at $50 when coach lights were damaged outside the Hopper-Hockey Funeral Home. For the third time in re­ cent months a number of London Free Press newspapers have been taken from the corner of Main and Huron streets before they could be picked up by carrier Dan Luxton. Some of the papers were located on Huron street, more than a mile west of Exeter. * Police are asking anyone with information regarding this matter to contact Constable Jim Barnes. The only accident this week occurred Thursday and involved vehicles driven by Sandra Richards. Exeter and Debra Denomme, Zurich. The mishap oc­ curred on Main street and Constable George Robertson set damages at $200. Youngster dies in Bahamas pickets. However, only* a handful of cations. Most of the policewomen remained on their bus as Fleck employees went through the gates. strikers. Several other UAW Financial support has also locals have collected money been arriving for Fleck to help the women. extras arrived were no alter- SCUFFLE OCCURS — OPP officers try to keep picketing Fleck employees and sympathizers from the Budd Automotive plant in Kitchener in line as a truck carries three Fleck workers to the plant. T-A photo imes Serving South Huron, North Middlesex Claim 1899 law should still apply Landowners Ted and Don­ na Jones this week asked Exeter council to reconsider a decision made at their last meeting to rescind an ex­ emption on farm land which has been in effect in Exeter for the past 79 years. A bylaw* establishing the exemption was approved by Exeter in 1899 and provided that parcels of land over 20 acres would be required to pay only three and a mills on the dollar general purposes.. The land owners at time argued 1 agricultural land was sub­ ject to “unjust and burden­ some taxation’’ in respect of certain rates levied by the council for electric lighting, fire protection, the con­ struction of sidewalks and other rates. half for , that that andIn their letter, Mr. Mrs. Jones said the exemp­ tion still applies realistically today, noting that street lights, fire protection and sidewalks mean little in growing a corn crop. While council made no move to change their earlier decision to remove the ex­ emption, they did agree to discuss the matter with MPP Jack Riddell. It was noted that if market value assessment comes into effect, agricultural land will be subject to a 90 percent rebate. In discussing the matter, clerk Liz Bell told council that not only land was ex­ empt under the 1899 bylaw, but also the buildings situated on such land. Council members felt that " buildings should not be given any exemption. A six year-old Grand Bend boy was killed Saturday in an accident while on vacation in the Bahamas. Willjam Harold (Billy) Rader was crushed when' part of a concrete block wall toppled in the hotel where he was staying with his family. Billy was walking through the mezzanine area of the Bahamas Princess Hotel when the accident occurred. An autopsy was performed Monday but no results were released. He was holidaying with his mother Mrs. Gwen Rader, his eight year-old sister Julianne and grandmother Mrs. Jessie Rader, Hay Post Office. His father William, owner of Rader Motors in Parkhill, died of a heart condition in 1974. Also surviving are grandparents Harold and Doris Lightfoot of Centralia. The funeral will be held Thursday at 3 p.m. from the T. H. Hoffman Funeral Home, Dashwood with in­ terment in Exeter Cemetery. Advocate & North Lambton Since 1873 EXETER, ONTARIO, MARCH 23, 1978 Price Per Copy 25 Cents Board plans to re-open high schools, but teachers say they won't be there mal classes that day is up to the county’s 274 school teachers. The county board of education lifted the lockout of its secondary school teachers Monday night in a special board meeting WAIT FOR CALL — Two^Usborne sideroads became gathering points for 14 cruisers and a busload of OPP, Wednesday. Most of the cruisers had four men inside. The cars later converg­ ed on Huron Park, while the bus loaded with female officers remained iri readiness. To cut down park trees- Okay fence at works shed Exeter council this week approved an expenditure of $3,300 to erect a chain link fence around the works department garage and property on Nelson St. It was one of the recommendations presented by the property and parks “committee. The fence will be erected in conjunction with a fence being planned by the Exeter PUC around the water tower adjacent to the works department property. Councillor Ted Wright,- who at first questioned the property committee becom­ ing involved in public works affairs, said the fence was a good idea. “It’s a crime that everyone has access to the works department.’’ he noted. A five-foot fence will be installed. The fence will also enclose a piece of property that council plan to lease from Canadian Canners adjacent to the works department facility. The property to be leased is 100’ by 184’ and the annual cost for the land is expected to be around $200. Councillor also approved a recommendation from the committee to cut down the large trees lining Park St, at Victoria Park. They will be replaced’ by new plantings which will be located farther away from the street allowance than the present trees. Wright questioned cutting down the trees and he was told by Deputy-Reeve Don MacGregor that the four trees were dying and they were so close to the road as to hamper snow removal operations for Park St. The committee plans to make 55 trees available to local citizens for planting this year. Requests for the trees have been pouring in since an advertisement offering the trees was published last week. In addi­ tion. there was a list of 14 properties left from last year's requests. Priority is given to areas where trees have recently been removed to facilitate construction projects. meaning that the striking teachers can go back to the classrooms to teach if they choose to. The lockout was imposed by the board February 23 after the teachers began a series of rotating strikes February 15 protesting two unsettled clauses in the 1977-78 board­ teacher contract. The teachers' negotiating committee has rejected the board’s latest overture of settlement and has sent a counter proposal to the board. Clay Murray of the teachers’ negotiating team said that the offer was presented to the board’s ad­ ministrator John Cochrane yesterday afternoon. When contacted, Cochrane said that he was in the process of getting a date so the board could discuss the offer. The move by the board was aimed at getting county secondary school students back in the classroom as well as re-opening contract negotiations which ended February 14. Board negotiating team chairman Cayley Hill said Monday night that the next move is up to the teachers. He said he was confident the board’s new position opened every avenue for a return to the classroom and the negotiating table for the two parties but it remained for the teachers to accept the proposals. The board’s move came on th§ heels of an offer March 13 the board made re­ questing the teachers res­ pond the same day. The proposal contained alter­ natives for the two clauses in dispute and asked that the teachers give the board an answer the same evening to perrhit the board to act on the reply in full session. The teachers response that evening was no answer. Two days later teacher negotiating team spokesman Shirley Weary said the board’s proposal didn’t do anything to resolve the issue and would not be taken to the teachers for a vote. Hill said Monday night that had the teachers replied to the board in that fashion March 13 the board was prepared to make the moves then that it made March 20. He suggested that the possibility of ending the school lockout last week was removed when the teachers failed to comply to the board’s request. The last teacher response to the board’s proposal was a suggestion that the two sides consider negotiating a contract for the 1978-79 term as well as the pact in dispute. Weary said the teachers felt that the move may permit negotiations to become more fruitful and if successful would guarantee uninterrupted delivery of education until at least September of 1979. The board’s negotiating team reacted positively to that suggestion but placed some stipulations on its proposal before agreeing to it. In a letter to District 45 Ontario Secondary School Teacher Federation presi­ dent Ron Lane the board said it would be willing to negotiate the 1978-79 con­ tract if the teachers agreed not to take any strike actions or work to rule until September of 1978. In return the board offered to pay the teachers according to the salary schedule agreed to in Please turn to page 3 Promote officers, debate antenna HARBINGERS! Spring came officially late Monday afternoon and another sign of spring was reported Tuesday morning. Melvin Edward. 91 Main street called the T-A to say he had spotted two robins. On the recommendation of the police committee, Ex­ eter council this week ap­ proved promotions for two members of the local police department. Constables Kevin Short and Brad Sadler will be elevated to the rank of first class constable, effective April 1. The recommendation originated with Chief Ted Day. In a police related matter, council asked committee chairman Ken Ottewell to get more information regar­ ding the installation of -an antenna on the local water tower for use in the propos­ ed police communication system for Huron’s five municipal police departments. It is expected the town will share the cost of a dual antenna with Canadian Canners Ltd. who have received permission from the PUC to place an antenna on the water tank. A letter read by Ottewell at Monday’s meeting in­ dicated the cost of the anten- na was $400 and the installa­ tion bracket would be $150 to $200. It was assumed Canners and the town would share those costs, but there was some question on whether those figures were all the costs involved. Ottewell was asked to negotiate an exact figure with the local canning firm before council approved the expenditure. While the police com­ munication system has been delayed until actual costs can be determined, Ottewell said the installation of a dual antenna should be con­ sidered at this time, even if it wasn't needed for 10 years. The cost of installing a second antenna at a later date would be considerably more than sharing in the dual facility. One crash in district OPP MARCHING IN — About 30 Ontario Provincial Police officers came from the south and the same number from the north to bolster the 30 already on patrol while striking Fleck picketers were joined at the Huron Park gates by employees from Budd Automotive of Kitchener. The picture at the left shows the officers moving in from the north. At the right employees from Budd Automotive in Kitchener alight from their bus to join the picket lines. T-A photo Only one. accident was investigated by the Exeter OPP this week. It occurred on Friday, just east of Exeter on Highway 83 and involved a fuel oil truck driven by Roy Pepper, Exeter, and a vehicle operated by Charles Roth, RR 1 New Hamburg. Damage in the accident was listed at $1,050 by Constable Ed Wilcox. One theft and one incident of vandalism were in­ vestigated during the week. On Saturday night, a beer bottle was tossed through a plate glass window at Zurich Wood Products. Damage was listed at $180. A small table and a shuffleboard rock were taken from the Dufferin Hotel in Centralia on Saturday. The items were valued at $31.