HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-05-11, Page 4Page 4 Times-Advocate, May 11, 1978
o a» i im I O IM----------—----—--~^.r..n ..
It really works
The number of charges being laid
by the police in this area indicate that
many motorists are still not convinced
that seat belts are valuable, or at least
they haven’t become accustomed to the
habit of using them.
But statistics released last week
suggest quite forcibly that they’re tak
ing unnecessary risks.
Ontario last year experienced its
lowest road-death toll in 15 years and it
would seem logical to attribute the
decline at least in part to the use of
seat belts as well as reduced speed
limits.
The number of fatalities was down
significantly despite an increase in ac-
Dog-gone
Lucan dog catcher Howard Currie
may not be too popular with some
canine owners in that community, but
he’s drawing rave revues from council
and people in many other communities.
That’s understandable, because
dogs are a problem in most
municipalities from one side of this na
tion to the other, and despite efforts to
curtail the problem, Howard seems to
be one of the few men who has ever
achieved such startling results in such
a short time.
If he has some innovation that
enables him to get results, he’d be well
advised to get it patented and then sit
cidents and personal injuries, reflec
ting a growing volume of road traffic.
There’s no guarantee that seat
belts will save you from injury or death
if you get involved in a collision, but the
statistics show that you stand a much
better chance when wearing them.
If the statistics don’t convince peo
ple, perhaps some of the action being
taken in courts will help in that regard.
Last week, a judge reduced a civil suit
award because he said the injured vic
tim would have been less seriously in
jured had he been wearing seat belts,
as required by law.
So, what’s holding you back?
goodjob
at home and let the royalty payments
roll in. People would beat a path to his
doorway for the secret.
However, we have a suspicion that
Howard has no such invention and is
merely using a little savy and some
hard work to get the problem under
control in Lucan. That’s a combination
that many dog catchers fail to use, par
ticularly those who are not on some
type of incentive plan that pays them in
direct proportion to the number of
animals caught or warnings handed out
to owners.
Howard is obviously doing a dog
gone good job!
“Look — the first robin of spring I3 9
BATT’N AROUND ......... with the editor
Great boost to rec centre, too
ciovan memory Ian»)
There’s plenty to do!
With summer coming up and young
people having lots of spare time, the
following comments from Judge
Phillip Gilliam of the Juvenile Court in
Denver, Colorado may be of some
value if put into the right hands.
“We hear the plaintive cry of the
teenager. What can we do? Where can
we go?” The answer is . . .
“Go home. Go home. Hang the
storm windows, paint the woodwork.
Rake the leaves. Mow the Lawn.
Shovel the walk. Wash the car. Learn
to cook. Scrub some floors. Repair a
sink. Build a boat. Get a job. Help the
minister, priest or rabbi, the Red Cross
or Salvation Army. Visit the' sick and
helpless. Assist the poor. Study your
lessons. And then, when you’re through
and not too tired, read a book.
“Your parents do not owe you
entertainment. Your city does not owe
you recreational facilities. The world
does not owe you a living. You owe the
world something. You owe it your time
and your energy and your talents, so
that no one will be at war, or in pover
ty, or sick or lonely again.
“In plain simple words . . . grow
up, quit being a crybaby; get out of
your dream world; develop a
backbone, not a wishbone, and start ac
ting like a man or woman.
“It strikes fear to the very heart of
me for the future of our country when I
see these young people who are com
pletely and utterly indifferent to their
responsibilities toward others and
toward society in general.
“I’m a parent. I’m tired of nursing,
appealing, excusing, tolerating, deny
ing myself’needed comfort for your
whim and fancy, just because your
selfish ego, instead of common sense,
dominates your personality, thinking
and requests.”
Minority
Effective May 1, health insurance
cost individuals $19 per month and
families $38 as compared to $16 and $32
respectively. Had Ontario Treasurer
Darcy McKeough had his way the in
crease would have been even higher
with individuals paying $22 per month
and families $44.
Thanks to the combined forces of
the Ontario Liberals and NDPs, the
Tory government had to back down on
the 37¥2 per cent increase McKeough
proposed in his March 7 budget. It was
either that or face the possibility of a
spring election over the increase of
OHIP fees.
While the Davis government likes
to point proudly to Ontario’s low in
come tax rate which is 44 per cent of
does work
the federal tax, flat-rate premiums for
services like OHIP push the cost up to
the point where residents in this
province are hardly getting a bargain.
For example, we recently read an
informative column by Leonard
Shifrin, a former executive director of
the National Council of Welfare. By
citing several examples, Mr. Shifrin
made it abundantly clear that Ontario
gives its $20,000 earners a much better
break than it does its $10,000 earners.
He -also notes that while the family
breadwinner earning $10,000 in Ontario
pays $528 (at the former rate) for
health insurance, in Alberta the cost is
$184 in British Columbia $225.
Is there any place you’d rather be?
Wingham Advance-Times
Well, the hockey season has finally
ended in Exeter, and^while that may
suggest that hockey equipment will be
put into moth balls for some time, it
will be less than three months before
the ice will go back in again and the
sounds of hockey pucks will once more
echo in the rec centre at the summer
hockey school.
It hardly seems worth the effort of
pulling the plug!
When the Hawks skated off the ice,
Wednesday, they were among the few
hockey players still performing in
Canada’s national sport at such a late
date. The Leafs and Canadiens were
still at it, plus a couple of Canadian en
tries in the WHA, three junior “A”
teams and possibly a bunch of kids up
in Inuvik who were getting in their last
licks before the spring thaw in
Canada’s northland.
Most Canadians had long since turn
ed their attention to more seasonal
pursuits, such as golf, baseball and ten
nis.
Only the best continue to play hockey
into the warm, spring months and cer
tainly that is a ranking into which the
Hawks can justifiably be placed.
Many area hockey fans lamented the
fact that last year the juniors didn’t
have their new home ready as they
copped the Ontario championship,
playing their home games in Zurich
while the rec centre was being built.
The inference was, of course, that
few junior teams can duplicate such an
effort.
* * *
For all intents and purposes, the
Hawks did duplicate last year’s effort,
falling only two goals short in winning
their second championship. Most fans
would agree that the final game could
have gone either way and with a 3-2
outcome, those goal posts or a bad
penalty call can play such big roles.
Although actual figures aren’t
available at the present, we’ve figured
that the Hawks attracted about 20,000
fans into the rec centre this season,
making its first year of operation an
unqualified success.
That’s a figure which would be the
envy of many junior “B” operations
and even a few junior “A” clubs.
The importance of the Hawks to the
rec centre this year may not be easily
estimated, but there is little doubt that
they played an important role in prov
ing the value of the whole project, and
all in its first year of operation.
Their winning ways, attracted fans
who hadn’t seen a hockey game in Ex
eter for some time, and obviously
many of them will be repeat customers
in the future after being introduced to
the excitement of local, amateur
hockey in a facility that provides a
most comfortable vantage spot.
The first-hand experience to which
they enticed fans through their winning
ways may be a benefit to the rec centre
that will remain long after the exploits
of the 1977-78 Hawks have been
diminished with time.
* w ★
But for the present, those exploits on
the ice are worthy of considerable
commendation, because as mentioned,
having a championship calibre team in
consecutive seasons is an exceptional
achievement in junior hockey, given
the fact that there are age re
quirements and teams are unable to
build dynasties similar to professional,
senior or intermediate teams.
However, there is little doubt that
the pride that is carried over by the
returning players is one of the more
important ingredients in a winning
team.
Once a player becomes accustomed
to winning, it becomes increasingly dif
ficult to be a loser. The determination
which enabled him to reach the pin
nacle in the first place becomes even
stronger in enabling him to maintain
that exalted position. That attitude cer
tainly rubs off on the rookies too.
When the season started, the Hawks
had a “veteran” lineup that fans
predicted would make a good showing.
There were, after all, 12 players back
from last year’s championship team,
which is a strong nucleus in anyone’s
terms.
’ ..... I
However, as the season wore on, that
number was diminished considerably
through injuries and other factors and
during the final series, there were as
few as seven of those players on the
ice, the other 10 positions being filled
by newcomers.
Whenever the Hawks showed signs of
being in trouble, some fans were quick
to point out that they appeared to be
lacking that important ingredient of a
“leader” on the ice. They said there
wasn’t the spark that a couple of the
graduates had given the team last
year.
That may be, but perhaps they were
overlooking the fact that while no one
player was in fact a “leader” there
were several who were, figuring
prominently in that role and therefore
there wasn’t one standing out in par
ticular.
In the long run, that may have been
the secret of their success. They didn’t
rely on someone else to do the job, but
rather appeared to take turns in ac
complishing their task. It was a team
on which the star of one night could
turn out to be a bum the next, and vice
versa. Fortunately, there were usually
more stars than bums in any given
game.
That, of course is what a team is all
about at the amateur level and it is the
ingredient that makes it so unpredic
table and so exciting.
* * *
Similar to last year’s team, the
current squad displayed the dedication
necessary to win hockey games. There
was the self-denial, the hours of hard
work, the agony of performing with in
juries and bruises or the despair of be
ing asked to sit on the sidelines while
someone else played.
They were certainly a credit to
themselves, their coach and manager,
and their community.
Well done, gentlemen!
55 Years Ago
The fourth annual
celebration given in Crediton
under the auspices of the
CAAA on Victoria Day was a
decided success. The
weather left nothing to be
desired. The citizens were up
early decorating their
residences and places of
business. At 1 p.m. the
parade started, down Main
St. led by Leonard Haist and
James Taylor mounted on
horses, followed by the
Crediton Band and the school
children. The float, drawn by
a team of white horses,
represented the May Queen
with her court. After* these
followed the different fldats
of the business people and
the decorated cars. After
the parade, the crowd went
to the school grounds. The
crowning of the May Queen
was followed by a May pole
drill exercise. A tug of war
was held. A baseball game
too, between the local boys
and U.C.T. of London. The
game was very good, the
final score being 8-4 for the
London team. In the evening,
the dramatic club of Zurich
put on a play entitled “Let’s
All Get Married”. The town
hall was crowded to the
doors.
Mr. Alf Smith has taken a
position in the Bake Shop of
Mr. R. E. Cook, in Hensail.
30 Years Ago
Carmel Presbyterian
Church, Hensail, marked its
centennial at special Sunday
services.
The carpenter work for the
new Hopper-Hockey funeral
home has been completed.
After an absence of 24
years, Leonard Taylor of
White Rock, B.C. is visiting
at the home of his brother,
Lloyd Taylor.
Miss Margaret Taylor,
first grade teacher of the
Exeter Public school has
resigned her position and
taken a similar one in East
York.
The work is well advanced
on the cement foundation for
the new grandstand being
erected at the Exeter
Community Park.
20 Years Ago
The Eastern Star Chapters
of District five entertained
the officers of the Grand
Chapter of Ontario in the
Exeter Legion Hall, Friday.
Over 300 were in attendance.
About 800 pounds of
disease-free Sanilac beans is
being made available to boys
and girls in this area who
wish to join a 4-H white bean
club. Members will sow one
acre and may sell their crops
as disease-free seed next
year.
Rether’s Coffee Shop will
be closed for a period of two
weeks to effect a complete
renovation of its facilities.
An unexpected gift of
$35,000 from a retired
Hensall dentist, Dr. James
Bell, made possible the
construction of the South
Huron Hospital Nurses’
residence which opens
Sunday.
15 Years Ago
Usborne school area board
will engage an architect and
locate a site for the proposed
central school.
Council Monday approved
a two-hour parking limit on
Main St, during business
hours.
Ontario Department of
Education has announced
that J. G. Burrows of
Toronto will succeed G. J.
Goman as public school
inspector in Huron No. 3 and
Perth No. 3 Inspectorate.
Mrs. Ross Tuckey was
elected president of the
Home and School
Association at the meeting
Monday evening. She suc
ceeds Mrs. Eric Heywood.
Sparks from a pile of
burning rubbish set fire to St.
Paul’s Anglican Church,
Hensall, Thursday, but
volunteer firemen kept the
blaze from spreading.
Think small
by Jim Smith
Dreamers
Sugar and Spice
Dispensed by Smiley
A long, dull spring ahead
Mother’s Day
Times Established 1873
that the full list of pros and
cons has yet to be compiled.
Certainly some problems are
immediately apparent.
Newfoundlanders do not
consider themselves part of
the Maritimes, possibly for
good reason.
Alberta’s oil reserves have
made the province financial
ly secure for the moment —
and favourably disposed to
wards its own independence.
The failure of regional
government (joining several
neighbouring towns into sin
gle , larger municipalities) has
not worked well in Ontario
because the residents involv
ed have resented the loss of
independence and identity
associated with the merges.
The same type of psychology
could make unification of
several provinces impossible,
too.
But, at the same time,
the proposed new provinces
would be much more power
ful and could stand up to
political pressures generated
by Ontario and Quebec ra
ther than remaining as the
poor provincial relations.
Above all, perhaps, the
arrangement could save the
smaller provinces money, re
ducing tax burdens and giv
ing local industry a better
chance to compete for more
markets.
It may be nothing more
than a worthless dream. But
all great achievements — as
well as the failures — begin
as dreams.
Canada is a nation that
defies reason.
To wit: Nations tradition
ally exist because of common
characteristics such as geo
graphy and race. States with
in nations exist for the same
reasons. Except in Canada
where our political delinea
tions simply fell into place,
defying all logic.
Ontario, for example, is
larger than many countries
and contains more than one-
third of all Canadians. But
some Ontarians live in huge
cities while others cluster in
tiny villages. The people in
the south rely on industry
while those in the north de
pend on resources. Quebec
is much the same.
At the other extreme,
Nova Scotia has fewer people
than are found in Toronto
alone. New Brunswick and
P.E.I. have the same sorts of
problems as Nova Scotia.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Alberta have much in com
mon, too.
The unequal distribution
of power, wealth and popu
lation among Canada’s exist
ing provinces has led some
Canadians to ponder the en
tire question of provincial
distribution. Among the sug
gested solutions is the amal
gamation of some smaller
provihces into larger regions
like Atlantic Canada or the
Prairies, leaving a nation con
sisting of those provinces
plus British Columbia, Onta
rio and Quebec.
Is this the answer to Ca
nada’s political problems? At
this stage, it’s impossible to
say. The suggestion is so new
apathy and cynicism has affected the
Canadian voter to the point where he
just doesn’t give a diddle any more.
The lack of credibility among
politicians has deepened, rather than
the reverse, since the CBC began
telecasting House of Commons
debates. Nowhere was it more evident
than on budget night.
On one side of the House, as the
finance minister followed cliche with
platitude, one group of trained seals
flapped their flippers on their desks
every time he stopped for a drink of
water. On the other side of the House,
another group of equally well-groomed
trained seals flapped their flippers on
their desks when their man was cutting
up the finance minister. Perhaps the
name should be changed from the
House of Commons to the Common
Zoo.
What is developing in this country is
a deep, festeHng sore based on a mis
trust of Ottawa and everything that
emanates from it.
And somebody had better start pay
ing some attention to it, at some other
time than election time, or there’s go
ing to be hell to pay in this country.
Surely the Ottawa mandarins, the
“expert” economists, and the $50,000-
a-year civil servants have had their in
nings. They have made a complete
hash of things in the three decades
since World War II, when Canada
emerged as a vital country with
What with Chretien’s budget and the
hockey playpffs, it looks like a long,
dull spring ahead.
That budget came sailing out with all
the buoyancy of a wet sock. I can’t help
agreeing with the braying opposition
critics, who labeled it a cynical, pre
election budget.
So the sales tax was cut. Big deal. It
means that if I want to go out and buy a
$6,000 car, I can save $180. Brother, if I
could afford that kind of money for a
car, I’m not going to let $180 worry me,
one way or the other. And that $180 is
sure going to go a long way in providing
jobs for the more than 1 million un
employed, isn’t it!
There wasn’t a single item in the
budget that will remotely affect our
sickly dollar or our sorry unemploy
mentsituation.
Something that truly amazes me is
that the federal Liberals, despite their
horrendous record over the past
decade, have a very good chance of be
ing re-elected. They are leading by a
fat 11-or-so per cent in the polls.
How do you figure that, with the
whole country mad at the government
for inaction, lack of leadership, a
monstrous deficit, and a dollar in the
doldrums? It must only mean that we
think an alternative would be worse,
and this is a depressing thought. How
can anything be worse than dreadful?
I think perhaps the reason for the>
Liberal lead in the polls is that a sort of
everything going for it, and has slid
steadily from a strong secondary
power to a whining voice in the
wilderness.
Surely it’s time for a leader to
emerge who has a gut feeling of what
this nation is all about and what its peo
ple want. But where is he? Or she?
John Diefenbaker had it, but his own
ego blurred the mirror. Robert Stan
field had it. But in this TV age, he
didn’t have “charisma.” He wasn’t
sexy enough.
Joe Clark sexy? Ed Broadbent
charismatic? It is to laugh. I’ll bet I’m
sexier on a Sunday morning with a
hangover and no shave.
Oh well, we can’t solve the nation’s
problems here every week. Let’s turn,
for comic relief, to the National
Hockey League. It is to laugh again,
uproariously. It is not national, it is not
hockey, and it is not a league, but a
conglomerate of big businesses.
Despite the sports’ page flacks who
keep flogging us with “big” stories
about hockey, hockey stars, big
salaries, folding franchises, and such
garbage (if I read one more story about
Derek Sanderson’, I’ll puke), the
hockey playoffs are becoming a big
yawn.
A couple of decades ago, hockey fans
Please turn to Page 5
Amalgamated 1924
Published Each Thursday Morning R
at Exeter, Ontario I *01 •
Advocate Established 1881
Times - Advocate
Muto*,North Middlewt 6 North UmInmWJ _
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
C.W.N.A., O.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 — Jim Betkett
Composition Manager — Harry DeVries
Business Manager — Dick Jongkind
Phone 235-1331
(♦CNA
SUBSC
Second Class Mail
Registration Number 0386
Paid in Advance Circulation
i September 30, 1975 5,409
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $11.00 Per Year; USA $22.00l
"Think small" Is an editorial
message from the Canadian
Federation of Independent
Business^
Walk, jog, run, skate, ski,
swim, paddle, pedal... don't
let life catch you with
your head down.
Fitness is fun.
Try some.paRTicipacnonF* e