The Brussels Post, 1974-10-02, Page 2EsTA rm
Brussels Post
A
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1974
BRUSSELS.
ONTARIO
Serving Brussels.and the surrounding community,
Published each Wednesday .afternoon at Brussels, Ontario
by McLean Bros. Publishers, Limited,
Evelyn Kennedy - Editor Tom Haley - Advertising
Member' Canadian Community Newspaper Association and
Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association.
Subscriptions (in advance) Canada $6.00 a year, Others
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VERIF160
1,PC,14-ATION
To pay or
not to pay
Glancing through the St. Marys Journal-Argus
recently we noted an item that stated members of the
recreation committee in that community receive a
stipend of $15 per meeting, as do members of the
planning board and committee of adjustment.
There's never been a serious move in this
community to pay any appointed bodies, although it
does seem unfair in view of the fact elected officials
do receive a stipend.
We've never been able to comprehend why some
people get paid for undertaking work on the part of
the taxpayers, while others are expected to perform
their duties free of charge.
At the same time, elected officials receive
payment for meetings of council, but don't receive
any pay for the meetings they attend as a council
representative on the, various appointed boards.
Because most taxpayers won't "take their turn"
on these appointed bodies, it may well be time for
serious consideration of having those non-committed
taxpayers paying some stipend to the few volunteers
who undertake their work for. them.
At the same time, there has been a suggestion that
officials to planning boards, recreation committees,
etc. should be elected and given more, autonomy.
That too is worthy of some public debate, at least
to the point of considering the fact that people who
may be interested in serving on appointed boards
have never been given an opportunity to submit their
names for consideration.
Perhaps this fall, council could ask ratepayers to
submit their names if they are interested in serving
on appointed boards and committees,,,
There may well be capable people anxious to
undertake such duties but who hesitate in coming to
volunteer their services or who don't know what
avenue to follow to volunteer.
Too often, perhaps, it is assumed people aren't
interested, when in fact they may be if given an
opportunity to present their names without
appearing to be too forward in their actions.
(Exeter Times. Advocate)
"For intis we send you to art sake"
Time to catch up on some
correspondence. From the sublime to the
ridiculous..
Letter from old friend George Cadogan,
of the North Shore Leader, Newcastle,
N.B.
"Dear Bill: Are you going to the
(newspaper) convention in Toronto July
24-27? I have a room at the Sheraton, but
Elda won't be going; you could use the
other bed. Perhaps you know the
Americans will be there, and we expect
about 2,000 delegates. Speakers will
include Pierre Trudeau, Nelson
Rockefeller, and FAther McLaughlin, the
priest who is a speech writer for Richard
Nixon."
Well, thanks, George. It would have
been subliime. The Sheraton is a luxury
hotel. In other words they charge too
much. But I certainly wouldnt have minded
seeing some of the old weekly editors'
gang, or what's left of it. And I'd have
rather enjoyed knocking around with
Flower Boy, Rocky and the good Father.
Alas, 'twas not to be. Thanks to our
magnificent postal service, I received your
letter about Aug. 4th.
And my, my, what a lot of changes have
taken place since that convention. Pierre,
after a sally into the streets where the
common people are, is safely back in his
ivory tower, or crystal palace, scoffing at
any suggestions that he do something
about inflation.
Nelson Rockefeller is now Vice-Pr.
esident of the United States, And 1 hope
Father McLaughlin hung onto a parish. For
he sure is out of a job as a speech writer for
you-know-who.
That I didn't make that convention fills
me with a deep sense of frustration. If I'd
been able to get even one of that illustrious
trio alone for a moment, I might have been
able to change the whole course of history.
Providing .1 had a club in my hand.
Well, thanks again, George. (George
Cadogati is a modern Don Quixote who is
idealistic and afraid of nothing. At present
he is galloping, lance at the full tilt, against
a m onst rotas windmill, X, C. Irving, who
practically owns the Maritimes.) And give
my love to Elda and the kids and the
grandkids. Rang in there and slug it out
with old X.C.
It seems the New Brunswickets are after
me this yeaf. . Just the other day I got a
phone call, on a Saturday morning, from
Gordon Pairgrieves, publisher of the
Hartland (N.B.)Observer.. I didn't even
snarl at him, though it was q a.m, our time,
and I'm not the best of company at that
hour oil a Saturday morning, my day to
sleep in.
He soft-talked me, that man. It took me a
couple of minutes to realize it, as T was still
groggy front watching the late, late show. I
have an orgy every Friday night, because I'
don't work On Sattitday: a -compen-
sation thing front my childhood, when
my mother tailed up the theatre Manager
and told him not to let the in to the
Wednesday atollooll in attnet; because I
was not only skipping school to go, but
swiping a dime out of her purse for
admission. I was about ten.
Anyway, Gordon gets the year's award
for sweet-talk and persistence. He invited
me, and my wife, and any kids who were
around, to come down to Hartland for the
Remembrance Day weekend. It sounded
pretty nice, the way he put it.
As an after thought, he just happened to
mention they'd like me to speak at the
Legion dinner., As a carrot for the donkey,
he tossed off the fact tht I'd be in
distinguished company. One of the
speakers in the past had been Milton
Gregg, V.C., former Minister of Veterans'
Affairs. Crafty devil. Gordon, that is, not
M ilton.
He extolled the beauty of the Maritimes
in November, the fact that our bedroom at
h is house would have a TV set, and
various other allurements.
I was tempted. That's why I called him a
devil. A pleasant weekend in the
Maritimes. A change from the dull
schedule. New people, new faces, travel. I
didnt say no. Said I'd let him know. The
wife - you know - dont know what she has
planned. (She was in bed and not in the
mood for consultation, with her broken
ribs.)
I was tempted, and I stand before you,
brethern and sistern, and I admit it. I put
out a few feelers, while the old lady was
asleep. Called the travel agency. Yes, I
could just make it to Fredericton and back
on the weekend, without losing a day's
pay. And if everything ran on time.
It would only cost me about three
hundred bucks, if I took my wife. And only
six or eight hours to write a speech. Not
bad. And free room and board down there.
Oh, yes, I was tempted. .
And the good Gordon didn't leave a
stone unturned. Same night there was a
telegram, phoned from Toronto, backing
up the phone call, Three days tat er a
letter: "It will be a pleasant break for y ou
all . . . you will enjoy yourselves in our
small town of 1,000 people . . obtain
enough copy for ten columns find out
what New Brunswick is like , . and also
what one of the smallest Legion branches
in the province does ob Nov. 11th:
Well, if it does what most of the other
brandies do, after the parade to the
cenotaph, I've already been there, Cord ,
Filially, I faced the Old Battleaxe, laid
out the project. "Don't be ridiculous", she
said.• "Don't you remember that we're
having a family reunion at Grandad's that
weekend'?" I didn't,
Sorry, Gord. Sorry, chaps. But NA still
tempted, The Last Post in }fartland would
be something, The last post at Granola i s s
the last post lit the fence,.
Looking back over this column, I wonder
which is the sublirtie and which is 1116
ridiculous: a bunch of politicians spoiling
platitudes at the convention, or hie
sprinting to N.B. to spout some fun to the
Hartland Legion!?
Sugar and Spice
By Bill Smiley
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