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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-04-21, Page 21Sugar and Spice by Bill Smiley It's a rip.-off roN T. 66'7 10 Thousands enjoy Belmore pancakes Visitors from as far.as Alberta, Illinois, New Brunswick and. Japan took part iri the traditional noon-hour meal of pancakes, sausages and, of course, maple syrup at the ninth annual Belmore Maple Syrup Festival Saturday. The event raised more than $7,500 to help run the arena. Local talent entertained during the meal, and later booths offering homemade crafts were set up. Home baking and bread were also sold, as was maple syrup and sugar — by the bite-sized piece, brick, bottle and bucket. A dance Saturday night added to the profit. The festival is a community effort with local, residents pitching in to organize and run it. F. E . Madill math contest results The results of the Junior Mathematics contest are in and once more F.E.Madill has done quite well. Thirty students from F.E.Madill wrote this contest and the top 5 scorers were selected for the team score. This year's score of 362.25 was formed from the individual scores of Lori M oir, 77, Grade 11; Keith. Metzger, 76.5, Grade 11; David Housser, 75.5, Grade 10; Tyla Dickson, 67.75, Grade 11; Jim Blackwell, 67.5, Grade 11. With this score F.E.Madill placed 152nd out of 901 and placed 50th in the province. We also placed 3rd out of 19 teams in our zone. Along with the members of the team, those students achieving honour results in our zone were, Sally Levan, Eileen Fischer, Karen Richmond, David Cronin and Steven Mckay.These are excellent results: Congratulations to the winners! Have you had the feeling in the last couple of years that everybody and his brother, and .sister, is trying to rip you off? I have. And I don't like it. Perhaps it's because of inflation, but I don't recall any period in my life in this country in which so many people were pursuing the buck so avidly, with an almost complete disregard for what they produce in return for that buck. Result is a steady deterioration in service, courtesy and integrity in the business world. Perhaps its just a reflection, but the same disintegration seems to be taking place in the social world. Insolence and indifference are becoming the trademarks of the business world. Bad manners and worse language have become almost obligatory in the social world. I haven't the space to deal with both aspects in one column, so I'll just catalogue a few typical examples of the kind of rip-off and shabby treatment that are merely the tip of the iceberg. My wife ordered two pairs of infant pyjamas from one of our huge, n ational department stores. The catalogue priced them at $2.25 a pair. Now the catalogue did state that prices quoted were only guaranteed until a certain date. The parcel arrived a few days after that date.The goods were satisfactory,. Each pair was encased in the manufacturer's plastic package clear ly labeled $2.25.. But the bill from the department store was for $2.50 a pair. These had obviously been bought to sell at a good profit for $2.25. Probably 100 per cent mark-up. Suddenly they cost $2.50. Chickenfeed, you ' say? More like chicanery, if you add up all those quarters on a national basis, and multiply it by all the other items boosted in price for no reason at all except that the department store can probably get away with it. My wife ordered a caftan from some outfit, which your satisfaction guaranteed or your money refunded. She ordered one down to her calves and received one down to her navel. She sent it back and asked for her money back.' Two weeks later, a form letter said the company would be happy to fill her order for the right size. Sometime. Only $14, but they have the money and she doesn't have the dress, and I know what the outcome will be. They will stiff-arm her with form -letters, in response to her angry, passionate, or pleading inquiries, until she gives up. Some day, the shoddy thing will arrive, designed for a lady midget or a profession- al basket-ball player. Went to the city for winter break. Stayed at a hotel we'd frequented for years. Didn't bother to get a reservation, after reading articles about city hotels operating at a little over 50 per cent capacity. "What?" You want a room without a reservation&" "Yes." "Well! How do you intend to pay?" Getting a little browned off, I ticked the item marked "by cheque." That's how I've paid for years. "Oh, we don't accept cheques.!" "Well, what the hell's it on the registration card for?" , "Oh, we have a new policy. That'll be cash. In Advance." By now , steam was coming out my ears. Here I was, an old customer. Obviously not a dead-beat. The hotel was about one-third full. If I'd been alone, I'd have told them ° what to do with the entire operation, sideways. But my wife was sitting there on the luggage. I paid, muttering. Plus $2 key deposit, another item in the new policy. Went to our room, ordered some ice. I went out for a paper. My wife signed for the ice; standard procedure. A- few moments after I got back, a flustered waiter was at the door, waving a bill. I was an "Advance" and had to pay cash. The sum was $1. He was embarrassed, I was furious. Things weren't good. The room was rather shabby. Breakfast arrived, borne by a surly waiter, half an hour. late. The handle on the coffee pot was broken, the wheat cakes were cold. Nothing improved. To top the whole performance ; they tried to over-charge me when 'I checked out. It was only $1.15 , but by this time I'd have taken it to the Supreme Court. I hollered, and I got my pittance. It's no wonder city hotels are less than half filled. I know what you're saying. "Smiley had his dignity hurt, because he was treated like a transient." , Not at all. My dignity, what's left of it, can't be hurt by such trivia. There's nothing wrong with cash on the barrel-head. But there is something 'wrong when customers are treated with insolence, s' indifference and bad manners. And ripped off into the bargain, unless they fight like tigers. Belgrave WMS welcomes guests at thankoffering meeting Correspondent Mrs. Lewis Stonehouse Hear Wingham Speaker The W.M.S. Easter Thank- offering meeting was held in the church on April 13. Mrs. Joe Dunbar opened the meeting with a call to worship and then sang hymn "The Day of Resurrec- tion." Mrs. Dunbar extended a welaitne to the guests from Seaforth, Auburn and Brussels W.M.S. groups. The worship service followed with Mrs. J. C. McBurney reading the scripture. Mrs. Mae Scott also read readings between scriptures. Mrs. Ivy Cloakey led In prayer. Mrs. W. Dalrymple played a piano solo "The Way of the Cross." Mrs. Garner Nichol- son read two poems "He passed this way" and "taster." Mrs. bunbar then introduced the guest Speaker Miss Lavonne I3allagh of Wingham, who chose as ''her topic the probing queStion, 'WOO you there when they crucified my Lord?" She gave an inspiring talk and left the ladieS lots of food for thought, Mrs. Dalrymple played "The Old Rugged Cross", Mrs. ,Victor Youngblut thanked the speaker, also Mrs. Dalrymple, Mrs. Cairipbell and all who helped. Mrs. Campbell of Blyth sang two songs "Fill my Cup, Lord," and "What will you do with Jesus." Hymn "The Lord be with us as • we bend" was then sung. Mrs. Dunbar closed with prayer and Mrs. George Fear served lunch: 4-H Learn Stitches The Stylish Stitchers met on Monday evening in the Belgrave Community rooms with 9 girls present and opened with the 4-H Pledge and Motto. Mrs. Robert Gordon described they uses of the back stitch which the girls had learned last week. Mrs: James Bakelaar discussed how to create a design and the colour in it, Mrs: Gordon 'howed how to do the twisted chain Stiteh. All the girls worked On their articles for AchieVeinent• Day, The next 'fleeting will be April 26. Euchre Players Busy Seven in tables of euchre were „ played the Belgrave commun.- ity Centre 'last Wednesday evening. High Lady Mrs. Olive Walker; Low Lady - Mrs. Gordon Nichol- son; Novelty Lady - Mrs. Clarence Rath; High Man = Lawrence Taylor; Low Man - Charles Nicholson; Novelty Man - Gordon Nicholson. Unit Considers Reports The Easter meeting of the Afternoon Unit of Belgrave U.C.W. met Tuesday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Leslie Bolt with twelve ladies present. Mrs. Helen Martin, as the leader, opened the meeting with Bible Reading 1 Corinthians followed' by hymn "There is a green hill far away." Prayer of Thankfulness followed especially `Thankful for the death and resurrection of Jesus," Mrs, Leslie read the scripture lesson: Mrs. Martin gave the meditation on "The joy of finding the stone rolled away" and the good news that Jesus had indeed risen from the ' dead. Hymn "Jesus Christ la risen today" was sung. - Mrs. Cecil Coultes' gave a brief rep9rt On the Presbyterial held at tirucefield. She then gave the Bible study dealing with the status 'of different women in the Bible, showing how Mary Mag- dalene turned to be a very important and devoted follower of Jesus. Personals Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Bolt attended the Easter Service at Wingham United Church Sunday morning and visited with Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Brown of Wingham, Mr. and Mrs. WilliamGeras and family of Listowel visited on Sunday with her father Charles Nicholson. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hanna spent Sunday with Mr. and. Mrs. Wayne Minich and family. of Kitchener. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wheeler accompanied by C. R. Coultes of Huronview visited on Friday with Harold Buffett of Carsonville, Michigan; also called on Mr. and MrS: Vincent Makas Sr. of Strathroy. Mr. and Mrs. John Spivey and family of Ingersoll, Miss Mar- garet Curtis of Brookhaven Nurs- ing Home, Wingham spent Eas- ter Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Harold Procter. Mrs. Pearl Wheeler, C. R. Coulteg of Huronview, Clinton, and Mrs. Ethel Wheeler went with Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wheeler on Sunday to the home of their daughter Mary Ann and Vincent Makas of London. . Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hibberd visited on Sunday with Mr. and • Mrs. Kenneth Lichty and Wayne of Milverton. Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Mines of Niagara Falls, N.Y. visited last Wednesday with Mr. and Mrs. Harry McGuire. Mr. and Mrs. Keith Anderson and Judith of Rexdale, Mr. and Mrs. James Anderson, Marian and Jeffrey of Guelph, 'Mark Schrieber of Milton, Mt. and Mrs. Thomas Moy of Erin Mills were weekend visitors with their mother Mrs. Earl Anderson. Mrs. Helen Martin was an Easter. weekend visitor with Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Armstrong of Thorndale. Mr. and Mrs. Maitland Edgar and family of Petrolia were Easter visitors with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis StonehOttse. THE BRUSSELS POST, APRIL 21, 1916