Times-Advocate, 1980-01-30, Page 4Please help
Hopefully, all local service groups
saw the letter to the editor in last
week's issue in which John C. Jury of
the Canadian Red Cross appealed for
assistance in sponsoring and organizing
the Exeter blood donor clinic.
More importantly, of course, the
hope is ,hat not only did they read the
letter. nut will consider taking on this
resprAsibility.
While Mr. Jury provided few
details, it should be pointed out that the
task is not as onerous as some would
expect. There are generally only two
local climes per year and the main re-
quirement is for people to assist.
The three local chapters of the
Beta Sigma Phi Sorority have been
handling these duties for some time and
prior to that it was undertaken by the
Legion Auxiliary.
This is a very vital service to the
community and we repeat Mr. Jury's
request here as a matter of emphasis
only.
Let 'em strike
A secondary school strike? So be it!
That's the price we may have to pay to
show the militant Ontario Secondary
School Teachers Federation, David
Judd its arrogant second in command
and 484 teachers that the education
dollar is stretched to the limit and that
students can't be held up as pawns in
the quest for outrageous wage
demands.
The teachers' demand for 17.4% in-
crease (the teachers claim its 11.9%)
costing taxpayers $1.9 million in a one
year contract is both inflationary and
excessive. And it comes at a time when
governments and public institutions are
being forced into fiscal restraint.
Judd, a Toronto unionist who
doesn't live here and doesn't unders-
tand the true economic climate of the
area is a numbers merchant who
preaches a tale of gloom and doom
when it comes to teachers' salaries.
The Lambton School. Board pays out
..... . .......... • •
73% of its budget to classroom instruc-
tion while unnamed, "other" boards
pay 76% he tells anyone who will listen.
He talks at length about how earnings
and buying power of area workers have
risen 115.6% over the past eight years
while ignoring the fact unemployment
is up dramatically, the construction in-
dustry is virtually shut down and
economy is soft.
The average secondary school
teacher makes well over $22,000 a year
and even in today's inflationary climate
that is a "reasonable" amount. There
is no justification whatsoever for a
17,4% increase when the majority of
taxpayers will get substantially less.
A High School Teachers' Strike is
the bottom line and trustees of the
Lambton County Board of Education
must stand firm or the burdened tax-
payer they represent will be bled to
death.
Sarnia Gazette
by
SYD FLETCHER
They don't make fish and
chips the way they used to
You order them now and
you get a thin slab or some
nameless fish that you know
has been coated with brown
cardboard, pre-cooked, pre-
frozen, then warmed up in
grease that is shared with
onion rings, chicken and
goodness knows what else.
The chips are not even chips
any more. They're french
fries - pre-cooked, wrinkled,
or cut so small you can
hardly see much less taste
them, and then to add insult
too injury, they're pre-salted
as if you don't have the
brains to do that much
yourself. The vinegar is an
anemic colour, like tart
water.
The fish and chips we used
to get were a different story.
Halibut. Nothing but
Halibut was even used in
those days. A thick slice that
had some substance to it,
dipped on the spot in batter
that rose to be crisp and
golden brown.
The chips were cut up
there in the store - all shapes
and sizes, ranging from half-
circles to wild cubes. Doesn't
anybody these days even get
tired of chips that all look
and taste the same? Are we
really that much in love with
uniformity?
Then the clerk would ask if
you wanted some vinegar,
real malt vinegar, and salt
even, and wrapped it all up
in a newspaper, not one of
these boxes that is printed up
so 'cutely' like a newspaper,
Ah, the smell of that order
of fish and chips seeping out
through the paper as you
walked down the street. If
somebody could package
that smell and sell it, he
could make a fortune.
Perspectives
By; Roger Worth
There is a clock maker in
Worcestershire, in the West
of England, who, is convinced
he has found the solution to
the present energy crisis; fresh
lemons!
Recalling his high school
lab experiments, he used the
acetic acid contained in the -
lemon to react with a copper
penny inserted at one end .of
the lemon and a' small zinc
plate at the other end. Wired
to a small electric motor, the
same lemon has generated
enough electricity to run the
motor continuously since last
August to this day.
If there is a practical lesson
in this story, it is probably the
fact that the reality of the
energy crisis has finally sunk
into our collective conscious-
ness and that we are now ready
to face the situation.
So what are the facts and
what do we do about it?
Roger Worth is Director,
Public Affairs,
Canadian Federation of
Independent Business.
First, the world's known
reserves of petroleum are esti-
mated at 600 billion barrels
which we are consuming at a
rate of 50 million barrels a
day. Without any increase in
consumption, these reserves
are sufficie'nt for the next
32 1/2 years. And that's it.
New oil is being discovered,
but not at the rate of 50
million barrels a day. So we
are going to run out eventu-
ally.
Of the known 600 billion
barrels reserves in the world,
Canada has *bout 5 billion,
plus the possibility of another
100 billion barrels in tar sands
if they can ever be fully ex-
ploited, which, is financially
and technologically impossible
at the present.
We are however one of the
few countries of the world
which has the poten.tigi for
developing substitute sources
of energy from other resources.
In this respect, the Govern-
ment has already drawn up
plans to invest some $200 bil-
lion in the next decade for ma-
jor energy projects in this
country. The money is coming
from a gradual increase of our
energy prices to world levels
and higher energy-related
taxes.
The real question Canadians
have to ask themselves •and
their political leaders at this
time is how this massive in-
vestment - $200 billion is a lot
of money - can be used to (1)
increase Canadian control of
our own economy, (2) strength-
en our manufacturing sector
by replacing imports and creat-
ing new jobs, (3) alleviate re-
gional disparities, and (4) pro-
vide the necessary domestic
capital and skilled manpower
this country will need in the
future.
If we don't develop appro-
priate policies, the next gen-
eration may well have to have
to run its electric motors on
lemon juice and its television
sets on a few sticks of rhubarb!
55 Years Ago
W.W. Taman. S. Sweet and
G. Snell were called to
Goderich Tuesday to act as
jurymen. the former on the
Grand Jury and the last two
on the Petit Jury.
Leonard Haist, who
recently purchased the
butcher business of Kirk
Bros. took possession Mon-
day. Mr. Haist who is the son
of Ezra Hoist of Stephen, has
been engaged in the butcher
business in Detroit for the
past year. Dave Kirk is con-
templating moving to Cobalt
to run a butcher business.
C.W.Bradshaw,accountant
at the Molson's Bank, Hen-
sail, has resigned his posi-
tion and his duties were
taken over by Mr. S. L.
Peppier of London. Mr. and
Mrs. Bradshaw and family
are leaving for the West.
The 60th annual meeting of
the members of the Zurich
Agricultural Society was
held in the Town Hall and
the following officers were
elected; president, J.P.
Rau; vice-president, Dr.
A.J, McKinnon. directors,
E.F. Klopp. J.A. Smith, A.
Reichert, M. Rader, 0.
Klopp, J. Decker Jr. Wm.
Hey, P.J. Harberer, J. Pfaff
and sec-treas. A.F. Hess.
30 Years Ago
The hospital building fund
is $14,000 short of its objec-
tive, $75.000 has already
been contributed.
Janet Kestle. Exeter and
Joanne McCurdy Centralia
received their caps at Vic-
toria Hospital School of Nur-
sing last Wednesday.
Mrs. R.E. Pooley was
elected president of the Ex-
eter Red Cross, succeeding
Mrs. W. E. Middleton who
has held that office for the
past three years.
Mrs. Jack Fulcher was
named "Queen of the Ball"
at the sorority dance Friday
night.
20 Years Ago
The Exeter Curling Club
has decided to build its own
rink this year. town council
learned Monday night.
The Alex Stewart and Sons
feed grain mill at Ailsa
Craig was destroyed by fire
early Tuesday. Damage was
estimated at $265,000.
Construction began Tues-
day on the showroom and of-
fice building for Conklin .
Lumber Co. Ltd on highway
83.
Installing officer Rt. Wor.
Bro. William Cann
presented Wor. Bro. Eugene
Beaver with gavel as ruling
Master of Lebanon Forest
Lodge, Exeter at a recent in-
stallation of officers for the
centennial year. 1960.
Tenders for the three-
room addition to Exeter
Public School are expected
to be called this month, it
was indicated at the board
meeting Monday night.
15 Years Ago
Around 30 "Marching
Mothers" braved the cold
Monday night to collect a
record $536 in the annual
March of'Dimes Blitz.
Three members of the Ex-
eter OPP detachment with
the help of Exeter Constable
Lloyd Hodgins walked off
with the trophy at the first
annual police curling
bonspiel.
Jane Southcott and John
Graham took top honours in
the senior public speaking
contest at SHDHS recently.
A class of 12 students in
the Registered Nursing
Assistants class commenced
training at South Huron
Hosptial with Mrs, J. H.
Delbridge as instructress.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Steeper celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary.
John boom Safety Savvy
When the auger or chute gets a clog,
stop the engine, disconnect the plug.
u ar an
ispe se'
1‘ • $ $1. t. : FA. N • -RR • 1 • y • • -• • $ eV • •
La • Minstream Canada
The Lemons Have It!
NOR 4 TiMb0441,0e04, .January, 3b, 19$0
Exeter council members have a
rather sticky question on their hands in
view of the appeal by the local Masonic
lodge for tax relief on the new facility
they have erected at the north end of
town.
While a precedent has been set ap-
parently. there ,have been many
changes in the situation since the Ex-
eter Legion were granted tax relief on
their facility. The, major change, of
course. is the fact council have in-
itiated a policy of not providing grants
to charitable organizations, the thought
being that it was a type of double taxa-
tion in that these groups also sought
funds from local citizens on a private
basis through their canvasses.
The two organizations differ in that
the money raised by the Legion is spent
primarily in this community, while the
Masonic charitable efforts have been
described as more of national program.
At the time it was built, the Legion
Hall also filled a long-standing need for
a large facility to meet the needs of the
community at large, whilethe lodge hall
SERVING. CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND.
CLASS W and ABC
Published by J. Publications Limited
koRNE.EIRY. PUBLISHER
Editor — Bill batten
Assistant Editor Ross Haugh
Advertising Manager — Jim,beCkett
Composition Manager Harry DeVries
Business Manager — Dick Jongkind Published Each Wednesday Morning
. Phone 235,1331 at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Regietration Number 0386
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Canada $11.0Q Per Year; USA $30.00
s Established 1873
4PCNA
Tough decision
4141yocala Established"1081 Amalgamated 1924
could not be considered in the same
vein in view of the current number of
similar facilities in the community. In
some ways the new facility will be com-
peting with publicly . owned facilities
and any lost revenue in that regard
would conceivably have to be made up
by the taxpayers being a sked to assist
the lodge through their tax dollars.
The lodge also has real estate in-
vestments that place it in a different
category to many local service groups.
It is more fraternal in nature and the
secrecy which surrounds it makes it
very difficult for most people in the
community to judge the merits of giv-
ing it tax dollars.
Certainly, the suggestion of tax
relief for a period of seven years
appears excessive.
It is certainly not an easy 'decision,
but one that must be considered very
carefully on its own merits and not any
precedent due to the change of policies
and circumstances which prevailed
when that precedent was established.
Don't rock boat too much
"My wife says we've got to get out of Afghanistan."
•
There are several adages which
come to mind in considering the
current struggle in which Councillor
Jay Campbell appears to be engaged
with the board of management of the
South Huron rec centre and local
member Mayor Derry Boyle, in par-
ticular.
Those adages are "don't rock the
boat" and "let sleeping dogs rest".
There is little doubt that some grey
areas exist regarding the board's terms
of reference or mandate, but since its
inception, the board has operatecd ex-
tremely well and conscientiously tin-
der what the members assumed were
their areas of responsibility.
In fact, not only have board members
from Exeter, Usborne and Stephen
capably undertaken their respon-
sibilities as policy makers, they have
on occasions rolled up their sleeves and
undertaken some of the operational
duties of the facility. They've done
everything from selling hot dogs in the
stands at hockey playoff games to
supervising the facility during events in
an effort to reduce the labour costs in-
volved in the day-to-day operation of
the centre.
While there may have been occasions
when they have gone beyond their area
of , responsibility as policy makers,
there is little doubt that they have gone
far beyond their responsibility in
attempts to keep the facility operating
as efficiently as possible through their
personal involvement,
Campbell's successful attempt to
have council ask the ministry of
recreation and culture to conduct an in-
quiry into the bylawed relationship
between Exeter council and the board
of management unfortunately has
some ominous tones.
First and foremost is the fact it im-
plies that the only relationship to be
considered is that of Exeter council and
Like every other red-blooded male in
this country over the age of four, I am
an expert on hockey.
As a player, I didn't exactly make it
to the NHL. Or Senior A. Or Junior A.
Or Junior B. Or Juvenile C.
But you don't have to make it all the
way in Canada to become a connoisseur
of the game. All you have to do is to
have been exposed to the game since
you were about three, and it's in your
blood for life.
As a kid, I felt culturally deprived
because I didn't have a pair of "tube"
skates. To my great shame, I had to in-
dulge in the sport wearing an old pair of
my mother's "lady's skates"
(pronounced with utter scorn by the
kids with tube skates). Mine went
almost to the knee and supported your
ankles like a bag of marshmallows. Ob-
viously, that is the sole reason I didn't
make it to the big leagues.
As a kid. I played shinny on the river
with some guys who actually, later, did
make it to pro or semi-pro ranks. When
I was in high school, some of my best
friends were playing Junior A.
I was brought up in a rabid hockey
and lacrosse town. When I was a little
boy, we had a Senior hockey team, It
was made up of local factory hands,
blacksmiths (yes, I go back that far),
and generally good athletes, of no par-
ticular rank or station in life.
They played for fun. They bought
their own equipment. There was
tremendous rivalry with the other
towns in the country. The rink was
jammed for every game.
We kids sneaked into the games
through the place where they threw out
the snow after clearing the ice,
squirmed our way down behind the
players' bench, and fought each other
to the bone when a senior broke a stick,
and with a lordly gesture, handed it
back toward us.
If you were lucky, you got two pieces
of hockey stick, took it home and had
your old man split it, taped it up, and
played the rest of the season with a six-
foot man's hockey stick practically
tearing the armpit out of your five-foot
frame.
When I was a teenager, the home
town went ape over hockey, began im-
porting players. and iced a Junior A
club. We local high school guys were
devastated by jealousy when the im-
ports, from such exotic towns as Ot-
tawa, Montreal, Brockville, came to
town and stole our girls away.
We locals didn't have a chance. It
was Depression times. We were lucky
if we had the money to go to the Satur-
day night movie (two bits), let alone
take along a girl and feed her
afterwards.
But the, hockey imports had
everything. Flashy uniforms: Great
physiques. The roar of the crowd. And
money. They got about fifteen dollars a
week for room and board and Spending
money. They often had two or three
dollars to throw around, so, naturally,
they got the girls. (Some of them are
still stuck with them, ha, ha.)
Ironically about a third of those guys
who made us green with envy would be
knocking off eighty-five to a hundred
thousand a year if they hadn't been
born forty years too soon. They were
good enough to make the so-called NHL
today, but not then when there were so
few teams and so many aspirants.
There were only eight teams then:
Toronto, Montreal Canadiens, Mon-
treal Maroons, Ottawa Senators,
Boston, New York Rangers, New York
proval for all decisions from another
body.
The point is, that the councils have
some control in that regard initially,
because they appoint the members and
have the right to remove members if
they feel they are not acting in their
best interests or the taxpayers in
general.
Members of council themselves com-
plain bitterly when they think they have
to answer to a more senior level of
government and so they should have
some feeling for the position in which
they would, put board members if they
relegated them to the same roll.
* * *
The foregoing is not intended to imp-
ly that board members are above
reproach and that they do not have to
be conscious of the fact they are
responsible to the municipalities which
have appointed them.
If there are areas of concern, by all
means, follow the suggestion of Exeter
Councillor Ted Wright and bring them
forth for discussion.
But, remember that three
municipalities are involved and that all
should be represented at any session
where terms of reference are beingdis-
cussed for the enlightenment of all con-
cerned.
Being reasonable people, it is a
foregone conclusion that board
members would attend such a session
with an open mind and be prepared to
discuss their responsibilities of es-
tablishing those responsibilities.
But, goodness, calling for an "in-
quiry" appears to be a harsh term. par-
ticularly when an outside agency is be-
ing asked to conduct that proceeding.
It is certainly close to rocking the
boat, but hopefully it won't tip it!
Americans, Chicago, and Detroit.
There were probably just as many
hopeful players. To day there are 21 or
23 or 28 teams in the NHL. Nobody
seems able to count them any more.
Well, figure it out. Take a quart of
whiskey and add a similar amount of
water. Split the remains in two and add
a half of water to each, What do you
get? Not a whiskey with water. A water
with a touch of whiskey.
And that's why so many once-ardent
hockey experts like me just don't
bother going to games, or even
watching them on TV, unless the
Russians are playing, when you see a
few flashes of the old-time hockey, in-
stead of a group of high-school dropouts
high-sticking. slamming each other
into the boards. pretending to fight by
dancing ring-a-round while carefully
clutching each others' sweaters so they
won't be hurt. tripping, clutching, hook-
ing, and doing everything but play
hockey.
Perhaps the most sickening thing of
all is the great hugging and kissing and
dancing that takes place when one
turkey has scored a goal by shooting
toward the end of the rink and having
the puck go in off a team-mate's stick -
pure accident.
It's OK. I don't necessarily want to
go back to the days when players had
some dignity, and didn't have to pat
each others' bums all the time. Nor do I
want them reduced to the sort of wage
slavery they endured years ago.
But please spare me, on the sports
page, from their constant whirling, tan-
trums, hurt feelings, and never-ending
interest in the big buck.
the board. It should obviously reflect
that two other municipal councils are
involved and their relationship must
also be considered.
The call for an inquiry also implies
that the ministry will in fact detail
what the responsibilities are.
If there is some question in that
regard, would it not be better for the
three contributing municipalities to
determine how they want the respon-
sibilities handled and then ask for an
endorsement of that from ,the
ministry?
Is it necessary' that "big brother"
dictate the terms of what is clearly a
local function? To give the ministry
due credit, it must be noted that in the
past, they have appeared to be very
lenient in allowing local officials to set
up their own terms of reference for
recreational groups as long as they
were within the realm of reason, and
met the mutual approval of elected and
appointed officials charged with carry-
ing out the functions.
* * *
This writer has a fear that some
members of Exeter council would wish
to usurp many of the responsibilities
over which current board members
feel they have jurisdiction.
The end result of that may well be as
Mayor Boyle suggests: that many of
the board members would resign their
positions because they would be
relegated to policy planners and not
policy makers.
If one takes a look at both the past
and present members who have been
appointed by the three supporting coun-
cils, they will quickly see that most of
those men are all astute businessmen
accustomed to making major
decisions.
There is certainly a very real danger
of people of that calibre deciding that
the position no longer is challenging
enough for them if they have to get ap- .
In your blood for life