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Times-Advocate, 1980-08-20, Page 4Times isiostilish.4-1,22 vocate Euakilislijcii Bel :4rnaleatnots41924 Wine Sales'. a Hot Issue Sy W; Roger Worth A hig.percentage of the $19 billion Canadians spend on food this year will pass through the cash, registers of the 00, 11000100105.11101 solidly domi- nate the marketplace, Yet In Quebec; big supek- market operators are ,uneasy because independent gifocers are at least holding their own, if not gaining sales, in the dog- eat-dog food market, The reason: smaller Quebec independents, are 001V.all0Wed to sell wine, as well as beer,' providing a customer drawing card that makes a more even matchup with chain stores not able to sell the product.- )r Roger Worth is Director, * Public Affairs, CanaditufTederation of 'Independent Business. By backing the independ- ents, the Quebec goVernment • has resolved an issue that is only now becoming a hot item in the rest of the country. In province after province, independent grocery retailers, including those represented by the Canadian Federation, of Independent Business, have voted overwhelmingly in favor- of selling wine, They believe the change would provide a consulner convenience and help preserve the place of the cor- ner store, Alas, „provincial govern- ments have, been slow to act on the touchy political issue and Ontario, of all provinces, has regretfully taken the oppo- site tack. The Conservative government in that province allows wines to be Sold ih more than 125 supermarkets, but not by independents. Alberta, though, is, consi- dering a system similar to that in Quebec, and otherprovinces are at least looking at the op- (ions available., In a country where a hand- ful of supermarket chains have a stranglehold on the grocery business, smaller operatOis deserve a bit Of a break. • Allowing independent gro, cers and entrepreneurs running corner stores to sell wine would , be a move in the right direction. • - • Perspectives ,very quickly. His other habit though was unforgivable. Morley loved to eat. You could fill his plate up any given number of times and he would gorge himself and then look around for more, especially "if itwas table scraps. No doubt about it. He loved people food. And that was what led to his downfall. Eldon's wife was expec: ting company and had prepared a good dinner for them, with a beautiful ham as the main courser Just as she went to call the folks in for the meal there was a horrible crash. She rushed back in to see Morley happi- ly demolishing the ham. That almost did it, but there was one more incident a few weeks later. A plate of home-made butter tarts, set up high enough that no nor- mal dog should have been able to get them. Eldon came in just as the second last one was dis- appearing into Morley's mouth. Well, Eldon isn't an Irishman in name only. Angrily he picked up the dog and though even his big hands couldn't quite make it around Morley's fat throat he resolved that if it meant choking Morley that tart was not going to go down. He squeezed and Morley, eyes bulging a little. swallowed. Hard. Bit by bit. The tart went down. Defeated, Eldon put the dog down. Morley licked his lips and looked longingly toward the last tart which was being carried toward the garbage. As they say. you have to be smarter than the dog. own memory iane„); The writer set a record this week by being ejected twice from the same meeting, Along with developer Jerry Sprackman and his lawyer, I had to cool my heels in the waiting room at the administration building while coun- cil and the planning board considered Sprackman's last-ditch effort to reach a compromise on his holdings at the north end that would have alleviated having the matter heard by the Ontario Municipal Board and in the hearing which started Monday. The need for private discussion on the matter was not difficult to com- prehend, particularly when one of the items was already before the courts. The ironical aspect of the situation is that people who are banished to the out- er office are not really excluded from hearing the discussion. When the facility was designed, the architect apparently never considered the fact that council would not want their opinions or deliberations heard by others and the walls and doors separating the two rooms allow most of the conversations to be heard with little problem as long as those outside sit comparatively quiet. The writer has occasionly sat outside watching with interest as those who have been banished listen intently while council members mince no words in outlining their positions knowing they do so safely behind closed doors. The doors may be closed, but they don't permit much "private" discus- sion, and while the writer is often of the opinion that the closed'sessions are un- necessary anyway, the doors and walls make them even less so. * The amount of sleep required by the average person is five minutes more. There's little doubt that most municipal politicians are much malign; ed at times and I had a considerable chuckle out of a spoof presented by Marceil Saddy, the colorful Sarnia alderman and editor of the weekly Gazette. Former mayors of Exeter, and those who have been critical of them may also enjoy it: The Mayor and thePope died on the same day at the same hour and both ended up at the Pearly Gates within seconds of one another. St. Peter was at the portals and chose to usher the Mayor to his heavenly home while the Pope was left to cool his heels. The Pope was a quiet sort of guy and didn't kick up a fuss although he really believed he outranked the Mayor by. quite a bit. In any event, he watched St. Peter show the Mayor to the penthouse suite with a grand piano, and indoor pool and a great view of Heaven. Then came the Pope's turn. He was escorted by St. Peter to a tiny, white- washed cell with a single, iron-frame bed, a washstand and chair. By now the Pope's natural modesty disintegrated a bit and he said "Father Peter, I could not help but notice that the Mayor was given some very superb quarters for eternity while I have this little room and I thought ..." St. Peter interrupted him. "Yes. Holy Father I know, I know how you must be wondering, but it's this simple. We already have moire than 100 Popes up here but this is the very first Mayor that has.ever made it..." * * * In some areas, senior citizens are joining the craze towards wearing per- sonalized t-shirts. An American com- pany is advertising shirts bearing the slogans "Don't'trust anyone under 60" and : "Avenge yourself. Live long enough to be a burden to your children," Ask the average American to name the Canadian Prime Minister and there's a good chance you'll get nothing but a blank stare. Conversely, there's probably not a Canadian over the age of four who can't tell you the name of the U.S. head, possibly even his brother's name and the name of at least seven former presidents. While that says something about the American domination of our news, we may still have the last laugh, ,knowing that our cousins to the south have some strange methods of electing their chief executive officer. They do it on a basis of who wins the World Series! For the past 30 years, whenever the American League has won the series in a presidental electional year, the U.S. has elected a Republican president, and when the National League wins the series, the country elects a Democrat to the presidency. In 1952 and 1956 for example, the New York Yankees beat Brooklyn and Eisenhower was elected for the Republicans. Pittsburg won it for the national loop in 1960, the year Kennedy was elected and St. Louis Cardinals beat the Yankees in 1964 when Johnson assumed the presidency. And so it goes. Tune 'in next October and watch -the stars (baseball variety) determine whether Reagan or Carter wins the big job. It would certainly be ironic if the Montreal Expos won the series and thereby had a Canadian team decide the outcome of the presidential battle, which if it followed true to form, would give Carter his job back. 45 Years Ago Three members of the Main Street Mission Circle were honored on Thursday evening last at their annual picnic at Riverview Park. A large group were present- also Mrs. G. Layton the honorary president. An address was read by Miss Marjorie Medd to Miss Evelyn Howard, president who has secured a school at Blind River and she., was presented with a shoWer of handkerchiefs. An address Was read by Miss Helen Dignan to Mrs.. T. Moffatt (nee Eleanor Medd) and Mrs. Gerald Ford (nee Ruth Balkwill) and the girls were presented with silver casseroles. The interior of the Exeter school has been redecorated ready for the fall term. The home of the late Mrs. Mary +Ann Jones has been purchased by. Mr. Eric Campbell who gets im- mediate possession. Mr. Campbell is an employee of, the Tuckey Transport. 30 Years Ago Mr. Murray Stephens of Lindenfield's is holidaying this week' at Doon School of Art, Kitchener. Charlie Jinks who has carried the mails to and from Hensall Post Offtee tb the CNR station for the past 15 years has resigned. Grand Bend Church of God. officially opened on Sunday. It was built almost entirely by donated labor. The Exeter Public School has decided to establish a kindergartena e the beginning of the year. Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Skinner and Mr. W.C. Pearce at- tended the London Laymen's Association at Alma College, St. Thomas. 20 Years Ago Robert Wolfe as King and Ann Robertson as Queen reigned over the Cowboy and Indian parade which marked the end of the Exeter Kin- smen 'playground for' the summer. Col. E.E. Tiernan, OBE, CD, of Dashwood has been appointed commandant of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corp School at Camp Borden. A significant development in district schools will be the opening on September 8, of the new central school in McGillivray township. There will be three new teachers on the SHDHS staff this year. Cecil Wilson will be returning to the school and joining the English department, Victor Dinnin will be teaching English and Math; Ron Bogart is the new, instructor in agriculture. 15 Years Ago A group of teenagers, members of the Exeter Teen Town picked up hammers and nails last Thursday evening' and constructed bicycle stands for use at the municipal swimming pool. Two stands will hold 36 bicycles and greatly assist in keeping the pool bicycle parking area orderly. ' Kay Hodgins, 18, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald B. Hodgins, Waterloo, formerly of Centralia has been • awarded an Ontario Scholarship. Miss Hodgins indicated she will take an honors course in French and Latin or English at the University of Waterloo. Behind thin doors Have to go and see my kid brother this week. I don't have to. Nobody in his right mind has to have anything to do with his relatives. From birth to death they are a pain in the arm, When a baby is born, all the eyebrows go up at the choice of name, unless it happens to be one of theirs, or that of a rich uncle. Asked my grandboys the other day what their second name was. Balind, who sometimes doesn't know his anus from his elbow, promptly retorted, "William." His second name was the same as mine. in case I'd be pleased and leave him something. Asked the other guy, who knows everything. from why Gran's crying to why Grandad is in a tearing rage. He muttered. "Chen." I'd forgotten. His parents named his that, don't ask me why, because they were on an inter- national kick. and Chen means "first born". Poor little devil. His full name is Nicov Chen. Imagine what the CIA will so with that when they take over Canadian intelligence. Notice I spelled the last word without a capital. Next time the relatives act like Little Jack Horner is when your kids get married. Despite the fact that the cou- ple has been living together for fine months, your blasted relatives want a chiirch wedding, with the bride in white, a big reception where everybody pretends that the newlyweds are virgin, there are some adolescent speeches right out of the age of Vic- toria, and somebody cuts a cake that nobody would eat with a 10-foot pole. This costs roughly five to 10 thousand dollars so That the couple can go on liv- ing in sin, but With a paper to prove that they're not. And the third occasion on which the relatives get their arms into it, right up to the elbows, is when somebody dies. This is when the real Christians emerge. "Mom always said I could have that tea service". "Well, that's what you think. I was there the day she died and she distinct- ly stated (arm twisted behind her back) that I could have not only the tea service but all the linen," And so on. I've seen all this, but not experienced it. After my mother's death, my elder sister was mutually appointed ar- bitrator. And she arbitrated: "Two sheets for you. two for you, two for you. Two linen tablecloths for ypu, two for you. Two beds for you, a dining-room table for you. Everyday china for you, plus the silver coffee pot. Good china for you, plus the chamber-pot." And so on, It was like being, at an auction, without any bids. and we all went away rather dazed. enriched beyond our dreams, and with only a few grudges. We were all so young and un- sophisticated that we let an aunt have a beautiful chaise lounge, which wound up as a period piece in, of all places, Australia. My aunt didn't want it. This hasn't much to do with going to see my kid brother, but I still think that he thinks he got screwed (he was in Paris at the time) on the family split-up, and covets the hand-carved stool my Dad made, which I traded off for an upright piano of dubious vintage. Maybe not. Maybe he just wants to see me. Maybe he wants to apologize for all the times he trailed me all over town when I was seven and he was five. I would first hiss at him, then shout at him, to go home. He'd bang on, a block behind, crying like a fire siren, stubborn as a hound following a fox. He's challenged me to a game of golf. This is quite understandable. It fits the pattern. I could always beat him at everything. and he wants the masochistic satisfaction of being trounced once more, before he retires to that wonderland of golf where everybody takes a Mulligan, everybody rides an electric cart to the next hole, and everybody discusses every spot at the 19th hole. On the other hand. maybe he wants to talk about all that money I borrowed from him when he had a paper route and I was a - well, a sort of freelancer. Every Saturday night, I used to lock him in the bathroom and freelance about two-thirds of his weeikly take, so I could go to the movies. Saw him in Germany a few years ago, and he was still keeping track, He figures I owe him 28 thousand, 500 and some dollars, with compound interest. Perhaps he just wants to remind me of all the girls he has taken away from me, over the years. He never took anyone of any real consequence, but he took some very fine prospects. On the fourth hand, maybe he just wants to rub it in to me that I'm a failure. He retired as a Colonel with a chestful of medals. I quit as a Flight- , When brothers beckon Loot with four or five medals mouldering in the basement. He has been at the beck and call of generals, am- bassadors, and such, He is divorced - fashionable. I am married - unfashionable. He is charming, multilingual, has tasted ,,the fleshpots of Europe. I am a typical suburban slob. Or maybe the poor little fella just wants to see the brother he used to pillow-fight with, every Saturday mor- ning. Snarls! If you're holding over, and let other motorists passe Ministry of Transportation and Communications Trailer up traffic, signal, pull Ontario Mainstream ,Can4clia Tilltoit,ACiVag lig, Au .wit 20, 1.980 . 4 rin . E 9,=161t1 qt.Ot”06" SEBVINO CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., 0.W.N.A. CLASS 'Pond ABC Published by J. W,Esidy Publications Limited LORNE EfttY, PUBLISHER *CNA • It's been a poor year to date for crops across Southwestern Ontario and even the nation in general and that fact will be reflected in the price consumers will be facing in the months ahead. The wheat crop experienced widespread sprouting and much of it will end up as feed and not in flour mills. That means millers will have to pay more for the reduced availability of wheat for flour and that will be passed along in higher bread prices. Little help can be expected from Western Canada, where drought con- The ad caught your eye as soon as you opened the paper: "Make Big Money - Clean up in the Office Cleaning Business. No experience, required - small investment yields large rewards!" Further down the page there was another: "Vending Machine Route - Cigarettes, Candy, Soft Drink Machines - Gold Mine for Right Person!" And another: "Fantastic Franchise Opportunity - exclusive distribution rights available in your area for product in daily use by every householder. Act now and get in on the ground floor! ! " Well, why not, you think, your im- agination fired 'by the idea of telling your slave driver boss to get some other hapless soul for your tedious, un- derpaid job. Here's your chance to be the boss. With this vision of independence and large financial returns glowing brightly in front of you, it's easy to let enthusiasm swamp judgement, but before you slit open the mattress and dig out your life savings, take a closer look at what you'll get for your money. Unfortunately, careful investiga- tion is apt to show that promises are about all you're getting for an invest- ment which can range from a few hun- dred to many thousands of dollars. Take the office cleaning ad, for ex- ample. In exchangetforyour investment, the company agrees to provide you with cleaning•jobs worth a certain amount of money each month. Unless you're familiar with this kind of work (and it's not as simple, or as easy, as you might By SYD FLETCHER My friend could have lived with Morley the Basset hound's snickering snoring in the bedroom. Perhaps he could have even tolerated Morley's habit of drinking from the toilet bowl instead of the water dish, or for oc- casionally thinking that the corner of the sofa was the toilet bowl. All of these things he might have been able to tolerate because as I said tdon is a dog-lover and Morley eould turn those big brown eyes on you and make you feel very sorry for him, ditions have substantially reduced the grain harvest. Now it has been announced that the Ontario potato crop, grown mainly in the Simcoe County area, has been reduced by almoSt one-third by' heavy rains. So. up goes the price of spuds! -‘ While consumers may wince under the extra burden of food costs, their plight is not as bad as that of farmers, who not only have suffered . crop revenue losses but get hit twice as they too are consumers. think), you may find that the cost of your equipment and supplies, phis the number of hours you have to work' to complete the jobs, results in your ear- ning less per hour than your old job paid. ' If you're• interested in a vending machine route, don't just take the salesman's word that dozens of businesses will be delighted to have the machine on their premises. Call on a few businesses before you invest to see if they really would be willing to have the machines installed. The Condition of the machines you're buying is important. Vending machines take a lot of punishment and even new machines can break down frequently. Repairmen are apt to be hard to find and expensive. Some people have made a lot of money with franchises; others have lost a lot. Just because an ad offers ex- clusive rights to a product in everyday use, don't think this guarantees success. In spite,of the ad's claim, few products are-truly exclusive. There is nearly always an alternative available and customers may buy it instead of your product. Usually the most successful franchises are those which are backed with staff training and which sell a product or service known to the public through national adver- tising. Before you invest in any business opportunity, check it out first with a competent business or financial ad- visor. Consumers and Corporate Affairs Editor — Bill Batton Assistant Editor Ross Haugh Advertising Manager — Jim Beckett Composition Manager Barry DeVries Business Manager-. DickJongkinci Published Each'Wednesday Morning Phone 235-1331 at Excitor, Ontario Second Class Mail Registralionigumbor 0386 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: -Canada $14.00 Per Year; USA $35.00 ail: • BLUE RIBBON A Oi A R D Expect increases Investigate first "Just think of all the Wings money can't ban' .. like all the things it could buy last year." Enononn....ItyNi.