Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1981-06-03, Page 7Page d-T,sielmow The +' y, $u*e 3, 1981 LUCKNC)W "The Sepoy Town" Legion auxiliary contributes reports Estabpshed 1873 JOCELYN SHRIEK - Publisher SHARON J. DiETZ - Editor ANTHONY N. JOHNSTQNE - Advertising , and; General Manager PAT LIViNGSTON - Office Manager MERLE ELLIOTT - Typesetter JOAN HELM, - Composition Business and Editorial OfficeTelephone 528-2822 Mailing Address P.O. Box 400, Lucknow, NOG 2H0 Second Class. Mail Registration Number -0847 Royal Canadian Legion, Auxiliary Letter, "Service Not Self"' Sabeeriptlon,rate, S13.50 per yea* In advance Sealer Citizen rate, $11.5.0 per year to advance. . U.S.A. and Foreign, $23.00per yearin advance. Sr, at. U.S.A.' and Forelgo, 01.00 Per year .in advaacs Dear Readers: Newspaper reports are a new ven- ture for the `Ladies Auxiliary of Branch. `309, Lucknow. Legion,- and I do hope it will be a monthly item. To begin a new year' as far as Legion procedure goes, we had a busy meeting night on Tuesday, May 26. To begin, 18 Auxiliary members ° enjoyed a meal at the Maitland. Restaurant in Wingham, before travelling back ,to Lucknow for regular meeting. Our president, Comrade Joan Rob- inson, as well as Comrades Evelyn Henderson, Ida Howald and Kay Forster, visited with Comrade .Anna Johnstone, who is a 'patient in Wingham Hospital, and was trans- ferred to London on Wednesday. Uponarriving back. in Lucknow, the Auxiliary members were invited to participate . in : the installation cerem- onies of the Branch 309.. Regular members and associate members were guests. All auxiliary members then adjourned to the lounge for their own meeting and installation ,.of officers. Comrade Joan Robinson was again elected as president; 1st vice pres- ident, Comrade Anna Johnstone; . 2nd vice president, Comrade Colleen Eedy; secretary, Comrade Eunice Cunningham; treasurer, Comrade Tena , Gardner; Sargeant at Arms, Comrade Sadie MacMillan ' (appoint- ed); colour bearers, Ethel Clark, Bertha Olson, Bertha Whitcroft, and Susan McNaughton; executive, Susan -. McNaughton, Helen MacDonald, Eve- lyn Henderson, Ida Howald, ;,Alice Clark, Agnes Thomson and. press " reporter, Marie Park. - ' Plans for the auxiliary picnic in July were discussed. Sincerely, Marie Park, P.R. "At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them". A serious problem The results of a survey taken . recently at a Huron County high school are very disturbing. The survey, presented to Huron County Council at their May meeting last Thursday by the county's board of health, 'shows of 50 students in the survey, all 50 drink alcohol twice a week or more often, 75 per cent smoke and two use drugs. The chairman of the board of health, Paul Steckle, reeve of Stanley Township, spoke to the report and commented that the board of health was very "disapproving" of the results. Reeve Steckle also observed that perhaps parents and adults should be taking more responsibility for the example they set for young people. The implications of the report are alarming. The county. health •'unit plans to implement programs to deal with the adolescent problems, but while county health programs have been successful in . other areas, a program to deal with teenage drinkers won't stand a chance if the young people see their parents continue to misuse alcohol. Theparents- of today's teenagers can probably remember the popular use of alcohol, during their teenage years and it makes forsome lively and funny memories. But as reeve Steckle pointed out, the fact that 50 out of fifty students drink as often as twice a week or more is humorous at first, but if you consider the implications, it is very serious. No doubt there were teenagealcoholics among the generation that is now parenting today's teeneagers. But how many of today's parents still use alcohol more than twice a week. Alcohol is not only a piroblem with today's teenagers. Very few social events are conducted without an open bar and entertainment which includes family is rare because of the broad use of alcohol at so many social events. If you stop• to consider the problem, it isn't only the teenagers who are misusing alcohol. Many of them have been watching their parents. They have learned that to have a .good tine you must have plenty of booze and if you have a problem, the easy solution is to get drunk and drown your sorrows.- . It's tinge many of today's parents realized theyshould be setting a better example for their teenage sons and daughters. A program, established by the county health unit to deal with the problem of teenager's misuse of alcohol in the county, should also be directed at the adults in our society who are also part of the .problem. e Criticize Milier budget in legislature By Murray Elston, M.P.P.. (Huron -Bruce]. Budget Activity at Queen's Park revolved around the Budget presentation made by Treasurer Frank Miller. Liberal Finance Critic, David Peterson, spoke in reply to the. budget which he termed "...a $603 million tax grab from the taxpayers' pockets.". Mr. Peterson - further cited the government for being. unwilling and unableto deal with the highest rates of inflation in Ontario in living memory ;and the highest interest rates of all time. . "...The Budget contains not a single measure toassist. consumers in dealingwith these critical problems. Instead, what this Budget actually does is seek ways to profit from inflation. In fact, the proposed tax measures will only serve to add fuel to the inflationary fires." Both the "ad . valorem" gas ., tax and the increase in personal income tax were singled out for comment. By changing priorities of government spending, funds could be found to deal with our current economic difficulties without throwing the load on the tax- payers. Grants of $200 million to prof- itable companies could have been cut and $508 million could have seen sav- ed if the unplanned short-sighted land acquisitions glad not been mane. The net result of the budget in any case is a .deficit for this year of $997 million, which will cause Ontario's interest payments to soar to $5 million per day. OHP Last week I reported that the Government Members defeated an at- tempt by a private Member 'to intro- duce a bill that requested OHIP coverage for victims of masectomy. Through the concerted efforts of the Leader of the Opposition and a ruling by the Speaker, the bill has ,now been re -introduced in the House and has received first reading. Re-Mor/Astra.Trust The ' Opposition :Members of the Justic Committee again attempted to have the . Re-More/Astra Trust matter brought before the Justice Committee for further study, as was urged in the report by the Committee when the election was called. Again, Govern- ment Members have . voted solidly to put off any . further 9 dealings with Re -Mor until at. least the fall session. The Committee meetings . have been attended regularly by upset Re -Mor/ - Astra Trust investors who lost their savings . in the collapse of the com- panies. Jim Bradley (Liberal Member for St. Catharines), aJustice Com- , mittee veteran, has led. the efforts to have the enquiry continued. The Government is sytematicallyeliminat- ing every channel, of enquiry open to the Committee, and unfortunately many important questions concerning the company collapses may never be answered publicly. New Driving Regulations As of June 1, 1981, new •drivers in Ontario will receive probationary licences for .two years. These licences can be suspended for thirty days when six demerit points are accumulated. If the new drivergoes for a two-year period without suspension, the proba- tionary status is removed. At the same time, demerit points for all drivers will be assessed: as of thedate of the infraction, rather than as of the date of conviction. This will prevent escape from suspension by means of post- poning trials. Landlord And Tenant The Ontario Government Commis- sion` created to deal with Landlord and Tenant problems in,'Ontario has been ruled unconstitutional because their powers were the same 'as those excer- siable by county courts. Roy McMurty ruled the decision unfortunate and suggested that this rulingpointed to the need for a new constitution. Ramifications of the decision in relation to rent review and other matters between landlords and ten- ants will appear when the Ontario Government makes known its legis- lative. response. Environment Environment Minister Keith Norton is aiming to reduce delays to projects caused by environmental hearing requirements, New "streamlining" legislation will provide for a single tribunal to hear many matters at one time and cut the process in half. The legislation appears to be a reaction to circumstances that cause the Ontario Cabinet to exempt the South ,Cayuga liquid waste project from hearings, and to approve construction of High- way 404 without Environment Minist- ry approvals. The bill also will have an impact in our Riding, as the govern- ment has promised Ontario Hydro that approvals for ,a second power line but of the Bruce nuclear complex will be available more quickly than the last. trees By Don Campbell Between the chores of cleaning the big house and preparing meals, Flora made several trips to the old log cabin. She took the mattress and blankets off the bed and layed them out on the grass to catch the 'full warmth of the summer sun. There was a mustiness about the place through lack of use and there was very little furniture. Still Flora felt a secret joy at sharing it with her new husband. Until today,she and Neil had no chance to consumate their marriage. They had lived on board the "Kingston Lass" where they had slept in hammocks, and women and small children had been separated from the men. So as sile'cleaned up the cabin she worked with a . feeling of excitement. It was, she told herself, the beginning of the honeymoon. Neil began the long chore of bringing the flock back to a respectable condition. There were more than a hundred shaggy fleeces to be shorn, and hoofs to be trimmed. This latter operation demanded his immediate attention. Whoever tended the sheep before, had little or no knowledge about their welfare. The hoofs had been neg- lected 'for so long, many of the sheep appeared to be quite lame. It was a long, laborious, tedious task, and Neil had hoped that William Blake would assist him. He was disappointed. "1 used to have a man come in now and then to take care of the clipping and shearing," • he told Neil, as he looked half -interestedly over the bottom half of the barn door. "Never did learn to trim hoofs - it's such a mucky lob!" At least Neil found one consolation. William -Blake was not likely to interfere too much with his work.!' Mearwhile, Hamish Murdoch hadgone over to see Pierre Bechard soon after the streaks of dawn appeared above the eastern bush. He found him rubbing the cutting edge of a double -bladed axe against a large rock. "My name is Murdoch Sir, Hamish Murdoch. I believe ,you are wanting a man to chop down trees," Hamish said in a soft embarrassed tone. Pierre paused for a moment and ran his thumb along the cutting . edge as he looked at Hamish. "You are a Scotsman," Pierre said with a hint of doubt in his voice. "And by the way you speak, you are new to Canada, I don't suppose you ever dropped a tree in your fife!" • Hamish nodded. "That is true, Sir, but 1 am a hard worker and l can soon learn "That's what they all say," Pierre told him in a thick French accent. "One day they try, maybe two; then pouff! They are gone with an aching back and blistered hands. How do.1 know you're different from the rest?`" He smiled sarcastically at Hamish Hamish felt the anger rising within him but fought back his temper. "1 am a Highlander Sir. 1 may break my back and tear the flesh from my hands, but 1 will never surrender to a tree as long as there is breath in my body! Pierre Bechard laughed, threw his axe to the ground and slapped Hamish 'good naturedly on the back. "At least your words are brave my friend. If you stay the • week, I'll give you three dollars." He held out his hand and Hamish felt the callouses and the strength of the broad fingers. "My name is Pierre, not "Sir' I am no fine Englishman. I am a woodsman. Just cail me Pierre and let me see you sweat. Then we shall be friends,' Bechard gave Hamish a few lessons on handling the axe. wedging the trees and then cutting from the back, to make them fall in the right place. Whatever Blake found wrong with the Catholics, Hamish thought, it had nothing to do with the way they worked. That evening. it was late when. Neil at last left the sheep to comma to the cabin. Flora Was waiting for him. She sat upon the cabin steps watching a large yellow moon rising above the trees and listening to the nocturnal symphony of the crickets. They talked about their good fortune in finding such .a place so soon in the new land. It was all like a dream, she said. Was it so long ago that she lived with her first husband James, in a "wee but an' ben" amongst the rows and.rows of miners dwellings? Who would have dreamed that they could have survived the long "Mavis" voyage, the storms at sea and the pestilence of typhus? When atlast she went inside to go to bed, she left Neil sitting. alone With his thoughts. But she was quite sure that he was not thinking about the "auld harm" or the "new hame". Her man was too bashful to come to her ' bed. impatient at his delay, she opened the small :window above him. "Och, Mr. MacCrimmon," she called mockingly. "Di ye no think ye should come awa the noo? I'll be wantin` tae make a man o' ye! "