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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1964-07-30, Page 9• Better Than Race Riots Perhapes you, too, are fed up with the troubles which are plaguing mankind. Every daily paper we pick up seems to be crammed with the stories of human vi- olence and folly. If you would like to find a pleasant alternative we can recommend a number of beautiful outdoor recreation areas, none of them too far from home. We spent the week -end at one of them—in fact the one spot in Ontario we find most fascinating. This particular place is Port 'Severn, the western terminus of the famous Trent Canal system, and loca- ted at the lower extremity of the Thirty Thousand Islands. Though this beauty spot is only 140 miles from Wingham, it is not well known to most residents of Western Ontario. R is, however, e boat- man's paradise. The word "canal" is deceptive in this case, for the waterway follows the course of the Severn River through a series of spectacular lakes and rock -walled can- yons, curving in general north and east until it merges into Sparrow Lake, which in turn is connected +r) Lake Couchiching by the only piece of actual canal con- struction in the entire stretch. Boats are lifted by lock from the level of Georgian Bay at Port Severn into what is called Gloucester Pool. The pool is ac- tually a large lake, dotted with islands and promotories. From the pool the boats proceed through a stretch of the river itself and then must take the next upward step by marine railway at Rig Chute, A second marine railway and a second lock complete the lift to Lake Couchiching farther along the route. In even a small boat it is quite pos- sible to make the run through from Georgian Bay to Washago at the top of Lake Couchiching in less than a day -- and thousands of them do it. The entire stretch provides tremendous panaramas of rugged shoreline Tined with beautiful cottages. The boat traffic is heavy, of course, but highly interesting since there are many American cruisers on these waters. If you don't have a boat the many lodges, hotels and camping sites near Port Severn offer countless attractions for visitors. Just standing at the locks to watch the boats go through is fascinating. Ontario, of course, has so many in- teresting places to see that we hesitate to recommend any one in particular. However, the Trent waterway has the dis- tinct advantage of being relatively close to our part of the country and can be reached by highways that are far less con- gested with summer traffic than those arteries which lead to the large cities. Losing Confidence Wisecracks about the government of Canada are becoming increasingly com- monplace. Writers in the daily and periodical press are referring repeatedly to public impatience with the law -makers in Ottawa, chiefly because many weeks have been spent in debating issues which appear to us to be relatively unimportant. The question of a new flag for Canada and the long debate it has given rise to, -are largely responsible for this trend of opinion. it seems that most Canadians are not very deeply concerned about a new flag -- or at least not sufficiently concerned to believe it worth a prolonged debate, It is true that the public has grown more than a little sarcastic about the maturity of our elected representatives. Certainly their opinions have been molded to some degree by the waspish remarks from the Opposition. Though the public has every right to expect, and even to demand high grade of performance from those men and women who have been sent to Ottawa to look after our national problems, we believe it regrettable that the reputation of Par- liament should suffer because of the topics under discussion. There is a great danger that we will become contemptu- ous of the entire system by which our country operates because a certain amount of pettiness has crept in. The truth is that there has always been a good deal of small talk in the House of Commons. Little of it is re- ported in the papers, but a few hours devoted to the reading of Hansard, the official and complete record of debates, would convince you that a good many members think it perfectly all right to fool around a bit while they are on the job. Being human, that attitude is under- standable. A little humor judiciously mixed with more serious matters is valu- able. Perhaps the real trouble rises when the lighter remarks are taken too seriously and replies become burdened with sarcasm. Let us not, however, start laughing at Parliament itself. it still remains, the best (not the perfect) answer to man's need for self-expression and self-rule. Progressive Outlook Howick Council made a progressive move earlier this month in asking the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority to undertake a study of the mill ponds at both Gorrie and Fordwich. The study will be clone by engineers to determine the cost of improving the two sites as reservoirs. While this area has not been suffering as much as municipalities to the south from dropping water tables, the Howick Council is looking ahead in an effort to prevent a major problem. When the cost study is completed the council will have to decide whether or not to proceed with any restorative program at the two ponds. The work would entail desilting the ponds, repairing the dams and improv- ing devices which control the water levels. The cost of the study will be covered by a grant of 75 percent from the Depart- ment of Energy and Resources Manage- ment, the Howick Council contributing the remaining 25 percent. The study has been organized by the Conservation Auth- ority in co-operation with the Conserva- tion Branch of the Department. Engin- eers have already made a preliminary in- spection of the two ponds. If Howick decides to proceed with the proposed schemes after the study is made, the actual cost of the work wilt receive the same subsidy as the study. As well as improving the mill ponds for the retaining of water, there is also the added feature of some degree of flood control on that branch of the river. In the same vein the Town of Wing - ham is also having e study made, through the co-operation of the Authority, to find out if better use can be made of the Lower Town pond. While a desilting project has already been approved under a scheme set up by the Parks Board, it may well be that a more extensive project could be carried out for the same cost to the municipality. The study may prove that extra work could improve the site as a water storage reservoir. The grant structure for such work was raised from 50 to 75 percent of cost by the newly -organized government de- partment in an effort to do something concrete in regard to continuing water shortages in the province. The Hon. J. R. Simmonett, who heads the department, has taken a deep interest in the problem and stated not so long ago that he felt a crash program was needed to beat the water shortage problem. In the case of Howick it is to be hoped that the cost to the municipality to im- prove the two ponds will be within economic feasibility. THE WINGHAIVI ADVANCE - TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulation; Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Associ- ation; Member Canadian Community rtewspapera Representatives Authorized by the Post Office i>epartnient BS Second Class Mail and for payment of postage in cash Subscription Rate: One Year, $4.00; Six Months, $2.25, in advance U.B.A., $5.00 per year; Foreign rate, $5.00 pet year Advertising Rated on application REMINISCING JULY 1914 While watching the fire• works an the evening of July 1st, Master James, son of Mr, Geo, Allan, was struck with a rocket, causing a severe wound on the forehead. Mt. Willy Hawes, son'of Mr, and Mrs. W. J. llaines has been engaged as teacher in the school at Marlebtnk, near Tweed, Miss Janet Brock has been engaged as teacher in the Junction School acid Miss Ada Haines has been r(. 'engaged as teacher in Holm c:pool. The many frieuds, of Mr. and Mrs, Wm. Stapl. ton will be glad to learn that t'.,eir "house- hold" is now in t1.'' uidst of celebrating a Fainly Reunion the first to he ern' .,.d by all members of the , t: rly after a separation cover. a period of eleven years, Tipt return of their eldest daugi,', r Pearl to- gether with her 1:. +nand Mr, G. 13. Champlin, froei their home in Providence, h.1, , marks their initial visit to Wingham and the event ha:- ..t only been one of great joy , nd happiness to the members of the family residing at home. !.ur it has at- tracted those fron, other pacts of the country.Ivliszes Betty and Jean returning fro,.. Toronto al- so Mr. Percy Stapleton fromDe- troit, The family circle being complete one and all have join- ed hands to make this occasion surpass anything that has ever been penned on homecoming. We understand that James Bowman, M. P. tor Fast Huron has recommended the appoint- ment of C. N. Griffin as Post- master of Winghau; to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the late Peter Fisher, The Times is pleased to hear that Mr. Griffin is to receive the ap- pointment. Two of the spoons competed for by the members of "B" Company, 33rd Regiment have already been awarded. The competition of Saturday,July 18 was won by Pte. L. Harding, and that of July 25th by Sergt. J. Budge. We understand that Engineer Jones, during his visit in town last week found that it would be possible to construct sewers from the side streets west ofJo- sephine street to the main sew- er. This will be good news for our townspeople and will en- able people residing west ofJo- sephine street to procure proper sewage service, We also un- derstand that Mr. Jones has assured ratepayers on Diagonal street that the sewer is of suf- ficient depth to permit of pro- per sewage service. It is pleas- ing to find that Mr. Jones is of the same opinion as Messrs. Groves and Fralick o n th is matter. JULY 1928 Congratulations are extended to Miss Mary Cook, of Belgrave, in passing her primary piano examinations of Toronto Con- servatory of Music. Miss Cook is a pupil of Mies Sarah Cole, Belgrave. The three nurses, who gra- duated in May 'tom the Gener- al Hospital, Wingham, Miss Alma Free, Dungannon; Miss Irene Collins, Armow, and Miss Lillian Hetherington, Wingham, have all been suc- cessful in passing the Depart- mental examinations for regis- tration of nurse. in the Province of Ontario. JULY 1939 Messrs. Fred Fuller, F. W. Spry, W. VanWyck, R. Vint and Dr. R. C. Redmond are at- tending the Masonic Grand Lodge which is .onvened in To- ronto. Mr, and Me, Christopher Hearn, of Southampton, an- nounce the engagement of their youngest daughter, Kathleen Christena, to N r. Harry J. Fry- fogle, of Wingham. The mar- riage to take place the early part of August. As we go to press we learn of the death o1 Crank Henry, of Whitechurch, in his 85th year. About twenty young menga- thered at the home of Mr. Ro- ger Oke as guests of Mr. Jack Herd on Thursday evening of last week to honor Mr. Harold BLOOD FROM A STONE --- At Ottawa's Bronson Avenue blood bank Nurse Marilyn Westwick shows aide Linda Barkhouse she can get blood from e Stone—if he's a vol- unteer donor. Flying Officer Ray Stone of Air Force Headquarters is one of five Stones on the Canadian Red Cross active donors list. RCAF personnel give 12,000 bottles of blood each year. —DND Photo. *tin AbbraloteZimit Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, July 30, 1964 SECOND SECTION SUGAR AND SPICE The Cottage By BILL SMILEY Occasionally, I think how pleasant it would be to have a summer cottage. Just a cosy little place, on a lake, where a fellow could get away from it all, do a little quiet fishing and thinking. A spot to go on those long, lovely fall weekends, as well. Fortunately, this manifes- tation of madness is brief. My well-developed sense of re alit y revives, and I breathe a little silent thanks that I have not been hooked. A summer cottage, thirty years ago, was a joy to the heart, a balm to the nerves, a refuge from relatives, a source of spiritual rejuvena- tion. Today it is almost guaran- teed as an ulcer -maker, a n e w e -wrecker, a spirit - smasher. It is an albatross around the neck of its own- er, who winds up each sea- son looking and feeling about as spry as the Ancient Mariner. First, and perhaps worst, there is the sheer, shocking expense of the thing. A man could keep three mistresses swathed in mink for what a cottage costs him. Thirty years ago, you bought a lot from a farmer, who thought you were out of your mind, for $50. You had a local carpenter whack up a cottage for about $400. For another $35, you picked up a stove, some beds and a few other odds and sods of furniture, at auction sales. And you were in business. Today you fork over about $1500 for a lot, erect a mo- dest cottage for another $3500. And you're just begin- ning. It costs a year's sa- lary to outfit the place' Then there's a well to dig, plumbing and hydro to in- stall, and a boat to buy that Mitchell, recently married, They presented him with a beautiful trilight floor lamp. Results of the recent piano examinations held in Lucknow: Donna Walker, Grade II, Hon- ours: Tommy Lockridge, Grade II, pupils of Miss 13. M. Gordon, A, T.C.M. Mr. and Mrs, 'Tennyson Glanville, of Seattle, Wash. , are visiting for a few days at the home of Mrs, T. J. McLean before proceeding to the World's Fair at New York. Mr. Glan- ville will he remembered by tnany as he attended High School here when it was first opened. Ile is now instructor . of Commercial Law and An- cient History in one of the col- leges in that State. Fallacy is bigger than that of the guy next door. In the old days, a man could keep his family in dig- nified comfort at the cot- tage for about ten bucks a week. That, gentle reader, is eighty dollars for the whole summer. They got their fuel in the bush. They bought vegetables and milk, chickens and eggs, from the local farmer at prices that make one weep with rage today. Once a week, the family went into town and loaded up with grub, coal -oil for the lamps, and a round of ice-cream cones, for about eight dollars. In these enlightened 1960's, keeping the family at the cottage is like watching blood pour out of an open wound. There's wood to buy for the fireplace, and gaso- line for the boats, and hydro bills and taxes and repairs to the plumbing system, And there's the thrice -week- ly swoop on the supermark- et and booze outlets, to the tune of about thirty dollars a swoop. But it's not only the finan- cial aspect that appalls me. It's the communications and transportation progress that makes a cottage owner go around all summer with a severe facial twitch. In the good old days, a man drove his family a hundred miles to the cot- tage and left them there until Labour Day. He didn't see or hear one of them for eight weeks. Those were, in- deed, the golden days. Nowadays, the poor guy has had a couple of long-dis- tance calls telling him that the toilet is leaking and the kids all have pink eye and his wife has run out of mon- ey because she had quite a repair bill on the Volks aft- er backing it into the boat trailer. Then he's expected to drive a hundred miles Fri- day night in traffic that would make a bishop blas- pheme.He arrives just be- fore dark, to find that the pump has broken down, the kids have wracked up the boat, the baby has drowned but has been revived by ar- tificial desperation, and the next-door neighbours, who never know enough to go home, have been invited in for a drink. Letters to the Editor Advance -Times Wingham Dear Sir: With reference to your "turtle" news of last week, there were two turtles inyolyed, I do not know for sure the year in which the one referred to was exhibited - as far as I know it was not painted and I do not remember hearing Johnny Brent talking about the turtle meat on TV. However, "Mike" was not cooked and eaten. fie was do- nated to the Junior Conservation Club by Mr. Clark of Brussels for the weight guessing contest at their booth at the Trade Fair in June 1963. It was re- turned to Mr. Wormworth after the fair by Albert ',Untold, then liason officer for the Juniors. I fed it at intervals in a washtub full of water. It would eat meat thrown into the tub, oth- erwise it was left loose in the basement where I kept losing it, It could barely turn around in the washtub but could crawl away and hide in the smallest places. After a few days Mr. Worm - worth released it in a small ditch in Turnherry Twp, so it must have travelled quite a distance. Some of the Junior Club members helped in the paint- ing. I could not find out the exact weight of "Mike". Ross Smith, R. R. 4, Wingham won 1st prize and W. Caslick of Wingham second. Other years the Junior booth has exhibited a fawn and a Ca- nada goose. Hope this helps to clear up the mystery of the painted tur- tle. Yours sincerely, Margaret Wortnworth P.S. When I fed it, I did not pick it up and 1 scoope.J it up on a sawdust shovel to put it in the tub -- it seemed to weigh a ton but Ross just pick- ed it up. u- -tl- -e July 01, 1:I64 The Fditor, Advance -Times, Wingham, Ontario Dear Sir: Would you please express our appreciation and our thanks to all the friends in and around Wingham who so generously contributed materials to Wood- eden Camp tor Crippled Chil- dren. '11i . donations of Fry and Blackhall and Gurney's Gloves were particularly useful. We would like everyone concerned to knew that their contributions are helping to make this a successful sunttner tor Arts and Crafts at Woodedei and a happy one for the camp- ers, Sincerely, Patricia Laidlaw Mary Hamilton (Arts and Crafts Department)