Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1964-12-10, Page 9} Here's A Futile Protest The Canadian public should be sea- soned to confusion where political mat- ters are concerned. For months it has been all but impossible to distinguish the motives which Iie behind the utter- ances of our members of parliament, federal or provincial. Sometimes their statements bear all the hallmarks of true public concern—and then the same peo- ple use exactly the same tone of voice to issue statements which, upon analysis, prove to be nothing more than political cracks, intended to discredit the oppos- ing parties. Donald MacDonald, leader of the Ontario NDP group came out with one of the latter variety at a recent meeting " in Hanover. Seeking to criticise the government he objected to a plan where- by skilled workers would be brought into the province from Japan. Mr. MacDonald did not suggest that• • 1 such foreign help would cost Canadians their jobs., Rather he cried out that the move would be unfair to Japan. He pro, tested that we would be "raiding" Japan, ese industry in order to secure help for our own businesses, Considering the swarming millions of workmen in Japan, and also recalling the desire there has been for years on the part of such Oriental people to get into Canada, there seems little reason to feel sorry for the nation from which these persons may come. Apparently the class of workers most likely to be brought in is skilled needle - women, a trade which is practically un- known in this country. it is highly likely that the Japanese will survive the loss of the few Ontario will be able to absorb. Unwelcome News The recent announcement that car in- surance rates are to undergo a sharp • increase will not be received with any great joy by the average car owner. Rates are already much higher than most feel they should be. It is quite true that the insurance companies "prove" their point by quot- ing accident costs and demanding that premiums be high enough to cover the • burden of damage claims. We believe the time has come to assess this exhorbitantly high figure against those who are responsible for it -- the careless and "accident prone" drivers. They are represented by a com- paratively small proportion of the drivers in the province. There would be less objection to the increase if auto insurance were return- able in any way after a driver has proven that he has not contributed to the in- surance company's paid out claim losses. We all know of drivers who have paid full insurance rates for as long as 35 or 40 yearsand have never had a claim of any kind. It seems unjust that they must now up the ante once again to pay for the accidents caused by other less careful drivers, It is true that some special assess- ments are levied against the accident prone classes of drivers. There is a very stiff extra charge when a car is to be op- erated by a driver under 25 years of age. There is a small consideration for the driver who has operated- his ' car for a certain number of years without any claims—but it is small indeed. We would suggest that the Ontario government commission which will be called upon to approve ,the new rates should give some thought to the applica- tion of a penalty system ... a scale of steeply -increased premiums for those who have had accidents. They are the drivers who have proven beyond doubt why high premiums are necessary. There is a need, too, for a re-classi- fication of commercial vehicles. Rather than lumping all vehicles used for busi- ness -purposes, it is time to take into consideration the area in which the ve- hicle is operated most of the time and what proportion of its mileage is for business and what for family purposes. Sensible Plan Secondary schools in Sarnia have re- cognized an important need and are « giving instruction to interested parents in the new type mathematics now being taught in Ontario high schools. London schools are planning to offer similar as- sistance to those mothers and fathers who would like to help their youngsters at home, but who have been left far be- hind by the swing into the new course. It is inevitable that parents must look pretty stupid to their offspring nowadays, for education has accelerated at such a pace that the lessons absorbed by the older generation 25 years ago are very much out -dated today. 'However, there is no reason to sup- pose that all parents are so dense they cannot do some catching up if they are given the opportunity. The move in Sarnia recognizes the vital need for par- ents to remain interested in the progress their youngsters are making at school. They should be sufficiently•well inform- ed on the subjects taught to see that a proper amount of home study is done to insure success. Who Pays the Bills Sometimes, when we read the annual reports of the churches in this town and • district, we wonder how they manage to continue the work they do on the revenue they receive. Every church has its un- selfish and completely generous support- ers, some of whom must be giving until it really hurts. But the salient factor is that a great majority give only what they think they can spare after all their own needs and luxuries have been pro- vided for. If these people were non-Christians in every sense of the word, if they saw no need to have their children christened, if they intended only to be married in a civil ceremony or if they intended to bury their loved ones without the bene- fit of church or clergy, the situation would be more understandable. But that is far from the case. They expect the church and its minister to be avail- able for all the important events in their lives, but they let somebody else worry about how it is going to be kept in op- eration between the times when they want to use it. There are usually the folks who scoff at any worthwhile contribution to the cause of missions, but it is highly pos- sible that they would tike to see the rebels in the Congo somewhat more understanding of the white man's ways. They shudder with horror at the thought of Red China making nuclear war on the West—but they haven't a dime to bridge the gap of misunderstanding between nations. THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger pros, Limited W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer 7tentber Audit 13ureau of Circulation; Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Associ- ation; Member Canadian Community Newspapers Representatives Authorized by the Post Office' Department as Second Class Mail and: for payment of postage in cash Subscription /tate: Orie Ypar—$4,00; Six MonthsL—$2,25, in advance per year; Foreign rate --$5.00 per year • Advertising Rates on applitation CHRISTMAS PARTY -- Tom Burke, of Wroxeter, third right, and his wife held a Christmas party for 40 of their employees at Danny's Restaurant on Friday evening. The Burke Broiler Farms also hosted Mr. and Mrs. J. Alcorn, manager of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Wroxeter, left, and Mr, and Mrs. R. O. Spence, right, of Atwood. Mr. Spence is manager of the poultry opera- tion for the Campbell Soup Company for Canada.--A-T. ingbain Ithbancoeinteo Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, Dec. 10, 1964 SECOND SECTION SUGAR AND SPICE by Bill Smiley Some Myths Two things combined to ar- ouse me this week to one of my sporadic defences of Canada. One was the fact that I have been teaching an essay by Bruce Hutchison called The Canadian Personality. It's a good essay, one which makes the kids studying it think about themselves and their country. The other is 'that my kid brother arrived home the other day after four years in Europe. He's a good kid, but his miscon- ceptions about this country are deplorable. Hutchison, in his essay, sug- gests some of the characterist- ics common to Canadians. They are poetic, but pure poppycock. He speaks first of the "most obvious", our "national humili- ty." This is most obviously a figment of the author's imagina- tion. While most Canadians will grudgingly admit that there's an occasional Limey or Yank who is not devoid of common sense, you'd have a formidable job on your hands to find half a dozen Canadians who felt humble in the presence of either. Next, he says we are, "A con- servative and steady people." Oh, yes. Yes, indeedy. We are the conservative and steady peo- ple who have an election every couple of years, who swing wild- ly from one political party to an- • other, who riot over a hockey game, who have families com- ing to blows over a flag design, who blow up mailboxes. And, he says, our politicians reflect us in ..." their positive terror of color and flair." I guess he's right. John Diefen- baker, a politician to whom we gave the greatest majority in our history, whom we elected twice as Prime Minister, has no more color than a purple dragon breathing crimson flames. "And we are a lonely people", says Hutchison. Well, speak for yourself, old boy. Personally, I'd prefer to be about three times as lonely as l am. You should try, sometime, getting into the bathroom at our place, He says we are, "awed .. , by the fierce northern climate, which colors and toughens .. . one spun` ." Awed be hanged. I went out Sunday morning, It had snowed. My picnic table looked like a pregnant hippo- potamus, lying on her back, I stuck a yardstick down. Twenty- two inches, overnight. But I wasn't awed. I swore for ten minutes, and started shovelling. The kid brother was just as wrong-headed about Canada as About Canada Hutchison. I expected some lu- cid comments on the Canadian scene, for someone who had been exposed to European cul- ture for four years, the last two in Paris. Do you know what he com- plained of? The fact that Euro- peans, who don't have any snow, to speak of, have no cuffs on their trousers, while Canadians, who wade through the stuff for five months, have cuffs. He doesn't realize that we like it that way, that we like to walk into somebody's house, stamp our boots off in their hallway, and turn about four pounds of snow out of our cuffs onto their fresh -waxed hardwood floors. Keeps them from getting house- proud. Do you know what he talked about? Not the impressive view from the Eiffel Tower, but the annual number of suicides who had leaped from it. Not the glo- ries of the Louvre, but the hor- rors of Paris traffic. He spoke with rapture about his meals in Paris, with scorn about Canadian cooking. And left never a morsel of the latter, even though there wasn't a sin- gle snail or a single songbird among it, on his plate. He scoffed at Canadians' en- grossment with money and stat- us symbols. And raved inter- minably about his new Rover, his new hi-fi, his camera, his tape recorder, and how much he saved on them. As far as I'm concerned, I think I'll just let Mr. Hutchison and the kid brother go on living in their dream world, while I go on being a dour, independent, ornery Canadian, without perso- nality, color or culture. Who needs it? EMPLOYER'S RIGHTS A citizen who took the ad- vice of the Minister of Labor and gave winter work to three Men reports that she was con- siderably annoyed to find them having a coffee -and -cigarette break forty-five minutes after arrival on the premises. She stood up for her rights and ticked them off in a nice way. For the balance of the time • they did a day's work for a day's pay. Virtue, they say, is re- warded: she plied them with a pot of tea from time to time. Ne one in this day and age wants to act the slave driver, but, by the same token, no one enjoys being put upon and pay- ing for the privilege. - The Printed Word. Reminiscing DECEMBER 1914 Many of our citizens will be sorry to learn that Mr. Fred Hinkley has accepted a position as bandmaster in Prince Albert Sask., and left on Tuesday morning for that point. Mr. Hinkley has been in charge of the Wingham Citizens' Band for a little over a year, and in that time has made many friends. Hon. Dr. Pyne, Minister of Education, recently announced the first award of scholarships provided for by the will of the late J.I.Carter, of Sarnia, and formerly of Seaforth. The scholarships for Huron County were awarded as follows: 1st, James Gillespie, Seaforth: 2nd, Margaret Knight, Seaforth; 3rd, George W. Geddes, Wing - ham. DECEMBER 1928 The Huron judging team, composed of Messrs. Robert Archibald, Edwin Johns and Edwin Wood, who competed at the Royal Winter Fair in Tor- onto last week, came fourth in a field of thirty-two. Mrs. E. Firth Buller receiv- ed for the first time since mov- ing to Wingham recently. Mrs. Buller wore a smart gown of transparent velvet with corsage of tea roses, her mother, Mrs, W.A. Broughton of London, who received with her, was smartly gowned in brown satin faced crepe and wore a corsage of pale pink roses. Yellow mums were used effectively in the li- ving room. Mrs. A. Everett Logan of London, invited to the tea room where the table was lovely with a cluny cloth centred with a silver basket of pink roses. Tall pink tapers and rose tinted mums on man- tel and buffet added their pret- ty touch. Mrs. W. W. Purdon and Miss Iva Logan of London, and Mrs. F. S. Phillips and Mrs. Wm. Dawson of Wingham, looked after the many guests. Mrs. Thos. Fields poured tea. Little Verne Walker in a sleeve- less, frilled pink frock was a pretty door attendant. The late J. I. Carter of Sar- nia, some fifteen years ago provided for scholarships for the three pupils in certain counties obtaining highest marks on not more than ten papers in the Upper School examinations. For Iluron County, William J. Ilenderson of Winghain took first place; Percy Stuardown of Goderich, second place, and Gertrude Hamilton of Lucknow, third place, Out of the three possible prizes for 1 luron Coun- ty, two, the first and third, go to pupils of Winghaui !lig(' School; and is an additional honor to the pupils and the School they attended, for the same two pupils practically cleaned up the scholarships offered by Queen's University at the same examinations. DECEMBER 1939 Ken Crawford, who has been a student at the local High School for the past two years, has enrolled at St. .Jerome's College, Waterloo. Messrs. Alex Reid, W. Stanley Hall and H. F, McGee attended a joint convocation of Listowel and Palmerston Royal Arch Masons that was held in Listowel. on Friday evening. Major George W. and Mrs. Howson also Mrs. T. W. Platt attended the dinner and re- ception given to the Listowel and Walkerton Batteries at Listowel on Monday by His Honor the Lieut -Gov. Albert Matthews and Mrs, Matthews, Messrs. W. H. Rintoul & Sons local contractors, will com- mence work at once on the erection of a gun shed at the local armouries. The shed will be situate on the north side of the present buildings. DECEMBER 1949 The annual meeting of St. Paul's W.A. was held at the Rectory last week. The fol- lowing officers were elected for the coming year. Hon. Pres., Mrs. E. O. Lancaster; Pres., Mrs. M. Swanson; 1st Vice -Pres. , Mrs. E. R. Armi- tage; 2nd Vice -Pres., Mrs. Geo. Beattie; Sec., Mrs. C. Hinde; Treas., Mrs. E. Nash; Press Reporter, Mrs. M. Davis; Dorcas, Mrs. Mitchell, Mrs. Swanson. At the regular dinner meet- ing of the Lions Club held on Friday evening at the Bruns- wick Hotel; Lion Ford Cruick- shank forecast that unless the cost of television was reduced sharply, and the range increas- ed greatly, that it would be several years before the res- idents of the community could expect to have 1000/0 television reception. He stated that tele- vision was still in the experi- mental stage and that there was still a lot of work to be done before TV would replace the radio of today. Lion President Clayt. welcomed the following guests to the meeting: Dr. Ilenry de Iledderich of Caracas, Vcnczula, S. Am. , G. R. Scott and Lion Hugh Armstrong of Teeswater. The Drama Club have adap- ted the radio play "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas" for stage, The play is directed by Vin bit- Mier and the east includes Klein, Bob Ferguson, 13111 Coiiron, Mary Love, Elizabeth McInnes, Fern Katy, Mary Louise Flack, Norm Fry, Jim 1Iobdcti and Bob Clark.