HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1965-03-11, Page 9Complicated Solution
A week or two ago Robert J. Boyer,
M.P,P. for Muskoka, and second vice-
chairman of Ontario Hydro, gave a com-
prehensive report to the Ontario Legis-
lature on a problem which has assumed
major proportions for many residents of
this province—the level of water in the
* Great Lakes.
Since so many of us have theories
about what causes low water levels and
how they can be raised, it was worth-
while to gain factual information.
Mr. Boyer, who has been responsible
for reporting on studies undertaken by
Ontario Hydro, points out that the low
water problem has been created chiefly
by natural causes and not man-made ones.
Unusually light precipitation, both of rain
and snow in the basins of Lakes Michigan,
Huron, St. Clair, Erie and Ontario is one
• of the main contributing factors, along
with above-average evaporation.
Economic losses in terms of light car-
goes on freight vessels, costly dredging
of channels, extensions to docks and
harbor facilities, loss of revenue for resort
operators and loss of power potential at
• hydro -electric plants, reaches an Incalcul-
able total in any extended period of low
water levels.
The low water problem has been
under study by various interested groups
on both sides of the border and active
programs of engineering and construc-
• tion will be undertaken at once to mini-
mize the Toss of water from the Great
Lakes Basin. Among these projects is an
extensive construction of underwater
weirs at the foot of Lake Huron to delay
the run-off which will be handled by the
American authorities.
Since Lake Superior has not been af-
fected by low levels, a higher -than -
average run-off has been permitted from
that body of water into the Michigan -
Huron lake level. As a result Lake Su-
perior was lowered a few inches and
Lakes Huron and Michigan raised slightly.
• Some arm -chair experts have contend-
ed that the whole problem is created by
the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway
and the consequent loss of water through
the new and deeper ship channels. The
fact is that run-off at this point can be
and is controlled, but the amount of flow
reduction must be governed by the down-
stream installations, such as Montreal
harbor facilities, the ship channels in the
Lower St. Lawrence and the hydroelec-
tric installations below the Seaway
channels.
Mr. Boyer's report makes interesting
reference to two plans which have been
put forward as an all-time remedy for
low water conditions in the Great Lakes.
One is the plan propounded by a Sudbury
engineer, under which a river in the
Hudson Bay watershed could be dammed
and the water pumped back to feed
through the French River into Lake
Huron. Cost of the plan would be in
the neighborhood of two billion dollars.
Although the benefits might conceivably
merit this large expenditure, other factors
cast some doubt on the usefulness of the
scheme.
A second and much more grandiose
plan has been proposed by an American
engineer. His project would trap the
waters of the rivers in the Pacific North-
west, such as the Fraser, Yukon, etc., and
turn a portion of their flow back through
a series of tunnels and canals to provide
water not only for the Great Lakes drain-
age basin, but for irrigation purposes
over a vast area of the central Canadian,
American and Mexican plains. It would
entail a 500 mile -long storage lake in the
Canadian Rockies some 3,000 feet above
sea level.
, The project is so vast as to appear
mere fantasy ... but it must be borne
in mind that the financial benefits would
likewise be fantastic.
The report concludes, however, with
the advice that the most urgent task
before this generation is the development
of better methods for controlling the use
of water from the sources which now
feed the Great Lakes, and is notably op-
timistic that worthwhile progress is be-
ing made in this direction.
Is It Parliamentary?
▪ There always has been doubt as to
the interpretation of what is proper in
debate. Generally the standards as es-
tablished in the House of Commons at
Westminster have been regarded as final,
and as a result there is keen interest in
the rulings of Mr. Speaker in the British
• House.
We are reminded by "Industry" that
Mr. Speaker's decision on these occasions
is rarely challenged by the Commons
assembled and invariably establishes a
precedent as to what is and what is not
permissible. That it does not always
*escape criticism in the country at large,
however, is evidenced in the thunderous
attack mounted in the columns of The
Times on his recent ruling that Prime
Minister Harold Wilson was not out of
order in suggesting that an opposition
* M.P. should be treated as a "parliamen-
tary leper."
One indignant correspondent has gone
so far as to unearth all the (to him,
lesser) expressions which previous Speak-
ers have required to be withdrawn since
the beginning of this century.
• A partial list tends to confirm that
British parliamentarians, like our own,
have not always seen eye to eye over the
past fifty years and is something of an
education in itself.
Among the more choice phrases which
w
•
have been ruled out of order are "im-
pertinent puppy"; "cheeky young pup";
"villain"; "murderers"; "stool pigeons";
"ruffianism"; "hypocrite"; "stooge";
"ratter" and "Pecksniffian cant" (Dick-
ens' "Martin Chuzzlewit" refers).
Even the most distinguished parlia-
mentarians, it seems, have had their
lapses, the late Sir Winston Churchill
among them. Had he not been ordered
to come up with another expression for
"liar!" the world might never have heard
of his now classic substitution "purveyor
of terminological inexactitudes."
Yet the prize for admissible insults
bearing the stamp of greatness and wit
probably should go to Disraeli, prime
minister a hundred years ago. It was
he who, asked by his arch -rival Glad-
stone to explain the difference between
"calamity" and "catastrophe," replied:
"If the Honourable Member fell into the
Thames that would be a calamity; if
someone pulled him out that would be
a catastrophe."
And it was Disraeli again who, call-
ed to order once for declaring that half
the Cabinet members were "asses," re-
plied: "I withdraw that, Mr. Speaker.
Half the Cabinet are not asses."—Huron
Expositor.
Lack of Wisdom
An unusual demonstration of the fact
that minimum wage laws are not always
wise and beneficial has been reported
by the Toronto Globe and Mail. In pro-
4test of a government -decreed wage in-
crease, says the paper, sheep shearers in
New Zealand have walked off the job.
The sheep farmers and their workers
obviously know a great deal more about
their business than does their govern-
ment. Wool from the second shear of
New Zealand sheep is exported to carpet
makers in Canada and the United States.
But it is a highly competitive market.
The government, in its wisdom, set a
limit of a 40 -hour week and established
holiday and overtime pay for shearers,
shed -hands and cooks. The farmers and
their employees protested that this was
lack of wisdom since the higher labor
costs would price their product out of
the North American carpet -wool market,
end the second shearing and result in
unemployment. When the government
said there could be no appeal against
the new wages -and -hours regulations, the
shearers called a strike.
The incident is unusual not only be-
cause of the protest against higher pay
but also because it so clearly illustrates
that wages are set by the market, and
not by decree.—BowmAnville Statesman.
THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES
Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited
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THE HURON PRESBYTERY of the United Church held its
spring meeting at Wingham United Church last Wednes-
day. Rev. Clifford Britton, of Seaforth, seated right, was
acting chairman. To his left is secretary Murdock Mor-
rison, of Varna. Standing are Rev. Hugh C. Wilson, of
London, a former chairman of the Presbytery, who spent
30 years with the group; Joseph Snider, of Goderich,
treasurer, and Mrs. A. McTaggart, president of the Huron
Presbytery United Church Women.
—Advance -Times Photo.
bain Utenciegiline
Wingham, Ontario, Thursday, Mar. 11, 1965
SECOND SECTION
Anniversary of United Church Set for June 6
Huron Presbytery of the
United Church of Canada met
last Wednesday in Wingham
United Church. Rev. J. Clifford
Britton of Seaforth was chair-
man.
Presbytery was informed
that 14 ministers are entering
The United Church of Canada
from such churches as The Bap-
tist Convention of Ontario and
Quebec, The Evangelical Re-
formed Church of Northwest
Germany, The Chinese Christ-
ian Church of Formosa, The
Church of Scotland, The Re-
formed Church in America.
These ministers will be receiv-
ed by Presbyteries across Can-
ada.
Rev. Clifford G. Park of
Clinton, a member of the Lon-
don -Huron Committee on
Church Union, commented up-
on the prospects of union be-
tween the Anglican and United
Churches: "There are two re -
Letters to the Editor
Advance- Times,
Wingham, Ontario.
Dear Sir:
Sincere thanks for your
editorial of March 4 regarding
sewers.
As residents who are in fa-
vour of sewers for north Wing -
ham, may we voice our disap-
pointment at the strongly neg-
ative attitude displayed by both
council members, and many
taxpayers at the recent meet-
ing. Be assured we, too, feel
the cost is high, and are in
sympathy with all concerned
who feel it would be a burden.
But by deferring it 10-20 years,
are general rising costs going
to make the project absolutely
prohibitive for the future? The
suggestion to wait until more
homes are built seems, to us,
a very hopeless solution, since
there have only been two homes
build in this area in the past 10
years that we have resided here,
Is there a reason? As lot owners
we know too well the question
of prospective buyers, "Are
there sewers?"
Is North Wingham an ob-
jectionable part of town to de-
velop? We think not. The
scenic value alone of the river
cannot be overlooked, and the
creditable job done by the Ri-
verside Park Committee has
added greatly to North Wing -
ham.
The proposed new Hanna
Memorial Bridge will, I'm
sure, be a credit to the North-
ern entrance of our town.
The Planning and Develop-
ment Board will surely not over-
look
verlook the potential that exists
for industry in the area directly
east of Lloyds North Plant, it
being served with rail facilities
adds another favourable aspect.
As an alternative, should the
town decide to purchase this
area for a sub -division, who
knows there may be quite a
number willing to build modest
homes, in the $12,000 figure,
but who would not wish to obli-
gate themselves to such homes
as grace some other parts of
town.
In either case develop-
ment of this area would help
ease costs for those persons
having frontage here as well
as on Josephine Street.
With at least one industry
not wishing to support the pro-
ject at the present time, it
handicaps private owners be-
cause of the necessary 50°Jo as-
sessment required by a two-
thirds majority for a petition.
Should citizens be deprived
the right to have modern sani-
tary facilities? There does ex-
ist property on North Josephine
Street where because of space
and hard pan soil conditions,
septic tanks cannot be satis-
factorily installed at any price.
Surely a town can, in some
way, plan to have sewer ser-
vice provided for their main
street, at least.
The taxpayers in North
Wingham are of course paying,
and will continue to pay, their
share for the lagoon disposal
project. Why not then do our
part to have some use of this
service? We will, individually,
have costs in maintaining our
present systems, regardless.
With a corner lot and pro-
perty equal to approximately 4
•§tandard lots, we speak as own-
ers who would have consider-
able costs, but still feel in the
long run we would do both our-
selves and those who follow us
a service by supporting a sewer
project.
Yours truly,
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Jardin
Advance -Times,
Wingham.
Dear Sin
Do we need more homes
for our Senior Citizens? Yes, I
think We do --not so much in
the way of additions to our
county home, or smaller ver-
sions of that home elsewhere in
the County, but more in the
nature of the privateor nursing
home type.
Basically the purpose of
our County Home (Huronview)
is to provide a home and care
for our Senior Citizens who are
not financially able to do it for
themselves.
However, it is a known
fact that our County Officials
concerned with the County
Home, have been soliciting
paying residents, and giving
them accommodation at a rate
which is subsidized by the tax-
payer.
No public institution such
as Huronview, which is financ-
ed by the taxpayer, should be
in competition with Nursing
Homes which have to support
themselves.
If our County Homes were
used strictly for what they are
intended for, there is some
doubt additions would be nec-
essary.
I submit that as long as
people are able to pay their
own way, they should do so --
but not in an institution that is
financed by the taxpayer for
another purpose. Some people
argue that because of the won-
derful facilities at the County
Home residents receive much
better care than they would in
a nursing home. One case
comes to mind of an elderly
lady who was in the hospital
for a while, then in a nursing
home. Her son discovered she
was being better cared for in
the nursing home than in the
hospital.
Yes, we see lots of marble
and granite in our large insti-
tutions --but too often with a
staff, with no time for the per-
sonal touch --which is more evi-
dent
vident in the smaller home.
Hospitalization should be
extended, at least in part, to
qualifying Nursing homes, be-
cause many patients in these
homes are more difficult to
look after than some in our
hospitals.
M. Ross Smith,
Morris Township.
quirements for a successful un-
ion between the Anglican and
United Churches - (1) the ac-
ceptance of bishops by the
United Church and (2) recogni-
tion by the Anglican Church of
the United Church ministry as
valid without re -ordination. In
the proposed new church the
method of establishing andcon-
secrating bishops should satisfy
the Anglicans; then again, the
fact that the bishops would be
responsible to the church courts
should make it acceptable to
the United Church. We should
also point out that this will be
mutually acceptable to mem-
bership as well as ministry. It
should be kept in mind that
the London -Huron Committee's
findings have no authority out-
side London Conference and
Huron Diocese; we do hope
that our plan will spark discus-
sion and action."
The United Church Women
of Huron Presbytery reported
that 2, 957 members raised a
total of $110, 000.00 in 1964.
The Centennial Committee
initiated plans for the observ-
ance of the church's 40th anni-
versary when it designated Sun-
day, June 6th as the day to
hold such an event; it recom-
mended that each congregation
plan a local service with a
speaker from another denomin-
ation as guest. "In such a way,"
the committee chairman, Rev.
Cecil Jardine, reported, "we
can emphasize our member-
ship in the Church Catholic
(or world-wide.)."
A solemn note was expressed
regarding the shortage of or-
dained ministers. Ninety men
are lost each year in the church
through death, retirement, etc.
With the increase in the num-
ber of new churches being es-
tablished and a poor enlistment
in the ranks of students, the
picture does not look good for
rural areas which would be the
first to feel the shortage.
Bridge Club
North and South: Mrs. H.
Fisher and Miss Y. McPherson,
and Mrs. C. Hodgins and W.
Wharry tied for first; B.Ortlieb
and J. Martin, second; Mrs, J.
H. Crawford and Mrs. B. Mathes
third.
East and West; Mrs. F. Forgie
and C. Hodgins, first; O. Hasel-
grove and W. Laidlaw, second;
Mrs. D. Nasmith and A.M.
Forbes, third.