HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-04-05, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, AprII 5, 15•5
ExocHuron
sitor
Your Community Newspaper Since 1860
TERRI-LYNN DALE - General Manager
& Advertising Manager
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TIM CUMMING - Editor
GREGOR CAMPBELL - Reporter
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BARB STOREY - Distribution
A Burgoyne Community Newspaper
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Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing at 100 Main St., Seaforth. Publication mail registra-
tion No. 0696 held of Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of
o typographical error, the advertising spoce occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reo-
sonoble albwonce for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be
paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services
at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and
moy be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the toss or domoge of
unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. Changes of
address, orders for subscriptions and undeliverable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor.
Wednesday, AprII 5, 1995
Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Main Street, Seaforth
Telephone (519) 527-0240 Fax (519) 527-2858
Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO
Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association,
Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the
Ontario Press Council
Editorial
The Friendly Town?
The bubble of security around Seaforth and area has burst. Any
false illusions of safety and immunity from crime have been shed
because of recent incidents. An alleged car theft ring, an inexplic-
able shooting in the middle of the night and a possible mugging:
We are accustomed to reading about these things in the head-
lines of Toronto newspapers. We expect to be spared these
calamities in a small, rural town. Unfortunately, crime recognizes
no borders.
Fortunately, we have been spared tragedies...but who is to say
that will continue forever? In the meantime, we must do whatever
we can as a community to prevent crime from becoming a regular
occurrence. We must create opportunities for youth so vandalism
and theft are not the offspring of boredom. We must insist that the
OPP, when it comes to Seaforth, follows through on its promises
of 'community policing.' We must cooperate with the police so
they are able to do their jobs. We must breathe fife into the local
economy by shopping in town so our area can provide economic
growth and not let stagnation invite undesirable elements.
If Seaforth hopes to attract new people to move or retire here it
must demonstrate it is safe. It is time for us to say enough is
enough and pull together to ensure there is no, tolerance for
antisocial behaviour. Seaforth has had a string of unfortunate but
isolated instances. Let us all do what we can to make this a better
place and ensure events like these are not allowed to continue. -
(TBC).
Letters to the Editor
Have Ontario taxpayers
absorbed unfair hit
Dear Editor,
Now that the dust has settled and
we've had a :few weeks to fully
grasp the federal budget I have to
make a few comments. No one
disagrees that the spending cuts
weren't necessary but I just can't
understand why Ontario should
absorb 54 per cent of these cuts
while we only make up 34 per cent
of the population. Ontario collects
43 per cent of all federal revenue
through taxes and other charges yet
we only receive 31 per cent of the
federal program expenditures.
The truly galling thing about it is
97 of 99 Ontario MP's down in
Ottawa are Liberals who are sup-
posed to be fighting to represent us.
Thank God we didn't have 99 or
we may have ended up worse! The
federal Liberals are being hailed as
courageous and just plain wonderful
for moving us in the right direction
(no pun intended) with these cuts.
How much courage does it take to
download 4.4 billion dollars worth
of cuts on to the provinces lap?
How much guts does it take to pass
i
on 42 per cent of the cuts to the
provinces and receive 100 per cent
of the glory?
Our local MP recently made a
public statement that he had only
received 10 negative phone calls to
his constituency office about the
budget. Ten phone calls in a county
full of farmers who took a 30 per
cent cut in funding while the rest of
the country averaged 19 per cent!
Wait a second, maybe our MP
called up Lyn Mcleod the provin-
cial Liberal leader who said on TV
Feb. 29, two days after the budget,
that it was fair and that Bob Rae
should quit whining and get on with
governing this province. I hope he
also watched `Flip-flop Lyn this
past weekend on Global TV saying
"We should be doing to the federal
government for a fairer share of
federal transfers." HUH!!
The point I want to drive home to
people is this. Ontarians, please
Listen to what your MP or MPP
says instead of just hearing what
they want you to heart
Jody Durrand, farmer
Zurich
Volunteer recognized
Dear Editor,
It is well known that in the month
of April is Cancer month. We feel
that this is the appropriate time to
recognize the numerous hours given
by one Cancer Society volunteer,
Freda Buffinga of Clinton. The staff
of the Huron County Home Care
Program applaud her for the care
and dedication that she gives to
overseeing the Cancer Society
equipment loan cupboard. Her
empathetic manner has enhanced
our ability to provide the best poss-
ible service to individuals in Huron
County living with cancer.
Although the Cancer Society
office has been moved to Stratford,
Mrs. Buffinga continues to ensure
that the Huron Countequipment
loan cupboard is available for the
benefit of Huron County Citizens.
It is precisely this type of partner-
ship that assists the Huron County
Home Care Program to successfully
assist individuals to remain at home
during illnesses.
Sincerely
Joanne M. Jasper
Director, Home Care Program
Opinion
Take your experts with grain of salt
Experts often aren't.
Before Roger Bannister ran a mile
in under four minutes back in the
early 1950s there were many
experts, professionals with more
degrees than a thermometer, who
said it couldn't de done. That a
body might disintegrate. It was
beyond the "parameters" (ex its
like this word of what the human
body was capable of.
Now 40 or so years later, of
course, there are high school track
meets in the United States where
everybody in the race cracks four
minutes.
So the wise take experts with a
grain of salt. One of the biggest
"little white lies" my generation
was fed by parents and so-called
experts while growing up was that
someday soon we would have
leisure time coming out our ears.
We wouldn't know what to do with
ourselves. Conferences were held,
pronouncements made, they were
talking about a future commonplace
32 -hour work week.
Exactly the opposite has
happened. Now two parents work
more hours to make ends meet,
part-time or full, and despite a
wealth of space age and labour-
saving technology and devices we
seem to have less time than ever.
Have you, noticed how many
groups in Seaforth, and everywhere
else for that matter, are now
pleading for volunteers? We seem
to get at least one urgent plea for
volunteer help per week around
here, with no apparent let-up in
sight.
I would hate to think we have
actually become more self-centered,
and that this might have something
to do with television and
technology, our great coming
together as a global village.
J
Letters
l
Second attempt
comes up aces
Dear Editor,
St. Columban Soccer Assoc,.ltion
held its second attempt at an anni al
meeting Thursday, March 30 ani, it
was a huge success. Approximately
30 people showed up with 15 of
those people volunteering to be on
the executive. As a result the tradi-
tion of soccer in St. Columban lives
on just like it has for so many
years. The big benefit of course is
that our children continue to have
an opportunity to have fun and play
soccer. The large turn -out was also
a big benefit in respect to discuss-
ing ideas and making some difficult
decisions. As the old adage states,
two heads are better than one...well
30 heads were definitely better than
six. The St. Columban Soccer Asso-
ciation would like to extend their
thanks for the support on behalf of
the kids.
Yours sincerely,
St. Columban Soccer Association
* * *
You can trust critics about as
much as experts.
My family and I were lucky
enough to get tickets to the Elton
John/Billy Joel concert last
Wednesday at the Skydome.
The critic of Canada's august
"Only National Newspaper"
commented in next day's edition:
"For the once -a -year concert goer
intent, on humming to the hits, this
was undoubtedly heaven. But for
the discerning music fan who hoped
for something greater than simply
the sum of its parts, it came across
as predictable and just a little dull."
Rubbish!
We seem to have some kind of
"nattering nabob of negativism"
here, and do I sense more than a
slight whiff of elitism?
Two can play that game. I saw
the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd
at the CNE and Eric Clapton at the
Gardens last year and John„
complete with Oscar, and Joel blew
them away.
It is hard enough to stay on top in
any profession, let alone in the
fickle field of entertainment. Just
think how many music trends, disco
to post -punk techno-pop, have come
and gone since John and Joel got
into the music business in the
1960s.
My hat remains off to such
consummate performers who still
know where the top of the charts
are and what it takes to get there.
«**
Here's an idea.
You've got the Van Egmond
House out in Egmondville, a unique
historical ambience and empty
much of the time. You've also got
the Van Egmond Foundation crying
out for volunteers.
Just up the street in downtown
Seaforth you've got two historically
unique and significant collections of
papers, pictures, artifacts and what
not that don't have a home, or at
least a home where anybody can
see them.
I refer to the wonderful large
collection of whatnot, this that and
the other, assembled by Frank Sills
over the years upstairs over the
hardware store. Across the street
you've got the A.Y. McLean
collection currently being
catalogued on the second floor of
Town Hall. I worked briefly for
A.Y. way back when, and he was a
character and "newspaperman" ( a
dying breed) of the first order: Not
to mention a Member of Canadian
Parliament and a delegate to the
United Nations.
Perhaps someone should
investigate putting these invaluable
collections in the empty building
with the ambience? It pays to be
unique in the tourist game. You
wouldn't find anything quite like it
anywhere else.
* *
Over to hockey
remember when
Centenaires took
*
for a minute. I
the Seaforth
an earful for
Fiadiael
signing a 14 -year-old from Clinton
called Danny Wildfong about five
seasons back. You are robbing the
cradle, "they" said. He will get
hurt, the "experts" echoed. And so
on...
"The Fong" played his heart out
and was a fan favourite for two
seasons for the local juniors, and
was their Most Valuable Player his
final season before going off to
bigger and better things.
But he's still the same Danny.
Now 19, Wildfong was named the
Most Valuable Player for the junior
B St. Marys Lincolns for the
second season in a row last week.
He also won the Booster Club's
Fan Appreciation Award for the
second year in a row, and received
a third trophy as the team's top
point -getter in the regular season.
He finished with 45 goals and 62
assists for 107 points and is off to
the Ivy League, having accepted a
scholarship to Colgate University in
Hamilton, New York.
He will skate through a brick wall
if need be for them too. Told you
so (gloat, gloat)! I know a hockey
player when I see one.
* * *
Recent "true facts" gleaned from
a variety of newspapers indicate
scientists have found the fossilized
remains of small jellyfish -like
creatures, an entire species (how
soon we forget), estimated to be
590 -million years -old. Experts have
also recently determined bees can
count. This worries me.
* * *
Finally, over to Red Green, who
is my idle. (It's a pun - please don't
write a letter to Tim.)
The popular Canadian entertainer
recently declared and is actively
campaigning that April 30 should
be "National Possum Day."
That's when income taxes are
due, and that, he figures, is a good
time to play dead.
He's got my vote.
This is a 1905 photograph of the Huron Football Club of Seaforth, Canadian Senior Champions. It
appeared on the back of a post card from a local book and stationary merchant, Alex Winter of Seaforth.
It required a 10 stamp to send at the time. Submitted by Edith Baker.
Beechwood blacksmith shop heap of bricks
FROM THE PAGES OF
THE HURON EXPOSITOR,
APRIL 12, 1895
John F. Daly, of town, has dis-
posed of his driver to Mr. Wallace
of Goderich Township.
« «*
The Brucefield Cheese Manufac-
turing Company let the contract for
their new cheese factory to Mr.
Cudmore of Hensall. It will be
erected in Mr. Mustard's field on
the London Road. It is to be brick
30 by 60 feet long.
« ««
John Crich, of Tuckersmith, who
is over 70 years of age, began to
plough on the eighth of this month
and worked at it all morning but
had to stop on account of the frost.
« «*
The annual meeting of the Senior
Beaver lacrosse club was held at
the Queen's hotel on Saturday
evening last and the following
officers were elected: Honorary
President, G. E. Jackson; Honorary
Vice President, Dr. C. Mackay;
President, R. E. Jackson; Captain, J.
Bell; Secretary -Treasurer, L. C.
Jackson; Managing Committee, J.
Smith, W. Payne, T. Johnston, O.
Neil, H. Willis, the President and
Secretary.
« *«
Mr. J. S. Porter, Egmondville,
went to Berlin on Wednesday for
the purpose of receiving treatment
from a specialist.
« **
Mr. James McEwing, of Hullett,
and Mr. Alex. McEwing, of
Palmerston, paid a visit to their
In the Years Agone
grandmother, Mrs. J. McEwing, of
this village, during the early part of
this week.
APRIL 9, 1920
Geo. Petty, Reeve of Hensall, has
rented the Yorkshire Packing House
to the Steele Briggs Co. for a term
of years.
* * *
All that remains of the blacksmith
shop at Beechwood, which was
erected here many years ago, is a
heap of bricks. Thos. Ryan has
purchased the lumber which he
intends using for the erection of a
driving shed.
* ««
Daniel McGregor, for seventeen
years a prominent resident of
Seaforth, passed away recently. He
was born in Scotland and came to
Canada in 1848.
APRIL 13, 1945
The official bathing season at the
Lions Park was opened on Monday,
April 9th, when Marcel Coallier, an
employee of the Excellence Flour
Mills, took the first plunge into the
deep pool, and pronounced the
water fine, but cool. Mr. Coallier,
however, was a former life guard at
Lachine, Quebec and says he is
used to all temperatures.
• * «
James Broadfoot, of Hensall, went
fishing this week at St. Joseph's
and caught a pike 52 inches long.
Word was received by Mr. and
Mrs. Frank S. Sills that their son,
Sgt. Frank Sills, who has been
overseas for the past four years and
who served in Africa and Italy, had
arrived in Canada. He is accom-
panied by Mrs. Sills.
* * *
A pleasant evening was spent at
No. 4 School, Tuckersmith, on
Friday, April 6th, when friends and
neighbours to the number of ninety,
gathered to welcome .F/0. Frank
Garrett, R.C.A.F., home from over-
seas.
F/0. Garrett enlisted in 1942,
going overseas in September, 1943
and was this spring awarded the
L " C.
* * *
On April 15, Mr. and Mrs.
George Murray, of Brandon,
Manitoba, will celebrate their 54th
wedding anniversary at their home,
241 Princess Street. Mr. and Mrs.
Murray are former well-known
residents of Seaforth, and they have
a host of friends in town and dis-
trict who will extend congratula-
tions and best wishes.
« **
Seaforth's Mayor will proclaim
V -Day as Public Holiday for citi-
zens of Seaforth. If official notice is
received after noon hour, the fol-
lowing day will also be proclaimed
a holiday.
APRIL 9, 1970
A 50 -year past master jewel was
presented to Charles Barber, 90, of
Seaforth Monday night by Past
District Deputy Grand Master,
Claire Reith, and Past Master
Malcolm MacKellar, both of
Seaforth.
* «*
George Hildebrand experienced
the thrill of a perfect cribbage hand
last Thursday evening when playing
at Legion. Mr. Hildebrand received
the 29 -point hand. A once-in-a-
lifetime happening.
« **
A coroner's jury in Seaforth
Tuesday recommended that trains
be equipped with a revolving flash-
ing light and more prominent
whistle when operating in rural
areas.
* * *
McKillop Municipal Telephone
System ceased to exist Monday
when McKillop council rescinded
the bylaw of 1908 which had esta
lished the system.
« ««
Mervin I. Nott, well-known
Seaforth merchant, will soon be on
his way to Osaka, Japan to view
Expo '70. He was informed Friday
he had been successful in a sales
promotion carried out by Sanyo
Electric of Japan and was one of' a
number of dealers across Canada
who will be guests on a 10 -day all -
expense paid trip to Expo.