Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-04-26, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, April 26, 2000 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Terri -Lynn Hart Publisher Put Armes - Office Menages Scott Hilgendorff Editor DiatrteMcGrail -Stbscriptions/Cbssiheds Susan Hundertrnarkk Reporter Katrina Dietz • Safes & Distribution lo• Bowes Publishers Limited Siind. n ,/ t,. Wfw (.wtwiew. - A (twin..r..y..r . E-mail us at sealorthObowesnet.com Slg15CRIPTION IWES LOCAL • 32.50 o year, in advance, plus 2 28 G S.T SENIORS 30 00 a year, in advance, plus 2.10 G S.T USA & foreign. 2844 o year ,n advance, plus 178 00 postage, GST exempt S(BSCRIPTIQN RATE$ Published weekly by Signol•Slor Publishing of 100 Main 5t , Seaforth Pub1Kation moil registration No 0696 held at Seotorth, Ontario Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a ypographicol error, the advertising spore occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable ollowonce for signature, will nor be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be poid for of the applicable rale In the event d a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may nor be sold Advertising is merely on offer -to sell orkl may be withdrawn a mom* The Huron Expositor is not responsible for Me Toss or donoge of unsolicited manuscripts. photos or other materiels used for reproduction purposes Changes of address, orders fpr subscriptions and - undeliverable copies ore to be sent to The Huron E;tpositor Wednesday, April 26. 2000 Editorial and Business Offices - 100 Alain $hreef.,Seeforfit Telephone (519) 527-0240 Fax (519) 517-2050 Melling Address - P.O. Box 09, Seater*, Ontario, NOK 1 WO .0.9 Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Associotion,.Ontorio Communoy Newspapers Association Publication Mail Regislrafion No. 0/605 Editorial Use of surveillance cameras needed to be debated A decision to .install video surveillance cameras at the high school needed to have a Tittle more thought and input. The school board is reporting thousands of dollars in damage to exterior walls from spray panting as a -reason for trying the cameras in Seaforth. ' The school is slated for closure' in just a little more than two months. • It's hard to believe this is a school worthy of being studied when irs not worthy of keeping open. However; with the location of • the board offices in that building; an argument can be made for having cameras here. But the argument for why the board wants cameras at all needs to be debated. We have just heard comment about the terrible condition our students'- text books are in, when they even have books to work with at all. Now, the board wants to spend money instdlling camef•as to see if it will reduce the incidents of vandalism. Even though the principal can't recall any of these incidents taking place and none have been presented recently in the weekly reports received by the Expositor from the police. While the merits of surveillance cameras can be debated, that, in fact, is the point. It should have been debated. The issue, apparently because of the Minimal expense, .does not require a decision of the school board itself, denying our trustees -live chance to discus,s-and debate -the -merits of _ _ doing this. While the monetary aspect may not require debate, in a society where personal freedoms are constantly being winnowed away, it. needed debate. , The trustees needed the chance to talk about this. Parents and students needed a chance to react and again, trustees needed to make a . responsible decision. Scott Hilgendorff How to access us Letters to the Editor and other submissions can be made to us by noon on Mondays at: seaforth@bowesnet.com All letters and submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone number. All submissions are subject to editing for both length and content. Don't forget to check out our homepage at: www.bowesnet.com/expositor/ Opinion Letters No compelling reason for use of pesticides in gardens To the Editor: As a physician, i spend much of my professional time in dialogue with people whose'greatest desire is to be healthy. So often, 1 witness this desire threatened by individual and collective practices. Such is the case with the urban, cosmetic use of pesticides. There are no compelling reasons for the cosmetic use .of pesticides. Beautiful and healthy gardens existed long before the advent of pesticides. The use of pesticides is relatively new. Pesticides were developed and promoted by the big chemical companies after the Second World War. Once the. war was over, the demandfor the chemical agents of war plummeted. • . The giant chemical industries werekeen to find new peacetime -markets for their products. Some changes were Made tb the chemical structure of these wartime cheniicals- and a new genre of -synthetic ch als was. born. The chemical industry thesanced a large promotional campaign and, for the most part, an unwitting public responded by allowing more and more of these agents to affect their lives and health. At a commercial level, industry was successful: The chemical lawn -care business has produced billionsofdollars in profits for the manufacturing industry and its associate businesses over the last 50 years. However, these huge profits have exacted a high toll, as.manifested in the loss of human health and in environmental degradation. The World Health Organization has estimated that over 20,000 deaths occur annuallyas a result of pesticide use. Gro Harlem Brundtland of Norway. in the milestone report, "Our Common Future," stated. - "Overuse of chemicals to.control. insects; pests, weeds and fungi threatens the health of humans and the lives of other species. Continuing long-term exposure, to pesticides and chemical residues in' foods, water and even in the air, is hazardous, poiticularly to children." - More recently, Professor James Voogt, _assistant professor at the University of Western Ontario and chairperson of an•ad hoc committee which was formed to study London's aid quality (or lack of it) has suggested many remedial actions to improve local air quality. One such recommendation is to prohibit the spraying of pesticides (and the use of gas -powered lawnmowers) on smog -alert days. Hopefully, this trend to limit the unnecessary use of pesticides will continue. j Professor Voogt's committee is not alone in.its concerns about the -dangers of pesticides. Many municipalities have now reviewed the data citncerning, these dangers. Municipalities such as Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo; Kitchener 'and ;, Cambridge are examples of communities which -now have restrictive policies and by-laws for the cosmetic use of pesticides on publicly -owned land. Many assume that because pesticides. are legal they are safe. This -is a dangerous assumption. The smoking of tobacco and the consumption of alcohol are legal activities for. adults in our society..We are all. aware of the toll which these behaviours :take on human health. Legality does not necessarily equate with either safety. health or justice. Whether or hot we use pesticides reflects on our personal commitment to earth stewardship. On looking at the . larger issue of human ,earth stewardship. the mystic Hildegaard of Bingen reminds us of the awesome blessing of life and of creation on earth. "The high, the low, all of creation, God gives to human kind to use. if this privilege is misused. God's Justice permits'creation to punish ,humanity." she says. Perhaps the rapid contemporary -rise in the' incidence of prostate and testicular cancer in men: breast cancer in. women and brain tumors in children are signs to us that- we have strayed. Regrettably, the unnecessary use of pesticides in the urban setting is a prominent feature. of our contemporary consumerist culture:. John O'Donohue, in his recent book..Eternal Echo,. reflects, "Consumerist culture establishes its own gaudy hierarchies. In admiring the achievement and velocity of these tiger economies. .we refuse -to notice the' paw marks of :its` ravages and the unglamorous remains of its prey. There is no doubt that "those who -succumb to illness and those who: die as a result .of -exposure to pesticides are examples of the unglamorous remains. - of its- prey. Jim Hollingworth,-M.D., Founding Member Canadian Association of Physicians for the . r Environment Old Tom Adams saws record amount of wood May 7, 1875. We have been informed that Thos. Adams, known' as "old Tom Adams" has accomplished a feat which has not been done in this section before. He sawed 150 cords of wood at the Carronbrook station during last month, commencing. April1stand ending May 1st. . D.D. Rose, proprietor of Sharps Hotel, Seaforth, returned from his trip to the Old Country. John Campbell of town has purchased the draying .business of Hiram Callady and intends running a double and single vehicle.. A meeting of farmers was held in the Thames Road cheese factory for the purpose of organizing a Grange. James Haeknoy wassailed to the chair. Dr..Forde of Marmora has opened a •new drug and grocery store in Carmichaels block. The weather; thus far, this spring has been anything but favourable:--The-first- of May was ushered in by a heavy snow storm. S.G. McCaughey of town has recently purcrhased the farm adjoining the village of Blyth, formerly owned by M. Tucker April 27,1900 An accident occurred near Londesboro. Chas. Bambridge and his eldest son were cutting down a tree and the tree turned and fell on the boy's head. He was rendered unconscious and passed away the next night. Ilugh McCartney of. Hrucefleld shipped a Tamworth pig to a breeder in Ohio. Alex Sparks of Hillsgreen heads the list for early sowing having sowed oats on the 16th inst. Wm. Fowler departed his life at his residence in Harpurhey at the age of 72 years. He came here from Years agone... the old country: and settled on the Huron Road:' ' Miss Lillie Bristow and Miss Annie Bubolz, Egmondville are learning - the ,dressmaking -----"-in - Seaforth:. Henry - Colbert of Egmondville has•the timber all hauled for his new barn and the work will soon be in progress. ' The Kruse, Brothers of . Egmondville started their' brick yard last week. James Stewart of the Seaforth ;Milling Company has purchased the brick residence in Egmondville of James Landsborough. - Geo: Beattie of town has had one of his stores in the - Carmichael block refitted and -will shortly open a restaurant. The Bell Engines works, Seaforth, shipped a short time ago, three engines and a lathe to a large wholesale firm in Toronto. - - Messrs: W. Freeman and F. Payne, who have been employed at the Ogilvie. Mill here, have gone to. Winnipeg. A subscription list was passed around in Zurich for the purpose. of• raising money to have the telephone there. Wm. Sturgeon, Albert Woods, ,Wesley Erwin. and John Bailey ,left for South Bay to fish. ' May 1st, 1925 Robert Scarlett of McKillop disposed of his farm on the 4th Concession to Mr. Thos. Pryce of Seaforth, the price being S 12,000. - Wm. Benneweiss of McKillop is at present suffering with several broken ribs, having been kicked by a horse. Fishing seems to be the order of the day in McKillop. Those who have been out report great success. A prominent young life was brought to a close when Wm. A.Kerr, of McKillop -passed away at the -home -of- his _parents in his 28th year. . . Stephen Eckart of Manley has gone to Northern Ontario, where he has secured:a position in the gold fields. Walter Eaton of Winthrop captured an • owl 'that , measured. 58 inches.. from . tip to tip. Mr. and. Mrs. - Oscar Reed . of Staffa have leased .a house in Mitchell. The friends and neighbors of Mr..and Mrs. Mitchell of Varna, had a bee and finished putting in the crop. A miscellaneous shower was given to Annie May Stephenson prior to her marriage to Lee McConnell. • Edward Haberer, apiarist of Zurich, is erecting a building on his property, and will use it for extracting honey, store room, etc. - Word was received here of the death at Los Angeles, Calif. of Harriet Wilson. She was the daughter of Col. Alex Wilson of Toronto and the late Mrs. Wilson. She spent several years as a war nurse in France and England. Miss Olive McCormick who has been confined to her home with a broken ankle has . resumed her duties at the telephone office. Ben Johnston of town has leased the residence of the late Dr. Scott on Goderich Street and will move his family there. April 28, 1950 Grant Chesney of Tuckersmith celebrated his birthday on Saturday and on Sunday he was still receiving congratulations. The highlight came when his aunt, Miss Bertha Chesney, telephoned from St. Petersburg,' Fla, wishing him many happy returns of the day. Russel H. Spro_ at purchased the apartment on High• Street from Dr.. E.A.McMaster and will occupy the one being vacated by P.D.McConnell- on May 1st. At a recent' meeting of the • Board of Seaforth Public School. Miss' -Winnie Savauage was engaged to teach Art. throughout the school. Gordon McKindsay. a grade 12 student at Seaforth District High School.- has been selected by the school for the Leaders Club. ' Employees and fellow workers of Bert 'Haney. an employee of the Robert Bell Engine Industries Ltd. for 15 years, honored him when they presentedhim with a ring. Robt. Smith read the address and Clayton Horton made the presentation. The' Seaforth Fire 'Department answered a call . to the home .of . Wm. Forrest, Tuckersmith. Ivan Wren of Kippen has secured a job with the • Construction crew on the new hydro line from Seaforth to Exeter. • - . Jack Christie'left Tuesday to assume his new duties with the Dominion Bank at' Guelph. F.1cS'now of Sarnia has - assumed his new duties as accountant at the Bank here. Miss Janie Moffatt has accepted a position on the staff of the Province of Ontario Savings Office. About 25 members of the Eastern Star .motored to London to attend the Forest City Lodge. Oban McTavish of Toronto spent a week here prior to going to London where he .will spend the Slimmer.