HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2001-07-18, Page 4Letters
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Wednesday, July 18, 2001
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Editorial
Tougher laws
on gun control
are not
the answer
The Canada Safety Council is calling for stricter
gun control laws after two murder suicides in St.
Marys last week.
The parallel but unrelated incidents have
schocked the community and the region and
prompted the council to release its comments that
tougher laws are needed.
But really, the incident offers some suggestion
that tougher gun control laws don't matter when it
comes to ending violence with weapons.
We now have supposedly tougher laws that
have required everyone to register their firearms
with the police.
The incident just replays old arguments that
were made at the time advocates were defending
the new registration system.
People have argued that tougher laws only keep
honest people honest.
And having weapons registered does not
prevent someone from taking that registered
weapon and using it to harm someone or him or
herself.
Again, it comes down to enforcement as well.
The laws can be in place but those who hold
illegally stored or unregistered weapons will
continue to have them until such time as police
have reason to be in their homes and somehow
discover them.
The only conceivable way to remove
unregistered weapons would be to give police the
authority to enter everyone's home and conduct
searches.
Even then, weapons would remain stored
secretly somewhere.
Tougher laws don't matter. Tougher penalties
might be of some help.
More importantly, we need to develop a society
that values life and each other more than we
seem to now.
We need to be more aware of a person's needs
and when their lives are getting out of control to
the point where they may make irrational
decisions.
We can't help everyone but we can try harder to
be sensitive to a neighbour or friend's needs and
offer a helping hand of support, emotionally or
physically.
That might make a little more difference than
tougher gun control laws.
Scott Hilgendorff
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Children being abandoned
by education -cutting government
To the Editor: and help out with emergencies, etc. its budget without across the board
Imagine for a moment that you are You've got to do all that, now. And cuts.
the mother of a 9 year old and you one more person - called "Vice On July 9, Anne Finlay -Stewart (a
have promised your child a wonderful Principal," can't be there. She is away concerned parent from Owen Sound)
birthday party. at the other building she has to look and I travelled to Goderich to talk to
Parents know about this - all hell after. the Huron -Bruce MPP, Helen Johns.
breaks loose in our homes, or we take What are you going to do with all We talked about education under -
them bowling, right? these children? They can't use the funding and its effect - especially on
But this time, the party can't be in a computers, because the new ones us in the Bluewater area.
bowling hall, there's no money for weren't delivered due to budget cuts. I said that our government is
that. And the party is going to be all The old ones are broken because the abandoning some of our most
day long, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. technician who used to fix them has vulnerable children - and it's getting
And it gets worse. You have agreed also been fired. worse. I said that this isn't acceptable.
to invite 25 kids - all nine year olds. So now what are you going to do? 1 said, also, that our government has to
(Are you crazy?) You refer to the Ministry of start showing the teachers more
A few of them suffer from Attention Birthdays' new curriculum and it says respect. The wonderful men and
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to prepare the children for a women who look after our children are
(ADHD) - great kids but they need standardized test coming up in a critically important to us and the
lots of attention. month. province.
One is developmentally delayed but So that's what you do. They deserve more respect and
really loves to learn and be with All day. support from our government.
children her own age. You know this You have to do this because if the, If you share these concerns, please,
will be a challenge, but you feel that children don't do well in the test, the please speak up. If you don't believe
birthday parties, like education, are rich parents will take their children me - find out for yourself.
important for all of our children. Are away to a "better" birthday party and Ask your school principal about
you sweating, yet? your school will be hit with more this.
It gets worse. funding cuts. Talk to the teachers. Talk to one of
You have to do this day -long This is government policy, now. your elected trustees. Call the
birthday party all by yourself. Your Unbelievable, you say? Not for our school board.
husband - let's call him "Ed" (Ed. school children. Not Do your homework then call Helen
Assistant), who loves children and for the teachers. Johns and insist on adequate funding
who used to provide all kinds of help, Their "birthday parties" lasts five for education.
has been fired and is out of town days a week and 10 months a year. Please speak up - for our children's
looking for work. T h e The cuts I'm talking about are not sake.
neighbour next-door, let's call her fiction. This is the unfolding reality. Sincerely,
"Office Secretary," has been fried and The Bluewater Board isn't even Kevin Larson
is looking for work, also. She used to getting enough funding to keep the Kincardine
keep track of the safe arrival of the buses on the road. T h e
children, look after their medicines Avon -Maitland Board couldn't balance
� risky
Knowledge needed for usin herbicide
To the Editor because it has such an effect must also be applied many these chemicals, and what
As the daughter of a on all different kinds of hours before a rain so that it kind of education is
farmer in southwestern plants, exposure to the has a chance to settle onto required to handle the
Ontario, I know the chemical results in harm to the plants before the rain substance. I feel this
importance of the herbicide the distributor. washes the chemical into knowledge is absolutely
2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Like most herbicides, 2, water sources such as lakes necessary to the distributor
acid (2,4-D). It is used on 4-D is in liquid form and and streams. When diluting because of the risks
broadleaf plants such as distributed over the crop the concentrated chemical, involved in distributing this
dandelions and ragweed, to with a sprayer. This method protective clothing should herbicide.
kill them among grassy is dangerous and extreme be worn at all times to Exposure to 2, 4-D has
crops like wheat and corn. It caution must be exercised guard from exposure to 2, been proven to cause such
is a very cost effective when distributing the 4-D. health problemstsuch as
herbicide that can be used substance. There should be 2, 4-D is used not only in Hodgkin's disease and even
on a broad range of crops. little to no breeze so that agriculture, but also for cancer. These are high risks
Because it is such a spray is applied directly to household use. It is readily for wanting to kill your
versatile chemical, it is used the crop itself, rather Than available and no limitations dandelions on your lawn.
all over for various uses, it's surroundings. Spray apply to who can purchase Sea MONITORING, Page 5
Horse breaks free, captured on sidewalk
July 21, 1876
Mr. McEwen, contractor
for the Bayfield Harbour,
says a better harbour could
be constructed at Port
Albert, for half the money.
Thos. Darwin of town has
shown a potato to the Early
Ross Variety which
measured 8 1/2 inches one
way and 6 1/4 inches the
other.
The firemen were out for
practice and the engine was
tested with two sections of
the hose. It was placed at
the tank at Lumsden's
corner and two streams of
water were thrown almost
over the top of the flag pole
at the British Hotel.
Another of Huron's
pioneers has passed away.
Mathew Dorsey Sr. of
McKillop died of his
residence. He was the
victim of a sunstroke. He
was a native of Tipperary
Ireland.
M.Y. Mclean of the Huron
Expositor left on a trip on
the upper lakes. He intends
going to Duluth. John
Wilson accompanied Mr.
McLean.
The Good Templars of
Kinburn had a soiree in their
hall.
An accident of a severe
nature occurred in McKillop
when Chas. Davis was
shingling a roof of a barn.
He slipped and fell to the
ground, a distance of 17
feet. His left arm was
broken at the wrist.
Among the many
residences we mention the
following, Mr. Scott a
dwelling on North Main St. a
residence for James Stewart
on East Goderich St.; J.H.
Broadfoot a cottage on the
Market Square.
Rev. Mr. Buggin of the
Methodist Church held
services in Beattie's grove
on Sunday last which were
well attended.
Years agone...
July 19, 1901
Messrs. John and Thos.
Consitt of Hillsgreen
returned from a two month
trip to the Old Country. They
first went to Yorkshire to
settle the question of John
Consitt's age. They found
that he was five years older
then he supposed.
Geo. Murdie of McKillop
sold 51 three year old
heifers to James Hamilton
of Wroxeter for the snug
sum of $3,334.
Messrs. Mowatt, Roger
and Hogg of the Seaforth
Collegiate Institute staff
went to Toronto to attend
their duties as examiners.
There were over 75
applicants for the vacancies
on the Collegiate Staff.
There were 304 tickets
sold at Seaforth for the
Orange excursion to
Stratford.
Wm. Ballantyne of town
was in Hamilton this week
as a delegate to the Grand
Masonic Lodge.
A horse belonging to
Hugh McMillan of
Tuckersmith was tied at
Devereauxs blacksmith
shop and breaking loose
ran away. It mounted the
sidewalk in front of Beattie's
restaurant when it fell and
was captured.
The following were
ticketed by Wm. Somerville:
Mr. and Mrs. F.G.G. Minty to
Honey Harbour; Wm. Elliot
to Owen Sound; Jennie
McKay and Libby Freeman
to Port Huron; Mrs. Thos.
Grieve, McKillop to
Brockville.
Mr. Fisher of Stratford was
in town and is engaged in
the provision trade in that
city. He was making
arrangements with farmers
here to receive from them a
supply of butter for the use
of his customers in
Stratford.
July 16, 1926
Miss Marjory Reid of
Walton is engaged to teach
in Turnbull's school in
Semptember.
A number of the friends
and neighbors of Mr. and
Mrs. Herb Fowler of Alma
gathered at their home
when homemade cooking
and aluminum utensils was
demonstrated by a student
of Toronto University.
Many improvements are
being made to the No. 9
school house in McKillop. It
will be veneered with brick
and a basement wall
erected.
The death occurred at
Seaforth Memorial Hospital
of Angus Gemmel, a four
year old son of David
Gemmel of Tuckersmith. He
had been kicked by a horse.
Dr. W. O. Sproat has
opened his new office in the
Aberhart block and has
commenced his profession
in Seaforth.
Joseph Hoggarth met
with a bad accident when
his arm went through a
pane of glass at the
Commercial Hotel.
Miss Marian Watson and
Florence Laidlaw left on a
month's holiday in Muskoka.
July 20, 1951
Members of this year's
graduating class of
Stratford Normal School,
who will teach their first
year in September, includes
Muriel Campbell and Mona
Caldwell.
About 45 members of St.
James' Church, Seaforth
pilgrimaged to the Matyr's
Shrine in Midland. They
travelled by chartered bus
and were accompanied by
Rev. E. P. Weber, parish
priest.
The 16th annual summer
carnival of the Seaforth
Lions Club despite being
nearly rained out ended
with a success.
James Jarrott, of Kippen,
passed away in Scott
Memorial Hospital in his
89th year.
A car driven by Ross M.
Savauge, Seaforth, was
forced off the road near
Benmiller by a car that
failed to stop. Miss Norma
Jeffrey received a fractured
hand. $350 damage was
done to the car.
July 22, 1976
A three vehicle crash on
highway 8, six miles west of
Seaforth Thursday morning
blocked the road until noon
and caused an estimated
$24,000 damage and sent
two people to hospital. The
accident occured in heavy
fog.
A number from here
enjoyed the fiddler and step
dancing contest held at the
Mitchell Community Center
last Sunday.
After more then 40 years
of service in the Home
Economics branch of the
Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food, Helen
McKercher, who's been the
director of th ebranch since
1956, is getting ready to
start a well deserved
retirement.
Officials at Hensall Co-op
are predicting that the
lineups at their elevators will
be at least 25 per cent
shorter this year, thanks to a
sampling device that allows
one load to be dropped on
top of another. The local
firm has been investigating
and planning for the new
machine, the first in this
area, for five years,
according to manager
Archie Couper.