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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1989-02-22, Page 5Back in time 10 years ago •The Exeter BIA was h• ling for a provincial government loan that would allow up to $150,111 for a beautification program at an interest rate of only one percent per year. •Ontario Vegetable Growers were seeking a sizable increase in crop prices for the 1979 season, according to Harry Dougall of Exeter, president of the London-based marketing board. However, the deval- ued Canadian dollar was proving a benefit to vegetable producers who were not only competing with imported produce in Ontario, but were finding access to American markets. •The Huron Country Playhouse abandoned plans to restore a 120 year-old log chapel that stood on the farm next door to the theatre. The project and its accompanying grant were abandoned because of the dif- ficulty in finding suitable logs. •Grand Bend council discovered that contracts for its new sewage system were coming in at bids lower than the engineer's estimate of $1313,810. 20 years ago ."Exeter businessmen have voted by a wide margin to close stores for a full day each Monday. "A poll taken among all businesses•indicated 36 in favour of closing Monday, while 18 voted for closing on Wednesday." •The Dunlop tire company was welcomed to the Centralia industrial park as it began employment of 70 people for the manufacture of bicycle tires. 50 years ago •The Times -Advocate featured the career of former Hensall resident Wally Walper, known as the "Cowboy Yodeller" on network radio broadcasts. •In the march toward home refrigeration, the Exeter Locker Service was advertising the rental of their storage facility. "For the first two weeks in operation we have taken in 60001b. of meat aid there are over 50 lockers in active service. •Southcott Bros. of Exeter were advertising a rack of dresses priced at $1.49 each. 70 years ago •To meet the post-war demand for consumer goods, several area car dealers were beginning to show the new "touring cars" to the public. Several of thebrands have long since disappeared, including Gray -Dort from Chatham, and the Overland from Toronto. Prices ranged from $1,245 to an incredibly expensive, for the time, $2,575. •Statistics on the health of Exeter were released, recording 20 births, 17 marriages and 29 deaths for 1918. The Advocate attributed the high death rate to the influenza epidemic. •An advertisement from the Repatriation Commiuee of the govern- ment explained that public works projects would be undertaken to ensure employment for returning fighting forces. Jack's Jottings Jack Riddell MPP Huron Ontario Acid Rain Program on target Premier David Peterson confirmed that the provincial reduction of sulphur dioxide emissions under the Countdown Acid Rain Program was "on schedule", and called for the United States to follow Onta- rio's lead by passing acid rain abatement legislation. Speaking on the eve of U.S. President George Bush's Ottawa visit, Premier Peterson reported that Canada is proceeding to meet its 1994 goal of cutting it sulphur dioxide pollution by 50 percent from 1980 levels. As part of the Canadian effort, Ontario is committed to a 60 percent province -wide reduction. Most of Ontario's reductions will come from the four big polluters -- Inco and Falconbridge nickel smelters in Sudbury, Algoma's iron ore -roasting plant in Wawa, and all of Ontario Hydro's coal and other fossil -fueled generating plants -- which generate four-fifths of tire emissions, The province's emission reductions are taking place under the gov- ernment's 1985 Countdown Acid Rain Program. Countdown Acid Rain requires the big acid rain polluters to cut their collective sul- phur dioxide emissions by two-thirds fir m 1980 levels by the fixed 1994 deadline, and report every six months on the research and plan- ning they were doing to meet the new limits. "The compliance reports that we have recently received from the three companies and Ontario Hydro show that they have all found ways of doing what they once said was impossible," Mr. Peterson said. "They estimate that they will collectively spend a total of more than three billion dollars to stop Ontario -generated acid rain." _ The Premier warned, however, that while Ontario and Canada have taken a leadership role in reducing sulphur dioxide emissions, half the acid rain that falls on the preiviositorterrterfroursmokestacks in the United States. "If we are to reduce. acid rain to levels which scientists tell us are necessary to protect our waterways," the Premier argued, "there must be a 50 percent.reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions originating in the United States." Mr. Peterson said that the.most appropriate approach for the U.S. to accomplish the needed reductions in sulphur dioxide emissions '"'---'—"woutd be through acid rain abatement legislation. He rejected the pursuit of a bi-lateral treaty between Canada and the United States because it is not the most,effective means of achieving "real and timely results." "A bilateral treaty," he said, "would regdirc a two thirds approval by the U.S. Senate, rather than the simple majority needed to pass an acid rain abatement law. Moreover, the prospect of treaty negoti- ations could easily freeze all action in U.S. Congress, extending an eight-year period of inactivity widYTespecttaacid7�iii Z4ittett18r1Q K„rs , Describing acid rain as an "enemy that knows no pocitical boun- daries," Premier Peterson said that he was hopeful that the U.S. will join Canada in stopping this environmentally threatening form of pollution, but warned Canadians against embracing American acid rain reduction plans that do no adequately protect Canadians and Ca- nadian resources. �a�s4'•,.. ".kL?= �Fi-iii i} ii' -� - ,144-1--;.fmi' )r 9.i'Xe-rClgn n leadership role in both a national and international context in the bat- tle to stop acid rain," and that his government would continue to place the "protection and preservation of our environment, and the promotion of a clean and healthy Ontario as a foremost priority." Senior achievement awards f As part of the celebration of Senior Citizen's Month in June, the Ontario government will again be awarding Senior Achievement Awards to seniors who have made significant contributions to their communities and to the quality of life in Ontario. Everyone is invited to put forth names of individuals in our com- munity who could be considered for an award. Nomination forms are available by contacting any of my riding offices, or from the Of- fice for Senior Citizens' Affairs, Queens Park, Toronto. A selection committee will review nominations and a special cere- mony will be held at Queen's Park in June to present the awards. The deadline for receipt of nominations is March 31. Times -Advocate, February 22, 1989 Page 5 Making the haircut a sociable experience By Ross Haugh EXETER - The Yankee Clipper is still going strong on Exeter's Main street in the barber business after 53 years. Because of his strong affection for the New York Yankees, Gerry Smith long ago inherited that nick- name and his support for the base- ball team has not diminished over the years. A graduate of a barber school in London in 1935, Smith started his hair cutting career in Pigeon, Mich- igan. After nine months in the Michigan town, he moved back to his native Crediton and set up shop in the building later occupied by the Post Office while Lloyd Eng- land was Postmaster. After seven years in Crediton where he kept the shop open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., six days a week, he transferred to the Centralia R.C.A.F. base where he "trimmed up" the air force personnel until the war ended in 1945. In 1945, Smith joined the late Garnet Flynn as a partner in a bar- ber shop adjacent to the dental of- fice of Dr. Harvey Cowen. From there it was on to a shop next to Tom McMillan's stationery store and then 10 years ago •to his present location, right next to the Bank of Montreal. In the earlier days in Exeter after he purchased the business from Flynn, Smith had Wayne O'Rourke and Gerry Rader as partners. O'Rourke is now dealer -manager of the Huron Tractor farm dealership in Walkerton and Rader is in the catering business in Zurich after a stint as manager of the Zurich are- na. Haircuts in the early days were 25 cents each• and shaves went for 15 cents. According to Smith, shaves amounted to about half of a bar- ber's business in the 1930's and 40's and a barber was judged on his ability with a sharp razor, Fridays and Saturdays were the popular days for shaves. The length of time for a shave depended on the toughness of the beard , but was usually about 10 minutes. Ladies hair cuts by bar- bers were also popular at that time. One situation not encountered very often now by Smith is hair - An old customer - One of Gerry Smith's regular customers for most of his 53 year career in the barber business, Russell King of Exeter gets a final clip before leaving for a holiday in Florida. Letters to the Editor Dear Sir: We thought that both you and your readers would be interested in what has been happening following the closing of Fleck's Manufactur- ing plant in Huron Park, resulting in over 200 skilled and experienced workers becoming available for em- ployment. The company and employee rep- resentatives have formed an adjust- ment committee in conjunction with the Industrial Adjustment Ser- vice of Employment and Immigra- tion Canada, to assist these people in finding new careers. It is the task of this commiuee to organize an employee resource network that will fit the workers into suitable jobs or positions. Employers may be eligible for financial assistance in tfaining new employees through the Continuing Employment Op- tion which is a Federal Government programme, should they hire some of these people. To employers who are in -a posi- tion to hire new people for their workforce, our committee would be pleased to make employee referrals. This would help to reduce the number of applications with which they must deal. Unfortunately, the workers are placed in this difficult position be- cause of the competition within this manufacturing industry. Over half of the workers have long term service and all have developed a number of skills which would be an asset to any employer who may hire them. A list of available skills developed by the employees is available if wanted. Any employer in a position to hire in the near future, should con- tact our Job Search Office at (519) 235-0532, Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. One of our com- mittee members will be available to take the call. Sincerely, Ralph A. Yates Chairman F.E.A.C. cuts for small children. Back 30 years ago, mothers would bring their youngsters in for a hair .cut and many of them would protest by crying. Barber equipment was much less expensive in the early days than it is now. Gerry's first barber chair was a used one purchased by his fa- ther, pioneer thresher William H. Smith for $125. They now sell for about $825. His first pair of scis- sors cost $2.50. Smith says back in the early days, people had more pride in their appearance. Some men would get haircuts almost every week to be "spiffed up" for church. With money a scarce commodity back when Smith started out in the business a number of customers would charge the 25 cents to their. account. To this Smith says, " I still have some debts on the books when haircuts were a quarter. That was a lot of money at the time." Every farmer had a hired man in those days and the going wage was $10 a month. The local barber adds, " With a couple of haircuts and his usual fine cut roll tobacco there wasn't much left over. Smith remembers a joke played on barber Garnet Flynn by Wes Simmons. After getting a haircut, Simmons asked, "Did I pay you for the last haircut", Flynn replied, "Yes, you did." With that Sim- mons walked out assuming the just concluded haircut was the last. The long hours in the barber shop did not keep Gerry Smith from playing baseball in the sum- mertime with Crediton and Exeter ieams. He recalls often coming back and opening the shop after ball games which would be over before 9 p.m The barber shop is one of the best spots in town to hear the lat- est news. Smith says, "If there is a new business transaction or some gossip in town, I'm usually one of the first to hear about it from my customers." CONTINUING EDUCATION ANNOUCING.... Centralia College's latest addition to continuing education PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING Become the master of your own financial destiny. Attend this two-part short course and learn how to borrow or invest money and how to obtain optimum interest rates. For example, guest speakers plan to discuss RRSP's, GIC's and other savings and investment plans, plus mortgages, consumer loans and other borrowing procedures. Gain a clearer understanding of financial statements. Speakers are: • * Gary Bean, Dominion Securities Stu Homuth, McNeilly, Homuth, Norris, Pinder & Taylor Accountants CENTRALIA COLLEGE, Middlesex Hall FEE: $20.00 2 Mondays: February 27 and March 6, 1989 @ 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. To Register, Please Call: Ministry of Agriculture and Food ONTARIO Jack Riddell Minister CENTRALIA COLLEGE Huron Park, Ontario (519) 228-6691 Attention: Kathy Biondi Now, more than ever, investing in a Scotiabank RRSP is the rt thingto do. Foryour money. Andyour fcfturc. ScotiabankAz? i