HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1984-01-11, Page 4POP4
Tbn.s•Adv.•ocoto, Jgnuory 11, 1944.
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Times Established 1873
Advocate Established 1881
Amalgamated 1924
Serving South Huron, North Middlesex
& North Lambton Since 1873
Published by i.W. Eedy Publications limited
LORNE EEDY
Publisher
JIM BECKETT
Advertising Manager
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BIN BATTEN ROSS HAUGH
Editor Assistant Editor
HARRY DEVRIES
Composition Manager
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DICK JONGKIND
Business Manager
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Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Canada: $22.00 Per year, U.S.A. $60.00
C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and 'ABC'
Has to beresolved
Nadoubt officials in the neighboring townships will
share Exeter Mayor Bruce Shaw's optimism that t'he
current conflicts(oVer recreation cost sharing and fire
board purchases can be resolved satisfactorily this
year.
Obviously, that is not going to be an easy task and
will probably require some give and take on both sides
if there is any hope of a satisfactory resolution..
Exeter and its neighbors are not alone in the cur-
rent predicament. Recreation and fire costs are a
perennial problem for neighboring municipalities and,
almost without exception, lead to squabbles at some
point in time.
To a considerable degree, both are intangibles that
defy clear-cut analysis as to how costs should be ap-
portioned. It is rather ironical that a conflict has arisen
over a fire board matter, because that board'`s trouble-
free history and set-up has been cited by some as a
model that should, be duplicated in arriving at an agree-
ment over recreation cost sharing.
While they may be intangibles, theyare never-
theless essential services for 'which an equitable cost-
sharing formula must be reached.
Although the current elected officials in the four
municipalities have inherited a problem from their
+CNA
r
ti
r
predecessors, they are the ones who will have to
resolve the matter because it is.not going to resolve
itself.
To date, the public discussion has been one-sided.
Exeter officials have outlined their positions and the
lack of response from the townships could prompt a
suggestion that they have no logical or plausible
defence of the allegation that they have failed to carry
their fair share or responded to the gestures of good-
will which Exeter claims to have extended in the two
areas in the past.
Surely the time. has come for the elected officials
in all four municipalities to present their argument at
a public forum in an effort to resolve the conflicts
before one or some among them make a move that will
make a satisfactory resolution impossible.
Those elected officials will make a serious, and
perhaps irreparable, error in judgement to assume the
conflicts can be resolved by forcing others into action
by their own inaction or unilateral action without an
exerted effort to reach an agreement''that is seen to
be fair and satisfactory by the majority of those
affected.
There may not be an easy solution, but there has
to be a solution!
• /•
Another fear an
The situation surrounding the three-month jail
sentence handed out to an Orillia woman who refused
to testify against her conimon-law husband on an
assault charge has drawn considerable comment.
There is little quarrel with the presiding judge's
argument on the principle involved. The woman's
refusal to testify was cited as undermining the judicial
system as it means that criminals can go unpunished
in situations where witnesses choose not to testify:
The whole system is placed in jeopardy when
- witnesses fail to live up to that obligation.
A few weeks earlier, an Ottawa woman refused to
testify against two men who had been charged with her
rape and she was sentenced to seven days in jail; the
Was,
difference in the two cases being that the Ottawa
woman's refusal_was based on the fear of repercus-
sions from the two men.
While the principle followed by the judge in the
Orillia case is beyond quarrel, the sentence appears
unduly severe, particularly when it is considered that
her assailant probably would have been given a lighter
sentence for his offence.
Anotheriear which arises from both situations is
that victims of such crimes may have second thoughts
about instigating police investigations and charges in
the first place and that could obviously be the most
damaging effect of all at a time when family violence
is just starting to come out of the closet.
attendance really that good?
Success, similar to beauty, is often
judged through the eyes and standard of
the beholder.
Members of Exeter council indicated
considerable pleasure last week in the at-
tendance at the new year's levee and
bicentennial 'celebrations staged at the
town hall. .
Actually, it is a rather stinging indict-
ment of the citizens of this community
when attracting 50 people to a communi-
ty celebration can be viewed positively by
the organizers.
Given the fact that almost half those in
attendance were there in the line of duty
(three cheers for dutiful spouses and
families) it was 'an extremely paltry
turnout.
Mot residents, no doubt, have
legitimate reasons for passing up on the
invitation. The timing was off as it in-
terfered with the supper hour and the
Rose Bowl football game.,.the weather
wasn't really conducive to taking a.stroll
downtown...the unveiling of a flag is hard-
ly cause for celebration...the cider hadn't
fermented long enough...and who eeds to
listen to the Mayor spout off about 1 the
benefits we derive from being citize s of
• a province marking an historic occ sion
anyway? ,
While it appears rather sad t at town
officials can be elated abotft t e atten-
d aii'Y g the party, they certai ly have
e e ri ht to be pleased with t e event
in terms of its purpose and the act that
those who did bother to show u appeared
to enjoy the rather informal lebration
that had been carefully planned and was
a credit to those who staged it.
By itself, the attendance at the event
would probably not be of any major con-
cern, but the disconcerting fact is, it is
rather representative of the general
malaise by which many community ac-
•
tivities are greeted by citizens of the town.
As a case in point, tonight (Wednesday)
there will be another meeting at the town
hall to discuss theannttal Heritage Days
celebration. That's an event that is sup-
posedly supported by a large number of
organizations in Exeter, but unless there
is a complete turnabout of attitude, the
BATT' N
AROUND
with the editor
meeting will be lucky to draw enough peo-
ple for a good game of euchre.
Simliar to many previous meetings in
Exeter, it isn't being staged to channel the
wide -spread enthusiasm into the chores
that will be required to make next sum-
mer's event another success. No, the ob-
ject of the meeting is solely todetermine
whether there is even enough support to
stage it.
As stated, it's not the first time a
meeting has been called in this town to
consider the.fate of an event or organiza-
tion. Minor sports groups have held their
share of those in the past when they were
faced with a lack of support; so too have
youth groups when they were having trou-
ble getting leaders.
For some reason, it appears that many
members of the community need to get
the "shock treatment" to come to grips
with the responsibility they have to fur-
ther the activities which contribute so
much to their personal welfare and.
enjoyment.
I
Similar to a beehive, every communi-
ty is always going to have its workers and
drones, but when the logistics start to
weigh too heavily on the workers, it is only
natural that they decide to review their
positions.
Many of them have this strange attitude
that turnabout is fair play and think that
others should relieve them after they have
expended their time and talents in keep-
ing events and organizations viable.
Unfortunately, the writer can't think of
any challenging words that would
guarantee an improvement in the com-
munity spirit that appears to be at a
rather low ebb at the present.
It requires that each citizen assess the
role he/she plays in the community to
determine if it is an ample repayment for
the benefits enjoyed. In the case of .
Heritage Days, the organizations which
have assisted in the past must also
scrutinize their interest and dedication.
If it is allowed to follow other communi-
ty activities into oblivion, it will be dif-
ficult to resurrect at some point in the
future. Its demise would also indicate a
rather-apathetical attitude on the part of
the citizens and organizations in thecom-
munity and would be in stark contrast to
the impression thatshould be conveyed.
in his inaugural address, Mayor Bruce
Shaw indicated that the towel is viewed by
others as "hustlers" and suggested that
perception is necessary as new commer-
cial and industrial enterprises are con-
cerned about the vitality of a community.
There's no doubt about the vitality of
the leadership shown by some individuals
and groups in this community, but unfor-
tunately they are very much in the
minority and it's time that others started
to accept their responsibilities to make
the community a better place in which to
live, work :and play.
iiriaV EY?
w ,.t-8naic8?
`.`And a drink here for my six-foot rabbit friend."
The pleasures of writing
One of the deepest
satisfactions in writing a
column of this kind is the
knowledge that you are
getting into p int the
angers and frustrations of
a lot of other people, who
have no recourse for their
resentments, and conse-
quently take them out on
the old man or the old
lady?
How do you know this?
Well, because people write
you letters cheering you
on to further attacks, and
other people come up to
you, perfect strangers,
shake hands warmly, and
say, "By the Holy Ole
Jumpin! Bill, you really
hit the nail on the head."
This can be a little
disconcerting, as you are
never quite sure which
nail they are referring to.
If the -congratulator is a
woman, I smile weakly
and change the subject.
Because sure as guns,
though she thought you
were one of nature's
noblemen for your assault
on mail chauvinism last
week, she'll turn on you
like a snake when• she
reads tomorrow's paper,
with the column exposing
female chauvinism.
Speaking recently to a
class of potential writers
in a creative writing
course, I tried to pass
along the personal
satisfaction one gets from
this type of personal
journalism. .
I emphasized the "per-
sonal" satisfaction,
because there's a lot more
of that involved than there
is of the other kind, finan-
cial satisfaction. Colum-
nists and free-lance
writers have no union
working for them, no any
professional association,
as have doctors, lawyers,
teachers.
They have only their
own talent and wit and
perseverance with which
to penetrate the thick
heads and thicker skins of
editors and publishers.
But it's a great feeling
when you vent your wrath,
say, about the
rapaciousness of
mechanics, and you are
button -holed six times in
sand in the grease with
which many -aspects of
society are trying to give
us a snow job. And that's
One of the finest
paragraphs I've ever writ-
ten, if mixed metaphors
'are your bag.
Fair game for the hard -
hitter are: garage
Sugar
and Spice
Dispensed By Smiley
he next three days by peo-
ple with horror stories
about mechanics you can
scarcely believe.
Trouble is, they all want
you to write another col-
umn about mechanics,
and put some real meat in-
talt. This means, in effect,
that they would happily
stand in the wings and ap-
plaud when you were sued
for libel.
Some readers would like
you to be constantly at-
tacking whatever it is that
they don't like. Capitalist
friends are aghast when
you refuse to launch an
assault on capital gains
taxes. Welfarist friends
think you are a traitor and
a fink when you won't at-
tack the government for
not providing color TV for
everyone on the take. •
I am not by nature an at-
tacker, and I think there is
nothing more boring than
a writer of any kind who
tries to make a career of
being a "hard-hitting"
• journalist.
Once in a while myent-
ly bubbling nature boils
over. Throwing caution
• and syntax to the winds; I
let my spleen have a field
day and try to throw some
mechanics, plumbers,
postal workers, super-
markets, civil servants,
and politicians. Most of
them can't hit back, and
everybody hates them, ex-
cept garage mechanics
and their wives, plumbers
and their wives, etc. etc.
Smaller fry are doctors,
lawyers, teachers, used.
car salesmen. They all
squeal like dying rabbits
when attacked, but
nobody pays much atten-
tion to them except doc•
tors and their wives, etc.
etc.
There are a few areas.
that even the hardest -
hitters avoid. When have
you, lately, read a savage
attack4n greedy farmers,
callous nurses, or unloving
mothers? And yet, there
are lots of them around.
One of these days,
perhaps,. one of these
hard-hitting writers will
muster enough guts, after
about five brandies, to
launch an all-out attack on
the audacity of women,
thinking they're as good
as men. Boy, that fellow
will learn what real hard-
hitting is all about.
Personally, •I can't stay
mad at anybody long
enough to be a voice of the
people, or a public watch-
dog, or any of those obnox-
ious creatures who try to
tell other people how they
should feel.
The only constant in my
rage is the blatant
manipulation of self-
seeking politicians who
Will twist and warp and
wiggle and squirm and
bribe for self -perpetuation
in office. Best example of
the moment is the Tory
government in Ontario,
which has called a totally
unnecessary election in
that province through
sheer hunger for greater
power.
Otherwise, I get a great
deal moreoy from
touching the individual life
than inflaming the
masses. When I get a let-
ter from an old lady in
hospital, crippled with -
thritis, who has managed
to get a chuckle out of my
column, it makes me feel
good.
Recently, I got a letter
from a young Scot who has
immigrated to Canada. He
says: "I have learned
more about Canada and
Canadians through
reading your columnthan
all the accumulated
wisdom from the Cana-
dian newsmagazines,
novels and TV programs I
have absorbed."
Now there is a man with
his head screwed on right.
If I, as a newcomer, tried
to. get my- impressions of
this country from
newsmagazines and TV
programs, I'd catch the
first boat or plane home.
So, I guess I'll try to go
on talking to people, get-
ting sore, having some
fun, looking for sympathy
in the war between the
sexes. That's what life is
all about, not plumbers
and politicians and other
horrors of that ilk.
Speakingthe language
At Christmas time an
•elderly gentleman was
visiting our house. One of
the children also there
wanted to show him a
'program' he had put into
the computer after two or
three hours of hard work.
The gentleman got quite
upset.
"I don't like such
nonsense," he said. "1 see
young people in the mall
putting quarter after
quarter into these
machines. Foolishness, all
of it."
It was unfortunate that
he wouldn't take a closer
look at what the lad was
doing because unlike the
4
language of computers,
learning to make it work
Perspectives
youngsters in the arcade
the boy was doing
something quite useful
and educational for
himself. He was learning
to speak the 'basic'
By Syd Fletcher
for him, instead of the
reverse.
Make no mistake. Com-
puters are not something
of the future, something
that only the very clever
will use. Instead they are
fast becoming a vital part
of our every day lives. It is
important that we make
our children 'computer
literate',ust as we expect
them to have a grasp of
reading and arithmetic.
During the next few
weeks I am going to talk a
little about computers and
what we can expect from
them in the near future.
As well I will explain a
few of the terms which are
becoming more and more
used as the little machines
become more and more
commonplace in the
community.
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