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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-03-18, Page 1ro a lalinil TV • • .4 -25 cents • lJ 4' tti�lises Will be men on natioowida TV this Sunday, March 21 en CTV's .WS atty. 90 1111111 D.111111610011. a nsensiter of the WS en -camera leswl: to A.tAitas. chairman M the Clinton Hospital Board and Clarence Dellowtsite, president of the ' association. WS is doing a news diststintits9ary en *Ae closing of hsspitak in general and Clinton was thecae as a» eairnpie of a stroll tawnn hospital. (hews -R ce rd photo) Thursday, March 18, 1976 976 111th. Year No. 12 iithtr 1976 1M LO • MARCH 1 33 18 1• 34 25 11 12 13 14 15 31 19 39 19 44 23 35 18 34 24 Rain .90" Snow 3" NIWI 36 1 29 $ 31 0 35 17 34 11 25 12 35 4 Rain .95 Expect verdict soon Hospital board to operate normally Federal riding changed again -'fie former Federal riding of Miran= Middlesex bis been changed to the riding of Huron. Along with the name, tit boundaries of the riding have also been changed. The change will take p)iice April lst. Under the new boundaries, th=: toweistdps of H ree„ Kinloss, and Culross and " the villages at Rip)iajr, Lucknow. Teeswater and Mildmay, all- is Bruce comity, become part of Huron Riding. now represented by Bob McKinley. Qonsecvative, of Zurich. Also, the townships of Biddulph, east.. of. highway 4 and McGillivray. west of highway 4, including the towns .of Ailsa Qcaig..Lucan and Granton formerly of tile' Huron -Middlesex riding. have been redistributed to the Lambton Middlesex riding. The reason for the redistribution of the boiindaries is due to larger population pts Pon - In general. an urban riding has 20.000 „mote people than a rural riding. Due to. ties rise 01 pop'talation Moving towards London, the rural ridings had to be moved farther out from the city. From 15 to 15.75 Sob McKinley has been the MP of the riding since 1965 and the Federal boundaries have been changed once, in 1968. At that time, the townships of Howick and Turnberry and the town of Wingham were brought in as were parts 1 iiddlesex, now taken away again. Pr low d�. ar The Clinton Hospital Board at their annual meeting last Monday night learned they may know- within a week the tate of the 62 -bed Clinton Public Hospital, but until then they will con- tinue to operate as they always have. The board *elicitor. Beecher Menzies of Clinton, told the mailbag' of 2i peap1e at the Town Hall that tl* Htiroit County group had an excellent hearing before Premier William, . Davis and Health Minister Frank Miller last Thursday, March 11. "If we could obtain guidance from the ministry (tit Health) to get tis* 'other' hospital's co-operation In` maks hospital cuts," then Mr. Menzies saM there was an excellentchance of keeping' Clinton open. Mr. Menzies said theft even with the proposed cut of $41111.11119 from the Clinton budget, they still named the help of the Wingham and Goderich hospitals to make up the s900,000saving the ministry had requested. So far., Wingham and Goderich have refused any cuts, while Seaforth and Exeter Hospital boards..kave agreed to help Clinton. Art Aiken of Clinton, who was re- elected , chairman of the board for another year, told the meeting it had been an extremely busy year for the hospital, especially the last three weeks. The Service Employees Union had been granted certification last Oct. 14, and the Ontario Nurses Association had also been granted certification on February 3, but negotiations with both unions had been stalled because of the order to close, Mr. Aiken said. Mr. Aiken said Cie board of governors had plans' for replacing the older part of the hospital but they had been stalled by events of the last month. Cable TV not pleased with increase Bluewater Cable TV, which services Clinton, Goderich and Vanastra, is not pleased with its 75centincrease in rates, which was approved by the Canadian Radio and Television Commission three weeks ago. President of the Bluewater Cable Company, Ron McIntosh said, "We needed the $1.50 increase we asked for. We'll have to cut back within the coming year. but I don't know where. The cut- backs won't directly involve the • customer, however." -1 .1 Column $y Jinn Fitzgerald One wouldn't know' it from looking outside, but Spring officially arrives this Saturday. March 20 and with that added six inches of snow Tuesday night, it seems we're in for at least another week of winter. +++ The snow and cold is conducive, ° however, to the hockey fever that is • sweeping the town lately. With the Mustangs making a bid to go all the way to the Ontario finals. the arena has been a busy spot on playoff nights. The Stange series resumes tonight against Tillsonburg at the local ice pad. and if a sixth game is necessary. it will be played in Tillsonburg Saturday night, with the seventh game set for Clinton} 'next Tuesday night. +++ Many people in this area were sad- dened to learn of the'untimely death last Sittunday of . M. L. Gregg, who was hest _..;known as Tory: tie was a fixture in these - piisid lie, -booming voice and caustic wit will be missed at the Fair this year. Customers will be receiving educational TV programming on channel six. within the very near future, costing the Bluewater Cable TV com- pany between $8.000 and 510,000. Mr. McIntosh said the CRTC was satisfied with the technical im- provements made by the company, after they had sent in government crews to look at the equipment. "Clinton is 120 miles away from the TV signals. Good reception all the time can only be guaranteed within a 60 mile radius of the signals." he said. Art Coombs of Clinton, chairman of the Consumer Alert Committee, said that his committee isn't objecting to the increase and never did. What they do object to is the poor transmission, Tory Gregg Rack to hockey again, the girls'. hickey *am will batik the Kinsmen to a hiiMatch on April 3rd. Billed as "Super • 9eridujr-. ", the game receipts will be ueayd"bifid up : tie- Cystic Fibrosis. Fund. We ;smut praise in this column. the trio'* of the Clinton Hospital Action Coriiiiiiitee. who are puttinga great 1 across dal ,effort into making people the province aware of the terrible mistake the Davis government is making in closing the Clinton hospital. Tleir untiringefforte. hopefully won't go "It's a technical problem and I think that with any, good technician this problem could be corrected," Mr. Coombs said. "The excuse about Clinton being 120 miles away from the TV signals resulting in occasional poor reception does not hold water," Mr. Coombs said. "Channels 13. 10 and 8 are not 120 miles away, and these stations' are blurry ,as well. It's due to strictly poor technical maintenance," Mr. Coombs said. Mr. Coombs feels that Biuewater Cable TV company is more interested in its monetary increase than service to the Public, and he hopes that maybe now they'll start doing something to clear up their technical difficulties. Voice of Spring Fair dies The voice of the Clinton Fair for the last.30 years. and a -man who announced horse shows at dozens of fairs across Ontario including Hensall, M.L. (Tory) Gregg - of London. Ontario, died Satur- day. He was 70. Tory Gregg was a well-known figure in these parts, almost an institution and never missed announcing the horse show in Clinton at the Huron Central Agricultural Society's annual Spring Fair. 11tH1-itmrwn i* his area for the pest 36 yaws. M.L. (Tory) Ori was always at Mone in front of a inicropheno, as pic- tvrad hers at a town MMw1 in 1174. (Now -Record photo) Mr. Aiken gaVe a special vote of thanks to the staff, board members, and several Clinton citizens who have worked long and hard hours during the last three weeks preparing g brief to the government and fighting the closure. Dr. Brian Baker; chief of the medical staff, said the morale iettill'high among the 19 physicians who use the hospital and he said the hospital should seek to remain fully active. Dr. Baker also recommended that the hospital seek accreditation. and an ambulance service should be established in Clinton as soon as possible. ' 1575 was a very busy year at the hospital, administrator Doug Coventry reported, with` 417 nnajoiN operadons performed on 1,716 patients admitted to the hospital. Mr. Gregg . a beer salesman by trade, but a true sportsman at heart. was perhaps the best known fair announcer in Ontario, where his wide knowledge of everything a judge looks for in horses. from the way a horse stands to the -sheen on its back. came out in a continuous spiel that made his audiences both at- tentive and happy. But Tory wasn't only interested in horses, he was also active in other sports as well. He spent some time as a hockey player in 1933-34 with the London „7lecumsehs. He was also a former president of the Ontario Hockey League, and founding. president of the Western Ontario, Athletic Association. In. 1971 he redred from his job as district sales manager for Molson Betweries. At one time, he also worked as a sports announcer for CKNX Radio Station "in Wingham. Mrs. A.J. McMurray of Clinton. whose late husband was secretary of the Clinton Spring Fair for 35 years until his retirement in 1967, said Tuesday that Tory "made the Clinton Fair." Mrs, Robert Gibbing: of Clinton, whose husband is the present secretary. saki the Fair Board has no idea at this point who they will get to replace Tory for the Fair, upcoming the first°week of June. Mr. Gregg is survived by his wife, one son, two daughters, eight grandchildren, •two great-grandchildren. two sisters and one brother. The funeral service was held in London on Tuesday, Mitch 16 with burial in Brant Townehlp. Art Aiken of Clinton was returned as chairman of the Clinton I4ospital board of governors last Monday night for his second term. (News -Record photo) '900 too high The hospital wad occupied 75 percent of the time with the 77 full time and 31 part-time employees earning $905,417 in wages, making it the Clinton's largest employer. Mrs. Ted Davies, president of the Hospital. Auxiliary, also reported that they, hod a very busy year. with over 114.000 hying r:• i. 'd by the 644 paid tip members. Most of. the earnings were turned back Into the hospital in such ways as equipment, bursaries, etc. Five board members, all volunteers were re-elected for two year terms. Tltey; were Art Aiken, Leen It -skits' DiilE=. Thompson, Mrs. Frank Fingland, and Hugh Flynn. Our v1.wpriit With ehcti�ncoming hospital may bbe saved tactic to one of more liberal restraint, perhaps cutting back provincial government spending, or cutting back every hospital in Ontario a small percentage. We know for sure thatthe NDP's don't believe that any hospital should be closed and the Liberals have pledged to keep small com- munity hospitals open. We that live in small com- munities. where our hospitals have been affected. hope that those communities that haven't been affected yet by the cutbacks, will keep in mind the fact that the Conservative government has already closed 10 hospitals. and cut back provincial grants to in- numerabie hospitals and social servisres . If the Conservatives are voted back into power after another election. they could continue to cut back more social service grants and close more hospitals. Remember. the list of hospitals due for closure was originally 24. By Bev Clark There is a strong possibility that there will be a provincial election in Ontario in the month of May. With the election being called, chances of the Clinton Public Hospital being closed at this time, are slim. An election may be held because the • provincial - Liberal and NDP parties will hold a non -confidence vote, April 5. Official Opposition Leader, Stephen Lewis made the non -confidence motion. Monday. March 15 and drew general Liberal support. In a non -confidence vote, if the Opposition and the Liberals defeat the Conservatives. showing they have no confidence in the gover- nment, an election will be called. As election campaign nears. the Conservatives. who have caused public uproar with their mismanagement of .,restraint programs in health care services and social services. may take a change in attitude, changing their Tuckersmith to protest audit fee By Wilma Oke Members of Tuckersmith Township council were upset at the 5900 increase in the 1975 audit fee they received from the township auditors, Diegel, Malcolm, & Hagey of Stratford at the council meeting Tuesday night. A letter will be sent to the firm protesting the bill for 53,000, compared to $2,100 last year. The firm gave the addition of the books for the Vanastra Day Care Centre in 1975 as one of the reasons for the increase in the amount of work needed to do the books, as well as the use of new tax forms required by the government. The councils of both Colborne Township and Hay Township in letters to Council refused any assistance in paying the deficit for children from - their townships at the Vanastra' Day Care Centre. Tuckersmith Council agreed with the councils that parents using the day care should pay a fee for a child sufficient to cover any costs so that there would be no deficit for the ratepayers to Pay - Council turned down a request from the Village of Bayfield for Tucker - smith's participation in a senior citizens' complex in Bayfield. Council indicated they prefer to support Seaforth in its plan for a senior citizens' apartment building: In addition. Tuckersmith is planning to do a survey with Stanley Township on the needs in the two townships for this type of housing. Council will pay one cent per capita (532 total) towards the costs of Energy Board presentations which were suc- cessful in cutting down proposed costs for hydro. Reeve Elgin Thompson, while agreeing that increases should not be too high, expressed concern that if Hydro were not allowed increases it would not be able to carry out necessary expansion programs. _ Council would not endorse a resolution from the Town of Hawkesbury asking that representatives to the director's meetings of Association of Municipalities of flntarin be paid costs by the A.M.O. rather than the municipality sending the director. Requests for building permits were approved to Gerald Martene, RR 3, Seaforth, carport; Mary McLeod. RR 3. Seaforth, house and garage; Hugh Parsons, Kippen, 'office and storage shed. No action taken on application from Larry McAuley, Vanastra. Complaints from Egmondville residents to council on the muddy streets caused by the. dump trucks carrying away fill from the Seaforth sewage works were discussed- While council sympathized with its residents in Egmondville, they felt there was link - that could be done to avoid the mud due to the weather conditions, and the Seaforth council could hardly be ex- pected to stop work until dry weather arrives. Meeting adjourned atmidnight and council and press fought their way home through drifting snow and "white-out" visibility. Two Hensall students top Legion speak -off By Wilma Oke The 12 Legion branches in District C 1 held their annual public sp4akin g contest in Seaforth Saturday with 35 young -people giving their best effort before a crowd of 200. In the morning session for secondary school students grades 9 and 10. Lucy Van Charles Schultz . the creator Esbroeck of Hensall placed of the comic strip "- Peanuts" first with her talk on the�arlie Brown. Snoopy and • ...Discrimination of Kids' pals. Rights in Elementary Schools." The 15 -year-old girl is a grade 10 student at South Huron District High School at Exeter. student at Hullett Central School. Londesboro, spoke on 1artp Vita Isbrowk In the division for secon- dary students. grades 11. 12 and 1,3, Tony Kyle of Hensall another student at the Exeter school was the winner. He is a grade 13 student and he 'talked on Search for Hap- piness. During the afternoon sessions for elementary pupils. John Lawson of RR 2, Clinton placed first in the junior division for grades 4 to' II. The 11 -year-old trade 1 In the senior division. grades 7 and 8, Connie Baer of RR 5. Goderich was first with_ her talk on Inflation. The 13 - year -old is a grade 8 student at Colborne Central School. Runners-up were: in the junior secondary, Donna Huber of Ripley with "Shark Attacks!" in the senior secondary Ernest McMillan of Goderich with "A Tribute to the Royal Canadian Legion"; in junior elemen- tary, Leah Coulbeck a student of RR 1. Ripley with "I Think It's Hest to Be Me" and Tommy Diegel,'11 of RR 1: Tiverton, speaking on "My Sister"; in senior elemen- tary. Heather Brent, 13, of Wroxeter with her talk on Animals, Vicky McCreight.. 12. of Dublin. with her topic Bless Them All. +' T.er Kyte