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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1976-05-13, Page 1wrar,,,P. ton 0 *()Ittit/ 011 *14 141 1140 3 1976: By Jim Fitzgerald Nearly three months of tension and depression ended Monday in Clinton and an air of jubilation and elation swept •over the town when aintonians learned thCir hospital won't be closed. decision by the Divisional Court of 'the Supreme Court of Ontario said the Provincial government cannot order Clinton, and three other hospitals, to closeas a means of cutting expenses - OS 111th Fear No. 20 55 44 41 34 40 47 49 37 66 37 , 02 33 70 39 .5 38 73 40 72 43 •70 37 Rain 1.47" Rain .75" The mill rate fOr Stanley township 15 up 16 mills over last 'year, it was discovered at the May meeting. of the Stanley township eouncii, Qn the average farm assessment of 17,000, this will Mean a difference 01112 over last year. The largest jump was in the area of education. Council /authorized payment of a no, membership fee to Huron County Municipal Offices Association and 11510 the Huron County Road Superintendents Association. Clinton lawyer Beedher Menzies, who is also vice-chairman of the Clinton Hospital Board, said the decision was a "massive victory" for Clinton. In a unanimous judgment, the three- member court ruled invalid orders -in - council requiring Doctors' Hospital of Toronto, Durham Memorial Hospital, Clinton Public Hospital and Chesley and District Memorial Hospital to close. Earlier cases had established that individual ministers, including the Premier, could not gobeyend the power given to them by the laws, but this -is the first case in Ontario to spell out the same curb on cabinet decisions. Mr. Justice Peter Cory, who delivered an early oral judgment to a crowded courtroom on Monday because of the importance and urgency of the matter, said that the cabinet didn't have any power under the Public Hospitals Act to 'Peggy Campbell, centre, was picked as the junior queen at Hayfield's Centennial Queen contest held last Saturday night in the village. Peggy, who was picked from 20 other entrants, will reign for the rest of the year. Runners-up were Valerie Merrier, left, of Hayfield, and Veronica Huffman, right. A large crowd was on hand -to -witness the ceremonies. (Citizens -News photo) ormer fire chief dies well-known Clinton man, and a fliva of the area who was the town's ,e chief for 25 years, Grant (Red) W. died suddenly at his home on Ott Street, Clinton, last Sunday night, Oth, He was 64, I!ir. Rath, who was on the Clinton Volunteer Fire Brigade for 38 years, was born in Hullett Township on May 24, 1911, a son of the late William and Leila Rath. r When he was only a few months old, et family moved to Clinton, where he s always lived. In 1938, he married the er Imogene (Jean) Andrews in on. She survives him. 1 sI Column By Jim Fltzgerard This was one of those weeks that newsmen both love and hate, and such was the case here in town. First we received the good news that our hospital as saved, and that we can all be proud of. But we also had to cover some bad news, most notably the death of "Red" Rath and the tragic fire at the Baptist Church. Although the latter two give us ews, and sell papers, they are stories e don't relish covering. +++ Now- back to some "phoney" news. is is the big weekend when we turn our tones back one digit as automatic long 'stance dialing bits town. No more 'your number please" for many of us. +++ There are some very happy harness rse owners hereabouts as several al steeds have distinguished them- ves at far off tracks. Most notable is pper Dillion, owned by Mary(Trucker rge) Elliott of town. That speedy ttle four-year-old trotter beat the best ey could throw at him last Friday, and r guess here is that a but from Clinton I be going to New York this fall to see apper represent Canada in the ternational trot, if Dapper keeps laying that kind of speed. He beat bearcats in 2:02,2. Daw oftownand his father also to have a promising youngster in erson(?) of Tar Daw Duke. who if ays sound, could bring a pile of b back here. + + + know our peer over on page two tilieried it already, but we can't help Vetting again the beauty of the 1041 tulips spread around town. Only Mc is, the dandelions are giving some corripetition. During his near record-breaking service to the Fire Department, Mr. Rath served as fire chief for 25 years, retiring in May of 1972. He was also the town's building in- spector for many years; a job continued on by his wife. An active sports buff. Mr. Rath played ,for the Clinton Colts Hockey Club during'ihe '30's. At one time, he ran his own home decorating business, and for the last few years, was employed by K -Decorating of Clinton. Besides his wife. he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Bruce (Joyce) Fear of London. Ontario. and one grandchild. He was predeceased by one brother and one sister. - The funeral service was held yesterday. May 12, from the Beattie Funeral Home in Clinton with Rev. John Oestreicher officiating. Interment was in the Clinton Cemetery. Pallbearers were Frank Cook, Murray Johnston, Clem Reynolds, Don Kay, Doug Cartwright 4nd Clarence Neitans. Flowerbearers were Gord Dalgleish. Robert Irwin and Howard Cowan. Grant (Red) Ws Rath ... dies suddenly - ' - Police nab two burglars Fast work by the Clinton and Stratford police departments resulted in the arrest of two men ,and the recovery of 51,500 worth of furniture last Thursday mor- ning. Ed John Bachmeire and Glenn J. Saumier, both of no fixed address. were each charged with two counts of break enter and theft following an alleged incident in Clinton. Ball and Mutch Furniture in Clinton was broken into on Wednesday night, and the thieves returned on Thursday night and made off with the goods. Quick action by the Clinton police had the filen picked up in Stratford and the goods were receoved only hours later. Meanwhile, the Goderich Detachment of the OPP are investigating a rash of break-ins in the area recently. Last Sunday night, May 9th, thieves entered Boyes Farm Equipment in Tuckersmith in one incident, and made off with 1200, while on the same night, Vincent Farm Equipment in McKillop was entered and 1,15 reported stolen. - The next night, May 10. the Clinton office of Ontario Hydro, south of town. was burglarized and 195 stolen, while on the same night, yeggs stole 18 in a break- in at Agrico, just west of Brucefield. In Other police news. John Bakker of RR 2, Seaforth was fined 1250 and had his license susnended for three months after he was found guilty of careless driving in Goderich Court on May 6. The charge vIlrer an incident on Princess Street I ebruary 26. Police remind the pubiic that police week continues until Saturday, and both the Goderich OPP and the Clinton Police are having open houses where all the public is invited. The Clinton station will be officially opened this Saturday at 3 p.m. Neir county ensign to be ready I)V July • With any luck at all, the County of Huron will be flying its own ensign by the first of July this year. The property committee of Huron County Council reported at the April session it has ordered 114 ensigns - 27" x 54" at a total cost of 52,078.22 from Gamester Advertising Service Limited. - The blue and white ensign bearinethe county crest and thetrillium was the design agreed upon following a flag contest in Huron last year. The flag manufacturer has modified the design somewhat to facilitate production. The flags will be for sale throughout the county for about 120 each. 40* hospitals because of financial and budgetary reasons. Mr. Justice D. A. Keith, and Mr. J. Frank Donnelly of Goderich, concurred with the judgment. Premier William Davis. meanwhile, announced in the Legislature on TtleSdaY that the government will ap- peal the decision in Appeals Court and that he would not cut off any funds to the hospitals until the case is heard, which will take at least six months. Opposition NDP leader Stephen Lewis IMUNIIMMIRMUMMUMMIEWHIMMUMEMMIM ll p 12 in A tile drainage application ter 54,00 was accepted as well as a Muniei Drain, Application tor cleaning out a portion of the Drucefield Drain. Court of revision on the Troyer'Reid Municipal Drain was held. Gerber Drainage of Gad's Hill were awarded the tender at 16.127, the lowest of three tenders. Councillis also advertising for 10,000 cubic yards of pit run gravel to build up a portion -of the/Babylon line. and Liberai Leader Stuart Smith said that if Premier Davis brought legislation before the House to change the Hospitals Act to close the institution, then they would defeat the minority Conservative Government. Clinton's lawyer Aubrey Golden and the counsels for the other three hospitals, argued last week in Divisional Court that the proposed revocation of their approval under the Public Hospitals Act was invalid because the Act only applied to hospitals that were not nnernting efficiently. 1111111415111111101111111111111111111111111011118111MIU31i1Ullii Editorial: David beat Goliath In a classic David versus • Goliath, or the lamb turning on the wolf situation, the court's decision on Monday that the government can't close our • hospital is viewed with • jubilation. It is also a crushing blow to a callous government. While many had given up ;.4. hope that the Clinton Hospital E would be saved, there were g some among us, including this paper, that said all along that justice wasn't being done. And • we were right. • We do, however, agree with • Premier William Davis and his colleagues, that the health • budget of Ontario, now pushing I 53 billion a year, is too high, but there are literally dozens of ways of limiting that budget or touven cutting it. without picking = on a small, vulnerable com- munity hospital like Clinton. By picking on one efficient hospital while completely ignoring other more wasteful institutions, the Davis govern- ment was showing that they had not studied the matter fully and were ill-advised by their bureaucrats. If cuts are to be made, and they should, why not across the board, and why not with some consultation? Instead of increasing their political image by playing up phoney savings by the dramatic closing of hospitals, the Con- servatives have lost ground in what could have been a genuine and honest restraint program. The citizens of this area are grateful, no doubt, that a few persons hung on to the government's tail as tenaciously as they did and even though there are still a few "ifs", we're calling it a victory for the small people over big government. Yes, you can fight city hall! 1411141111111MMIMIMMIWIIIIIMIIMMIMIIMMIMMIIIMMIHM111111111111111411111111111111111MIMM111111001111111MMIMIMIIMMIUMMIllia Crown (the governments) counsel Julian Polika had argued that the cabinet's decision was a policy matter, and so not open to review by the courts. Mr. Polika had also submitted that if a hearing was required, under the Public Hospitals Act, the requirement was met with a request to Mr. Miller for the submission of briefs by the hospitals. The decision by the court on Monday ended near three months of tension by the patients and 110 employees at the 62 - bed Clinton Hospital, that began on February 19 when the health minister visited the hospital and ordered it closed. Since then, the hospital board and the Citizens Action Committee have been fighting the government, even though many had given up hope that the Clinton facility would remain open. The Action Committee, even though they are ending their picketing and verbal protest, will continue to seek funds to cover legal costs both last week, and for the upcoming Appeals court fight. Douglas Coventry, Clinton hospital. ,administrator, said on Monday that he was overjoyed with the decision. and the hospital would continue as before. The hospital had not given any termination notices to their employees and had continued to admitpatients, even though ordered to stop admitting on May I st, and be dlosed by June 1st. For the first time in three months, a mood of gaiety prevailed at the hospital board's meeting on Monday night when they discussed the court's ruline. Chesley Hospital, which has been closed since April 15, will now reopen their doors within the next week, as only two of their employees had found jobs elsewhere. No plans -have been announced yet for a victory party in Clinton to celebrate the reprieve of the hospital. the town's main employer. Fire ravages Baptist Church The struggling congregation of the Clinton Baptist Church was dealt a severe blow early Wednesday morning when fire ravaged their church on Huron Street. An explosion rocked the structure about 3:30 a.m. according to one of the Deacons, Harry Cochrane of Mary Street. just opposite the 87 -year-old structure. The fire that followed was discovered by a passing transport truck driver and the Clinton Area Fire Brigade arrived a few minutes later at 3 :40 a .m. Clinton Fire Chief Clarence Neilans said early Wednesday morning that about 540,000 damage was caused to the brick structure. Chief Neilans said the fire, of un- determined origin, started in the back right-hand corner, in the Sunday School room and .although the firemen confined the blaze to the back of the church. heavy smoke and water damage was -caused to the rest of the church. Because of the dancer of falling bricks on the outside, which had been weakened by the explosion, and the danger of falling plaster inside, the church has been condemned by the fire chief for the time being. Built in 1889, the 30 -member chlirch has been without a minister for nearly two years, but was open every Sunday with the deacons taking the services. Mrs. Hazel Clifford. the church's treasurer, said she didn't think there was enough insurance to restore the church, so its future was uncertain at press time. Members saved some valuables from the church. Firemen left the scene at 7 a.m. but were called back at 9 a.m. when flames broke through the back roof again. Vanastra Lions gel charier By Diane Black The Vanastra and District Lions Club held their Charter Night on Saturday. May 8. 1976 at the Vanastra Community Centre. Lions from various Districts such as Elmira. Kincardine, Stratford, Seaforth. Kitchener. Exeter. Wiarton and Clinton came to welcome in the new members and to join in the evenines festivities. The head table consisted of the following honoured guests; Grant Chisholm district governor Jack Graham, deputy district governor: Jack Merrier, zone chairman: Stewart MacKinnon - extension chairman: Ken McIlveen. president of theYanastra and District Lions Club: R.E. McKinley, MP: Jack Riddell. MPP; Reeve Elgin Thompson: and Harold Whitlock. These gentlemen were accompanied by their charming wives. Following an excellent meal and continued on • e Keit Mcliveen, right, the new president of the Vanastra and District Lions Club, proudly displays the clubs charter which was presented last Saturday night at their charter night at the Vatittatili Centre4, Left to, rtglit are: Stewart • 1' artt lack tenet of Bayfieldi tone e ; Sack Graham of Atwood, deputy distrlit governor; and Grant Chisholm of Lucknow, district governor. (News.liecord photo) .