HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-11-17, Page 4l
PAGE 4—CLINTON NEWS-RECORD,THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1977
What
The right to know
•
It is not our policy to respond in the
same edition to a letter, but a note from
Hullett Reeve John Jewitt is of such a
serious nature, that we deem it
necessary to reply immediately, in
print.
Hullett council has accused this
paper of misinforming the ratepayers
of Hullett Township, and
misrepresenting the council's
business, both charges we refute
wholeheartedly.
Hullett has said that in future, the
council will only provide the minutes of
their open meetings, and no more
• additional information, unless we
attend the meeting personally,
However, with only two full-time
reporters, and several overworked
correspondents, we find it impossible
to attend every meeting of all eight of
the ,municipalities in our readership
area, especially when most of them
meet on the same night of the week.
Therefore, we sometimes rely on the
minutes mailed to us by the clerks to
write our stories from, and we
augment those facts with a personal
phone call to the clerks to clear up a
motion we don't understand, or to get
some background on a by-law, etc.
As for Hullett council's accusation
that we misinformed the ratepayers of
Hullett, we cannot find one single in-
stance, in going over our notes and
stories, where ?hat was the case. We
will gladly show those notes and stories
to anyone, including a court of law.
So if Hullett council thinks they are
cutting off information to the paper,
they are sadly mistaken. They are
instead, cutting information off from
their ratepayers, most of whom don't
attend every meeting,'and in the end
the ratepayers are the losers.
And they may let council members
know it at the next election.
Too many slices
The point has been made more than
once — by John Diefenbaker on oc-
casion and perhaps even as far back as
Sir John A. — that we're lucky not to be
getting all the government we're
paying for.
A cliche states the matter another
way: we are over -governed in this
country. The big, new regional level of
municipal government that has been
with us for seven years has merely
compounded the amount of governance
in our midst.
The unseemly bickering that goes on
between the various .levels of govern-
ment in Canada for greater slices of
the taxpayers' pie has reached a point
where few of us know how- much we
pay to whom for what purposes.
Three and sometimes four levels • of
government compete for the tax-
payers' allegiance. The overlapping
bureacracies of federal, provincial and
municipal administrations have so
blurred the responsibilities of each that
'-the taxpayer — who is also the voter —
has little idea for what each level is
responsible.
Worse, the citizen - taxpayer no
longer has any standard by which to
judge priorities, or measure the ef-
fective use of his money.
Granted that most of our money goes
to provide services which the
politicians would argue we have voted
for, it would be refreshing if the
various levels of governmen would try
to tackle their problems on a basis of
need and efficiency.
Instead we too often are treated to
the tiresome display of each trying to
grab the biggest share of the com-
munal pot.
For instance, we have federal and
provincial ministries of labor, natural
resources, health, social security,
environment, consumer protection and
business regulation. Add to this
municipal involvement in health,
social security, environmental
protection, transportation and
education and you find how the tax-
payer supports enormous bureacracies
which overlap in dreadfully wasteful
manner.
How does the beleagured taxpayer -
citizen choose within three jurisdic-
tions? Surely the time has come to tell
governments to co-operate rather than
compete for the privilege of spending
tax dollars and free the financial
resources needed for one level to do
things well.
—from the Lincoln Post- Express
Sugar and Spicc/By Bill Smiler
We're not dead yet
'This has been the age of the young. Rock
music, drugs, dropouts, dirty denim,
unisex, swinging singles, discos, and now
punk rock. You name it and we've been.
assaulted by it.
It all began with the Beatles, I reckon,
this adulation of youth. And now it's The
Fonz, a portrayal, of a young hood, that gets
the headlines. .
To be over 40, in the last couple of
decades, has been just this side of being
dead, as the media, the entertainment
world, and business, salivated over youth.
Well it's kind of nice to see that a lot of the
old timers are ,..still in there pitching,
despite the deluge of juvenilia.
It was a bit of a jolt to hear of the sudden
death of Bing Crosby recently, at age 74.
But the Old Crooner was still giving some
class to the shoddy world of show biz right
up to the end.
Octogenarian John Diefenb ker has
published another book of hiseroirs.
Haven't read it yet, but it's said to be as
delightfully malicious and wrong-headed
as the first volumes.
Morley Callaghan, well into his 70s,
recently published a new novel, to critical
acclaim. Callaghan, one of our finest
writers, isn't getting older, he's getting
better. Ignored or sneered at for years by
fellow Canadians, he just kept hacking
away at his vocation of being a first-class
writer.
Just finished a novel, The Intruders, by
Hugh Garner, and although parts of it are
bad, when the dialogue becomes polemical,
he sill- has that sure touch of realism, an
ear for the talk of ordinary people, and the
ability to tell a good story. Garner is no
chicken either. Must be in his 60s, about
half way.
Scott Young, another cracking good
writer, has abandoned a daily column of
trivia, with which even he was becoming
bored, and has gone back to writing what
he does best — honest sports stories. He's
over 60.
Pierre Trudeau is not yet an ancient
combatant, but he had his 58th recently,
and is certainly no pushover for the young
blood -thirsty wolves in the political pack,
as anyone who watched the opening of
Parliament could see.
And how about the Queen. She is no
teenager, and she's beginning to show it,
but when it comes to poise and grace and
charm, very few of the young chicks can
hold a candle to her.
One of my collegaues, a former officer in
the German Army is into his 60s but could
out -ski, out -swim, and out -walk most of the
staff members 30 years younger.
I have another friend, about 70, who could
out -think, out -drink, and out -swear 98
percent of men in their 20s.
My father-in-law was a little disap-
pointed td'le'arn this year that a by-law had
been passed stating that retirement was
compulsory at 65, and he'd lose one of his
jobs.
He's 85 and is quite bewildered when he
hears talk of young fells. in their early 60s
who can hardly wait to retire.
Played golf with an old, gray-haired
geezer a few weeks ago. He is retired, but
only because of a heavy heart attack. He
plays 18 holes a day and then knocks back a
few whiskies before dinner. His score was
88, mine was 108. He swims all summer and
bowls twice a week in the winter, as well as
working like a navvy around his home.
I don't really know what I'm getting at
here. Maybe I'm just sick of the youth -
worship cult to which we've all been ex-
posed (including the young) for far too
long.,
Maybe I'm tired of living on a continent
and in a culture in which the very people
who ,were the salt of this country's earth
are huffled off, without honor and without
shame, into places' that are called things
like Sunset Rest, Final Heaven —
everything but Last Chance Saloon.
Maybe I'm fed up with the interminable
excuses, sloppy service and half-assed
work we receive from so many young
people whose grandparents and parents
gave full measure, and believed in such
hoary adages as "A job worth doing is
worth doing well."
I sometimes wonder why we are so
eager, in this country to slough off the
wealth of experience and wisdom our
elders have to offer in our society.
Why aren't the older tradesmen used as
teachers, at a decent remuneration, to
pass on their skills to the half-baked young
tradesmen we so often encounter when we
want job done?
There is a crying need for more day-care
centres in this country. Why aren't they
filled with volunteer grannies, who could
love and pet and teach the children, as only
they do so well?
Nope. It's easier to sweep, them under the
carpet: into lonely rooming houses, nursing
homes, senior citizens apartments, or, in
extreme cases, the Senate.
We don't want to see wrinkles and white
hair and trembling hands or mouths. We
want everything to be the way it is on TV.
Well, don't try to shuffle this ole boy off,
when the time comes. I intend to go right on
being arbitrary and obnoxious.
Unless I'm offered a seat in the Senate.
.. I said, don
you think there's too much sex on TV?"
Odds 'n' ends - by Elaine Townshend
Laughter
Did you know you laugh yourself
to health?
"Ridiculous!" you say. "I've got a
pain in my back that no amount of
laughter will take away."
That's not the kind., of health I mean.
Psychological studies show that•
laughter relieves tension; it acts as a
safety valve, an outlet 'for expression
and a guard against boredom.
Laughter can also be• used as a
weapon. When you're angry with
someone and you're itching for an
argument, what is more frustrating than
to see your adversary laughing at you?
It may be disconcerting to you, but the
disagreement probably won't get off the
ground. You'll either leave or start
laughing too.
Likewise, when someone tries to insult
you, don't you find satisfaction in th-
warting him with a grin?
For many people, laughfeeis a way of
life. Susan White, Editor of the Huron
Expositor, wrote in a recent column that
her family laughed and joked after her
uncle's funeral. Of course they grieved,
but they didn't show it with long faces
and tears. Instead they went on with
their lives the way they always did with
humour.
An outsider might not have un-
derstood, but the man they said„good-bye
to would have. That''s""th'e way he would
have wanted it.
If laughter is unimportant in life, why,
do many people turn to the funnies first
in the daily newspaper? Why do they,
consciously or ,subconsciously, look
forward to Saturday when a whole
magazine full of funnies arrives in the
mail?
Why are stand-up comics in such
demand on TV va'riety shows? How has
Carol Burnett and her zany cast at-
tracted a large portion of the viewing
audience eacli week for so many years?
If slapstick comedy has been replaced
by sophisticated dramas, that mirror the
problems of our complex modern
society, why are we watching Lucy
reruns for the 15th time and still
chuckling?
If you're feeling down, here is my
prescription: take two heaping spoonfuls
of ),aughter, even if you have to force if;
mix well and then share it.
I believe that in almost every situation
in life, we can find a tidbit of humour, if
we look hard enough.
Some people may accuse me of having
a warped sense .of humour, and maybe
they're right. A few may expect me to
giggle my • way into a psychiatric
hospital, and maybe I will. Others may
think I have a "pie in the sky" attitude
and am trying to escape reality.
On the contrary, I believe in facing
reality squarely. But why face it with a
frown expecting the worst? Why not face
it with a smile and look for the brighter
side?
From our early files .
• • •
5 YEARS AGO
November 16, 1972
Thee is a possibility of Clinton
having two elections this
December when only three
people were nominated for the six
seats open on council. None of the
present council members said
they would be returning.
As the result of the vacancies,
Town Clerk Cam Proctor has to
open nominations again and if
more than three people put in
their names, then another
election would have to be called
on December 18.
Clinton voters will only go to
the polls to elect a mayor and a
deputy -reeve.
Russ Archer, a present
councillor member, will oppose
incumbent mayor Don Symons
for the top job and Councillor Bill
Crawford will oppose incumbent
deputy -reeve Frank Cook for the
post.
Mrs. Margaret Thorndike was
elected the new Zone Com-
mander of Zone C-1 of the
Canadian Legion Auxiliary at a
meeting in Goderich last week.
She succeeds Mrs. Evelyn
Carroll of Goderich who becomes
Provincial Secretary. This is the
first time that Clinton has had a
Zone Commander for the LA,
Clinton will have a strong
representation at the Senior
Youth Bowling Council provincial
finals at Rexdale on November
27.
Bob Atkinson, Joyce Colclough,
Glenda Blake and Debbie
Johnston all from Clinton were
declared champions in the
Bluewater Zone and will
represent this district along with
Ron t ervit and Bruce Skinn from
Wingham.
Bugs bunny would love Bob
Stephenson of Erie Street in
Clinton who grew a giant carrot,
which measured nearly a foot
and a half long, and nearly three
inches wide, in his garden. He
discovered the specimen when he
had his garden plowed last week.
10 YEARS AGO
November 18, 1987
Demolition. of the former
Clinton post office began last
Thursday and is expected to be
completed by this weekend.
R.J. (Gus) Boussey has taken
up duties as manager of the
Clinton Public Utilities Com-
mission effective Wednesday.
44e has begxi employed by the
Seaforth PUC for 19 years, the
last nine years as manager.
Gordon H. Johns, a graduate of
Central Huron Secondary School,
received his Bachelor of Science
degree (B.Sc.) in physics at the
,recent fall convocation at
Waterloo Lutheran University.
Ile is presently teaching at
Eastwood Collegiate in Kit-
chener. He is the youngest son of
Mr. and Mrs. Howard E. Johns of
Tuckersmith.
The sixth annual coin
exhibition sponsored by the
Huron County Numismatic
Society at the Elm Haven Motor
Hotel, Clinton, on Sunday at-
tracted about 400 interested
visitors.
Clinton Colts and officials of the
team were delighted with the
turnout of fans at last week's
exhibition hockey game in the
new arena with the Seaforth
Beavers.
Publicity man Clarence
Denomme was happy to report
too that the team was able to pay
the referees "and still have a
little left over” after last week's
game.
25 YEARS AGO
November 20, 1952
No longer will strangers be
unable to identify Auburn, for
markers have been placed at the
eastern and western entrances to
the village by the Horticultural
Society. These letters which are
33 inches high, 18 inches wide and
six inches deep, are made of
cement, each weighing 250
pounds.
The work of cutting out the
stencils and making and pouring
the cement was 'done by Mrs. R.J.
Phillips, Mrs. William Straughan
and Arthur Youngblutt, whose
efforts have resulted - in excellent
workmanship as well as
something of which Auburn may
be proud.
An epidemic of thefts from
motor cars took place on Rat-
tenbury Street during the night of
November a,, 17. Automobiles
owned by Cyril Cornish, Charles
Cornish, Mrs. G. Wendorf and
Mrs. Ruth Knox were all entered.
The thieves took three radios, two
motor rugs, a blanket, a ther-
mostat and a flash -light.
Frank Haines, local cab owner,
was the unfortunate victim of a
peculiar accident last Saturday
afternoon. Frank was parked at
the gasoline pumps at Howard
Turner's Service Station on
Huron Street. He had just been
served with gasoline and went to
the rear of his car to check the
stop lights when a second car,
parked a few yards distant,
without art occupant, wheeled
backward, pinning Frank 5 t -
ween the two vehicles.
The result of the accideril was
that Frank was taken to Clinton
Public Hospital where an X-ray
revealed a fracture of the right
ie14ighlights of the Remem-
brance Day ceremonies in
Clinton was the laying of the
cornerstone of the new Canadian
Legion Hall. Taking part in the
ceremonies were Kelso B.
Streets, Legion president: Dr.
J.W. Shaw, charter member of
the Legion branch 140; Elmer
Johnston and Rev. R.M.P.
Bulteel, Legion Chaplain,
The 1953 Plymouth Cranbook 4 -
door sedan features a completely
new appearance, with 34 new
style features. The new, low hood
and one-piece constant curved
windshield provide exceptional
driver visibility. A chrome speed -
line sweeps back from the grille
into the front fender, to be picked
up again in the clean, straight-
line rear fender, emphasizing the
long, low back.
Chrysler Corporation officials
claim the new Plymouth also has
38 new performance and safety
features as well as ' 21 new
comfort features. An appealing
selection of solid and two-tone
colour combinations with blen-
ding interior trims are available
in seven Plymouth body styles for
1953.
50 YEARS AGO
November 17, 1927
The street committee has been
rounding off the corners of the
streets where they jutted out at
the irregular angles along the
main street and having this week
taken off those at Bartliff's
corner. No- doubt this leaves
much more room for drivers of
vehicles, but these points, until
one becomes accustomed to
them, have a very chopped -off
appearance.
This is "Apple Week" , in
Canada and we hope every
citizen and every visitor to
Clinton this week has seen the
fine display of Huron County
apples in Bartliff's window.
No. 5 school, near Londesboro,
is a progressive school and as
proof of this, it has this fall
adopted the hot lunch system.
Each day the pupils have one hot
dish at lunch time, soup or
vegetable or a hot drink. The
teacher, Miss Parrott, and the
older pupils, arrange a sort of
menu for each week and also
arrange .who will attend to the
washing of dishes etc. An oil
stove has been procured, with the
utensils necessary, and the pupils
are enjoying the comfort of ,a hot
lunch at noon: A piano is also part
of the equipment of this school
and recently a phonograph was
installed. So it would seem that
the pupils whose good fortune it is
to attend there are highly
favoured.
Smile
The captain of an un-
dermanned sailing ship was
offered a consignment of
hardened convicts as crew
members during the
Napoleonic Wars. "Nothing
doing", he said. "Too many
crooks spoil the sloop."
t -
What yoii •
think
Inaccurate
Dear Editor:
Due to misleading stories o
which have been appearing in
your newspaper• recently, the
Council has decided to adopt a
policy to try and correct this
unfortunate circumstance.
The Clerk has been instructed
to forward a copy of the
minutes of our meetings to
the press and include no
additional information.
If the paper feels it
necessary, for additional
information, you will be made
welcome at our counci
',
meetings. We regret havin
to take this action but feel it
will present a more accurate
account of our meetings.
On behalf of the Hullett
Township Council, I remain,
Yours very truly,
John Jewitt, Reeve.
0
Accurate
Dear Editor:
Re: Your Coverage of the
Canadian Cancer Society's
Huron County Unit annual
meeting.
I have received a clipping
from your paper dated
October 13, 1977 in which your
reporter has described i
detail the talk I gave at this
dinner meeting.
I would like to commend
the .reporter, whose name I do
not recall, for the remarkably
detailed and accurate
recording of my talk which
she achieved.
Neither my wife nor myself
can remember her having a
tape recorder and we believe
that this was accomplished
from her notes. If so, it is ail
the more remarkable an'
achievement.
There is not a single in-
stance in the entire story
where I have been misquote
or misinterpreted. I wish to
extend my compliments and
thanks to this unidentified
reporter.
Yours sincerely,
R. Hasselback, M.D.,
F.R.C.P.
(Editor's note; that
reporter was Joanne Walters
of the Goderich Signal -Star.)
Calling
Dear Editor:
Would you be kind enough
to place this announcement in
your `Letters to the Editor'
column or a similar place in
your newspaper. We are
anxious to contact former
students of Chippewa
Secondary School.
Calling all Chippewayans
home to North Bay. Smoke
signals say, "Big Pow -wow
June 30 - July 1, 1978 for all
chiefs, maidens, braves and
former tribe members."
Spread the word.
Tentative plans include a
cabaret, parade, golf, fashion,
show, tour, anniversary
dinner and dance, etc.
Write before too many
moons to Chief Running Deer,
Bill Colcock at 730 Rose
Avenue,. Apt. 10, North Bay,
Ontario, P1B 6W4, to receive
a ,complete brochure of
planned activities, and to
take advantage of special
`reservation' rates. •
Yours truly,
Chippewa Secondary School
(Mrs.) S. Davison
News -Record readers are
encouraged to express their
opinions in letters to the
editor, however, such opinions
do not necessarily represent
the opinions of the News -
Record.
Pseudonyms may be used
by letter writers, but no letter
will be published unless it can
be verified by phone. 4�
Member, Ontario Weekly
Newspaper Association
Tho Clinton News•Rocord Is published each
Thursday at P.O. Sox 30, Clinton, Ontario,
Canada, NOM 11.0.
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post office under the permit number 0011.
The Nows•Record Incorporated In 1024 the
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Clinton New Era, founded In 1465. Total press
run 3,300.
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