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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-10-19, Page 3• People in Profile: Joe's geese all shot By Shelley McPhee For the past five years, people have taken family drives down the Con- cession Road 15-16 of Goderich Township to see the geese on Joe Potter's pond. The 125 by 75 foot pool built by Mr. Potter is filled each vPar with hundreds of Canada Geese. The families aren't driving by the Potter pond any longer and the geese aren't resting there. The geese are' gone, some 130 of them, many victims in a hunter's wild chase. "I had a lump in my throat and a sick feeling in my stomach when I looked up in the sky and didn't see them coming," explained Mr. Potter, who has developed a comradeship with the big birds over the years. According to Mr. Potter, the birds knew him by sight. The birds could spot his blue truck as he drove down High- way 8 and by the time he reached the pond the birds would be waiting for their treat of corn. "I got my gun out and pretended I was a hunter, but it didn't bother the geese, they just sat on the pond," he remembered. "I can't kill anything though. I'm not against hunting in a hunting ,area, but not in a populated one," Mr. Potter emphasized. Last year, the hunters respected the pond, Mr. Potter and the geese. Not one shot was fired. This year, the night before the opening day of hunting season, the RCMP put up signs, protecting the geese in a quarter -mile area from shotguns. The next day, several weeks ago now, Mr. Potter described the activities: "All hell broke loose. The geese were blown apart in front of a group of neighbor kids. I was dumbfounded." The hunters were situated on the baited area boundary, just within the distance to bit the geese, Mr. Potter explained. "They did all their shooting in the direction of us. There were feathers flying everywhere." "Itis not only the geese that were killed that bothered me, but the ones. that were wounded. The hunters were shooting from too far a distance and the wounded birds were left to suffer and die." The next day, the pond was not filled with geese as usual, but only- one wounded bird sat on the water. Later it died. "How do you explain it to the kids when you see a massacre like that," he asked. Despite the first incident the remaining geese tried to seek refuge on the pond_ again, •however.the hunters were waiting. "As the geese flew over from the conservation area they (the hunters) came down the roads driving like maniacs. They'd stop, shoot at the geese and then race onto the next concession where they'd meet the birds again." Mr. Potter called the RCMP and the local OPP officers for assistance and although three hunters were picked up, no charges were laid against them since they were hunting just outside the baited area limit. "The limit should be one-half mile," Mr. Potter claimed, "The one-quarter mile range is too close, it comes into the gun range." "The RCMP were more interested in charging me since I was feeding the birds. They say that it interferes with the birds migrating pattern. I don't feed them after the hunting season so they can fly south." Mr. Potter further explained that he could just as easily dump the corn into a field and the birds could have found and eaten it there. "Would they charge me then?" he challenged. "I would like to seal off this whole block, but I doubt if it can be done." "The other day I took a drive to the Clinton Conservation Park. The hun- ters were lined along the marsh waiting for the geese to land at night. One trip there was enough for me. I was sick before I went," remarked a very concerned man. Slightly defeated, and definitely upset Mr. Potter hopes to control un- necessary, unwanted killing of the birds, just for the sake of sport. He hopes to approach the Humane Society and the government. In the meantime, the Potter pond remains empty, as the geese have either all been killed or frightened away from their resting place. "Now people drive by they'll look at an empty pond." Car flips, man unhurt George Hull, 46, of RR 2, Southwold escaped with minor injuries after the car he was driving flipped onto it s side, than righted itself. The Goderich OPP explained that the accident occurred on October 15 at 3 am on Highway 21 south of Bayfield. Hull was southbound at a normal rate of speed when the car he was driving entered the, east ditch, flipped onto its right side and then back onto its wheels. The vehicle then struck a hydro pole bringing the wires down. Damage to the Hydro property was set at $400 and $2,000 damage to the car. The Clinton Police reported one incident of wilful damage when a beer bottle was thrown at a gas pump at Malone's Gas Bar on Huron Street. The incident occurred on October 14 and $25 damage was done to the glass face on the pump. The police are still investigating. Elementary... • from page 1 be sent to arbitrators rather than to school boards. `.'Clearly, it is of the utmost im- portanee thht arbitrators, in making their awards, adhere not only to the., principles of fair compensation but also to the necessity for general economic restraint in the past -controls period," read Mrs. Hazlitt from the minister's Ietter. "All I know is that last year our allotments (grants) were down con- siderably and yet our costs were,fixed by the arbitrator," she said later, adding that the gap between grants and salaries has to be passed on to the local taxpayer. Mrs. Hazlitt also suggested a copy of .the letter be sent to the various teachers' federations and the provincial education relations com- mission, which oversees teachers' negotiations. Despite the signs guarding Joe Potter's pond and the surrounding quarter -mile area, guns and hunters are still plentiful. This is clearly evident to passers by travelling down concession road 15-16 of Goderich Township. The pond which in the past year has been filled with over 200 Canada Geese is now empty. (News - Record photo) stuck in the middle CLINTOWNEWS-RECORD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18,1878—PAGE 3 Vanastra townhouses cold as heat, hydro cut off About 58 townhouse units in Vanastra owned by Jim Queen of London are without heat and hot water as a result over a dispute between Ontario Hydro and their landlord over the hydro bill. Twelve of the units are occupied and only four families living there have paid their rent. The oil -fired furnaces have been shut off since April and on August 21, Ontario Hydro cut off the electrical supplies which provide the hot water needed to start the furnaces again. The Wards, an elderly couple who have been living in the townhouse development for the past four years, may not be able to stay in their home much longer. The temperature has dropped to 10 degrees celsius. The couple have been forced to sleep at their son's. Huron County Medical Officer, Dr. Brian Lynch explained to the London Free -Press that a municipal bylaw states that the landlord must provide a year round temperature of 20 degrees celsius (69 degrees Fahrenheit) in all the units. Dr. Lynch said that he could take Queen to court, but it might not be in the interest of the four families living in the units. - Queen and a spokesman for Brava Holding Ltd., a Kitchener based firm which holds the mortgage, have not been available for comment. Hydro spokesman Walter Palmer told the Free -Press that a great deal of consideration. was given the tenants before the services were turned off, however they didn't want the problem to drag on through the winter. Although Palmer would not say how much Queen owes Ontario Hydro, another source told the Free -Press that it was in the $5.000 range. In the meantime, John Lyndon. manager of the county housing authority, may have room for the Wards in a senior citizen unit. However, another family effected by the dispute, the Maxwells may have problems finding a larger unit to temporarily accomnahpdate them. June Maxwell is not interested in the problems between Queen and Ontario Hydro. She is worried about her eight- year-old daughter Shelly who has a heart condition and now has developed a cold and a fever, a grandchild born in October and three other children of her own aged 11, 15 and 17. Her son and daughter-in-law are also living with her, on a temporary basis since their townhouse was unheated and not healthy for their new baby. Mrs. Maxwell pays $175 rent a month and although she is looking for another place to rent, with an income of only $406 a month from mother's allowance, her choices are limited. Mrs. Maxwell has tried to contact Queen about the problem, but hasn't had any luck. She even tried holding her rent back in August but has now paid most of it back with the exception of $45. She decided to pay the overdue rent rather than face an eviction notice. She is attempting to keep the three bedroom townhouse warm with a space heater and has been warming water on the stove for baths. However, the bathroom is getting too cold to take baths in. She is also concerned about the condition of her young daughter. Rent on four of the occupied units is still being paid and collected by the sheriff's office under a writ of execution. A spokesman, at the office refused to tell the Free -Press who issued the writ. It's a beautiful area, covered with rolling hills' and shady trees. High bluffs and lengthy shorelines add to the scenery of the locale. Buildings, steeped in tradition and age still stand . and an active history, com- plete with natives is well recalled. Some people live 'under the im- pression that they must travel to British Columbia or Switzerland to encounter an awe inspiring land- scape. Others travel to Greece or the British Isles to study history and architecture. Sun and sand seekers head for the Bahamas or Hawaii and those interested in ., primitive , cultures visit Borneo. Blinded by the urge to get away, the idea that far away places have something better to offer and by taking what they have for granted, people often miss the sites and at- tractions that are available at home. Just look at Ontario. While we busily cut down and spray our fields full of bright yellow dandelions, people pay hundreds of dollars to see those same fields of wild flowers in Holland. We ignore our own churches, homes and other older buildings. We prefer to tear them down, build new complexes then travel to England to see the same Victorian, Tudor and ,Grecian styles. As for history, like another place, Ontario too 'is filled with tales • 9i' yesteryears. Ontario ,has a vas t assortment of ethnic groups, from the Mennonites in the Kitchener area, the Chinese and Italians around Toronto and the Ukranian and other Scandinavian natives in Thunder Bay. I may 'not be a world traveller, but I do know that I am impressed with the scenery of this province. The Niagara Escarpment for instance always sets a beautiful scene, whether it be from a high bluff or an island sitting in one of the Great Lakes. Niagara.. Falls, the Devil's _Punchbowl, the Sleeping Giant, Point Pelee are only a few of well known,,, geographic features known in Ontario, only a small fraction of the scenic sites available in the province. Then there are the seasons. The changes of the year that we so often complain about are really a treasure. What a better choice within the span of 365 days. A person can fish, lie on the beach and swim in refreshing fresh water, sit in front of a warm bonfire and walk through piles of crackling leaves, ski down Ontario's mountains and skate on the unlimited amount of ponds and lakes. It all sounds like a good deal to me I think I'll tour the province. SHOP THESE WEEKLY STAR STUDDED SPECIALS SPECIAL HOME -BAKE OVEN CERAMICS NAIL SLICKS Free Demonstration Saturday, Oct. 21st • from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at what's new? Babies are born every day. And newspapers report it —in full. They also report on who's getting married, local sports, the price of a pot roast, and more. In your community this is news. And newspapers print the news, with strong emphasis on local news. Local newspapers deliver, where other news sources leave off. People believe strongly in newspapers for several reasons: newspaper reading is a habit with most people; it's part of the habitual routine of daily life; and people regard their newspaper 'as a friend they can't do without. Over eight out of ten adults read a newspaper every day. For that reason no other news medium can match local newspapers for speedy, thorough saturation of your town. For all the news about your community, read your local newspaper. Newspapers deliver the local story. We bring you, what's new! Anne Miller-.11rn F1tzgorold•Shelloy Mcphoo. Gary Hakst Clinton Xews-Recor(1 53 li►LBERt ST. 4.2.3443 1