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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1980-08-21, Page 4.�a INTON CARD, TIMM" ►+&Y, AUGUST ,:1980 v1 awe,' tutvotikcook f ice• st f►,O.c $044% 1'e Cltn1os,0steder M•, Chttarle 1M+iwicllr wastwtar Aitletien k 04r44prlt4 s1,40' 4 0.s. MO by th. 000 office uedex TN pl rsdt nuonbor N1y, /ha $oRws- .cord' higorp4,4040 In 1/24 thtl Nuc $f ws41•40 'dd fowaid.d 1n 14$t« itn4 COnto+u t ltrtli faustMtd *103.'404 fa• IWI rue AW* #CN,A Mflm1•erCodlan ContormidtynaNRwspap+cr ,Assodetien • pispl,�y advertising rates avarlabie an request. Ask for Rata Card No. 111 affective Sept. 1,1415. General Munger • J. Howard Aitken • Editor • Jamas IR.Fftsaerald Advertising Director -Gary L. Heist Naw' edltor. Shelley McPhee Office Manager. Margaret Gibb Circulation - Freda McLeod r Subscription Rata: Canada - '13.00 Sr. Citlsen.-'13.00 par year U.S.A. & foreign -'30.00 per year Thanks Ducks Unlimited S'1 The recent announcement that the ministry of natural resources and a conservation group, Ducks Unlimited (Canada) have signed an agreement to develop the Hullett Wildlife Management Area will be greeted with applause by area residents. Finally, after 10 years of almost sitting still, the 2,400 hectare Hullett conservation area will soon become a reality. Nearly a decade ago, the land for the Hullett Wildlife Area was assembled by the provincial gover- nment and grandoise plans were drawn up showing a major con- servation and recreation area that would attract thousands of tourists annually from eastern North America. The 5,500 acre marsh, which was to have features such as a water fowl sanctuary, hunting,' bird watching and camping facilties, was to i bring --up TO -50;000 people td the -Clinton area each year. But after spending almost $2 million on the project, the. government's enthusiasm fizzled out and their disinterest has remained low ever since. However, the revival by Ducks Unlimited, a privately funded group, has breathed new life into the project and the whole scheme again looks like it will- comne to fruition. Ducks Unlimited says they will spend about $150,000 this year in development funds and within the next few years may sink an additional $1 million into Hullett Township to° develop and maintain a vital wetland area necessary for the preservation of waterfowl and other wildlife species. In addition, the ministry will continue to develop and enhance the remainder of the upland habitat for the many additional wildlife species, and provide wildlife based recreational experiences for people. What it could mean toC linton is still not sure, put many `feelit Co-UM-Mean- a ould meana majorinflux of visitors and an expansion of the service , industry needed to serve those people. By J.F. MOM TON Dou61..-0ROGMG VIA '`Just think of all the things money can't buy .. like all the things it could buy last year." a look through thenews-record files 5 YEARS AGO August 21, 1975 For the fourth year in a r 1w, the Sunda turned out beautiful when 1 Rev. Georg i -Youm�atoff -of-St. James- Anglican Chure in Middleton mounted the prow of a small motor' boat to preach his Galilean service at Stewart Middleton's park. About 300 people, many bringing their Hey! Whathapening..te!I us "I guess you have to know somebody to get news in this paper." "Your paper had a big story about my neighbour's anniversary and none about ours. Why not?" "Little Johnnie's picture was in the paper and my Mary's got left out." Those comments are some of the regular criticisms that this newspaper's staff hears about .our business, gathering news about Clinton and area people. And they are all good questions or valid points. It's often mysterious to outsiders, this newspaper business, and at times we dorr'tj do a very good job of ex- plaining ourselves. That''s why the News -Record, in co- operation with the, Bluewater Newspaper Network is handing out. free copies of a little yellow .booklet called, "Hey! What's happening..." It answers some of the questions and complaints that 'weekly newspapers get and it also has a wealth of information for anyone who's writing news of any sort for the News -Record. That includes meeting reports, sports stories, personal news and special event coverage that this newspaper is happy to receive from many hard working volunteer writers. Correspondents who write about area communities for the News - Record already have a copy of the Brother beckons Have to go and see my kid brother this week. I don't have to. Nobody in his right mind has to have anything to do with his relatives. From birth to death they are a pain in the arm. When a baby is born, all the eyebrows go up at ,the choice of name, unless it happens to be one of _ theirs, or that of a rich uncle. Asked my grandboys the other day what their second name was. Balind who sometimes doesn't know his anus from his elbow, promptly retorted, "William". His second name was the same as mine, in case I'd be pleased and leave him something. Asked the other guy, who knows everything from why Gran's crying to why Grandad is in a tearing rage. He muttered, 'then". I'd forgotten. His parents named him that, don't ask me why, because they were on an in- ternational kick and Chen means "first-born." Poor little devil. His full name is Nikov Chen. Imagine what the CIA will do with that when they take over Canadian intelligence. Notice I sPelled the last word without a capital! Next time the relatives act like little Jack Horner is when your kids get married. Despite the fact that the couple has been living together for nine months, your blasted relatives want a church wedding, with the bride in white, a big receptionwhere everybody pretends, that the newlyweds are virgin, there are some adolescent speeches right out of -the age of Victoria, and somebody cuts a cake that nobody would ept with a 10 - foot pole. This costs roughtly five to 10 thousand dollars so that the couple can go on living in sin, but with a paper to prove that they're not. And the third occasion on which' the relatives get their arms into it, right up to the elbows, is when somebody dies. This is when the real Christians emerge. "Mom always said I could have that tea service." "Well, that's what you think. I was there the . day she died and she distinctly stated (arm twisted behind her back) that I could have not only the tea service but all the linen." And go.,on. I've seen all this, but not ex: perienced it. After my mother's death, my elder sister was mutually appointed arbitrator. And she ar- bitrated. "Two sheets for you, two for you. Two blankets for you, two for you. Two linen tablecloths for you, two for you. Two beds for you, a dining -room table for you. Everyday china for you, plus the silver coffee pot. Good china for you, plus the chamber -pot." And so on. It was like being at an auction, without any bids and we all went away rather dazed, enriched beyond our dreams,- and with only a few grudges. We were all so young and unsophisticated that we let an aunt have a beatifu.l chaise lounge which wound up as a period piece in, of all places, Australia. My aunt didn't want it. This hasn't much to do with going to see my kid brother, but I still think that he thinks he got screwed (he was in Paris at the,, time) on the family, split-up, and covets the hand -carved. stool my Dad made, which I traded off, for an upright piano of dubious vin- tage. Maybe not. Maybe he just wants to see me. Maybe he wants to apologize for all the times he trailed me all over town when I was seven and he was five. I ,,would first hiss at him, then shout at him, to go home. He'd hang on, a block behind, crying like a fire siren, stubborn as a hound following a fox. He's challengedme to a game of golf. This is quite iurrderstandable. It fits the pattern. I could always beat him at everything and he wants the masochistic satisfaction of being trounced once more, before he7retires to that wonderland of golf' where everybody takes a Mulligan, everybody rides an electric care to the next hole, and everybody discusses every shot at the 19th hole. On the other hand, maybe he wants to talk about all that money I borrowed from him when he had a paper route and I was a well, a sort of freelancer. Every Saturday night I used to lock him in the bathroom and freelance about two-thirds of his weekly take so I could go to the movies. Saw him in Germany a few years ago and he was still keeping track. He figures I owe him 28 thousand, 500 and some dollar*, with compound in - booklet, which they received at a seminar earlier this year. We'll try to make one available to everyone who's writing news for us on a regular basis too. But the booklet will also be in- teresting to anyone who's publicity chairperson or press reporter for a local group. And to anyone who's curious —just wondering — how best to go about getting news coverage in the News -Record. We at the News -Record feel it's really important to be in touch with our readers. Booklets like "Hey! What's happening..."ought to help. x terest. Perhaps he just wants to remind me _ of all the girls he has taken away from me, over the years. He never took anyone of any teal consequence but he took some very fine prospectives. On the fourth hand, maybe he just wants to rub it in to me that I'm a failure. He retired as a Colonel with a chestful of medals. Lquit as a Flight - Loot with four or five medals mouldering in the basement. He has been at the beck and call of generals, ambassadors and such. He is divorced — fashionable. 'I am married — unfashionable. Isle is charming, multilingual; has tasted the fleshpots of Europe. rani.a.typical suburban slob. - -__ __ — Or maybe the poor little fella just wants to see the brother he used to pillow -fight with every Saturday morning. own chairs or sitting on the seats provided which included bales of hay set in rows, assembled for fast Sun' ay's service and picnic i lunch. P ... ---10YE•ARS AGO --. -- August 20, 1970 Arrangements have been made by the Huron County Board of Education to have the land area northwest of Central. Huron Secondary School in Clinton filled* in and levelled following complaints that the site had been used fpr the disposal of. surplus materials from the school shops. A handsome rock has been placed in Pioneer Park and it is planned to secure a bronze tablet to the rock. A new sign with the name Pioneer Park has been erected. So far, Clinton Raceway has brought in the biggest spending binge in history to • Clinton this summer. During the month of July 6,400 persons bet more than $120,000 at the track with more than half of the season left, to go: The Kinsmen Club project is undoubtedly a success. 25 YEARS AGO August 25, 1955 A ribbon stretching across King Street, at the beginning of the new pavement, will be cut at each end simultaneously by Warden Earl Campbell and Mayor M.J. Agnew tomorrow evening, in a public ceremony, which will officially open the new stretch of highway. Two Clinton residents who entered limericks in the Sealy Posturpedic contest, conducted locally at Beattie's Furniture Store, are eligible for three national grand awards. They are Miss Margaret Davies and Mrs. Robert Irwin. The town crest in full color has been added to the decor at the front of the Council Chamber. It is mounted below framed pictures of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in the "V" formed by the Union Jack and the RCAF Ensign. Artist for the crest is Reg Smith who worked from copies of the original which were made up from the coat of arms of Lord Clinton of England. 50 YEARS AGO August 21, 1930•' • A representative of a talkie company has been negotiating with Mr. S.S. Cooper in regard to introducing talkie films in Clinton. Mr. Cooper informs the News - Record that the matter has not gone very far as yet, but something may come of it. The results of the Upper School examination were posted up in Clinton on Monday and the News -Record window has been a very popular spot since. The results are very creditable. A few of the out- standing results were ; 12 first class honors and one second, taken by Andrew Fraser; nine firsts and -one second byMa Taaret McLeod; eight first and two seconds by Audrey Carter; seven firsts by Grace Scott Christmas-in.August Last night I was dozing in front of the TV set when the harmonious strains of Good King Wenceslas woke me. It was the rerun of the rerun of the Christmas show of a certain comedy series. The first time around it had been funny and touching, but by August, the show had lost something. Or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for Christmas in August. "Why am I watching this?" I asked myself. The twd-part answer was simple: a) "You're too lazy to get up and turn the channel and b) "The other channels have reruns, too." Even if the summer weather didn't take our minds off TV viewing, the reruns would. And if the actors'istrike in the LES. isn't resolved soon, television addicts will be sentenced to a steady diet of the same old thing instead of the bright new shows the networks boast about. How much longer can we wain to find out who shot Dallas' J.I. everybody's favorite bad guy? If the strike did anything for fans, it and six firsts and one second by Edith Walsh. Why shouldn't the town construct a Tonin on that little use golf course un Thumb0 park in Mary Street.0 won't use it The band, as a band park, nobody' seems to want -to use it as parking space and it is a dead loss. A civic' miniature golf course, with a nominal fee charged for. its use, might make sufficient return to pay expenses. Why not put in that bath room this fall? Once you put it in, you will wonder why you. waited so long. See our outfit in our win- dow and then come in and get our price, which is right. Get one installed by us and. it's there for good. T. Hawkins Hardware and Plumbing. Phone 244. 75 YEARS AGO August 24, 1905 • Mr. Charles Seager, Crown Attorney, Goderich was in town on Friday on his way to Wingham, having been summoned there by telegraph to decide the cases of several who took part in a sort of tumult or as called an "Improper Assembly." It seems that the fatherly advice given to the "Scarlet Woman" by our Worthy Mayor availed little as that personage, whose home is in Wingham, was the cause of the riot. Nothing could be proven against her, however and the others were remanded before the Attorney and let off with solemn warning and suspended sentence. Mr. C. Hoare informs the News -Record that he will have upwards of 1,000 bushels of plums for sale this season, besides a large quantity of pears. He also has a ton of the finest honey that can be produced. 105 YEARS AGO August 19, 1875 On Tuesday, Charles Howson and Samuel Chambers, two young boys, were charged by Mr. T. Simpson with bld'sphenibus language and writing upon private property indecent words. Fined $2 and costs,, each. It :is to be hoped this punishment will be a w4rning to them and others -who are guilty of those vile prac- tices. A warning is also extended to those youths who are in the habit of congregating around Fisher's corner on Sabbaths and' who violate the rules of decorum when persons are passing to and from the church. An open-air concert, of instrumental music was given by the Clinton Brass Band, from the Band Stand, on Wednesday evening last. They acquitted themselves very creditably and to the delight of a great number of listeners. Information, of a reliable character, has been received from Dakota, that Mr. ' Alfred Brown, late Reeve of Morris, who but a short time ago went out..west, has met his death at the hands of the Indians of that country. It's stated that he got into an altercation with- the Indians a • stock, which ended in their shooting him fatally. This will be sad news to many, as Mr. Brown had a large circle of friends in this section by Blaine townshend opened our eyes. What a shock to see the stars climb down from the pedestals we put them on to carry placards! Any tourist would give their eye teeth to snap a picture of that illustrious picket line. A radio personality on a Canadian station suggested that a positive aspect of the U.S. strike might.be an increase of Canadian shows on our own networks. A listener promptly called to say she didn't want more Canadian programs because she thought they were poor quality. On the contrary, I think Canadian programming is improving in areas of drama,music and current affairs. As far a drama is concerned, my only.complaint is that in an effort to avoid the Walton -America, apple-pie image, Canadians seem to have cornered the market on four-letter words and seeing how much they can show on -national TV. I'm in favour of realism, but some of the stuff can be vulgar. Canadians aren't vulgar, are they? In music, my complaint is that America and English entertainers are imported to do shows in Canada and that's called , Canadian content. • • r• Tax reform Dear Editor' Over 10 years ago the Ontario Ministry of Revenue spent an ,enor mous amount of our tax dollar to create a new Assessment Act. Since then they have spent more •money on studies and reports on the subject to reduce the.new Assessment Act to an Mt of after thoughts. With. Bill 164 dated November 30, 1979, they have enacted Section 86 (3) or better- known as the band aid approach. . We know as well as anyone else in Ontario that we desperately need property tax .reform. We also agree that the feeble attempt to try and eliminate some inequities by reassessment under Section 86 is turning outto -be a- miserable -failure. One reason for this failure is that ten. years of expensive work by the assessors to try to establish market values for property is turning out to be a waste of money because 90 percent of the valuations are not even • close to actual sales. Another reason is that our Assessmejit Commissioner was avoiding the truth when he emphasized in one of his speeches that `.`There is no difference what- soever between classes in the way market values have been established,." • Due to the drastic tax shift within classes, under Section 86 (3) without' tax reform, we find that the tax burden borne by low and moderate income individuals and families are unduly aggravated. We have heard from one municipality so far who has considered Section 505 of the Municipal' Act tb pha a in the tax increases 'and decreas s in order to give some protection to eir citizens. _ , In our town, we -are -exp rieneing tax -- increases of over 300 percent and at the same time we have properties._ which sold for over $100,000 and are only paying. about $70 in taxes. This means that the. inequities still exist and that they were only -shifted around. Tax reform cannot happen with a market value system which is based on • opinion rather than fact as is demonstrated by the reassessment in Niagara -on -the -Lake and many other communities. Under market value assessment the province will be forced to create a "property owner welfare class" besides all other relief schemes, grants and hand-outs. To have fair taxation province -wide, inequities between municipalities, between wards and between property classes will have to be eliminated first and not as it is done under Sectioh 86 where the tail is wagging the dog. A tax reform would institute an accurate method of assessment,. plain and simple for everyone to un- derstand and would eliminate school taxes from property and make all the welfare and relief programs un- necessary. To achieve this goal we of course need a common sense ap- proach rather than a purely academic one. ,Ronald Birch Chairman, Box 61, Property Owners Association, of Niagara -On -The -Lake, (For tax reform) Constitution question Dear Editor: Enclosed with our compliments, is a copy of "The Battle of Canada" just off the press. ' . You will note that this booklet: presents a little different view of the background of the Constitutional crisis facing us than is usually presented in our news media; in= • eue-nt-sh1 by • Eric Butler of the 'roots, development and principles of Con- stitutionalism ; and suggests in outline form, a few principles for constructive action. The suggestions are only that -- a starting point on some of the questions ani issues that Canadians will, want to discuss ' and consider before sanctioning any Constitutional. change. • - You will note that our League does not claim to have either the technical expertise or the resources necessary to conduct a major national campaign on the Constitutional Reform issue. We have merely taken the "first short step" by holding a series of forums, publishing a booklet dealing with the essential issues and circulating a "voting form" or ballot (copy en- closed with booklet) to stimulate interest and enable grassroots people , to "have a say". It is our fervent hope that leading groups, organizations, individuals and municipal governments across Canada will take the initiative in organizing in every community meetings, forums, seminars, etc., designed -to both educate and stimulate public interest, and to af- ford fford people an opportunity to discuss these issues pertaining to our future, to have some input into this Con- stitutional reform and renewal -- in short, to "have a say" in what kind of Canada we want for our children and corning generations. Meanwhile homegrown talents are struggling to get -the exposure they need to show the Canadian public what they can do. The area, in which I feel Canadian television has been strong for years, is current affairs. Several weekly programs are probing and in-- formative ntformative whether delving into Canadian or foreign politics, drug traffic on Vancouver streets, refugee camps in Thailand or the strange disappearance of a Canadian researcher who believed she was close to a discovery worthy of a Nobel prize. Programs such as Fifth Estate, and W5 present stories in interesting terms without just deluging viewers with facts and statistics that are soon forgotten. Sometimes , they show scenes we'd, rather not see; sometimes they make us think about things we'd rather ignore. If we want a relaxing evening in front of the tube, they're not the type of program we'd tune into, but if we want to be informs"d, they probe beyond the headlines. They're realistic, they're award winning and they're Canadian. _ Sincerely yours, Ron Gostick (National Director) The Canadian League of Rights