The Wingham Advance-Times, 1969-04-17, Page 94�►
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$orry About That
Last. week this newspaper carried an
announcement that the annual subscription
rate was increased to $6.00. We wrote
that announcement with sincere regret, for
we don't like to pay ever higher prices
for the thingswe buy ourselves -- but
we had no alternative.
Increased, postal rates happened to be
the last bale of straw for our particular
camel. As we told you last week, the in-
crease in mailing costs was not the only
contributing factor, but added to all the
other increase& in costs of the goods and
services required to publish' a newspaper,
the total was simply more than the form-
er $5.00 fee would support.
The post office has also announced
that there will be further rate increases
in October of this year and again in April,
1970..How much they will be we don't
know.
We don't want to make a sob story of
this question. It's a matter of cold
economics, and the daily newspapers are
feeling the blow much more keenly than
the weeklies. Some of the dailies have
already announced that a year's subscrip-
•
tion will cost $44.00 this time in 1970.
It .is inevitable that their .circula'tion in
the rural areas, where they •have no car-
rier service, will suffer drastically.
However, the post office is not the
only source of trouble. Several ingenious
new practices have been instituted by the
big city boys who supply us with repair
parts and equipment. As one example,
there is the story of the 35c machine
screw that cost us $5.00. That's right.
The firm from which we purchased this
little piece of metal catalogues the par-
ticular screw we needed at 35c but when
it arrived it was accompanied by an invoice
made out for $5.00. That amount is now
the firm's minimum charge, no matter
what is ordered.
Similar procedures are cropping up in
all phases' of business. Express charges,
for instance, are now so high that most
suppliers will not bear the shipping cost
unless the order of goods amounts to
$75.4Q0 or $100.00.
As usual. it's the consumer who pays
the shot.
Where Do They Come From?
casions, 'once flooding the floor• of the
entire room.
The refurbishing and cleaning -up of
these facilities was so badly needed that
several donations from Women's Institutes
and private donors have been received by
'the council, although .these were not so-
licited in any way. The vast majority of
women who use the rest rooms. in the
town hall are very grateful that the town
has taken the trouble to do something
in the way of improvement..
But it seems we can never get free
of the pigs in human form who: want
nothing but filth.
As a result, the town hall will be left
open until a reasonable hour in the even-
ing -and then locked up for them:night. The
police will carefully check the washrooms
and we hope that the washrooms can be
kept in a decent state from here on.
We live in a strangely mixed-up society.
Just about the time one comes to the
conclusion that human beings are civilized
something happens to really jar that 'be-
lief.
Listening to the report of the property
committee at the town council meeting
last week was enough to shake a person's
faith. The council has just completed a
renovation job on the women's wash
rooms in the town hall. The .toilets have
been moved from the basement level to
the. main floor. The waiting. room has
been panelled in- an attractive woodgrain
finish and the place has been completely
re -painted.
The committee's report stated that al-
ready, with the renovations only a few
weeks old, the linoleum -tiled. floor has
several deep burnt where cigarette butts
have been ground into the vinyl; the toilet
has been tampered with on several oc
That Extra Week
From The Toronto Star, Friday, April
11: - "Here is. a young reader with. her
thinking cap on straight. A student at
Downsview Secondary School, she is -or,.
gani.zing a series of informative discus-
.sions to . usefully fill out the extra week
of .school Education Minister . William
Davis' tacked on in June this year.
"They'll be looking not only at drugs,
but drinking, world and community af-
fairs and,anythirtg else that will stimulate
discussion.
•
"As a starter we (The Star) asked the
student to contact Jan Fowlie of the Ad-
diction Foundation. Miss Fowlie_ arranges
speakers for groups, young and old .alike
and supplies films and literature on drug
and alcoholic addiction. She's booked up
through April,- but lots of May and June
dates are available.
"Meanwhile a tip of the hat/ to Ann
Miele and her with -it friends at Downs=
view Secondary."
Strange Choice of,AuthorFty
The British government appears to be
making some -strange decisions about the
use of what once was the strong arm of
authority. The rest of the world is smil-
ing broadly at the airlift' of troops and
policemen to the tiny island of Anguilla
where its pocket-size' population" decided
to declare their freedom.
On the other hand no one can under-
stand Britain's :dogged support of the fed-
eral government of Nigeria against the
beleaguered Biafran break -away state.
Admittedly, any comment on crises so
far removed from our shores is danger-
ous, since there may be underlying factors
about which we know nothing. It would
seem, however, that instead of. supplying
arms to the Nigerian government the Bri-
tish might be better employed in stopping
thehostilities entirely until a peaceful
settlement can be reached no matter
how many years it 'might take:
Britain has been steadily relinquishing
her colonial grip on places that once were
Empire outposts all over- the globe.
Thousands . of British troops have been
brought home and demobilized. Regard-
less of the high-sounding platitudes about
letting the. African lands have full 'power
of self-determination, the Biafran war
should be stopped. The carnage and star-
vation should not ,be tolerated, n matter
what .the excuse. If Britain fear to jeo-
pardize °her guarantees of freedom to the
former colony, then the United Nations
should send a peace -keeping force to stop -
the shooting on both sides. Self-deter-
mination must be a very hollow word to
a starving child.
Sales Picture Encouraging
It's likely to be a good year for re-
tailers, particularly in the department store
busines, Jean Danard reports in The Fi-
nancial Post. Most early signs point to a
big year-long spending, spree. 'Only shadow
on the bright scene just now is some slow
going in Quebec and Saskatchewan. •
The article say's the first figures for
the year show January retail sales up 9%
on the same month a year earlier. Depart-
ment store sales were up "18%, twice the
increase recorded in the same month of
1968.
Spokesmen for the major department -
stores report the high, sales rate continued
during February and March, and they see
no sign of slackening. off now.
The Financial Post points out that the
record number of housing starts is a
major factor in putting strength into de-
partment store sales. Starts are at record
levels (259,000 for urban starts in Febru-
ary, seasonally adjusted), and in turn
home furnishings and appliances are mov-
ing well. Appliance sales in 1968 were a
record 1.9 million items, an increase of
7% Over the previous year.
Since the article points out the import-
ance of housing starts to the country's
economy, we might add that they are a
very accurate barometer to the health of
two major irtdustries in our own com-
munity. Both Stanley=Berry Limited and
Lloyd -Truax Limited, which manufacture
garage and 'residential doors, are sharply
affected by the number of new houses
erected across the nation. So, in turn is
. the employment picture as far as Wingham
and area families are concerned,
Thus the indications of a booming
year in the nation generally provide good
news for the people who make their liv-
ings here.
THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIMES
Published at Wingham; Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited
W. Barry Wenger, President - Robert. O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer
Member Audit Bureau of Circulation
Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association
Subscription Rate:
1 yr. $0.00; 6 months $3.25, in advance; USA $7.00 per yr,; Foreign rate $7.00 per yr,
Advertising states nn application
Second Class Mail Registration No. -0821 Return Postage Guaranteed
Wingharn, Ontario, Thursday, Apr1117, 1969
S OZ D .SECTION
News Items from Old Files
APRIL 1920
Mr. John Eggleston has pur-,
chased a house and lot in WNW
church, from Mr. Tho m as
Gaunt. Mr. William Martin
has moved into the house form,
erly owned by Mrs. Miller. M.
David Kennedy has purchased a•
house and lot from Mr. Hector
McKay. Mr. John Hutchison
has moved into Mr. William
Fischer's house.
On Friday evening a goodly
number of boys met in the counl-
cil chamber and organized for
lacrosse for the season 1920.
The following officers w ere
elected. Hon. Pres. , W. R.
Dyer; President, Walter Van-
Wyck; Vice President, Hal Mc-
Lean; Secretary -Treasurer, Ho-
ward Gray; Manager, R. M. Mc-
Kay; Committee, Ed Hawkins,
Orville Habkirk, W. H. Gurne)t
Mr. George Spotton has pur-
chased the brick residence on
the corner of Shuter and John
Streets, from Mrs. Grace Todd.
What might have been a seri'.
ous accident happened to Alex,
Forbes. of Ayton, a Bell Tele-
phone lineman, who while at
his work in Wingham, Thursday
of last week, came in contact
with a live wire, which badly.
burned his hands before he sue
cessfully broke loose from the
current. He was working near
the' corner of Josephine and John
Streets, and as soon as he touch,.
ed the wire, the power house
was telephoned and the power
was shut off at once. His es-
cape from being electrocuted is
almost miraculous.
At a meeting -of the share
holders of'the Listowel Amateur
Athletic Association on Tuesday
night, it was decided to pro-
ceed with the completion of
the new rink with as quick a dis-
patch as possible. All the ne-
cessary equipment for the er-
rection of the rink has been pur-
chased and most of it is on the
ground, but before the work is
proceeded .with, it was decided
that the plans should be gone
over by an architect.
APRIL 1934
A freak which is attracting
much attention in the O.A.C.
poultry department, Guelph, is
a barred rock pullet with four
legs. The bird, normally de-
yeloped , has the extra pair of
legs behind the two normal ones.
They are almost as long as the
more useful ones but do not in-
xerfere in any way with the
ird's progress.
It seemed an awful effort
der spring to get under way this
,year, but signs of spring have
en definitely found. George
oiler left in this office a cab -
age butterfly which he caught
at his home on Leopold Street.
on Friday. This surely is a ,re -
'cord. Robins are now qu it e
'plentiful in this district and
these red -breasted birds gener-
ally know the weather well
ahead of we poor• mortals. On
Saturday the sap started to run
freely and continued all Sun-
day and a record run, with so
much frost in the ground, is
predicted.
Mr. George E. Logan, broth-
er of Mrs. W. Dawson, Shuter
Street, Mrs. Logan and their
.daughter, Miss Ida, of London,
are taking a trip around the
world on the Empress of Britain.
Between Hong Kong and Shang -
hid, en. the high seas, 15,000
'miles from London, Mr. Logan.
carried on a telephone conver-
sation with his son, Harold, in
London. The conversation was
wafted half -way around the
world over the ocean by wire-
'. less and across the continent by
'wire and the conversation was
as clear as if between houses on
a local call. •
When Harold Brophy, under-
takers' assistant, of Goderich,
riding alongside the driver in a
swiftly -moving automobile,
reached for the crank to lower
the window, he instead seized
the door handle. The door
opened against the wind and. -
catapulted Brophy out of the
car to the pavement. The in-
jured man was removed to Al-
exandria Hospital, suffering
from severe 'a15fas ions and head
injuries as well as bruises. That
he was not killed is a miracle.
RIL 1944
Mrs. -James H. Zeigler re-
ceived word this week that her
husband, Major Zeigler who is
in England, had been promoted
to the rank of acting Lieutenant
Colonel.
TODAY'S CHILD
BY HELEN ALLEN
Gary is 17 months old, a lovable little boy who needs
to be adopted so he can grow up with parents of his own.
Of Italian -Scottish -English descent, he is a tall, sturdy,
well built young fellow with lovely dark eyes, fine light
brown hair and clear olive'skin. He is in excellent health
except for the occasional attack of tonsillitis. He sleeps
well and has a splendid appetite. Gary is a good-natured
child with a sunny personalit'. . ile's friendly and loves
attention but is not demanding and can amuse himself
happily with his toys: Thdugh he is a really robust child
and very active, he is most affectionate and still likes to
be cuddled. Ile needs waren, demonstrative parents
who will appreciate a lively, sociable little son. To
inquire about adopting Gary please write to Today's
Child, 'Department of Social and Family Services, Par-
liament Buildings, Toronto 5. For general information
about adoption ask your local -Children's Aid Society,
Mr. Donald Jeffs, who has
been employed by the Dresden
Hydro Board for the past fifteen
years and the last seven years as
manager, has been engaged as
manager of the Wingham Utili-
ties Commission. Mr. Jeffs
will assume his new duties com-
mencing May 1st, replacing Mr. -
Herb Campbell whose resigna-
tion after twenty-nine years` of
service becomes effective at
that time.
Mr. Gordon MacKay recently
purchased the Stephenson house
on Josephine St. , and moved
in last week. He sold hishouse
on Frances St. , to Mrs. R. Cul-
liton of Glenannon.
Messrs. Chisholm and Oak-
ley of Toronto, have taken over
the Gorrie Garage from M r .
Bruce Wilson who we under-
stand, plans on moving to Lis-
towel where he has secured a
position.
Heavy gales on Wednesday
morning blew off a large por-
tion of the roof at the rear of
McLean's flour and feed s tore
on Kingston St. in Goderich and
carried it about 100 feet before
it came to rest over the roof of
the Dominion store, part of the
sarhe block, on the Square.
The piece measured approxi-
mately 30 by 60 feet.
APRIL 1955
Mrs. George Robertson, who
was 90 years young on Sunday, .
,, kpril 3rd, celebrated the happy
occasion at a. family dinner at
the home of her daughter, Mrs..
Gladstone Edgar, concession 2,
Howick, when the table was
centred with a gaily decorated
birthday cake and candles. Her
brother, William J. Greenwood
of Glenelg Township was'unable
to be present, but his family
and her sister, Mrs. J.H. Rob-
son and family, also of Glenelg,
near Durharn.wete in attend-
ance.
Winners 'of the Lions Club
Trophy for the best production
went to the Kinsmen entry at
the Annual Drama. F estival..
"The Monkey's Paw", directed
by Mrs. John Langridge. Mem-
bers of the cast were Jim Cur- .
rie, Barbara Edwards, Bill Con-
nell, Jack McKnight and Alan
Williams.. Don Sinclair of
Guelph was adjudicator. - Mr.
Sinclair presented the trophy to
Mrs. Langridge, the director,
who thanked him on behalf of
the Kinsmen Club.
In Wingham United Church
on Sunday evening, the cantata,
"Olivet to Calvary" was pre-
sented before a large and appre-
ciative congregation by the -
United Church choir, under the
leadership of Mr. W. B. Roth-
well, organist and choirmaster.
The chorus parts were sung by
the full choir and solos were
taken by Mrs.. George Guest,
Mrs. W. Callan, Mrs. J. Mc-
Knight, Mr. W. B. Conron and
Mr. Jack Hene.y. A quartette
selection by Mrs. E. Shera, Mrs
K. Kerr, Mrs. F. J. Hill and
Mr. Norman Keating followed
the new commandment.
Five and a half tables were
in play at the regular meeting
of the bridge club on Thursday
night. Winners, were as follows:
First, George W .i,l l i a ms O.
Haselgrove; second, Mrs. P. F.
Unsworth, J. H. Crawford; third,
Mrs. J. H. Crawford, P. F. Uns-
worth; fourth, Miss Mary John-
ston, R. S. Hetherington.
O
St Helens
Mr. and Mrs. Lorne Woods
spent a' few days recently in
Kitchener with. Mr. and M in.
.
Mel Brown and Mrs.. vlabel Mur -
die,
Mrs. Ward Shickluna of Lind-
say spent a few days with Mr.
and Mrs. Andrew Gaunt. Mr.
and Mrs. Earl Gaunt of Londes-
boro also visited there on Thurs-
day. Neighbors called on Mr.
and Mrs. Gaunt on Monday af-
ternoon -and evening on the oc-
casion of their 40th wedding an-
niversar y.
Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Gammie
and Gary and Dale Gammie .
left on Monday last for the sum-
ma months in the Yukon,
The St, Helens W.I. enjoy-
ed their banquet on Thursday
evening at Carlow with the Ti-
ger Dunlop W.I. catering. Mrs.
Fordyce Clarke was guest speak-
er.
Mr. and Mrs. Simon De Boer
arrived home on Tuesday after
spending a month in Holland.
"TIMMY" for 1969, Ian Walmsley from Oshawa, would*
.
like to thank everyone1 who has sent a donation to this
year's Easter Seal Campaign. He also reminds ..us that
it is not too late for those who forgot, and, wane to help.
This year's campaign objective of '$1.5 million must be
reached and can only be if everyone gives some support,
ow, . .
..:. R. .
Meet' my
For years, the mother-in,law
has been the butt of jokes with
a touch of bitterness in them.
They. have been pictured as
domineering, interfering wom-
en, ruining the grandchildren,
breaking up marriages. They
have been caricatured as un-
welcome visitors who criticized,
made trouble and generally
were a great big pain in the
arm. And often,.with good rea-
son.
I've never been able to write
sarcastically about my 'mother-
in-law. In the first place;
she'd have had my hide for a
door -mat. In e.the second, she
was one of the sweetest and
most gentle persons,, I have
ever known.
Now, don't get me wrong.
She was no saint She was no
little,. old., white-haired lady
handing out cookies and be-
nevolency all over the place.
Far from it. She was born
and raised in County Antrim.,
Ireland, and she had most of
the traits of that peculiar race.
Equally quick to tears and
laughter. Witty and stubborn.
Quick tongue and quick tem-
per. Warm and fiercely loyal to
her own and with a wonderful
capacity for giving love' ,
Her children loved her and
her grandchildren adored her
and her husband worshipped
her. Like so many grannies,
she had spanked her own
children when they needcd.it,
but grew ftirious and tearful
when they spanked theirs.
She came out to Canada as a
young woman, beautiful of
•face and figure, with long,
black curly hair, a haughty,
fine boned Irish look and a
waren and lively spirit. She
sang like an angel.
She was thrown into a sober
puritan community and mar-
ried. a shyy young farmer who
loved her deeply for 46 years
and still docs
-mother-in-law
Perhaps she was not cut out
to be a farm wife: But she
pulled her weight. She worked
— and how ,she worked!. Milk- ,
ing, gardening, • scrubbing
clothes and floors by hand. She
was indefatigable in her' pur- .
suit of the demon dirt, and her
house was always .spotless.
But it. was never sterile,- as
some spic-and-span houses, can
be: It was never a house, but a
home, filled with the warmth
and love and Jife that only an
unusual person can provide.
There was singing and • laugh-
ter and chatter and a complete
lack of tension.
It wasn't roses all the way.
She went through the depres-
sion and the mortgages, and
those rending decisions about
whether the last 50 -cents
available was going for a music
lesson or dress material for the
girls or feed for the hens. .
And she didn't go through it
patiently and submissively. She
was too Trish.. She complained
like hell. But she didn't whine.
Her complaints •and common
sense (this is one thing that is
seldom attributed to the Irish,
and should be) produced re-
sults.
Despite her fire, she had. a
.wonderful way of coming • to
terms with the situation,
whether it was emotional or
material or spiritual.
She bore three handsome
children. She was pregnant,
and terribly sick with one of
them. when she got word that
her young husband had lost an
arm in a threshing machine.
• She learned that one of her -
daughters, was going to marry
a broken-down fighter pilot,
with a total income of 560 a
month, and no prospects. Most
mothers would have fought
like a tigress to avert, or at
least postpone the marriage.
She gave 'encouragement,
though her heart must have
been sore, and it was then that
1 fell ill love with her.
My instinct was right. When
my wife attacked me, she at-
tacked my wife. When I wrote
a hum column, she told me.
When there Was sickne-e or
trouble, she was right there,
with ancient charms and cures
that worked.
She was not a pinus woman,
thank God. She was a virtuous
woman, and a real Christian.
She fed tramps, gave
strength when it was needed.
and love without stint.
1) ing, she didn't whimper to
God dost of her thoughts and
NyOrd s were about those she
log ed She ,didn't want to leave,
.tad fought to the last breath.
Life is going to be different
without Granny, but I have a
feeling she won't be far away.
She couldn't stand it. She'll he
,trorld as long as those who
loved her arc.
Mrs. S. Webber
85 last week
The Lakelet community of-
fers congratulations to yi r s
Sam Webber who was tis on
Wednesday, A P r i 1 1)til. On
Thursday afternoon Mrs. Gor-
don -Wright, Mrs. Robert Allan
and Mrs. Emerson Ferguson call -
cd on her and held a birthday
party. These ladies have been
doing this every year since her
80th birthday and hope they
have many more parties. Mrs.
Webber was tlic recipient of •
many cards from relatives and
friends for which she was very
grateful. Mrs. Webber is a '
shut-in and does appreciate
when friends take time to call
on llcr.