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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1974-10-10, Page 1• • r S • • 4 II 4 • death of Wthghazn Police Chief Jim Mil* were released this week following almost five days of rumor and conjecture about the beefing accident which claixmd his life. Officials from Nfplgon, area. hospital, where the chief and Ma' two companiona were taken following the accident, said the three men were returning to their base camp on Shillabeere ' Lake After a hunting outing when their boat developed engine tronble. As the men, tried to fix a .011e9redPin in the engine the boat capsized, throwing them into the water. The Wingham man's two companions managed to make their way to shore. However, Jim Milier stayed in the water and managed to right the boat and cliinb o it. He remained in the half -flooded boat for almost four hours in 30 degree temperatures until help arrived. Chief Miller died in an ambulance while en route to hos. pitalf The cause of death was exposure and was determined following an autopsy performed at the hospital. Police Chief Ed Matheson of St,. Marys, one of Jim's companions was also hospitalized following the accident, suffering from exposure. - James Miller was born in Owen ' Sound on April 29, 1924, a son of the late Thomas Miller and his wife, the former Kathleen Jones. He attended elementary school in • • A .1.70 V • rt. r • , A }••• • it' • ice I. IC11 thateity and the Owen Sound Col- legiate and Vocational Institute: Hewas.ngag�dln police work mast of his achilt ure, with the exception of time spent oversees following his enlistment with the P110 Regiment in 1St- He served overseas with the Royal Canadian Engineers and the Perth Regiment. • He came t� Wingham in -1950 and in POI' became Vitinghain's Chief of Police following the death of Gordon Deyell. Hewes a member pfSt. Andrew's Presby- terian Church, Wingham; Wing. ham Masonic Lodge No. 200, A. F. 04 A. M,; .the Scottish Rite, Guelph; and the 32nd Degree, Hamilton, Surviving are his wife, the former Leona Osborne .Of 'Owen Sound; whom he married in that city on October 23,4040; one son, George Miller of llamilten;, one. daughter, CathY. Miller of Wingham; and one 'grand- daughter, Tiffany Miller, Ile is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. Ben (Kathleen) Pattison of Owen Sound and Mrs, Andrew (Eva) McDonald of Collingwood; and two brothers, Lauchlaun Miller of CollingwOnd and Joseph Miller of Port Colborne. The late Chief Miller rested at the R. A. Currie and Son Funeral Horne where services under the auspices of Wingham Masonic Lodge No. 286, A. F. & A. M., were held Friday evening at 7:30. Removal was made Saturday to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church where Rev. Robert H. Armstrong conducted service at • two o'cloleic., Active pallbearers were Chief Patrick King of Goderich, Chief Lloyd Westlake of Clinton, Chief Arnie Vaughan of Seaforth, Chief Ted Dayt Exeter, Chief Ted Zimmer of Harriston, and Chief Stewart Stark of Southampton. Henorary pallbearers were Elinor D. Bell, chairman of the Police Conimission; members of Ale. Royal Canadian Mounted police, the Ontario and Municipal Pollee; Inspector Crile ftwitwzr of Police College, Aylmer; OPP cpi, C. Croskill; OPP Con- stables Ronald Bell, 'Harold Mc- Kittlick Ken Balzer and Hebert Wittig; Waite; Earl Wright- son; Wingham PoliceSgt. 'Ron Zimmer who carried Chief Miller's medals; Wingham COnSt, Douglas Foxton who 'Polled the chief's bat; Con- . stables Ed Doer, TOM Creeden, Sid Adams, Bill Steven0011, Craw- ford Douglas and Ted Whitby; members of the Ministry of .Natural Resources; Mayor DeWitt Miller; Donald Bateman; William Renwick; Denis Lang - ridge, William Harris and Warren Callan. An honor guard, comprising provincial and municipal police officers, more than 100 strong, under the 'direction of Inspector George Barber of Police College, Aylmer, formed a procession which marched to the Wingham Cemetery Chapel, "Reveille" was sounded at the conclusion of the cemetery service. . Burial took place later in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Siri- wack Township, Grey County. 4;• • .1141 4.146' 4,11, • 44 r -N462. itrrpoo,., 144" toP" • ma 0' • r, .1r4 .AN HONOR GUARDof over 100 provincial and municipal police officers, and representa- tives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police attended. the funeral of Police Chief James Miller on Saturday afternoon. The service was held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. . 9 No decision on repair of A letter to Wingham, town council from the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority con- cerning the ownership of the LOwer Town Dam touched off and more debate about by whom how the damaged structure will be rebuilt. The communication from the MVCA stated that the dam was below par in condition and the MVCA offered to take ownership of the dam and the reservoir only if they would be allowed to con- duct an engineering and cost study to determine if the dam could he repaired or if another course of action should be pur- Sued. Wingham Mayor DeWitt Miller told council that he had .visited the Authority's new manager to discuss the situation after the town received the letter. He In- dicatedi that the new manager. and he had not seen "eye to eye" on the matter. The mayor said it was his belief that the people who were controlling the water in the MVCA watershed, that is those municipalities with dams, are being penalized. He said that those municipalities are asked to pay for the repair of the dams while rural townships whose drains flow into the river and also benefit by water control are exempt from responsibility. At this point the mayor in- formed council that a contractor had offered to install an interim structure for $10,000. However, he added that the town would have to pay the whole amount. Mayor Miller continued, saying that if the MVCA undertook their study, at an estimated cost of $17,000. the town could end up with a new dam or spillway at the site, Councillor Bill Harris tug- gested that the town could also end up with nothing at the site. councillor Jack Gillespie ex- pressed the fear that the conser- vation authority might still take the dam over if the town were to spend the $10,000 to temporarily fix it. The mayor declared that if the -town repairs the dam then the town would control it. However, if the MVCA fixes it they should own it. The Authority, he said, must make up its mind Councillor Marg Bennett in- quired if half of the Lower Town dam did not belong to Turnberry Twp. and expressed the feeling that if it did they should be asked to help finance a re -building ptojeet kAunc i tor John Bo tesoii wondered why other municipaN- ties don't help pay because they benefit 'from having water motto! on the river. ammo 10.0 t -17 t .:,4•0,00004tot,/,* -tatrt,-; DEBBIE WELWOOD, Karen Whltbi, Annallouh, Debbie FOxtonand Cathy Shiest& were horioradat Wingham and District HoS it I day afternpOn When members of the Hospital Auxiliary -held a capping cere- mony for -them. The girls were presented with caps, pins and stripes. Mlss 1 In the wake of last week'kneWit that the town council hid given third reading to the proposed zoning bylaw, one of many ex- pected requests has beenn made to have- a property spot re -zoned. The first request came in a letter from a resident and was heard at Monday's council meeting, 'The local man informed council .10,0 'Wine** *MOO amor" olatnilsrdwolibigsolt but when he had purchased the house a' housekeeping apartment was already part of the building. He expressed the desire in his‘letter that his home be zoned to allow - the apartment to be used. Mayor DeWitt Miller felt that there would be no problemin this instance. Councillor ,Bill Harris suggested the home could be spot zoned R2 to accommodate the man. The mayor said the apart- ment had been part of the house for a niunber of years' and no problems had arisen. Councillor Harris then asked Town Clerk Bill Renwick to keep a file of all -such letters from people asking about the new by- law. Councillor Jack Gillespie concurred, saying that if a file was kept the council could review all the requests at once and take care of them. A resolution from the Village of Zurich asked council to support their bid to have the Ministry of Community and Social Services provide larger grants for the up- grading of arenas in the county to meet a new ministry building code. Councillor Marg Bennett wanted to know what difference a larger grant would make to Wingham. Councillor Tim Willis explained that it would make no difference now, but could be significant if, in the future, the town decided to expand the arena facilities. On the suggestion of Deputy - Reeve Harold Wild council de- cided to pass the matter on to the Arena Board for consideration. , • • ,Sewage Problem The town government listened to it let* from Sewage Works Operations Manager R. M. Bell sWeIWg ellag'einfelettrntedicTicmulestatioilnthitt the flendersonsiibdiiision is causing problems. :Mr. Bell informed council that a submersible pump on loanfrom the Guelph area had been mkedto, relieve the situation 10P4Nt.W. 'that at StiOatii*N1 6:7(4. '1°1*41441144SHMthided '61 see if the station should be re- illor Harris said he was aware.that there have been prob- lems with the station. However, Mayor ',Miller told 'council that Town Foreman Ted Whitby had assured him that the system was alright now. Councillor John Bateson sug- gested that the original planning of the station followed him up by agreeing to the study. Too Late Councillor Gillespie, chairman of the Day Care Committee, labelled a proposal received from • 4; Gwendolyn Norris; newly.appoirderi director of patient Ore; * Connell and Miss M. Wilson, members of the hospital's auxiliary, posed„ the girls after the ceremony. ' (Staff Photo) • the Ministry of Coinnumity and Social Services as "very interest- ing, but a bit late". The proposal suggests that the Ministry 'will now: expand grants' to day care centres from 00 per cent to 100 per cent of the capital gnat 'of btlildieg a new facility/. 1110 Proviso on Haelirant bait &OM liePirrTfthaildicaliPad .44111'" litt#,-troln%10vflOoMP 100*A 4144114ke;101itiOteit.*40:,., seheinrAt a ipeclai Mit* Mott week- Wingham council decided to apply for a grant to help rem-. vete the second floor of the Day Care Centre for the use of mentally retarded children now attending Silver Circle. A previous project for the Wingham Association for the Mentally Retarded \ to have a develop- mental centre built in town was quashed recently by the province. Land Bank The council decided to get more information on a land banking scheme proposed to the cotmcil. The proposal which was sent council informed them that $20 illation of provincial money has . been set aside year for muni- Valance thairtilatt Margaret Cipalities who wish to set up land t presented the moot*" • banks for later development, Ithe payment.. money is given to the lnilni- eipality to buy land and the** ;Mews for resale at a later date. Councillor Gillespie feltthat such money, could be uied la -solve oca SOTfle 01 thdevelopnienta1preb- Iernsthetow! :1; Thecouneil wakinade aware of another funding scheme that would help individual. citizens make improvements n their homes. The money will be made. available through the Ontario Housing Corporation from the Ministry of Housing. Under the renewal plan residents of low or moderate income, under $12,500 annually, can apply to the town for assistance. The 'own then borrows the money from OHC and lends the funds to the home- owner. All the councillors agreed thaethe plan was a good one and felt that information on the pro- gram should be publicized. Hydro claims less problems since land Ontario Hydro officials who are responsible for the acquisition of farm lands for power corridor sites, are convinced that they are meeting with much less op- position from property owners. They cite the great number of farmers who are granting early access to their farms as proof of a better understanding of Hydro's policies. At a press conference in Walkerton last Thursday Neil McMurtrie said "Expropriation is no longer a dirty word. Most farmers now understand that Hydro is doing everything Lower Town dam Mayor Miller though the study might be a good way to discover what could or couldn't be done at the site. Councillor Jack Hayes added that the study might last "for five years". Councillor Bennett suggested the town might be better off trying to get the dam lilted for 110,000. The mayor said that it might be necessary if the town wants a pond in the area. Coun- cillor Gillespie however, re- iterated his fear that the town might finance the project Only tA have the MVCA take over owner- ship once the job was finished. Mayor Miller conceded that there was gamble involved on that point. Several councillors wondered if a system of spillways similar to those new in Guelph's Riverside Park might not be the answer. Most of the cmin.eil felt those structures, while not providing flood control, might satisfy the town's needs. Councillor Harris suggested that county and MVCA engineers get together to study the problem, after it was revealed that the county is considering the re -building of a nearby bridge in Lower Wingham. Councillor Gillespie felt the MVCA wouldn't be ready to undertake a $17,000 study and then do nothing in the area. Councillor Bennett said that after past experience she doesn't trust the MVCA and demanded that council hold a special Meeting next week to sit down and discuss the matter with the Authority's new manager. The couneil agreed that a meeting should be arranged for next 'uesday. Until then the situation Still up in the air. policy revised possible to make its land acqui- sitions completely fair." The speaker, who is Hydro's property director, said that 85 per cent of the farmers in the Wingham area have granted early access, which they are not forced to do under the conditions of expropriation. Early access, which might be as much as 90 days in advance of legal take- over, has benefits for the land owner since it advances the date from which he will receive monetary returns for his land. Mr. McMurtrie said, "I don't think there is any other utility which is doing as much to co- operate with the public. We had to learn the hard way." Learning the hard way, of course, was a reference to the series of public meetings at which area farmers battled with Hydro for better bar- gaining rights for land owners. Those rights have been recognized in an entirely new land acquisition policy under which the owner is given several options, including outright pur- chase, easement agreements with either lump sum or annual payments; plus payment for injurious affection and other entitlementi. (These land acqui- sition programs were described in detail in an article in this paper two weeks ago, following a similar meeting in Kitchener.) At the Walkerton meeting. R. J. Hawley, Hydro's manager of appraisals, outlined the various plans under which land is now acquired. He also pointed out that the land owner is not required to make his decision about the plan he prefers, or indeed the price he will accept, until after all the evi- dence has been presented at public hearings. In fact, he has the right of appeal to independent boards even after he has ac- cepted one of the plans The Hydro officers answered questions after the formal presentation of the plan was completed. Responding for Hydro were M. R. Pask, manager of acquisitions; A. D. Mosher, senior right of way planning engineer; B. J. Pierce, Walk- erton area manager and Ross Dundas, forestry foreman, Walk- erton area. Wingham Cable should be ready by early 1975 Wingham Cable TV announced this week that the construction of - their network services, which began in early Septeniber, should be completed by the beginning of 1975. The company hopes to begin serving some subscribers even earlier with the beginning of December set as the target date. The local company plans to carry CKNX Wingham, CFPL London, CHCH Hamilton, CKCO Kitchener, CKGN Global, two American networks and six FM stations. In addition there will be a local community channel (channel 12). Connection charge for cable in- stallation will be $10 per year and the company plans to charge $6 per month or $46 for a yearly con- tract. birate*liscecte.ntP°Unfro:0111m°i),Teteitite° report• rnd of whicht was; that 7,0 so .. ; ; llsed.fer,..eettain 4ecoante didn't appear • eit-tfie report because, those monies were not received until after the *Aug., 31 date the report covers. . • . However, some,,areas.sucb-ai the budgets „fe,r the Industrial Committee and the generate*. ministration account did seem to be somewhat over budget. The': clerk said he would try and fiiid out why or what had caused the increase. Acting Chief Police' Coimnittee Chairman, Bill . Harris told council -that Wingham Police Sgt. Ron ' Zim- mer' has been appointed acting.. chief until a replacement ' has been found for the late 'Chief Jim Miller. The- committee plans to place advertisements in The Advance -Times, The K -W , Record, The London Free Press and The Toronto Globe' and Mail for the position. Council went on . record to express sadness, at the death of the late chief and the Councillors are acutely aware that Chief Miller would not easily be re- placed. Councillor Harris informed council that the town hopes to have all applications for the posi- tion by October 31. He said that duties are to commence en Janu- ary 6. He also told council the Ontario Police Commission would provide a panel to screen applicants and then the town would be asked toinrerview those recommended by the OPC. He stressed, however, that the town does have the final say in who is hired. In his Public Works report Reeve Joe Kerr told the coun- cillors that the snow plow has been overhauled. He alio brought up the matter of a grant which is made yearly to the owner of the airport near town. The town followed its usual procedure and passed a motion granting $500 to the owner, Bill Cruikshank. Council passed a motion to reimburse Fire Chief Dave Crothers for time he plans to spend at a fire school in Novem- ber. Fire Chairman Tim Willis pointed out that the chief will be attending from Nov. 14-18 and recommended that the council grant him 9175 for expenses. Under recreation, Deputy Reeve Harold Wild reported that the panelling in the arena has been completed and moat of the ad panels have been 'told. He, added that with money raise() in a recent Roll-a-thon the manage- ment is installing plexi -glass at the south end of the rink, Some councillors were unhappy with Please turn to Page 2 t