HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1975-08-21, Page 11Tnot's more like i
Hats off to the Wingham town council
and°Counciilor Angus Mowbray in particular
for the excellent work done in replacing the
effectiveness of the Lower Town dam. The
'unsightly acres of weeds in the river bed
have been covered by water and the area has
been restored to the natural' beauty which
means so much to the usefulness of the
Riverside Park.
Ever since the flash flood of May, W74
and the dashing out of the by-pass culverts
at the east end of the main dam, the pond has
been dry and a forest of weeds replaced the
shimmering attractiveness of the- pond
which has been a feature of the Wingham
landscape for more than 100 years. For
many months the future of the natural
beauty spot was in doubt as town, conserva-
tion authority and provincial officials dis-
puted the feasibility and the cost of restoring
the structure. Upper level officials, of
course, could talk only in terms of a prelimi-
nary study which would have cost more than
the actual repairs which have been done
during then past few weeks, plus guesstl-
,h qr edijA)d,Rdd M
mates in the range of perhaps a million
dollars to e.,ntlrely replace, the old 'dam.
Some members. of the town council, we
understand, were opposed to -spending
motley on repairs to the dam, basing their
contention on the fact that, another flash
flood could wash the entire protect down the
Maitland Admittedly, there is a certain
gamble involved. With extremely had luck,
such a catastrophe could occur nekt year
but the law of averages and the history of the
past hundred years would Indicate that the
odds are better than that. If, for last nce, the
dam remains Intact for only ten years, the
$15,000 capital cost for the present repairs
would average' 51,500 per year, and that is
just about the amount of money which was
lost last year in camping fees. The attractive
trailer park which has brought so many visi-
tors to our town in the past simply lost its
charm when the pond was dry.
As we have pointed out in this column
many times, the work and money spent on
our park system would, to a great extent, be
wasted without the lower pond.
Don't argue. -just pay
The ramifications of gasoline and oil
pricing seem to be so complicated that the
average driver and home owner has been
left out in the dark, except for paying the
bills.
It was not difficult to understand the"
first move. The Arab countries simply decid-
ed to put the muscle on those nations which
were dependent on them for oil and the other
oil producers followed suit.
What is a great deal more diffictylt to
ecomprehend is why the oil producers right in
our own land feel obliged to jack their prices
up just as high as possible. It would have
been logical to assume that Canadians were,
in a fortunate position because our country is
virtually self-sufficient as far as oil is con-
cerned. The major oil companies here were
not squawking about their incomes before
the great price hike. Why, then, the sudden
clamor for higher prices at this particular
time? Probably because the Arabs' proved
•►that consumers could and would , pony up
with double -and treble -the previous prices:
Most incomprehensible of all is the
federal government's new tax of 10 cents a
gallon. There is only one explanation for that
slap at our gas tanks. The government, just
like the Arabs and all the other opportunists,
could not miss the chance at a fast buck.
Better to spread
A couple of weeks ago The London Free
Press devoted several pages to the details of
a report on the future of the Thames water-
shed—a report which has been three years in
Oithe making. Outstanding fact, at least as far
'as the Free Press was concerned, was that
the City of London could and should continue
to grow.
The report, however, went into great
detail about the problems which would be
faced because of the city's growth over the
years. Supply of water and •disposal of
sewage will be tremendously difficult, be-
cause the Thames is already overburdened
ie, with wastes. Vast sums will have to be spent
to provide land and services for new homes
and industries, as well as to assist the, ailing
river.
When the experts turned their eyes to the
smaller communities in the Thames valley,
such as Mitchell, Stratford, St. Marys and
other centres, they issued the warning that
further growth of these places should be con-
trolled because they, too, would face prob-
lems with water supply and sewage disposal.
w What, one wonders, is the merit in en -
There were some suggestions from on
high that the extra tax would discourage un-
necessary driving by those bent only on their
own pleasure. That reasoning, however,
doesn't really stand up. If the basic intention
was to protest dwindling oil reserves the first
move would have been to ban all sport
vehicles such as snowmobiles and pleasure.
boats.
• A more reasonable excuse for the fax is
that it will provide funds to cushion the price
of fuel in the Atlantic provinces which are
farther away from our Canadian oil sources.
(If that is the reason, why place -the burden of
good neighborliness only on the'car drivers?
Surely that is an obligation for all taxpayers,
whether or not they drive cars.
There has even been talk of the govern-
ment itself going into the oil business, pre-
sumably to provide us with fuels at a lower
price than that charged by the existing oil
companies. Judging by our experience with
such government-sponsored, services as the
post-office•andthe national railway, we can,
not be tremendously optimistic about an. Oil
Canada operation. We would do better to
take our chances with the boys who have
been in the oil business for the past 50 or 60
years. They may be greedy, but at least they
know what it's all about.
t around
couraging an already big city to keep on ex-
panding and telling the smaller places to
stand still? Have these experts learned
nothing from the costly experiences of
places like Toronto or the utter bankruptcy
of New York? Hundreds of thousands of To•
rontonians are looking for other places to
work and those who can afford to do so. buy
or build their homes as far away from the
city as they can. It is obvious that there is a
certain point beyond which the economic and
social values of city life disappear. Toronto
city council, under the urging ,of its mayor,
has long since passed a bylaw, limiting the
height of new buildings to 45 feet—a.holding
action to give the planners time to sort out
the problems of increasing population.
London would do well to stop growing
right now. At present it is a pleasant city,
offering not only the advantages of a larger
community, but reasonable access to the
fresh air of the countryside. On the other
hand the upstream towns could well use a
somewhat larger economic base—some ad-
ditional industry and expanded job opportu-
nities.
We cannot afford this
1, For many weeks Omstead Frozen Foods
at Wheatley, on Lake Erie, has been idle be-
cause of a strike. Not an unusual story in this
day and age, but one which provides a very
clear example of the idiocy of which other-
wise sensible people can be guilty. The Om -
stead strike is costing not only profits to the
company and wages to the employees, but
the very livelihood of countless farmers and
fishermen.
Located in an area where a high percent-
age of our vegetable crops are grown, the
plant provides just about the only market for
the farmers who grow such perishable crops
as snap beans. These crops, to a large ex-
tent, will be lost for this year. In addition, the
Lake Erie fishermen have depended on Om -
stead as a market for a large part of their
catch—and there is no way to save fish until
the strike is resolved.
Natural) , we have no idea who is right
or wrong in fflis labor dispute. The company
may be trying to rip off the workers or, on
the other hand, the employees' demands
may be unreasonable. The only thing that
really concerns us is that we do not seem to
have any sort of government clout which can
demand that work resume and whatever
settlement Is eventually reached be made
retroactive to the time of re -opening.
THE WINGHAM ADVANCE,TIMES
Published at Wingham, Ontarioe by Wenger Bros. Limited
Barry Wenger, President Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer
Member Audit Bureau of Circulations
• Member — Canadian Community Newspapers Assoc.
Subscription $10.00 per year. Six months $0.25
goonnrl._C1Asa. Mail 13.eilistration, No. 96,1
8u
rn oostaae ntu rateed
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Assoc.
To United States $12.50
A page
rasa s
ditoria
I THINK MY DA'Y5 ARE 14131\115ERED
r/'rX ffyr�rNfrfr/,ir' ..
eolne
r.`iirr...Dfc ,Wil4,44,44 is3 ✓M, 4.0.1 !%
THE VOCTOR IbLP ME I WAS Al SOUND A5 A POLLAK
News Items from Old Files
AUGUST 1928
Miss Bertha MacKay, local •
manager of the Bell Telephone,
received . a merited promotion
last week when given charge of.
the Kitchener branch. 'Miss
MacKay is a graduate of the local
office, entering as an operator.
Miss Agnes Scott of the staff, has
been appointed chief operator
here.
Borden Jenkins, son of Mrs. Ed
Jenkins of • Wingham, missed
death by inches when his motor
car was struck by the morning
CPR train at the B Line crossing,
as it was backing into Wingham;
He escapedwith a -;badly. cut -Ace
and was shaken up. The car was
an absolute wreck.
S. J. Pocock, a St. Marys
mechanical genius, has develop-
ed and patented an automatic
gasoline pump, that will deliver
any desired number of gallons to
a car by merely dropping quart-
ers into a slot. The pumps are set
so, no matter what price the fluid
is, they can be set to deliver a
quarter's worth by the *simple
twisting of a small wheel.
Miss Bertha Smith of Wroxeter
has accepted a position as
teacher in the Lakelet school.
During the heavy electrical
storm on Thursday night, the
telegraph instruments at the sta-
tion in Bluevale were all burned
out.
With the over -abundance of
school teachers, methods of ap-
plying for schools are changing
somewhat. Application by letter
';lacks the personal touch, and
,',Jacks
applications are more
ah .„more being made to school
board's.
Miss Lina Barber left for Tor-
onto where she has secured a
position.
George Spotton, M.P., for
North Huron, donated,four
beautiful pictures of typicaCan-
_adian scenery, to the Wingham
High School.
J. Barrett of Waterloo has pur-
TODAY'S CHILD
BY HELEN ALLEN
Frank is a pleasant boy, amiable, co-operative and keen to
please. Very anxious to be adopted, he longs for a family and a
home where he will belong.
Recently turned 12, Frank is healthy and active, sometimes
hyperactive. He is on medication to slow him down a bit, though
he does not take it at weekends.
Frank is not academically inclined and is in special education.
He is progressing well, though needing a good deal of individual
attention. He likes doing things with his hands. Using cardboard
and paper he created a model of his school which won honorable
mention in a recent Science Fair. Frank gets along well with
children and enjoys adult company. He likes sports — plays
soccer and baseball and enters track meets at school.
Frank will do best in a family where he will get much love and
reassurance and where he knows and understands what to ex-
pect and what is expected of him.
To inquire about adopting Frank, please write to Today's
Child, Ministry of Community and Social Services, Box 888,
Station K, Toronto M4P 2H2. In your letter please tell something
of your present family and your way of life.
For general adoption information, consult your local
Children's Aid Society.
EAGER TO BE ADOPTED
chased the garage in Bluevale
from Gordon McKay and will
open for business as soon' as pos-
sible.
J. J. Fryfogel last week sold his
handsome hackney horse to Jos-
eph Miller of Milverton. The
horse carried off many prizes last
year and it is understood Mr. Mil-'
ler will exhibit him at.,Londr and
Toronto.
0-0-0
AUGUST 1940
W. Innes Paterson, who for
some time has been concentrat-
ing on taking up oil leases in the
Blyth area, announces that pre-
parations are about,eompleted to
commence drilling, which is ex-
pected to get underway at once.
The site is on the Allen farm in
Hallett Township. Plans are also
well underway -leading up to dril-
ling a well in the Greenock
swamp area.
Gordon Small of Teeswater,
who has been brakeman on the
CPR. into Teeswater for some
years, and a resident of that
town, has accepted a position as
conductor on a run out of Toronto.
Fourteen applications for old
age pensions and three for
mothers' allowances were con-
sidered
onsidered by the Huron County Old
Age Pensions and Mothers' Al-
lowance Board which met last
week.
A large number of friends and
neighbors gathered in Gilmour's
School to honor Mr. and Mrs. Al-
lan McGill, who were married
recently.
Majors E. A. Corbett and H. C.
MacLean have completed the ap-
pointment and locations of regis-
tration booths for the national
registration which will take place
in August. Every citizen must
register according to law.
Huron County's proud and dis-
tinguished record of Empire de-
fence over a period of 70 years is
deserving of a better reward than
the present military set-up in
Canada affords it. So a county
delegation, headed by Warden
George Feagan, is requesting
that a distinctive Huron unit of
the non -permanent active militia
of which the county boasted up to
four years ago, be re-established.
At present Huron is linked with
Middlesex for militia purposes.
Miss Jean Campbell of West-
field has gone to Kitchener where
she expects to take a position.
A quiet wedding was solem-
nized at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
John Craig, Whitechurch, when
their daughter, Janet, was united
in marriage to John Robert Hall
of Wingham.
Craig Nightingale of Listowel
has been appointed manager of
the Dominion Store here, replac-
ing Earl Gray who has signed up
for service in the 99th Battery.
0-0-0
AUGUST 1951
Last week the board of the
Wingham General Hospital re-
ceived very welcome news in the
form of a letter from the Ontario
government, which was accomp-
anied by a cheque for $24,000. The
payment came as a result of per-
sistent efforts on the part of John
Hanna, MLA who hs§ been plead-
ing the case with th)epartment
of Health since 1947. The new ad-
dition was added to the hospital in
1945.
Local police have started a
campaign to check up on the
safety of vehicles in this muni-
cipality. Cars have already been
seized, as indication that the
safety regulations have reason-
ably
easonably sharp teeth.
Earl Hamilton has purchased.
the property and distribution
franchise for Wishing Well bever-
\ ages from' 'blathers Beverages.
Bert Mathers will continue as
representative for CKNX.
Whipping out a foot -string ren-
dition of the Great Eastern Reel,
Mel Lavigne of Wingham topped
all comers at the Ontario Old
Time Fiddlers' Contest in Shel-
burne, to take the championship
and a $200 prize.
Members of the arena commis-
sion are anticipating the. arjva1
of materials which , will permit
the commencement of operations
to floor the arena with concrete.
Shirley Lockridge of the Wing -
ham District High School has just
completed two weeks of leader-
ship training at the Ontario Ath-
letic Training Camp on the shores
of Lake Couchiching. She was the
proud recipient of her distinctive
honor crest, presented to all girls
who worthily discharged their re-
sponsibilities as representatives
of their schools.
Rosemary Adams, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Adams of
Wroxeter, danced the Highland
Fling to win first prize in the
amateur contest held in conjunc-
tion with the Howick Lions Club
Frolic.
Rev. and Mrs. George Watt and
family left to start their new
home at the parsonage at Dun-
gannon, after visiting in White-
church with his parents, Rev. and
Mrs. W. J. Watt:
0-0-0
AUGUST 1961
A big loss was sustained by
Peter Jorressen of the sixth of
Turnberry when his large barn
was completely destroyed by fire
during the early hours of Tuesday
morning. Cause was not deter-
mined.
Friends of Miss 'Marg Keough
gathered at the home of Miss An-
na McDonald for a farewell
party. Miss Keough has been
public health nurse here for the
past three years and has accept-
ed a position in Dominica, in the
Caribbean.
A group of seven or eight young
people organized a concert which
netted $12.40 which will be turned
over to the Golden Circle School.
The performance took place at
the Harry Spry garage on Patrick
Street. Taking part were Susan
Spry, Donna McKay, Sheila and
Barbara France, Leora McMinn,
Beverley Hastings, Patsy Walk-
er, Neil Renwick and Dianne
Argue of Toronto. Bob McKay
and Ken Snowden looked after
the refreshment stand.
At a special meeting of town
council, Constable James Miller,
who has been the night constable,
was appointed police chief, re-
placing the late Gordon Deyell.
Chalmers United Church was
the setting for the wedding of
Elsie Ilene White and Earl Rob-
ert Borden Jenkins. They will re -
Side in Wingham.
Rev. Alex Coles, formerly of
Newfoundland, was inducted as
minister of the three -fold charge
of Fordwich, Mayne and New-
bridge United Churches.
Mr. and Mrs. John Hanna have
purchased Seddon's Restaurant
in Brussels and opened their new
business on Monday.
TO THE Et1TOR
Dear Editor: a,
Home hospiteli; for the win*,
ham patrol and Martin Isenediet
was held • n Borax .and- the sur,.
rounding area. Some of the
scenery was much like that In
Canada, \
Boras is a oily aboUt about70
much like our elties except there
are very few highri apartment
1raildinge. 5m.. e n'f' ifsgiA t,S tm
elude an Olympic sizedsvomming,
pool and a zoo.
Ila the cl d at=- VIT 4.
most of us were we had an A. ..
Anderson tour of a valve factory.
In the middle . of the factory
where there could' be three or
four more machines there was a
fountain, and foliageplants, •
On the July 25 tour we visited
Aslata Village.' It isa small vii-
lage dating back to 0,0 lath Oen=
tury. We also visited two
churches, one over X1,:000 years ,
old, where kings auctlueens were ,
buried, The Viking*aveydrid,we'
visited dated back to about 100
A.D.
Some orienteering was done by r,
a few boys which was set up by
local people around A>rn►elancl.
Some of the boys visited <a'glass
blowing factory where the glass
is still handmade.
We had a very good time even
though we couldn't speak Swe-
dish. The Swedes' English im-
proved `very much and we
learned a few words in their lan-
guage.
The Norway Guys
August 15,1975
Wingham, Ontario
Advance -times
Wingham, Ontario
Dear Editor:
I've recently read articles con-
cerning the youth of Wingham
and the fact that they don't do
anything but idle in front of the
town hall. This may be true but I
wonder iif the adults of Wingham
in particular the ones involved in
recreation are not somewhat 1
Maine. rve been to my gal*
ties in the Wingham ' area, - the
latest being the ball game Tues-
day, August 12, 1975 where
Brophy Tire played against
Clinton. At this game Isaw three
ballplayers sit out the entire
game. I do not know who the boys
were or why the coach did not
allow them to play but, I do think
that recreation should be for any-
one who is interested and wants
to participate. It is no wonder
that Wingham's youth are not
participating if when 'they do
there is the possibility that they
will sit and watch and what's fun
about that?
Yours trply,
Connie Kuc
Library
On Saturday, August 23 there
will be an hour of children's films
in' the council chambers of the
town hall. Starting time is 10:45.
NEW BOOKS
The Updated Last Whole Earth
Catalog
Part catalog and part almanac,
this updated version of the last
whole earth catalog ,concerns
tools and contains over 400 pages
of available tools as well as hun-
dreds of articles ranging from
how to grow wild flowers to how
to erect a balloon house and make
brown bread.
The Summer -house by Rosemary
Harris
Fans of Miss Harris will enjoy
this re -issue of her first novel.
The heroine, Laura, is convinc-
ingly shy and gauche, although
beautiful, and her gradual awak-
ening is told with wit and imagi-
nation.
Drown -proofing: teaching your
child to swim by R. LaCoursiere
The author is a famous advo-
cate of teaching babies how to
swim before they walk and begin-
ning with his survival course for
babies he goes on to cover every
aspect of swimming for both
adults and children.
After 1 Was Sixty by Lord Thom-
son of Fleet
This energetic autobiography
could well be subtitled, Life Be-
gins At Sixty. Roy Thomson tells
his own story with his usual can-
dour and the result is a fascinat-
ing behind -the -scenes account of
the newspaper world.
Alexander Dolgu>h's Story by A.
Dolgun and Patrick Watson
Arrested in Moscow by the
K.G.B. at age 22, Alex Dolgun, a
young American, managed to en-
dure 24 years of hard labour, tor-
ture and imprisonment before he
was finally set free in 1971. His
personal story is a moving testa-
ment to human endurance under
stress.