The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1958-03-20, Page 2rAGE Two' M Y �r (!urridi 'ignattur `s g 0 p • rx ) HURON COUNTY'S FOREMOST WEEKLY 4 ` , 4 Established 1848. In its 111,th year of publication. a i1F ��.�11 ms`s ublTsbed by Siguaitaz' _ _iced „Sub tr tion Rates -Canada and Great Britain, ,00 a year: to United 0 IAD • .!wry .n..,x ..,♦..,'.rn.,:.: .v .•. .,...,-,--,.-,-,---• .r.- 'Si df tis;' 4 �: • St+ieitY t„ r.tnt is4• o Advertising Rates or request Telephone 71. 'p C V 4 R� Authorized as second-class mail, Post Office Department, Ottawa. Out -of -Town Representative: C.W.N.A. 237 Foy Bldg., 34 Front. St., W. Tq onto. Over 3;000-Ldrgest circulation of any newspaper published hi Huron County. --Aver 3,000 #14+tmber of Canadian Weekly Newspaper Association. Member of Ontario Week; Newspapers Association, Member of Audit Bureau of .Cirqulation GEO. L. ‘Ek.LIS, Editor and Publisher. .. THURSDAY, MARCH 20th, 1958 RAPS POLITICAL INDIFFERENCE .Now that Canadians are in the midst of a political election eainpaign it is timely to bring to the attention of the electoas some very blunt views expressed on this subject - in a recent address by Editor Grattan O'Leary of the Ottawa Journal. 'This well known edi- tor is_ famous for his outspoken ideas which aceounfs for the Journal being -quoted more than any other Canadian newspaper. .--E&1.i.tor.-(i'T,e}►ry_ . repnxt.ed..as. saYizlg. that�..�t2.-ehop ep"- as a r'esul't of sheer 'inertia and pitiful com- placency the ,mass, of free electors are content to be herded by a few at the top exalting the power .of -the state. Speaking at the charter night of a service club, he said man has a "pitiful" fear of being different:from the. "herd„" He dismissed the man who calls himself impartial as "not under- • standing that no impartiality, whether in our courts or anywhere else, removes the obligation AS OTHERS SEE US With the Federal election campaign under way, we are hearing both the praiseworthy and k the not -so -praiseworthy things about Canada from our various candidates across the nation. In view of this, it is interesting to reprint the impressions of a Canadian weekly newspaper- man visiting Europe. This is what John G. Bell, of the staff of the 'f Marys Journal - Argus, has to. say: "One thing we are missing here is news of Canada; I miss it as there is nothing in these British papers about our country at all; ex- cept items which seem to undermine and tell of the great unemployment problem there. Looks to rue as though our publicity and pub- lic relations people are falling down on the job somewhere along the line. Even in Ger- many our Canadian publicity is bad and every one of the manufacturers I met asked me about this situation too. I think our parliamentary candidates should be told about this condi- tion." - TRAVESTY' ' OF THE FILTER TIP (St. Louis Post Dispatch) The ci•gare ee industry 'and its filter -tip advertising, the l+ ederal Trade Commission and its lethargy and the consumer public and its gullibility have been read a lesson by the Rouse Government Operations Committee. The. key tentenee in an 'interesting and highly informative" report adopted by this com- mittee .reads: "The filter cigarette smoker is, in Most cases; getting as much or more nico- tine and tar from the filter than he would get from the regular cigarette ,the advertisers have persuaded him tg abandonfor his health's sake." . . . It is difficult ,to see how the committee could have done anything else but criticize POLICE . CO The new: ,-lipard 'of -Police commissioners for Goderieh• has approved, at its initial meet- ing, pay increases for members of the 'police force, which now and hereafter, as the statute states, are "subject to -the' government of the board." In; cities, police boards handle a great variety of licensing which in other municipali- ties remains with council. 4. It may be said that this is oire moire body spending .civic funds without being directly responsible to the. electors, but the system has been found, over the years, to work satisfac- torily elsewhere.. • Board meetings, the Muni - cilia' Act sets forth, shall be open to the public -"unless otherwise directed by -the board." This feature occasi'onally,_:is, coated in the press, and one Western Canada paper contended that commission meetings "should not be pu.h•lic ; the public cares not, provided results are Satisfactory." In Toronto, where the boa'rd's agenda is heavy as a result of taxi and other license the Federal Tracie Commission for what it charged was a failure to police against decep- tive advegtising about filters. In" September 1955 the' FTC proclaimed a seven -point pro- gram against misleading statements about re- ducing nicotine, tars and othe-i- 'harmful sub- stances. It said it would sternly enforce the code. Judging by the committee 'report, it never did. Last July the FTC sought power from Congress to obtain quick action against mis- leading tobacco advertising by using the in- junction process. It probably ought to have such power. Certainly it should use fully the authority it already possesses -and that, ac- cording tip_ the committee report, is what the FT(' has not done. MMISSIONS applications, only part of each Meeting is at- tended by .reporters. After the closed part, a board ,member gives thepress & summary of proceedings. On one famous occasion this informant, the . mayor, . indulged in comment that resulted in his being 'unsuccessful defen- dant. in a disastrous damage suit. The pre- sent mayor, before holding that office, once accursed the commission of ''autocracy as.great as any czar." Appointment. of a 'police commission rids council of iuuch business -of a kind that some- times involves petty politics and whicti, in any ease, councillors are satisfied to see assigned to a body specially qualified to handle it. The police committee of Goderich council held 15 meetings last year. Connell initiated the change,' knew who would comprise -the com- mission -county judge, magistrate and mayor -and evidently relied upon t}i.`r•inlpartiality and judgment. In that, al -4)M' : 1, citizens 'general•ly have reason to concur. " WANT LOW RENTAL HOUSING? The availability of low rental housing -in Goderich is not unlike Mark Twain's comment on the weather -everybody talks of it but 'no - one seems to do anything about it. I-Iowever, 35 persons have done something about it. That number has to date put in ap- .plications to the Goderich Housing Authority signifying their desire for a house to rent in Goderi-ch. Mr. R. R. Bradley, supervisor of ' rental housing for the Ontario Department of Planning and Development, last week inform- ed the Signal -Star that he would like to see more Goderich residents, in need of houses to refit; ace such applications. He added that they should do so within the next two weeks if they want the houses .erected here by late summer. He painted out that the Department feels it must have two `honafide applications for every unit that will actually be built here. This is a rul,,e which the department follows. For example, if Goderich wants 50 new houses' it is necessary that there 'be 100' applications for houses„ Theis means many more applica- tions should' be put in -and put in fast. Making a survey of housing needs here, Mr. Bradley found there was a "definite need". IIe also found that the wage -level, in this area is lower than most places he -has visited in the province on such. surveys. That's 'why Gode- rich needs subsidized rent houses which. a're geared to. income -20 per --cent of. the income of the wage owner going for rent. These houses'w•ould :be for fhose•persons -whore gross earnings are less than $350 a month -and who have a family of one ehild or more. Under the Federal -Provincial project, 75 per cent of the cost of building • the houses is taken eare of by Central Mortgage and Hous- ing Corporation and 25 per cent by the Ontario government. Then, the- 'Ontario government admaisters• this partnership project. The Ontario government is favorable to- wards building the low rent housing in Gode- rich hut, as pointed out by Mr. Bradley, the residents should register their desire as strong- ly and as -.quickly as possible. This can be done by putting in an application for a rental house to either the Goderich Housing Author- ity or the Town Clerk. Get details quickly from either of the two aforementioned sources and then get that application in fast -if yon want Iow rental housing available in Goderich its soon as possible. It's Permissable To Catch Coarse Fish With Spear During the months of April and May in the Huron Distrjet, anyone tan take coarse fish by means of a spear from ,sunrise to sunset, says the Area Conservation Officer. One tan also use a 6' x 6' dip net for taking. coarse fish daring the . months of" March, April and 'May Smelt May be taken by means of a dip net not exeeedi ng 6' x 6' at anIttinle day or flight lvithout a s 1 Iiiceriee. Smelt licences are required for antseine net up to 30':° kir len t and" these nets must be ,.4.1/4" 3001i . Uy `uajng this size` mesh, koiniiinoWs will passts- tblrou. the net unhar i ed. tical lights mhiit blit' bd used- from sunset to sunrise for the taking of any type of fish. It has come td our attention that public property along the beach fronts such as verandghs, iooden sidewalks and fences have been torn down for the purpose of building bonfires. It is unfortunate that irrespon• 'ole-people-tkr-' a s'tfch his., It is the moral duty of all eitfiens to bring to the attention of local authorities the People re- sponsible for this vandalism. Bonfires out of control cause a great deal of damage each .,year, and when set along, lake fronts they often become dangerous to the wood constructed cabins 4or summer' homes, THE GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR THE • POLITICAL, PAST THURSDAY, MARCH 20th, 1958 r M Famous. Signal Rooster Once,lll`Iaf�lideli(noi EDITOR'S NOTE: Like' the vast majority of newspapers today, The Signal - Stat. is an independent news- paper, politically. in bygone days,however, most towns had two news- papers, one of whith was known as Liberal in its lean- ings and the other Conserv- ative. Before amalgamation Spine t'ea'ks ago, there were two newspapers in Godprich- The Signal (Liberal) and The Star (Conservative). A feature of The Signal was the appearance in that news- paper of the Signal Rooster, shown here, after Liberal vic- tories. - The story ; of The Signal Rooster is an interest- ing one, -particularly at this time with a Federal election set for 1Iarch 31st. In the following article, the history of the Signal Rooster is told by Mr. W. H. Robertson, an active newspaperman in Goderich for more than half -a century and now retired. Mr. Robertson was for ma ' y years Editor of The Signal and, after amalgamation, of The Signal - Star. 'N (By W. H. Robertson) Sixty-seven years is a big chunk out of a man's life, and there can- not be many .among the present readers of this paper who remem- ber the first appearance of the 'Signal Rooster. I was then, in 1891, a junior, under 'Dan . Mc- Gillicuddy, in the old Signal office on North street. -Huron then had three ridings, West, • East and south. In the general election of 1891 the Liberal candidate was. Malcolm Colin Cameron, who al- ready had a, long political history but , had been out of Parliament since 1887, and the Conservative party was represented by, Robert Porter, who had defeated Mr. Cam- eron in the previous general elec- tion, in 1887. r Polling in the 1891 election was on the 4th of March, and in the early evening of that day,- as the returns began to come in, it was seen that Cameron was gaining. As his majority mounted to .top 300, Liberal rejoicing knew no bounds and a victory • meeting was. held in Acheson's Opera . House (situated 'upstairs,,,,;an -West 'street and later burned). The place was jammed with jubilant ,. Cameron supporters, many of them from the country districts, and that meeting has always. remained ,in my mem- ory as the most uproarious demon- stration I have ever seen within four walls. The very building seemed° 'to 'shake. • On the -stage were prominent Liberals who _re, sponded to the enthusiasm of the crowd before them and forgot their dignity as they took part in the rejoicing. I remember particular- ly a distinguished man of learning who climbed on top of the plat- form table and waved aloft a cane on which perched his skull cap. The Rooster Appears When The Signal came out that week with big headlines, the Rooster made his appearance lust- ily crowing "Down with Restric- tion," an allusion to the Liberal trade policy on which the qection was fought. I do' not remember, if I ever knew;' win_ drew the Rooster (some,„ out-of-town artist, I believe), but his introduction to the political figures of the period must be credited to Dan McGilli- cuddy, editor of The Signal, whose fighting spirit was well typified by Chanticleer's belligerent attitude. The Signal Rooster at once leap- ed into fare and for a 'time he travelled rather extensively as editors of other papers. borrowed him. On Some occasions, after its political significance had faded, the slogan "Down with"'- Restric-tion," was cut out, and the Rooster has never been the same since. So much for the. Signal Rooster and the election of 1891. Different Story In 1892 Political feeling continued to run high and in less than a twelve- month Cameron was . unseated for what was considered -by Liberals at least --as -a comparatively in- nocent contravention -of the elector- al .law in the 1891 campaign. The by-election to fill the vacancy was held in February, 1892. Mr. Cam- eron again stood for the Liberals, and felt' their candidate the Con- servatives brought the Hon. J. C, Patterson from Windsor, where he had been a leading Conservative in the ,Essex district and a member of the Cabinet under Sir Join A. Macdonald. This proved to be a fight without quarter and was skid to be the most keenly-fough Con- test in Canadian political history. The Albion `Hotel (which was burn- ed a few years later and rebuilt as the Bedford Hotel), was occupied by a corps of Conservative party In the Bruce Peninsula, which now comes under the Foi;est Fires Prevention Act, anyone who sets a fire after April 1st is responsible for the control of the fire. He is responsible for any damage caused by the fire. Except for obtaining warmth, or for cooking, a burning permit is required to set out fire in a Fire District. ,... - . Groondhogi 'Efeenter, ..... The same regulations apply this year as those in 1957 concerning the issuing of groundhog licences. The Issuer must fill in the name of one (1) County where the holder wishes to shoot vermin. if the holder wishes to use these licences in Regulated Townships, he roust get hetapproval of the township authcdrities. .e... workers, while across the road the British Exchange Hotel had,a con- tingent of Liberal oslection work- ers. These imported elections ing experts were aided by arde local partisans in support of the respective candidates. I was still too young and inexperienced to take an active part in the cam- paign, but .Y heard plenty, and if ever a riding was thoroughly gone over by the workers of both parties it was West Huron in 1892. There was probably . an above- average vote in the 1891 'election, but the canvass in 1892 discovered more than 300 who had not turned out the previous year. "TRAGEDY". by .Sylvia Daoust, R.C.A., noted- Canadian sculptor, is the Calvert Central Ontario Regional Trophy in the Dominion Drama Festival and will be award- ed to the best play produced at _the ,Regional Drama Festival to he, Xield at Hart House Theatre, Toronto, Mardi 24th to 29th. In addition to the Calvert Trophy, the winning group will also 're- ceive a $100 cash award. New Books • For School Library The Goderich Parent-Teacher Association met in St. Peter's School on Wednesday„ of last week with Mrs. H. ,Enzensberger in the chair. A motion by- T. J. -Drennan and seconded by Mrs. Pickell was pass- ed to spend $78.00 on books for the school library. Mrs. ;H. Enzensberger was chosen as a delegate to attend the Pro- vincial convention of the P.T.A. in Toronto. on April 7th. After the business meeting, Miss Terpstra conducted a literature class with her Grade three pupils which was very interesting. Sister Alexandrine then showed two films -"Meeting the Emotion- •a1--- Needs of Adolescents" and 'Each Child is Different." Laurier's Visit A feature of this campaign was a visit to Goderich-his first and last -by the Liberal leader, Wil- fred Laurier. (It was later that Mr. Laurier r' a r ler was knighted ed byHer Majesty Queen Victoria.) Hwas enthusiastically received and ad- dressed meetings at Goderich and Dungannon. The Goderich meet- ing was again in Acheson's'Opera House, but it had quite a different tone from the Liberal victory meet- ing the previous year. There were quite a number of Conservatives in the hall and on occasion they - vented their disapproval r of what the Liberal leader was saying. At one juncture there was a disturb- ance at theg door and A. M. Polley, a weI1;knoifvn Liberal, appeared, re- - in - - --his- characteristic drawl, 'I dust threw the Reeve of Goderich Township downstairs." After the meeting tempers flared and there were any number of fights on the Square in,. the vicinity of the two hotels at 'South street. Just who fought and who won these unofficial contests is not on record. I was in the crowd that scurried from one place to another after the polls closed to get the latest. returns. 'With' one poll to be heard from Cameron was ahead by a few votes, and . we .hurried over to Barry Armstrong's telegraph office on West street to end the -suspense. That poll gave ,Patterson a major- ity that sent him to Ottawa with a scant margin of 25. Heart- breaking for the Grits -jubilation for the Tories. And nothing at all was heard from the Signal Rooster. In fol- lowing years he had his triumphs, but having lived to a toed..., -old age he is now retired Ma political affairs. The Polls in 1891 and 1892 It is interesting, even at this date, to note the difference in the two votes, less than a year apart. In 1891 the various municipalities recorded majorities as follows: • Cameron Porter Goderich 66 Ashfield ,: 181 Colborne ....... _. 69 Clinton 12 W. Wawanosh 115 E. Wawanosh .. 103 Goderich Twp. . 167 546 167 Majority for Cameron -379. The 1892 poll was as follows; Cameron Patter%on Goderich 3 Ashfield • ,.,c . 71 Colborne 24 '- Clinton -Clinton 9 W. Wawanosh 52 E. Wawanosh r... 54 Goderich Twp. 232 .� 210 235 Ma jotity for Patterson --25. The total vote polled in 1891 was 4019. In 1892 it was 4333. There was no women's vote at that time. MASONIC VISITS Doric Masonic Lodge, of Park- hill, will pay a fraternal visit to Maitland Masonic Lodge, Goderich, on Tuesday evening, March 25. On Wednesday evening, Mare 26, Maitland Masonic Lodge will visit the Masonic' ""Lodge at Tavi- stock. ' ' Down Memory 11:1: Oabttir," 45 Years Ago The Printers,. trounced the Tail- ors -$,2 in a hockey game at the local rink. Members of the Print- ers' team ,were S. Ayers, Joe Beck, Reit Townsend, Harry Tufford, Fred Robertson, Frank Townsend and Leslie Webb. -The Tailors were represented by Charls Riley, Leon de Peudry, Edgar Swartz, W. Snazel, Cecil Givens, Ernest Young and Roy Sharman. Rev. Alfred, Brown, of North Street Methodist Church, accepted a call to Sydenham Street Method- ist ; Church, Kingston, at a .salary of $1,800. The county property committee -called for tenders on a new•buiid ing at the jail. The building was to be of cement construction, 22' by 35', and two storeys high. Miss Nina Graham, daughter of George --Graham, graduated from - nurses' training course at a New York City hospital. The T. Beacom property, Bay- field line, Goderich Township, was purchased by Thomas Cronyn. 25 Years Ago The Goderich Hockey Club spent $879 during the season, but man- aged to wind up with a surplus of $35. The club conducted no can- vass for funds. Jim MacVicar, local issuer:was was rushed off his feet as motorists flocked in to get their new licenses before the deadline. Joe Langridge got a cold duck- ing ucking when he jumped oh,, the harbor ice to see if it was safe. Norman McPhail pulled him out. • A Goderich service st tion ad- vertised gasoline at 24 cents a gallon. C. E. Allison moved his butcher shop into the store formerly oc- cupied by F. H. Martin on the Square. 15 Years Ago There was a near -tragedy ie Ash- field Township when Roderick (Rory) -MacGregor was trapped by a tree which fell across his feet as he was working in the bush. After laying in the snowy for three hours in sub -zero temperatures, he was saved by the timely arrival of his brother, Fred. Neighbors as- sisted in the rescue. Vernon Willis, of Goderich, was appointed chief engineer on one of the Algoma Steamship Line vessels. • The building formerly occupied by Goderich Iron .and Brass Found- ry was leased, by Town Council to Dominion Road Machinery Co, The company, had an option to per. chase for $5,000. J. R. Douglas, civilian` manager of Sky Harbor Airport,, said that, some training of p„dots would he carried out at Goderich: South air- port in the summer of 1943. 10 -Years Ago' - George Feagan was elected pre- sident of Goderich Saddle"Club. A Goderich Township native, Rev. Charles D. Cox, accepted a call to the Ilderton and Birr charges of the United Church. Chairman "Skipper" MVlacDonaid announced that $50 would be the first prize in the Gederieh Lions Club perch derby. The spring freshet caused dam- ages estimated at $250,000 to the piers at Goderich harbor. One hundred feet of the north pier was washed out. - _.Teerg, Were_251-slaims,,am,ou r- ing to $11,643, entered in the Division Court at Goderich in 1947, it was reported by the clerk, J. N. Kernighan. BRIDGE SCORES Five tables of players participat- ed in the.iV'eekly game of duplic- ate bridge onMonday night. The winners were Mrs. F. Saunders artd-- Mrs: "A. A. Nicol with 501/2 points; Mrs. Geo. Jenner and• Mrs. J. W. Craigie with 48 points; Dr. and Mrs. W. A. Oakes with 461/2 points and Mrs_ F. H. Lee and 1VIrs,,,_,-G Mack -wan with 42-1,"‘,2points. QUICK CANADIAN QUIZ 1. What game, now played all over North America, was originated in Holland, developed in Scotland, and introduced to this continent at Montreal? 2. •i:anadians formerly paid a $2.50 annual license fee to support the CBC. Is the ,average annual tax cost per family for CBC support now more -or less ,,than that amount? •' 3. What bird, found from coast to coast in Canada,, can fly back- wards? 4. How many persons emigrate from Canada annually to take up residence in the United States:' 5. When family allowance pay - merits began in 1945 the annual cost was about $200,000,000. What is the present annual cost? ANSWERS: 5. About $400,000•- 000. 3. The hummingbird. 1. Golf; first on thus continent, the Royal Montreal golf club was founded in e Week'sThii CP E I A L _BUY Ftun Furniture 9 -piece Bedrciom Suite s188.00 1 8 suf NOTE: 'There silver 2• are two suites only at this low price. mist. • including'' BOOKCASE BED DRESSER CHEST OF DRAWERS SPRING^ {. MATTRESS 2 PILLOWS 2 LAMPS One suite has mocha fnish, other LODGE FURNITURE Goderich West Street is e• niton ••N••••N•••••s•e4•N•••N`•••••• ••••estmee • i•OO•N•Ne•••••• • • i.snL� Make our 'fir i � 5 S nY:y.,�t �{' i 1 r��T � homeSpring..:r ��$ .. . g rf. �'Wlth '' I i s • Pianning - buiid M1 ein extra rooni or make • i aiterations? r - Well beglad to help you with th useful ideas ---and the 'rel -T---1__ n.cLo tion, O • • home MPROVEM ENT OPEN 'SATURDAY NIGHTS Wingham merchants have vo?ied in favor of Saturday night opening of their stores commencing this Saturday. A total of 100:srrlereh- ants voted. `The decision will in- clude the• schedule for 1950, except for the first three months of the year when there will be no evening opening. 4 ma* SELL ITTHRUTHE � • • GODERI-CH MANUFACTURING Co Limned Phone 61 I