HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1967-02-16, Page 1120th YEAR -• NO, 7
THE GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, FEB. 10, 1907
•
Ewan: Ross
�resident
A
4. FIRST SECTION' .
Steak i:)iniller%
•
_. +, owe �,a...,..nr�•-•a:_,��. .,
By Bill l� urns • '
Goderich and bistrict Labor
or
Council gave up steak dinners
Monday night - as a new sense
of militancy; unity and purpose
swept through the organization.
New officers were voted into
leadership , of the council amid
suggestions that it is a dead
organization and should "be given
a. quiet burial," arid•, rousing
speeches recalling'. theearly
days-_ in labor -or gala:tzatiori: _- _ '
Ewan Ross, of the machinists.
union was elected president of the
council succeeding Harold Stew.
art. Mr. Stewart declined the
nomination saying he wanted to
retire after 21 years of activity
in labor movements.
ire Damages
Town Home
w ea w"e"re y"= "du�'tirTWlII7.—. bl'ithl'—tlimrex`-7rneeting
ing to•,fgllOw, Mr. Ross told the
council. "1"I think we owe this
town something in labor leader.
ship.:'
Earlier Mr. Ross had told the
labor. council, "I- was told this '
. organization is dead, .if it is we
should give it a quite burial."
,,The reappraisal Qf the labor'
council's own well being Wa4s ..
Sparked by a request frern the
Canadian Mental Health Associa.
tion fe -a Alemition. The ming
gave $5".•
But financial secretary Bud
Clements explained that the labor
council operated ona slim budget,
financed by a 10 -cent per capita
charge per month against each
union member. He - said the
Goderich Kinettes Monday
made a $100 donation to a Cod-
„ericr family whose • home was
heavily damaged in a fire Feb., 8.
_ ____The.fire ..burned_out_the--second---
storey of the home pf Mr.d'and
Mrs. Albert N. grown, 181 Cam-
bridge St., and. the remaining
portions of the house received ,,
water and:moke damage.
Goderich firemen battled' the
blaze for almost four hours -in
near -zero temperatures. Both
pumpers were at the scene.
Mrs. Brown and her daughters
Sheila and Linda were - at the
Park Theatre when the fire altar.
ently startedin the upper part
of the house near a chimney. It
stubbornly, entrenched itself in
the partitions and -between
several layers of 'shingles on the
two-storey frame dwelling,
Neighbors reported the fire
after it had burned through the
roof. A sister-in-law ran to the,
theatre to ;summon ,,the family..
Mr. Brown has been a patient
at Beck Memorial Sanitorium in
:__..._London_..for__th,e past tbree...y.ear.s._.
Mrs. Brown has also been in
i11 health,
411 Spray from the firemen's hoses
formed ice on their clothing and
nearby trees. Only•a few spectat.
ors withstood the discomfort of,
the weather for very long. A
St. John Ambulance vehicle was
on the scene but not used,
Establish
Spending
The day_after the fire Mrs.
Brown and her daughters movedv
Into the one -floor, kitchen at the
rear of the hoti'se. The archway
e. the_fnain -house _ wad covered
and heat provided by alkitchen
stove,
Damagehas been estimated at -
between$5,000 and $10,000."li'ire;
men believe a chimney fire was
the cause.
- • es -at-- of t ---•--fie aiY, told the labor
mat � ' .e- . council times � e too .,.�.,..o,.�
egood, f
was certain there has be n r ar, � x
surgence .of• interest in the labor anybody to get excited aboutlabor
deepest into the council's treas.
ury, but were, necessary to get
delegates„ to. meetings.,
A new delegate, chemical work*
ers' president Guy Robinson de.
manded the reason for the necess.
ity of ' labor delegates having
dinner to attract attendance.
Mr. Stewart, still in the chair
at_the time, said a general meet.
ing in December attracted only
seven delegates, barely a
querumc-` Na sifnner, was served
at that meeting.
"It's a damned shame we can't
get them out without bribing
them," Mr. Robinson said.
Delegates said there is a
sim'lar problem with meetings
• of various locals. Lack of public-
ity was said tube one reason.
Ken Mullen "told the 20 dele.
Peddle
500 Ducats
More than 500 ticits have been
sold for the Centennial exhibition
hockey game March 4 at Goderich
Memorial Arena. •
The game will see the Loiizon
flyers OHA Junior 6 champs of
1946.47 play the -Sailors, OMHA
Midget champs of 1955.56.57.
Added entertainment will in-
clude former Goderich figure
skater Walter Thomas, of Strat=
___fgr li and Iielmut Krahmer in a
demonstration of judo. _
Johnny Brent of CKNX and Den.
nis Riggin, a Kincardine-nat1'tre
• who played goal for Detroit Red
Wings and now lives in London
will be the referees.
Heading a list of 20 door prizes
will be two hockey sticks, one.
autographed by LarryJeffrey and.
the Toronto - Maple Leafs' and
another autdgraphed by Paul Hen-
- derson arnd the Detroit RegWir gs,
council with wider Coverage `in ' matters. "So few of us know what
`the newspaper. He added pito0n.. it is to work for eight cents an
gratulations to the Signal•Star, hour. Wages ar e decent today,
• H e saidhe knows' that labor but they are only decent through
council views are getting -through the old boys working through,
to elected representatives from union's."
newspaper reports because he He recalled the 'days• -before
has received comments following checkoff, when union men "w,;nt
meetings from town council mem• behind the boss's back and. coll.
bers on stories in the paper. - ected union dues.' A little re.
Mr, -Ross said he had not cession would sharpen a 'lot of
noticed it. "I've been readingthe people up."
local paper 20' years, and I didn't. Representatives. attended the
know what yo{t,.did,'f meeting from Local 3054 and
Mr. Stewart said elected_offic. Local, 2222 of the United Brother.
ials are aware of labbr import- hood of -Carpenters and Joiners
ance at voting time. He said he of America! Both have been asked
has been asked by candidates to to affiliate.
second nominations as an indica- Walter. Gottschalk, represent.
tion of laber'support. • ing Local ;05.4 admitted uncer.
.taint . about what the • labor roof tops,'? he said. " W e are. the ,.
counc>I'S itllfotr"wacs•-ariclta nes-
1 to It l da i co yes out
o e rt t m
'the. relationship- :would be, and Pe
$ o ��
cost, to• his group. • of your wage packet every week."
Stewart said. tie felL,the He said wlabages are only .one
Mr, facet of , or's responsibility
concern' of the labor council
should be `cokifined to the welfare ; "We'would help bring new in.
of labor in Goderich `and district. dustry, not just sitting idly by
John Pirie secretary, and bus, .hoping the industrial commission
iness agent for Local 2222 and,.._._wi, bring new industry." -
president of the Western Ontario He recalled the strike last
District Council of Carpenters, spring at GoderichManufacturing
Millwrights` and Millmen, a 10. Co. 'Lt. and described police act.
county organniza.tion,' disagreed ipn at the picket lines. He asked
with Mr. Stewart. r - that the press report his
said the labor council should comment. --A
be aware of everything in the "Police action was very un.
community, interested and par. warranted, I don't 'think picket
ticipatng in it. lines need policing unless they
ticipating in it. "The' voice of are concerned that damage will
labor should be shottted,from the be done." Mr. Pirie said..
Mr. Pirie said he expects Local
• I• -11•!S•"!1•!.
Approve Dog Bylaw Change
2222, r\ePresentingAlliinOie0I0aedj
number Of carpenter iAruce T
and Huroncuns 10�e
<. .
labOzcQunCil.fLoca 3Q04301.10°'',
, '
the labor' councils would then ;, s
become the voice of about 500
workers' in organized labor in .
°Mario
This would include the office
workers at Dominion RoadMach•
inery Co. `Ltd., who are current. '
ly seeking certification as a unit .Y,
of the machinists union. It would •
be the first "white-collar" union
•in Goderich Mr.' Mullen 'said.
—-Mr-Mu1ien-teras elected; -vice--
president, secretary, Art Sour* ,
deau; financial secretary, Mr. -
Clerients; sergeant -at. arms,
Jack Vidian; trustees, Bill Reid,
George Young and Ambrose Col.
borne.
13,
At Large No More
Dogs are to be confined at all Coup. B. R. Robinson said a dog
times and owners of those that tag was not a licence to allow
run at large will be prosecuted a :dog to go out and destroy other
town council has been "told, person's property, He' said it
Although council split -on the represented a fee for the privi.
re-s'oi'utfion; -a'pprov rl has 'breen lege-of--Iceeping•a-+dog,----.r- .•- —
given,for amendmentof the dog 'Reeve Bert Such said the idea
control bylaw to confine dogs of a dog tag originated 'in the
to the owner's or harborer's pro. Dog Tax and Livestock Protea
perty all year around. ton Act. He said Huron County
Dogs can now be free from medical officer of health is con.
.October through March. , earned about rabies and confine.
The recommendation ' for ment of dogs might -contribute to
amendment came from Coun, the control. -
Robert Hays' special committee. "Does the law say police can '
Coun. H a y, s also received - gp on private property and catch
approval to have the definition of a dog?" Deputy Reeve Worsell
"at large" changed in the by. asked. ,
'law from ."`highway or other Coun. Hays -vent back to the
,public place," to outside the . police chief's • statement' that
owner's property and not in con. owners could be prosecuted. -
K
Goderich Public Utilities Com.
, mission lias established a capit-
al budget ,for .1967 of $150,123.
It ,has been submitted to Ontario
Hydro for app ,oval. •
The, PU h s marked $62,500
for work on its distribution lines
and $36,273 for the. sub-
transmission system which is the
'now partially -complete 27,000 -
volt loop around the cir.
cumference of the town. •
Sub -station improvements will
cost $2,000 and $49,350 has been
set aside for equipment including
a billing machine, truck, trench
digger, water heaters for rental
and office equipment.
Work is presently under way
on construction of a new board
room at the -PUC headquarters
on West Street.
•
LATE NEWt
ITEM
Reeve Herbert Such, of God-
erich, has been appointed to the
board of_ regents" of the college
' "" fii' ?J 'art anJ-scienees-f
)his area. No location has been
• chosen. The board is to hold its
first meeting today.
History,
Students at Goderich District
Collegiate Institute phatce a 29.
page book called Glimpses of the
Local History of Goderich and
Surrounding Communities.
It is a Centennial project of the
GDCI history department. The -
projects were written under the
supervision of Richard Madge and
edited by Charles Kalbfleisch,
head of the history department.
The book includes articles on
North Street United Church, Ben.
miller, Curzon Hall, the Holmes
family, the Worsell family, God-
erich Elevator and Transit Co.
Ltd., the Huron Road, establish.
ing of Auburn, Huron County
Courthouse, history of Goderich,
and Dominion Road Machinery
Co. Ltd:
Writers include Gail Fisher,.
Dee is er -John Manning, Terry
Wors , .c`�C`i.'"N`ee
Leitch, $etty Moss, John Cox,
Martha Hanly and Bill. White.
It ,could be called the game of "the century. -
It is a Centennialexhibition hockey game
'between the Louzon Flyers and the Gode-
rich Midget" Sailors to help fill "Timmy's"
Easter 'basket on March 4 at Goderich Me- ,
morial Arena. The Louxon Flyers were OHA
• Junior C champs in 1946-47. ' They are. -
shown above.-;_ The Sa tors . ware ,MHA
Midget champsin the 1955-56-57 seasons.
Game time is 8 p.m. ' , n .
n
Seeks Action On Flooding
as Set To Sue
A south end resident said last
hm sday- - •
taking legal action against the
town by "members of town council
last year.
Gordon Smith, 260 Tilt St.;
appearing ' before town council '
was seeking relief frons flooding
in the area of his home.
Mr. Smith said he had the
London legal firm of Lerner and
L erner poised to take action to
recover payment ?r damages
from the flooding last year.
lie said he withheld action when
he was told that some action
would be taken:
•-••• 1 a -
He declined to say who made
the .promise, "They are not here
Council last year had approved'
storm severs for five streets,
in the area of Mr. Smith's house
to be installed as a local improve-
ment.
This proposal would have in-
stalled storm sewers in portions
of Bennett, Tilt, Wells, Hincks
and Jones streets at an estimated
costa- $17,200. •
;.. p
Atarid9rrett
after council received an oppos-
ing petition from more than 50
per cent of the property owners
fe
payer expects ser ice or s
dollar.
ne matter was ref
"'We still Have the problem
and it is getting worse," Mr.
Smith told council Thursday.
• He was interrupted by Coun,
B. R. Robinson who pointed out
that the residents of the area
-had rejected the storm sewers.
"What doyou want council to do?".
he asked.
Mr. Smith said that plans had
been drawn for storm sewers
in the area and the town had -
chosen the one most costly, the
one that affected the most
One property owner is holding
about 20 lots said Mr. Smith.
"If someone applied for a per-
mit to build there they couldn't ,
be told the sewers aren't .ade-
quate and they'd get a nice tax
bill, too, and that's notright,"
he charged,
Coun; Robinson again asked
-what Mr. Smith proposed to
remedy, the situation when there
1 - -
holders.
Mr. Smith replied that the tax -
persons.
a
•
"I think the police of -God.
er'ic h have enough- to do with... • xr
out chasing dogs," said -the
deputy reeve. "^
•-.•-.- •-T•he-.disGtssiOn•.•cctne1110 d -With.
Mayor Dr. Frank Mills comment
that the bylaw was intended to
protect school children from
being molested by dogs and do -
away with the nuisance of -dogs
running at large. -
Police Chief Minshall°.has re.
ported a number of complaints
about dogs and 23 residents of
the Victoria School area 'signed
a . petition asking more control
of dogs.` A seven•yeanoldboywas
reported bitten a in the school.
yard.
trol of any person., , _ • 4 •
Both Deputy Reeve-HarryWor• . ,4 . ,
•-sell and Coun. William Schaefer • T
were critical of confining dogs Tax - Fel i nes, oo,
all the time.
"How, are you going to know -
whose dog it is without catching, .Labor Man
him,", they asked,' •
"I would like to know how you
--`are goin'g�to -enfo c'e4"ii;,r'--bili '- 4,— :-tax- an--cats-was•--suggested
w, Schaefer said. He said the town here °Monday night as Goderich ,
has no -dog catcher and no dog and ''District Labor Council, went,
pound. on record: as opposed to dog
Coun. Hays agreed, but said tax if dogs must be; confined
Police. Chief, Fred Minsftall said year-round.
the owner of a dog at large can ""I wonder if cats. should not
be prosecuted, be also•�,:--:taxed if dogs are?"""SometIing�that would irritate said Walter Gottschalk.
me very much would, be to -have 't •f
my. dog tied up 12 months of ,
JUS �y/
the year and pay $5 fora dog , •
tag," Coun. Schaefer said. '
Coun. Hays said it would be
possible to revise the licence
fees. ""l thinly . the situation de:
WBudroise.ecforkee!ncourigell
last
rr+e_3c_` o o�'hat---operating c-ests---
f �;` T urs�id- y oo^jus •
•
public works committee.
UtiIities- Ch
Admits. Co
•
airman
refusion
•
s
ecision
to demolish the old service
station -at - the intersection of
Hamilton and Victoria streets.
Council has. agreed to wreck
the building. it has, been. using
as a tourist information ,booth
but has ',made no decision how
it will replace it. '
W. G. Mills, chairman of God. sets the budget fore the water Mr. Oke asked council what
erich Public Utilities Commis• system's operation and the PUC type of building it would beputting
ion, admitted to Goderich and operates a billing r•�rvice. for, on the buil He said the municip.
District Labor Council Monday the town council. he explained, ality has a habit of buying. build- •
P.
night that new LIC billings areHe said the PUC also .collects
'" ings, tearing them down anddoing
confusing, the $1:50 -a -month sanitary sewer
nothing about the land.
But he insisted that electric said he thought the
charge instituted at' the beginning He
abandoned service station was a
, g' Asked why PVC bills come
m
of the year for the town.
power obnsumers are 1savin
guTist fial"'tStiilding and suggest.
opal unsealed envelopes ' bearing a ed it would be ideal for an office
Mr. Mills said power rates four -cent stamp Mr. Mills Said along with the information booth,
have -been reduced for an aver- this was a requirement- of the' Mayor Dr, Frail Mills said
asaving of four per cent, postal department, council had examined the building
saidge that while ""on time" paHey This was confirmed by corn. "and agreed the best course of
mehts have been deleted bill. missioner George Filsinger who action was to rip it down.
ings are still on a net basis `added, "When a notice goes out Coun. 1. R. Robinson said
and the penalty for late pay for arrears you will never find operating costs would be out of
ment has been reduced from 10 , the flap turned in, that's a pri. :proporton to any purpose the
per cent to five per cent. vate•thing." - building 'could serve. The tilted
"It', area"taster " he id '- Mills, Mr, r u iriger and doors
Mr Mills s id wader ratesare ' httley� exam le "of th
•'
Suggests
The labor council plans to send
a letterto town council" protes—�
ing the dog tax - $5 for males .:
and $10 for . females- - if dogs
are .,,to be confined 12 months,,
Town council last Week agreed
to amendment to the dog by.
law to stop dogs running at large • •
.any time.: r.
• Harold Stewart, retiring labor
council president, said he fay.
ored keeping dogs confined if
theyU are a nuisance, but objected
to the tax.
Ken Mullen said dogs have been,
bothering his garbage and he
had heard reports Of; three. per.
• • • •
Ambrose Colborne protested
that the money _ collected from
dog tax does not go for what it ,
was -intended. "It's' for protect.
ion of livestock;" he said. ,
Cue Artist
Wins Prizes
William Thompson's cue arias.
try won him more than $20 in
prizes Monday as the snooker.
tournament-wourdhip at Fincher's
Smoke Shop.
-Thompson defeated Erwin Sch. ,
neider in the final session Monday .c
and will advance to a semi-final -
with snooker players from 4?.
Western Ontario communities.
From this group 12 will be
selected to compete on CKNX • '
television.
Other competitors in the play
at Fincher's were• Dave Wilkin. •
a tl p e expense involved
beyond the control of the PUC.• were guests of the labor counc
to converting the building t(5. were Issy Bedard and Lloyd
•
The Ontario Water Resources for the evening; another use • ------ ,_ Garland.
"An Incredible Cacoj,hony"
yori taiit_
iiir
tri
t
h! �
s.m
a t
nlM• it•p
sLtow
h!
i1
t rs
by Kinsman' $iii 1Cit'IcOy lett weak• the mayor bough
40 -Ib. bag of . Kin -Gro. fertilizer, the'sale of which is the latest
Kinsmen fundraiser.
•
A
By`•`•Mn1'ii'reeri icor""pan
Recently I listened to the
barely -audible whisper of the
cars being driven past my home'
on The Square. Snow had fallen
steadily for several hours and the
snow plows had not yet started
their work.
My thoughts drifted back oto the
summer of 1966 when living. with '
the noise on TheSquare was little
fess than a terrifying experience.
Friday and Saturday nights were
the worst. - Sunday niglith were
terrible, too, but seemed easier .
to beat- because the noise lessen.
ed_some two hours sooner.
Froin 10 p.m. there was a
gradual buildup in the numberof.
motor cycles and cars being
driven round and roundand•round
The Square. The peak was reach.,
ed between 11 p.m, and midnight;'
prodaoiitg' yr fti rbdib a oa car ,
phony of squealing tires .the roar
of broken-down car mugs, car
radios being played at maximum
volume and the unceasing sound.
ing of horns. The combined effect
was ear-splitting and went on until'
between three and four a.m.
The long, hot summer nights
dragged by. At least one letter
of complaint ' appeared in print
and people grumbled to each other
about how dreadful the .noise.was
"on The Square,`but nothing really
changed.
That was stimmer, 1966.
This year could be different.
With the aid of a strictly en.
forced anti -noise by-law there
could be substa.ntia1 fines for
unnecessary noise created after
10.30 p.M.; unpaid fines could
bring jail sentences- repeated"
offences could warrant confisca.
titin' of vehicles and/oriniprison.
menta traffic lights could reduce
the use of the Square as ,a race
These' regulations nrrd penal•
ties could be given°wide public tty.
They could be displayed pro:
minently on The Square itself and
at all ,the, approaches to our
town and be emphasized by the
news media. To claim ignorance
of regulations and penalties for
disregarding them isnot accepted
as a defence. '
Am I a dreamer? Perhaps.
But if the chosen representa-
tives of the people of Goderich
wantto control, or better still •
eradicate, this scourge, action
is urgently required.
The noise has gradually in-
creased over the years and little
attempt has, been • made tocontrol
it. Now it has reached ridiculous
proportions which can seriously
hurt Goderich, especially in its
role as a vacation centre, which
has such a high ecoiomio,value,
ummer
They, and -the -hundreds of people
who, in the -course of a summer
season, stay at the Bedford Hotel
and who, if they are unfortunate
enough to choose a weekend, must
carry away a most degradingand
unpleasant impression of our
town. And . of course, the word
is spread around.
Can you imagine our visitors
forming "opinions about Goder.
ich similar to those we hold
about other resort townswhenwe
hear it has been necessary to -
reinforce their local police with
units of OPP and r 'llitary.,per.
sonnel in order to keep control
at the weekends? �.
Tt. is to be hoped that such, a
catastrophe can, be averted in
Goderich. No doubt there are
It , is true that, -'The Square those who will. say that this
cafe no longer be' regarded, as projection, is nonsense. Don't be..
eve= it -dot t e
�s-
;r ri
oo"ri�'a a
� �dtde 'ryas `~a.f`rbfii't �=at.i y °�'`"
primarily 1triany citizens of this town choose spend end the weekendwith•frtends
to live there all year round and who lived on The Square was not
they deserve consideration, the 'Sleepless nightmare it is now,
It will require time, money, ».
patience and (most' of all) desire
oft the " part of these we have
elected to authority to plan eff.
ective legislative measures. But •
those.. measures would give back
to the folk who live on The
Square --and the visitors that we
welcome so warmly -their unden-,
iable right to reasonable peace
and quiet during the, -date even-
ing, night and early morning
hours,
Noise `bn the Square - every
suThmer night.- but especially
on summer weekends. •
Consequences; .
1. Adverse effect Ofi Aden.
ich as a vacation `centre,
2. Consequent drop in summer
income.
3. Residents denied right -to
reasonable peace and quiet. par.
ticularl ....:.the. older
.residents=and.=
those who are illi
4._ Rioting • personal in jury.'
property damage.
e
uiet
Numbers 1, 2, and 3 - already
being demonstrated.
Di scouragem ents:
1. Traffic lights to break colts
tiriuous circling of the Square.
2. Heavy fines for as Many
offenders as possible as often
as possible. To reduce the pro.
blem to' a matter of hard cash
in substantial amounts, enough tt
mean real hardship, would seem
to be the quickest way to results .
as money' is the one thing in 'lite
that really matters to such atre.
mendous iminberaof people.
. 3, Unmarked patrol cars-tnight- •
help --although Pm=--ett5t Much in
support of this method •unless
as a last resort. • •
4, Any chance of getting co.
operation from some of those
responsible, who may notreaiize
dist Tow muOi"c stil'n'ae they
are causing? Le; Sound tapes of
the noise on any given weekend.
v