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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1973-12-06, Page 2PAGE 2—GODER,ICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1973 Parochialism - the killer Nobody really knows what brought it about but Huron County Council boldly decided last Friday at their final session for 1973 to turn down the proposed plumbing bylaw' which had received hours of 'study by the Board of Health and was the culmination of much research by MDH Dr. Frank Mills and his staff. One of the main concerns may have been the fee structure which had been purposely designed to make the plum- bing inspection department self- supporting. One reason_ for the surprise defeat may have been a simple lack of understanding about the intent of the bylaw. Still another may have been something far Tess tangible - such as the possible poor timing of the presentation by the Board of Health: Whatever it was - and nobody is really able to say for sure - the plumbing' bylaw was defeated by members of Huron County Council. And to make the situation even more confusing, dne of the opposition, Reeve Bill Elston of Morris, told Dr. Mills the county really wants plumbing inspection and with a little more work to clarify the bylaw somewhat, it would probably pass at some later date. Dr. Mills' reaction was one of astonishment. He said he found it dif- ficult to believe the county wanted the control the plumbing bylaw could provide or county councillors would have adopted the bylaw on the spot. While it wasn't a recorded vote on the The cost o Two young people from the Goderich Figure Skating Club are breaking their necks these days to put this town's name before the country. Rusty Ormandy and Shirley McFad- den, both. 15, were silver medalists at "last weekend's sectional skating contest in Windsor and have qualified to move on to the divisionals for skaters from western andhnorthern Ontario and all of Manitoba. There is every hope the local kids will make it to the Canadians in Moncton, New Brunswick in February and if that happens, ewill surely be a first for Goderich and area. The cost of producing figure skating champions is astronomical. Right now, the Ormandy and McFadden families are incurring tremendous exprenses with some assistance from the Goderich Figure Skating Club, but if the popular pair are to reach their goal," a great deal of extra money will be required. Not long ago, Goderich Town Council agreed not to send a $100 donation to The art subject,•it appeared that the opposition to the bylaw came from the rural quar- ters of the county where plumbing in- spection does not carry the urgency it does in the urban areas. In municipalities such as Goderich, for instance, plumbing inspection is deemed absolutely necessary to protect would-be homeowners from the costly problems which often develop because of improper plumbing procedures at the time ofjconstruction. It is safe to say that plumbers in all parts of Hurgn County, and especially those in municipalities such as Goderich where building and development is constant and heavy, would welcome a plumbing bylaw. One wonders whether another possible reason for the veto on the plum- bing bylaw might have been parochial thinking which has plagued county council for long years. If councillors are still unable to think beyond the borders of their own municipalities, especially on such important issues as plumbing, there .rs little wonder _that the county system of government is being threatened. What's more, with the news that county council plans next year to take ,a closer look at the possible methods of restructuring for Huron, it is difficult to imagine that council members who can- not approve county plumbing inspection for the- good of all despite pressures from at home will ever- be able to effect an. amicable and meaningful attempt to restructure the county to the satisfaction of an impartial Queen's Park. champions the Canadian Ski Team although Coun- cillor Elsa Haydon and Deputy -reeve Stan Profit urged members to reconsider their stand. The main reason for coun- cils reluctance seemed to be that if money was to be spent for athletic en- deavors, itshould _go to local athletes. Here's the opportunity then, for whicb Goderich Town Council has been sear- dhing. Here's the chance for this N -municipality . to get solidly behind two potential stars with some real and sub- stantial financial aid. .Of top priority, of course, is ice time to permit the endless hours of practice which must come before every Cham- pionship performance. Following that, there's money required for travelling, for hotels, for costumes and for the countless incidentals every competition involves. Get thinking, Goderich Town Council. Get going. Goderich citizens. Get in- volved for two hard-working kids who really want to bring fame to themselves, their Skating Club, their town. of safe driving Do you drive a motor vehicle? There aro more than 9,000,000 licenced drivers in Canada. Safe Driving Week, spon- sored every year at this time by the Canada Safety Council, is an attempt to alert Canadian drivers to the traffic ac- cident problem.. These drivers are involved in a half million traffic accidents in one year. As a result of these accidents, over 200,000 people are badly injured in one yealr. Still worse, close to 6,000 people are killed in one year. Because theyhold current drivers licences, these people are considered to be qualified for the driving task. It is taken for granted that they know all about the accepted methods of con- trolling a vehicle, that is to say, how to go forward,. go ,back, turn and stop. These procedures might be called the mechanics of driving; to which are ad- ded of course, all the rules and regulations governing such movement. Upon receiving a licence, far too many 4a drivers lull themselves into a belief that they can compete in today's traffic en- vironn' ent. But can they? There is a useful analogy that can be used to make a point here. A professional athlete acquires that years of learning a his specialty under in many different increasingly deman- status after many great deal about many instructors places and under ding conditions. What does our professional athlete do after he has arrived? He still practices, practices the fundamentals of his trade. Why? Because he knows that he must remain perfectly conditioned for the demands being made upon him and that he must do all the right things instinc- tively every time, or sooner or later, his i r f in ability will diminish and his p o assos status will suffer. The—driving task is no different from this - and there is even more at stake HIPCRUNE fHEATRE DEAR READERS Dear Readers, On our church page this week, Signal -Star readers will find a stark reminder of a now classic modern day quandry as each Christmas approaches. The page carries a photograph of a woman in a pitiful state. The photo carries the caption, "There's only 15 shopping days left until Grist-, mas". You 'are right: The -name of the ,game is shock. This newspaper is endeavoring to find some way to roust people in the area out of their comfor- table routine of shopping, baking, wrapping, cooking, decorating toturn their thinking to the real ,Christmas crunch - peace rt •aTth;--gr"od- will to all men. There's a popular game played by swinging people at this time of year. It is called, "Let George do it" . . . or let the government do it, let the church do it, let the service clubs do, let anybody do it but\ just don't bug me about doing it. And thank God, the govern- ment, the church, the service clubs and some wonderful people dodo it ... oralotofit. But always every Christmas, somebody is left out ... maybe like the lady pictured in the grotesque shot on the church page in this week's Signal. There are hundreds oft ways for people to be of service at Christmas time. Many organizations make their an- nual pitch at Christmas hoping to cash in on the Christmas spirit which prevails in the ,hearts of most people- during that season. Many of these can be fou. right at home - the aged, the sick, the destitute, the—paren- tless, the confused. One of the greatest problems' is to ' find the best avenue by which to help the people who need the help most and I'm told this matter is being explored although the study will not be completed in time for this Christmas. What to do in the meantime? Well, I talked this week with Bruce Heath of the Children's Aid Society. _ __-Everyone _ loves - kids. Nobody wants to see kids disappointed at Christmas but according to Bruce, there's some likelihood that the CAS will not be able to grant all fon- dest wishes for all the kids in their care. There just aren't enough bucks to go around'! Many faithful folks do remember the CAS at Christ- mas. They've been doing so for yearsand years and will do so again this December. But prices are up, kids -are increasing and -needs are on the rise. More people expect George to do it. There's a real possibility that some, youngsters in care will have a less -than -happy Christ- mas. Bruce suggests that some people do not donate to the CAS at. Christmas because they feel what they have to give is peanuts compared to the gifts presented by larger organizations. Don't you believe it. The 50 cents you send might just make the dif- ference' for some struggling youngster this Christmas. When yotl are mailing your Christmas cards this Christ - min, why not put whatever you • Your life. MIO Times -Advocate Co saertcn SIGNAL -STAR —{}- Th. County Town Newspaper of Huron —0-- ) Founded In 1848 and published "every Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CWNA and OWNA. AAdvertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable in advance. $8.90 in Canada, 110.00 in ail countries other than Canada, single copies 20 cents. Second class' mail Fiegiseratron Number 0716. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, In the event of typographical error, the advertising specs occupied by the erroneous Item, together with reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the `applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or service may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sill, and may be withdrawn at any time. The Signal -Star -1s not resporibible for the •lots or damage of unsolicited Manuscripts or photos. Srsiness OsIM Moe TILAPNO 1 «we11iN1119, Molal. *arias-: 1.0. 'soX 2311, Oeatdstrloh Seawall ekes Will reolserell sli .wwtsltw'-1711 I , Published by Signal -Star Publishing Lid. ROM, ©. SNRIER--•presidia and publisher SNi1RL.IY J. KILLER--smdltor 8.W. MAW—editorial star IOWARO J. SYRSKI.-advertl ing manger ()Avg R. WILLIAM$—edirertleing -represents** can afford in an envelope and drop it into the CAS office on Victoria Street North. Or if you prefer, pick up one extra gift while you are shopping this Christmas and take .it to the CAS with a note describing for whom the gift would—be 4 L. suitable. If the CAS doesn't suit your fancy, get in touch with any of the local-•mnrsing-_homes-_-_to assess the needs there. Maybe it isn't gifts. Maybe what those folks need is simply your time and your interest. Or check. at the Salvation Army, Huronview, the Huron County Social Services Depart- ment, Alexandra Marine and GerieTir fiospitaT, Goderich Psychiatric Hospital, Queen Elizabeth School, the church offices . . . you can probably think of many other agencies Shirley J. KeDer who coi4Vind .you a project. If all else fails, remember the photo on the church page of that poor wretched, unfor- tunate soul. There's an address • there. If you can think of any other way to help this Christ- mas, send a gitt to aid" -those--" whom you don't know and will not likely ever meet. Help make a mirfile happen this Christmas. ' JACK'S JOTTINGS FROM QUE(N'S PARK Jack Riddell, Huron MPP In debating the Bill which would provide assistance to.. Ontario ' pensioners both Op- position parties in the Ontario Legislature pushed vigorously for $200 guaranteed monthly incomes for the elderly rather than an insulting $50.00 Christ- mas bonus to pensioners. They said their proposal would cost, $50 million a year which On- tario could afford. Premier William Davis said in response to questions that the Province has the money and is assessing possible increases. Pensioners receive $105.30 from the Federal Government and up to $73.86 as a supplement. If the Federal Government paid half the costs of increased benefits under the Canada Assistance Plan, $24 million would provide a monthly $209 00 pen- sion for 340,000 pensioners un- til March 31 and retroactive to October 1st. Treasurer John White and Mr. Brunelle were left with little Government sup- port to face the barrage of criticism when the debate began. Attendance on the Government side varied bet- ween 9 and 20. Mr. Brunelle, Minister of Community and Social Services made no statement. Mr. White who must answer for Government pernment v s n- -ding -priorities -in -the douse had trouble getting through a fif- teen minute statement because of interruptions. The House sat until 1:30 a.r'n. Thursday debating this Bill. Government Grants which only serve to put more money into the pockets of publishers at the expense of the school system are not the solution to the troubles the Canadian text- book industry faces, Premier William Davis intimated in the Legislature Answering questipna from the Opposition and criticism as voiced by the Inder dent Publishers Association, the Premier defen- ded his response to the gRoyal Commission on book publishing and his recommendation that 92% of the ,appfoved school textbooks be written by Ontario or Canadian authors. The Canadian publishers who depend on school books as their main profit line are feeling the pinch of , ch` g trends in policies and can of compete with stronger Un _ I States owned subsidiary fi s in On- tario;'Mr. Davis said t Royal Commmiesion had recom ' I dad a special grant structure text book development, but he said if all that did was put more funds in the publishers hands with Lesser economies to the school system then a better solution has to be found. Schools no longer rely as heavily on textbooks and the Ministry of Education has moved away from conditional' grants. Students are also faking greater care of their books and selling them to following. classes. Attorney General Dalton Bales introduced legislation this week to abolish Grand Juries and shorten the list ofa exempted occupations on jurors' lists. He told the Legislature that the Bills will not be proceeded with- until next year. Mr. Bales said he«m wanted to give Members of the Legislature and thePublic the opportunity to discuss the legislation. One -Bill- also and for modernizing selec- tion procedures another" s provides for inspection of public institutions by a panel selected from the Jury roll to replace the public inspection function of the - abolished Grand Juries. Energy Minister Darcy McKeough, feels Ontario will get through this winter without any -dislocations- in -fuel oil -sup- plies due to the enthusiastic pu ' response to the Provin- cial rnment's energy Con- serv 'on campaign. Mr. h belaves• that man - da ry allocations at the wholesale level will have to remain. He said the unrestric- ted driving habits of individual car owners as they affect energy conservation are coming under the scrutiny of Governments. He hinted there could be gover- nment intervention that could make it more practicable to leave cars at home and use public transit services. Margaret Birch, the Ontario Minister in charge of Youth Secretariat said this week, there was a need for a Tri -level advisory committee oh grants to youth. Previously Mrs. Birch had been critical of most oppor- tunities for youth and LIP programs. She said that these- programs heseprograms had credited numerous "non -jobs" by post- poning the employment problem and not providing any work experience. There has been a $360 'pillion recalculation of the cost of the Ontario Government's Western Parkway Belt and the Niagara Escarpment Land Acquisition programs. The Province unveiled its plans for the Parkway Belt and escarpement on June 4th, followed up with planning and 70 YEARS AGO Dec. 10, 1603 The iron railings at the office stepe have been c plated during the past week Jas. A. Strachan. They are n in appearance and will dobb+t..gbe found a great c venience to many. Work has commenced on keel of the new steamer on island. The tug Huron has been e ployed keeping the ice in harbor broken. The West Huron license co missioners met at Clinton Saturday and transferred license of E. Swarts to El Bros., the new proprietors the Huron" House. The Collegiate Institute's spector's report of his rec visit to the G,C.I. states that work of - the school thoroughly satisfactory -in -e, department. Jas. Wilson has had a water system of heating stalled in his store, Mr. Wil believes in having the best a this last improvement is in li with his progressive burin policy. 25 YEARS AGO Dec. 2, 1948 Interest in the anthratube the Huron Engineering Co. drawing visitors from dist points to inspect it. Last Frid _a visitor was Professor Dune of Halifax who direcfs'' research at the University Nova Scotia, Other visit were Robt. Baltzer and Arth Gilmour from the Bureau Mines in Ottawa, Ken LeMaire, son of Mr. a --Mrs-. J. 0. LeMaire of Nels Street, had a leading role in t presentation of Victor H best's operetta, "The Mill', by the Culture Ceti forum) in London last w under the direction of 'Pr Albert Rose, of the Universi of Western Ontario. At least one Goderich sto installed emergency lighting beat the blackouts. Breck ridge's hardware store has gas -driven generator. N needed right now, it may st be most desirable shou blackouts return lifter t Christmas season. Under the clever direction Mrs. H. K. Revell, the Arth Circle players scored anoth outstanding success on Thu qday and Friday nights, wh they presented the three -a comedy "What Wright Lef R development control e, before audiences which filled legislation. Part of the plan was capacity the lecture hall to buy about 20% of the 200 Knox Church. Rev. R. mile long escarpment's 1.3 MacMillan introduced the pla million acres at a cost when formerly introduced between S.YEARS AGO $250 to $500 million. Latest .Dec, 5, 1968 figures put the price -at a firm half a billion dollars. A record 2,517 voters went The Honourable John White the polls Monday night moved first reading of a bill en- select their representatives f titled an Act to amend the Gift the 1969-70 town council. Th Tax Act. The purpose of the elected were Harry (Red) Wo Gift Tax Amendment Act is to sell for reeve; Walter Shea bring in legislation the 1973 down for deputy -reeve; and f budget proposal for a once in a council in order of standing life time tax free gift for farm the polls: Reg. R. Jewel!, Fra property of $50,000. The objec- Walkom, Paul Carroll, Dav tive of the proposal is to en- Gower, Eddy Ciesbrecht a courage and facilitate the corp- - Deb Shewfelt. tinued operation of family The flouridation of t farms which form an important town's water supply was al part of the social and economic put before the people and w fabric of the Province. voted in •, 1,376 to 1,040 - majority of .3, almo„ t Under existing legislation same number bf 36votes bystwhi any person may make in- it was defeated in 1963. dividual gifts of up to $2,000.00. The board of directors of t each, tax free, in any one year Maitland Country Club ha with the yearly total not to ex- approved the formation of ceed $10,000. As designed the pp proposed amendments• will snowmobile section u der J, p P _ __ •---___�..� - - - direction- of chairman allow a gift of up to $8b,000 tax free once in a lifetime of farm R on property to a child. emtngt • Round Hou Ro The old situated near the C.N. Station at thet of Ea torn down. T' Street is to be council received a Railways r fro Canadian National London last week to the eff that tenders would ed the near future for t demolition of the old n The Honourable of the Onta leader Nixon, announced th Liberal Party, anGaunt, MP week that Murray a (Huron -Bruce) has been th pointed to serve on eta Legislative committeesAssembly's on A�;cultu ding commission government a private bills and public counts. For purpoees of the amend- ment the farm property is defined to include land, buildings and,, machinery necessary for the operation of the farm. In addition the term "once in a life time" has been defined as any one taxation year. This means that the gift may be made in stages ovet a taxation year but any exemption claimed under this section may apply only in respect of the amount given in a taxatioa' year. In addition succession duty legislation has been modified to prevent recapture of the gift in an estiite where the donor has not survived the gift by more than five years. The spending estimates are almost completed and the session is' rapidly drawing to a clone. It appear' as thotgh the house will recess next week for the Christrttfias break. The budpt this year for the Provinge was the higheat in history, over 7 billion dollars. ,v►�/r -frir"fl A", 3�f ' 4s.ri' ((~ x. . If n1 lulfl C., If /IIrty. u•$i rtf >1-rr el ti BC