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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-06-19, Page 2•• • • NA -STAR, TIOISDAY0TIJNE 19,1975 TCGMMENT ell evens things up Ma*Bell came in for a share of the complaints aired at the recent Huron Federation of Agriculture meeting in Clinton. Russell Kernighan reported that tree Colborne Township residents who are living on farrps previously served by Colborne Municipal Telephone Service but whose telephones, had been discon- nected before being taken over by Bell Telephone', will have to pay hand- somely ,to get telephone service. again. Mr. Kernighan, also a Colborne Township councillor, said the trio Will share the cost of $1800 to install their phones. Mr. Kernighan brought the matter before a Bell Telephone seminar held in -Goderich in May. At that time, the subject was thoroughly discussed and it was clearly shown by Bell representatives that such abandoned farms are usually a good distance from existing telephone lines and -or other telephone tustomers. They said new line's must often be constructed for one household, and while the customer may feel, any ensiling bill is too high and even unnecessary, the. charges 'only half cover the extra" coSts to Bell benefit rather than to include those costs int& the monthly rate for all subscribers. Another valid point seemed to be that the owners of many of these abandoned farms are not farmers at all but often people who have purchased the farm for a holiday hideaWay or a year-round country estate. The telephone ,then becomes more of a convenience than a need,. hence Bell's conviction that such landowners should share in the cost of construction of new telephone. lines. Bell's policy on this type of telephone installation seems iustified, but more than this, Bell's common sense ap- proach to this growing problem in the rural areas with' urban -type developMent is worthy of comment. Much concern is "expressed these days about the trend toward moving from the towns to the country- not to farm but to live in peace and serenity away from everything •and everyone. In too many cases, 'prime agricultural ,land sits idle or grows up in weeds while the owner twiddles his thumbs,on the front porch after a 9 to 6 day at the office 20 miles away in town. , But this is Canada, glorious and free. who ciiii-eve-rih-Op—e-fo'Te-CoVeTii5ifie-of--tf-a-feHovitwan-ts-to-getcaway-from..i.t.,a I I their expenses by more new customers, hooking into the line. The money paid by the customers for such installation is merely an attempt to assess charges to the individuals who most directly in that fashion, who should prevent him? Yet somehow Bell's,theory that there should be A price tag on sonie of, the services in these situations, seems to even things up a little. SJK Not an easy choice • Darcy McKdough won't have made himself very. ' popular with Huron County farmers by suggesting recently that OntraMrtiydro-Ould decide that electric** pits' irnay,., be more im- portant than Yle- beans. To be fair, Mr. McKeough also said the decision could be that white beans are more valuable than electric& power but most bean growers will read nothing but doom and gloom into the statement by the Minister of Treasury and Economics for the province. At a recent meeting of 'the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, • Benmiller farmer John Hazlitt ad- mitted that in the view of most far- mers, both white beans and electrical power are important. But the farmers, according to Mr. Hazlitt, feel there is no need to make a choice between the two. They are convinced any future Hydro development in Ontario:could be locatedora non-agricultural land. The only problem with that idea seems to be that certain prerequisites are absolutely essential when locating a Hydro power plant. One of those needs, is water - lots and lots of cold water such as one finds in the Great Lakes. pnfortunately, white P'is also thrive in the soil conditions in the lea of the Great Lakes. In that sense, when both white bans and Hydro deveiopment are dependent upon the same location, each for some very basic and natural reasons, there is a choice to be made. Some pressure lias been exerted locally' from time to time,. for the preparation of an urban brief which would put forth the thoughts of town folk where Hydro development in 0 • Huron' County is concerned. It 'is felt' that much rural opinion has been heard in this matter with too little urban input to or:ovide, -15roper" ' overall feel ing fromiit*:09.'erty.4, Naturally, the priorities of urban and rural dwellers arc poles apart for some very understandable reasons. But if seems safe to say that if the population of London •was polled to determine their choice' between abundant elec- trical power and heaps of hdalthy white 'beans, the choice would be obvious. The electric can -opener would edge out the tin, of pork 'n' beans. That's about what it comes to after. all - power versus food. And it's a tough choice to make, for when, all is said.and done, one is as necessary to modern living as the other. • Perhaps the farmers' greatest fear is that the choice has already been made. At the same Huron F. of A -meeting, it- •CivIs„.pregticted- that a plant in Huron would be .completed by 1983 and • doubled in size* by 1995 Hearings are expected this summer to determine poi%idle,Hydro plant locations' across the province, th.en a reasonable length - of time for submission of briefs to either support or oppose the sites. But these would only be a formality to give the illusion of government listening to the people. • No matter when the choice is made, it must be reached by government - the only body in the position to consider all aspects of Ontario's needs now and in the future. And whateVer the decision, • there will be those who will criticize •and complain for either way, "somebody will lose. SJK eCht egobuttly- SIGNAL—STAR The County Town Newspaper et Huron — „ 1 ffoundoid In 1848 and published every Mitred," 1Cioderich. Ontario; Member of the CWfiA Advertising retie on requist. tubieriptIOns Payablii In.adVanCe $iam In Oinadtty.111..50 fn coun- trIN Odle that's Canada, single oOPIes 2$ cents. Second closet:TNail AfigIstration Number 0716. Adver. Wang ia accepted on Mil conditiOn thet1,101 the went of typogr eat eror, the *advertising space 06. Hid effedIfou, hon. f011eilSr iViffP eition•bii suoviiri • for tignature, will not be charged for • but -the •bilente .of the edVerliseinent Will be paid f6t at the applicable rate. In the wont of typo'graohla error advertising goods or rierVIce. ma *ono price, 000di Or amid* may not be sold. • Adifirtlelp.g Is;rrierify toffo sill, and mayb•withdtsWrf at any UM*. ThiltIgnalaar I not region- ' albii 10.6 Or d 61 trisollOfted ntanuacriPts or,photos. • •• pt - -,iiintlireas and editorial Office itliPitdilit 5244331 itaii cod. 512 Published by Signal:Star Publishing Ltd. ROBERT G. SHRIER—pretident and publisher SHIRLEY, J. KELLER—editor •JEFF sepooN-Leditorial staff Wilifinji Address: •• DAVE' SYKESL-edifat,, lallrifl - -._........4, SOX 220fQOdStiCh . EDWARD J, 13YRIftl•-,advertising iffrnager, . co�d 411010- Mitt roglstratlon ratinber.--0/t6 DAVE R. WILLIAMS---adyeetising representative , , . ... !,t • • , - • .44 • ,,,.'„o,t•;•:','• •: Can you identify this vesseland crew? F00 • It, A change for the better?? Litptoria s re BY DAVE SYKES The Ontario Liquor Control Act has come under the scrutinous eye of the Ontario Legislature with some proposed changes that attempt to bring the act out of the ,parochial state it has bore since infancy. The changes supposedly are 'with the times' that reflect our era of open mindedness and relaxation of laws although some would dispute that vehemently. . The Honorable Sidney Handleman, Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations, introduced bills 44 and 45 for • second reading to the Ontario Legislature' last week, the purpose of. which is to primarily improve the efficiency, uniformity and accountability of liquor administration in the • province. He explained that the bills do not intend to make it easier for the public to consume alcohol and that it will not be cheaper nor more freely available because ofthem. ConsurnpVen by mirtorsqpeARons under 161 -years of age) at any time or Place is cUrrnt1 n offence under the*Liquor • ContrOl Act., The new legislation will recognize parental authority and responsibility in the home. In 1975 the Ontario Government has deemed responsible adults and parents fit to exercise authority in their Own home and be responsible for their children. . It may come as a mild shock but under present legislation, although it is seemingly unenforcible, parents who gave their child a glass -of wine while the child was a minor were contributing to juvenile delinquency or the decay ,of our nation' or even worse, complete disregard for our archaic . laws. • A, • The major changes involve relaxation of control which relate to consumption by,minors in the home and the con- veyance of liquor from place to place. The proposed bill on consumption by minors' in the home -when reduced to simple terms means that your kiddies can dip their little beaks into comforting beverages to their delight and in the comfort Of their home. This, one must surmise, will be done under the authority and responsibility of the parents who were doled out such regimentative powers in handfuls by the Ontario Government. • The second bill deals with the transportation of liquor and the Liquor Control Act currently permits unopened bottles to be taken from the points of purchase to the residence of the purchaser. The new bill will permit the transportation of an unopened bottle to any destination. However, the open bottle may be taken to any destination provided its packed in baggage or otherwise not readily available to any person in the vehicle.' • If persons underage don't look too kindly upon the drinking atmosphere at home but rather pre,fer the more sedate and remote back roads of the county then the least they can do is show someregard for the system and acknowledge the law by packing the stuff in suit cases. Certainly it's their patriotic duty. s' • The Honorable Mr. Handleman explained that it is most difficulttoupdate the Act that has been enforcedfor some 28 . years in one fell swoop and smooth out the accumulated difficulties that arose out of the bill.,• "I make no pretence of the fact that the new acts are going to solve these problems overnight," he said. "We will con- tinue to have them." Mr. Handleman also pointed out that the province liquor administration has not been plagUed with the patronage and criminality of other jurisdictions, He claims that our system, with its high standard of licenced premises and honest, orderly, efficient nature of liquor distribution is envied by other provinces and states south of the border. Other changes implemented by the acts would be a Liquor Licence Board expanded to seven members from three. This is to speed up its hearing procedures, permit the decen- tralization of its processes and provide faster service across theprovince. •The second major change is the distinction between the - function of sale and distribution of liquor Which is being done by the Liquor Control Board and the regulatory function of the Liquo? 'Licence Board...Under the bill licencing functions will be passed on to the Liquor Licence Board, ' There.is alsb a proposal to establish a liquor licence appeal tribunal. The tribunal will hear appeals from decisions or proposals of the Liquor Licence Board if that board refuses to issue a licence, suspends a licence, cancels a licence or refuses to renew one. Any of these detisions would be sub- ject to appeal by (he new body. The government came under some presstire with the in- troduction of the bill to take a more liberal attitude toward the availability of alcohol. Mr. Handleman rejected the liberal approach.. '• "We find public health and safety more important than longer drinking hours, beer in supermarkets or consumption public parks," he said. "There is a direct relationship between fi.cer drinking and the SO( la] preblenl', of Alcohol !blunseps. "sience it make g some sense. Undoubtedly a link can be • established between violence, crime, highway accidents and alcohol consumption. Some citizens will claim that alcohol cortsimption and its availability should be a personal 11 teciLmodfrail responsibi4ity, But there are exceptions to prove the rule and certain people have a nasty habit of passing on their responsibilities to others or completely ignoring them. . Mr. Handle man explained his stand on the liberalization of , the liquor laws. -• "The ranks of the irresponsible expand as alcohol becomes more freely available, and the. consequences are borne by, all citizehs of the province in the form of higher insurance, rates, health care ,costs and those measurable costs of crime. I suppose it wouldbe easier to let everyone do his owh thing but I don't believe the people of the proVince are ready to pay the price involved." Opposition leader Robert Nixon was not impressed with the legislation saying , the minister reaffirmed his com- mitment. not to become liberal in legislation governing the sale of alcoholic beverages and bas opted for very little significant change at all. • "Essentially the bill opts for the status quo; -probably the biggest change is that; it will, now be necessary fa licensed premises selbmillv aswell as beer and 'ma 'tea and ' coffee as well as hard liquor; which of course is a good idea, but it really is ridiculous that that sort of thing is subject to legislation and is simply not a !natter of good sense." •• The Addiction Research Foundation inchcate that the • social costs, in readily and directly determined dollars, • must be in excess of $700 million. That amount is for the welfare, the hospitals, the patrols on the highways, the courts, the payments to divided families and so on. • What Mr. Nixon did suggest was that thelegislature should accept the principle of a reduction in the advertising ef alcohol and its final elimination which was done with cigarettes. This, he claimed, would eliminate preSsures on young people and others through advertisliC which is ad- ding unnecessarily to the consuinptibn • of alcoholic beverages, which in turn adds to the social costs'. "In this new found concern for the mora fibre of the community the government opts for the cynical and "'-tt,txes paid in Goderich town - hypocritical approach which it 'continues to 'take," Nixon' ship in Huron county.' It is ho concluded. • wonder that the town Clerk• • There will always be a noticeable polarization on the flaps his wings and crows that liberalization of liquor laws and certainly there is a profound the town of Goderich, living in public concern about alcohol in our society. Persons of the bosom -of thiS\most blessed European and other ethnic origins, raised under liberated township, demands, and gets, a liquor laws would think nothing of packingi_up for a picnic in • corner of -the front 'page. How the park with a bottle of wine with even the small fry in- , they do it they do not say. dulging. It seems reasonable enough . but even without Possibly the taxes are not so liberalization the number one concern is alcohol and young high, but these days any tax is people. • too high and for a whole • But blaming young people for alcohol abuse is nothing township to rush out and pay, short of a bum rap. The 'abuse runs right through all their „taxes on time for so many generations aid age groups. Older people are drinking more years reads more like fiction and so are the younger people but unfortunately, alcohol is than fact." - Montreal Star. now regarded as an essential and integral part of our en - LOOKING BACK 89 YEARS AGO A Weltesley Township man has just got rid of a snake from his stomach which had worried him for some time. Snakes are not good things to carry around in weather like this, and it doesn't matter whether it is a Wellesley man with a snake in his stomach or a Michell gold - cure candidate with snakes in his boots, . A journey around this town shows that our trees are being seriously injured by some rascal or rascals, branches being pulled down or off In many places, and even in the Harbor Park two' young trees Were so served this morning. It is time somebody rooked after these doers of evil or at no distant day the shade trees of Goderich will have , lost. all beauty of form- and be useless as shelters from sun and rain. On Sunday a well-known lady resident while at the cemetery heard a peculiar crying noise which she discerned was made by a frog that had been cap-' hired by a peculiarly shaped snake. The reptile had the frog in its' Mouth and was making its way to the nearest water. The snake must have been of the hoop variety, for it travelled in the shape of onnd never lost that form ,even in the -rolling over the journey to the creek. This is the first heard of a snake. in the hoop variety being. in this neighbourhood, so there is now an opportunity for some naturalist to obtain one of these much priz.edsPprimeris... 40 YEARS AGO 11, W.L. Forrest, contractors, began dredging the harbor entrance onWednesday. The •contract calls for dredging to 23 feet 5 inches from the harbor entrance to the breakwaters and to 21 feet 5 inches between the piers. First sounding at the entrance to the harbor showed 21 feet. MacEwan's , Garage on Monday and Tuesday afternoon and evening played host to large audiences when General Motors presented a free series of "talkie movies." The theatre was the -newly-built carwash room of the garage, which has been. entirely revamped, to include, shewroern ,and shop, storage ,,room, . workshop „and washroom, all in one long building. Two cartoons, a song short and demonstrations of the fundamentals of baseball were shown alternately between talking vfilms of • car manufacture in GM's Oshawa plant. "In these days when tax- payers take time out ib dodge the frantic taxgatherer; there is one spot in the country where peace reigns and the sun shines. For the eighty-fifth consecutive year, the first of May saw every last cent of tertainment and leisure time. • • The people of this county know if the -government legally, withdrew the .distribution of alcohol; consumption and abuse would be as great or even greater. So what's a government to do? You are damned if you do and damned if you don. DEAR EDITOR Musi cancel • Dear Editor, I am sorry to ask you to discontinue my 'Aibscription to the Signal -Star as I am not able to see as well now and'couldn't cope with newspapers. I have been a subscriber personally for over 60 years and my father, the late Dr. H. I. Strang, former principal of,,the GCI, was a subscriber from when he went to ,Goderich ji • 1871! So it is quite a wrench. Very few of my friends are, left in that town new and though I still enjoy the lovely pictures of familiar scenes and -the articles of W. E. Elliott, who is a slightly older contemporary of mine, it is iinpossible for me to keep up with the news of the town though it is presented to the readers very attractively. I shall miss its arrival which has been very regular intspite 0 of the PO troubles.• With sincere appreciation of your always courteous treat- ment, and best wishes for your continued success, •• • Sincerely, • Issie M. Hewsorr • (Mrs'. F. H. Hewson, nee Strang) • Niagara -on -the -Lake Qualified truth Dear Editor, Some newspapers have in- dicated that "all parties" • support the_recent legislation which allowschool teachers to legally go on strike. Those 'reports were not totally true. The Social Credit Party has always viewed ithool teachers as professionals, and .we deplore this move by Premier Davis to remove thAt (continued on page 3) • 5 YEARS AGO The Falls Reserve Con- servation area was, officially opened June 10, at 2.:30. It is operated by The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority °and is located on the Maitland River east of Goderich. The opening was Officiated by Hon. • George A. Kerr, Minister for the Department of Energyand Resources. The guest list in- cluded members of the Federal and Provincial Legislatures, past and present members of the Maitland Valley Con- servation Authority the elected officials of all rnimicipalities of the MVCA and representatives from the Conservation Authorities Branch of the Department of Energy, and • Resoutces Management. It is expected that somp-200 Peofile will be in attendance. As part of the opening celebrations, the area was opened to the general ,public from June 12 to Sunday June 14 with no charge for daily uses. - A delegation from the Goderich Tourist Corninission Was told last week by council that additional kinds requested by the Commission were not available but were informed council would carry a deficit, if' necessary, of up to $2i000 to permit the commission its local advertishig Campaign. The funds are to be used for' 'ad- vertising on C,FRIt and CitNX radio, CKNX televigion, and huhierous newspapers,