The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-09-04, Page 5•4
L
On
ario Consumer SIu ii44er bus\ main
-24
GpDER ICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 4, 197 --PAGE 5
Warns csnsumers about hasty deals
Enjoy exhibitions and fall fairs, but
leave your pens at home. That was the
v'3ord today from Ontario's Consumer
Minister, Sidney Handleman.
He cautioned fair -goers against signing
contracts "that offer "special" deals on
things like. encyclopedias, health _spas,,
sewing machines, home improvements
and cottages in display stands at fairs.
"People go to fairs for entertainment, so
they are perhaps more vulnerable to the
slickhigh-pressure sales pitch. They are
often led into signing long-term contracts
and don't realize what they)ve gotten into
until they get home," the Minister said.
"By then, it's too late,"
Mr. Handleman saidthat the Consumer
Protection Act, which gives consutners a
48-hour "cooling -off period" to change
their minds, applies only to door-to-door
salesmen and contracts signed in.the home
where all the terms of the contract are not
fulfilled at the time of signing. -
"Fair booths are regarded as' a legal
place of business," the Minister explained,
."so if you sign a contract there, you may
not get out of it. It's a legal and binding
document,"
Mr. Handleman also cautioned against
making large down -payments at fairs for
merchandise to be delivered later.
"dn sortie cases, you cont receive the
product until the payments are completed.
Often these payments can add up to more
than the product is really worth, and
.,Sometimes the business folds before the
merchandise isdelivered," he said.
"Also, it isn't a good idea to put your
name on a lot of free draw tickets," the
Minister warned, "The namesand ad-
dresses can he put'on lists to receive junk
maiLor visits from salesmen." •
"Have fun at the fair," Mr. Handleman
concluded, `but don't get stampeded into
buying costly items you can't afford or
don't need."
Sidney Handleman has also warned'
Ontario home owners to exercise caution in
their energy-saving efforts this winter, The
Minister's comments came as he drew
attention to some of the suggestions made
in „`100 Ways twSave Epergyand Money in
the Home',,. ' i booklet produced by the
federal Department of Energy, Mines and
Resources.
"My Minis 's -Energy'Safety Branch
has gone is booklet very carefully,
and they feel that although it is in many
ways a very useful publication, it mtakes
some suggestions which are potentially
dangerous," the Minister said. "We feel .�
that there is no way that an untrained
person should perform some of the ad-
justments to. furnaces , and other borne
appliances ,,as '100 Ways, toave Energy'
suggests, Similarly, we • f0e1 that the
booklet does not' place sufficient emphasis
on the need for adequate ventilation for
fuel -burning appliances."
"For example, on page 24 of 4100. W ays to
Save Energy', the home owner is advised
to adjust the furnace ''burner air shutter;
and on page 2'9, the owner is told to adjust
the furnace' burner' air setting," Mr.
Handleman said. "The Energy Safety
Branch staff feel very strongly that, unless
you know exactly'what you are doing, you
should -leave these settings alone. These'
adjustments should he made only by
qualified service personnel.'
Mr. Handleman explained that improper
air supply adjustment, as we'll as
inadequate. ventilation, . can cause -the
applufncf• flame to produce - deadly
quantities of carbon monoxide, an
odourless. colourless, poisonous gas.
AdF•rlu t�f. ventilation is extremely
important, 'the Minister said. "Last
wrntf•r wt• hid a number of ,cases in the
pro\ ince v here.-porrp.le were poisoned by
cart;f,n monoxide because they had sealed
their hurries, too tightly' against drafts." '
Mr lldndla;rrlan said that '100 Ways to
Sari: Energy' also suggested)hat owners,
rears 'hf u furnace rib appliance manuals
betorf• performing any of the suggested
ad:Liao mf•nts "We think that this is a little
unr ,�l ,tic, he said,.. "since in many
hf,r! particularly - older ones, the
u`,'•!; rti manual was lost or thrown away
`f .ire ,Igo. 1 don't think we can assume that
e%e'r,,f,nc; keeps their furnace manual
�! •,f,,;rhlf for ready reference."
are p'articularly.concerned with the
suF;.t'•sttons in this bookletbecause-over- •
;r,rt etch) of them have been distributed in
Ontario Heca.use it is a gdvernmerit
publi<)tion, we feel that people will .be
in( linc•d'to believe that the suggestions the
booklet makes;;,ar'e absolutely safe. This
just isn't the case with `100 -Ways to SaVe
Energy'," the Minister said.
"The federal Department of Energy,
Mines & Resources ha.s agreed to make
changes in future printings of this booklet,
„but we are concerned about the problems
that the 200,000 copies in Ontario could
cause this winter," Mr. Handleman added.
r.
"I would like to stress that we are not
suggesting that people should waste
energy or fuel in their homes," the
Minister concluded, "The ,Ontario
Government is vitally concerned about -
energy conservation, The Energy
Management Program we have set up in
.Ontario aims to reduce the total demand
for energy in all sectors of our economy
over the next decade, and it is obvious that
substantial energy saving can be realized
in the home." W
"What
we are saying this: if you are
concerned about the efficiency of your gas
or oil -fined appliances, leave the ad-
justments to trained, personnel wherever
possible. Please save energy, but at the
same time, please be careful." •
is
•4
The aura of
BY DAVESYKES
Politiept campaigns- are really quite
fascinatoIng. But perhaps those with closer
links to the campaigning can see through
the aura of political grandeur and realize
that it is actually humorous. Great fun.
o1itical party leaders flit about the
province, ever smiling, shaking hands with
anyone that is willing to and even those
that aren't too fussy, trying to build, an
image that they may never' hope of at-_
taining, trying to out promise the next guy.
But that's .the game right. Smile, shake.
hands, deliver a fewi witty blows against'
your opponents and then sway people's
opinions by announcing that the party will
introduce innumerable revolutionary,
programs •to alleviate the people's plight,'
when they really should have been in-
troduced years ago.
Unemployment has been plaguing our
country and province for years, College
'and uniVersitygraduates are finding that
degrees may not hold all that much weight
anymore until it gets to the point where a
pre -requisite for driving a cab will be' a
master's degree. It's getting tough. and •
while the province increases the legis•1'ative.
membership by seven at an annual salary
of approximately $18,000 some members of
the provinces labor force find it more
lucrative wgp on welfare and unem-
ployment. `�\1.
Last week Premier Davis announced
that the Ontario Government will extend
YJ
its youth summer employment program to
a year round .basis to help alleviate the job
shortage experienced' by recent college
and university graduates.
Mr. Davis was confident that 4h�e
province could employ as many as 1,000°
graduatesrn-"`:=' 'h rrt-term.' government
training prlogr•arn"s called the Ontario
Career Action Program. The aim of OCAP
is to provide internshipprograms within
oiifiea1 grandeu
government, agencies where graduates
could work and receive training:for.fut,ure
jobs.
Davis said the jobs will definitely be
foundwithin the civil servant organization
despite a 'commitment on the part of the
provincial:government to put a halt to •the,
growth of the civil service. In Canada the
unemployment figure for people under the
age of 24 is 350,000 and nearly one-third,
-116,000 of thein are in Ontario.
Mr. Davis said that in his opinion the
problem must he given special and urgent
attention. The unstable economy has
limited the number of jobs available to this
age group over the' past two years. The
Premier would not speculate as to the cost
of providing 1,000 jobs but urged Ontario
businesses to take note of the government's
example and provide job opportunities
young graduates. .
rr
Many a . the jobs .provided by the new
' program are extensions of a three-month
program "operated during the summer by premier. In July -the Premier disclosed •
the provincial Youth Secretariat.. Tho thA4 e has 58 people workin(on his staff,.
prfframs will now he extended on a year ) earn in excess of $20",-00( per
long basis' -and may will he operated year. The gross salaries paid to the, staff
t•hrnugh the Ministry of Environment and amounts to $890,526 which is current salary
Natural Resources, ' and does not include future increases or ,
Again next summer, aside from the - contract revisions)
OCAP program, the province�',.will still Any future increase or contract. revisions
pro\ ide ?,`5.00 summer jobs for within that department wilt shoot the
students and the Premier was hopeful that ,figure over the million dollar mark for 0..
the program could be more responsive to M sure. The job titles are just as interesting
the regional diversities in student ern- as the salary total. The whole department
is a conglomeration of executives,
executive aids,, writers, researchers,
correspondence p tblic relations, assistant
public relations and a• batch' of ad-
•ministrators, administrrators'• assistants
and clerks and typists.
It enforces the fact that Canadians do not
come by their government cheaply vnor.
anything else for that matter,. But oh those
winsome smiles .and promises of better
days seems to generate new hope and the
aura of political grandeur snatches -them
up in droves.
pl?iyrnent.
The program will only make a small dent
in the unemployment figures but then it's a
,tart. and we've become accustomed to .
grabbing onto any glimmer of hope.
Dr.:<pite the accolades the program may
d, ,€'rve, adding to the civil servicedoesn't
t 1'.ince me that certain departments can
pp,.rate more efficiently. It will mean a lot
more people to pass the buck to. If anyone
has ever called a Ministry for some' an-
wer•s they.will he able to relate to that.
A good example of this is the office of the
Coroner suggests deterrents
(continued from page 4)
-blood alcohol levels : of the
victims exc ,eded the legal
limit. As a{ rule, we are un-
concerned about these
statistics until we are touched
by the tragedy of sudden death.
This tragedy is complicated
when we realize that this' oc-
curs in such a high proportion
in young, healthy individuals. ,
..The hazards of injudicious use"
ofalcohol are real and affect
the public asoma whole, and are
not restricted . to the so-called
"problem" or "heavy"
drinker. ' Death may enter the
next,cu.rve'on the highway and
totieh both the drinker and nont
'drinker alike!
As a Coroner, • I have also
been impressed,hy the .concern
and ' conscience within the
Attorney -General's depart
ment concerning the efforts to
control this loss, by means of
persuasion, deterrents and
.finally punishment through the
'courts. It is, however, my
opinion that' little will be ac-
complished until an informed
and concerned public expresses
its concern at this ongoing
'slaughter on our public high-
ways.
One area which has not been
SOLITUDE
Alone on a hill top and no one
sight,
A blue sky is edging the soft
clouds of white
Below me the grass waves
when pleasant winds blow, ,
Like infantry companies row
after row.
There's. seed on the wheat '.
and the long taperwd+corn,
And summers a joy like the
peal of )•horn.
I have many loved ones, they
do not know me,
They know but the features
that age Will not free.
The inner life' hidden and
Shielded from all,
Dwells deeply, serenely and •
heeds not their Call,
It often walks darkly and
comes very near,
To uttermost, de fish's of
foreboding and fear, �
But when on the hill top the
joy in me leaps,
And matches the great
surgingseas wilder sweeps.
Por, deep tunneled darkness
there's not zany room,
The high wind and sunshine
wash from me the gloom.
Why then it's quite clear the
real reason I' n'i here, -
To praise the Creator, rejoice
and revere,
--Mrs, Iris Sparling
Huror'tview
•
7.1
fully explored, in, my opinion, is
that in the area of public
scrutiny and public ridicule. It
'is .this noto'iety that, I feel,
might be a powerful tool. in
bringing .about the compliance
of an individual to the rules and
regulations of society.
'It has been my thought,. for'
some time. no"c-r that this old
mechanism may well have
some\ application in modern
society, For example, I would
suggest that some coh-
sideration be given by ' the
courts to publicity that publicly
:distinguishes drivers who have
habitually abused the privilege
of drinking and the privilege of
driving and their combination,
which We know to be a lethal
combination.
I would suggest that these
drivers be required to drive a
brightly colored automobile
which the public could easily
distinguish, for a specific period
of time (their sentence)., so that
the public could recognize them
as offenders and also be able to
.protect themselves to. some
degree. As we all know,
anonymity is a -great cloak. to
cover innumerable sins.
The loss of a driver'.s licence
is virtually, a private matter
--between the individual and the
- courts, Such action as that
proposed would overcome the
objection to interference with
livelihood and the punishment
of non-involved individuals
within the offender's family.
It is a source of amazement
to me that the public is so
concerned at the present ,time
with gain control when the
automobile and the drinking.
driver is a far more dangerous
weapon than any gun -in the
hands of the public. This is a
statistical fact that, I am . a,
will be,f eadily confirmed
any coroner in the p.rovinch of
Ontario,
Trusting • that the Ontario
public will become more
concerned with this serious
problem
i remain truly yours,
J,K;..McGregor,
Vin gha n1
'or drinking drivers
�N'�r capital: fourth= -w -e require •a
F�. l('(I1 inti guarantee that the enrolment
fee will not exceed five dollars
Dear Editor; N per cow per year as jong as the
About . 50 members of the . program is operated on a
National Farmers'. 'Union „met , pro�'-incial ` basis, `fifth -we
in Toronto on Aug. 25 and strongly insist that ' suppl"y.
.decided on some changes management be incorporated
needed to make the Ontario to deter afew greedy in
Beef Calf Stabilization dividuals from destroying the
Program more acceptable tt) progr.acn. by' 'placing upper
cwow-calf producers.," A telex limits of 100 cows that are
of the following changes was -eligible for individual family
sent to Premier Wm, Davis farms with • provisions,' for
with copies to the Liberal Party „ partnership or Where more
and the N.D.P, than'onefamily'is involved,
First, that the deadline of .Under no circumstances
August for. enrolment he ex;
tended: second, that•this be an
interim , program' 'until such
time as the federal government
accommodates a national plan:
third, that the base level of the
Ontario plan be no .less than
seventy cents per pound this
year,' and would he then in-
dexed to cover the full cost of
producflon including an
adequate, return for labour and
should adi.itional privileges be
.lade available to industrial
corporations.
Davis was asked ,to reply by
Aug 29.
A, Aust•in
Titan ks
Dear Editor, •
Last weekend's seventh
annual ball tournament proved
to' he the biggest success to
date. 'Although constantly
threatened by •ominous rain
clouds, the diamonds' were
continuously active as some of
the finest°industrial hall teams
from different parts of Ontario
competed.
In- order to make our tour-
nament the 'biggest and best' in
Ontario, I relied 'on the
capahilitie,s of' many of
Goderich's league hall players.
Special recognition must he
given to the following people
••w•ho put up to 80 hours of hard),
' work in preparation and
handling of their various
duties: Ray Donnelly„ Doug
Currie; Jack McKinnon, Jim
Bell.. Bruce Stoll,. Bill•Kirkey.
Al• Sygrove, Brian MacKenzie,
eery Durst and Grant
racter. -•
The ToO,'n of •Goderich itself,
enhances the, • success of the
.,weekend as several out-of-town
BOOKING BACK
$(f YEAR -S AGO
The foundry ,was working
overtime this week because of
Labour Day.
The grass on The Square is
row, t fully green and ,th.e
courthouse park looks its best.
The work of'renewing the slates
at the courthouse is now being
carried out,
A large number of• residents
and others from the vicinity
have left for . the Toronto
Industrial Fair, supposedly the
largest in Canada of its kind.
Miss Franks has been unable
to teach 'li'r class' at Central
School because of an injury
sustained while cycling. Most
men of the area 'are of the
opinion that cycling - for the
ladies should be illegal if.
unaccompanied.
On Labour Day a team of
sluggers,. from the east end
vanquished a team of sluggers
from nSaltford in a six' inning
game at Saltford by a score of
36-6,
The police have been notified
to be on the lookout for a man
selling silver , polish: He is
Wanted in Ingersoll on a charge
of stealing a number of articles'
from W.Wilk inson•of that town.,
The .following "notis" was
pinned to a tree in Marmora
Township with four wooden
pegs, Is , ,it any wonder a
newspaper would not thrive in
that community? - "i ofer for
sale on the 1 .day of may 1 cook
stove eh -airs -and -other- thing
oil cans broom lamp 2
scriooth'ing' "iron 2"doz. steel
traps one cubard one table one
tub' pots pales dishes ni,ves and
forks one brich.loding. shot gon
. one bull pup•" -
While admiring the Saginaw
yacht as she tied upon Monday
evening• a juvenile member .of
the MacDonald .clan 'was •so
engrossed that he fell off the
dock and into the'wate'r; He was
immediately fished out and is
none the worse for his ad-
venture.
players and. fans rematrked on
the high calibre of meals,, ac-
commodations, and various
tourist attractions offered
locally.
Also, special thanks to Deb
Shewfelt and Gerry Pitre for •
getting the ` ,Bissets" back' in
town for the exhibition game
.last Saturday night.
As outgoing chairman,
would like" to state that the last
three year have been ex-
ceptionally gratifying for- me
and this year's executive was
the envy of several tournament
committees from other centres.
I thank the league for giving
me the opportunity to "head-
. up" this undertaking and am
already looking forward to next
year's ,!`8th Annual" --hut as a
spectator. • r
Doug Fisher
Tournament Chairman
'1975
ill 'id be riiesed soon?
A new type of windmill that whirls like
an egg -beater and generates power from a•
wind blowing in any direction was among
the outdoor exhibits featured at tho l975
Canadian National Exhibition, August 13,
to September 1
Called a "wind turbine," this new source
of electrical energy was dcs•igned by
National Research Council scientists and
engineers ''n-1' Dominion Aluminum
Fabricat , g 1 ld., Mississauga, Ont. It
incorporates 'i' dvances in aerodynamics
and metallurgy , which permit power
generation from any wild blowing in ex-
cess of seven .idles per hour and provides
structural . strengths able to withstand
^a
gales of .100 miles per hour and gust forces
up to 130 miles per hour.
The three curved blades of the turbine,
installed vertically.- have diameters of 15
felt. They rotate at six times the volocity of
the wind and are fitted with spoilers that
automatically deploy to prevent over•
stleeding, Production tllodt,'l turbines with
15 -foot diameter blades will, .produce 3500
watts of electricity in 25 miles per hour
winds. ,
At . the CNE, the wind turbine was
mounted on an eight -foot -high pedestal and
surrounded by rr fence to protect visitors
from the •generotnr and storage batteries.
the gent'rajor ,was located at 1111' base of
the turbine instead of at the top of the high
tower - usually 40 feat or more - needed for
conventional windmills.
A nloder of a prototype of the wind tur-
bine was first tested in 'the National
Research Council's wi'n'd tunhel'"ln Ottawa
in March 1971. A full-size turbine with
blades 14 feet in diameter was constructed
in 1972 and its performance was evaluated
in further tests, including runs in natural
climatic ,conditions. in 19 4, the ,NRC
awarded Dominion Aluminum Fabricating
a contract* to design and build six wind
ttrr'hines' Stith blade diameters of 15 feet
and similar to the one exhibited at the
C NE .
Do 'OU have
'wet'?
1
41,
Ili it to the Signal -Star!
60 Y.EARS AGO .
Monday next will he Labour.
Day and a public holiday.
Four large 'boilers and a
carload of large smokestack
pipes and other supplies
arrived this week by Grand
Trunk Railroad -for use at the•
North American, Chemk;al" Co.
plant here.
The.Signal's.newspaper press
balked this week and we are
indebted to the publishers of
The Star for allowing us to work
off this -edition onheir press. It
'would hardly do t-6 say•that we
wou'td be glad to reciprocate
the courtesy, for we trust the
.proprietors of The Star will
escape such a situation.' ,
There has been such a rush. ,
for entrance into the Provincial
Formal Schools this. fall that
the .opening of the term has
been postponed until Sept. 14.
,.'.n the meantime additional
accommodation r will , be
arranged.
Mr, W.F. Na-f'l, editor of the
Goderich Star, on Saturday
next will lead to the altar one of
thesfairest maids of Perth. The
Signal extends its
congratulations and best
wishes.
Mr. J.A. Mitchell has been
appointed to succeed Mr. '
Thomas Ausebrook on the
Buffalo-Goderich rune of the
G,.TtiR. Mr. Mitchell lived in
Goderich two, .years ago when
.he was a freight. conductor.
Lately he has had the
Southampton -Hamilton
passenger run. ' He will com-
mence his new.dutie5 in a few
days.
5 YEARS Arai -
When GDCI football coach
Wayne' Horner called- out his
team for the first practice of
•
the year Monda night, hp told
the boys they m have their
:hair cut short. Sideburns`. a •..
finger than mine," ordered the
coach. ry
Nearly 2,200 students will be
returning to classrooms when
school reopens in Goderich ora,
Tuesday, September 8.
Goderich District Collegiate
will see the largest number at
any one school with 850
students expected. Principal
John Stringer Says there are 48
on the teaching staff.
Mr. Ed Davies of Auburn,
who has been pitching hor,
seshoes for 20°years, has been
'declared Senior Champirn of
Canada. This v, as a result of his
victory at the Canada -wide
competition at Dauphin
because of the province's
centennial celebration. He
defeated formert";tish
Columbia. 'Saskatchewan and
Alberta champions as well as
the 1969 champion 'who was
fronn Manitoba. ••