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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1975-12-29, Page 31l 1' The Treasurer of Ontario, Darcy McKeough an- nounced in: the Legislature this week an increase in GAINS payments. Effective January 1st, 1976, the, Guaranteed Annual Income 441eels will be increased to $265.00 a month for a single pensioner and $530.00 for a pensioner couple.. Thus the maximum GAINS cheque in January for the single pen- sioner will be $38.88 and for a co41e'$98.64. • The Attorney' General tabled a report in the House by a special interrninisterial;,, committee proposing new counter 'Measures against drinking driving in Ontario. ,Mr. McMurtry .__said that prosecutions under the Criminal Code for impaired driving, •refusal to take a breathalyzer test or having a heading over the legal limit of .08 have not significantly reduced the drinking`''riving problem. Death and injuries have continued to escalate. He said the present system has three main drawbacks. The fact that the police r;f- ficer must" have reasonable and ;probable 'grounds to believe that the driver is" impaired, placed a great onus on the officer and may dissuade further action' in cases 'where an investigation may be warranted. The breathalyzer machine is a• complex instrument and requires a trained technician located at the station, not at the roadside. Lastly the .08 legal lirrt4t'is somewhat arbitrary when applied across the driving ' population ,,as a whole. Extensive scientific evidence indicates a .large percentage of the driving public is. dangerous when driving a ""'vehiclewith blood-alcohol levels below .08. , A new appre ach''is needed and the' report, Mr. McMurtry' said may offer part of the solution. , The report among ' other things recommends. a 24 hour licence . suspension on suspicion that the.driver had been drinking "in such quantity as to affect the driver's physical and mental' ability." Random roadside, -.checks by police offers without prior warning dr- evidence of drinking -driving could also lead to. a 24 hour licence By Jack Riddell Huron—Middlesex MPP suspension. A publ°ic education programme designed to inform drivers of the implications of` drinking - driving' would significantly improve chances of „ being exonerated of impaired driving if stopped at a ran- dom roadside chock. The report proposes im- pounding car keys of vehicles to ensure compliances with license suspensions. It also recommends training programmes and adequate 'instruction to police officers., to assist them in recognizing a drinking driver 'and at the same time distinguishing 'those cases which should be prosecuted under the Criminal Code. The report, suggests that a central re,ord of 24 hour suspensions be maintained as part of the'ctirrertt'system o licence,„ review. Repeat o fenders could tl%n be made subject to tougher penalties by Provincial authorities: The. proposed measures, which are expected to be introduced in the Legislature early in 1976, would give the police considenFable discretionary` power, and will be similar to existing-Id,ws .,ln British ` Columbia4 Alberta. The selling area in these Opposition Leader Stephen stores must be less than 2,400 Lewis has indicated tentative square feet and they must endorsement of the Attorney- employ no more than three , r • Ir Jack Riddell will appeal to Minister Says top priority should be reconsiderati CODER ICH SIGNAL -STAR, MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1975, -»-PA A,3, 4 ' .The following- c is a �s,tatement from »H 'Middlesex MPP Jf>ffck Riddell -eorT rr ing,...tht :w s. qsing of Goderich Psychiatric Hospital announced for April 1, 1976. • Mr:'- Riddell has called on alth Minister Frank Miller to the decision regarding GPH. Mr. Riddell says: "Over, the last 10 years it has become Widely accepted that the Goderidh Psychiatric Hospital provides excellent and very comprehensive care. Some 90 percent of the 200 or more patients at the 'Hospital participate in training and rehabilitation offer was excessive under the wage,guidelines which permit increases of up to 12, percent, but gave no indication of what figure it Would consider Mere appropriate. ° :, • Ontario's Bill 5, i?equiring mbst stores to close on Sundays and holidays, has been passedin the Legislatue. ,The. Legislation will -be a little easier on drug stores, allowing them toopen on Sunday if they employ no more than four people on that day." However,` the stores must sell only drugs, hygiene products and sundries ,RnSunday, Stores will be allowed to open Sundayif they close on Saturday for -religious reasons - altliough the Legislature agreed to strike the reference to religion from the Bill because it might be considered unconstitutional, New, Democrats and Liberals forced a ""'chan'ge in the Legislation which will require pet shops to close. Stores which .will be exempt from the provisions of the Bill are small grocery stores, milk stores, news and tobacco stands and antique and handicraft shops. General's proposals, ;saying the idea '`doesn't seefrn to .me to be a terrible violation of »civil liberties", while Liberal . Leader Robert Nixon is "concerned About, giving police too much discretionary pow&r" even though ob- viously something must be done about drinking drivers. The Metro Teachers strike continues, and an- nouncements by,the 'Federal and Provincial Governments are going ,to affect this situation considerably., There are to be new ceilings on 'education spending in t'the Province, aid we now have the detaiI's of the Federal Government's regulations for its programme of wage and -price cotArols. • The education ceilings have two components - grants paid by .the Province and revenue geneFated from, lo'ca1 property tax. With respect to the Federal anti-inflation guidelines, on November -8th, the Apti-Inflation' Board said the Metro ScHool BoardAs Credit union executive named The Goderich Community Credit Union elected ,their 1976 executive on December 16. The union'. directors elected Pat 'Osborn president for the coming year and chose Mary Lou Aubin as vide- president. -Thecoming year will be a challenge ;to the new C executive' since late in 1975 • the ''''Goderich credit union surpassed the tw - million dollar asset levei-.T The new "record climaxes 20 years of growth . in Godetlh for the union. The Goderich branch serves .,1,080 customers in the, Goderich area,and; lent over $900,000 in 1975, the branch's best year yet. • people in the store on Sunday's and holidays. Service Stations and plant and flower nurseries will be exempt, regardless of size, qnd fresh fruit and vegetable stands will be exempt from April 1 to November 30,,, during the growing season. The Legislature prorogued this week, with the New Democratic Party supporting the Government against the Liberal motion which would have had the Province set up its own .anti-inflation review procedure to deal With cer- tain groups that clearly come under provincial jurisdiction in dealing with the anti - „inflation guidelines. M,ay I wish everybne a Merry Christmas, and a • Happy and Piaos°peous New Year. Ontario .Hy�roincrease effectiveJa u r 19i6 . Ontario Hydro will inirrease %feasible'level and at., the sa wholesale, power rates to its time co sistent with'; the 353 municipal and 102 direct tent of he Federal govern - industrial customers ,,by 22 • ment's anti -"inflation guidelines. Mr. Taylor said, "Ontario Hydro is1oing ,everything in its power to hold down costs and assist in the anti-inf ation battle." Pat Osborn Mary Lou Aubin percent, effective Jantfary.. 1, 1976, the Corporation's Boar"d of Directors announced today., A+ corresponding increase, adjusted to take account •of retail cost's, will be applied to customers of Hydro's rural system. The new.rates will increase retail rates to' residential:' customers by approximately 13.9 percent. Percentage increases at the, municipal utility 'retail level will vary substantially, 'because of differing levels of con- sumption, different effective dates for rate adjustments and rising municipal distribution costs. „In a letter to Energy Minister Dennis Timbrell announcing the• 1976 rate increase, chairman Robert Taylor said the members of the Hydro Board wished to "express their..... �ions , con- cern that' .the "long-term financial integrity of.Hydro is bqi,ng weakened." Mr. 'Taylor said the 1976 rate would provide a margin of only .., $14 million after Hydro covered forecast costs and the statutory debt retirement charge. "For an enterprise of the. size and complexity of Ontario Hydro, this is indeed a•slim margin. In accordance with the, govdrnment's policy direc- tives of last July, Hydro is already making substantial cutsin its '1976 operating budget and the capital con- stt-uction program has been Criminal Codc•of Canada. reduEed by $1.2 billion. in Mr. Taylor said Hydro is developing criteria to be used in its reveiw of applications from municipal utilities to increase their retail. rates - The objective is to keep these increases at the lowest Light traffic;. threemishaps The Goderich Police Department reported a light traffic week investigating. three accidents only one of which resulted in a major damage estimate. A two -.car collision Dec. 19, on Bayfield Road at the Suncoast Drive turnoff resulted" in a total damage estimate of $1300 to vehicles driven by Ronald Hesk, RR 2, .Goderich°and Carol Brintnell, i 9 Elgin Ave. E., Goderich. The ,Hesk vehicle was proceeding ,north on Bayfield Road a'nd the car beganto Slide as it attempted to make a left hand turn onto Suncoast Drive and struck the Brint- nell vehicle Ms. Brintnell was treated" for cuts and bruises at'Alexandra Marine and General Hdspita) ' and released. • Damage.to the Hesk vehicle was estimated at $900 and $400 tcithe Britne'l'l; vehicle. During the past week the Goderich Police 'Department also laid three charges' under the Liquor' Control Act, two under the Highway Traffic Act and three under ` the GFT NIPl.� READ THE WANTADS Kinsmen Club lisps winners The Kinsmen Club of Goderich announced that the winners of the second hockey pool were Stan Ryan and Robert Daer. The ,winners of this pool managed to pick the outcome of 13 out of a possible 16 games during the 'week of Dec. 13-17, program*, with only JO per. preferable to large cities for cent receiving ugly,,, custodial care: "Services provided by the hospital include programs for detailed mental health care, out-patients, alcohol and drug addiction, child welfare and a psychatric. active care treatment ward. It would be impossible for similar ser- vices to be offered under the auspices hof a General Hospital. "Not only is Goderich Psychiatric Hospital a very modern facility, but mental health care experts the world over agree that a unit of this 'size is infinitely more ef- fective.than a larger unit and that small communities are location of Jhi•s type or care centre..; "Goderich has one of the highest admission rates in the Province for a hospital of this size and capacity. There are' some 50 to 60 admissions and discharges each" month, which alone, is testimony to ,the., quality of the treatment provided, "the suggestion has been made that the hospital is only running at 60 percent oc- cupancy, but this is not the ,case, For some -time, the hospital has been running at 90 to 92 percent occupancy following the closing of cine 30 bed ward because y of provincially imposed DE4R EDITOR Dear Editor: Once again Bluewater Cable TV is applying to, the Canadian '' Radio apd Television Commission for a rate increase. Last time it was from+$5' to -$6 per month; this time they are asking for a rate increase from $5 c6111.50 per month : an increase of $r8 per year or 30 percent! Last time the"' CRTC recognized the dissatisfaction of Bluewater subscribers and after investigating its transmission, denied the'rate increase "until such time as ;significant technical im- provements have ,been made". That there has been no such improvement in picture quality,and in some respects, a definitedeterioration has pccurred,,� is well known to Blitiewat'er subscribers, despite Bluewater's claims to the contrary. ° " Once again your letter's expressing , your dissatisfaction with picture quality and the rate.incr-ease are needed to present to the Commission. Every letter counts "- talk to yipur friends •••••..•••••••••••••••.• ••••.•+•.••a•.\••a•r•.•�..••a••a•r••••••a••a•ra••a•. a•:\•r a••1••a••a.• The family thist prays together.... Stays 'together SUNDA Y SERVICES ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH EPIPHANY SUNDAY JANUARY 4, 1976. 8:30 a.m: HOLY COMMUNION It a.m. HOLY COMMUNION AND SERMON 10:00 & 11: a.m. CHILDREN'S PROGRAM & NURSERY Rector Canon G G Russell B A . 8 Choirmaster -Organist• Joseph B Herdman :•.r-%••.►•r.••�,•r�..•'�..•-,►.a►,•.�.•�'"►••+.••' 'rr.•.a..�..r1.••a.••.,.. ••a•••v•Y,..•••••,.••ns...•-r,•. a••a••-►••••.•••• a••a•• Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle Affiliated with .the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada CORNER OF ELGIN AND WATERLOO STS 10:00 A.M. SUNDAY SCHOOL 11:00 A.M. WORSHIP , Studies in Nehemiah 7:00 P.M. EVANGELISM Special . WATCHNIGHT SERVICE Communion . special. Music DEC. nal 11':00 P,,M. W E ;E •�►•r^w •• •.�..• �•to ••r.••••••,..•+►.r,.•••• .•••,•rN.. ••••••.••r•r•..•rr.•.w •r ••+•,...s...rvr►••i I ti and urge them 'to write in today! If we defeat this rate increase maybe Bluewater will supply us with pictures we can watch and enjoy. The Consumer Alert Committee will continue to work for your viewing pleasure and requests donations of $2 or so to help defray. expenses. Send your letters now to the Consumers Alert Committee, Box 16, Clinton News -Record, Clinton. Sincerely, r'. A. G. Coombs Consumer Alert Committee. Bob McCALLUM Represent at iya 11 Cambria Rd., Goderich 524-1345 restrictions. I can only t-' o ci e r .cA 1'! s Y: alt kl;,a �Iri, .-.,,?r,. -assume-'"f`hat 'tbe Minister of Hospital-- a decision that+i« ealth has Peen prongl only be regarded• g +t> , rno$1•� •.,:` formed in this conn' ction.'�0,,r.retrogrn'de step in 'mental "As recently—as last July, health care ever undertaken the hospital received from the by the Ministry. "Top priority should be given to-r'econsideration of this situation with a view to reversing ..the decision to close down a facility,wh•i,ch is making an unique `and im- portapt contribution to mental . health care in • the Provit e" Canadian Council on f ospital Accreditation; one of the foremost accreditations of any hospital in Ontario. In the area of rehabilitation, it is one of the best in Canada. a. "1 fail to see how the Minister can possibly justify the decision to close down the • LOWER INTEREST RATE$, u Now Available On 1' 1ST AND 2ND MORTGAGES Anywhere in Ontario " On RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL imp and FARM PROPERTIES r Interim Financing For New Construction & Land , Development For Representatives In Your Area Phone SAF ,AEINAY INVESTMENTS AND CONSULTANTS' LIMITED (519) 744-6535, Collect Head Office - 56 Weber St. El Kitchener, Ont. —We Buy Existing Mortgages for Instant Cash— • WATER WELL DRILLING. 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