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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1981-07-23, Page 4PAGE 4 —CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1981 TAs Clinton lea rs•Recard I® poitllsl,ad &Zilch T eisdoy at P.O. COX 39. Clinton. Ontario.' Canada. NSM US. Tel.: 41111-3481. Subscription (tete: 01666416 'IS.SS Sr. Citizen - °ISM per year U.S.A. 8. foreign • °9Y.N par year It Im registered eta SUGDITard clasp W tits post attic® ender lira parade itaiiiitor SAM. the Nears-ite cord incorporated In Iii Ora Harron Naw allecord. falwsded Irl ISill, end The Clinton New E. (accorded In iNS. Talar Frain run LPN.. •CNA. MEMBER JAMES E. FITZGERALD - Editor SHELLEY McPHEE - Nears Editor GARY HAIST - Advertising Manager HEATHER BRANDER - Advertising MARGARET L. Gila - Office Manager MARY ANN GLIDDON-Subscriptions 0 MEMBER Dlspley advertising rues available on request. Asia far bate Card No. Il effective Oct., 141811. 1. Safety comes- first The end of July every year is one of the best times to remind our farmers about safety, and that is why the week starting the 25 is annually declared "Farm Safety Week?, As one of our most important assets because they produce our food, farmers need to be reminded that safety has, and must continue' to come first in any con- sid'eratlon, and as the full swing into harvest begins, a renewal of that safety first slogan is a must. Because farming has become highly mechanized,.and invplves the use of very powerful equipment, strong pesticides, and intensive livestock operations that have the potential•toproduce lethal doses of noxious gose, it has become one of the most dangerous occupations in ,Canada, second only to mining. Already this year. two youngsters in the area have lost their lives in farm accidents, one from o bale elevator accident, and the other from a fall from a granary. Both tragedies - could have been avoided. Sometimes in the rush to get things done quickly during the harvest season,or to take' a shortcut while fixing something up high, or just a simple thing like fail- ing to read pesticide label instructions, can mean a.lifetime of sorrow. "There's never timeto do it right, but there's. lots of time to do it over," says one of Murphy's Laws. So stop and think, not just next week, but every week of the'year, and ask yourself: "Am I doing this safely? Will 1. endanger my life or that of someone else? What are the real consequences of taking this shortcut? By J.F. The tirningis bad With inflation running at an all-time high; _ -with just about everyone in the coun- try jumping mad at government's inability to end the post office strike; with the price of housing right through the roof and interest rates at a staggering 21 per cent for most borrowers—that's the time our members of parliament selected to vote themselves a 23 per cent raise. Why they bothered to spend a day debating the matter is o mystery—only two or three members voted against the increase; says the Wingham Advance -Times. Of course members of parliament must be reasonably well paid, otherwise we would be represented only by those who cannot really make it in the world of business or in the highly -paid professions. But 23 per cent at a time when govern- ment is urging restraint on the general public? Somehow it does seem just a might hypocritical. The prime minister's allowance goes to more than $100 thousand a year. The leader of the Opposition will get about $80 thousand. The ordinary run -of -the mill member of the House wil be in the $50 thousand bracket. And for each of these, expense allowances of $14,000 or more, which is not a taxable portion of their in- come. Granted, they do have unusual expenses. They must, in most cases, pay for two residences; they must travel frequently between Ottawa and their home constituencies, but $14,000 is pretty generous spending money. Personally, we don't begrudge the increase to those members who really work. at their jobs, but we also suspect that -there are quite a few who do little more than vote for their own party's motions when the need arises. If the raise was needed they might have had the good sense to wait until the people who pay the salaries are a bit less harried than they are in this aggravating summer of 1981, concludes the Advance -Times. Alcohol at the wheel In our society, a citizen has the right to drink alchoholic beverages, the right even to drink himself or herself silly if such be his or her tastes and tendencies. But this right must always be assessed in the wider social context. A person's right to drink must not be exercised in ways that interfere unduly with the rights of other persons. If someone's drinking causes behavior that en- dangers you or even seriously inconveniences you, you have the right to interfere to some degree with his'or her drinking. If that person drinks and then drives on a road on which yqu are driving, then his or her drinking becomes very much your business. A bewildering variety of statistics is available on drinking -and -driving -and on even more bewildering variety of interpretations of those statistics. But it is im- possible to avoid the conclusion that in an alarming proportion of all traffic ac- cidents, especially those resulting in deaths and serious injuries, there is an alcohol factor. Professor John Cohen, an English psychologist, made some exacting in- vestigations of driving skills. Here is one of the conclusions: "Moderate quantities of alcohol tend to make most drivers increase their speed, although they are usually unaware that this is happening... Alcohol intensifies any driver's tenden- cy to overrate his ability in relation to his performance." This conclusion comes out of carefully controlled experiments with real drivers and real alcohol. Two psychiatrists working in the some field, Dr. Neil Kessel and Dr. Henry Walton make this comment: "The drinker is in the worst possible position to make the decision whether he is safe to drive or not." They add this warning: "The drinker himself becomes progressively less able to detect his own impair- ment." The hands of the police and the courts must be strengthened with respect to drinking -and -driving matters. Breothalizer and other tests, it must be recognized, do interfere to some extent with a citizen's rights and liberties — but surely we must balance those against the rights and liberties of other citizens. Contributed A quiet break remembering our past July 22, t976 • Bringing the government back to the people , and reinstating local initiative and com- munity spirit was the gist of an entertaining speech given by Joe Clark, federal leader of . the Progressive Conservative, to a crowd of 600 when he visited the Vanastra Shillelagh Monday evening as part of hissouth western Ontario tour. "Save Our Hospital" campaigns will probably be on the rise again in the near future since Health Minister Frank Miller announced last week that the Ontario Council of Health plans to begin a major health study into the four hospitals that were ordered to be closed' last spring. to YEARS AGO July 29, 1971 A number of relatives and friends called at the home of Mr. and. Mrs. .John McAsh in Varna on July 18 for the occasion of their 55th wedding anniversary with flowers and best wishes for their health and happiness: The order of the fire marshal posted on the doorway leading to the cell area at the Clinton town hall forbids the use of the cells until they are properly repaired or replaced following a Sunday morning fire. In the cells the bars are the only metal part and a prisoner made use of the wooden walls to start a fire, but Con- stable Wayne McFadden' was • able to ex- tinguish the blaze.. 25 YEARS AGO July 26, 1956 A parade headed by the trumpet band from RCAF Station Clinton began the evening's fun at the Community Park in Bayfield yesterday evening when the games and excitment of the annual Bayfield Lions Carnival got un- derway. Taking part in the parade were members of the Bayfield Guides, Brownies, Scouts and Cubs. . ' initial work on the 75 -year-old town hall remodelling began last week and already it "looks worse before its better" and workmen at the Public Hospital are gradually making over the old wing. Plans are moving forward among a committee made up of tentative represen- tatives of the various organizations in Clinton towards thebuildingof a swimming pool. Since before World War II Clintonians have talked about a pool. in 1939 the Lions Club went so far as to have an excavation made on High Street on what was then the Dr. Gunn property. behind Wesley Holland's new home. Steel shortage felt at the outbreak of the war brought work to a halt. The talk about a pool has continued and recently has gained momentum. Help wanted for laundry work. Five days a week at 55c per hour to start. If able to maintain production. 75c per hour. Phone Clinton HU 2-7064 or apply in person preferably to A. Garon,•Clinton Laundry and Dry Cleaning. 50 YE ARS AGO JIdy 2:1..1.931 Several motor cars of young people from the Ontario Street .United Church went to Goderich on Monday evening to attend the open meeting of the Summer School. Hydro was off almost 24 hours between five and six on Friday evening until nearly the same time on Saturday, owing to trouble somewhere between Mitchell and Stratford. It is years since we have had such a lengthy interruption in service and we found it rather awkward. The old saying to the effect that one "never misses the water till the well goes dry" might be aptly applied to Hydro. Nothing like the noiseless. clean, white power which creeps in over a wire and does our work so swiftly and efficiently. When a community once ex- periences the comfort and utility of elec- • tricity' it will never go gladly back to the use of any other mode of power. The Veterans of Huron County chose a fine day for their annual picnic yesterday. when about 400 including veterans and their families foregathered at Bayfield to enjoy a few hours in each other's company. Clean air and a blue sky reflected in the blue, beautiful Lake Huron, augmented by the conveniences of Jowett's picnic grounds, made a very satisfactory setting for the annual event and all afternoon the members of the company enjoyed themselves in out- door games swimming etc. the children enjoying the swings. On Tuesday evening last the Goderich Township Men's Club met with a good at- tendance when Dr. Gallow of Goderich had kindly consented to give a talk on First Aid. The Dr. is a very fine speaker and he kept the audience right on theirtoes all the way through. The club is.very fortunate to have a busy man like the Doctor come and give them such a splendid address. 75 YEARS AGO July 27, 1906 By Shelley McPhee a look through the news -record files Mrs. William Hopper of the 3rd line of Morris Township underwent a very serious Operation on Saturday morning last, for the removal of an internal tumor, weighing some 10 pounds. So far, Mrs. Hopper has been, progressing favorably and her friends hope for her recovery. . A number of Indians from the Curadoc reserve in. Middlesex County arrived in this neighborhood recently to pull flax for George McEwan of Hensall. There were big Indians, little . Indians, male Indians and female Indians and there is as much difference in color as in -size! They vaned from the tawny color of a full -bred to a shade which varied from that of an ordinary white, indicating that there are few full-blooded Indians on the reserves in Curadoc and Deleware Town- ships. • ' People have often been warned against getting on trains to bid their friends farewell, but the practice is continued and every now and then someone comes to grief. Recently a gentleman got on a train at the Clinton station to see a friend away, and before he could'get off, the train had started. He rushed to get out. but found cars facing him on either side, and not until he was clear of the yard, with the train running at 35 miles an hour was he able to jump off. the result being that his face was severely cut by gravel. 100 YEARS AGO •July 23. 1881 Don't make too free with the green fruit on the trees just now. In the majority of cases it does not agree with the indulging party. Therefore, take warning. • The rain on Monday and Tuesday last made some of our farmers look pretty blue, not- withstanding the coolness of the weather. However on Wednesday morning the clouds broke and the sun came out bright again, and that together with the winds soon dried the grain up again. and the "hardfisted sons of toil," have since assumed their general look and demeanor. The matrimonial fever is said to be coming up again. it is said to be agreeably infectious. A large number of the "fellces" intend taking up their abode at the "hub" during the coming fall. A few days ago while Mr. S. Cantelon of Goderich Township was ploughing on his farm on the 9th concession, he ploughed up an old time tomahawk which is supposed to have been used by the Indians a great many years Elston report from Queen's Park By Murray Elston MPP Huron -Bruce Some important changes have been projected for the Workmen's • Compensation programs and I felt that the following capsuied analysis of these proposals should be brought to the attention of everyone in the Riding. As a result, I have again prepared a Queen's Park Report. In the last week of the legislative session, the minister of labour tabled in the House a White Paper which proposed major changes to Ontario's system of workmen's compensation. These changes are intended to compensate injured workers more accurately and fairly for actual income loss. The Minister's proposals would also make provision for a more elaborate appeal and review structure to han- dle decisions of the Workmen's Compensation Board. These proposed amend- ments arise from a wide- ranging review of the ex- isting system which was con- ducted last year by Harvard University Professor Paul Weiler. In January 1980, Pro- fessor Weiler was asked by the Minister of Labour to undertake a comprehensive review of the current system, of the schedule of beuefiSs, and the operation of the Workmen's Compensa- tion Board. His report was delivered in November 1980, and was entitled "Re- shaping Workers' Compen- sation for Ontario". It recommended major revi- sions to the benefit structure and adjudicative system. The second phase of the enquiry is soon to commence and Professor Weiler will be taking a longer -range view of the compensation pro- blems associated with in- dustrial disease, the advan- tages and disadvantages of moving to a universal plan for guaranteeing against loss of income from personal injuries, whether work related or not, existing ad- ministrative and functional relations between the Workmen's Compensation Board and the Ministry of Labour and other related matters. Included in the White Paper is a proposal for the sugar and si C e dispensed by aril 9r»rley Rill Smiley is unavailable this week been eve• of the postal 14trike abolition of automatic com- pensation for permanent in- jury, regardless of actual loss of earnings. It is propos- ed, instead, that an injured worker should be paid a lump sum as compensation for Erre injury sustained, followed by periodic payments based on any ac- tual wage losses. The maximum Lump -sum payment would be equivalent to the compen- sable earnings ceiling used to calculate wage -loss benefits. At the present time, there is a fixed ceiling of $18,500. Under the new proposals, this would be replaced by a ceiling calculated at 250 per- cent of the average in- dustrial wage in Ontario. Last year, such a formula would have yielded a $40,000 ceiling. The White Paper proposed that the Workmen's Com- pensation Board should be given the power to discon- tinue the periodic payments for wage losses sustained due to permanent injury in the event that an individual refuses to accept work deemed suitable by the Board. As the Minister of Labour has explained, the Board would need to have this authority in order to ensure that those people who are able to work do so, even if the work involved is not related to their previous oc- cupation. The proposed system of a lump surn payment, plus periodic payments based upon actual wage losses, would eliminate the so- called "meat chart" ap- proaeh, under, which everyone is assessed at the same degree of impairment, based on the injury itself rather than on the impact of the injury upon the in- dividual's earning capacity. Married workers with dependents would receive higher temporary compen- sation benefits than single workers under the new scheme, since such benefits would be based upon 90 per- cent of net earnings, rather than the current 75 percent of gross earnings. Combined with the $18,500 ceiling, the current 75 per- cent of gross earnings for- mula yields maximum benefits of $7,500 a year. Employers would be oblig- ed to maintain fringe benefits for 12 months for in- jured workers receiving total disability benefits and would have to offer available re-employment to injured workers or face increased assessment costs. Wage -loss benefits for permanent in- juries would no longer be paid until the worker's death, but would be replaced at age 65 with retirement in- come loss benefits in an ef- fort to keep compensation more closely aligned with ago. It is a war weapon. Ears for the Million! Foo Choo's Balsam of Shark's, Oil, positively restores the hearing, and is the only absolute cure for deafness known. This oil is extracted froma peculiar species of small white shark, caught in the Yellow Sea. Every Chinese fisherman knows it. Its virtues as a restorative of hearing were discovered by a Buddhist Priest about the year 1410. Its use became so universal that for over 400 years no deafness has existed among the Chinese people. the readers write letters A fine. showing Dear publisher & staff: It is with pleasure that I write to congratulate you on your fine showing in CCNA's Better Newspapers Competition: Awards of merit seldom belong to one person, but rather it is the result of many contributions- to coin a phrase of the day - it's a team effort. " I wish you continued success with your publication and your careers. Sincerely, David R. Wenger, President, ' Ontario Community Newspapers Association lits ',tots hai•e an opinion?4N u hy nun tsrrile us a li'llr'r loo . r the ellilur, and lel everyone knurl'. Ill lellei•s are published, /►rur•irling' (here is sufficient space irailable, and Ihe"• can authenticated. I'serlllulrYllr. Ipoelr 1larues) are ;Winced if the leper is sig,-t11'!l elsewhere. Intl all letters are .tslo jr'f•l lip editing Por length (Pr libel. actual income loss. Coverage would also beex- tended to domestic employees. The $335 million cost of the increases will be met from employer contributions to the accident fund. In the White Paper, the Minister of Labour re- quested that written com- ments be received no later than August 31, 1981 in order to be considered prior to the introduction of any legisla- tion. Comments should be addressed to: The Workers'. Compensation Revision Committee, Ministry of Labour, .400 University Avenue,'Toronto M7A 1T7. Notes During the mail strike, any mail which you would like to direct to the Govern- ment Offices in Toronto can be dropped off at either of my Constituency Offices - in -Wingham or Kincardine. Licences which are renewable in July or August are being extended to the end of August, also because of the mail strike. During this period, Workmen's Compensation cheques can be picked up from the London or Owen Sound offices. Bruce County residents should call Owen Sound 371-0036 before going into the office and Huron County residents should call the London Regional Office at 433-2331 to confirm that the cheque is there before making the trip into the of- fice. OHIP payments can also be taken into either of my constituency offices during. this period. reaching the rnreached 1981 International Year of Disabled Persons Unica 'Canada M