HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-02-07, Page 4A
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•P
Business and Editorial Office
Pub
_fished by Signal -Star- Publishing Ltd.
TELEP
ONE 524-8331 ROBERT G. S•HRIER — president anci publisher',
area. raids, 519 SHIRLEY ,i. KEi,LER, editor • ,
DONA(D M, HUBICK 'advertising manager
MO t ( MMI
AA
Mailing Address:
P.O. BOX 22,0; industrial Park, Goderich;
Second •class mail registration, number —0714 •
Vandalism .a perennial problem
Good news this week from the office of the
Kffor`Ty Gaz eraT for Ontario, R., Roy McMurtry. In
a letter to ;provincial retifficipalities recerltly, the
Attorney General advises there is now a Provincial -
Municipal study going on into the problem. of.
vandalism.
The committee was established because "of the
dimensions, of this problem and because of its
particular relevance to mulpicipalities, the agencies
which most often bear the brunt of the costs of this
antisocial behaviour."
His letter explains in more detail. He writes: "As
Attorney General and Solicitor. General, I have
received more letters and resolutions on the issue of
vandalism than on any other subject. I am,sure that
' the correspondence of most other persons in public
life also reflects this broad cqncern.
"My correspondence indicates both anger and
frustration among members of the public at the
enormous cost of deliberate damage to public and
_.__ unthate--suburban and rural
areas. -We are not talking here about, incidents of
bring to the committee's attention ..any_ .-special
submissions on the subject of vandalism. He will
take all concerns to the committee which plans to
make a full -report •to'muhicipal councils in Ontario
by the end of December this year. Judge Beaulieu's
address is 22nd floor, 180 Dundas Street West,
Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1Z8.
Judge Beaulieu will seek the assistance in this
matter of a number of volunteer special advisors in
order to expand the base of the study. Other,.ex-
pertise will come from 'Professor Anthony Doob,
Director of the Centre for Criminology at the
University of Toronto, one of the best criminology
research centres in North America...
,Since vandalism is not restricted to persons
above or below the age of 18, the study,will,gxam,ine•-••°
b'otli the fuvenileand adult criminal justice systems
and the manner in which they deal with•these Cases..
Your questions are welcomed by -the committee
as well as, your comments.
In Goderich, vandalism has been a problem for
many long and expensive years. While fs does tend
childish mischief or youthful pranks We are to come in waves, it isn't seasonal and it isn't
____talking-aboutthe :vyanton d'esiration orprbperfy'~ con' -fined toon-e'gene'ration..-Many citizens of this
that -costs us all as taxpayer's millions of dollars•a community have thoughts about the methods used -
year. -
"While the police, the courts, the" schools and
social agencies ,have instituted a number of
programs to deter, vandalism and to impress upor0,
vandals the consequences of their a_ ts, the public
continues-„ to raise legitimate concerns to their
political representatives." accept the province's excellent and useful plan to
lits-Heriour Judge-Eueren -Beaulieu is the man to • --hear -bnt-aritr-residents-an this perennial and per
contact • if municipal officials or citizens want to •sistent problem. - SJK
to control vandals and the kinds of punishment that
should be handed out to vandals.
Goderich citizens, therefore, could make
meaningful representation to the newly appointed
study committee...,oa....vanda•lism..••-PerhaPs••.this.•
community should make plans immediately to
One more thing xg to ponder
Donald MacDonald, chairman of the Huron
County Board of Education, did the right'thing by
responding to a ratepayer's request for information
whetehe drew some figures together concerning the
effect the federal budget would-'have-had-orrsc'hoot --
transportation costs here if the Crosbie budget had'"
been approved. -
The board chairman should never ignore a
ratepayer's request, even though it does smack in
this case, of some sort of political scullduggery.
Chances are too, as many people would approve of
a little pre-election hankypanky as would disap-
prove.
The fact remains, election or •no election, the
defeated budget would have , meant another
. (estimated) expenditure of $102,000 per annum for
transporting Huron children to and from school.
Translated into language everyone can understand,
that's about an additional $2 per annumfor• every
man, woman and 'child in the county.
How.. you view that really depends on what you
Use your head for safe
Now that' the snow is here, itis a good time again
to remind snowmobilers and cross-country skiers to
use their heads - and to stay off the railway tracks.
Many who didn't have become statistics.
It takes a freight train travelling at 50 miles per
hour approximately one mile to come to a stop. In
rhost„• cases, railway officials have learned,
snowmobile drivers can't get their snow machines
out from between the rails in time. Maybe they
won't even] ear the train until. it is only a few feet
away. m a
Cross country skiers who are not familiar with
their equipment might not be able to get out of the
way either • •
According to the Canada Safety Council, most
snowmobilers are struck from behind or from the
side, oblivious to the oncoming train.
The highest percentage of fatal collisions with
trains are the 16 to 19 year old age group, but more
arrests for trespassing on railway _property are
made in the 20 to 44 year-old age group., •
hold as a priority. 4,
If you believe as the Tories do that increasing the •
gas prices to a significant ley 1
Thanks!
Dear Editor, •
As lifetime neighbors
and oftitnes summer
residents, we join'
million's of our fellow
American's• •"in saluting
Ambassador Taylor and
his staff who once again
demonstrated so r eon-
vincingly the bravery and
moral vigor• of the
Canadian people in
harboring, then spiriting'
safely out of Iran, those
'Embassy staff
members
Pictures of "Thank
you, Canada" billboards
quickly-created--and-now-
greeting Windsorites
along our river border
are appearing on front
pages of newspapers all
across the U.S.. Here in
the Detroit area,
"'Thanks, Canada"
displays dominate
theater marquees,
shopping mall, church
and hotel bulletin boards
many service clubs and
other organizations are
opening meetings with
the,, singing of "O,
Canada ".
Americans are truly
grateful, and , will
remember.
In a world beset with
agression, and in' a
Western Community of
Nations sometimes • long
on rhetoric but short on
`sticks, it is .heartening
indeed to be reminded
.the time you: , were
talking au unnecessary
step! T hesitated e.k-
pres.sing xn�.. opinion.
Now, though., having
. g_.,
experienced it for som
time., I feel it necessary t9
say that• it is ngt'pleasant.
Maybe it's modern and
Maybe ' h_e. SignalStar
wishes to be in vogue, but
many of your readers, I
darn -sure, prefer small
"niceties.
• How much extra time
or effort is 'expended by
your staff in' adding such
as Mr.,' Mrs., or Miss? It
has to be minimal.
Whether or not others
complain, I feel' that if
you were -ter question your
readers-, �a' _good 4numl,er
would prefer to see you
revert back to including a
"farm of address".
Yours very truly,
M.R. Jenkins
e IChou:naen€:- or . ' Rene.
Levesglxe).
They seem to favour
has-beens. • `
Amused,
N. J. Minaker
Goderich
at
Fuddlemanja
Dear Editor,
Eleven years
dlemania
Caused the dollar to go
crazyr -
With a fickle Dilly -
Daisy, it seems to me;
It's a wonder that they
saved it
For it • was floating
down to Davey Jones,
'Twas plain to see.
If the P.C.s hadn't
caught it,
The Arabs might have
of Fud-
that our closest neighbors
remain our closest
friends - and have had the
courage to demonstrate it
so convincingly.
• God •&less-Ganada-!
Sincerely;
(Mr-.:& Mrs.)
James B. Smith.
(Jim & Betty)
Clarkston,
Michigan.
Nicety
now is
warding off hardship in the future, the extra costs
fon -transportation for the Huron Board bf
Education would be an expected and reasonable
hike.
If you accept the concerns of the other parties as
valid, that the proposed increase is' exhorbitant,
unnecessary and untimely and that there is a way
around it,- then you will be appalled at the idea of
another' $120,000 out of the taxpayers' pocket.
In these days when even learned, intelligent and
elected men and women who are in a position to
make decisions cannot conie to some: mutual
agreement, there,is little chance that local board
members could turn -the tide one Way or another
with the revelation of "what would have been if".
Still, it should give voters in this riding just one
more thing to ponder in making their decision for
the February 18 vote. = SJK °
ty
Railway police will be patrolling railway tracks
this winter, • and snowmobilers and 'cross country
skiers are advised that the Railway Act provides
fines for those caught trespassing.
But you don't have to be on the tracks to be in
. danger. Trouble can occur when snowmobilers and
skiers use trails along the railway tracks.
For instance, a snowmobile can hit a bump beside
the tracks and the driver or a passenger can be
thrown under the wheels of a train.
The protruding steps of.a caboose have killed
more than one snowmobiler who came too close.
Poor vlsitilllty is another hazard. Skiers and
snowmobilers using the tracks are unable to judge
the speed or distance of an oncoming train in fog or
blizzard conditions.
So he safe this winter. Leave the tracks for the
trains. Snowmobilers and skiers should use
separate and proper trails. They live longer that
way. - SJK
Dear Editor,
Since youyi•sed your
readers so e" months
ago, you have followed
fie practice ' of noa
showing any "form of
address'" in front of
peoples' surnames.
You were not the first
newspaper to take such
action and, although I felt
Rumours
To the Editor.
I understand there are
some interesting - rumours
floating around and i feel the
best 'way to deal with them is
directly. •
I immigrated • to Canada
nine years ago.
WhileA came to Canada
during the period of the War
in Vietnam I was never
drafted and was_ not a ..draft.
dodger.
I am a Canadian by choice
not by birth. I ,have been a
Canadian Citizen for four
years. 1 have always tried to
be an active and concerned
member of my community.
I have not received- any
government grants to build
my passively solar heated
home or to buy my.emind
generator. Like many farm-
ers I have worked off the
farm to bring' in money to
help with expenses. 1' have
received assistance under
•the farm capital grants pro-
gram for farm fencing • and
barn materials.
Those are the answers to
the - rumours I've heard
about. , If your readers are
—fiearing more exciting ones
I'd be pleased to know of
them'-'Rutnours can certainly
be an economical way for
others to conduct a campaign
(they spread themselves),
but I would rather concen- "
trate Qap_ tbe,gssues ,whicJa_.,)�
believe are crucial to the
future of Canada, my country
and my home.
got it,
And a sorry state of
business that would be.
Duddle has a garden
that ' he's cultivating
rioubl.e_.tracic. in,_,.._. _- w -.. -
From Winnipeg to B.C.-
don't
.C.don't you'see.
For the .:cowboy .. roles -
and Bogartroles
Seem rather tough and
dry;
Forhe thrives on
borrowing money, •
Unemployment to him
is funny
Inflation is his min-
cemeat pie.
• He. has-' tired-- as • the --
ex -PM '
And he wants to be just
Mi
Now I wish to call at-
tention as I close
To the. fact that the
Befuddled have a leader?
No one knows. •
(Maybe Ayatollah
Your sincerely,
Tony McQuail. •
Who is crazy?
Dear Editor
Some weeks ago an
article appeared in . at
least two of our farm -
paper -s --entitled- <These
Crazy High , Interest
Rates".
I think we need to be
careful when we make
general statements like
this. It depends on your
int of view:
po
• I'ni .oUite sure Allot the
vast majority of people
'who have money out . at
'interest' think that
present rates are Won-
derful, Even business and
;,Ind-ustry isn't coxn-
plaintn'g.• ,
During World War It,
government. contracts
were let on the basis of
cost plus profit... •
It worked well for a
short time, but business
and industry soon.
discovered that an in-
crease in costs
automatically gave an
increase in profit. It has
been more - recently
discovered that high
interest rates (or high
dividends) `increase costs
very evenly throughout
the business world so that
real competition is
eliminated .anti profits
increase automatically.
Now, let us look at
'farming.
Here I agree that in-'
terest rates. are
unreasonable because
our profits don't go up
automatically as costs
increase.
More serious still is the
accepted fact seems to be
that foreign buyers. can
come to Canada with
money. that costs them.
less than half the -
Cana'dian rate and
probably make a .profit
whereas . a' Canadian boy
buys a neighbour's farm
with inultgage at 1-3-
percent and working
capital at,up to 18 percent
can't. '
But the govertutient
isn't "Crazy".
Then the, Canadian boy
buys a farm, he pays for
it" with Can'adtali motley'_...
and doesn't help our.
economy gr strengthen_ -
our dollar.
' The• foreign buyer in .
foreign money, helps our
balance of payments and
strengthens btir dollar.
appreciation _for Jhe
Signal's recent coverage
of our Awareness rilays at
.. the Suncoast Malt
Such reporting.:enai es;
the Ontario' ' March ' of
Dimes to speakwith the ,
larger . community both
about its services and the
needs of the disabled
My best wishes 'to 'yen
inthe year and I look
forward to any 'cotitaet
we may have in ' the
future. .
Sincerely,:
David Dirks,
, Regional Director
Annexation
(intended for last week)
Dear Editor,
It was fascinating to
see • how the annexation
study proposal was put
across at our town
council. By its nature and
relative magnitude, it is
inevitable that the sub-
ject creates divisions..It
is nothing out of the or-
dinary that such divisions
should be reflected at the
Council, as it is not a
social club of like-minded
chums, but a collection of
individually elected
representatives who
ideally -.can and do think.
It does not follow that one.
or the other must be out
of step; we just do not
march to the same tune
a 1—�._1l-the-the ti.me.
For me it is very
simple. I•could no more
support the town's for-
cible annexation of part
of the township territory
and homes than I could be
on the • s'ide of Soviet
--Uhnion's - _takeover .-tri---
Afghanistan. We do not
attack with tanks and we
go thrrough an intricate
(and expensive)
ceremony, but the basic
principle is the same -
you have it, I want it. I
need no, study to reject
the principle.
First we set abruptly in
motion the early levers of
annexation and .even'
insist (unnecessarily at
this stage) that three
ProvinciarIvtinisfeles be
notified of our actions, in
This makes govern-
ment look good. The fact
that we are selling out ours '
last sizeable natural
resource doesn't matter.
I wonder. "Who is'
'crazy'?"
T. UarI Hemingway
Brussels, Ont.
an attempt to stop
development in the
township until -we are
good and ready.
• Two weeks later a call
my Turn topage 5•
Coverage
Dear Editor:
IFwish to express
75 YEARS AGO •
On Friy about 5 p.m.
the dwelling owned by
David Macpherson,
corner of Anglesea and
Cambria Streets,was
discovered to be on fire,
the news being quickly
phoned' uptown. The
dwelling was badly
--burned but insured.
A good audience
greeted Dr. Robert
LeTouzel in ..the Court
House on _ _Mondaay...
evening to hear his
illustrated talk on
Jamaica.
• Many of the classes at
the Central School were
dismissed on Tuesday
morning on account of the
low temperature of the
roonis. '
LOOKING BACK
The. work on the cribs
for the outside break-
water was considerably
interfered with the past
few days by the severe
weather.
Mr. A. Strehler,
Heintzman's piano tuner,
is in town again and will
be pleased to call on his
patrons.
25 YEARS AGO •
The Huron County
Pioneer__M_use.um
Goderich' was broke?l into
sometime late last week.
A number of antique
firearms were taken and
a glass showcase and
jewel box damaged. •
A seven -man industrial
commission for Goderich
was named by. town
council Last Friday night
in a moved to undertake a
spirited industrial
promotion campaign.
A committee of the
whole recommendation
was passed by town
council last Friday night
granting $5,000 to the
Goderich Recreation and
Arena Committee to pay
off last year's operating
expenses and leave a
small bank;,,balance. to
start this year.
Nu-rnber of --races --of-
whooping cough among
Huron County children
this winter has shown a
decided increase over the
number in recent years,
Dr. R.M. Aldis, director
of the Huron County
Health Unit in Goderich,
said yesterday.
5 YEARS AGO
Huron County Council
approved a 1975 roads
budget. of $2,536,000--23.8
per cent over the 1974'
budget --at its meeting
last week.
A group of 15 interested
residents of the county_
set the -wheels in motion
at an • initial meeting this
week to institute a Big
Brothers program in
-Huron County.__-._ _ _.
Goderich Town Council
is hopeful it can work on a
co-operative basis with
the Business Men's
Association this summer
landscaping The Square.
Councilviewed the plans
the business men have for
the beautification project
at the regular meeting
Monday night. They call
for the planting of small
trees along the sidewalks,
the erection of new street
lights along the Square
and replacement .of the
existing sidewalks;
Goderich Recreation
Director Mike Dymond
Thursday night advised
the recreation committee
to consider advertising
"for --summer ..-a%f to
supervise playgrounds
and swimming areas in
town. The pool and beach
staff was not hired. last
year until just prior to the
opening of swimming and.
the delay threatened the
operation of the pool. •
DEAR
READERS
BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER
Want tb a 1979 car lady? Cheap?
If you do, now is certainly the time. I
did a little survey Tuesday afternoon of
the car dealers in Goderich to see how
things were actually going ... and
there's no doubt about it, there's
bargains out there to be had.
But'riotalways in '79s.
I had the impression that the
provincial government's scheme to
rebate the Ontario sales tax on 1979
cars for the month of February only, '
might very well penalize the
aggressive, astute businessman who
actively pursued the :sale of his 1979
cars before the new models came in.
I thoughtmaybe he would find
himself out of those cars which the
public expected to find, and customers
would flock to the car dealers who
hadn't really been too innovative about
moving out the '79s. And that didn't
seem right or proper.
I think Most, car dealers 'in town
would agree this is a real dangler in this
kind of situation. Some said they found
the government's decision unfair and
Unpopular. Onedealer wept so far as to
say he's downright irritated. '
But everybody seems to agree that
the tax rebate on '79 cars has
stimulated the economy in this one
area at least. There are more people
out looking - seriously looking - to buy
cars.
One dealer said his sales so far this
month have been "fantastic” •while
another one said there have definitely
been "more telephone inquiries and
more orders written so far in
February" than in the whole of
January. Or in most Februarys in fact.
But there aren't many 1979 cars left
in town. One dealer admitted .he had
quite a few on February 1 .... but they
have been selling fast and furiously and
he'I I soon be out.
"I wish I had more," was his
statement.
Some dealers say people are going
"shopping" if they can't find a 1979 car
on the local lots. And that may be true
in some instances„ especially for the
"big three" - General Motors, Ford and
Chrysler. "
But in some of the more specialized
dealerships; owners and salesmen are
reporting that customers who come in
looking for a 1979 car can quickly see
the advantages of buying a 1980 •model
particularly if the dealer is looking to
move his cars. And they are buying
new cars.
"One year's depreciation soon"eats
up the sales tax rebate," defined one
sale man.
There seems no doubt, though, that
people shopping for cars right now are'
looking for a bargain, and salesmen
understand the importance of 'offering
buyers a bargain. If not on a '79, then
on what is available on their lots.
One dealership without '79s to sell,
has a high inventory of used cars and
trucks. People are in the mood to buy.
It's a perfect combination, especially if
there's some incentive.
So this dealership has, done a little
'legislating' on its own'. At this location,
a -serious car buyer can get any used
car on the lot at a fair price, can pay
the provincial sales tax, and the local
dealer promises to write a cheque
equal to the amount of the tax paid to
the buyer. That'q ,fnr the. nlnnfh of
February only.
Just think about it. You might end up
with a used '79 model and get the tax
rebated by the local dealer as well. •
I had a talk the other day with a
politician not of the Progressiye
Conservative persuasion. This
politician told me in• his view, the
Ontario government's tax rebate
scheme on 1979 cars was an election
gimmick, clear and simple.
Let's face it. Most people have only
so much money to spend on the large
items .... and if they are buying news-•
car's, they won't have anything left
over to get that dishwasher or that hi-fi
that might have sold if the car push
could have been averted.
I don't know. I still think the
provincial government could have
chosen a better way to keep things
rolling in Ontario. Pardon the pun.
What. .about me? Am I going to
replace the blue compact now that the
-price is right? Are you kidding? I'm
one of those people who believes that
cars are what get you from place to
place ... and What it looks like or what
"ear it is doesn't reaptriattter -