HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-04-30, Page 1i
ns at
OI1VentOI....
Over 40 Lions and their wives converged pa
Gcderi_ch, -last weekend for this year's dons .
District A9 convention.
The Lions started arriving late Friday af-
ternoon and ice was broken with. a party on.
Fiday night, "It was the hest icebreaker party
I've ever been to," said convention chairman,
Lion Roy Breckenridge.
Breckenridge stated that all the visiting
Lions enjoyed themselves and were impressed
with the food and catering, and the cleanliness
of the arena.
He said that the ladies program, which in-
cluded a jewellry display and which took place
at the Goderich Legion hall was "trencsendous."
Lleetibns for various club offices were held
during the convention resulting in Alfred
S,chult*, of Wiarton, being named new Zone
Governor.
Internation Director Hugh Reardon, from
Monkton, New Brunswick, was speaker at the
bangttet held Saturday evening. The head table
included Such dignitaries at Jack Riddell,
Murray Cardiff, and Harry Worrell.
After the dinner there was a dance, and on.
Sunday the Lions enjoyed a brunch, before
holding the elections and hearing cabinet
reports.
Next year's convention will take place in
Owen Sound.
Fotini first salt water ship
loaded in GoderichHarhQUr
History was made in Goderich Harbour last
week when, the Greek ship Fotini loaded with
corn bound for Cuba.
Ocean going vessels have been unloaded in
Goderich before, one at the Domtar Sifto Salt
mine and a smaller one at Goderich Elevator,
but the Fotini was the first to take a load from
here.
George Parsons of Goderich Elevator said
there was some difficulty in loading the ship
because of its inability to move quickly as well--,
as its height.
"The height of the shipposed a bit of a
problem for us but luckily it had taken on a part
load in Sarnia so it wasn't that serious,"
Parsons said. " When we complete, our new
loading installation in July the height of such
ships won't be a problem."
Until the elevator is equipped with new
loading spouts it is unable to load empty salt
water ships. However, two more such ships will
load atthe elevator in May.
The Fptini arrived in Toronto with a load of
sugar from Cuba. It took on a part load ofgrain
in Sarnia before making way to Goderich.
From Goderich it will make its way to Sorrel,
Quebec and onto Cuba.
Parsons said the ability of Goderich Elevator
to load salt water vessels will be of more benefit
Colborne imposes
$300 impost fee
Colborne Township Council agreed at an
April 15 meeting to set an impost fee of $300 per
lot on all new residential property' in the
township.
The impost fees, to be collected,. at the same
time as the property is'se%er•ed or made into
residential building lots, will not be appiied'to
farm residential buildings.
The fees, which are to finance maintenance,
legal and engineering lees as well as some
construction costs to the township, were under
discussion for sometime by council.
At the present time, there are several
proposed subdivisions in Colborne Township
including Benniller Heights and the Londfel
development.
to the grain handling industry.
"This way the corn will get to its destination
quicker and it could mean more money for the
producer," he said.
Parsons viewed the loading of the Fotini as a
breakthrough for Goderich harbour and the
elevator company.
"I think it was psychological. We never had a
salt water ship and nobody thought we could
handle it," he said. " We shouldn't have any
trouble now and look forward to seeing more in
'the harbour.
•
International Director Hugh Reardon (sitting banquet on Saturday evening. About 450 Lions 'Goderich Memorial Community Centre. (photo
to the right of the podium) from Monkton, New and their wives attended the weekend District by Cath Wooden)
Brunswick was speaker at the governor's A9 Lions Convention which took place in the
132 YEAR -18
WEDNESDAY,"APRIL 30, 1980
octors say
Y SHIRLEY J,KELLER
Doctors at Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital are once, more concerned about the
shortage of hospital beds here.
In his report to the April meeting of the board
of governors of Alexandra Marine and General
35 CENTS PER COPY
hostage of beds here
1"f'dgpi'tal, Dr'."J.L.H'tillfftgworth, president.of the
medical staff said that in order to cope with. the
situation, an overflow area has been
established in a first floor sitting room for three
to four beds.
Dr. Hollingworth explained that at times,..
patients who should have been admitted to the
hospital, have been placed on a waiting list.
Chief of Staff Dr. Michael Conlon said that in
the early part of April, the bed shortage at the
hospital reached "crisis proportions insofar as
active treatment beds are concerned". Dr.' James Rourke concurred. He said that in
lb- .,• . Conlon said, was running small hospitals like Goderich,, occupancy
during January and February this year at ' varies rom s ff'ed'ttrempt -
percent occupancy. He stressed this is "far in "A few slow days can make the figures look
excess of the established standards and ratio good," said Dr. Rourke who complained that
for safe and efficient clinical care". averages in a small community hospital can be
For part of the time this year, the obstetrics misleading.
department was operating at 119 percent oc- Dr. Conlon admitted he was concerned -about
cupancy. "prolonged care time on a stretcher in
The problem, the doctors insisted, was not so emergency 'care" when hospital beds are not
much in-hospital when a full roster of patients immediately available.
was admitted, but rather the unsafe limitations "Prolonged waiting periods in the emergency
it placed on' the ability to admit additional department of the hospital pending admission
patients that were in
hospitalization.
"We shouldn't grow complacent about this
kind of thing," urged Dr. Conlon. "If the
present shortage (of beds) continues, which to
my mind is. inevitable, then we as a board and a
medical staff cannot sit back and accept as
unchangable the current designat d active
treatment beds as allocated to O. by the
Ministry."
need of immediate
Captain Bob Wilson was in Goderich for the
first time In 35 years last week as he piloted the
Greek ship Fotini into Goderich Harbour,
Wednesday. The Fotlni is the first oceanic
vessel to load in Goderich. The Fotini brought a
load of sugar to Toronto and is loading corn for
the return trip to Cuba. (photo by Dave Sykes)
Captain Wilson
returns to Goderich
BY DAVE SYRES 'Patterson. Steamsli,p-Company; -making grain
After 35 years on the seas, captain Bob runs on the old Quedoc. It was the last ship he
Wilson came home to Goderich last week. would bring into Goderich Harbour for 35
Captain Wilson, a Goderich native and a
veteran of the Great Lakes shipping lanes,
piloted the Greek shipping vessel, Fotini into
Goderich Harbour Wednesday. The last time
Wilson entered the harbour on official busines
•was aboard the Que too in 1945.
The Fotini is the first ocean going vessel to
load in Goderich harbour and she headed to
Sorrel, Quebec „ after loading with corn. The
Fotini's first port scop was in Toronto where she
unloaded sugar arc' Wilson picked her up in
Sarnia. The Fotini is making a return trip to
Cuba with the corn argo.
Wilson was born and raised in Goderich and
began sailing at age 15 when he worked on the
fishing schooner, Margaret MacDonald ouf of
Goderich.
After a year of fishing he took up work on the
steamship Northtrn that hauled grain" and
pulpwood all over the Great Lakes and the rest,
you might say, is history.
"I have been at it (steamships) ever since,"
Wilson said. "I could probably write a book
about the damn things"
In 1937 Wilson went deep sea working ports
along the Great Lakes and Atlantic coast as
well as making runs to the West Indies and
South America.
During that time he still made his home in
Goderich and had built a house on Cameron
Street. His father, who was head miller at the
Western Canada Flour Mill in Goderich, had
also built a home on Cameron Street.
During World War II, Wilson lived .in ;Mon-
treal and worked as the first mate on a mer-
chant marine until 1945: But after the war he
came back to Goderich and was hired by the
years.
In 1947 he was lured back to a deep sea vessel
in Halifax and he worked the Atlantic Coast for
five years. But the Patterson Company lured
him back to the Sarnia area, and he began'
making newsprint runs on the Prescadoc along
the Great Lakes and Atlantic coast.
He stayed with the Patterson Company but
became captain of the Gaspedoc in 1952 and
stayed with her for nine years. Th?'Gaspedoc
was built for the American Navy in 1944 and
traded in ports fromhalifax to California before
coming to the Great Lakes.
Captain Wilson had been living in Sarnia
since taking up employment with the Patterson
Company after the war, In 1964 he wrote his
exam's and the next year began piloting for the
Federal Government. -
"I've been piloting for 15 years now," he said.
"And in that time I have worked on 1,200
ships."
Wilson is proud to have guided the first ocean
vessel into Goderichharbour soemthing that he
has always promoted.
"I have always tried to promote Goderich
Harbour and if they can get cargos they will
found out they can handle these ships," he said.
"They should promote this port because I think
they can load graders here as well. But this is a
start."
Wilson admitted that deep seas crews are riot
used to ports like Goderich with a small har-
bour and although he said it was difficult
getting..into the harbour he claimed they have
been to worse ports.
The Fotini arrived at 5.30 a.m. Wednesday
Turn to page 12
l4:
should. .be . avoided and admission executed
smoothly and efficiently without registering
undue anxiety to the patient," said Dr. Conlon.
Dr. Hollingworth said the sitting room
emergency beds would' be closely monitored to
obtain, "accurate documentation of the. use of
this area" as proof for the Ontario Ministry of
Health that additional active beds are needed
at AM&G.
The doctors assured the board, however, that
in no circumstance should a patient requiring,
immediate treatment and hospitalization be
turned away. Such 'decisions will be made by
ndin:.h sician at the time.
Furthermore, .•e icien planntng—""ar d'
organization of the hospital's day care facilities
is currently under review..
' Dr. Conlon said some of the medical ,Staff,
especially the hospital's surgeons, are
"somewhat concerned" about the waiting list
for elective surgical procedures.
"I understand that improvements can be
made' in this area with better organization and
designation as to the types of patients availing
of this facility, be they surgical or otherwise,"
said Dr. Conlon.
'
INS '.:
SIG
Trout bite back
•I
(
The trout season
officially opened an
the weekend and and a
hundreds of anglers ',
flocked to their.
favorite fishing spots.
One of those spats
was the Lucknow
River in Port Albert.
See picture on Page
14. v;
Goderich. sold,
The lake freighter Goderich has been i`•
sold to the Soo River Company and will be f'
renamed in the near future. Ih 1977 the
freighter displayed the town's jubilee crest.
See story page 7.
Oldtimers back
The Goderich Oldtimers are back from
Florida and although they lost two of three
games in the tourney they made a good r
showing. See story page 14.
Public replies
The Kim, Ainslie series on municipal ac
spending drew some public feedback and `
that is featured on the editorial page. See t
page 4.
Regular Features
Editorials P. 4 Columns ' I A
Letters P. 5 Farm ,'IA
Obits P.,9 church '9A
Sports P. 14 District - 10A
Classified P. 16 AA myths ........ 11A
Real Estate p 18 Capt. Comet 14A
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