Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-11-11, Page 4PAGE 4'70OD • RICH SIGNAL -STAR, THPRSDAY, NOVEMBER 11,1971; rich flag truI distinctiv It erns that flags are .not born voted. against kcepting the flag, even easily ...: and that Slag debates. can be thought it was. pointed •out to her biy among the most bitter of any. Judging, CounciUor Dave Gower that to change from, the comments in the Goderich the flag design at:his stage was "in bad taste". s$: "Actually; Councillor - Haydon4,. has. never :,been over -enthused about the. flag design: She said in September she• thought the townsfolk should „have a chance to comment on the design,°'and felt couhcP1 should not- rash into ap- proving abldesign before there had been Town Coui cil chambers -Monday - evening, Goderich's new flag won't be, /any more . respected 'than a piece of polka-dot cotton from the remnant table until people can 'forget their. personal grievances and accept: it: for what it Is a distinctive banner of local ,design, ' Goder.ich's flag design was approved••..„,time and epportunity for public opinion., .by council in September. It was ap- proved almost as it appeared .on Monday evening: ,Council hadasked that the crown in the centre of the flag be a .stylized one,. carrying out the modernistic theme of the flag. in the finished flag, though, the crown remains as it was on the original design and Councillor Jim.. Peters immediately and correctly pointed that out. Councillor Peters wasn't prepared. however, to accept the flag without the modification. His suggestion was to send . it back and .. have it 'made as council had ordered it though it wasn't clear. at all that the Jubilee Three Committee had translated council's wishes to the flag makers "and if not, why not.” What's, more, Councillor Peters made no mention of the .fact that since' there was one flag on the council wall, there was probably other similar flags in the community. Neitherdid he make any recom- mendation as to who would pick up the -tab for the new order of flags he proposed. Councillor Elsa Haydon had ap- parently forgotten exactly what the flag was like that council did approve earlier this fall. She told .council the octagon on -the -flag was too large and 'should be smaller, in her opinion. She `Her views at that time, were shared, by Reeve Stan Profit, yet on Monday evening when the matter came upp again with the new flag on display, Reeve Profit realized that it was too. fete to"start fiddling around". He voted in favor of it: Though Councillor Peters and' Councillor Haydon stuck to their guns. where the flag was concerned, it was a wise decision to approve the flag as it was presented. No . one. design will ever please all people. The •com- mittee in charge of. the Jubilee Three 'celebrations obviously had spent long hours coming up with the design; council had approved it, albeit with slight modification•; the flags have been manufactured; , the date for dedication has been set for December 1; everything .is in motion for a grand celebration in 1977. Like the red and white flag of Canada which is still a controversial item in some parts, of the country, Goderich flag will fly over the' municipality in dignity. In time, it will have the respect of . the most of the people for it is. a unique 'and distinctive tribute to 'the town's octagonal core area, its location on the waters of Lake Huron, and its gratitude. to ` England- and the monarchy for its founding and.much of its importance today. -SJ K ilarbor committee on right track .A recent *complaint by a Goderich businessman and avid sailor at a council meeting- which resulted in the electricity at Snug Harbor .being turned on, again for the winter '• months, -left Harbor Chair.rnan Jim Peters with egg on„his face. AI Scharlach .made -a. strong case as he explained that without electricity at this time of year, .--)Donald Bert McAdam's tugs cannot start quickly ... and that if the elec- tricity had been off the day the two fishermen from -London were dumped into the water at the mouth- of the harbor,• the tugs wouldn't have been able to reach them in tirne to save their lives. But to be fair, Councillor Peters had no intention to leave the locale un - Protected and urtserviced by rescue crews. Councillor Peters and his committee hadonly made an honest attempt to cut • expenditures atthe marina by curtailing the activities of. some boaters who were using -the town - paid electricity to carry out winter maintenance on their craft. Ap- parently, heaters on some boats as well as other items of heavy equipment are eating up hundreds of dollars of the marina budget every year after the boating season closed. Yet .the crux of the citizen's com- plaint .wasvalid. The electricity was •turned 'off without warning -- for the first time in 12 years. Again to be fair, Councillor Peters and Deputy -reeve Clifford agreed this was a thoughtless move ,on the.part •of the.Harbor , committee. Prbably if warnings had - peen issued, it would have come to the immediate notice, -of the" committee that the McAdam tugs would be vir- tualay rendered unavailable for emergencies. Surely then, sortie special arrangements would have been made to facilititethose very special vessel's. Councillor Bob Allen put it into words for those at the council meeting., Allen reminded everyone .present. that • Donald Bert McAdam and, his ` tugs • have served as a watchdogs in the harbor for many long years. They have. been responsible for saving many lives throughout'the years and time' after time, without thought, •• for the -danger involved. The McAdam• tugs are a rescue institution in Goderich and, according ,'to Councillor Allen, this town owes them some special.. 'con= siderations in return. Likely there will, be little •argumentfrom the town- speopleon that score. . Then Reeve Stan . Profit moved in with a popular motion - to turn on the electricity at Snug Harborat the ex- pense of the town. After all, "Reeve Profit boldly asserted, what price can be put on a life. Who. could dispute the motion? Who would dare? - . 'In retrospect".however, much of the intent behind the' actions of the Harbor Commiftee .was forgotten or tossed aside -as inconsequential. Though: Al Scharlach himself had concurred that persons .using.the town -paid electricity during the off season should probably_ pay, - and would more than likely be will ing to . share in . the expenses council appeared to ignore this part of the debate- 'once the • poignant Profit.. plea had been made. All dashed to save lives few opted to save money at the. same time. - The Harbor Committee was on the right track when it decided to have the power turned off in Snug Harbor for the .. winter months. it should have notified all • interested parties to be sure. It should have made provision for Donald Bert McAdam's tugs: But cutting off = free electrical supplies for winter=time "poachers" was a good move. and should be studied again with an eye to • getting some revenue •from those unautI 6rized' persons who run' up the electric'a'l bills at the local marina "between Thanksgiving and the spring boating season. -SJ K. 0 The Treacherous War They say if you can -make it through the war, There are still memories of blo9d and gore. Long:endless days that don't seem real, . • But who knows how a soldier feels? Many, the wounded bodies that lie, ' • For lack of doctors they must: die. Some soldiers never get a rest at night, For they have to continue in their fight. As the sound of gunshots begin to fade, New destruction lies that man'has made. Do thisthe final day of a hellish war? Hopefully, for no man could want more. Now that the war is finally over, Thousands of men lie under clover. But,_eyen to this minute of the day, I Cannot see which side won its way. Mary Todd 245 Warren St. Grade 12, GDCI 1• •••1111Mminimir eA be obtrttIj SIGNAL_®STAR --0--- The County Town Newspaper or Huron —0; • 'Pounded in 1848 and published every Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CWNA and OWNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable in advance 912,00 in Canada, 915.50 go U.S.M. 920.00 to all other countries, single copies 25 cents:Display advertising rates available on request. Please ask for Rate Card No. 7 effective Oct. 1, 1070. Second elassmail Registration Number 0710,. Advertising is acceptiCon the con- dition that, in the event of typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the. erroneous Item, together with reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a ivrong price, goods or service may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell, and may be withdrawn at any time, 1'he Signal -Star is not responsible for the Ions or damage of unsolicited 'manuscripts or photos, Ptibllsheid by 5ignal4,Star Publishing Ltd. ROBERT SHRIER president and publisher SHIRLey J. KELLER —editor EDWARD J.BYRSKI 'W- advertising, Manager' Mailing Address: I.O. BOX 220, Goderich Second class mail registration number -0'm Business and Editorial Office TELEPHONE 5244331 area code 519 let us never forget NM, By Shirley J. Keller. It is getting close to nomination time and municipal officers are stopping to take a look at themselves, their jobs and their accomplishments. It is all over . the province, of course,' but one story from The Exeter Times Advocate caught this writer's. . eye • as being typical of the kind of reaction many, many councillors , and board members have when things get a little uncomfortable.. The headline read: Hicks recommends 'public be ex- cluded from sessions. That would be. Garnet Hicks, no* a town councillor in •Exeter, formerly a "member of the Huron County Board of Education. - Now Garnet Hicks is no youngster, either in years or DEAR in municipal experience. Still he felt compelled to stand up in council and advocatethat local ratepayers ` and the press be excluded from one meeting per 'month. Accor- ding' to Hicks, he was very. ftnpressed ' with .the' way county council's committee system works, 'and wanted Exeter Town Council to adapt a similar one. Councillor Ted Wright agreed with Hicks and gave an unusual reason, for so;' doing. • Wright said . that a corn mittee-of-the-whole session would keep members better informed of what was happening,' Just how/or why that would take place wasn't quite explained by :Councillor. Wright. . Wright went on to give o,ne of the oldest • excuses. for hiding behind closed doors. He said •a committee -of -the - whole session would give READERS members the opportunity • to, express their views without the fear of having the press 'report on theta. ++ -I It isn't difficult to un- derstand Hicks and Wright. They are like so many other Councillors - ordinary folks with ordinary hangups and weaknesses. But they 4b- viouslylack one important asset which municipal of ficers' everywhere must have to get along easily: That asset is a tough, thick skin •which protects frorn the slings and arrows 'of the press and the public alike. Some people havethis tough, thick skin :as a natural part of their makeup. Other's acquire it over years of public, exposure. Still others never develop it, and they con- stantly suffer on-stantly'suffer. from the cuts, and bruises dealt out by the printed wordand public •opinion. We all know what it is like to make decisions. But how many of us have experienced malting those decisions under the watchful eye of an audience that is hanging on our every word and seemingly waiting for us to make an error in judgment.. And how many have waited anxiously 'for- our decisi.o?is to bepublishedin the press, hoping against hope that what you said and what you meant come out the same. ' That's what drives men like. Hicks ands Wright behind closed doors into' committee - of -the -whole sessions. That's . what makes county coun- cillors and county school board members cling to their. Committee sessions. Plain :and. "simple fear of putting ones foot in one's mouth. ±+-i- • . Thankfully, not many members . of Exeter : Town Council .agreed with , Coun- cillor Hicks and ` Wright.` Reeve. Derry Boyle hit the nail on the head when he told council that such a' system results in most of the business being debated in the clos'ed sessions, with few members • bringing `forth argument at the open sessions because the decision' has already been hammered out in the closed meeting. And this is precisely what does happen every month at county school board and at county council': ' At school • board, it is • possible toattend a meeting' and not really hear any debate at all. One might not even necessarily hear a description of the fact behind the motion • on the flour. Everything has • bet n. (continued on page 1- Thankyo-u„ Dear Editor: I want to thank you for the excellent coverage of our Pro Life movement' during the past year. ' • Yours sincerely, Grace Austin, Publicity. Chairman, Goderich'& District Pro Life Group. help needed Dear Editor, - • For some -lime now I have been trying to make headway for the underprivileged. EAR • children at Queen 'Elizabeth school but with no success. We need someone like Mrs. Vanden Broeck so they will: listen. Donald Tebow . 158 West St: Goderich, Ont. One..of them Dear Editor, 'b On behalf of the organizers of the .Goderich 'Blood Donor Clinic I would. like to thank you and the Signal Star for your support for our recent clinic on November 3. I would also like to thank all EDITOR -of the volunteers mho assisted at the clinic; Goderich and District - Collegiate Institute, the : Kinsmen, the Kinettes and all of the people of the Goderich area who gave the Gift of Life. '• We collected 297 units of blood rand 'the- Red Cross pelrsonne9 were very pleased. The .need was urgent and the people of Goderich and area' were thereto fill that need.., Judy Hiles 'hod. turnout Dear Editor, - My correspondence con- cerns the obituary of Norman Peter. McLeod, 82., of 1206 Lakewood, Detroit, Michigan. Although the "obituary in- cluded Mr. . McLeod's' 'military service 'during the First World War with the 7th Battalion of the Canadian ;Engineering . Corps, both in Canada and France, it was not stated that'the late Mr. McLeod was, (in all probabilities)• a member of "The I6lst Hilton (Coanty) Battalion." A nominal roll of "The Hurons", complied . by Norman W. Miller,- in _1935, has' the names of six "McLeods", one of which is, "McLeod; Norman P. (Pte.) 312 Cleveland Ave., Dear- born, Mich."-" • The proximity of the Dearborn_ and Detroit,., Michigan addresses of the; late Mr. McLeod make it. almost 'certain that the man who died •at the Maroun Nursing Home in Detroit a week ago, was the Norman P. McLeod listed on the'strength of the 161st Huron Overseas Battalion. .' = Like so many other world war one veterans, Mr. (continued on page 17 46 YEARS AGO ' With the cheers of millions of: Americans ringing in his ears, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt flashed his famous smile for the camera as he heard the election returns which made. him President of the'United Staths and gave himthe chance to bring America out of the depression. Saturday's mail brought early Christmas .gifts, in the form 'of three neckties,td several . of "Goderich's best LOOKING BACK dressers, accompanied by.a. request to return $2 to relieve the distress of a Toronto maid. If any of the recipients put -up the ante they didn't tell their friends, and some rettirtted the tieskndwink. they could get a` far better deal from one or more of the town's dealers: Naverrrber 4th saw the inauguration of pine girl guides, members of the second. Girl Guide. Company in— Goderich. Captain Edith Taylor is the _woman' in charge of this, the brand new Second Goderich Company. Mrs. Ewan MacDonald,. Whose pen name is Lucy Maud Montgomery, surely orte of the .most famous . of Canadian authoresses, was in town recently speaking to several women's service groups. The authoress is most highly noted for. her suc- cessful book t'Anne of Green Gables". 5YEARS AGO... _ .. About 65 men and women, employees at Sheaffer Pen Co., a • division of Textron Canada Ltd.,' ' voted unanimously Tuesday eveni'Mg to take strike action against. the .company if it becomes necessary. The employees at the plant are members of the Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 2315: This year, for ° the first time, negotiations for. Sheaffer Pen are being ' negotiated -by someone • other than a local adtninibtrator, stated president Mar'jorie Robinson. The reputation'of':the fine facilities and friendly com- munity spirit to be found in Goderich's Snug Harbour is becoming more and more widely known, according to • Bruce Sully. Mr. Sully'"this week forwarded a copy of "The Beacon", the official publication of the Maumee.. River Yacht Club in Toledo, Ohio. The"bulletin included much. kind. praise •for the friendly service received by members of the club visiting 'here.