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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-09-01, Page 4tia4!-.GOOF RICH`SIGNA ,-Ss RSDAY, rf' 11� • NA Godendit SIGNAL-STAR • • The County Town Newspaper of Huron Founded In 1646 and pubUabed every Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the in amid": $lLSoio u s:A.;'1 .9/ io all other couutrko, alogte copies 25 vents, Display advertising rates available on request. Please ask for Rate Card No. 7 effective Oct. 1, 2176. Second clan mail Reglatratiou Number 0716. Advertising is accepted on the con- dition that, to the event of typographical error, the advertising apace occupied by the erroneous item, together with reasonable allowance for'stguature, 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 advertlking goods or services at a wrong prke. goods or service may not be sold, Advertising is merely an offer to sell. and may be withdrawn at any time. The Signal -Star is not responsible for the loos or da'ssage of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. Business and Editorial Office TELEPHONE 524-8331 area code 519 Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. ROBERT G. SHRIER — president and publisher SHIRLEY J. KELLER -- editor EDWARD J. BYRSKI — advertising manager Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 220, Industrial Park, Goderich Second class mail registration number — 0716 On the right track Nutrition Canada was an astounding national survey which turned up a rather bleak picture of the eating habits of far too many Canadians. Here in the land of plenty, amidst some of the world's greatest • farming country, Canadians are just not eating the right foods to maintain the proper nutrition levels for their own well-, being. • That really shouldn't be surprising to the average Canadiarr either. All 'one really needs to do is go to a restaurant and watch what people are eating there. There is no doubt this is the age of the deep-fried potatoes, bleached white flour buns around fried burgers and weiners, rich pastries, highballs and plenty of coffee. It really isn't uncommon to find grown men and women with plenty of money to spend who are actually under -nourished and suffering to some degree the effects of a poor diet. At last Friday'snsession of Huron County Council, Howick Reeve Harold Robinson expressed, his dismay at council's decision ,to hire a nutritionist in co-operation with the Perth County health unit. According to Reeve Robinson, it was an unnecessary expense - something, like $7,500 plus for• Huron wher Huron doesn't have a problem with malnutrition among its residents. Reeve Robinson may well be amon those citizens who believe that if one is able to be up and going each day, malnutrition is not a problem. He may even be like many people who think that if a person is robust - maybe even a trifle over -weight - he or she is well fed and properly nourished. The nutritionist in Huron and Perth will have a great deal of work to do. Her role will be to educate. Mainly', -she will act as a consultant to the public health nurses who often get down to the bare bones of the 'nutrition problems in Huron; to the teachers in the schodls who notice in their pupils the first signs of improper` tiutrian and are seeking ways to help them to a lifelong healthier way of eating; to senior citizens, some of whom forget about the value of well-balanced meals once they are alone and begin to exist on tea and toast day after day; to groups who are interested in nutrition and want to know how to eat for beauty as well as for health and energy; and to families who are paying through the nose for groceries and could be taught to eat much better for much less money. There's a well known saying. You are what you eat. Unfortunately, there are too many people right here in Huron County who are living examples of bad eating habits. A nutritionist on the county health staff won't eliminate the problems entirely, but surely it is a step in the right direction if more people are to get the most out of life today and for many years to come.—SJK Makingland new An international story this week tells of the fantastic success the Chinese are having in reclaiming the desert for productive farmland. That story along with similar stories from Africa should give skeptical Ontario citizens something to think about. Politicians in this province have been delivering long speeches about the need to preserve agricultural land, and indeed the wanton destruction of farmland must be prevented. But Ontario people have been led to believe the nation will starve to death in the not too distant future unless the clamps are put down tightly on commercial • and industrial and residential development on choice farmland. Land reclamation isn't new. It has been done in North America now for years, Goderich and area people need only go to Feagan's gravel pit for some inclination of the kind of wonders that can be worked in this way. There is even some indication that such land could not only be restored; it could be restored in better condition than it was originally. One begins to wonder if that adage about land - "they just aren't' making it any more" - has lost its truth.—SJK Double protection If you ask James Snow, the Minister of Transportation and Communications for Ontario, seat belts are the answer. In the first four months of 1977, according to Snow, driver and passenger fatalities continued to decline. Figures show that 223 people died in motor vehicle crashes bet- ween January 1 and April 30 this year - 17 less than through the same period if 1976. This seven per cent improvement could be even better if more people "buckled up" according to Snow. Over two years, there's been a sharp drop of 46 per cent in the number of drivers and passengers killed in motor vehicle accidents. And it is mostly due to seat belts, says Snow. Along With the seat belt legislation carne the lowering of highway speed limits, however, and it would appear that much of the credit for fewer deaths could be at- tributed to the fact that drivers have slowed down. Still, it is a wise plan to fasten those seat belts for some double protection in case of a mishap.-SJK Number to call Arthur Maloney, Q.C., the Ombudsman of Ontario, is doing a great job for the people of the province who opt to use the services of the Ombudsman's office. In fact, the Ombudsman and his staff are doing such a fine job that even the gover= nhent by whom they were appointed has on occasion wondered at the wisdom of its decision particularly when the Ombudsman comes out in favor of the people agaitast`the government. ` A recent release from the Ombudsman's ' office shows that there is now a set of new telephone -numbers which people- can call. These new phones will allow direct access by the public to directorates and -in- dividuals within the: Ombudsman's office and will in turn make information available as fast and.daefficiently as possible: You might want to clip the following numbers and attach them to your telephone. hook for handy reference when you think to yourself, "This isn't fair. I should talk to somebody about this." ' INQUIRIES 869-4000 Administration_ ....,.. , . ,. - • .r * . .. 869-4010 Communications • . , ..669-4030 Correctional & Psychiatric Services 869-4060 InterviewcServices 869-4040 Investigations 869-4070 Research 869-4120 Rural, Agricultural & Municipal 869-4119 Special Assistant & Legal Officer 869-4130 Special Sert+ices :: ::..: , ... - 869-4112 Waiting for facelift BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER 'Some members of Huron County Council were cer- tainly perturbed by a story which appeared in this newspaper - along With some others - concerning the hiring of Dr. Brian Lynch of Goderich as Huron County Medical Officer of Health,- It wasn't that -the story was inaccurate. It was simply that the story appeared - before Huron County coun- cillors had a chance to ap- prove the hiring. This kind of petty politics has plagued county council for years and years. It is precisely the reason - about the only reason in fact - for the •closed committee meetings. There is great fear. and trepidation about the possibility that the• public would learn something before county councillors. There are few things that can rile up the councillors like an insinuation that they are "rubber stamps" .... and according to Bill Dale who is the chairman of the health board, that's what the media did. It broke the story that Dr. Brian. Lynch was to be hired as -the new MOH to succeed Dr. Frank Mills and it made DEAR ``rubber stamps of 45 members of county council". Balderdash. If there are 45 •rubber stamps on county council because of the news story, there are 45 rubber stamps without it. There's one per- tinent fact that is always overlooked by county council in matters of this. nature. It is their own system that trips them up. If the decision had not been made before county council met, there is ab- solutely no way anybody could have known about it. + + + How did the newspapers find out? That seems to be the burning question. The truth is the newspaper reporter heard the story on the street. The information was being discussed along with other community news of the sort that keeps people chattering. There was nothing more sinister than that about the "source". Doesn't it seem a little ridiculous then, that county councillors are so angry becaue the story appeared in the press before they were all informed about the decision of the board of health? The , news that Dr. Lynch was the By Joanne Walt READERS choice of the board for MOH was fairly well known in- formation in some circles. Printing the story in the newspaper only substantiated for the readers that the rumors they heard had some . basis in fact. Obviously there was no secret„ to be guarded at all. And when you get right down to it, why should there be? What possible difference does it make if John Q, Public knows something before Reeve Whoositz? Chances are, Reeve Whoositz w t have anything to say ine matter anyway ..., other than to add his -vote of approval for the records. And maybe if the truth was known, it wouldn't matter much if he approved it or not. + + -I- Reeve Reeve Bill Clifford of Goderich wondered out loud just what action could be taken to see that such a thing didn't happen in the future. "Up with this we will not put," stated Clifford with all the aggressiveness of a pussy cat. But there was no answer to his question about how to prevent another .occurrence of news leaking out from the committee meetings. Searls here Dear Editor: It has come to my- attention that the Robarts report has recommended local PUCs be taken over by the councils of all municipalities.. A special committee has already been set up, in Scarborough to deal with this matter. Mayor Paul Crosgrove's council committee has called this a step in the right direction to make Govern - Isn't it about time county councillors took a good close 'look at the whole silly mess? Isn't it high time they realized the committee system is working because committees have some decision-making powers? And isn't it time to trust the committee system and to open those meetings to the public? Isn't it time to swallow the useless pride that raises the ire of council members who insist on knowing decisions first, even if there is nothing that will be done to change those decisions?, Huron County counci111 rs really should not have the right to manage the news as they have successfully done for years. Think about it. Dr. Brian Lynch really was hired by the board of health before county council met in session Friday, August 26. All that really remained for county council to do was give the nod of approval .... and that wasn't really necessary at e11. But, had • Huron County councillors chosen, that story need never have been DEAR EDITOR ment more accountable and understandable. In Goderich, if the Council were to take over the PUC, the savings would be con- siderable. I would say in the area of $16,000 yearly. This saving, if taken at all levels of Governtnent, could well hold down taxes, water and hydro. I feel that all elected members of Council and Government should . take a stand on this matter (and others), showing the public that -they are really con- 75 YEARS AGO A visit to the (Grand Trun1Tt Railroad depot will now give one an idea of the shape.of the new station building.r`ft looks { t; the building will bp in use efore the cold weather comes, There are many rumors of the contents of the late Samuel Sloane's will, but up till yesterday it had not been entered for probate, so the -rumors now in Circulation are only.gtlesse8,__ The estatf< of. the late S. Sloane will likely cerned as to how they spend our money. We, as taxpayers are not asking you to work harder, but just smarter. I remain, a concerned taxpayer and consumer, Jim Searls Thanks to all Dear Editor, As Curator of the Huron Historic Jail I would like to express our appreciation to all who helped in any way to make this <1977 season suc- cessful. A special thank you is in order for the Green Thum- bers for the beautification of the grounds. The red, white and blue colour arrangement was excellent and we listened to many favorable comments from those who passed by. As our season ends on Labour Day the Jail will be closed except for Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon to 5:10 p.m. Group tours will be accepted until November 26, 1977 by ° previous reported to the t the county. There the people could hi about it if the board mostly comprised councillors, had b keep the . informa within county c public has no acc county - committee' and,only those -thin county committee rest of county cou public to know are the committee re actual fact, Dr. B could have left the Medical Clinic and position at the co unit office without except perhaps closest friends knowing. Of course, coun would have release about the new MO There's no reason form tl11,public. But the point council could have new MOH and ne soul. And • the qu should county co that right? What do you readers? Or don't arrangement only, after April 4,1978. The Jail will be Public again next daily basis begins' 1978 during the a.m. to 5:30 p,m.all: a through Labour D* This year we ha completed rest Governor's House receiving excelle ments. The catalo items in • the house complete, thankstaa. of a cataloguing Tura • LOOKING BACK pay $10,000 .to the Provincial Government as death duty. On Monday Jno. Sturgeon was brought before deputy Judge Holt charged :with -stealing aAtiorse belonging to his father,' ':the . charge originating through his `trading it to a gypsy named Geo. Yott. After a ` long summing up His Honor held that a jury -would not convict on the- evidence `given and discharged the defendent. 25 YEARS AGO The irft_posing new Knox Presbyterian Church-Wilt"be _officially opened. and dedicated by the • Huron - Maitland Presbytery and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, Rt.' Rev. J.A, .Maclnnis, D.D. on Thursday evening; Sept: 18. The first shipment of steel arrived fast week and preparations got underway for the $100,000 job of reconstruction of a portion of the Huron County Pioneer the corner of Wa Museum on North Street this Bennett "Streets. week. evening, Hayman he would withdra plication for 0 permit. a5:YEARS AGO The` ;,plans of developer , James Hayman, London were showed last Thursday evening following a meeting of Goderich Town Council at which a delegation of south- west residents -protested. the mid-section of the south council's 'decision to grant pier at the harbor, tentative approval . "to .Harvey Snell of Blyth was HaymanTor construction of a ultl dire in ./1141 in un 0.4 tl�ie--SOOOth-visitor---Eo�clilli�aat�:W:�...W �.�,.— __.B._..._.....�..,g�, �-..�,. An Im $17OP includeted inof the it ojt estlma 74Transpwith prgvisioofa out repalrs to,, Harbor. Susan Dunlopr opened in h professional role,: CounyoungtyactreSSaYb; PI