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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-05-25, Page 4PAGE 4—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1978 Goderich SIGNAL- STAR The County Town Newspaper of Huron founded in 1040 and published every Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of tho CWNA and OWNA. Advertising rotes on request. Subscriptions payable In advance '13.00 In Canada. '17.00 to 614.A...10.00 to all other countries. single copies 30 cents. Display echoer. tlsing rates available on request. Please ask for Rate Cord No. 0 effective Oct. 1, 1077. Second class mall Registration Number 0714. Advertising Is accepted on the condition 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 bo „paid for at the applicable rata. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or service may n.tt be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to soil, and may bo withdrawn at any time. Tho Slgnal•Star Is not responsible for the loss or damage 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 The facts are coming The people of Goderich and district are waiting now to hear from the management and finance committees at Goderich's Alexandra Marine' and General Hospital. The decision was reached last Friday to delay any lay-offs or bed closures at the local hospital until the financial statements have been audited, and and the board has had an opportunity to examine them. That should be within two weeks, according to board chairman Jo Berry. Residents of the area have been sur- prisingly quiet considering the fact that plans last week were to lay off eight nur- sing staff members and close 16 beds at the hospital effective June 1. While there has been a bit of scuttlebutt here and there in- the community, usually stirred through some relationship with hospital, employees,, the average person on the street appears unconcerned about the crisis at the hospital. Undoubtedly, people will not get upset until the bed closures and the staff reductions affect them personally. That's the way it is with many folks. Unless their own personal lives are touched by a crisis, as far as they are concerned there just is no cause for alarm. It could also be that people in Goderich r•eniember too vividly the fight to save the psychiatric hospital and the Clinton hospital not long ago.... and tend to feel now that this community is getting off luckier than some. It seemed fairly obvious back then that the. government of Ontario was going to cut health care expenses one way or another. According to Chairman Berry, the hospital board ' has had meeting after meeting to try to solve the problems at the hospital. She also admits there are problems, but she declined to elaborate, saying there will be apother statement when the financial picture at the hospital is clear to the board. Two weeks ago, the doctors who make up the Medical Advisory Committee at AM and G took an unprecedented step. They wrote a letter to the editor of The Goderich Signal -Star, pointing out that in their view the "quality and quantity of hospital care" was at stake in this town. The doctors said that in actual fact, the shortfall in the AM and G budget is only about three percent. The doctors wrote: It was difficult for the Medical Advisory Committee to reconcile that a 3.5 percent anticipated budgetary deficit had to be interpreted as a 20 percent cut in our active bed capacity. The medical men went on to argue that since July and August are "hectic months" in Goderich, with the emergency depart- ment at the hospital handling dozens of accidents and illnesses suffered by tourists and visitors, extra space must be allowed in the event that one of these patients needs hospital care. In fact, the doctors have reminded the community that it is the hospital's duty to provide a bed for any patient on an emergency basis. And finally, the Goderich doctors have pointed out that no other hospital in the county has yet found it necessary to deal with the reduced budget in the same way as Goderich proposed. In Wingham this month, doctors asked the board of Wingham and District Hospital to take a firm stand against cutbacks by demanding,' to the point of bankruptcy if necessary, that the hospital be funded at least at the same level as last year. The Wingham hospital board hasn't made a decision yet about what to do, but board members ,have suggested that a general public outcry is the "only thing that would bring results". At the Wingham hospital board meeting, which incidentally is regularly covered in full by The Wingham Advance Times, one board member, Donald Kennedy, was quoted as saying there is a need to return to the "user pays" philosophy in health care. People have the idea hospital care is all free, Kennedy said, but added, "The money isn't corning from heaven. Heaven dried up in '74 and Canada. won't see it again for a couple of decades." Dr. D. Mowbry of Wingham agreed that public involvement is "the key to the whole thing" and called ,for a campaign to "make people aware of the problems the hospital is facing," The Signal -Star in Goderich is anxious to make the people of this community aware. A good place to start would be for the hospital board to open its meetings to the public as is the case in so many towns in the vicinity. It appears that Chairman Jo Berry will begin to level with the community, just as soon as the board has a chance to examine the audited financial statements at the hospital. That is good. AM and G is a community hospital and the community is interested as well as responsible. It will be good to know the facts behind the decision.—SJK Another change It is time for another change in The Signal -Star, this time one that is more internal than external in nature. Beginning next week, with the issue of June 1, the Signal -Star will be published on a nine column format instead of the present eight column format. All Signal -Star publications are moving this week to nine columns, in keeping with a general switch across the province to the wider format. It is more an effort at standardization than anything else, and will not in any way affect the editorial Hats off! It was interesting to note in a recent report from the meeting of Goderich Township Council, that members there are making provisions to retain access to the beach in that municipality. Too many municipalities in the past have failed to protect the public's right to reach the beaches of Lake Huron from a variety of points on the mainland. A few years ago, a study was done of Huron's shoreline, and it was demonstrated that public use of the shoreline that runs the length of this county was seriously restricted because there were not enough access routes. Since • that time, municipalities along the Lakeshore have made an effort to establish access points for the public as well as municipally - operated lakefront parks and picnic sites. Goderich Township, of course, has its policy of this newspaper, or me usual tine service to advertisers. Signal -Star readers will notice very little difference in the front pages oche paper. The inside news pages will have nine news columns instead of eight, but apart from that there will be no visible changes. It is an ongoing process at Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. to maintain the highest standards for all five weekly newspapers. The change to the nine column format is just one more step towards the best possible product for you, the reading and consuming public.—SJK own lakefront park under development and should be commended for this action. But just as important is the need for access points here and there, providing John Q. Public with a way to get to those more deserted parts of the lakefront for some special peace and quiet. Property owners along the lakefront often claim to own the beaches and some would believe they do simply by virtue of the fact that no one can reach it except on foot from another part of the beach. But according to the law, property owners can only Claim rights to the high water line ... whatever or wherever that is ,.. while the beach is public domain. Goderich Township is preserving, the rigltf'tts of individuals for the future, keeping beach privileges available to all. Officials there,are leaders and deserve support and recognition., SilK l Reflections County forest, Highway 21 North a By Jeff Seddon BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER Boy oh boy, every time I pick up the daily paper these days I find something that sets my blood to flailing. This time it was a story about a fellow who tried to enroll in a meat cutting course in a community college, and found the places were all taken by manpower registrants. More fuel to fan the town -with DEAR READERS program which retrains people for the jobs that need to be done. Goodness knows there are enough people in Canada walking around fully trained for jobs that just don't need doing ... and there are certainly enough jobs to be done for which Canadians just aren't being trained. Half the t'rick in reducing unemployment is getting people trained for the jobs unemployment -insurance, that need to be done. And there's surely nothing wrong with a guy wanting to change his line of work on his own. It is even commendable when a man with deter- mination and pride endeavors to pay his own expenses for a course that will allow him to he happier or make a better living. That , kind of en- terprising people are just what Canada needs these days. So what makes my blood' boil ---about" this classic situation ... a hard working man being denied enrolment in a course simply because it is already filled with people who obviously have the same kind of goals? I'll tell you. There's something tetPPribly upsetting to me about a situation which implies, as this one does, that the unemployed in this country get 'preferential treatment. Or that the man who wants to pay his own way can't do what he wants to do because he hasn't taken the conventional route ... through the ranks of the unemployed. Or that there is even a kind of reward for being unem- flame. Seems like the fellow in question was working at a regular job, but had plans to better himself.He decided to enroll at his own expense in a meat cutting course ... and cash in on some of the big money butchers are making these days. After all, if the farmers are starving because they aren't getting enough for their beef'and pork ... and the consumers are suffering because meat prices are way out of reach ... somebody in between has to be making a bundle. Hence a meat cutting course sounds like a sure-fire money-maker. Must seem that way for a good many people, especially the unemployed. Of 52 places in a meat cutting course at Conestoga College, all were reserved for manpower registrants. Not one spot was left open for an average joe who wanted nothing more than to improve his lot in life. +++ Now this is a touchy sub- ject. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a Manpower ployed, a special benefit when you are jobless. I know that sounds like I'm, saying that working people are discriminated against in this kind of a situation ... and I know that sounds absurd. It is even untrue. And yet, that's exactly what happened to the man in this sad tale of woe. And it Snakes my blood boil. +++ Anyone who is a regular follower of Dear Readers will know that I am in favor of unemployment insurance benefits. There have been times in my own life when unemployment insurance benefits made all the dif- ference between jobs. But I sincerely resent it when to be unemployed earns a badge of honor ... a breast- plate one displays for all the world to see signifying martyrdom. And I'believe it is this kind of heroics that is driving this country's unemployment figures up and up. I don't really accept the fact that Canada cannot support the people within her boundaries. I am convinced that if all but the legitimately unemployed were taken off the UIC rolls, the figures would look much, much brighter. Not long ago I was talking to an employee of the Unemployment Insui=ance Commission. He told me that the unemployment figures are derived fronf the num- bers of people who are collecting benefits at any given time. It doesn't take much of a mathematician then, to subtract from the list of "unemployed" those persons who are on sick leave and maternity leave, those persons who left their place of employment by choice or at the request of their em- ployers, those people who are employed in seasonal jobs (fishing, logging, etc.), and of course, those people who are being retrained. These people aren't really unemployed.. They are inactive or other- wise engaged ... but not unemployed. A person who is unem- ployed is someone who simply cannot find a job :.. any job. And I suggest that the numbers of people in Canada who fit into this category are not all that great. in fact, I would;wager the number of people who are genuinely unemployed is pretty reasonable. ++--+ So where docs' that leave the poor fellow who wants to learn to he a meat cutter but can't enroll in the corse because the folks registered with manpower are filling all the places? Well• he has a few choices Turn to page 7 • Letters must be signed Last week the Signal -Star editor received a letter signed "Yours for perpetual .en- vironmental concerns'. The letter - well written and neatly presented - could not be used in the letters to the editor column because it had no other signature or means of verification. In the last paragraph of the letter, it stated that the letter was written in response to a Dear Readers column, in which Shirley J. Keller invited "comme"nts and reactions". For that reason, the letter writer points out, a signature on the letter was not necessary. ()n the contrary, all letter-, to the editor must he signed. Pen names can be used in the letters to the editor column, hut the editor must 'know the illrntity of the letter writer. In the event :hat someone calls concerning the mime of the letter writer. it is Signal -Star polic r to divulge the letter writer's identity. If the person who trr•ole this response to Dear Readers would drop into the office and sign the letter. Inc editor would he pleased to publish it in full. 11. is a good letter and one which Signitl-Stat readers would enjoy.—SJK 75 YEARS AGO Fire broke out in John Newell's house in the southeastern portion of the town about 4 o'clock Friday afternoon. The fire brigade was summoned but the nearest hydrant was at such a distance from the house that the hose did not reach within 300 feet. The residents out thatway complain of the lack of protection from fire and think the town should extend the water mains in their direction. A. Straitoh, after an ab- sence of several months occasioned by his illness, on Saturday resumed his position in charge of the G.T.R. station. The finding of a few old coins and the unearthing of one or two of the foundation stones of the old Allen hotel in the, excavation for the public LOOKING BACK library last week led to reminiscences on the part of some of the early settlers of the old days of Goderich when Allen's hotel was the centre of interest on the Lighthouse and Market Street . corner, when the elections used to last a week and when politics and beer were discussed together pretty freely at the hotel. In those days Lighthouse Street was the business street and West Street was pretty much of a swamp but after hundreds of loads of earth had been dumped there, the street began to usurp the place hitherto held by Lighthouse Street erections. The summer hotel has been put in order and is now ready for the season's tourist business which promises to be larger than ever before. Mrs. Nellie B. Smith, proprietress, says she has a large number of applicants for rooms from many former visitors as well as others. 25 YEARS AGO Cyclone -force winds comparable to the storm which battered Sarnia last Thursday, smashed at Huron County Monday night knocking down barns, tearing down hydro and telephone cables and uprooting hun- dreds of trees. Hard hit areas included Carlow, Blyth, Dungannon and Port Albert. Freak tides which caused the water in the harbor to rise and fall as much as two and a half feet occurred Monday afternoon prior to the tor- nado-like storm which slipped through Huron County on, Monday night. Police closed down about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, the games of chance being operated in connection with the midway at Agricultural Park, sponsored by the Junior Chamber of Com- merce. The midway itself was run from Monday to Wednesday night inclusive. Police stated that the games of chance were being run illegally. Youngsters from Goderich and various parts of Huron County are competing in the ,12th annual music festival in Goderich which concludes today. Louise Hind, daughter of the Reverend and Mrs. Ian G. Hind of Goderich placed first in the piano solo, six years and under class and Jennifer Jane Parsons, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Parsons placed second in the same class. 5 YEARS AGO Even though the residents in Goderich could be paying an average of $75 per home extra on their property taxes this year, the municipal budget which is nearing completion- wit! he a little more than a housekeeping budget. Initial figures in- dicated homeowners locally are facing a possible 25 mill jump for schools and" a possible five mill hike in the general levy. Negotiations between the DOMTAR Chemical Limited Sifto Salt Mine and members of local 682 of the Inter- national Chemical Workers resumed on Tuesday and talks continued on Wed- nesday morning. Attendance at the Red;. Cross Blood Donor Clinic held; , at G.D.C.I. on Wednesday, May 16 was up by 41 pints, from the last clinic held in November but short of the R` target goal by 15 pints. The tender of Murray" Johnston Construction; Limited for construction of r Mooney and Huckins Streets.' in the Industrial Park wase ' approved by Goderich Town Council last Thursday. t