HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-07-25, Page 4A
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A .page of editorial opinion July 25, 1984
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Published at If1Ingham. Ontario, P.O. Bus 390 - ti(I(a 2V0II
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Second ( la.. Matt Registration No. 0821
Solution must
On Monday evening of next week
the people of this community will have
an opportunity to assist In suggesting
the solution to a problem which con-
cerns each of us. The breakdown of the
Lower Town dam a few weeks ago has
left the' Town with a stinking eyesore
where the one -beautiful millpond
formed the focal point of the riverside
park — a park which has cost the com-
munity thousands of dollars and end-
less man-hours over the years.
We understand the Maitland Valley
Conservation authority has stated that
its funds will not be available for any
rehabilitation project because the
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be found
Lower Town pond does not provide a
worthwhile storage basin for down-
stream flood control. However, the
Authority has, in times past, provided
funds for projects which were aesthetic
rather than utilitarian in nature. Ex-
amples that come to mind are the
parks at the Falls Reserve and in East
Wawanosh Township.
In the weeks since the dam went
out we have heard several suggestions
for the return of the area to its role as a
part of the park system. It Is to be
hoped that a full turnout of interested
people will be on hand Monday evening
to discuss this very important concern.
Strange attitudes
The massacre of 21 people in a
California restaurant last week shock-
ed no“only the people of the United
States, but certainly Canadians as well.
The man who did the shooting was ob-
viously deranged and sympathy is felt
for his wife and family as well as those
who are mourning the senseless killing
of their own relatives.
The question which comes to mind,,
is, why are Americans so insistent 'on
the right to buy and keep guns? One
American commentator made the
point that it is easier to buy a gun than
to purchase a pop-up toaster.
For some obscure reason many
Americans view the possession of fire-
arms as an inalienable right — in the
same category as freedom of speech
and worship. perhaps they have
watched too many cowboy pictures. Of
course we have a certain percentage of
Canadians who think along the same
lines, protesting that gun -control laws
are ineffective because a criminal can
always get a gun if he wants one.
That portion of the argument is
true, but it is not the confirmed crim-
inal who create the majority of
tragedies. It is the ordinarily law-abid-
ing citizen who suddenly loses control
and has a gun handy, with plenty of
ammunition to kill a wife, a child — or
in this case any living human within his
sights.
A strange, contrast in attitudes -is
provided by - a White House decision
last week that those states in the Union
which do not raise the drinking age to
21 will be penalized by loss of federal
funds.
Death is just as final whether the
victim is killed by a drunken driver or
.by an insane gunman.
Daylight safety factor
Have you noticed an increasing
number of the cars you meet in day-
light driving are travelling with their
headlights on? The drivers of these ve-
hicles have taken a note from the book
of safety regulations for motorcycle
operators.
It is a simple fact that it is much
easier to see an oncoming vehicle,
whether in daylight or at dusk, if that
vehicle's headlights are turned on. As
two vehicles approach one another at
combined speeds of one hundred miles
an hour or more the instant decision of
one driver to pull to his left in order to
pass a car ahead of him does not leave
time enough to ascertain whether or
not an oncoming car might, for the
moment, be covered by the shadow of a
tree or partially obscured by a slight
dip in the road surface.
- Despite the fact that we usually
can see an approaching vehicle in day-
light, why should we not add the extra
insurance by visible headlights? It
doesn't cost a cent to use headlamps
either day and night, so why not take
the added precaution?
It is rumored that by law cars a few
years hence will have' to be equipped
with automatic 24-hour headlights, but
you can enjoy the same benefits right
now by developing a similar habit to
the ones which prompt your tp close the
car doors and fasten the seat belts.
The price is not right
The United Auto Workers have
commenced contract talks with both
General Motors and Ford In Canada, a
bargaining round which is predicted to
be one of the toughest in automotive
history.
Having made wage concessions to
the manufacturers during the tough
years of the recent recession, the UAW
leaders now demand pay hikes, in-
creased benefits and shorter working
hours. One of their strongest argu-
ments for pay increases is the fact that
quite a few of the senior executives in
the manufacturing companies are
being paid tremendous salaries
Some of them well over' a minion dol-
lars a year. It would thus appear there
is some justification for the union's de-
mands.
It does not seem to have occurred
to either managers or union that such
high wages and salaries continue to
create a very high price for cars and
' trucks, and so contribute very materi-
ally to inflation. Auto workers are
among the highest paid production
workers on the continent and certainly
with management salaries ranging
over a million dollars, their product is
bound to be very costly for the buyers
— Which it is.
Unpopular patronage
A good many friends and support-
ers of former Prime Minister Pierre
Trudeau have found that their loyallty
has paid off in a big way. In a spate of
appointments on the eve of his depart-
ure from office Mr. Trudeau placed
well over two hundred (perhaps even
closer to four hundred) former hench-
men in lucrative offices, many of which
are lifetime posts.
The Canadian Bar Association was
angered by Trudeau's appointment Of a
judge to the Federal Court of Canada
without any consultation with the
lawyers' association. The bar associa-
tion would not name the appointee but
it is generally believed the man in
question was Yvon Pinard, former Lib-
eral House Leader.
Former cabinet minister Bryce
Mackasey was named as Canada's
ambassador to Portugal — and the
• Portugese government was not con-
sulted — afiotti'er unprecedented
breach of good international manners.
A flock of Liberal pals were named
BIKE & BUGGY PARADE—Led by the Wingham Canadettes and the
Wingham Optimist Community Band, youngsters on gaily -decorated
bicycles and some witn wagons and baby buggies made their way
down Josephine Street in the bike and buggy parade held during the
Wingham and Turnberry bicentennial weekend celebrations. A
number of the entries harkened back to days gone by, inkeeping with
the bicentennial theme of the weekend.
Items from Our Old Files
JULY 1937
Harvey Groves, the heavy
hitter of the local baseball
nine, left to take a position in
Chatham. Bob will be missed
by the local team not only for
his hitting but also behind
the bat.
Miss Nora Bell of Wing-
ham will be the new assist-
ant at the Bruce County Hos-
pital at Walkerton, succeed-
ing Miss Frances MacDou-
gall who recentlyr• resigned
Miss Bell is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Matt Bell of
Wingham.
The Wingham Hospital
Association -is holding a
garden party on the hospital
lawn to -commemorate the
30th anniversary of the
founding of the hospital.
Hon. J. A. Faulkner,
Minister. of Health, will
address the gathering and an
interesting feature of the
evening will be the unveiling
of a bronze memorial plaque
in memory of the late Dr. J.
P. Kennedy.
Lucknow School Board re-
engaged the -entire teaching
staff at the public and high
schools and increased
salaries to the amount of
$350. The board decided to
have music taught for half
an hour a day in First Form
as well as continuing it in the
public school. Miss Peggy
MacDonald has been
engaged as the instructor at
a salary of $200.
Turning of the first sod for
the building of the Canadian
end of the international
bridge at Sarnia was ob-
served at Point Edward in
the presence of a gathering
of the people of the village of
Sarnia -Port Huron.
Mr. and Mrs. James
Douglas are moving their
to the Senate of Canada, thus further
contributing to the uselessness of that
expensive public body.
Many, perhaps all of these ap-
pointments were filled by capable men
and women who will serve their coun-
try with competence. But the rub
comes in the fact that the prime reason
for these rewards was a history of use-
ful service to the former prime minis-
ter.
Canada should have an upper
house. The senior statesmen who oc-
cupy the Senate chairs should provide
the guidance of long experience In of-
fice but under present rules of appoint-
ment there is no way we can expect un-
biased or even very useful service from
that body. The Liberal party has been
i►voffice for so long that the Senate will
have a Liberal majority for years to
come, even though another party might
be in power. How can we possibly ex-
pect unbiased opinions from a body, the
majority of whose members owe their
positions and incomes to the party
which appointed them?
household effects to their
home 'in the village of
Wroxeter this . week and to
them a hearty welcome is
extended.
JULY 1949
Fred C. Fuller was ap-
pointed a Grand Standard
Bearer at the sessions of the
Masonic Grand Lodge of
Ontario at Toronto. The
appointment was made by
the Grand Master. Thomas.
J. Salkeld. of Lucknow was
elected District Deputy
Grand Master for North
Huron. -
Mildred and Evelyn Cook,
daughters of Mr, and Mrs.
George Cook of Belgrave,
were successful in passing
their respective exams of the
Royal Conservatory of Music
on Toronto, Mildred in Grade
1 Theory and Evelyn in
Grade IV piano.
The board of overseas
missions of the United
Church of .Canada has an-
nounced that Rev. John C.
Thompson of Toronto has
been appointed for
evangelistic work in
Trinidad. Mrs. Thompson is
the former Tena. Reid,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Alex Reid, Edward Street.
A tool and repair shop at
St. Helens was destroyed by
fire, with building and
contents being destroyed.
The 63 -year-old building was
one of the landmarks of the
district. The repair business
has been operated for the
past 10 years by Alex Purvis.
Miss Mildred McClena-
ghan of Whitechurch has
taken a position in the offices
of Dr. Connell and Dr, Corrin
and commenced her duties
there on Monday.
Carpenters have been busy
during the past week
erecting a house on the farm
of Myles St. Marie, near
Whitechurch. They finished
shingling the roof on
Saturday.
JULY 1960.
The Wingham Girl Guides
donated a piano to the
Golden Circle School. Part of
the money used for the
purchase was raised when.
the Guides held a tea
Mr,; :and Mrs. • Raymond
Laidlaw have purchased a
new home on Wingham's
Victoria Street and will
move there at the end of the
month.
Mr. and Mrs. Bower •
Farrish and three sons of
Gorrie were honored at a
large gathering in the Gorrie
Community Hall. The family
has moved to Goderich.
where Mr. Farrish is em-
ployed with Dominion Road
Machinery.
Two adjacent landmarks
on the main street of
Wingham are nearing ,
complete demolition as
workmen tear them apart
for salvage. The buildings
are located between the
Gospel Hall and the curling
rink.
Work is underway on the
construction of two diving
towers for the swimming
area near the Howson Dam.
The boards;on.the two,towers
will be at different heights
from the water,:. , ,.. • :.
Public Works Minister
Ray Connell and Charles
MacNaughton, MPP for
Huron, have announced
calling of tenders for con-
struction of a new mental
hospital atGoderich. Cost of
the first stage . of con-
struction is estimated at
about $3;500,000.
JULY 1970
Mr. and "'Mrs. Clarence
Lewis moved from their
home a.. Grimsby to the
apartment Mr. and Mrs.
LVeeov Books in the Library
FLIGHT FROM SORROW
by Felicity Barringer
A carefully researched,
true,, ortrait of Tamara
Wall," ho was admired by
those who loved her yet was
"nothing special" to others.
Most people knew her only
during the 25 years she lived
in America, not knowing she
had been shunted from Nazi
Germany to Stalin's Siberia
and, alone of her family, had
survived. In Washington she
was beaten by her husband,
raised a ' handicapped
daughter alone and lost her
job, the innocent victim of a
Capitol Hill scandal. She was
truly an indomitable woman.
FATE IS THE HUNTER by
Ernest Gann °
This classical memoir on
aviation is back in print. Itis
partly autobiographical,
partly a chronicle of some of
the most memorable and
courageous pilots the reader
will ever encounter in print.
Above all, the book is about
the workings of fate, studded
with characters as .memor-
able as the dramas in which
they are involved.
Jutzi occupied on Josephine
Street. Mrs. Lewis is the
former Helen Paterson of
Whitechurch.
Lists of teacher transfers
were presented to the Huron
County Board of Education.
Miss Barbara Chesney goes
to Howick• Central from
Seaforth; Heinz Hoernig
goes to , Central Huron from.
F. E.. Madill; Miss Dianna
�a icer gees to ,>! . E. Wdill
from GocTerich' and'Miss i
Barbarai>l)eaa;On goes to
Blyth and Hulled from
Howick.
Paul Henderson of the
Torontor Maple Leafs and
Gary. Doak of the Boston
Bruins were entered in the
Men's Invitational Golf •
Tournament 'played at the
Wingham Golf Course but
'had to concede to Jim Bell of
Kincardine as he took the
trophy. -
Mr., and Mrs. Robert
Casemore and family moved
recently to their new home in
Watford. Mr. Casemore was
. formerly with the. Depart-
ment of Transport in Kenora
and has been transferred to a
similar post in the Sarnia
area.
Gerry Marks of Alfred
Street, a Grade 10 student at
F. E. Madill Secondary
School, is one of 24 teenage
boys of a specially selected
group which has embarked
on learn -as -you -work studies
of natural resources in three
southern Ontario Conserva-
tion Authority Watersheds.
Newspapers
join Ontario
Press Council
Two more daily news-
papers, The Kenora Miner
and News and The Wood-
stock Sentinel Review, have
joined the Ontario Press
Council, Chairman J. Allyn
Taylor announced recently.
The ,..announcement comes
less than three weeks after a
similar one 'about The
Oshawa Times.
"The welcome decisions
by these three newspapers
encourages me to hope that
we may be at the start of a
final movement toward 100 -
'per -cent participation by
Ontario's 42 English-
language dailies," he said.
Now only four dailies —
The Lindsay , Post, Niagara
Falls Review, Peterborough
Examiner and Sudbury Star
— remain ttutside the
council, he noted, adding he
expects one of the four to join
before long.
The number of newspapers
in the council now stands at
97, with 38 daily and 59
community newspapers.
That compares with just 10
dailies and' 14 community
newspapers at the beginning
of 1982, when the council was
midway 'through its first 10
years.
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