The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-03-14, Page 5CE "NT'�
CAN ; in ljam Sabbance®Eime0
G Published at Wingham, Ontario, P.O. Box 390 • NOG i2w9
b`
Wenger Bros. Limited
Barry Wenger: President
Henry Hess, Editor
Robert O. Wenger. Sec.-Treas.
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page of editorial opinion
,77
March 14, 1984
An industry in
Yet another task force has held
hearings_ and produced a report con-
firming that agriculture in Ontario is in
a state of crisis. In fact, the title of the
report released last week by the NDP
caucus task force on agriculture sug-
gests that if the proper steps are not
taken, and quickly, the family farm
may be a thing of the past.
Among its major recommenda-
tions it calls for a newinflux of low-cost
capital through revitalization of the
Province of Ontario Savings Offices,
higher interest cost subsidies, subsi-
dies, on the sale of all beef cattle, hogs
and sheep produced and marketed in
Ontario and a substantial increase in
the provincial budget for agriculture.
There is no denying that agri-
culture today is a deeply troubled
industry and that many of its problems
— everything from bankruptcy t9 soil
erosion and loss of fertility — can be
(raced in one form or another to the
need for money. But it is dismaying to
find that no serious attempt has yet
been made to examine the problems
and the proposed solutions in terms of
the evolution of the farming industry.
"The family farm cannot be allowed to
disappear/' the report says, and few
would disagree. But what is the family
farm today, and where is it headed?
Agriculture is an industry in
transition, with all the problems that
accompany revolutions in production
techniques. In some ways its situation
may be likened to that of the small
artisans whose livelihood was . wiped
out by the industrial revolution. Aside
from the name, the family farm of to,
day bears scant resemblance to that of
100 or even 50 years ago.
The traditional family farm was
not a capital -intensive industry. Typ-
ically small and diversified, it was
seldom highly profitable but was able
to cope with fluctuations in the "econ-
omy and the marketplace. Its success
transition
depended more on the sheer hard work
of the farmer and his whole family than
on the sympathies of the local banker.
Equipment was often rudimentary and
suited to the scale of the enterprise;
larger equipment such as threshing,
machines was not purchased but hired
in as required. If the hours were long
and the labor often backbreaking, this
was seen as the price to be paid for in-
dependence in a chosen way of life.
The typical farm of today is quite
different. Larger, more specialized and
far more mechanized, it is by contrast
a sort of food factory, able to produce
vast quantities of meat or grain with
only a fraction of the labor. Such ef-
ficiency did not come without a price,
however. The factory farm also has a
vast appetite -for capital, making it vul-
nerable to increased interest rates or
falling commodity prices.
It is quite conceivable that some of
the'problems facing agriculture can be
eased, at least in the short term, by the
application of so-called "green poul-
tices", but throwing money at a prob-
lem will not necessarily make it go
away. Band-aid solutions will reduce
irritation, but Can heal only the most
superficial of wounds.
What is needed is a closer look at
where the agricultural industry stands
today in terms of its economic evolu-
tion and where it is headed. This may
require - asking uncomfortable ques-
tions about today's farming practices,
including the massive reliance on
enormously expensive equipment and
chemicals which produce impressive
efficiency in terms of labor but may
threaten the viability of agriculture in
the long term.
The long-term health of farming is
—vita lly i npor- n4 -to -us -al i -t -t has-beeru
said, and rightly so, that our whole civ-
ilization depends on the top six inches
of the earth's. soil. It is time for a closer
look at how we are managing our
legacy.
Career catastrophes
Conscientous journalists always
face the ethical question, "To name or
not to name?" In layman's language
the question confronting newspaper
writers is simply, "Should we print the
names of persons who have been ac-
cused of crimes, but have not yet been
proven guilty?"
Many of us in the field of journal-
ism, including this writer, believe that
in most cases justice is better served
by withholding such names until guilt
or innocence has been established.
The classic illustration is the case
of Nurse Susan Nelles, who was charg-
ed with murder in the deaths of several
babies at Sick Children's Hospital in
Toronto. Her case never came to trial
becausea preliminary hearing decided
The good
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that there was not enough evidence to
warrant a continuance of the charge.
Nevertheless her career was left in a
shambles; her father, a respected doc-
tor, died of a heart attack presumably
precipitated by anxiety for his daugh-
ter.
Now, however, careers are being
destroyed right and left by the publicity
surrounding the hearings of the Grange
Commission into those same infant
deaths. Since the hearings are not
being conducted in a court of law re-
porters cannot be ordered to withold
names of persons under suspicion —
persons who have not even been
charged with a crime. Charged or not,
we fear they will find it hard to work as
nurses after the hearings are over.
r
nd the bad
A recent article in the National
Geographic Magazine dealt with the
wonderful world of lasers — the tech-
nology by which light rays, even weak
ones, can be harnessed and amplified
to perform unheard of tasks. The use-
fulness of lasers ranges all the way
from reading the price symbols on your
grocery packages to destructive power
sufficient to shoot a satellite out of
space.
Almost every scientific advance in
the history of man has brought with it
the powers of both good and evil. When
our ancient ancestors learned how
much better their meat tasted after it
had been exposed to the heat of the
campfire they must have been delight-
ed — but that same fire no doubt
burned down many a painfully -con-
structed family hut.
Nuclear energy was introduced to
mankind in Us most horrible form as
hundreds of thousands of innocent Jap-
anese fried in its hellish heat. Never-
theless that same energy l.C911 dilu ooes
bring to us many benefits.
It is in the field of medicine that
lasers have proven to be most useful to
mankind. For several years surgeons
have been 'using these tiny beams of
light to perform operations which were
impossible as long as the scalpel was
the doctor's only implement. With laser
technology the surgeon can repair a
torn retina at the back of a human eye;'
he can safely excise a brain tumor
which would otherwise prove fatal. The
list goes on, not only as it pertains to
surgery but in hundreds of other areas
in both science and industry.
Sad though it may be, we might as
well accept the fact that the knowledge
which can bring such untold misery to
human beings invariably is accom-
panied by the potential for untold bene-
fits. Perhaps this is but a part of the
test to which Adam and Eve were sub-
jected. As God's children we must for-
ever make up our own minds in the
choice between good and evil.
Better pull together
Just prior to the announcement
that Mr. Trudeau was going to step
down as leader of the Liberal party
there were rumors flying that the Pro-
gressive Conservatives were beginning
to split into Clark and Mulroney fac-
tions. Probably the sudden reality of an
approaching election will bury, at least
for the moment, that old Tory weak-
ness — divisiveness within their own
rari'ks.
No matter who is chosen as the new
leader of the Liberal party, the PCs
simply cannot face the risk of divided
loyalties. The Liberals have lots of
s/
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7
e
Items from Old Files
MARCH 1937
Highway No. 4, from the
sixth of Morris to Wingham,
will be paved this year,
according to a telegram
received from Charles A.
Robertson, M.L.A.
• The Hydro Shop has
moved into new quarters,
corner of John and Josephine
Streets. This building, which
has been completely
renovated, is now one of the
most modern in Western
Ontario. The second floor
has been fitted up for three
offices. Dr. A. W. Irwin has
'r�th�
e
€aE ?se -t
ara- frs�nt t'h
middle office is occupied by
A. M. Bishop, representative
of Isard, Robertson and Co.
and the back office is still
vacant.
• Charles Carter of East
Wawanosh has purchased
the ` farm of William
Wellings,.north half of Lot 40,
Concession 12, East Wawa -
nosh.
In the federal estimates
for public works for Western
Ontario, brought down in the
House last week, was $15,000
for a new post office in
Lucknow.
Death claimed Howie
Morenz at 34 years or age
after he suffered a heart
attack in a Montreal hospital
where he was recuperating
from a broken leg. For years
he has been a star in the
National Hockey League and
an idol of fans everywhere.
Mr. and Mrs. Collins and
family of Elora have moved
to Wroxeter. Mr. Collins is to
succeed Mr. Leggitt as agent
at the C.P.R. station.
MARCH 1949
Howard Gardiner
Brockville has been ap-
pointed manager of the
Wingham branch of Walker
Stores Limited, replacing C.
E. Richey who left for Arn-
prior.
In honor of W. F.
Burgman, who retires from
C.N.R. service in March, his
fellow employees met to
present him with a token of
remembrance and wish him
and Mrs. Burgman many
years of health and hap-
piness.
Sperling Johnston has
purchased the farm of 'Mrs.
George Wheeler, • Lot 40,
Concession 1, Morris, and
will take possession April 1.
Mrs. Wheeler will continue
to reside there.
From the Chatham Daily
News, comes the word that
Kent County got its first peek
at something different in
modern merchandising with
the official opening of Boyes
and Herd Men's Store. The
modern shop is co -owned by
Jack Herd, a former
Winghamite.
R. E. McKinney of London
has bought the property on
Minnie Street, formerly
owned by Mrs. A. Taylor of
the Queens and at present
occupied by R. R. Hobden of
the Bank of Commerce.
strong men and3'women in their ranks
and unquestionably one of them will
emerge as a very lively threat to Mr.
Mulroney.
Polis taken In recent months have
indicated that the Tories are well in
front of the Liberals In popular support.
However, the last thing the PCs can af-
ford is complaceny. Despite the polls
they will not be a shoo-in by any stretch
of the., imagination. The Liberals have
the experience, the funds and above all,
the organization to put up a very stiff
battle. The Tories would do well to
close ranks.
Carnival and David
Hemingway was King of the
Carnival. Winning prizes for
best costumes were Mrs.
Eldon Wilson, Garry Wilson,
David Hemingway, Sandra
Michel, Maxine Machan,
Wayne Lowe, Laurel Hem-
ingway, Marjorie Kieffer
and Don Hemingway. Mur-
ray Lowe was the best clown.
Mrs. Gordon Greig was
elected president of the
Wroxeter Women's Institute.
Vice presidents are Mrs. J.
Simmons, Mrs. H. Wylie and
Mrs. L. Douglas. Mrs. W.
r •
.Da�,vsarat i�---seretes y
treasurer.
Several new street lights
are being installed in the
village of Gorrie.
Local Ty. fns were tickled
to see Al Cherny on Country
Hoedown last week, when he
put on a fine demonstration
of novelty fiddling and drew
enthusiastic applause from
the studio audience.
At the Sunday morning
service in Bluevale United
Church, the minister, A. H.
Neelon, announced his in-
tention of resigning at the
end of June. He has been
minister at Bluevale and
Whitechurch for nearly two
years. He and Mrs. Neelon
plan to take a course in
Toronto, leading to fulltime
work in social serviceill-t e_
Salvation Army.
MARCH 1970
Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Moffatt
have moved to the house
they recently purchased
School enrolment.
declines in Huron
Enrolment at Huron Coun-
ty elementary and secon-
dary schools for this Septem-
ber is.expected to be down by
159 students with 'the result
that there will be 10.9 fewer
teaching positions.
The Huron County Hoard
of Education, at its March 5
meeting, approved a 1984-85
teaching staff of 588, includ-
ing both full and parttime
teachers. There are present-
ly 598.9 teaching positions in
Huron's elementary and
;""Secondary schools and
schools for the trainable
mentally retarded.
of Peter Gryseels, superin-
tendent of personnel, said
the reduction of 5.8 teaching
' positions at the elementary
level is expected to be
handled through attrition.
This means that enough
teachers may retire or leave
the Huron County school sys-
tem to make it unnecessary
to let any teachers go.
There are currently 330.8
elementary school teaching
positions.
Mr. Gryseels said it is
hoped that a similar situa-
tion will occur at the
secondary level where 7.5
teaching positions will be
eliminated for this Septem-
ber.
If not, the superintendent
said some teachers with
temporary contracts may
have to be let go. There are
MARCH 1960
A rink from Wingharn
attended the Legion bonspiel
at Palmerston and won the
Labatt Trophy. The curlers
from Wingham were Cy
Scott, Jack Bateson, George
Brooks and Don Adams.
Patsy Bryans was named
Queen of the Brussels
from Ernie King, selling the
Bluevale store in which they
served the community well
for 25 years. Mr. and Mrs.
Fred Leaver, Terry, Debbie
and Brian of Kitchener, have
taken over the store and
moved into the residence
vacated by Mr. and Mrs.
Moffatt.
Miss Rhonda Fear of
l elgrave and Miss Sheila
France of Wingham are
completing two weeks of
practice teaching at the
Hullett Central School,
Londesbore. They are
students 'at Stratford._.
Teachers' College.
The Howick Lions Club, at
a recent meeting, decided to
lend its sponsorship to the
Eye Ban program of the
Canadian National Institute
for the Blind. This is a
project in which all Lions
Clubs are urged to take an
active part and the Howick
Club welcomed the op-
portunity to participate. -
Two new directors, Paul
Rintoul and Richard Bray,
were appointed to the
Wingham Community Credit
Union at the annual meeting
held in the Legion Hall.
A reception was heid in the
Whitechurch hall for Mr. and
Mrs. Robert . Mowjiray
(Cassie Falconer). They
were presented with a gift of
money.
Membership pins were
presented at the meeting of
the Ladies' Auxiliary to the
Royal Canadian Legion.
Mrs. Stewart Forsyth, Mrs.
Joe King, Mrs. Bessie
McLean and Mrs. Lola
Sanderson received 25 -year
pins. Mrs. Ernie Lewis
received a 40 -year pin. Mrs.
Lewis has been a member of
the Wingham auxiliary since
1935.
now 239 seconuary school
teaching positions.
Mr. Gryseels said there
may be special considera-
tions made regarding
secondary school teachers,
particularly at smaller
schools. As an example, he
said if there were a small
number, such as 10, of Grade
13 students at Seaforth Dis-
trict High School requiring a
specific subject, a teacher
may have to be hired to en-
able these students to re-
ceive their diplomas.
There were staffing in-
creases at both schools for
the trainable mentally re-
tarded (TMR) and student
services. The TMR staff will
increase by one teacher to
10.5 teaching positions and
1,4 positions will be added at
the student services bringing
that staff up to 17.
Included in the teaching
staff are four co-ordinators.
Over all enrolment in
Huron County is expected to
go down by 1.6 per cent or re-
duce from 10,029 students to
9,870.
The elementary school
figures show a decline of 82
students, from 6,132 to 6,050.
The secondary school num-
bers indicate there will be a
decline of 81 students from
3,829 to 3,748.
There will be an increase
of four trainable mentally
retarded students, from 68 to
72.
Dubious future
The death of Yuri Andropov, leader
of the vast might which is the Soviet
Union, and the advent of his successor,
Konstantin Chernenko, have been the
centre of world attention. The personal
reaction between the Russian leader
and the president of the United States is
a matter of grave concern to the entire
world.
President Reagan's aggressive
stance, while popular with many, if not
most Americans appears to other
nations as an unnecessary Irritant in a
dangerous situation.
Chernenko's response to the Rea-
gan pronouncements has been, as one
might expect, equally stern and unre-
lenting. However, some new doubts
were projected into the situation last
the truth about
marketing rds
Dear Editor,
As both a beef and dairy
farmer, I enjoyed reading
your two recent editorials,
"Selling a pig in a poke" on
central deslt beef'selling and
"You figure it out" dealing
with the Harrowsmith
Cheese Factory in Frontenac
County which can only get 60
to 70 per cent of- its milk
needs from the OMMB.
This past month I had the
pleasure of being asked to
speak on marketing boards
before the new deputy
minister of agriculture, Dr.
Clay Switzer, and three of his
associates on Feb. 17 in
Toronto. Three other free
enterprise farmers were also
there for the discussion. We
had a most interesting
meeting with the deputy and
I got 'a thank -you letter back
for our input.
I would like to thank both
The Advance -Times and
Murray Gaunt at CKNX for
letting me speak out on the
truths in marketing. I am
sure the minister is going to
have some very difficult
decisions to make on central
desk selling of cattle and the
direction some marketing
boards have taken with
quotas and their value.
Some of the things learned
at the meeting are as
follows:
1. Some poultry pr
now have over a
dollars worth of ,quota
a young farmer startin up
farming is only allowed to
keep 100 hens.
2. The government knows
that by legalizing com-
pulsory marketing boards
with quota they have created
a monster and they don't
know what to do about it.
'kers
illion'
w
3. They also know that
selling, special privileges to
apeelal- people -i rally
wrong because it discrimin-
ates against young and small
farmers. The rich get richer
and the poor get poorer.
A wildlife area expected to
become a major attraction
for hunters and naturalists,
and thousands of Canada
geese, will be established in
Hullett Township, Huron
County. It will be north of
Highway 8 between Clinton
and Seaforth.
Jim Harding of the Ford-
wich -area, . who recently
graduated from Guelph.
University, has taken a
position with Can -Farm,
Canadian Farm Manage-
ment
anagement Data System at
Guelph, and commenced his
duties Monday.
week when the new Russian leader,
undertook his first major speech to the
Soviet government. He rambled from
his text several times, had difficulty
maintaining an audible voice and at
one point lost -'his place in his notes. So-
viet TV cameramen swung their lenses
away from the speaker for an embar-
rassing 30 "seconds of silence while
Chernenko scrambled through his
papers before continuing his address.
All of which sounds unpromising for a
long career In public life.
He is an old man, but Ronald Rea-
gan is no spring chicken either. If re-
elected this fall he will be well Into his
late>seventies before his next term of
office Is completed. Something to think
about.
4. The government was
also quite concerned that
some farmers are so in favor
of quotas and others are
against.
I suppose one of our able
commissioners, Mr. Ralph
Barrie, stated it quite clearly
when he sold out his dairy
herd this past summer,
stating publicly that he sold
out mainly because of the
high price of quota. For him
it was a dream come true,
sort of like winning a lottery.
But for the young farmer
who buys his quota and
borrows money from Farm
Credit or the bank, it is the
beginning of a long night-
mare and I know some who
have gone this road and have
now joined the Survival
group.
Three young dairy far-
mers in our area quit in the
last month because they
can't afford to buy the quota
from the family farm.
5. The government seemed
rather surprised that they
had four free enterprise
farmers sitting across the
table from them who didn't
have both hands out for some
kind of money gain for
themselves. All we wanted
was our right and the right of
our children and grandchild-
ren to farm and be
responsible for their own
actions without government
ards telling them who
ld farm and who couldn't.
Glen Van Camp
RR 4, Brussels
Support
hospital
Dear Editor,
In the 21 years that our
family has resided in
PRESS COUNCIL
The Advance -Times is
a member of the ("Mario
Press Council which will
consider written com-
plaints about the publica-
tion of news, opinions
and advertising. If a com-
plaint can't be resolved
with the newspaper, it
should be sent' to the On-
tario Press Council, 151
Slater St., Suite 708, Ot-
tawa, Ont. K1 P 5H3.
Wingham, we have had
excellent quality care from
our local doctors and nursing
staff at the Wingham and
District Hospital. Without
the hospital our son could
have lost ,his life when he
needed an emergency ap-
pendectomy some years ago.
We will strongly support
local doctors and personally
intend to have our health
care needs looked after by
local doctors' in the Wingham
and District Hospital.
Updated and modern
equipment for our hospital
will be an ongoing priority to
enable our doctors to meet
our health needs.
Patricia Bailey
Wingham
TODAY'S CHILD
It's easy to see from
David's expression that
he's very alert. Those
beautiful bright eyes
don't miss much. At 8
months, David is an
inquisitive, busy • little
boy who delights in
pulling things off the
coffee table when he's
not rummaging for toys
or playing with his
busy. box. What isn't
apparent from his pic-
ture is that David is
handicapped physi-
cally. He was born with
the condition known as
Spina Bifida, where the
spine hasn't completely.
formed and doesn't
connect with the nerves
leading to the lower
half Of the body. It's a
little early to know for
sure, but it is thought
that David will likely
be confined to a wheel-
chair in future,
although some children
with his condition do
walk with the help of
BY JUDITH. ADAMS
braces, at least for a
time.
David isn't letting his
physical limitations
bother him much, and
he's devloping nor-
mally apart from his •
handicaps. He's an out-
going, happy child and
he has a lot of determi-
nation. He's extremely
sociable and the other
children where he lives
have a wonderful time
playing with him.
David has a special
chair which helps him
sit up, and he spends a
lot of happy time sit-
ting in it, playing with
toys that have lots of
moving parts.
He is seen regularly
at the Hospital for Sick
Children and the Crip-
pled Children's Centre,
and has daily exercises
for his leg muscles.
David also has a shunt
which drains spinal
fluid, and presents no
problems.' Parents who
adopt David will be
people who can con-
tinue his important
therapeutic programs
and appreciate him for
the delightful little per-
son he is.
To inquire about
adopting David, please
write to Today's Child,
Box 888, Station K,
Toronto, describing
your family and `your
way of life.
1