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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1969-11-13, Page 4PAGE FOUR ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1969 EDUCATION ESSENTIAL FOR YOUNG VOTERS It appears highly probable that the federal govern- ment will press for passage of legislation to reduce the voting age from 21 to 18 during the next session of Parliament. It is a proposal which is bound to leave all opposition parties out in left field, for if they fight the bill they will be branded as enemies of the younger generation. Because the Liberals hold such a strong majority the legislation is bound to be passed and its opponents would be branded for years to come as antagonists of youth - almost as fatal as being opposed to motherhood. The argument in favor of reducing the voting age can be supported by many valid reasons, the most dramatic of which is that if a man is old enough to offer his life for his country at 18 he should surely be old enough to vote. However, no young man is expected to risk his life on a battlefield without training. Young Canadians have not been adequately trained to deal wisely with a ballot. Our secondary schools in Ontario do have a fairly comprehensive course in civics, which provides in- formation on the structure of the Canadian parlia- mentary system, but we can find no significant evidence that any sizeable number of young people have developed a real interest in the political scene by the end of their high school years. A surprising proportion of people under 21 are unable to give the names of the mayors and reeves who hold office in their own municipalities. We are not down -grading young people. It is a simple fact that until such time as they are married and begin to pay rents or property taxes and to be concerned about the educational and health facili- ties available for their children, elections and those who seek public office fail to hold their attention. From the politician's viewpoint the reduction in voting age could be a bonanza or a disaster depend- ing on the party to which they belong. Prime Min- ister Trudeau has a well -proven appeal to young people and if his administration pays them the compliment of trusting an additional million and a half youngsters with the vote, the Liberal party could count on a beautiful nest -egg of solid support. Mr. Stanfield, on the other hand, is not the type of Ieader who has any appeal tor the youthtul. His Progressive -Conservatives would, in all probability reap very few of the new votes. Tommy Douglas of the NDP is scarcely more attractive to the youngsters. Talking over this same subject with some of our high school students recently, they suggested that the voting system used for students' council might offer a useful pattern. In a school election the low- er grades can cast only one vote, while the ballots cast by upper grade students are counted as two or three votes. This system recognizes the value of experience and its importance in the selection of responsible leaders. We have nothing against young people and cer- tainly would never oppose any freedoms which they can handle wisely, but we do feel that there is a real danger their voting power could be used as a political tool rather than as a recognition of their status in the nation. (Wingham Advance Times) READ BEFORE YOU SIGN One of the most pathetic of outcries comes from the person who has signed a petition at the behest of a friend or neighbour, and then wails later on that he didn't realize what he was sign- ing, Even the most illiterate should realize that affixing one's signature to any document is an act which should be made only after careful co- nsideration and full understanding of .the text mat- ter to which the signature is subscribed. So many people will sign whatever is put in front of them that the value of the petition as a valid document to present to a board or council is increasingly under question. If you don't know what it's all about -for heaven's sake don't sign it, (Wingham Advance- Times) November is a nightmare It doesn't require a high IQ to realize that the world is going to hell in a hurry. All you have to do is read, look and listen. Vietnam, that great canker, continues to suppurate. There is an explosion imminent in the Middle East. China and Russia are ,snarling at each other • in outer Mongolia or somewhere. There are a dozen or more brush -wars in pro- gress. Then there's pollution and inflation and discrimination, and high taxes and shortage of housing, and student riots and sexual freedom and drugs among the kids, just to men- tion a few other jollies. Top this off with coronaries and constipation, lung cancer and livers turning to stone, abortions and acne, and it's hard to believe the ragged old human race can keep it finger in the dyke much longer. As if that isn't enough, it's November in Canada, a thought to chill the spirit, cur- dle the blood, make the bones ache and turn one's thoughts to Hamlet: "To be or not to be; that is the question." Personally, I'd prefer not to be, in November. But I haven't the guts to commit suicide. However, anyone who'd care to finish me off is welcome. November is a month that should be deleted from the cal- endar, by act of Parliament, if necessary. It's given a perfect send-off by the horrors of Hallaween. This is kind of fun when your kids are little. They're excited and you're delighted. But when they've grown up, and you have an entire evening of answering the doorbell and smiling heartily at surly ur- chins who sneer at your Mc- Intosh apples and snarl, "Hav- en't ya got any chocolate bars?", its charm fades a little. Then there's everything else that November brings, Snow tires neglected until too late. Storm windows ditto. Freezing winds. Rain that turns to snow, Last year's rubbers leaking. Dirt tracked in. The glories of autumn have vanished. The pleasures of win- ter are not yet. All you have is a grey, ulcerous, dirty, sodden, ZURICH Citizens NEWS PRINTED BY SOUTH HURON PUBLISHERS LIMITED, ZURICH HERB TURKHEIM, Publisher Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385 �aqs SEE Member: •+�*�` Canadian Weekly. Newspapers Association'` Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association Subscription Rates: $3.50 per year in advance in Canada; $4.50 in United States and Foreign; single copies 10 cents Bonus Interest November 1 to November 14! Money you move to a special savings account at Victoria and Grey Trust any time during the period November 1 to November 14 will receive full 6%% interest from November 1. This up -to -two -weeks bonus gives your savings a substantial plus if you act now. Start saving today at Victoria and Grey. VICMRIA and VG TRUST COMPANY SINCE 1809 spiritless thirty days of gloom in which the sun seems to have disappeared from the universe. It's a time for huddling by the fire. Except that you've forgotten to get your winter wood in. A time for reading depressing poetry. A time for grouching and grumbling. A time for watching third-rate TV and despising yourself for wasting the time. A time for AA's to fall off the wagon. But we mustn't despair, must we, chaps? We must be a man for all seasons. Surely there must be something good about November. Just as the human race trackles pollution, inflation, population and all the other ailments mentioned above, we must tackle November, We'll probably be too late, just as we are with these items, but we've got to give it that old human try. Let's see. Well, there's Re- membrance Day to brighten things up, There are the Christmas gift advertisements, six weeks early, but very color- ful. There's the annual wallow of the Grey Cup game. I must admit that something bright happened to me this November, I had slept in Sat- urday morning for a bit, got up, looked at my lawn, shud- dered, and retreated to the morning paper and coffee with a substitute for cream. Doorbell rang. "Dam' paper- boy, collecting," I muttered, but answered. Four fresh -faced students, equipped with rakes, wanted to know if I'd like my lawn raked. They were raising money to take the local retard- ed children on a couple of Poultry Farmers Appeal Assessment Five Hay Township poultry farmers Monday appealed a 25 per cent business tax on their recent assessment notices. A court of revision reserved dec- ision to December 5. The tax was added by Huron County assessors this year be- cause the five allegedly pur- chased feed for their operations which, according to the assess- ors, makes them businesses. The dissenting farmers were Peter and Erhard Voersma, both of R.R.1 Exeter: William Roose- boom, of R. R.3, Zurich; stephen Gingerich, Zurich and Donald Hendrick, of Dashwood. The 25 per cent tax applies only to the assessment of poultry buildings. The tax does not apply where livestock is raised on feed grown on the same farm. Monday's court of revision was also attended by spectators from McKinley Hatchery, Zurich; Scott Poultry Farms, Seaforth; and T.B. Allen Feed Mill, Lon- desboro. It was the sixth of 26 court of revision meetings sch- eduled for Huron County. County assessors said the bus- iness tax involves an additional assessment of $130, 000 across Huron County and $6, 000 for the five fanners who appealed on Monday. In Hay Township, the added $6, 000 assessment represents $510 in taxes. jaunts. Somehow, that little note of warmth in a cold world did wonders for me. They raked the lawn, after a fashion, rang the door -bell every five min- utes to ask for a drink or the time, and it cost me ten bucks. But it was worth it. Some- body was doing something for somebody. It gave me enough strength to hang on for that most welcome day of the year, Nov. 30th, and the end of the annual nightmare. Business and Professional Directory OPTOMETRISTS J. E. Longstaff OPTOMETRIST SEAFORTH MEDICAL CENTRE 527.1240 Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sat- urday a.m., Thursday evening CLINTON OFFICE 10 Issac Street 482.7010 Monday and Wednesday Call either office for appointment. Norman Martin OPTOMETRIST Office Hours: 9-12 A,M, — 1:30- 6 P.M. Closed all day Wednesday Phone 235.2433 Exeter ACCOUNTANTS Roy N. Bentley PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT GODERICH P.O. Box 478 Dial 524-9521 HURON and ERIE DEBENTURES CANADA TRUST CERTIFICATES J. W. HABERER Authorized Representative 8%% for 3, 4 and 5 Years 8%% for 1 and 2 Years Minimum $100 DIAL 236-4346 -- ZURICH FUNERAL DIRECTORS WESTLAKE Funeral Home AMBULANCE and PORTABLE OXYGEN SERVICE DIAL 236-4364 — ZURICH AUCTIONEERS ALVIN WALPER PROVINCIAL LICENSED AUCTIONEER For your sale, large or small, courteous and efficient service at all times. "Service That Satisfies" DIAL 237-3300 — DASHWOOD INSURANCE For Safety . EVERY FARMER NEEDS Liability Insurance For Information About All Insurance — Call BERT KLOPP DIAL 236-4988 — ZURICH Representing CO.OPERATORS INSURANCE ASSOCIATION Robert F. Westlake Insurance "Specializing in General Insurance" Phone 236-4391 — Zoriah