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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1971-02-25, Page 4PAGE FOUR ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS Goals and Priorities Needed The increase in government spending in the past decade has been phenomenal and in most ways this has been a neces- sary and good investment in the future. Today, for example, more than 20 per cent of total govern- ment spending in Canada goes to education, and health care costs have increased from $60 per capita in 1955 to almost $170 per capita in 1967. By 1975 they could double. The Economic Council of Canada makes this frightening forecase: If the rate in increase of the past five years were to continue unabated, these two areas of activity alone would absorb the entire national product before the year 2000." The rate of increase will have to be abated, and now we can realistically expect that the worse is over in capital exp- enditures for education add health facilities. But now the time has come to take a closer look at public spending, at our priorities and at the way public money is managed and by whom. Educators and doctors, for example, often hide behind a cloak of professional integrity when they are asked to account for what they have spent and how they have spent it. They are not directly accountable to the tax- payers. And it is becoming increasingly apparent that our money must be managed more efficiently. There also is a critical need for us to establish goals and priorities in spending. What are they? They must be established. And along with them a new and more equitable way to pay for them. The time has long since passed for a restructuring of our tax system. It is time that corporations and industry and people in what appear to be tax protected position pick up more of the tax bill. If not, that worn cliche will become truer than ever: "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer." False Statistics It has been more than three years since Canada began its five-year experiment with abolition of hanging for all but slayers of policemen or prison guards. Since then, unfortunat- ely, Canadians have been exposed to a numbers game. False numbers. The Dominion Bureau of Statistics has been very unselective about figures provided it by the nation's police departments, all of which are firmly opposed to the abolition of the death penalty. In 1967, for example, the DBS reported 220 murders in Canada. But last year that figure had risen to an estimated 341 murders, a considerable increase since the experiment in abolition started. The reasons for this increase all lie in the way you count. When the police believe that a murder might have taken place they so report to the DBS. But if the judicial process later finds that death was manslaughter or accidental that first report of murder is not changed. DBS is doing us a disservice by its inaccurate reporting and it certainly has done nothing to show us what the link is between crime and punishment. That we should know is very important. While we know that our police departments still believe that capital punish- ment is a deterrent to murder, we also know that most murders committed are not premeditated crimes. But the argument will not be settled by DBS. It is important that we should know the real facts. For in December, 1972, the amendment to the Criminal Code which provides for the abolition of capital punishment will expire unless both houses of parliament jointly direct that it will continue. There never has been evidence to prove that capital punishment is a deterrent to murder and false, misleading statistics at a time when objective study of this issue could be carried out in Canada are riot worthy of our police depart- ments and certainly not worthy of the DBS. The primary concern of society is with the rehabilitation of the offender, whatever his crime has been. Our concern should not be one of useless vengance. ZURICH Citizens NEWS PRINTED BY SOUTH HURON PUBLISHERS LIMITED, ZURICH , HERB TURKHEIM, Publisher Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385 ®1p lye Member: 4 40114 Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association'� Subscription Rates: $4.00 per year in advance in Canada; $5.00 in United States and Foreign; single copies 10 cents HERE'S HOW FAT CATS GET THAT WAY By Bill Smiley Well, I've got the snow- mobilers of Canada on my back, almost unanimously, after a recent column which suggested mildly that the machines are instruments of Satan at best, the finest tool for noise -stink pollution since the automobile took to the roads. That makes up about one- quarter of my readers. This week I shall alienate another two -quarters of them by giving my unvarnished opinion of cats. Cats, like snowmobiles, have their uses. They're handy to have around a farm, where they help keep the ver- min under control. They have, in the past, been just the thing for the proprietors of some chicken palaces, when the price of chicken was high. There were some in prison camp, presumably to keep down the rats. Their numbers were diminishing with in- creasing speed, until the Ger- man camp commandant is- sued the dictum: "Prisoners will cease and desist killing and eating of long-tailed rab- bits." He had a sense of hu- mour. Which is more than you can say for a cat. Then, they are useful, when kittens, for putting on calendars. And finally, I'll ad- mit they provide company of sorts for lonely people, who pamper them, stuff them with tidbits, and turn them from sleek felines into bloat- ed, contemptuous parasites who take over the best chair in the house, shed hair over everything, claw the rug and upholstery at will, and want out at five in the morning. If I should grow old and lonely, I would prefer a snake as a pet. Like cats, they just sleep and eat. They also eat mice. But they don't come fawning and whining and rub- bing fiercely f against your legs when you re getting their food out. They don't want out in the middle of the night. And they don't get pregnant every six weeks. It's a well-known fact that cats have no love for any- body. Not even for other cats. A beautiful female will marry any flea-bitten, one - eyed, torn -eared philanderer who comes along. And tom cats are just plain sex fiends. In some ways, cats are like children. When they're kit- tens, they're sweet and love- able and cuddly. And always making a mess. When they grow up, they mooch un- ashamedly, stay out half the night, sleep half the day. And are always making a mess, My wife isn't fond of cats, and I loathe them. But we al- ways seem to be stuck with one. Daughter Kim picks up a stray kitten and brings it home. With the deepest mis- givings, we adopt the scrawny little wretch. They're always female, which we don't find out until too late. Then Kim breezes off somewhere, and we're guard- ians and grandparents. There's no parleying about birth control. Kim insists that her protegee must fulfil her function as a female. After the drama of the delivery, and the period of nursing, we have a hysterectomy perform- ed. And in about four months, the slim, sleek, pret- ty young thing is a great fat cat, knocking off tins and tins of cat food, and producing nothing except extreme irrita- tion. Try to get her to put her out when you think it's "time" and she darts upstairs and under a bed. Have you ever tried crawling under a bed to catch a cat who does- n't want to go out into the snow? It's a good way to give yourself a stroke, from sheer rage. Leave her outside and she darts between your legs when you're bringing in armsful of groceries, and high -tails it to safety under another bed, or down cellar, the door of THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1971 which your stupid wife, or husband, has left open. The solution, of course, is to have her put away. But somehow I've never been able to accept euthanasia. After all, you don't kill your kids, or even your parents, just be- cause they drive you wild. Many will not agree with me. But I got off to a bad start this week. All set to go to work Monday morning. Cat in back kitchen, with an odd look on her face. Threw her out. Went into the down- stairs powder room, and there was the evidence. Not one, but two distinct evidences of massive diarrhea. It's the only good thing I can say for them. At least they know enough to go to the bathroom. TWO MINUTES WIVI 7?OE 491 L3LE BY CORNELIUS R. STAN PRES. BEREAN BIBLE SOCIETY CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60635 SIMPLE AS CAN BE Have you ever heard some preach- er say: "There are many things in the Bible which are hard to under- stand, but thank God, the plan of salvation is as simple as can be." Well,theplan of salvation is sim- ple IF we obey II Timothy 2:15, "rightly dividing the Word of truth." Otherwise it is far from simple. The apostle Paul wrote: "We con- clude that a man is justified by faith, without the works of the Law" (Rom. 3:28). Yet James wrote: "By works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (James 2:24). Again, at Sinai God said to Israel through Moses: "IF YE WILL OBEY MY VOICE INDEED, and keep My covenant, then shall ye be a pecul- iar treasure unto me above all peo- ple..."(Ex. 19:5). But our Lord said, as He sent His apostles to witness for Him, that "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved... and these signs shall follow them. that believe: in My name shall they cast out demons, they shall speak with new tongues..." etc. Thus, ac- cording to their "great commission" water baptism was required for sal- vation and miraculous signs were the evidences of salvation. Confusing? Contradictory? Not if we "rightly divide the Word of truth." It was after "the law was given by Moses," after our Lord's earthly ministry, after the commis- sion to the twelve, that God raised up another apostle, Paul, and sent him forth with "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). It was Paul who was sent to de- clare: "But NOW, the righteousness of God without the law is mani- fested..." (Rom. 3:24). "To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness'" (Rom. 4:5). "Therefore, being justified by faith we have. peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1). Business and Professional Directory OPTOMETRISTS J. E. Langstaff OPTOMETRIST SEAFORTH MEDICAL CENTRE 527.1240 Tutesday, Thursday, Friday, Sat- urday a.m.. Thursday evening CLINTON OFFICE 10 Isaac 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 Robert F. Westlake Insurance "Specializing in General !neuronal" Phone 236-4391 — Zurleh Guaranteed Trust Certificates 1 Year — 75 2 Years -- 71/45 3, 4, 5Years — 81/45. J. W. HABERER ZURiCH MONIS 2364846 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 FUNERAL DIRECTORS WESTLAKE Funeral Home AMBULANCE and PORTABLE OXYGEN SERVICE DIAL 236-4364 -- ZURICH ACCOUNTANTS Roy N. Bentley PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT GODERICH P.O. Box 471 Dial 524.9521 INSURANCE For Safety .. . EVERY FARMER NEEDS Liability Insurance For Information About All Insurance — CaII BERT KLOPP DIAL 236-4981 — ZURICH Reprosentlno COOPERATORS II4$URAMCII ASSOCIATION