HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1973-09-13, Page 4PAGE 4
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1973
Fire agreement necessary!
An unfortunate situation arose last Wednesday evening
in Stanley Township when a large barn on the farm of
Howard Armstrong was hit by lightning. The first reaction
of neighbours who saw the blaze in it's infancy was to call
for the Zurich fire department, which is just a little over
three miles distance from the scene. The were disappointed,
however, when they were advised that the Zurich crew were
not allowed to come into Stanley since there is no"fire
protection agreement between the two municipalities.
As a matter of fact there has been no fire protection
agreement with Stanley and Zurich since 1967, when
negotiations broke off. At that time the village asked for
$700 a year retainer fee, and Stanley retaliated with an
offer of $300, which was turned down. Since that time the
Zurich brigade has attended several fires in Stanley, one
of which they never ever did receive their hourly rate for.
After a discussion with fire marshall's men and insurance
companies this year, the village council issued a Warning
to the fire department that they were not allowed to enter
Stanley Township if they were called. This brings us up to
the situation which arose last Wednesday evening.
Unfortunately the victim in this case was an energetic
young area farmer, who did not deserve this type of pun-
ishment. Some people claim that if the Zurich department
had been able to attend the fire they might have been able
to extinguish the blaze due to their closeness. The two
brigades which were called--Brucefield and Bayfield --
both had more than double the distance to travel. However,
this was just speculation.
The geographical layout of Stanley Township leaves
many ratepayers in the south part without adequate fire
protection, and this is not a comforting situation. We feel
that Stanley Township council should resume negotiations
immediately with the village of Zurich, in an all-out
effort to reach some sort of solution. Situations such as this
do not create any good will throughout any community,
and unfortunately many people have been blamed the
Zurich fire department while actually their hands were tied.
If municipalities cannot get together on such important
issues as fire protection this is just one more reason why we
will end up with regional government, whether we want it
or not.
At the same time possibly some of the ratepayers in the
south part of Stanley Township should let their council
know how they feel about the situation. The main point
we wish to clarify is that presently Stanley is not paying a
yearly fire protection retainer fee to Zurich, and this is
why the local fire department were forbidden to attend last
Wednesday evening's fire. Hay Township and Zurich do
have a fire protection agreement which allows the local
fire brigade to answer calls in Hay.
Sunday shopping - for fun and profit
While the prospect of Sunday store openings isn't exactly
keeping us all awake nights, we'll probably have to face the
issue soon. Because most people have cars and can do travel to
larger centres where Sunday and holiday shopping is becoming
commonplace, it could be said that the issue is touching us now.
There is an ethical problem -- Sunday shopping keeps clerks
away from their families and leisure and a practical one --it
increases prices for all of us.
Stores and malls in the cities which treat Sunday and statut-
ory holidays like any other working days have elevated shopping
to the status of a recreational activity. In the good old days a
Sunday outing for the family was a picnic at the beach. Now if
the 7 -days -a -week stores have their way, it'll be a trip to the
shopping centre. Consumers are told that to buy is to be happy
and "you'll be happier still if you can buy on holidays."
Convenience is the other big bonus we are supposed to get
from Sunday and holiday shopping. Nevertheless little is said
about the convenience of the thousands of retail employees who
no longer know what its like to spend a Boxing Day, Civic Holiday
or every Sunday at their choice of leisure.
We have no objection to the occasional milk and bread or
drug store staying open on holidays but it is rarely essential to be
able to buy a new pair of shoes on Sunday afternoon.
Holiday shopping is a snow balling problem, One store stays
open ---"for the convenience of the tourists, " as a major chain
store in Goderich said. Then his competition is forced to work
Sundays to get a share of the dollars spent. The merchant's
wage and expense costs go up and these increases cause higher
prices.
Most small merchants are against Sunday and holiday store
opening, yet they have to sit quietly while city stores funnel
off buyers who like to shop on a holiday. Province -wide legislat-
ion to set uniform, not on holidays, store hours would be a good
idea for workers, merchants and shoppers.
Nobody really benefits from Sunday shopping. Without stores
competing for their attention on Sundays and holidays, families
might find they had a lot more to say to each other and do
together than they imagined. (The Huron Expositor)
ZURICH Citizens NEWS
PRINTED BY SOUTH HURON PUBLISHERS LIMITED, ZURICH
HERB TURKHEIM, Publisher
Second Class Mail Registration Number 1388 its 4t`t
�ti�
Member: •w���'G
Canadian Weekly. Newspapers Association j
m.
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association init
Subscription Rates; $5.00 per year in advance in Canada;
$6.00 in United States and Foreign; single copies 15¢
WE'RE HOME
BUT LOCKED OUT!
Yep. We're home. Met a
chap yesterday and he said.
"Hey, 1 thought you were going
to England. Better get a hustle
on. You go back to work in a
week.
Perhaps I should explain that
this column is written about two
weeks in advance usually or
sometimes or occasionally or
when the situation calls for it.
The last two, for example
were written in London and
Chester. My wife went out to
get some dry-cleaning, spotted
this office supplies place, and
finagled a type -writer, an
old beat -up one, on loan.
Therefore, by the time you
read about me and the Old Lady
living it up on the Strand, we're
actually sitting in the back
yard, swatting mosquitoes.
Which we did. We had left
the key to the house with the
neighbours. Neither they nor
we knew when we'd be home.
You can guess the rest. We
pulled in, absolutely pooped.
Neighbours out for the evening.
I tried every window any self-
respecting burglar would have
a crack at. Nothing doing.
We sat in the backyard
surrounded by luggage, looking
and feeling like two melted
ice cream cones, exchanging
quips like, "Weren't none of
these mosquitos in Edinburgh."
Boy, it's something to be an
international traveller. Those
mosquitoes bow gracefully
before they sink the needle.
It didn't bother me much.
But it was almost the last straw
for my wife. She was in a state
of deep depression anyway,
because she'd had to leave the
U.K.
Youmay recall that she fought
the idea of the trip and used
every crafty feminine wile to
avoid it,
From the moment I threw her
onto the plane, bodily, she
forgot her rotten kids, her kitch-
en floor, the woodwork that
needed cleaning, the rugs and
all the rest of it.
Right now, she's planning
next year's tour of England.
Between you and me, there are
a few places in England where
she will be bannedm because
she had so much fun.
This is the kid who couldn't
understand why anyone wanted
to travel.
Perhaps you read about those
bomb scares in London. They
are blamed on the Irish Republ-
ican Army.
IRA my foot. I planted those
bomb scares in the English pap-
ers because it was the only way
I could get my wife to leave
the country.
And I don't blame her. She
was asked to a champagne lunch
eon, whatever that is, at the
Savoy. Without me.
She kissed, or was kissed by,
a Welshman in Llangollen.
Without me.
She walked in Hyde Park
with a Dublin Lawyer. Without
me.
She had breakfast in bed
every morning. She didn't
wash a dish, scrub a floor, cook
a meal for three weeks.
With the help of four bobies.
I managed to get her on the
plane.
From there on it wasn't so
bad. It was a matter of jumping
out over the ocean or landing
at the so-called International
Airport, Terminal 2, Toronto.
It's about even-steven.
Personally, I'd jump. If I were
flying again, I'd go through to
Winnipeg and take a bus back
to Toronto. That's how bad
No. 2 is.
Anyway, the Old Lady is
hooked. Already she's sending
cards to Heather. The Tudor Bar
Westminster Hotel, Chester,
reminding her that we want some
ice in it this time.
Next year we go back for
sure. So says Suse. It's a long
swim, but I'll be at Halifax,
cheering her as she takes off.
0
Mr, and Mrs. Ernest Gemm-
ing and Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Mason, of Rochester, N.Y. were
recent visitors with Mr. and
Mrs. Ross Johnston and family,
in Zurich,
Members of the Zurich Wom-
en's Institute and friends, enjoy-
ed a bus trip recently to Green-
field Village and the Henry
Ford Museum in Detroit. While
there they viewed the Annual
Old Car Festival and Parade of
antique cars and high wheel
bicycles.
Letter to Editor
Goderich, Ont.
Sept. 10, 1973.
Dear Sir;
On September 7, approxim-
ately 2300 completed enumer-
ation forms were stolen from
our Goderich office. The matter
has been placed in the hands of
the Goderich Municipal Police
Force.
Fortunately, we have been
able to identify the properties
for which the enumeration
change notices were completed.
It will however, require a sec-
ond visit to these properties to
ensure that the next voter's list,
Census Report and School Sup-
port Index (from which next
year's tax bills will be prepared)
are completed accurately.
This action may well result in
enquiries by the public at your
office which prompts me to issue
this release. Should you have
any further enquiries I would be
only too happy to answer them.
Yours very truly,
B.G. Eastwood
Assessment Commiss-
ioner.
Huron- Perth Region.
VACUUM
CLEANERS
SALES -&. SERVICE
FOR ALL MAKES
BOB PECK
ZURICH ONT.
Phone Hensel! 262-5748
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
110 Issac Street 482-7010
Monday and Wednesday
Call either office for
appointment.
Norman Martin
OPTOMETRIST
Office Hours:
9.12 A,M, — 1:30-0 P.
Closed all day Saturday
Phone 235.2433 Exeter
006110 EINIgSMMA
INSURANCES
Robert F. Westlake
. Insurance
°'SpeeldMnB In
General Insurance"
Phone 236-4391 — Zurich
NORM WHITING
LICENSED AUCTIONEER
& APPRAISER
Prompt, Courteous, Efficient
ANY TYPE, ANY pIZE,
ANYWHERE
We give complete sale service.
PROPIT BY EXPERIENCE
Phone .Collect
235.164 EXETER
AUCTIONEERS
PERCY WRIGHT
LICENSED AUCTIONEER
Kipper, Ont.
Auction Sale Service that is
most efficient and courteous.
CALL
THE WRIGHT AUCTIONEER
Telephone Hensall (519)262-5515
D & J RIDDEL,L
AUCTION SERVICES
* Licensed Auctiorieers
and Appraisers
* Complete Auction Service
* Sales large or small, any
type, anywhere
* Reasonable — Two for the
price of one
Let our experience be your
reward.
Phone Collect
'Doug' 'Jack'
237-3576 237-3431
Hugh Tom
FILSON and ROBSON
AUCTIONEERS
20 years' experience
of complete sale service
Provincially licensed.
Conduct sales of any kind,
any -place.
To' insure success of your sale_
or appraisal
Phone Collect
'666-0833 666-1967
Guaranteed Trust
Certificates
1 year.. 8 1/2%
2,3 & 4 years8 3/4%
5 years 9
d. W. "CABER=
ZURICH PHONE 236.6