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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