Zurich Citizens News, 1976-01-07, Page 11Page 12 -Citizens News, Jan. 7/76
Riddell wants farm income insurance
Ontario Liberal agriculture
critic Jack Riddell has called
for the institution of a voluntary
farm income insurance program.
The Huron -Middlesex MPP said
such a program would he the only
way to keep young farmers in
the industry.
"We just can't come in with ad-
hoc pieces of legislation such as
the cow -calf stabilization pro -
grant," said Mr. Riddell. "There
has. got to be an overall program
whereby fanners will no longer
bear the entire risk of growing
a crop or producing a product."
Such a plan has been re-
commended by the Federation
of Agriculture, but according to
Mr. Riddell, the Minister of
Agriculture has been reluctant
to act on it.
"The prices the farmer has
to pay for what he needs have
been increasinging astronomi-
cally," said Mr. Riddell, citing
fertilizer, machinery, parts. twine
and even farm land. "But the
price the farmer receives for the
product isn't going up ac-
cordingly.
Mr. Riddell said he would
stress that the plan should be
voluntary because there are some
farmers who think the less
government is involved in agricu-
lture the better. "That's fine if
a farmer has his farm paid for.
Then he can ride the humps and
the hoIlows," he said. The
young farmers starting up in
the business, with land so
expensii e, needs $200,000 before
he can start farming and expect
to make an income. He's got to
have some kind of protection."
The preservation of good farm
land is also a priority item for
Mr. Riddell.
"Asphalt and corn just simply
don't make a good rotation," .
he said. "Not a thing is being
done. The province announced
some time ago that it was going
to have an overall land use plan
but nothing has ever been done.
I've asked in the House if the
government was coning up with
an overall plan, a guideline for
local government's to follow
but the Minister of Agriculture
hasn't done a thing on it. I know
Bill Stewart said he wasn't going
to accept the responsibility of
classifying land."
Mr. Riddell suggested that it
was time the people of Ontario
started preserving agricultural
land. He said a crop production'
program could not be maintained
with good land being paved over
with asphalt. He also added that
scientists are finding that pollu
tants are affecting not only,
white beans but many other
crops. If Ontario continues at
its present rate, it will be im-
porting sixty percent of its food.
"There's no reason in the
world why Ontario Hydro can't
build their plants up in the
Canadian Shield," suggested
Mr. Riddell. "They will be just
as close to their major markets
such as Toronto as they would
be here."
He said Northern Ontario was
crying for industry and that's
where the nuclear plants should
be going as far as Mr. Riddell is
concerned.
Commenting on the necessary
transmission lines which radiate
from a hydro plant, Mr. Riddell
said they were more of an in-
convenience to farmers than a
great "user -of -land".
"In terms of productive hours,
it's very costly to the farmer to
have transmission lines on his
property,"; said Mr. Riddell.
"It's also a right of way for
Ontario Hydro and anytime they
want to go in, they go in,
ragardless of what crop is grow-
ing. If they want to tramp over a
OFFICERS ELECTED - Arthur Haid of R.R. 4, Listowel,
right, was acclaimed as chairman of the Huron -Perth Roman
Catholic Separate School Board Monday. On the left is
vice-chairman Ted Geoffrey of R.R. 2, Zurich.
Photo by Oke.
Hay fire agreement
From page 1
Dashwood village trustees
without an agreement with Hay
for the past two years gave the
township an ultimatum on Dec-
ember 22 to pay three mills which
would amount to about $3.000 for
1976 or protection would be cut
off.
The next day Dashwood was
informed by Hay that alternate
protection had been arranged
with the Grand Bend and Zurich
departments. Hay will be paying
Grand Bend $1,000 as a retainer
fee for 1976. The temporary
agreement with Zurich which
ended Monday night called for
S.150 for actual fighting of fires
as opposed to a retainer fee.
Dashwood village spokesman
George Tiernan said his fire
department had protected Hay in
1974 and 1975 without an agree -F
mer r. The village received $800
as a retainer fee in 1974 and
'Rieman said Dashwood has an
agreement with Stephen town-
ship for 1976 for similar coverage.
He added, "Stephen paid us
$1,200 for 1975 but offered on
their own to pay the difference
between that figure and three
mills on the assessment being
covered."
Tiernan said the last offer made
by Hay officials at the December
meeting was $1,500 per year
continuing through to 1978. •
Under previous arrangements
Dashwood would also receive
$90 for the first hour of any fire
call and $75 for any additional
hour in addition to the retainer.
In justifying the increase in.
the retainer fee trustee Tieman
said, "our biggest problem was
likely in leaving the rate too low
for many years. We like to think
we have a good department and
are continually improving but
our costs have really jumped."
He cited insurance costs rising
from $50 a few years ago to the
present figure of over $300 along
with installation of fire at a cost
of $450.
Principal spokesmen for Hay
were Reeve Jack Tinney and
deputy -reeve Joe Miller and they
claimed they offered a per-
centage deal to the village in
1974 to establish a fire area
board.
Tieman agreed to a point
saying Dashwood had offered to
pay 20 percent of all fire costs
with the townships of Stephen
CHECK FIRE AGREEMENT RECORDS - Hay reeve Jack
Tinney and Dashwood trustee George Tiernan check fire
agreement correspondence at Monday's meeting while
deputy -reeve Joe Miller looks on. News photo.
and Hay sharing the balance.
He said this was refused by Hay
and a counter proposal asked the
village to pay 40 percent.
Miller contended that a fire
engine located in Dashwood was
more valuable to the village
than it would be to area farmers.
Joseph Regier, a Hay township
resident living just east of the
Dashwood limits told the meeting
"I can't understand why I should
have to call Zurich for fire pro-
tection when the Dashwood
engine is practically at my
doorstep."
Reeve Tinney said his council
was concerned that if Dashwood
gets a new water system in the
future they would not need as
large a fire truck and it would
not be adequate to service the
township.
Varna
By MRS. BILL CHESSELL
The township hall in Varna
was filled to capacity for the
annual Sunday School Christmas
concert. Rev. Alex Taylor was
master of ceremonies, and
George Wilson gave the welcom-
ing speech.
There were the usual songs
recitations and skits, with the
little ones hamming it up and
stealing the show. Two of the
funnier skits were by the Inter-
mediates, putting on a Varna-
ville Christmas concert, with most
of the group singing off-key. and
Santa, played by Paul Consitt
arriving at the wrong time; and
the reading of the Varna news in
the local weekly by an old
couple, played by Bill Dowson
and Debbie Rathwell. Their
comments on the news and on
local gossip, including the
activity around McClinchey's
Stine and lunch counter, had the
audience roaring with laughter.
The Goshen Sunday School
contributed several recitations
and musical numbers, and there
was a drill by the Majorettes,
lcd by Mrs. Bob Hayter.
Children of both Sunday
Schools joined to lead the singing
of carols until Santa arrived to
distribute the gifts. The concert
committee consisted of Mrs.
Barry Taylor, Mrs. Don Taylor
and Mrs. Don Rathwell, with
Mrs. Doug McAsh at the piano.
Police
to enforce
This week Sgt. Norton Rhiness,
head of the Exeter Ontario Pro-
vincial Police department told the
News he expects the new seat
belt legislation will be strictly
enforced beginning February 1.
Sgt. Rhiness continued, 'As of
February 1 our officers will be
laying charges without any warn-
ings. The month of January is
being used to allow drivers and
passengers to get accustomed to
the new rulings.'
The new legislation says no
person shall drive a vehicle on
any highway or street or be a
passenger in a vehicle which was
manufactured with a seat belt
assembly without using same.
Sgt. Rhiness pointed out that it
is an offence to drive a vehicle
which has had the seat belt
assembly removed.
crop, they are within their rights
to do so."
Mr. Riddell said farmers
were now being paid on a much
better rate than in the past and
the farmer isn't bucking that.
The farmer just doesn't want
the inconvenience.
effixamasruarsammaascausasasoitIONCalsegorissrafivaserimaIMENOisial
Steer
This
Way
BY
LARRY
SNIDER
Got a few chipped surfaces on
your car? Use touch-up paint
before rust sets in.
Recycling old tires, a new com-
pany has come up with a
rubber -wheeled chock to pre-
vent a parked car or truck
from rolling. They say it works
better than natural virgin
rubber.
A good breakfast before a
day on the road reduces your
chance of an accident, accor-
ding to surveys.
Cars equipped with catalytic
converters must use unleaded
gas. Cars built in the U.S. after
1971 CAN use it. But earlier
models will develop valve
damage and engine knock on
unleaded fuel.
Shades of the thirties! Hood
ornaments are back on some
new cars.
Our cars have come a long way since
the thirties at Larry Sniders. Count on
the newest in comfort and safety
features.
Larry Snider
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