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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-04-07, Page 4Page 4 - Citizens News, April 7/ 76 0 a • • , s• 0 0 • • 9 • ,p a Farm Safety Association Never carry firearms on a tractor. Waved Huron County council have made several recommendations regarding the hospital situation in the county, the major one being that they hope to get government approval to become the judges in determining where bed cuts will be made. • The suggestion is that they would make ' proportionate cuts at all five county hospi- tals in an attempt to keep the Clinton facility open. This may certainly be the answer. but the obvious danger looms that the county will end up with five hospitals, but all five will be reduced in effectiveness and -health care services will suffer accordingly. One of the main concerns of county council appears to be the number of beds currently in use by long -stay chronic pat- ients. It's been suggested these patients be moved to nursing homes or come under the Horne Care program, thereby freeing the beds for other use. That's a good suggestion, but where can the chronic patients be handled? Nursing homes and Huronview are at capacity. Home Care nursing is an alternative in only certain cases. Frank Miller may be correct in ordering 62 beds cut in Huron, but it is rather obvious that it should have been a decision based on a more thorough study of the Huron situation and with more time to reach some alternative choices, particularly for the patients involved. A hidien dsnge, There's little doubt that auxiliary power generators saved many area farmers from severe losses in the recent ice storm, and they also proved a boon to those who were able to get some heat into their homes by using the power source. However, the stories that unfold about the severe injuries being suffered by hydro linemen—one was killed in the U.S.A.— indicated quite clearly that owners of generators should ensure they are hooked up properly. An improper hookup can result in the generator back -feeding power into a hydro line. A lineman therefore stands the risk of electrocution if he thinks there is no hydro in that line and is working accord - Ne s Mrs. Boersma accompanied at the piano for the Sunday evening song service sponsored by the Clinton Christian Ref- ormed Church and led by Mr. Dick Roorda. Mrs. Hull celebrated her birthday on Monday and her relatives and friends were our guests for the old tyme music ,program. Mrs. Elsie Hender- son, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence in Exeter PUC manager Hugh Davis is correct in suggesting that Ontario Hydro should show some leadership in enforcing regulations that require proper generator hookups, and no doubt they will. However, owners of generators too have an obligation to ensure they are not causing any risk through the use of the equipment. If they don't understand how to hook it up properly, a call to Ontario Hydro will undoubtedly result in the required assist- ance and information. Ignorance is no longer an excuse when the dangers have been so tragically demon- strated. uronview Edgar provided the music for the afternoon. with step dance numb- ers by Mrs. Hull's granddaught- er Shelli Edgar. The "Family Night" entert- ainment was shared by two mus- ical groups: a men's chorus "The Harboraires" and "The Pathfinders" gospel singers from the Blyth Christian Ref- ormed Church. Mr. John Greid- anus was emcee for the. program which included three groups of songs by the Harboraires and sev- eral numbers by the seven. girls; Joanne Bakelaar, Emmy Monks, Jo Ann Passchier, Jenny Reinink, Darlene Wesselink, Anita and Gina Datena. Miss Grace Robert- son thanked the entertainers on behalf of the residents. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Prouty of Exeter have returned from a Florida holiday and led the weekly bible study with Mrs. Lila Finkbeiner playing the organ. The Last I ,;i► 1 Word v... by Ted Rowcliffe Damned if you do -- damned if you don't! That must have been the way Jack Riddell felt for the past week, trying to decide how to vote in the Ontario Legisl- ature on Monday. A vote in favour of the New Democratic bid to unseat the provincial government would make him popular in Goderich and Clinton where feelings are running high about the hospi- tal closings. It would, on the other hand, do little to enhance the image of Liberal solidarity behind leader Stuart Smith. To support the caucus, and perhaps enhance his position in the party pecking order, Riddell would be placing votes on the line - plenty of votes in Clinton and Goderich. At a meeting of the party faithful in Zurich Thursday night, the problem was equally puzzling. The meeting was split pretty well down the middle with representatives from God- erich and Clinton favouring a vote to unseat the government. Most of the others felt that while a number of votes might be lost, the majority of people in the riding were not in favour of the. Liberals forcing an election at this time. * * * This column is being written prior to the vote. It's a little hard to predict what Riddell will do as there are very good reasons to justify voting either way. I've got a hunch Riddell will go with the NDP and I can't really blame him. As has been pointed out, a member can't do his party much good, either as a government member or in opposition, unless he is re-elected. There's no doubt that Riddell would lose support in Goderich and Clinton. I don 't think it would be enough to defeat him, but strange things happen in the voting booth, If Riddell was to vote as a maverick, bolting caucus ranks and supporting the NDP, he might lose a few votes. Many would question and criticize the move but I believe that by the time the next election is called, most would have calmed down enough to assess things with a cooler head, Sitting here in my office, comfortably watching Mr. Riddell sweat, I' d be tempted to stick with the party and let the chips fall where they may. But then, my job 's not on the line, a factor that makes the problem considerably more *difficult for him. * * I ventured into London twice during the past week, once to take in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and the second time to tour the Sportsmen Show. The first trip was enjoyed; the second was a waste of time. In recent years, I've almost given up on movies. Most are filled with good guys and bad guys shooting at each other or performing even more violent atrocities on each other. Either that or sex is dished up in such great servings as to make one slightly nauseous. So it was refreshing to see the award winning movie which in many ways was hilarious but pathetic, happy but sad. Although violent in spots, it was realistic enough to be believed. I don 't believe the Sportsmen Show! For two bucks I was allowed to submit myself to visual and verbal selling pitches from hundreds of merchants trying to make a buck. It was almost like paying for the right to walk down the main street of Exeter, looking in the store windows. But, once bitten, twice shy, as the saying goes and that was exactly the attitude of some of the other spectators and some of the exhibitors as well. Organizers of the show would do well to do some revamp- ing or there might not be too many more London Sports- men Shows. * * * If I sounded a little rough on the Sportsmen Show, I may be prejudiced. On the way to London in the car, I was looking over the lineup for the Western Fair Raceway on Saturday afternoon. I liked Mario Adios in the ninth, driven by an old friend, Dave Wall. Arriving at the fair grounds, I suggested we take in the races rather than the Sportsmen Show, but I was quickly outvoted. Despite pleas that Mario Athos was a sure winner at good odds, it was off to the show. As we were leaving the show, the voice of the track an- nouncer blasted across the parking lot. It was the ninth race and Mario Athos, running last, moved up quickly in the last turn, took the lead in the stretch and won comfortably, with 5.2 odds. N,c-two Published Each Wednesday By Huron -Middlesex Publishers Ltd. HERB TURKHEIM, EDITOR Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385 Member: ►CNA canadiarr Weekly. Newspapers Association Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association Subscription Rates: $6.00 per year in advance in Canada; $8..00 in United States and Foreign; single copies 20'