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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-07-11, Page 2Huron � xpositor SINCE 1560. SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST Incorporating The imamla Post PubiialtOd in $Nfurth, Ontario Ivory Wodnasaa t Morning G. 444 r 110 •YSs1U. O.w.r& M.n.jsr 11awnrsa a!OSINST, editor KIWI STAN: Psis INl�a*t $.sari Oxford ADVITI$$NG: T.rri-Lyra pall. C* Ass1rlsos. SUOSOROPTION$ ACCOUNTING: M Armee Dianne MsOr.th Undo P441111114111100 Member Canadian Conwnun.ty Newspaper ANIMA. Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Press Council Cotwwswweal* Press union International Press Institute Subscription Rates C onodu '22 00 o your . to advance Senior Citizens '19-00 o year in advance Outstde Canada '66.00 o year in advance Single Copes 60 cents each Second class moil regtioutton Number 0696 WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1990 Editorial end •aelneee Offk.s - 10 Main Strut, Saafurth Telephone ($11) 127-0240 Pa: 127-0242 Mellen. Address - I.O. Sox N, Sttaforth. Ontario. NOK 1 WO Not in our town With everybody and their clog harping about abuse of the environment and the greening of the planet, the media and environmental lobby groups are starting to sound like broken records. But some people, it seems, can't even be irritated into action. They have to be hit over the head, with a very large piece of garbage. About a week ago, a Seaforth native - and not a child, who might not have known better - finished off her soda pop while sitting in her car on Main St., then reached out the drivers window of the car, held the pop can out and dropped it right onto the street. Clang. In broad daylight. The offending piece of trash rolled about five feet down the street and came to rest beside the curb, another glittering ornament to adorn our lovely town. The disgusting thing was, a trash can was sitting six feet down the sidewalk from her car. All that this lazy citizen had to do was get out of her car, walk to the can and deposit her garbage. Instead, she chose to throw her trash onto the street of her town. Again, this wasn't a kid who might not have known better. it was a young woman who has probably heard more about Green this, that and the other thing in school and in the media than anyone. The planet is hers to inherit, and she's making a conscious decision to foul it up. Huron County can't even figure out what to do with the trash that makes it to the landfill site, but at least that trash makes it that far. Her's stays on the street. And you can't say that it's her business, because it isn't anymore. It's everyone's business. It's our planet that thoughtless people like this are messing up, not to mention our town. P.E. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thanks to all for a grand Tractor Elimination Draw Dear Editor: Now that the big "event" has come and gone, we want to congratulate the Seaforth Agricul- tural Society and all its helpers for a job well done, also congratulations to all the winners. We want to say thanks to the Ag. Society for letting us take part in their Tractor Elimination Draw, we sure enjoyed it. Was very surprised to see none of the Seaforth dig- nitaries at the dinner, dance or draw, but have learned since the draw they never bought tickets to support their own Agricultural Society "how sad". Seen a handful or so of store keepers there, which was very nice, at least some people are concerned about the future of their town - thanks folks. The very long hours, many meetings and hard work the Ag. Society put into this day and evening of success deserves a "loud applause and stan- ding ovation". We have talked to a lot of people since the draw who Turn to page 16A • RURAL ROOTS by Jeanne Kirkby i Mulling over the Farm Tax Rebate This is the idea. When land is taxed for seJvices to people that live on that land - specifically education tax - the system is unfair to farmers who do not have people living on land acreage where they earn their living with crops and livestock. The Farm Tax Rebate Program or FTRP is the instrument that government has used in the past to rectify this unfairness. In 1970, Agriculture Minister William Stewart introduced a farm tax rebate of 25% by Order -in -Council to return the education tax unfairly charged to the agricultural land where there were no people living to be educated. Because this was to be an interim measure pending a reform of the whole property tax system, it wasn't put into legislature, but had to be renewed each year by Order -in -Council. In 1986, the rebate on agricultural land and buildings was increased to 60%, and in 1987, it was further raised to 100%. In 1989, with no consultation whatsoever of the farming community, the farm tax rebate was put on the basis of a subsidy, with a "means" or income test deciding who would qualify. In its infinite wisdom, the government decided that anyone who earned over $40,000 in off -farm income didn't deserve what was then regarded as income support. Naturally representatives of the farm community were quite upset. Our MPPs told us that this change was a good thing. "Look at all the rich doctors and lawyers who own farmland", they said. "Surely you don't want to see them profiting at your expense". I checked the labelled Township maps in my 1984 Huron County Atlas. In the Townships that I'm familiar with, I didn't find hardly any rich doctors and lawyers. But 1 found quite a few names of my friends and neighbours that hold off -farm jobs to be able to afford to farm. And i asked myself if it was worth penalizing these striving farmers; worth increasing the cost of rented land to all farmers; worth taking all that money away from the agricultural community just to spite Some rich so- and-so that probably does own some land somewhere and rents it out to Ontario farmers instead of building highrise apartments on it. But, whoa! Judging one's neighbours is an old trap. "Divide and conquer", or as the current government said in their Meech Lake thing, "Fragmcntalize the opposition". If we all get busy looking around us and assessing who's making too much money, we lose sight of the fact that this is not an income subsidy; it is the rebate of a tax unfairly assessed to the farm community. Turn to page 1$A • Sunday shoppers: Get a life 1'ta not pig M shop oa a S.ro- day. 1 don't now and 1 don't plan to start. When 1 go to the Untied Stairs dtm't shop oil Sundays evai though almost evecythios is open. 1 think it's a sad statement on a 'ss life when they situp on Sundays instead of with with their familia; or ' ,off outside. in this time t gross ovaronsumption 1 feel revolted by people who want to consume more or can't schedule their time better. Now that Canada's hitched iu wagon to the United Stakes 1 guesses a follows that we will adopt the same social rules as them, and in a country where capitalism is at its most brutal, money for rich people will always coats fira. I don't think the wife of the big Sears boss spends her Sundays working in the cltiiiw.'s cioduag deparunau of its Chicago More. Average Americans don't even get Busing Day off. In the United Stec lift is work, wort, wont for tat bill! guy (who usually is overweight). The best I can do is boycott soros that do opal on Sundays. 1 can refuse to spend my money at those sires everyday of tate weeL Some people say that Sunday shop- ping will arcate jobs, but 1 feel nobody should be awarded for creating a low-paying job with no benefits. Quebec looks like the nicest place to live in Canada now. As the drift closer and closer to ties with they I feel happy for than and so angry for me in Ontario. France is cur- rently wrestling with Sunday shop- ping and the good side is winning. People just don't shop on Sundays. JUST THINKING by Suave Oxford Prance has two !tour lunches and Brost people go home to that family and have a docent meal and rest together. Some greedy stoics are staying open during the lunch hour, but chair effort is in vain. Everybody in France (and most of Europe) gets Summar holidays of four to ser weeks. Somehow this worts out with their economy and it's no problem. Families travel the countryside together and learn more about themselves and their country. Here in North America couples often don't have holidays during the same time. No wonder every sum- mer so many school children echo the save thuyl across North Armerica..."1'm bored." The French fight hard for the n hes they have gained. We don't. Mmt Canadians aren't even aware of what rights people in other countries have. What Europeans have u a birthright for summer holidays Canadians don't get unless they're politicians, teachers or been working for the same company for years and years. I think it's insane that here a ;win gets to spend five weeks at home at a time when his family is grown up and left or has become alienated from the tired working man in the house. Ile #A\E 4T1ON 'UNDAY SHOPPERS !-- ATTEJ'JT$Or'J %uNOA"( (HOPPERS I ,,,...� OUR SPEc1AL TODAY IS GE4/.0/S 2, ✓Efi,Egs 1 To 3 AND ON THE SEVEN 1:09Y ft Gov ENDED Hes U.7R�r.... �, iht%\%imta. 110 \w11111111i', 11iIIit kllfotillocE is ell nntiirtlt3tirli'IEIf Learning how not to grow up Every year, right about this time, I get struck with this odd lunacy that makes me want to sell everything that I own, pack four or five changes of clothes, a bathing suit and a toothbrush into a duffle bag, and run away to camp again. But not as a camper. If I never go on another forced nature hike through a dusty field again for the rest of my life, I'll be a very con- tented person. And I never did figure out how to tie a sheep -shank, or what purpose a sheep -shank would ever serve on this earth. No, never again as a camper. As a counsellor. Blessed are the counsellors, for they shall remain in a state of ar- rested childhood for the rest of their days. I was out getting walked by my dog the other night, watching the Eggo-wafflelike moon rise and testing my patchy knowledge of astronomy against the night sky starblanket - Orion the Hunter and the Big Dipper is about as far as my expertise stretches - when it hit me. I should be at camp. If I con- centrated, I could hear the waves of Lake Couchiching lick the shoreline, and smell woodsy smells and cigarette smoke, and see the headlight beams wag fitfully in the dark on their way to the dining hall. At 11 p.m., all of the campers would at least be trapped in their cabins - sleep was nowhere near,yet - and it would be time to wander down to the hall or the lake shore for some coffee and philosophical conversation before the midnight curfew. Seven a.m. and flagpole would come early.. But I'm getting way ahead of myself. Let me paint a picture for you. The summer after my first year at university, I landed a summer job at a camp near Orillia. It seemed too good to be true: from May 4 until September 2, room and board, a not bad salary, and amenities at this camp the likes of which I'd never seen. A completely equipped musical theatre, water-skiing, sailing, computers, a robotics program, coppercraft, advanced photography, windsurfing, hor- seback riding...It was more like a resort than a camp, and I couldn't wait. I mean, how much like work could this be? And how could they call this place a camp? Up until that summer of weirdness, my idea of camp was pretty pristine and simplistic. Tents, cooking on a campfire, and no article of clothing any paler than a dirty beige packed in your duffle. If ROUGH NOTES by Paula Elliott J there was anything lighter packed, it probably meant that Mom never wanted to see that particular piece of clothing again. So naturally, it was a bit of a shock when I was faced with a cabin of 14 -year-old girls who blew every fuse daily with their blow -dryers and who wouldn't go to Flagpole at seven in the morning until their earrings matched their socks and their hair was sprayed into position No kidding. In four short months, I had my whole concept of camp and fun blown completely put of the water by 500 or so jaded, obscenely rich kids who were bored by the age of 12, worldly at 13, and tired and scornful by the ripe old age of 14. And the more that I saw and experienced, the more I realized that my safest policy in life was to stay a kid as long as possible. In my first couple of months at the camp, myself and 14 other hardy souls who were ever after referred to as the "maintenance crew" also played counsellor/fun director/mentor to groups of Grade 8'ers from inner city Toronto. At the camp for a week at a time, the kids rolled onto the property in banana buses, all streetwise and wise -cracking, determined not to be entertained or befriended by a bunch of goofs running around in checked hunter's jackets and goofy hats. Watching them turn into kids again over five days was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. And every once in a while, just when I'm in danger of turning into an adult, I'll see something like Monday night's starry sky or full moon and imagine that I'm back at camp again, in a state of arrested childhood, a bigger kid than half of the kids there. As long as I can still do that, all the car payments and deadlines in the world can't touch me. 20 teams plow under 25 Tuckersmith acres JULY 11, 1890 Mr. George McIntosh of McKil- lop had the misfortune to lose a valuable mare and colt the other day, the mare having been so badly lacerated by ravenous hogs that she had to be shot. Mr. S. Cluff, who recently chased and moved to the Kyle farm on the sixth Concession, Tuck- ersmith, had a plowing bee on Thursday of last week. There were 20 teams at work, and they plowed 25 acres of summer fallow. This will give Mr. Cluflf a good start with his summer's work. The foundation of the new flax mill in Seaforth is now complete and the brick work is being com- menced. The building is to be 40 by 60 feet, two storeys high, with an engine house 24 feet square. We understand that Mr. Peter Klinkhammer has sold out his but- ter tub business to Mr. S. Trott, of this town, but that he will himself still continue the manufacture of barrels. The apple business promises to be very brisk this fall, and we are glad stn know that Mr. Klinkharnmer is prep•ral for all emergencies. A horse tied t Ise etc Messrs. White and May's store, St. Mary's, devoured a number of straw hats which were on exhibition outside the door. JULY 9, 1915 There were forty automobiles standing at the driving park in Seaforth at one time on Friday afternoon. That represents a lot of money and does not seem to in- dicate hard times. The annual picnic of Turner's Church and the London League Road, Tuckersmith was held this Thursday in Townsend's Grove. The result was in every way suc- cessful and satisfactory. The day was fine and about 300 people turned up. While Mr. Percy Monk of Tuck- ersmith was driving into town from the North on Wednesday, his horse became frightened at a motorcycle and, jumping into the ditch, it col- lided with a telegraph pole with such force as to break its neck. Mr. and Mrs. James Sutherland of Honolulu were here last week visiting Mr. Sutherland's brother, Mr. Alex Sutherland of John Street. It is forty years since the brothers last met. IN THE YEARS AGONE from the Expositor Archives JULY 12, 1940 Stamp Out Hitler! This is the slogan adopted by the Regent Theatre here in Seaforth in co- operation with Canada's Motion Picture Industry in its nation-wide campaign to stimulate the sale of War Savings Stamps and Cer- tificates. U11 Monday, July 15 the theatre .0 have as their guests every person who has purchased at least two 25 cent war saving stamps at the box office at a special gala Patriotic Performance. In addition to a splendid picture, Mr. Suther- land of Regent Theatre has arranged a program of local talent Fire destmyetl alt; cheese factory in Silvers Corners, Huron County, near Brussels. The origin of the fire has not been determined but it is supposed to have been the result of defective wiring. A house near the factory had its windows broken with the heat of the fire, but the t• ' 1-41 t L L t+t. . acting as a bucket brigade. Women's Auxiliary Motor Ser- vice classes, in which women are \ given free instruction in the operation and care of motor cars and trucks, are being organized in town. The idea behind the courses is to give women the chance to learn how to drive and maintain ambulance and trucks, in case their services might be needed, explained J.F. Daly, the agent here who is sponsoring the classes. JULY 15, 1965 The busiest place in the Seaforth area these days is the I ,inns Park and Pool. Every morning more than 300 district children, including 90 from Brussels, are on hand for swimming lessons. There is no charge for lessons, the cost of instruction being absorbed by the Lions Club as part of the Park program. Turn to ._ e ISA • tf