The Huron Expositor, 1982-12-15, Page 1t its
Incorporating
r Brussels Post
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the
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1982 24 PAGES
asitor
Mrs.
he
ildebra.nd
s fidnce
Councillor Hazel Hildebrand, who top-
ped the polls in the Nov. Selection was named
chairman of council's finance committee,
Monday night. Mrs. Hildebrand was a
member of the committee during 1981-82,
"her first term on council.
The town government's other top jobs,
heading the police and public works commit -
went to Wayne Ellis and Bill Bennett
respectively. Councillor Ellis was police
chairman when he was on council in the
seventies, and deputy -reeve Bennett has
been a member of the public works
committee for six years.
Serving with Mrs. Hildebrand on finance
are Mr. Bennett and new councillor Bill
Martin. Reeve Bill Campbell and councillor
Henry Mero are the other members of the
public works committee, while councillors
Paul Ross and Irwin Johnston round qui the
police committee.
'
Councillor Johnston, and citizen repBob
Are
Beuttenmiller, were appointed to the arena
hoard of management. The appointments
were made by a striking committee, which
included mayor Alf Ross, reeve Campbell and
deputy reeve Bennett and were accepted by
council without comment. The mayor is a
member of each committee. •
Mayor Ross said an even workload was the
main consideration in appointing members of
council to special purpose committees and
boards. He and councillors -Martin and Mero
were named to the planning board; Paul Ross
to LACAC and to the BIA; Mr. Bennett and
Mrs. Hildebrand to recreation: reeve Camp-
bell to the landfill committee: the mayor and
Mr. Ellis to economic development and to
negotiating:'a'Iceng:with councillor Johnston.
Non-members of council will probably be
appointed to the two "-area conservation
authorities and the hospital board in January,
after the names of those who volunteer are
reviewed by the striking committee.
a is crow
The unofficial opening of the new 51.5
million Seaforth and District Community
Centre got off to a flying start Sunday with
approximately 800 people on hand to: watch
the Seaforth Beaver Oldtimers team take on
the N.H.L. Oldtimers. The game marked the
first major event to be held in the new arena.
The game. sponsored by the Seaforth
Oldtimers, was a crowd pleaser, offering
superb hockey. laced with hurnourous antics
by players on both teams. Both teams played
well with the N.H.L. Oldtimers winning 12-9.
The Seaforth Oldtimers displayed a solid
style of hockey. but failed to match the
impressive .style of the National Hockey
League veterans.
According to Bob Beuttenmiller. a member
of the Seaforth Oldtimers. the game brought
in about 5300 for the team after all other
expenses were deducted. The costs include
51200 10 the N.H.L. Oldtimers. ice time and
FirehaII is
BY WiLMA OKE
Purchase of a new firehall was approved
Wednesday night at a special meeting of
Seaforth town council.
Members of the Seaforth arca volunteer
fire department have been seeking a new
hall for about five years. The department is
currently in cramped quarters at the rear of
the down hall.
Council approved purchase of a trucking
garage from Louis McNichol at a cost of
5177.000. The building is on Birch Streelt in
the town's industrial area and includes two
double truck bays as well as a single bay.
There are washrooms, an office and it is
heated by gas fired hot water. The town will
sign the deed for the property and will hold it
in trust for the Fire Area Board.
There arc five municipalities making up
the Fire Area Board •• Seaforth. McKillop,
Tuckersmith, Hibbert and Hullett. Thc
township councils have all agreed to the
purchase. The new 1983-85 council approved
the purchase when assured trusses which
e
advertising. Ht credits much of the success of
the game to the behind -the -scenes work of
recreation director. Bryan Peter, who helped
with the booking and other arrangements.
Mr. Beuttenmiller estimates that the arena
could hold an additional 200 spectators in
addition to the 800 who attended Sunday's
game. The support of the fans and the
number of those in attendance indicates that
the impressive Seaforth arena has, a solid
future as a community centre and as a
financially sound investment for the com-
munity.
I he next major event scheduled for the
arena is the Seaforth Centenaires' match -up
with the Mitchell Hawks. this Friday at 8:30
p.m. The Centenaire executive is hoping for a
good turnout at the game to help boost team
spirits in their attempt to move up in the
standings of the Junior 'D' Western Division.
approved
are not adequate will be brought up to meet
the Ontario Building Code by owner
McNichol. The engineering firm of B.M.
Ross of Goderich must be satisfied and give
the stamp of approval that the trusses are
strengthened to meet regulations before the
purchase is given final approval. The work is
to be completed no later than March 31 but
is e':pected to be completed earlier than that
date when the firemen will move in.
In the deal. Mr. McNichol also agreed to
buy the nearby Feeney lot on Main Street
from the town for 522.000, which he is to use
to park his trucks. The lot sale drops the cost
of the hall to 5155,000.
The Feeney lot was purchased by the town
several years ago as a proposed site for the
new firehall. 4'
Mr. McNichol has a 66 -foot right of wavy to
the west of the garage so that he can get to
his gas pumps to service his trucks.
Thc Ontario Municipal Board gave
approval for the purchase of the McNichol
property as a firehall in September, 1982.
og
lerts
ily to fire
BY RON WASSINK
.Sandy. a 10 month old Golden Retriever,
has been credited with saving the lives of his'
family. Jim and Karen Byers and their three
children.
A friend of the family. Mrs. Wayne Grube
said Karen was awakened at approximately
4:00 a.m.. Thursday. December 9 "when
Sandy started making a ruckus." What upset
Sandy was a fire which destroyed the Byers'
home on lot 13, concession two, Grey
township.
Grey township fire chief. Gordon Engel
said the home was completely engulfed in
flanges when the department arrived. Cause
of the fire is unknown and an estimate of
damages is not available. Chief Engel said
the house "burned to the ground. Nothing
was saved."
Awakened by their dog, Karen Byers and
the baby escaped unharmed. Her husband
Jim awakened their two sons and arrived at
the top of the stairs to find the stairwell in
flames. The boys were literally thrown over
,the flames by their father, who jumped
behind them.
Mr. Byers and his two sons were taken to
Listowel Memorial Hospital where they were
treated for burns and released later the same
day. Mrs. Grube said, "Jim and the boys just
about didn't make it."
Mrs. Byers said nothing was saved from
the double brick home. Only" sections of the
two walls are standing as a reminder.
Firemen returned to the scene at 10:00 a.m.
to douse a second blaze.
Presently staying in a home owned by Stan
Jones on concession two, Grey township,
Mrs. Byers said a decision to rebuild is still
being discussed.
Donations for the family are being
accepted at the Royal Bank in Brussels and at
Evans Hardware in Ethel. A spokesman at
the bank said all types of donations are
welcome.
Following last week's fire at the Beuerman
home in McKillop..a benefit dance will be
held for the family Friday night
Family is safe
HOME DESTROYED, FAMILY SAFE—Ten month old Sandy, a Golden
Retriever owned by the Jim Byers family of RR2, Bluevale, awakened the
Byers family when fire engulfed their home early last Thursday morning.
Aside from burns to face, hands and feet, the family escaped from the
fire, which destroyed their home in 45 minutes. Shown with Sandy are
Michael, six; Karen Byers, Katie, 18 months; and Jeffrey, three. Due
to his injuries. Mr. Byers was not available when the photo was taken.
(Wassink photo)
orris land sold without 20% tax
BY RON WASSINK
Liberal members of the Ontario Legisla-
ture have revealed that non-resident foreign
investors arc purchasing Ontario farmland
and avoiding the Ontario Government's 20
per cent land transfer tax.
In a recent press release, Liberal
opposition leader David Peterson and
Agriculture critic Jack Riddell, M.P.P. for
Huron -Middlesex. said 3.585 acres of
productive farmland in Huron and Bruce
counties was sold to overseas interests in the
past year. In these sales alone, "845.136 in
land transfer taxes were circumvented."
The Liberal opposition feels the purchases
show flaws in existing provincial legislation
"regarding speculation in farmland." Mr.
Peterson said the situation also demonstrat-
es "a neglect h> the government of a
growing problem of increasing takeover of
farmland by non-residents for speculative
purposes."
In a joint statement. Mr. Riddell and Mr.
Peterson say. "We don't know how much
land we have lost to nonresidents because
the Ontario government has failed to
adequately monitor this situation."
Present legislation requires foreign put.
chasers to pay 20 per rem of the purchase
price in compliance with the Ontario Land
Transfer Tay. Resident husers are onl\
requited to pas, two-fifths of one per cent of
the first 54..000 and fourlifths ..f one per
cent on the remaining pun. haw price.
The loophole operates as follows.
farmer who agrees to astept an offer from a
non-resident is instructed to incorporate an
Ontario numbered company. All legal costs
are borne by t:te foreign buyer. The farmer
then sells his farm to his own corporation of
which he holds one share and is the
President. The shares of the corporation are
then transferred to lawyers acting on behalf
of the foreign buyer.
"In each carr the farmland was purchased
hs a person we believe to be an agent for
West German and Austrian investors.
"Hc is Wolf yon Teichman of the law firm
of Tikal and Associates Ltd.. Toronto. The
otrporatc names used in many of the
transactions is Austro -Canadian Enterprises
Inc., a company which has recently changed
Its name to Algonquin Farms Limited. Mr.
Teichman was identified as the Director of
the company until November 1981. The
current President is identified as Helmut
Sieber of R.R. 2, Blyth."
"Not only is land being removed from the
hands of Ontario residents and falling from
production. but the speculation is driving up
the .value of farmland and making it difficult
for young Ontario farmers to pursue their
fife choice."
The press release fromthe Ontario Liber-
als lists lot number. concession roads, date
of sale, grantor (farm owner). grantee
(numbered company), acres sold. sale price.
land transfer tax paid and foreign land
transfer tax applicable.
An example in Huron County. shows 1.690
acres sold during the first week in
Please turn to page 3
Times are tough, but people are coping
BY SUSAN WHITE
As we head into Christmas 1982. there's
general agreement that the season is not
going to he jolly for many Canadians.
Post office employees charged with
answering children's letters to Santa are
aghast at the number of little ones whd ask
simply for a job for daddy. or for more food
because they aren't getting enough to eat.
Locally. Huron social services adminis•
trator John MacKinnon says his depart•
ment's caseload was up more than 50 per
cent over last year's in October. This
November the county helped 291 individ•
uals and families compared to 197 in
November of last year.
Lieutenant Robert Anderson of the
Salvation Army in Stratford (Seaforth is
under his jurisdiction) says business at the
group's thrift store. counselling demands.
requests for food vouchers and incidents of
family problems are up, way up. "I visit
the jail each week and even the population
there is up. People who are released have
no jobs to go to so they end up back in jail."
Here in Seaforth, the town office reports
more ovgrdue taxes.dhan last year. The
final 1982 tdr installment was due Nov, 30
and clerk Jim Crocker says "we're getting
them paid. but it's later than usual." As a
result, the town has had to borrow more
.than usual to meet current expenses.
Payments came in well last week, about
a week late and as of Friday 89.9 per cent
had been paid. down a bit from the
same time last year when taxes were 91.4
per cent paid.
Even postage costs cause some people
problems. One lady says seniors on low
fixed incomes aren't able to write letters as
often. And at least' one Seaforth store says
sales of boxes of Christmas cards arc down
drastically this year.
But the story is not all unrelieved doom
and gloom. With their usual resourceful-
ness. local people arc looking hard for ways
to cope with unemployment. high prices
and pay cheques that eon't stretch as far as
.they used to.
Representatives of about 40 groups in
Huron attended workshops last week
sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food that were designed
to show them how to do more with less.
These leaders will pass the information. a
course called "More cents than dollars" on
to about 800 people. says Huron home
economist Jane Muegge. Similar work-
shops were similarly well attended in Perth
County.
Consumers are using OMAF's informat-
ion services more than ever, in an attempt
to stretch their dollars, Mrs. Muegge adds.
Calls to Ontario's home economists are up
more than 300 per cent across the province.
As people struggle with making ends
meet there have been nationwide reports
of personal problems leading to more
family violence and marital break-up. But a
Seaforth clergyman. Rev. James Vanslykc.
sans he hasn't seen an increase in people
asking for counselling here. 'Id say we
haven't seen a great deal of hardship yet."
John MacKinnon of Huron social
services says results of the province -wide
recession have been slower to hit than in
more industrial areas. "We're a little
behind the rest of the province, we're
catching up in Huron now. Most of those
now receiving aid from the county are new
clients, including a lot of single, employ
able males, 61 in Nov. '82, versus 15 in
Nov. '81.
The caseload jump is noticeably long
after a county industry closes. when Its
former employees are no longer entitled to
unemployment insurance. He adds Huron
is now seeing a higher number of
self•employed. skilled people. like carpen•
ters and bricklayers. hit by the lack of
construction and ineligible for UIC, request
county benefits.
Those benefits range from $163 a month
for a single person over 21, living with
parents. to a maximum of 5656 a month for
a family of four and an additional 532 a
month for eser\ additional fannh member.
Mr MacKinnon points out that counts
assistance is designed for short•term.
cmergencs help shite pro\urcIal programs
provide rong1crni ,rid for .anti one ss ho Is
disabled or needs mother's ,i11 »ante
While thrift ships and ',Csond hand
stores say husness Is brisk ha al rummage
sale orgamicrs\ report sn'wds are "hest
ever." Dorm hs Williams ,d the an
Egmond Foilndatl,1n sass shy found
customers lined up out to the street before
the group's sale lies 4 and user $3011 was
raised. Kids .lathes and los, were
best•sellcrs. si rhes for adult, mos cd
slow)' . Everything left over was donated to
the Salvation Army.
Despite plans to perhaps use a collection
agents to pull in ascrtluc payments. heal
P('( manager Tont Phillips says most of
the commission's 52000 in longterm
arrears Is not owed h\ individual house•
holders but hs people whose left toss
ss ithout pas ing and hs a business w Inch is
closed "Most people in town (including
those on 0clfarc) are scry good... about
pa\ ink Pl. (' hills. he sacs and adds that
Intcresnngls, the list of oserdue accounts
for No\cmher was attua11 down from last
s ear.
1( 1982 won't be the happiest Christmas
for some of us. Seaforth and area is'.still
very generous about remembering those
who have even less. The Saltation'Army,
for the first time in years. rang bells and
collected contributions on Main St. the day
of Seaforth's Santa Claus parade. "People
were yen• generous." says Lieutenant
Anderson.
Tough times can be a blessing in
disguise if they bung us closer together.
says one Seaforth man. Jim Kell. '2. In
his south, when you "spent according to
w hat you made" he remembers "ss a made
Please turn to page .1
Seaforth takes dump site option
Seaforth council agreed \londas nleht to
extend an- option on .t possible site 1,- .1 new
dump for 1961. .it a cost of SI 000 \ ,'pion
has been held on the land. i„'anon
undisclosed. for the past sear at no ,osi
Clerk Jim (rocker r'pl,uned that 0HI,. the
site scents so lar to he the best alternati,1'.
future "tests and Ins estlkallons eonhl turn up
a problem and eliminate it
B.M. Ross and lssos gates ,Ire imc'stigat
ing sites. based on strict 1 nslronnn•ntal
Assessment Act procedures. at .I Consulting
ost of about $211,1100 the clerk said Seaforth
has been "front•endink' rusts so fat. hut
based ort vspeeled use of the site, costs would
he shared a\eordint tr use. i" per cent from
\eatorth. 44 per tent from Tuckersmith and
Ill per cent from McKillop. The three
mina ip,ilulcs "111 be asked to share costs of
the In\cstiga(ion
( ouns Illor Henrs Mero suggested Seaforth
tender for engineers on special projects like
this in future "For 520.000 we get a studs In
return It seems like an awful lot of manes
Pasdt polio has been to use the Ross firm as
nw\n engineer, clerk Crocker explained
When tenders were called on the scssagc
infiltration stud thcs were awarded to t'ic
sank firm, he said.
('ICrk ('rocker sail the toss ns.hips h,.s e reps
on the landfill committee ss ho arc report 1,g t,'
their osvn councils.
fhc present dump will he open \1,'nd.Iss
11e, _ and ,Ian 3 since n ss Iii he ss
(hristniat Day and Boxing Das
The best of
Christmas
posters/A1 8
Ontario's top
bean producer /A6
Mitchell Meteor
in new book/A10
Brussels news 45
Christmas Crafts 4'5
Christmas Recces 424
Classified A20
Dublin news 45
Entertainment 4R
Family 412 '3 '5
Farm 4
Hensa ' 4'4
Kids 44
t eg on news 48
ROu'StO" 42
$m,lev 42
something to San A3
, OOrtS 49 '0 •1
Townshend 42
Walton news A19