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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1989-02-15, Page 2471E41 -Huron g.nixraxpositor 'SERVI NG'TH)l:U)IVINIUNITVFIRST Incorporating The Brussels Post Published in Seaforth, Ontario Every Wednesday Morning The Expositor Is brought to you each week by the efforts of: Pat Armes, Nell Corbett, Terri -Lynn Date, Dionne McGrath and Bob McMthon. ED BYRSKI, General Manager HEATHER MCILWRAITH, Editor Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc Ontario Community Newspaper Association Ontario Press Council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscnptiisp Rotes Cando '20.00 o year .in advance Senior Citizens • '17.00 a year in advance Outside Canada '60.00 o year in advance Single Copies -.30 cents each Second class mail registration Number 0696 Wednesday, -February 15, .1989 Edituriol alai Business Offices - 10 Main Street, Seaforth Telephone (519) 527-0240 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1WO Moderation needed The Ontario government's announcement that it is requesting the Ontario Automobile Insurance Board hold public hearings related to alternate systems of automobile insurance is welcome news to car owners. Finally, an inkling of light at the end of the tunnel. Recognizing that greed, and an over abundance of law suits launched as a result of traffic accidents. are more to blame for high insurance rates than are ,the insurance companies themselves. tt is somewhat of a relief to note the government is taking measures to counter the messy situation we have gotten ourselves into. It is just unfortunate that it has taken this long. None -the -less the investigation into first, a threshold no-fautt system and, second. something involving a choice between fault and no-fault, is a positive step in a situation which until now seemed only destined to get worse. Threshold, or , a no-fault insurance plan would give accident victims the benefits of income replacement and medical rehabilitation. with death benefits to dependents in the case of fatalities. without the need for litigation. In addition. in cases of serious injury, often 'called the threshold, victims would be, able to sue for pain and suffering. The second alternative would give drivers a choice between forms of no- fault insurance and a form of fault -based insurance similar to that already in eff • fect in Ontario. Drivers could choose a less costly no-fault policy offering compensation for economic loss but without the right to receive compensation for pain and suffering. On the other hand, a driver could choose a fault policy, having existing no- fautt benefits with the right to further recovery through litigation for both economic Toss and pain and suffering, provided the policyholder is not at fault. Whether or not these options are actively pursued, it is gratifying tceknow the problem is serious enough to require government intervention?action. The public hearings promise to address certain issues relating to the two specific system - particularly; potential savings to consumers under the two systems, administrative concerns. and the anticipated levels of recovery of benefits by accident victims. Pain and suffering claims now account for 45 per cent of all bodily injury claims'. Elimination of litigation in cases not involving serious injury should reduce insurance costs overall. even with no-fault compensation to injured parties. With the cost of car insurance influenced by the number of accidents and benefits to the injured, and the number of claims rising dramatically, the per claim cost rising at twice the rate of inflation. and the volume of traffic moun- ting as a result of economic'and population growth, it's time something was. done. • Otherwise the pain and suffering will be felt not only by the victims of acci- dent, but by every car owner on the road facing renewal of his -her car in- surance. - H.M. Have an Onion? /- The -The Huron Expositor welcomes letters to the•editor. They 'must be signed and accompanied by a telephone number should we need to clarify any information. The Huron Expositor also reserves the right to edit letters. Letters can be dropped off at the Huron Expositor office ormail to: The Huron Expositor Box 69, Seaforth, Ontario NOK 1 WO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Priorities need straightening Dear Editor : Re: THE DISPOSAL OF UNUSED CPR RAILWAY PROPERTIES The Rails -to -Trails exponents keep men- tioning Wisconsin's Sugar River Trail as an example of what our abandoned CPR line could become if converted to a Nature Trail or Parkland area. Turning to the CAA Tour Book, Michigan/Wisconsin, 1987 edition I was able to uncover this information. The Sugar River State Park is a 23 mile long trail between New Glarus and '''ead, Wisconsin, following the e river flats of the Sugar River n , eve.. 1 along one of the old Pacific ' sy: 'is leading out of Chicago, 11- hn. s. .,,e maul entrance to the trail is at New Glarus which is located 20 miles south of Madison. Wisconsin (population 170,616), approximately 80 miles west of Milwaukee . (population 636,212), or 140 miles northwest of Chicago (population 3,005,072 ). There are many other smaller cities and towns within a 100 mile radius of this trail, but enamoring the total population of these three centres alone, they add up to 1015 per eent of Canada's whole population. This is a good solid population base to support and use the 23 mile Sugar River State Park. toe reputation of tiuron bounty as of we 1988 municipal record was 55.553. The length of the proposed Goderich-Guelph Nature Trail is 77.2 miles. New Glarus (population 1,800) uses its Swiss heritage to bring tourism into the area, with four major annual festivals, a museum and a Swiss historical village. It has at least two CAA recommended hotels advertised as being on the "bike trails". Brodhead (population 3,200) has a museum, the old railroad depot, and an historic Ex- change Square and Historical District, a 9 -hole golf course, Decatur Dam and Decatur Lake. It has been stated that this area earns $400,0004600,000 tourist income annually in this state park area. That seems only reasonable given theulation base and the area development fotourism. Tourism hi Wisconsin is their second ma- jor industry, generating'*6 billion/year and occupying 13 -per cent of the labor force, as compared.to agriculture which has annual farm sales of $3.7 billion/year. Agriculture and agriculturally related industries are of prime importanee in Huron County. Let's get our priorities right for us! Return the land to agricultural production or reforestation! Jeannelttirkby Television an obsession in 198 Sometimes 1 wonder how some of us would have survived those oft glamorized "days of yore". As much as all of us have probably fan- tasized about life in the wild, wild west - when men were men and gals were gals - I wonder if given the chance now, how many of us would be able to withstand the lifestyle. I reckon, not too many. That may however, be an unfair assump- tion on my part. After all, I really have nothing on which to base that statement - unless of course, you consider a thought- provoking experience I had this weekend. It involved the television. Now, I'd always been .aware of the significance of the television in this day and age. But I don't think it was until Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon that I fully realized the full extent of the power it holds over other people's lives. I guess I wouldn't. I am quite content to read a book, play some cards, or just piddle around my apartment. I don't need to have the television running 24 hours a day - nor do I want it to. I welcome the chance for some quiet time - to listen to music, or just to let my brain function on its own, rather than at the urging of some electronic impulse com- ing at me from a box in the corner of the room. But that's me. SWEATSOCKS by Heather McDwraith Others it would seem, can not live outside the presence of a television screen. And I'm sure everyone (particularly those of the female gendre) knows at (east one person like this. A person who, despite hav- ing worked an eight-hour shift away from the television at their job, finds it necessary to flick on the tube before even taking off their coat, when that work day is done. This same person is probably the same person whom, it would seem, becomes such a part of the furnishings in front of the television, that it would take a forklift to dislodge them. Even suppers, gourmet or not, have to be consumed in front of the television, and trips to the household plumb- ing house can be taken only during commer- cials - probably causing at tithes, extreme discomfort to the devoted television groupie. Subconsciously I probably realized all this. But it really came to the forefront this weekend, when circumstances arose which led to the demise, for several hours at a time, of my cable television network. Well, it didn't bother me in the Least. However, because the interruption occur- red during the slam dunk basketball con- test, and just prior to the All Star basketball game, it bothered my "friend" a great deal. I've never seen a person fidget so much in my life. He played with that television like it's never been played with before - there were tubes and wires jiggled that will pro- bably never be the same again - all for the sake of mental vegetation in front of a speaking box. My "friend" was like a junkie desperate for a fix. And when he didn't get it, he did the next best thing. He settled for something second rate. The television stayed on and he watch- ed the events unfold on a dizzying speckled screen, and listened to a static -filled com- mentary. He probably would have chanced locales, if he hadn't been afraid of missing something during the transition. Could he survive those "days of yore". Already spoiled by the technology of today - 1 doubt it. Then again - I wonder if even I could give up the amenities of today, for the romance of yesteryear. Prime minister can keep his job Do you think our Prime Minister gets a chance to play pick-up hockey? I don't think so. I don't think his job is all its cracked up to be. That's why I've avoided it.' I recently saw in the media a shot of the P.M. out skating with bis son Nicolas, and he looked to be enjoying the actso much that one bad to wonder how often he gets out of the office, commons, house etc. It got me thinking about,what it wouldmean to be the P.M. It would look good on a resume, but what you'd have to give up. I don't think anyone would really mind if Brian showed up at the Seaforth arena Tues- day night to lace up with the boys. Although someone might decide there• would be full contact that night. What the boys might not like is the swarm of pushy media types who would dog the P.M.'s skatetrails, the pro- fessional muscle who ensure his safety and would insist on no shots above the ankles, and that they might not be able to have pop after the game. He's not really in physical danger. Unlike MY TWO BITS by Neil Corbett our cousins to the south we don't shoot at our P,M. in Canada, at least not from close enough that you can tell, but security must always be a consideration. That effectively rules out activities like trap shooting, ar- chery, full contact karate... I'd bet Mulroney's lucky if he gets in a rousing game of contract bridge once in while. Most of what you say is under scrutiny (have you heard the phrase "lyin' Brian"), many people dislike or even bate you on principal, and your mistakes become na- tional incidents Time was when the P.M.'s job sounded like a good one. From what I learned of our nation's first leader, Sir John A. Macdonald, he didn't let his office inhibit -him. When delivering his long speeches, Sir John had a boy bringing him what appeared to be water to keep the words flowing smoothly. He ap- parently had quite a capacity for this "water", but by the end of his speeches he was using the podium to hold up more than -his written speeches. Maybe Mr. Mulroney should get Nicolas trotting glasses of gin to him. If might add some fire to his speeches. If you asked most people if the would serve as Prime Minister I bet 90 percent of them would say yes. But others, like me, would prefer the privacy which can be afforded the filthy rich, or more likely, the anonymity of the filthy poor. 97 -acre farm sells for $4,000 FEBRUARY 15, 1889 On Friday evening last the Canadian Stereopticon Company gave one of their ex- hibitions in Cardno's Hall, under the auspices of the Mechanic's Institute. There were over 200 views of Canadian scenery shown, besides several humofous pieces and a beautiful series entitled "Rock of Ages." During this series a local quartette, composed of Mrs. J. Scott and Miss Ewing and Messrs. J. Scott and W. McDonald, gave a fine rendering of that beautiful hymn, "Rock of Ages," to the delight of the au- dience. The views exhibited by this com- pany are excellent and their entertainment is one well worth seeing. On Tuesday evening the first carnival of the season was held on the Seaforth skating rink and proved a grand success. The rink was crowded with spectators and there was a large number of skaters in costume, the ladies being especially well represented both as to numbers and excellence of costumes. The band of the 33rd Battalion furnished good music, and as the many bright costumes flitted hither and thither the scene was a very pretty one and well worth going to see, The following is the list of prize winners: Ladies comic costume Kiss J. Daley, Miss C. Kidd; Gentlemen's comic costume, F. Cardno and D. Logan; Gentleman's character costume W. Jackson, H. Watson; Ladies' character costume Miss Ida Dickson, Miss N. McKay; Barrel Race W. Hawkshaw. COUNCIL DOINGS - At a meeting of the council held on Monday evening last a com- munication from the chief of the fire brigade asking for new ladders in connection with the iire,apparatus was referred to the Fire and Water Committee to report.at its next meeting. Mr. James Anderson was ,ap- pointed Sanitary Inspector for The current year at a salary of 20 dollars. The Street Committee were authorized to have a new snow plow made providing the cost will not exceed $25 and will be guaranteed to give satisfaction. FEBRUARY 20,1914 Mr. William Oke, who recently purchased the farm of the late Robert Govenlock north of Seaforth, has sold it again to his son, Mr. Cecil Oke, for $4,000. It is a good farm and well situated and contains 97 acres. It is not likely any person else would have got it so cheap. BRUSSELS - La Grippe has been epidemic in many parts of this district and a great number of people have been tem- porarily laid up. A big delegation of temperence workers is going to Clinton on Friday to take part in the discussion on matters having a most impor- tant bearing on the enforcement of the Canada Temperence Act. It is rumoured that some very interesting topics will be discussed. FEBRUARY 17,1939 The annual meeting of the McKillop Mutual Fire Insurance Company held in the Town Hall, Seaforth, on Friday last, was largely attended. The cash receipts for the year were 636,200.78 and the total expen- ditures $9,8104;82. The totalaasets of the com- pany are $74.501.67 and the total liabilities $10,706.86. The fire losses during the year amounted to $5,723.93. Lifelong and highly esteemed residents of Tuckersmith,Mr.,and Mrs. R.H. Modeland, on Monday observed the fiftieth anniver- sary of their marrlpge.at their home on the second concession. The day was quietly spent at their home, and in the evening neighbors and friends gathered for a sur - rise p Appearing in Madison Square Gardens, New York, this week, John R. Walker's two Daschund dogs were awarded two first, a second, a third and two specials, according to a wire received here Wednesday from the owner. The dogs last fall won several prizes when shown at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, but this is the first time they have been benched at the New York Show. Seaforth council expressed its apprecia- tion of the services rendered by Andrew Lit- tle, for 17 years town weightmaster, who retired this week. FEBRUARY 13,1964 Strength • of Seaforth Police Department will be increased to four men, council decid- ed Monday night. The police committee was instructed to advertise for a fourth man. Awakened early Saturday morning by the noise of the water pressureystem, Andrew Mpore -got up to investigate and found a large brooder house containing 9,000 chicks an fire. The loss will amount to nearly $2,090 and 3,000 chicks were killed by smoke and fumes. Members of the Boards of the Seaforth District High School and Seaforth Public School honored C.A. Barber at a dinner Wednesday, when they presented him with an engraved silver tray, marking the com- pletion of 34 years as the SPS representative on the SDHS Board.