The Huron Expositor, 1975-03-06, Page 314;1.0j.cfP.SliT9 ‘.0404.R.OH.'...13.i 041 T
Editor's Note: Rqnlenlbqr witch?
Is a gale= • to, ,celebrate
Seaforth',s Cejltenniaio OA*
MUMS will be written by 1901
people and we invite ,any of Our ,
readers to contriblite their
• "memories" of Seaforth to the
column.
SEAFORTH
SEA 0
Something to say
(By Susan White)
voter at ejection time can'a ferret
out these who are interested and
capable from those who want a
pepsion for sitting through
meetings then we'd better turn in
our ballots and make all our
elected officials provincial
appointees.
The
problem is that people cannot
serve on public bodies, like school
boards or town councils, unless
they are willing to make a
Personal sacrifice of time and
often money.
Our systein limits the type of
people who can serve the public
this way. For example, the Huron
County School Board is made up
chiefly of self-employed busi-
nessmen and farmers and house-
wives. Those of us who Work in
factories, offices or for large
companies could argue till!, we
are denied representation the
board. Few businesses would
agree to give an employee 'the
time off work to attend the
meetings, which are held jn the
raises that Huron County afternoon.
of Education members Twenty or thirty years ago
school trustees, town councillors
and PUC members got little or
no salary in return for the many
hours that they -put in -looking
after public business, often doing
a lot 'of the work that hired
administrators ' do now. But
things were slower and, less
complicated then and the services
that all these bodies provided
were fewer than' they are now.
More people were self-
employed then, and taking a day
off to do the public-'s btisineks did
not mean the loss.of income that it
means now.
The elected offices in a rural
area.like ours are net demanding'
enough to be full time jobs as they
are for many in Toronto, and
those who serve don't rate or
expect full time wages. But these
offices are demanding that they
take people away from *their'
regular jobs, or mean that they
can't hold regular jobs. This is,
especially true of the Huron
Board with two afternoon
meetings per nionth.
It seems unfair, as a letter
writer pointed out in the Exposi-
tor last week, that farmers, whose
incomes are expected to'decline '8
per cent in 1975 be asked to pay
for a 100 per cent pay raise for
trustees. Its pretty hard to ask
the public to pay for a raise for
anybody in times of economic
insecurity like these.
But are we willing to limit our.
elected representatives on school
boards and other public bodies to
the 'very few that can afford to
serve for only ,a token. salary?
Personally we think we need a
wider cross section of people
serving on our Councils and
boards. A move by all of them to
meet in the evenings would be 'a
start towards that end. Then
perhaps, companies could be
persuaded to be extra good
corporate citizens and allow
employees limited time off to act
as councillors or trestees.
If they don't and if the public is
unwilling to pay more than token
compensation we are going to
find more and more that our
public representatives are either
retired people or those with
independent incomes.
There are
some things
our tailor
(dressmaker)
can't do for you.
I
We've had a letter from a
person in Seaforth pointing out
that it's not always the pedes-
trians fault that accidents, occur
when people have to walk on the
streets because' sidewalks are too
icy. The letter writer says that
often the shoulders of our streets 4
are lined with cars on both sides,
thus forcing the pedestrian to
walk right on the road. -
Some corners in town,
especially Main and John and
Main and Market Streets are
often partially blocked by big
trucks loading and unloading, our
correspondent says. ., ,This cau'ses
a hazard to both pedestrians and.
car ,drivers who can't, see past
these big vehicles to the Main
Street traffic.
We don't know what the
answer to this problem is, except
for trucks to use'rear entrances to
Main Street stores whenever
possible and for all of us to inch
out carefully from these corners
when we are walking or driving.
******
The
Board
voted themselves at their last
meeting have been causing some
discuSsion around town. Seaforth
trustee Molly Kunder was in our
office last week to explain her
case for the raise. Mrs. Kunder
said that although the 100 per
cent raise loOks pretty stiff, the
trustee's salary was previously
only $150. per month. The raise
to $300 is the first that the
trustees have had in the six years
since the board was formed, she
added;
Mrs. Kunder had with her a list
of the meetings that she had
attended on board business since
the first of the year and they were
extensive. In addition, she said
she spends time on phone calls
from rate payers and 'other
organizations and in talking to the
general public to keep them
informed about 'what the' boardtiu.
' doing. She said that the province
did not authorize pay increases
• for trustees until January after
the recent elections, so the raise
could not have been made an
election issue.
Mrs. Kunder also pointed out
that few trustees, can afford the
time away from their businesses
or farms to act on the school
board, without reasonalbe com-
pensation. And therein lies the
problem -- if we expect compe-
tence and performance from our
elected representatives it seems
we have to recognize it with
motley as well as withlivotes.
We do object however to
paying public officials who are
incompetent or lack lustre in their
performance, even a token
amount. On any elected body
there' are esually those who are
at. along for the ride as well as those
who do more work,than they will
ever be paid for. But it is up to
the voters to get clued in about
who contributes and who doesn't
by attending meetings and
keeping informed about where
their reps stand (if anywhere) on
the issues.
It is' unfair to penalize those
who earn their pay. or even a
raise in pay, by saying that a
decent salary for elected officials
will attract candidates who are
only "in it for the money". If the
paRnapeatrion
The Canadian movement rot personal tftheas.
Fitness. In your heart you know it's right.
4
Sugar and Spice •
by bill Bill -Smiley .
I have personally had it, with the
Canadian Postal Service, so called.
I am sick to death of postal strikes and
threats of strikes.
And I almost throw up every time'
Honorable Bryce Mackasey, minister in
char ge of the post office, comes on
television to state bluntly that postal
employees "last year stole only a million
dollars or whatever, which is just a drop in
the bucket, and that we have the third best
postal service in the world. ,
His first st atement practically
condones theft by public employees. His
second must be something he halucinated
while recovering from an overdoge of
. stamp glue.
Admitted, that for years, 'postal
employees were sorely underpaid, and,
most of them were in the job only for the
security it offered.
But the' security is still there, and they.
are now far from sorely underpaid. Some of
them, in view of what they do,• and the
relatively simple qualifications required,
may be overpaid, in comparison With some
other jobs.
Admitted, many postal jobs ' are
unexciting, even boring and monotonous.
This is no excuse for the flouting of the
public's • needs, or for the thumb-to-the
nose attitude towards the government,
employer of the,' postal workers.
Nobody forced those people to work in
the post office. Plenty of other jobs are just
as monotonous. If they wanted excitement
why didn't they go into high steel work or
massage parlors? -
Isn't it about time for a showdown?'
Either Canada gets a first rate postal
service, as we used to have, or we scrap the
whole thing and turn it over to private
enterprise.
In my far from humble opinion, the
latter course should have been taken years
ago. For the past several decades,. the
performance of the post office in this
country has been a dismal one.
Each year, efficiency decreases; each
year the costs increase. Each new, broom
appointed as' minister has carefully swept
the dirt under the rug, instead of out the
door.
• I think it's too late for a purge in the post
office, which has becoMe so constipated
that nothing short of dynamite would move ,.
those turgid bowels.
No new minister has the guts to go in
and ream out .the dottle of the public
pipeline. It would be his head on a platter if
he tried.
Nope. It's too late for half measures.'It's
time to put the whole, shambling, sick,
half-paralyzed leviathan on the auction
block, and sell it to the highest bidder:
buildings, bricks, equipment ancy jobs.
And l'et's not get any phony n ationalism
mixed up in it. If one of the new rich oil
countries wants fe -hify the mess and put it
in running order, why not? Canadians can't
do it, apparently.
You think this is too drastic? It seems the
only alternative we have to limping along
with a postal system that the word
"rotten" inadequately describes.
You think something as big and
important as the postal non-system should
be controlled by the government?
Hogwash! Anyone with ears to hear or eyes
to read knowg that government is notably
inefficient as an employer.
Let's look at one example. We have two
transcontinental railways. CPR, privately
owned, has shown a thumping profit year
after year. The CNR, government owned,
highly subsidized, 'is always in the red.
You think I'm a little, hot today? You're
right. Postal strikes have cost me
considerable, in terms of anxiety and cash.
And I'm only a little frog. Imagine what the
lousy service is doing to slow down and
thwart tar ge companies, which hire
hundreds of thousands.
As I write, postal employees in Toronto
are n of working, while mail piles up in
thousands of tons.
Why are they not working:? Because
they won't cross the picket lines of another,
comparatively small union that is on strike.
And get this. The Post Office gave its
non-working employees leave of absence
without pay. They were not fired. And
those employees have the unbelievable gall
to talk of suing the, ost office because they
are not drawing their pay when they are
not working, even though they are not on
strike. Can you figure that out? It makes
my head reel.
This week, I sent a letter "special
delivery". It cost me 48 cents in postage.
To make me expend Such a sum, the letter
had to be mighty' important: It's sitting in a
post office, unsorted, in which the
employees are NOT on strike.
I've had eneugli. Who'll join me? And in
closing, may Vadd that I don't put the
blame on the 'postalunion, not all of it.
These people are human and will reach for
all they can get.
The real root of my rage and the
fifth-rate Canadian postal non-service is
the gutless 'politicians in Ottawa.
ainfon
24EINVIIE Vette ISO
0
FACTORY CUM,
WOOL
LEATHER
PRODUCTS
B
Where he Values Are
Bainton -Limited, Blyth
Telephone 523-9666
Mon. to Tams. 9 - 6
Fri. - 9 9
Sat. - 9 - 6
Sun. 1 - 6
OLD MILL
IN BLYTH
At The Railway Tracks
Factory Outlet
Leather &' suede garments
Leather Gloves & Mitts for all
the famills
Leather Purses & Handbags
& Hats
Pure Virgin Wool Bankets
--all sizes--
Mohair Throws
Sheepskin Rugs, Socks, Yarn,
Toys, Etc.
Our Specialty • Deerskin
Groves, Mitts & Moccasins
In this authentic old mill you
will find heritage and
tradition of the Bainton family
- a unique wool and leather
business.
.41
SINCE
1894
Huronview
Practise square dancing
, As a result of the visiting restrictions at the Home, several
of the regular events have been cancelled.
Mrs. Elsie Henderson, Norman Speir and Jerry Collins
provided the Old Ty me Music for Monday's activities along -
with several numbers by the Huronview Rythm Band. The , ,
residents practised square dancing with Mrs, McGratton
doing the calling.
Slide pictures' that have been taken during the past four
yearg of special events were shown in each of the areas during
the week.
March
is
Red Cross Month
Canvassers will be calling
on you. Please give
them your support.
It's working for you
Your parent's OHIP insurance no longer
includes you. So apply for your own. Don't
delay, or you could be walking into an
emergency uncovered. Consult your em-
plOyer or contact your nearest OHIP Office,
The OHIP Office in your area will answer
any questions you may have,
Genie
114 Worsley Street
726-0326
Hamilton
25 Mein Street West
528.3481
Kingiton
1055 Princess Street
546-3811
.Kitchener
88 King Street East
745-7370
London
227 Queens Avenue
433-4561
Mississauga
55 City Centre Drive
275.2730
Ottawa
75 Albert street
2374100
Peterborough
311 Gistorga-StreetVorih
743-2140
St. Catharines
15 Church Street
682.6658
Toronto
2195 Yonge Street
(8glinion) 482-1111
Windeor
1427 Ouellette Avenue
258-7560
I.
AWARDS TO SPEAKERS Participants in the 100F Rebekah was One of the speakers, Who had a chance to win a trip to the.u.N.
sponsored public speaking contest in Clinton Friday night line up to Winner was Lonny York, Clinton. Barbara Ryan of Wingham was
receive their awards. Debbie Rose of Seaforth, second from right, second and Paul Van Esbroeck of Eleeter, third. .(Staff Photo)
County board appeals
Ethel Beanies "Memories", in
last week's Expositor brought to
mind a story our Grandma Willis
told us.
Mr. Robert Willis, whose shoe
business on the Main Street was
carried on,for almost 100 years,
built and lived in the house on
Goderich Street West where Mrs.
Pat Troutbeck and her brother
Ken Southgate now reside.
in- the family there were six
boys and one girl - Harry,
Charleg, Walter, Frank, Roy, Jim
and Annie who died in her early,
twenties.
Every Sunday, evening we were
taken by our father to visit with
Grandma - in the kitchen:
(Continued from Page 1)
must forfeit his seat if he misses
three consecutive' meetings
without a leave of absence.
However a board member does
have the right to appeal if his
salary is affected by the
resolution.
In other board business a
delegation who had attended a
metric workshop in Chatham
advised the board to pursue a
metric education program. Vice.'
chtfirman Herb Turkheim said
that1/he believes that if4should be
part of the board's job to educate
the public on the metric system
which was coming into effect
faster than the public realized. A
motion was carried for the
Advisory Board to set up a metric
commkee comprised of both
boar"lembers and staff people.
A report to the board from
Superintendent of Education J.
W. Coulter indicated that phasing
out North Ashfield School could
save the board over $2,000,
In the report Mr. Coulter listed
two, options available which would
be.-,to operate one classroom in
North Ashfield -in the next school
year to accommodate grades five
and six "and transport the ether
students to Brookside or' to•
provide a portable classroom at
Brookside and accommodate all
the students at' Brookside,
North Ashfield school has two
regular classrooms and two
divided by a wall while Brookside
has ' 11 , classrooms, one
kindergarten, one library, a
gymnasium. and a portable. The
present enrollment in North
Ashfield is 40 covering grades
four through six. ' •
The matter was referred to the
committees for further investi-
gation with the suggestion that
the • Board also re-evaluate its
school boundaries within the
County. One board member noted
'that some children are already
being bussed several miles to
school while living within a
"stones throw" of another
school.
The meeting of the Board of
Education marked the first time
the board had met on the first
Monday of the month open to the
public and also in advance of the,
Education and Management
Committee meetings. Monday
board members, agreed to hold
the board meetings on ,the first
Monday and the two committee
meetings at the same time on the
third Monday of the 'month.
Mr.'Hill urged board members
to try the new schedule at least
until the end of June and if it met
with approval the meeting
procedure could be adopted. He
stated that the board could
proceed with matters much faster
and get more things done under
the new schedule.
Over a cup of green tea and a
slice of pound cake, from the crock
in the pantry she entertained us
with the escapades of her boys.
In Harpurhey ,there were no
sidewalks.. - just two wooden
planks laid together with a crack
between. -
Seems there was a family of
Abel's in town, whose older son
Jack every Saturday night
patronized the Saloon in the Royal
Seaforth Hospital Auxiliary will
meet Tuesday, March 11, at the
Hospital Board Room. Any new
members are welcome.
iert * *
The Seaforth Women's
'Institute are holding a short
course in the Seaforth Public
School on WedneSday, March 12
at 7;30 pm. "'Baked in a Pie" .
Anyone who is interested may
attend. Please use the west door.,
* ** * **
The Seaforth Women's
Institute will hold their March
meeting at the home of Mrs.
'Lorne Lawson, with Miss Belle
• Campbell co-hostess. Roll Call -
What part do you play in your
community? Motto- World affairs
are our affairs. The guest speaker
is Mr. John Baker, Public
Relations Officer, Canadian
Legion No. 156. Lunch is in
Hotel o'n the .toner.'
The boys, knowing about the
time Jack WOuld be starting'
,
hOme, escorted bins to kfarptip#,---,,...,,
laid him
lift to edthreesptlants, and gently
No doubt those boys wondered
if the people going to church
Sunday a.m• were aware of Jack
sleeping it off under the Planks.
What's
your guess?
Beth Beady
charge of Mr's. Ross Gordon,
Mrs. Reta Orr, Mrs, Lorne
Carter, Mrs, Doris Hugill. Please
note the meeting will start at 1:30
sharp. *. .
World Da T, 'of Prayer services
will be heist in Northside United
Church on Friday, March 7th at 3
o'clock. Miss Mary Nobel of
London, will beguest speaker and
the Junior Choir of Northside
Church Will• provide special
music. ******
A representative of the Bay-
field-Ausable Conservation
Authority will be the guest
speaker at the March meeting of
the Seaforth Horticultural
Society. There will also be films
showing 'the benefits of the
project. We'll see you at the
Town Hall, March 12, 8 p.m.
Seaforth •
Manor
Visitors with Mrs. Lilly Hudie
this past week were: Mrs. Harry
Rinn and Lois also. Mr. Gordon
Rinn and Mrs. Marjorie -Rock.
Mr. Fred McGavin visited with
Mrs. 'Ada Reid and Mrs. Florence
McGavin. Mr. & Mrs. Doug
McKellar visited with Mr. Lind-
sday McKeller.
Mrs. Alvin Smale' and Miss
Irene Sullivan of the C.W.L. of St.
James Church visited all resi-
dents belonging to ,their faith.
Mrs. Harvey Hulley visited
with Mr. Lorne Hulley.
Mr. William McGavin of Strat-
ford visited with his mother
Mrs. Florence McGavin on Sun-
day. Visitors with Mrs. Ada
Reid were Mr. Gordon Elliot and '
Mr. John Marks of London, also
Mrs. Beth Bechley of town. '
Mr. Duncan tAikenhead was
pleasantly surprised to receive
congratulatory wishes this week
'from Premier Davis on the
occassion of celebrating his 95th
birthday.
Mrs. Alex Dennis visited with
friends at Seaforth Manor during
the week.
Friday afternoon bingo was
well attended and the winners
were Mr. Allan McPherson, Mr.
Alvin McNain, Mr Ludger'
Seguin, Miss Doris Wills, and
Mr. Clarence Jackson.
"Happy Birthday" was in
order for Mrs. Gertie Hall on
Sunday and Mr. Ludger Seguin
on Monday. Cake and treats were
served and Happy Birthday sung
on Monday afternoon.
Piano results
The results of examinations of
the Royal Conservatory of Music
Toronto held recently at Stratford
are:
Gtade 8 Piano - Lori Savauge,
honours; Brenda Savage.
Grade 7, , Lynda Vincent,
honours; Clair Devereaux.
Grade 6, Joanne Rimmer,
Elizabeth Johnston.
Grade 5, Anne Ribey; honours.
Rudiments Grade 2, Lori
Savauge, 1st Class Honours.'
Rudiments Grade 1, Clair
Devereaux; Jane Ribey, 1st Class
Honours, Michelle Savauge,
Honours, Lynda Vincent,
Honours.
The above are 'students of Mrs.
Jane Vincent.
21 or over?
Working
Married?
You
should have
your own
OHIP
number!
Ministry of
Health
Ontario
HOn. Frank S. Miller, Minister
You're Invited