The Huron Expositor, 1976-12-02, Page 2The issues are as different as the
people who are running in the
elections in area municipalities which
will take place on Monday.
Recreation is a hot one in many
places, with repairs to old arenas or
the building of new ones underway.
Some taxpayers want more spending
on recreation by their councils; some
want less. Some people just want a
clear accounting of just what their
town or township is spending• now on
recreation, and why.
In Seaforth council -
squabbles have created quite a bit of
interest. In other areas the personali-
ties involved , seem to be about the
only issue in fights for council seats,
deputy reeve and reeveships.
School 'board spending and more
trustee and parent control over
education seems to be an issue in the
school . board elections in our area.
But there is. one overriding issue
that tends to get lost in the, shuffle
which should be of major irnportance
in all the elections on Monday.
And that is, how do the various
candidates feel about doing business
in public? There's an unfortunate
trend in many local governments and
school boards toward .private meet-
trigs of committees or committee's of
the whole, to which reporters aren't
invited and therefore, of which, the
public gets nertevits.
We don't know why, but there is a
Finds Expositor interesting
Enclosed please find cheque for renewal
of my subscription to the Huron Expositor
for another year.
I appreciate receiving it very much as I
was born and raised in McKillop - and -
attended public and high schools there.
It is interesting to keep track of school,
friends and `acquaintances. Note many
changes as tithe passes..
Sincerely,
Mfg. W.J.Beacock
146 Richmond Road,
Ottawa, ont.
it
•
Since 1860, Serving the Community First
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SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, DECEMBER 2, 1976
Your right to know
Otto Lang needs his wings clipped.
Mr. Lang is the cabinet minister
who has been in trouble with -the
opposition in the House of Commons
recently following revelations that his
use. 'of government planes .4o fly
,between Ottawa and his riding in
Saskatchewan has cost the taxpayer
about three quarters of a million
-dollars over the last three years.
Mr. Lang_was in trouble again last
week when it surfaced that he
planned to have his chil'drens' nanny
fly home to Scotland for free on. a
Department of Natidnal ; Defense
flight. A replacement nanny was
reported to be coming from Britain to
• Canada, also on a D.N,D. flight, at
the taxpayers) expense.
Mr. Lang has changed his plans as
far as nannies are concerned and both
his retiring nanny and her replace-
ment will be flying on regularily
scheduled flights, presumably at Mr.
(By Lynn Lashbrook in the Rodney Mercury)
In its effort to try and gafner the farm voile,
the Davis government is offering to pay 100
percent of municipal taxes on farm land. The
recommendation was made in the recent Blair
Commission Report on Property Tax Reform.
However, many other recommendations are
made • giving reasdns for everyone to be
concerned.
To date only the New Democratic Party's
response to the Commission has come' to
hand. If Liberals have a response it has not
been made available yet. What ever, while not
Many logla have any truck nor trade with the
NDP, its, submission and recommendations
are interesting and in some respects,
conatrtsitive,
But it is the government's offer to pay 100
Atm* d fartriland taxation which has
iiieryOne concerned, even the majority of
farmers and their organizations, not because
, it is seen aS inequitable, bet because of fear of
government Control ;;Of agriculture,
if the provindid government ,requires so
many inindredi of millions of dollars froth*:
taxation with which to Operate the province,
,it .devise a syStetti of taxation which will
marked difference among politicians
on their attitudes to doing public
business in public. Perhaps it's a
personality difference. . .some are
just naturally more secretive than
others.
Perhaps some see• reporters as
troublemakers, hell bent on getting
quotes wrong and looking for a'
splashy headline that'll make the
villain of the moment look bad.
Other people who run for political
office may feel that they know best
what the public wants and that the
public can find out about decisions
after they are made. They just, don't
see the need for input and Public
discussion at earlier stages, while
decisions are being made, and can
still be changed.
Think 'about whether or not your
favoured .candidates hold the above
views or not. If you aren't sure, ask
him or her.
How the candidates for office feel
about holding most Of their meetings
in public, with full opportunity for
press coverage and input from
taxpayers will determine how much
you'll be able to find out over the next
two years about how. local councils
and school boards are , conducting
your business.
This newspaper, which takes its
responsibility, to' keep the public
informed seriously, hopes you take
the issue of keeping public business
open and above board seriously too.
Lang's expense.
But the transport minister refuses
to acknowledge that he made errOrs in
lodgment by spending the three
quarters of a mill!on on specially
scheduled flights for himself.
His time is valuable, he says, and
he actually saves the taxpayers
money by being able to fly exactly
when he wants to fly, on planes
ordered for his convenience.
That's doubtful and it's another
example of the arrogance of people in
high places looking for ways to justify
ithat, is really a squandering of the
Public purse.
Mr. 'Lang seems -to have learribd
something from the nanny , episode.
He backed down there.
What's needed now is an edict from
his boss, the Prime Minister, telling
Mr. Lang to stop his personaly high
flying ways too.
equitably raise the money from all property,
not relieve taxes from one type of property
and add it to another.
For some reason, impossible to believe, the
Blair Commission — atfd the government —
feel business and industry can continue tdpay
higher taxes, because they can hand tax
increases on to consumers. While this may be
(Continued on Page 3)
To the editor
;DECEMBER 1, 1876
The grist and saw mills in the Township of ,
Stanley, together with two arms the property
of the late Wm. Turner will be sold by auction
at Varna.
A very pleasant event tonic place in the
„vestry of St. James' Church. The occasion
was the presenting of an addres and present
to Miss McDonald who for the last six years
has been organist of the church.. The address
was read by Miss Marie Killoran and several
gifts and a purse bf money was presented by
M issMary Walsh.
Henderson and Lamb have opened a
clothing establishment in Kippen.
The opening services of the new
Presbyterian church were held at Brucefield.
On Monday evening a 'service was held.
NOVEMBER 29, 1901
Henry McBrien of Hullett, has, leased his
farm to James Fluker.
Peter Mclsaac has purchased ,the furniture
business of Hoffman BroSt of Dashwood.
Chris. Zimmerman. f Zurich, delivered the
heaviest lambs this season, his flock
averaging 138 pounds each. They were
purchased by P. Lamont.
Mr. McKellar's fine residence is nearing.
completion in Cromarty.
A quiet wedding in which pne of the rising
young business men figures prominently
was celebrated in St. patrick's Church,
Hamilton. This was the marriage of John F.
Daley and Miss Mary Phelan.
Robert Armstrong's sale, on the bronze
model farm in Hallett, was a most successful
one. Horses went as iiigh as $130.00.
- • George Turnbull and Geo. Dorrance intend
shipping a carload of turkeys in Seaforth, for
the Old Country.
Mrs. D.McGregor of this town met with a
painful accident when she slipped and fell
nearBarton's Blacksmith Shop.
Chas. Dodds has rented his farm on the 5th
Concession of McKillop, to. his son Robert.
A large number of the Meth odist
To the editor
The letter from Chief of Police Cairns
concerning the local crime statistics ,rtc., and
some, of the questions asked and coinments
made at the ratepayers meeting prompt me to
again ask for space in your paper in order to
re-state my position on the matters involved.
Chief Cairns seems to imply in the last
sentence of his letter that I was downgrading
the efficiency, ,of the police force and
attempting to turn back the deck to earlier.r
years. Nothing was further from my mind. I
think, with others, that we have a good police
force. At the time that my previous letter was
written, however, it appeared that few, if any,
of the present members of council would be in
the next council. There would, therefore, be
little continuity of thought on matters which
were carried over from one council to the
other. , •
For the 1977 council to merely accept the
recommendation of the previous council
without critical examination of the ,cts
would, in my opinion, be a serious breach of
their responsibilities. This is "not to suggest
that t).y might not arrive at the same
conclusion but the decision should be theirs
and based on the facts presented to them.
Councillor Ellis, in his prepared statement,
seems to take the position that council has
. every right to be enquiring into the affairs of
the Public Utilities Commission and directly
involved in all their decisions. I, with many
others who are on fixed incomes, might wish
that this was so. Unfortunately, I can only
re-iterate that such is not the case.
The Public Utilities Act giVes to council the
authority to establish a Public 'Utilities
Cominission to look after the provision of such
utilities as water and electricity. The same Act
also clearly States 'that,--whore such a
Constance Church presented Miss Ida
Britton with a purse.
It is said that Wm. Doig intends being a
candidate for the reeveship of Tuckersmith at
the coming municipal elections.
DECEMBER 3rd, 1926
W. G. Medd , of Exeter, the progressive
candidate was returned in South Huron by a
majority estimated at about 1500.
Election Day, was a most unfavourable day
for getting out to vote and the roads in the
country were very bad.
About one hundred neighbors•;and friends
gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Th os.
Btoome at Winthrop to bid them farewell
before they left for Seaforth. The family
presented them with a leather rocking chair
each. Wm. Kenny read the address.
A number of krctic, owls have been
,captured 'near Zurich. They-seem to be.
plentiful , along the lake shore and their
appearance in Ontario is said to foretell of a
bad winter.
Miss Gladys. Luker has accepted a position
as bookkeeper for T.C.Joynt of Hensall.
Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Broome of Winthrop •
are moving into Mrs.Hoggarth's house on
North Main Street.
Geo. Dundas of McKillop has built and
occupies a nice new residence to take the
place of one destroyed by fire last summer.
A jolly evening was spent at "Lewitsons"
on the Huron Road west, the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Wes. G. Nott.
, Du ncan McKellar Jr. who has spent the
past few months in the west, has returned to
his home here in Cronaarty, '
A bountiful banquet prepared by the
Ladies and young people of First.
Presbyterian Church was quite a success.
The tables looked pretty under the direction
of Miss Gret to Ross. The following persons,
Wilfred Smith, A.Y.McLean, Scott Cluff,
Jas. Stewart, M.R.Rennie, Gibson White and
Harry M cLeod. Earl Van Egmond played
popular music.
commission is established, the powers and
responsibilities of council with respect to such
utilities, is then transferred to the
commission. Thus the power to set water and
hydro rates is clearly vested in the commission
and is not subject to review by council.
Where council does exert control over the
P.U.C, is where the commission wishes to
borrow by debenture or incur any long term,
debt. Council is the body responsible for the
issuing of any debentures for municipal
purposes or for authorizing any other long
term borrowing. In these cases then council
certainly has a duty to examine•the proposed
expenditures ahil has a right to ' any
information required to determine why such
expenditures art!' necessary and why, they
cannot be acccannodated within current
revenue.
I realize that such an opinion is not a
)1 popular one but I would beless than onest if I
stated the Situation in any other • ay.
Because I live on a fixed income I too would
like to see the water and hydro rates remain at
their previous low levels. I would, on the other
hand, be very sorry to see thd commission fail
to take the necessary steps to replace worn out
mains, to 'make provision to properly serve
those areas of the town which now have less
than adequate service or are not served at ail,
and to up-date our water supply and storage
system so that the town will be assured of an
adequate supply of water in the years to come.
While this is ,being done there is every
reason why the Mayor, as the representative
of coundil on the P.U.C. should bring to
council reports of the commission Meetings
and council has every rigl}t to discuts them.
They should, however, be disctisSed rationally
and with the clear underutanding that the
right to make the Li,,kons is vested in the
commission except wire long term borrow-
.
Sylvester Everett, formerly of Seaforth,
passed away at the age. of 76. He conducted a
butcheratshop now occupied by S.T. Holmes on min
NOVEMBER 30, 1951
At a joint meeting of the Warden's
Committee and the Road Commission of
Huron County Council, Peter Patterson B.A„
B.Sc., of Goderich, was appointed acting
engineer for the county . His grandfather
Donald Patterson was engineer from 1905 to
1919 and his father T. Roy Patterson '(vas
engineer from 1919 to his death in 1951.
Mrs. Frank Pitider, Staffa, is a patient in
Stratford General Hospital, following an
'accident when she fell on a flight of porch
steps, fracturing and dislocating her' ankle.
The combined choirs of St. Thomas
Anglican. , Northside Church and First
Presbyterian Church began practice for their
annual Xmas show. Jas. A. Stewart and Mrs.
F. Novak are in charge of the music.
"Big" Joe Laudenbach, as he is termed by
his football opponents, is making quite a
name for himself in the R.M.C. at Kingston,
Alvin Kerslake was returned ps Hensall's
reeve for his sixth consecutive year. Lorne
Luker, W.G.Parke, Norman Jones and Harry
Hoy were also returned by acclamation.
Mrs. Ed. Brown of Egmondville, was
hostess in honor of Miss Ruth Vincent, bride
of last week. The guests presented her with a
tri-light lamp.
Miss S.I.McLean left for Toronto and took
a plane for Edmonton where she will spend
some months.
Dr. P. L. Brady, J. E. Keating,
C.A.Barber and W.J.Duncan, were 'in
London taking part in the London Curling
Club bonspiel.
Presumably seized with a heart attack,
Gilbert McCallum, died while at work in a
wood lot when-darkness set in Mr. Taylor, on
whose premises Mr. McCallum was working,
went to the lot and with the aid of a flash light
found him sprawled near the horses,
ing is involved.
Questions were asked at' the meeting
concerning budgets and inventories and from
the answers given and statements .1 have seen
in the press it seems, that these are areas
where improvements Could be made in the
operation of the P.U,C. Many of the
expenditures which the town is going to be
faced with in any year can only be estimated at
the beginning of the year and much Of the
revenue is lust as uncertain.
The town, however, must estimate their
budgetary requirements in orderto be able to
apply for some Of the subsidies which are an
important part of revenue and in order to be
able to set a realistic tax rate. It would seem
logical that the P.U.C. would be in a much
better position to be able to forecast what
work it would be able to accomplish during the,
year if this was preceded by an estimate of
revenue and expenditure for the year.
The matter of inventories is purely an
internal one and is ipt one which enters into
the year end audit. This is one important
difference between commercial or industrial
auditing and municipal audits. The
procedures followed by the auditors are
prescribed by the Ministry in Toronto and do
not take into account any stock inventories at
the year end.
This, of course could lead to abuses and
should be controlled by a periodic internal
inventory check based on good control
records, The extra work involved for both
budget preparation and inventory control will
cost more, of course, but' in MI opinion if it
had been initiated previously much of the
recent unpleasantness would have not have
occurred.
Yours truly,
Ernest M. Williams
Snow fence
In the Years Agone
New church opened in .1876
Clip his wings
Opinion
Farms are businesses too
A new council has to be critical, candidate says