The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1961-12-07, Page 4'ege 4 The T.ices-Mdv*caret ;l~►eceny r 7„, 1961
or lais
This nev;spap'er .believes the :richt to express en opinion in public
contributes tst the progress of tlia neiiosr and that it must be exer-
cised freely end; without prejudice to, preserv.e, aria improve demo-
prahc aovernmget.
Lost elections
we attend the busy round. of nomination
meetings throughout the district, one of the dis.
tubing features which strikes: us is the lack of a
comprehensive financial report for ratepayers.
Ws impossible, of course, .to present .one :at.
the early nomination meetings. The best the
treasurers can do is prepare a 10 -month statement
outlining the expenditures and revenues to the-
end
heend of September.
While these serve a purpose in detailing
the costs during those 10 months. they cannot pos
sibly provide a clear picture of the year's business
since • the major expenditures take place in the
last two months. December in particular.
could,if they
will be obvious that councils
wished to deceive the public. deliberately delay
expenditures or payments until after October 1 in
-order to prevent the figures from appearing on
the interim financial statement.
:actually, it takes almost six months before
a verified accounting of the year's business is
available to ratepayers. The auditors' reports are
seldom printed until April or May, long past the
time when the electors pass approval or disapproval
on their representatives. The audit collies at such
a late date that extremely little consideration is
given to it at all. because by this time the new
council is well into another year's program.
The present situation, then, provides no
opportunity for any serious perusal of a council's
financial management. This is unfortunate.
At the present time, provincial regulations
prevent the setting of a nomination date after
Jap.uary 2. We wonder, however, if some advan-
tages might not be gained by allowing a menthe -
then in the second week in -January. This would
give municipal treasurers time to prepare a fin-
ancial. statement for the full year. It would also
be ,well past the busy holiday season and electors
should have time to give more consideration to
public, affairs.
True. it would set back the organization of
the ne1v year's business for several weeks but this
Haight' not be a serious delay since few major
decisions are required in January. In the townships,
we appreciate. there is the additional hazard of
snow hut with today's machinery • this might not
pose too great a handicap,
The Dept of Municipal Affairs might well
consider some revisions of its election regulations.
.. We have another suggestion which might
be of assistance in presenting a more realistic
financial picture to the ratepayers.
It is an understatement .to say that, with
the multitude of grants and other revenues which
councils receive from the province, it takes more
than an average mentality to make an accurate
appraisal of the manner in which local councils
spend their tax revenues. It is all.very well to say,
for :example, that the municipality's road budget is
025.000 but it is impossible to determine, because
of the varying percentages of grants paid toward
different categories of works, how much actual
tax revenue from the municipality is• involved in
that figure. The same applies to many' other de-
partments of the municipality.
While it would be impossible to simplify all
the complexities, we suggest it would not be dif-
ficult to provide a simplified recapitulation of the
expenditures which would show the breakdown of
provincial and municipal funds in each department
in order to give the ratepayer a better picture of
u
Pointb:.ss issue
While we attempt to encourage ,criticism of
local government,it is evident that very little was
accomplished by former councillor Stephen Dundas
in rehashing an unfortunate situation in Stephen
township.
Mr. Dundas raised a raucus over the unusual
financial predicament last year and there was some
question then, since he lead offered no alternative
to the council even though he was a member of it,
of whether his allegations were justified. however,
he went to the polls over it, as he was entitled to,
and the electors rejected his position.
Ta raise
the question again this year, par-
ticularly when it involved the embarrassment of an
honest township official, was in bad taste. It be-
camearticularl pointless when Mr. Dundas de-
clined to stand for election again,
We have the highest regard, for the person
who raises a legitimate issue which is in the public
interest. We are not impressed with those who
stir up controversy without constructive motiva-
tions.
An obligation
It is unlikely, since he probably does not
have the proper evidence, that any court of law
would support Preston Dearing's claim for damages
against the town of Exeter.
Mr. Dearing complains he lost several live-
stock because of pollution of the stream t_hrough
his farm from wastes coining from town drains.
He did not have these animals properly
analyzed to determine the cause of death. Even had
he done so, as he did on a previous occasion, it
might be difficult legally to pinpoint the source
of their poisoning.
It niay well be, then, that the company
which provides the town with liability insurance
will refuse to accept the claim, In turn, the town
too could refuse to pay and force Mr. Dearing to
court if he wished to press his claim.
But, unless there is other evidence of which
we are not aware, there is little doubt in our
minds that this farmer has lost personal assets
through the misdoing of this community. More than
that, he . has suffered personal inconvenience,
anguish and frustration over the contamination of
this stream.
The proposed sewerage program should re-
lieve this situation and bring an end to Mr. Dear-
ing's problem. This is one of the reasons why the
town should proceed with the programs as soon as
possible.
It may appear that Mr. Dearing's individual
concern is of too little significance to be taken into
consideration by a community of 3,000 people. Yet
no municipality, regardless of size, has the power
to infringe upon the resources of any individual
without providing compensation.
Even though it may be able to avoid legal
responsibility for the livestock losses and even
though it is taking steps to relieve the situation,
we believe the town has a moral obligation to com-
pensate Mr. Dearing. We urge town council to act
accordingly.
how his taxes are spent.
The present reports clearly are set up to
satisfy accountants. They do little to help the
average citizen understand the financial affairs of
his municipality.
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ar and .Spice
Do you know something, We
hat en't any national character.
'There's no such thing as a
'typical Canadian,- Were just
a `ague, unformed glob of
human beings who happen to
live in the same vast hunk of
geography. Isn't that a fine
state of affairs, with Christ-
mas coming on, and every-
thing?
I learned this while reading
a couple of new books about
Canada this week The authors
seemed not only disturbed but
displeased because they were
unable to put down a list of
adjectives, point triumphantly
and say, "There you are! A
ti giros Canadian!"
this search for a Canadian
identity has become a regular
parlor game among writers and
intellectuals, I find the whole
problem remarkably undisturb-
ing I'd rather be a typical
i
human
being
than a
typical
alYp
('ariedian. Have you ever not-
iced that when people say,
• file's a typical American" (or
Englishman, Frenchman, Ger-
nianj, they don't mean it as a
complim ent?
However, in the interests of
pure truth I thought I'd look
back through a number of
friends and acquaintances and
see whether I could come up
with a typical Canadian, after
more than 40 years of consort-
ing with the species.
There was a huge, happy,
lively • tongued, quick - witted
fellow with whom 1 on .e
trained as a pilot, in the dead
of a typical Canadian winter.
He didn't have any special ad-
vantages of wealth, schooling
or social position. But Jake
Guadaur, president of the Ham-
ilton Tiger -Cats football club,
is doing all right these days, A
typical Canadian?
There was a skinny, starved -
looking little guy at college
who was so shaky, physically
and financially that I didn't
think he'd graduate. But he
had a wicked wit and a won-
derful His
wog
d rful way with
was was Jamie. As Profes-
sor James Reaney, poet, play-
wright, novelist and editor of
a new magazine, he's doing all
right. A typical Canadian?
There was the F'rench-Cana-
e
e bbott
e
Cuter �t ��
Tunes Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881
Amalgamated 1924
Published Each Thursday Morntnte At Stratford, Ont.
!
Authortted as Second Class Mali, Post Office bep t, Ottawa
9Lt"E`AoAN E. Wr4
4.Kr?''Y
CO
iA li
i
sb4OW, Aslan► •t0)�.6
,liefWspApas, COY.�10.
AWARE/5 — Free& Howe Beattie Shield, best front page (Can-
ada), 1?57I A, if. Dolan Trophy, eeheral 'excellence for news-
passers published in Ontario tosene between 1400 and 4,500
populatioii, 1938, 19137, 1956; J. George .lairnettei Trophy, type-
greehital axtellente (Ontario), 1957; E. T. atephensoe Trophy,
tlest trent pecle (Ontario),. 1955, 1955; Ail -Canada Insurance
P'erler'ali'mit national safety award, 1?31.
e,lelsitt•Advelnee Circulation, Sept. 30, 1961 3,505
UTASaCIIIP "IOIi A`t'lrSr danade 4,1.00 Per Years USA $S,M1
dispensed by Bill Smiley
dian kid who worked with me
as bellhop on the lake boats,
before the war. When he
started that summer, he knew
only three words of English,
all of them bad. I couldn't
help hooting when I saw his
name .in the paper the other
day •— a distinguished member
of the clergy in Quebec. A typ-
ical Canadian? •
There were a couple of young
screwballs who wrote and
played in comedy skits when I
was at university. Next time I
saw them was in a troop show,
overseas. They had improved.
I saw them on television the
other night. They're getting by,
as Wayne and Shuster. Typical
Canadians?
Then. there's Dutch. Once a
wild and woolly Australian, he
taught inc to fly Spitfires, in
England. He came here after
a
n is happyas
the war and
trout, hotly pursuing his first
million in Toronto A typical
Canadian'?
And Chuck, His aid matt was
a Ukranian. We were in pri-
son • camp together and when
the Russians were getting Close
he taught :ane 10 say, "Don't
WA
He
shoot! in Russia. .._s a
first-rate cartoonist and !est
I heard he was in Vancouver.
A typical Canadian?
And three Georges. One was
a quiet student, who bought a
Belgian pistol from me after
i2-2
010 3infiFounts SitKi:c;tie.`ira, 4Varkirih reieryal,
"i like movies better that,, television. Nobody is al,
ways'yelling at you to turn the volume down.”
Friendly reception
Years ago we used to hear
stories about the wolves and
. the Indians that roamed the
Huron Tract, The late W. H.
Johnston m an article in The
Times -Advocate in Oct ober,
1538, writes of the early In-
dians.
"It is so seldom we read
or hear of anything like fric-
tion between Indians and the
pioneer settlers, that when we
read of it we feel like putting
it down as sheer imagination. T
refer to the early days of the
Devon settlement en the Huron
tract.
"It is true that often an In-
dian hunter or traveller be-
came weary and discouraged
while going through the bush
and at last almost in despair
he opened a cabin door, walked
in and seated himself by the
fire, If welcomed, fed and giv-
en a chance to rest he de-
parted with a warm feeling of
friendship for the white man,
but if treated churlishly his
whole being resented it.
• The Devon people, strangers
themselves in this new land,
must have been friendly in
their relations with the Indians
because they found them help-
ful at times.
When the 1837-8 rebellion be-
gan Capt. Longworth, of Gode-
rich, enlisted a company of 22
men including Louis Holman
and Richard Handford for the
Loyalists. Their children were
loath to leave them and their
young wives in their lonely
cabins in the bush. On the
banks of the creeks running
across their farms a band of
Indians were encamped. The
Indians came at once and of-
fered their services.. They cut
•the wgod, fed the cows and did
other chores, in fact the wom-
en said they seemed anxious
and willing to do everything
possible 'to help the settlers.
When the militia were dis-
banded and returned home they
were delighted to find that
their homes had been protect-
ed, their work attended to and
their wives were loud in praise
of the kindness shown them by
the red men and their wives.
This band of Indians were
practically established in the
neighborhood and lived far
many years on the banks of the
stream. •They spent their time
in making baskets, axe han-
dles, fishing and hunting deer
the war and paid me $10 more
than it was worth, because I
needed the money. He's man-
aging these days, between di-
recting plays at Stratford and
on television. A typical Cana-
dian?
Another George repaid the
Yanks for burning York m the
war of 1812. He went over to
Wall st., made a million before
he was forty, and carried it
gleefully back to his northern
lair. A typical Canadian?
The third George used to be
a Czech. He was in a concen-
tration camp during the war.
Now he's a dentist in Canada,
has a split-level home, a two -
car garage, and a real aver-
sion to paying so much income
tax. A typical Canadian?
I can think of a dozen others.
The country is full of charac-
ters, but there's no such thing
as a t
tYpi
cal Canadian"
any
more, than there is an "Aver-
age Mali " I, for one, am
heartily glad of it, Who wants
to be a "typical''? Do you
want to be. a typical farmer,
or typical merchant, or typical
laborer, or typical housewife"
Or even a typical millionaire?
Not a bit of it. No more than
I want to be a typical school
teacher.
The only thing the characters
above have in conini'on is that
they live in this country olid
love it. And that goes fon me,
too low about you?
s ei..20,mak
• ,;l, -a- r ..9 At,. 11.2.
fast, g,lis ratres kY+d,estq int, Wend HOU xrnfvM.
qt6h1.61Aber when We were afraid one cif the elision ett
would atp on • hunt v
JOTTINGS PY NMS
and other wild animals for food
and clothing, besides capturing
beaver for their valuable furs.
As the young white people
grew up they were very friend-
ly with the children of the for-
est and were welcome visitors
in their encampment. in this
way they learned a great deal
about the ways and thoughts
of the red man, finding out
very soon that the two races
had much mn common.
The Helmets and Handfords
learned the language, took part
iii the war dances and in time
became quite proficient in
wood lore and could do almost
— ?lege turn to page
The Re der
Comments
Longer period?
15 your Nov. 30 issue there
appeared a statement from
John Henderson in an election
advertisement.
I should like 'to inform the
public that his accusations are
uncalled for, unfair and not
fact, The minutes of our meet-
ings are in the town books in
the clerk's office for the rate-
payers to see if they so desire.
It hardly seems fair that
when such a statement appears
in the papers a few days pre-
ceding election, the accused do
not have a chance to reply. I
should think it would be much
better if there was ;a two week
period between nomination and
election. However, the damage
has been done and there is no
turning back.
Due to several unpleasant oce
currences we have lost our most
capable clerk Earl Campbell.
Not only is he above reproach
as a clerk but also as a gentle-
man. It will be a great task to
replace him.
In closing, I would suggest
that if any ratepayer has a
complaint, he come to the coun-
cil meeting and give the coun-
cil a chance. i maintain, poli-
tics does not have to be dirty '
The people involved make it so.
Thank you.
Mrs. Minnie Noakes
Hensall
f_h_ e Imes go by
HIGHLIGHTS !eROM THg T -A PIM
10 YEARS AGO
Grand Bend resident's gave
their first reeve, Herman Gill,
and council another mandate.
They were elected in June this
year.
W G. Cochrane was elected
mayor of Exeter for 1953 suc-
ceeding retiring mayor B. W.
Tuckey.
The 1952 reeve of the town
will be R. E. Pooley and dep-
uty -reeve, William. 'ilei<enzie.
Fre s h m a n councillors are
Ralph Bailey, Edward Brady
and Earl Witmer.
Rev. W. A. Young. OAC
chaplain?, told Usborne Federa-
tion fanners Tuesday night if
they don't f want to see ts
ets
grandchildren starving they'll
have to get more food out of.
the soil.
Donald Dayman wa.s elected
president of Hensall branch of
the Canadian Legion with
George E`. Walker, vice-presi-
dent
Nat in a hundred years. we
are informed, has there been
such a mild December.— Only
in springtime has there been
so much mud around.
16 YPARS A<.iO y
Roy Rat± was reelected as
reeve of Stephen Township
roti 563 votes to 488 for his
opponent, Filmer Latasoit.
A. V. Tiernan, Dashwood, was
elected president of Dashwood
Businessialen's Chrb' with C ra
Pfile, secretary treasurer
E. L. Ahekle, I-Iensal, was
appointed the representative for
Hensall on the Exeter District
High School far 1847
The officers acid directors of
the Exeter Agricultural Society
held, a banquet at the Central
Ilotei Friday evening when 2't
sat down to • a turkey diger
A _new book by Dr Sherwood
Fox, president of Western 1151-
vanity has just been published
entitled'i'
Aint Running rife
More" being a history of Grand
Bend and the Ausable River.
'I'he Tuckersmith Irederatieli
Of Agriculture held its banquet
fn Watson's Hall, Filipelnr. with
160 present.
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kit r ! I Trust Qte
O
YRARS AGO
miss Alice Hoffman, Dash-
wood, carried off the grand
prize (5 -niece bedroom suite
and mattress) in the Times -
Advocate subscription contest.'
Mr. and Mrs. John Eatery
celebrated their golden wed-
ding anniversary on Tuesday,
December 1.
Holl. James G. Gardiner of
Regina and his mother at-
tended service in Thames
Road Church on Sunday.
Mr. Bruce Bossenberry and
family, Grand Betid, have
moved to their winter home 111
Forest.
Mr. Preston Dearing iS show-
ing his Dorset Horned sheep at
Guelph 1
nite-Fair this s weak
.
He w six prizes out of seven
entr
The members of Roy's united
Churelt have been exemplifying
the Christmas spirit and dur-
ing the past week distributed
three auto loads of provisions
among needy fainihes in Lon-
don,
1;0 Yntt5 AGO
Last week Mr. P I4.tcisaaa
with hie gang Of Hien com-
pleted the nutting up of 12
mines of telephone poles. Now
ibere are about 400 telelsheet
coneectirirs. rtashwood newsi
i'he old school property at;
Clandeboye ,tai sold alt Sat-
urday and the new school will
be cceupierl f%riiiediately
air T. Lee Carling has been
appointt.rl returning officer f'w
South 1.1uree and is this week
aware aoliotting polling places
On 'Wednesday Mr Matthew
cw•ettzer was rh.arrird Iii ('re.
dlton by Rev. Burn to i4fiss tee
r•erii tiara, daughter ri7 �Ctr
John Pat , Stephen+ and Meet.;
Of Senator Valentine irat',
X tcsal9. ; tattotl a11r1 Mitemp,
,i ell drillers, Grand . heimd,
have been engaged at Exetitr
during title dust six 'weeks re.
pairing the puntps, At the, salt
works,
On Monday night. 1 titer
'Encampment No. 33 inti ;' welt
honored with a 'visit from the
Grand Encampment Officere
When Past Grand F'.atri3:r'rh 1a
SI AeltMati Wt1 presented
with a, PGP jewel,
4
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THE NCQNVEN[CE
ENT
Make sure your snow tire treads are'gogd. Carry
tire chains in your trunk. Have brakes balanced
and make sure the steering system's in shape for
winter, Install ant -freeze, Check windshield wipers
to make sure you'll see whereyou're going. Heaters
end defrosters should work properly; so should
headlights and tail lights. And de you recall any
news stories about carbon monoxide poisoning?
Check your exhaust system for leaks. Get your car
in shape for winter now, You might save yourself
the inconvenience of an accident.
• 4-'7 WINTERIZE
• YOUR
bR1�i9N�
biivlilg 000dlttoll5 am worse in winner—
Wlntel'ite your drivitlg as Well AS your car
Highway eddy Brandi
'ONTARIO HPAIIIMENt OF TRANSPORT
keit, H. to Pidwhitiik Watt&
wistwommontiminowsi