The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1963-08-22, Page 1SEPTEMBER 1 TO 30
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Ninetieth Year pcgrpR, ONTARIO, AUGUST 22, 1963 Price Per. Copy 10 ,cents
Who will oppose MacNaughton?
PARTIES PLAN '.NOMINATIONS
Truck lacks lights,
endangers firemen
OWNER HECKMAN, NEIGHBORS AND FIREMEN DISCUSS ACTION IN FRONT OF BARN FIRE, WHIPPED BY WIND
Spark blows into barn mow
111 never put cut straw in barn again' SEEKS PC NOMINATION
. .. Jim Dalton
"I won't be putting cut straw
in the barn any more, I'll tell
you that," said Reinhard Heck-
man, RR 1 Lucan, who lost his
barn, grain and implements in
a wind-whipped fire Friday
night.
Heckman and his ne ighbo r,
John Spacek, were putting straw
through the cutter box when a
bolt came loose and tangled with
the knives. A resulting spark
was blown into the mow, setting
the straw on fire.
Though there was water near-
by, the men didn't have a chance
to use it. They had time only
to move two tractors and a
Seeks PC
nomination
wagon and get the livestock out
before flames forced them
away.
With the help of a young man
who was passing by, they saved
15 calves and all but two of the
29 pigs. These two ran back
into the barn after being put
out.
, "By that time, the glass in
the windows was cracking and
the flames were coming down
the walls," recalled Heckman.
"I had to get out for some
fresh air —the smoke was
choking me," added Spacek.
With a hig wind, fortunately
away from the house, the blaze
siren was blaring.
At last week's fire in Bid-
dulph township, the truck had
to wait for seven cars at an
intersection before it could
make a turn. "If that's the way
a fire brigade has to operate
." He was too disgusted to
finish the sentence.
"The Lucan brigade has at
least 10 flashing lights on its
truck. Dashwood, Hensall and
Zurich trucks all have flashing
lights."
OTHER DEFICIENCES
The discussion reve al e d
other deficiencies in the truck.
The light-siren unit on the roof
has come off several times dur-
ing runs. The turn signals don't
operate at times. Other prob-
lems, including starting the en-
gine, have resulted from an ap-
parently faulty wiring system.
Some repairs have been made
to the system but at least one
mechanic has told the brigade
the vehicle's wiring should be
torn out completely and redone,
Said Deputy-Reeve Bailey:
"I can't understand why this
equipment wasn't checked when
the truck was new." It waspur-
chased in July, 1961, under
mutual agreement among Ex-
eter, Hay, Stephen and Usborne
at a cost of about $15,000.
The protection to persons and
property committee was auth-
orized to "put the truck in shape
with all the necessary equip-
ment."
Both Strang and M e n z i e s
themselves are likely to be
nominated. Others whose names
May be placed before the con-
vention are Larry Wheatley, a
junior farmer in McKillop; Dan
Murphy, Goderich 1 a w ye r, and
Dr. Alex Addison, Clinton, •a
former candidate who was de-
feated by Mr. MacNa.ughton in
the by-election of 1958.
Poll delegates will select the
Liberal nominee, although the
meeting will be open to thepub-
lic. Two delegates and two al-
ternates are being chosen from
each poll.
DAVIS TO SPEAK
Featured at the Huron no-
mination will be Hon. William
G. Davis, minister of education,
and personal friend of Mr. Mac-
Naughton.
Contacted this week about
plans for his campaign, the
Exeter MPP confirmed he'll
be busy on the provincial scene
and will have to rely more on
his party workers to run hiS
local campaign.
With one of the most im-
portant cabinet portfolios, both
in relation to expenditure and
riding interest, the highways
minister will be in consider-
able demand as a speaker for
his party.
"The engagements have
started to pile up already, from
one end of the province to the
other," said Mr. MacNaughton.
"We have been scheduled to
appear at four nominations al-
ready and a number of others
are tentative.
"I'm afraid," he continued,
"I just won't be able to spend
the time in my own riding that
I would like to, but I hope the
people will understand."
Biggest speculation in Huron
riding in connection with the
September 25 provincial elec-
tion is over who will oppose
Hon. C. S, MacNaughton, Huron
MPP, on the traditional Liberal
ticket,
It's a foregone conclusion that
Highways Minister MacNaugh-
ton will be coral noted by the
PC's Wednesday, August 28, in
Clinton. The meeting is ex-
pected to be more of a party
rally than a contest for the
candidature.
The local MPP's former op-
ponent, H. H. G. Strang, clerk
of Usborne township, said Wed-
nesday he could indicate "no-
thing definite" about his own
plans but stated there would
be competition for the nomina-
tion.
"There's going to be a field
of candidates," he said. "We
had a meeting Tuesday night
and the people who have sur-
veyed the situation indicate
there may be several contend-
ers."
The Huron Liberal executive
has set Tuesday, September 3,
as the date for its nomination
meeting, which will be held in
Hensall. Murray Gaunt, Huron-
Bruce MPP, and one-time pro-
minent junior farmer in the
county, will be one of the guest
speakers.
Beecher Menzies, Clinton
lawyer who is president of the
Liberal organization for pro-
vincial affairs, said Wednesday
no one has stated publicly he will
stand for the nomination but
"there's a good possibility
there will be a number nomina-
ted. How many will stand is
another question."
Charge local driver
after chase to ditch
No site yet
for Usborne
Still in hospital s uf fering
from injuries when he was pin-
ned under his car early Sunday
morning, 22-year-old Clayton
W. Van Alstine, William St., has
been chaged with care le s s
driving as a result of the chase
which led to the mishap.
Van Alstine's car, with the
town police cruiser in pursuit,
plunged through the dead end of
the boundary line, two and one-
half miles east of No. 4, struck
a ditch, careened through a field
and landed in a creek about 300
feet from the road, taking the
line fence with it.
Van Alstine, who was thrown
clear of the car when it went
part way up the opposite bank,
was pinned beneath the vehicle
when it overturned on top of
him. The car's engine caught
fire.
Lucan fire brigade was called
and farmer Harry Carroll, who
lives nearby, helped police re-
move the vehicle with his trac-
tor. Van Alstine was taken to
South Huron Hospital.
Constable K. W. McNaughton,
on temporary duty with the Ex-
eter force during the holiday
period, said the chase started
Hay cottage owners
could swing PS vote
Former Grand Bend reeve
Jim Dalton is seeking the Pro-
gressive Conservation nomina-
tion for Lambton East in the
coming provincial election.
According to a report out of
Petrolia earlier this week, he
has at least four competitors
for the nomination, left vacant
by the resignation of C. E.
"Zeb" Janes, MPP for the past
18 years,
Dalton culminated a long mu-
nicipal career two years ago
when he became war den of
Lambton county, He served
eight years as reeve of Grand
Bend and previously served on
Stephen township council.
He is now operating a real
estate business at the resort.
The former Grand Bend reeve
already is campaigning for the
nomination. He began shortly
alter Mr. Janes announced he
would not seek re-election.
Others seeking the nomina-
tion include Deputy-Reeve
Bruce Scott, Bosanquet; James
Monkhouse, Thedford; George
McCormick, Watford, and an-
other former warden, Lorne
Henderson, Reeve of Enniskill-
en Township,
Still another Lambton ward-
en, Russell Watson, of Watford,
was recently named the Liberal
party candidate.
Protection afforded firemen
riding at night on the district's
new mutual aid fire truck was
criticized sharply Monday night
by Councillor Ted Wright, a
member of the brigade,
His request for an $85,00 re-
volving flasher light brought on
a mild storm during council
meeting.
"The men riding on the back
have no protection whatsoever
at night," he told council.
"There's only one warning light
on the roof and it can't be
seen from behind — it shines to-
ward the front only. There are
no clearance lights and only two
rear lights,"
The rear lights, he explained,
were positioned in such a way
that firemen had to stand in front
of them when they are riding on
the back of the truck.
The net effect, indicated
Councillor Wright, is that there
is little, if any, warning to
following vehicles that the truck
is an emergency vehicle. This
lack of warning, he said, en-
dangers the lives of the men.
Mayor Simmons and other
councillors, somewhat shaken
about this lack of equipment
on a relatively new truck, ques-
tioned the need for such an ex-
pensive light. This further riled
Wright.
"You have at least six guys
riding on the back of that truck.
Are you going to risk their lives
for $85?"
The lack of warning lights led
to other problems, he elabora-
ted. Other vehicles won't give
the truck the right of way, ap-
parently because they don't rea-
lize what it is.
Travelling to one fire, Wright
recalled, the truck was forced
to stay behind three cars tra-
velling at a slow speed. The
drivers, he said, wouldn't get
out of the way even though the
Heckman's farm, of 100
acres, was purchased 17 years
ago from Alex Hodgins. This
spring, the Biddulph farmer
purchased another 100 acres
across the road.
"I don't know who that fellow
was that came in to help us but
if he hadn't been there, we could
not have got all the livestock
out."
TWO OTHER FIRES
Exeter brigade was called
last week to two other fires,
both of them resulting only in
minor damage.
At the house on one of the
Ellerington farms, just south of
Eden school, a light fixture in
the bedroom overheated the
contents of an open cabinet
nearby and scorched a portion
of the room Thursday night.
The home is occupied by Jim
Miller,
Early Thursday morning,
faulty wiring in a refrigerator
in the home of Miss Marion
Bissett, Willian St., caused da-
mage to a corner of the kitchen.
swept through the building and
its contents quickly, providing
a whipping fire which attracted
motorists for miles.
Lost with the 40x70 barn, to
which was attached a driveshed
and pig pens, were 2,500 bales
of hay, 1,000 bushels of grain,
quite a few loads of baled straw
and some loose straw. A se-
parator building close by also
went up in flames but a steel
granary beside it is still stand-
ing, although damaged. How
much of the grain inside will be
saved is still not known.
Also destroyed in the blaze:
manure spreader, hammermill,
grinder, scuffler, root pulper,
separator, milking machine,
drill, binder, bale fork, gaso-
line tank and pump, and a host
of smaller items, Heckman still
hasn't calculated the extent of
his loss in dollars.
Lucan fire brigade, with its
three vehicles, played water on
the steel granary to save it but
there was little else the men
could do. The Exeter brigade
was called later, through a mis-
understanding. They h elpe d
provide a water supply. Deduct rights of way
from sewer charges
at the corner of No. 4 and 83
when he noted the Van Alstine
car had no licence number light,
a noisy muffler and the vehicle
pulled away from the corner at
a high rate of speed.
The chase through Exeter and
south on No. 4 reached speeds
of 90 and 95 mph, said the con-
stable. At one point on the Main
St. in Exeter, the car overtook
another southbound vehicle on
the wrong side of the road.
DRIVER INJURED
Lloyd Mathers, 50, Parkhill,
suffered chest injuries in a
collision with Gerald Stone, 24,
London, early Saturday morning
about a half mile south of Hen-
sall on No. 4. PC William Glass-
ford said the Stone car was
overtaking Mathers when the
two collided.
Friday, vehicles operated by
John P. Jenkins, 37, London,
and Jack Faber, 58, RR 1 Hen-
son, collided at the intersec-
tion of No. 4 and a farm lane-
way, about one and a half miles
south of Hensall, Damage was
estimated at $700 by PC G. W.
Mitchell.
Two cars suffered $525 da-
mage in a rear-end crash
Thursday just south of Exeter
on No. 4. Dwayne Elliott, 20,
Brucefield, who had been north-
bound, was attempting to turn
off the highway when struck by
John R. Scott, 29, RCAF' Clin-
ton. PC Harry Reid investi-
gated.
Cottage owner s along the
Bluewater highway, if they're
interested, could swing the
forthcoming vote on school con-
solidation in Hay township.
Figures released recently by
Clerk H. W. Brokenshire in-
dicate that almost half of the
persons eligible to vote are in
the Bluewater area. About nine-
ty-percent of these are non-
resident owners of lakeshore
property.
A total of 952 voters are on
the lists, especially prepared
for the vote Friday, August 30.
Usborne Township School
Area Board was not able to
reach agreement on the site
for its $180,000 central school
at its meeting last week.
Secretary A. G. Hicks told
The T-A the members "didn't
see eye to eye" on the lo-
cation and no decision was
made.
The next regular meeting will
be the third Thursday in Sep-
tember. The secretary said he
didn't know if there would be a
special meeting before that
time,
`Can't scare me
with annexation'
If the town ever attempted to
annex the south end, objection
might not be as great as an-
ticipated, it was indicated at
council meeting Monday night.
"I couldn't care less," said
former reeve Larry S nider,
when the question was brought
up at council meeting Monday.
Snider was making an in-
formal enquiry concerning the
possibility of extending the Main
St. south sewer to his property.
He was told the town could not
consider providing service out-
side the municipality, because
of provincial regulations,
This prompted several
chuckling suggestions from
councillors that the town should
annex the south end.
"I get the impression you're
trying to scare me," said Sold-
er, who Operates an automobile
agency south of town, "but I
couldn't care less. It Wouldn't
hurt me a heck of a lot,"
"I look at it this Way. If you
get services you haVe to pay
for them. I feel your garbage
service is good and I'm willing
to pay for it."
"If I was annexed," he con-
tinued, iq'd pay higher taxes
but my hydro and water would
cost lose and I wouldn't have
to pay for garbage cellection."
there. It's amazing the number
of birds and other things you
see around there."
It had been suggested to him
that ducks be secured for the
pond to keep down the algae and
he indicated he might attempt
to locate some.
The sup't reported the catch
basin at the intersection of Ed-
ward and the Anne St. drain was
70% completed and that Thomas
St. drain has been connected to
the system.
LOST 23 ELMS
The sup't reported a total of
23 elm trees in the town will
have to come down this fall be-
cause of disease. They should
be removed, he said, because
the disease reportedly spreads
from dead trees.
He reported five of the af-
flicted trees were in one spot
on Anne St. west.
NO ACTION YET
Freshman councillor Claren-
ce Boyle was told no study has
been made yet of his earlier
suggestion that an employment
policy be adopted for the benefit
of members of the town Works
crew.
Mayor W. E. Simmons said
the finance committee has not
had a meeting since Boyle pre-
sented the idea.
Council also:
Approved a building permit
for an addition to the house of
Douglas Harness, Huron St.,
but withheld permission to erect
a carport which would extend
beyond the four-foot setback re-
quired by the zoning bylaw.
Town council Monday night
reduced or cancelled 12 sewer-
age service assessments after
hearing 15 appeals from pro-
perty owners.
Rights of way on two pro-
perties were deducted from
frontage charges, eight others
were reduced on submission of
deeds showing less frontage
than that which was charged,
and two assessments were can-
celled because services were
not available.
The charges were sustained
on one appeal and two others
were held over for further con-
sideration. The deadline for ap-
peals was August 15,
DUCKS AT LAGOON?
Exeter's sewer age lagoon
may become a habitat for ducks,
it was suggested by WorksSup't
Jim Paisley in his report to
council on the system.
The system was discharging
into one pond, instead of two,
because of difficulty with one
of the outlets. "Already," he
said,g'we have about 2% algae
Reaches 98 years
Exeter's oldest resident, Mrs.
John Fletcher, celebrated her
98th birthday Wednesday. Al-
though she's given up her knit-
ting recently, she enjoys
reading and visits from her
friends. She's living inthe Des-
Jardine Nursing Home.
To mark its first decade of business in Canada, General Mobile Homes at Hensall is staging a
nation-wide birthday party which will provide free gifts and bonuses for owners across Canada.
Above are a few of the 10-year men who have been with General since 1052 and are now in super-
visory capacities. At left, from the top, they are W. C. Smith, vice-president and general manager;
Ernie Chipchase, production superintendent; Tennis Berends, cabinet foreman; right, Jim Taylor,
general sales manager; Rodger Venner, purchasing agent; George Parker, m aint e n an t e.
—Doerr photo
Wins scholarship
Gail Farquhar, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Farquhar,
town, has won the UWO board
of governors admission schol-
arship for South Huron Dis-
trict High School, it was an-
nounced this week. She stood
second highest among this
year's graduating class.
General marks a decade
Theft at Oakwood
of new General. Units.
Teti years age, Norman St,
Cyr of Ilderton opened the plant
In Hensall, then known as dip-
per Coach Mfg.. Co. dose to
2,000 people from a wide area
inspected the plant during an
open house held bear the first
of ,September,
The company subsequently
Was purchased by General, ori-
ginally Which has been oper tine
in Marlette, for 28 years.
Both the Canadian and Arileri,
C . Coinpatilea are noW part of
Divco-Wayfie Industries la&
Announcements 12
Chtlith Notices S. 44 12
-Corning Efelitg * 6. . 12
Editorials . •.. ,
Patin News 4 h •ih t'
retilihihe Pb.dt 'N mondiee 8,9
Ilensall i 1 . 4
tucari
Sports i'tft.V.VVIVIrhl-wit 5,1
Want Ada w.w ,ww w w '1641
Town police now have radio service for cruiser
Better communications and faster police service are anticipated front the installation of a car radio
service in the town cruiser, The radio, operated through Harvey's telephone answering service,
was put into operation Tuesday in the police vehicle. A drystal-dontrolled transmitter-receiver
system, authorized by the department of transport, has a range of 16 to 15 miles depending on
weather conditiens. The radio is used also by HarVey's taxi service but a separate channel, one of
six aVallalbe, has been designated for police. Above, Chief C, Mackenzie makes enquiry while
Constable Karl McNaughton watches. --DOorr photo
General COach Works of Can-
ada Ltd., Hensall, is staging a
nation-wide celebration to mark
its tenth anniversary,
Hundreds of prizes, gifts and
cash prita8 will be given away
to mobile home dwellers during
the firm's "customer appre,
dation" Month, now being pro,
inoted through its dealers coast
to Coast,
General will honor__ 40
"hueens Of the Week" With free'
electrical gifts in a iiiatenieth
draw in Which aJl mobile home
owners 'Clean across Canada
have 'been 'invited to pOirticipate,
A total of $60 waS stolen
froth two Oars parked at the
OakWood Inn golf courseidrand
PridaY. Exeter OPP de-•
tainnent is investigating,
A "queen" will be picked from
each province every week for
four weeks.
Cash benitada will be given
to mobile home buyers during
the month. the amount will be
$50 to anyone who buys, a Gen,
Ora trades any mobilehome
in On a new General model.
If it's a General trade-in, the
bonus will be $100.
Suppliers of the company also
are ',kilning In the celebration.
variousTlie factories who pro,
vide General with the products
beetled for mobile homes will
donate a host of '011S for Miyers
The question concerns approval
of the school board's request for
$80,000 to add three classrooms
and a gymnasium -auditorium to
the township school in Zurich.
Only property owners can
vote, which cuts down consider,
ably the list used for muni-
cipal elections.
In Hay, the total is 772, with
433 of these coming from the
Bluewater area. The number
eligible in Zurich is 180.
Zurich, although an incor-
porated village, remains a part
of the school area. The former
township school body, which in-
cluded Zurich, was not separa-
ted at the time of incorporation.
Some property owners inSte-
phen, situated in union sections,
also will be eligible.
URGE "YES" IUTE
Meeting Monday night, the
school area board decided to
distribute a statement to all
property owners urging a "yes"
vote on the question. The state-
ment will list 10 reasons for the
board's proposal to complete
consolidation at Zurich.
If the application is approved,
the board will close sections
No, 2,3 and 10, all east of
Zurich, and U15, located onNo,
83 highway, and transport these
children to Zurich.
Principal opposition, and one
of the reasons for council's re-
fusal to grant the application,
comes from the east end, which
is opposed to centralization at
Zurich.
The statement prepared by
the board stresses the need to
provide graded education to all
children in the area. At thepre-
sent time, tWo-thirds are re-
ceiving it at Zurich. Only four
One-room schools remain open.
In addition, the board feels
transportation services should
be extended to all sections.
Some children now are picked up
by bus, others are not.
The board's statement deals
with two questions which have
arisen in earlier controversial
discussions. One is the con-
dition of the original Zurich
school. To confirm its own
opinion, the board this week
requested building inspector
Bill Clarke to present a written
report on the state Of the school:
Tie found it to be "basically
sound", although he reciam-
Mended some repairs.
The other point concerns the
playgrotind Space available at
the Zurich iodation, The board
admits it "will be less than the
reconainended site", but sug-
gests this can be more than
offset by staggered recesses,
purchase of adjacent land and
the physical education oppOr.‘
tunities 'which will be provided
by the gymnasium.
COST 1-1/2 11411,1A
As for cost, the statement
says: '"The new Mill rate would
only rat the present leVy by
approRitriately 1,0/2 mills. AS
an example on a $5,000 assess
4..,Please turn to page 14