The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1963-08-29, Page 2EDITORIALS
New team seeks approval
Be modern! Depend on LP Gas for more comfort,
mere convenience, netter Come in for free
estimate on fuel needs and information on rental
or purchase plans available,
GUEST -OPINION
1313,i1ding a better community
FROM THE EOM PaNic!B- "MONTHLY LETTER"
Voters in this area are watching with
special interest the campaigns. developing for
the .Ontario election September 25, .0iir region
has an important stake in the "new team" tak-
ing its firSt major test,
Although it's. true the Progressive-Con-
servative party has been in power hi Ontario
for 20 years, the government placing its record
before the people this time must be considered
a brand new one, And, in a sense, it's a "local"
government.
Prime. Minister John P, Roberts, of Lon,
don, took over leadership from Leslie M. Frost
in October, 196.1. He's built around him .essen-
tially a new, young cabinet in which the repre-
sentatives from the two immediate ridings hold
key posts,
Middlesex North is as proud of its ag-
riculture minister, "Bill" Stewart, as Huron is
of its highways chief, "Charlie" MacNaughton,
Formally, of course, they should be "1-lon, Wil-
liam A." and "lion. Charles S." but they both
remain popularly known by their first names
in these ridings, which attests to their abilities
to assume prominent roles yet retain local in-
timacy.
The pride contains more than a paro-
chial interest because this Roberts team has
been doing a tremendous legislative job in the
past year and a half. Rarely, if ever, in the his-
tory of this province has one government
tackled so many major developments in so
short a time.
Phone 258-2005 GRAND BEND
Sills Hardware, Seaforth -- Davis Hardware, Lueall
Agents also in Sarnia, Forest and London
Perhaps it will be necessary,
in order to get things started,
to :bring the groups together
under a moderator who is not a
member of any of the groups.
The individuality of groups must
be respected, while strivingfor
effective co-operative action.
A round-table conference will
bring to light many ideas for
the good of the community. Any
neighbourhood in Canada can
muster anenormous amount of
brains in such a gathering.
When the ideas have been
tabled, there are three thinga
remaining to do. The need s
should be grouped by kinds or
areas so that the problems can
be defined and discussed in an
orderly way. When the problems
have been specified and under-
stood, the next step is to ex-
amine various plans for dealing
with them, The third step is to
assign groups or persons to take
action.
Tots to teens ...
Normally, the public expects a new gov-
ernment to go slow, and the recent fiascos
which have developed .at the federal level in-
dicate there's wisdom in this policy for an in-
experienced cabinet. But the Roberts govern-
=lit, with a background of experience and
training, has been able to meet a vast number
of enanging situations with sound, realistic pro-
grams that haven't caused drastic upsets in the
economy or created violent protests from vari-
ous sectors of the people,
If there have been mistakes, and we sn,
gest the opposition is going to have difficulty
finding them, they have been errors of giving
progressive leadership to Canada's wealthiest
province,
Both MacNaughton and Stewart have
played large rolls in these changes, through
their own departments and as members of the
cabinet. Many important developments have
taken place in 'the agricultural department
which reflects Stewert's down - earth ap-
proach to this industry which 'is so vital to our
region. MacNaughton, too, through a continua-
tion of a vigorous highway building plus the
instigation of important benefits to municipal
road programs, has reflected the new spirit of
leaderShip which sees change as a challenge to-
ward improvement,
We anticipate a significant victory for
the "new team", led by the enthusiastic sup-
port it will receive in our two ridings,
MILK is
so important!
Nature's most near
ly perfect food . .
and so delicious in
so many ways!
Round-table discussion is
significant only when it deepens
thought, broadens horizons and
opens up vistas of vital service.
It is insignificant when it is
used by individuals for per-
sonal satisfaction, to press
some private indulgence, or to
prop up a pet project with a
cobweb of words.
TO SUM UP
It is better to participate itt
the creation of good things than
to boast of their possession.
Since the beginning, men and
women who grouped them selves
together in communities have
been faced with toanyproblems.
In seeking solutions, they have
been handicapped by ignorp.rice,
prejudice, and mental inertia.
Despite all this, man has, over
a few thousand years, suceeed-
ed in improving his environ-
ment and has had an enjoyable
time doing it,
It is, indeed, a poor rejoinde
er to say about a suggestion for
community betterment ?y our fa-
thers got along all right without
all this fuss". Because of the
planning and work that they did
we are given today's opportuni-
ties. But we cannot be merely
onlookers at the pageant of life.
New conditions have brought I
new needs, and only the com-
munity whose people are guided
by intelligent awareness of its
needs and a determination to
meet them can preserve the
goodness it has.
This is a job for people with
faith that even the most threat-
ening situation can be handled
successfully by coordinated
effort; that even the best they
can imagine for their commu-
nity can be achieved.
They never outgrow their need for milk,
and it's so easy to always have enough
on hand! Our convenient home-delivery
will supply all your fresh dairy needs!
We Should Own Our Streams urondale Dairy
Rivers 'and streams, with their natural
habitat for wildlife and their scenic beauty,
should belong 'to the people.
While we owe much to the foresight of
our 'ancestors in this country, it is extremely
unfortunate that this now obvious 'attitude to-
ward one of our most pleasant natural re-
-sources was not prevalent at the time of the
development of our lands. The fact is that
our streams, or at least the lands leading to
their banks, are almost entirely under private
control,
There is now no course to rectify this
error, and as is the case with most mistakes,
it will not be done without considerable ex-
penditure. But the sooner it is undertaken,
the less it will cost.
The Ausable Authority, in its flood
plains 'and river valley acquisition brief to the
federal and provincial governments, has sug-
gested a most logical and feasible method of
securing public ownership of the major stream
which traverses this area. The scheme, in-
spired by Andrew Dixon, one of the prime
movers of conservation in the watershed, is
PH ONE 27 HENSALL essentially a simple one which avoids costly
expropriation and spreads the cost reasonably
over a long period of time.
Essentially, Mr. Dixon's plan is to buy
river farms as they come up for sale, retain
the valley portions, and resell the arable por-
tions .to those who wish to farm them, A re-
volving credit account will be required to
finance the purchases, yet the actual cost
should not be great since the deletion of the
non-productive river portion of the faun
should not decrease its value.
The plan does avoid the problem of
expropriation, a very unsatisfactory and often
costly method of public acquisition. Even
though conservation authorities do have the
power to expropriate, it has 'an unsavory air
of ,state domination which produces harmful
reactions from the public. The authority's pro-
posal to buy when the owner is willing, or
anxious to sell, is superior in many ways.
We 'hope the provincial and federal
governments see the wisdom of this plan and
support it. We suggest it may prove to 'be a
pilot 'program 'in the restoration of the coun-
try's streams to their rightful owners.
"7 -19
Q) FUJI): Inc.. 1%1 W 41.1 ?Oh roam,' Wan C t4414/
. . and here is John's--crops—workshop."
JOTTINGS BY JMS '
J. M. Southcott Clearance On All New
1963 Austin Sedans A60 And Austin 850
aieWalat a.,ananita=1321E1M. ..alitlietaatelfalWatia`Ma :Maiiii:TaarrienagitaageTE They saved
the park
BY THE EDITOR Don Southcott
Northcott in your family?
Northcott died in 1953 at the age of 81,
which means he was born in 1872,
when the insured man would have beet
19 years of age.
Is there a NorthcOtt in your family
history? Don't treat the question lightly,
because it could mean money to you,
Pinkerton's, the famous investigation
firm, is looking for a member of our
namesake of the opposite pole — aJohn
Northcott, whose descendents ne v e r
have claimed his life insurance.
'62 AUSTIN 850, Less than
10,000 miles.
'60 VAUXHALL SEDAN,
Excellent, new paint
'60 RENAULT SEDAN,
Excellent 2nd. car.
'59 METEOR, 6-cyl (1)Se-
dan. Really sharp, ra-
dio, straight stick.
'59 VAUXHALL SEDAN,
runs good, red paint.
'59 METEOR RIDEAU SE-
DAN, automatic, 17-8.
'58 (ONE) PLYMOUTH
HARDTOP, sharp
car, radio, automatic.
1893, following the submission of a
medical examiner's report filled out
by Dr. Browning here, it was reinstated.
The report listed John Northcott's
occupation at that time as a farm
laborer. Previously, he had been a mill-
e r.
This John Northcott isn't the same
one some of you have known. There
have been several of them around, ap-
parently. Northcott is a fairly common
Devonshire name.
This insured JohnNorthcottwasborn
in Bradworthy, Devonshire, on August
20, 1853, Subsequently, he came to
Caaade and settled in these parts. In
1889, at the age of 32, be took out an
insurance policy with the North Anieri-
c an Life Assurance Company. He named
as the beneficiaries his wife "Wilmot"
(only her first name was given) and
his children (which established that he
had at least two at the time).
Somehow the policy lapsed but in
Unfortunately, Mrs. Knight hasn't
been able to secure any further in-
formation about her family.
A. S. Dantzic, a Pinkerton's inves-
tigator, poured through the old, micro-
filmed T-A files last week in an effort
to find any record of births or any
report of the family which might lead
to further identification. That, of
course, is a tremendous task, since
one has to scour about 400 pages for
each of those early years. So far, no
luck.
The amount due to his heirs, inci-
dentally, is "under one thousand dol-
lars", If it's not claimed, it goes to
the government.
So, dig out that old family Bible. If
you find a clue, bring it to The T-A
office and we'll pass it on to Pinker-
ton's.
The North American company has
tried to trace this man through several
local families. Ed Yellow, of Thames
Road, who has spent considerable time
looking into the case, came upon aJohn
Northcott who died in 1914 but he
wasn't the same person. His marker at
the cemetery lists a different birth
year and a different wife. (W iv e s,
really. This other John Northcott had
three, none of whom was named "Wil-
mot").
What appears to be a possible con-
nection has developed through a Mrs.
W. IL Knight, daughter of aJohnNortb-
cott, in Empress, Alberta. Pinkerton's
believe this Jobe Nerthcott could be the
son of the insured. This second John
elleatEMINISIESISE1 laatilegaarenanaalrater,E= . ... 3alalegatelalaffaaa
Times Estabflshed 1813
Amalgamated 1924
Advocate Established 1881
The defer isnes-A6tiocafe
SERVING CANADA'S Bust FARMLAND
Member: C.W.N.A., 04111/..N.A,, C.C.N.R, and ABC
'57 METEOR SEDAN,
automatic, V-8, good
tires, new paint.
'57 OLDSMOBILE SEDAN,
automatic, radio, rear
spe aker, new paint.
Clean interior.
'56 STUDEBAKER, V-
8, straight stick, like
new.
'56 kiLKSWAGEN, real
sharp.
'56 PLYMOUTH SEDAN,
automatic,
'54 cilEVRotAT SEDAN,
automatic, $195,
'54 METEOR TUDOR,
Very Sharp;
Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont.
Atifhorizeci as Second Class Mall, Post Office Deisq, Ottarga,
and fOr Payment of Postage in Cash South End Service
Paid-in-Advance ttettiiAtion, March 81, 1963--4,918
SubSdal#1164 .RATES: 'Canada $4,120 Per Year; USA 0.00
Rists.ettid Chit Snell
PHONE 235-M22 t AIR
The dynaMic qu alit y that
makes a community good does
not reside in the official struc-
ture, but in the interests, de-
sires and purposes of the people
in it, If a community wishes to
improve itself in Canada it has
freedom to try, without coercion
or external control. Citizen
knowledge, interest and action
are the life-blood of our demo-
cratic society.
A collection of houses, shops
and factories may be as small
as a hamlet or as big as a me-
tropolis, It may not be the
most beautiful in Canada, or the
most efficient, or the most
dignified by public buildings
and statues, but it can aspire
to be a lovable community. Its
men and women can make it
so.
What is the core of com-
munity building? It is not a
master plan or a detailed blue-
print, or the acquirement of
Park space, or the flotation of
loans. It is the spirit of the
people.
When neighbours start ask-
ing questions about the future
they are developing a com-
munity feeling. When they ask:
"Where are we beading; what
can we do to make and keep our
neighbourhood a good place to
live?" then they will find the
resources to face the future
with confidence and anticipa-
tion.
Most of us would admit that
we are not satisfied with what
is mediocre. We have higher
values. But to gain what is ex-
cellent it is not enough that we
wish for it. We need to exert
ourselves to get it, being dis-
satisfied to settle for anything
less than the best,
The respected citizen in
every city or town does more
than merely live there. He
achieves dignity through his
contribution to the community
of which he is a part. Alfred
Adler put it this way: "People
always make mistakes if they
do not' see that their whole
significance must consist in
their contribution to the lives
of others."
To participate does not call
for an heroic grappling with
uninteresting situations. Ev-
eryone should concern himself
with finding a phase of activity
which commands his honest in-
terest. Everyone has some
quality of mind or hand to
make his contribution signifi-
cant.
As was said at the Duke of
Edinburgh's Study Conference
by a speaker from Africa's Gold
Coast: "People are happier and
become better citizens if they
are encouraged to think and to
put effort into doing things for
themselves, for their families
and for their community
group," There are all sorts of
things which it is better for a
community to do for itself, even
if these things could be done
more efficiently by outsiders.
There are certain key words
to guide the person seeking a
way to improve his community:
find out the necessary facts;
survey the areas where im-
provement is needed; make an
inventory of the resources in
people and materials; explore
means of rousing interest; in-
form the public of every step;
provide opportunities for
everyone to share in the plan-
ning and work.
The good community cannot
be created by a junto of busy-
bodies, but it does need the
services of a lot of busy peo-
ple. There is no galaxy of ex-
perts Competent to build a
good community. It is neces-
sary to make proper use of
expert knowledge while pre-
serving control by the people.
People like to participate in
community life. The need for
a swimming pool and the need
of a man for participation in
community life are separate
and distinct needs: they come
together when the process for
acquiring a swimming pool per-
mits the citizen to take part in
planning it. They do not blend
when people are forced to ac-
cept a solution worked out for
them under the sort of governa
ment called "consent-demos.
racy" Wherein they are limited
to saying "yes" or "no" to a
prepared pla.n.
A.progressive civic council
will recognize citizen particle
patron es a high Priority need.
It will pool the experience and
thinking of those citikene and
groups of citizens most com-
petent to consider various prob-
lems that drop up, and then In-
corporate that thinking in its
deliberation.
The best planning will flower
when the diverse parts of the
community council, 'school
board, welfare -agencie, lebeur
and businees leaders, religious
leaders, service Chiba and all
other groupsei-diSellst the
needs of the niiihicipailtY with
One another, eatablieli
thee, and cerribine their re,,
sources to do the Work.
Isaac Carling family, died and
the Carling property came into
the picture, but at first it was
decided as unsuitable, particu-
larly for the plans already
drawn up.
Soaring building costs had
already delayed the building
project. Original estimate for
the building was $250,000 andhy
August the cost had risen to
$300,000 and the fate of the new
hospital was in the balance. At
a meeting in September it was
decided to continue and seek
additional revenue realizing
that if the building project was
abandoned, the hope of a hos-
pital for Exeter would never be
revived.
Negotiations continued with-
Out let-up and in November
following a meeting with the
Department of Health in Tor-
onto, the hospital board was
given a green light and the
Carling property was purchased
and plans made to Commence
construction on revised plans to
incorporate the large Carling
home as part of the hospital,
using some of the rooms for
administration purposes and
others for Ounces' quarters.
Incidentally, the Carling home
was the first brick residence
erected in Exeter.
To Combat the high cost of
construction it was decided to
use local builders under the
supervision of Mr,
sera a local contractor.
The wisdom of this new metre
for a hospital has been amply
justified as it has filled an im-
portant place in the community,
In 1961 ft was found necessary
10 erect a new Whig with an
additional 16 bed Capacity: pre-
viously in 1958 a hew residence
for nurses had been erected
directly across the street and
additional property has been
secured for further expansion.-
TO the credit of the South
llu ron alospitalt,datd, with the
splendid assistance Of theSouth
Huaon Hospital At:Withal, to-
gether with geileretiS responses
from neighboring organist-
tiehs, all this has been ad-
ealiplished without going into
debt, something practically ilea
heard Of in hoSpital construe-
Hon and indintainende.
Exeter today can appreciate
the foresight of some of its citi-
zens because back in the year
1951 they protested the action of
the municipal council and the
directors of the South Huron
Hospital Board to erect its new
hospital at Riverview Park, Be-
cause of the protest Exeter now
has a hospital of which everyone
is proud and if the present plans
are carried out Exeter will have
a swimming pool and a park
which will be a credit to the
town and the community,
It was during 1949 and 1950
that the Exeter Lions Club spon-
sored the building of a hospital
in Exeter and in looking for a
site for the new building the only.
logical place at the time seemed
to be the Riverview Park.
An architect's plans had been
prepared and a resolution had
passed the 1950 council to de-
dieate the park to the hospital
board. A deed to the property
had been drawn up and awaited
the signature of Exeter's new
mayor in 1951, B, W. TuCkey,
to complete the transaction.
However, there had been an
Organized campaign, headed by
Ted Burwell, to Save the park
and a petition to that effect Was
circialated and signed by 550
ratepayers and presented to
council. Respecting the wish of
the petitioners the property was
not transferred.
The park originally was pur-
chased in 1908 from Janie s
Howard. The Exeter Ilorticul-
tural Society had taken an Inter ,-
est ih linproving the surround-
ings by planting a number of
Trees and erecting two stone
pillars at the entrance.
With the shelving Of the plans
to build the hospital at River ,
View park the next step was 10
secure a suitable Site for the
hospital. The Mciaear al proper-
ty on the north side of the river
Was' considered but this was not
available.
Up to this time considerable
money had been raised Or pro-
Mised towards a new hospital;
Coefity emboli made a
grant of 02,00 towards the
Ili June, 1051, Miss Ida M.
-Carling, the last link of the V'.*.*:',tPE:'?00;f4VVd''
-,eat ea a a a