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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1964-04-23, Page 1MICHAEL FILLIATRAULT SHOWS HIS SKILLS IN LEATHER MRS. GEORGE DOBBS FASCINATES WITH COPPER TOOLING DEE-JAY STRINGER MRS. C. J. WALKER HAPPILY DISPLAYS CERAMICS MRS. R. RINFRET'S RAG DOLLS WERE POPULAR DISPLAY Resume work on No. 4 entrance fi Crowds jam Legion hall to see hobbyists at work Plan limited park project Ninety-second. Year EXETER, ONTARIO, APRIL 23, 1964 Price Per Copy 10 Cents Council asks explanation First increase since 1953 If Coven Circle plans to make its hobby show an annual event, it will have to find larger quar- ters. That was evident from the success of the weekend exhi- bition in the Legion Hall which was jammed Friday night and Saturday afternoon with spec- tators. Nearly 800 came to see out- standing area hobbyists in ac- tion. Visitors, performers and PUC SEEKS HYDRO RATE HIKE Although the area it can de- velop is limited, town council plans to pursue development of Riverview Park as a Canada centennial project. Council agreed Monday night to seek assistance from hor- ticulturists at the Ontario Ag- ricultural College, Guelph, in planning beautification of the park area, particularly the river flats. The town has learned from provincial gov't officials that the centennial grant program will be confined to only that part of the park which is owned out- right by the town. This excludes the m aj or areas on the south side of the river the former F r ayn e, Johnston and Learn properties — which have been purchased by the Ausable authority in co- operation with the development. However as Clerk C. V. Pickard pointed out, the town- owned portion of the park is an extensive area in which con- siderable development can be undertaken. It includes the picnic area, or the original Riverview Park, the river flats from just south of the park road to the edge of Riverview Heights subdivision on the north, the recently-ac- quired area of the Dow farm and the portion in the north-east corner which is being reclaim- ed. Works sup't Jim Paisley, president of the newly-formed horticultural society, suggested seeking the assistance of OAC in planning the beautification project. He pointed out the Kins- men-sponsored park plan does not specifically detail develop- ment in the flats. The works sup't said he hoped one of the planners from Guelph would serve as a guest speaker for a society meeting which could be held the evening of the day selected for inspection of the park. About $9,000 can be spent on a centennial project by the town, under the joint federal-pro- vincial program. The town would have to put up the first $3,000; the remainder will come from the senior governments. In this year's budget, the town set aside $1,500 of its $3,000 requirement. warehouse and garage and a one-ton service truck. The line truck with bucket, similar to equipment the PUC has rented' to install fluorescent lights on Main St., was con- sidered a "must" by Council- lor Ted Wright for the safety of the men. It would eliminate hazards in servicing lines and lights. Mayor Simmons supported the PVC's contention that the waterheater control would pay for itself over a period of a few years. He pointed out it would cut the peak load, on which hydro cost is based, by turning Off water heaters dur- ing periods of maximum demand for power. In his letter to council, Mana- ger Davis noted that the PUC has absorbed increased ma- terial and tax costs over the past decade. He indicated a rate hike would have been re- quired earlier had not the com- mission promoted off-peak use of electricity. The manager said the com- mission's reserves and surplus have been exhausted by capital outlay for new lines in sub- division development. Exeter PUC has asked town council to approve an increase in hydro rates. The proposed hike, to cover financing of four major capital purchases, amounts to just un- der 4% on the overall rate schedule. Average homeowner would pay an additional 14 per month. Council didn't approve the re- quest Monday night. It decided to ask for a verbal explanation from PUC officials at meeting next Monday night. Several members questioned the need for the capital expen- ditures proposed by the com- mission, which include two trucks, a warehouse and water- heater control equipment. This will require a $50,000 debenture issue which the PUC plans to retire by means of the increased rates. The purchases and schedule of rate increases were outlined in a four-page letter to council from PUC Manager Hugh Davis, who pointed out this was the first request for a hike in 11 years. During council discussion, Mayor Simmons indicated he wasn't happy about the increase. He's a member of the three- man commission by virture of his office. After Clerk C. V, Pickard read the lengthy letter, Coun- cillor Joe Wooden noted none of the proposed purchases in- volved extension of service. "Is there a legitimate need for $50,000 worth of equipment and buildings?" he asked. Simmons: "You're getting in- to something which wouldn't be fair for me to talk about with- out having the other members of the commission present. I don't agree with it but the other commissioners have gone along with it." Several members supported the application but Reeve Fish- er felt council should ask for an explanation. The commission's purchases would include a line truck with bucket attachment at a cost of $17,000; a waterheater control valued at $13,000, a $14,500 lower corner below the stage was a restful corner where one might sit and view pictures of local and foreign scenes, shown by A. J. Sweitzer and W. H. Hodgson. At the front of the hall, the ceramics group at Centralia was busy modelling clay and the quilters, rug-makers and other crafts people were show- ing their skills to the crowds. Spectators saw fly-tieing, leather carving, copper tooling, doll-making and other activi- ties. Stamp, gun and coin collec- tions attracted considerable in- terest. Probably the most active dis- play was that of young David Stringer, operating his local radio program. The make-be- lieve dee-jay gave an animated performance on his sound equipment. The Devonshire Trio of Geo- rge Godbolt, John MacNaughton and Ted Wilson drew enthusias- tic applause for their folk sing- ing. sponsors all were enthusiastic. "We're very happy with the result," said Mrs. Arthur Whil- smith, convenor of the project. "It was a new venture and we weren't sure how it would turn out." She suggested "Luck was with us" but the success was more than good fortune. The ladies worked hard to promote the event and they received excel- lent co-operation from the hob- byists. Mrs. Whilsmith paid special tribute to their efforts. In most of the displays, the hobbyists were active at their projects. One of the largest displays was in the oil paints section at the back and sides of the plat- form. Mrs. Douglas Cook Fri- day evening and Miss Mary Van Camp Saturday afternoon work- ed at their easels to show painting techniques. In front of the art display along the edge of the stage was a rockery garden set up by the recently organized Exeter Hor- ticultural Society. At the left Drain cost to increase? Perhaps that Main St. storm sewer will cost the town more than $10,000 after all. Council has received notice from the district highways en- gineer that department grants may not be as extensive at had been indicated earlier. If they're not, the 1964 bud- get adopted by council last week may be thrown out of whack. After several discussions with dep't of highways officials earlier this year, the town un- derstood that the gov't would underwrite about $60,000 of the estimated $70,000 cost of the drain. On this basis council de- cided to finance installation out of current funds. Formal application for the project to the department has precipitated the snag. The dis- trict engineer in London indi- cated in a letter, read to coun- cil Monday night, that he doubt- ed if the province's share would be that high. A meeting will be held here Thursday with department and town officials to discuss the project. Plan public session on GB water system Dredge puts fishing tugs back in business A Windsor dredge moved into Grand Bend harbor last week to begin a major sand removing opera- tion to permit fishing boats to use the resort harbor. Dean Construction Ltd., Windsor, has been awarded the dredging contract by the federal department of public works. —Nield photo Drought aid program Study plans .for parking Pool start awaits OK To subsidize farm ponds through as fast as they can." In other business, Grand Bend council: Agreed to co-operate with the chamber of commerce which is sponsoring a three-day water-skiing event June 18 to 20. A roller skating carnival will be held June 18. Passed preliminary readings of a bylaw which would es- tablish parallel parking on Main St. with provision of maximum fines of $10 for the first of- fence, $50 for the second. Signed the connecting link agreement with the dep't of highways for the Main St. which stretches some 3,000 feet from No. 21 to the turnabout at the beach. Completed an agreement with McCormick and Rankin, Cooks- vine, for engineering recon- struction of Main St. Discussed using the proposed Exeter swimming pool for in- struction classes instead of bussing children to London. Agreed to set the village mill rate at the next meeting. Lutherans pick name The provincial government is tackling Western Ontario's drought problem with a pro- gram to stimulate construction of tributary reservoirs and farm ponds. The govt also will provide financial assistance to town- ships which find they must haul water for domestic supplies. borne, will increase from 50% to '75%. And the gov't will as- sume the local 25% share on condition that this portion will be paid back by 1967. This means conservation authorities or other bodies can build such reservoirs immediately and raise the 25% portion over a three-year period. The new regulations will not affect such projects as the Parkhill dam, which already is being subsidized '75% jointly by the federal and provincial governments. Start on construction of the swimming pool still awaits a decision by the provincial gov- ernment. "We'll just have to wait and hope for the best," said Mayor Simmons Monday night. The decision concerns gov't approval of the building of the pool on Ausable authority land at Riverview Park. A special ruling is required to qualify for the $5,000 provincial grant on leased ground. A letter from Hon. C. S. MacNaughton, Huron MPP, as- sured council that every effort is being made to clear the way for the project. Will consider relocation Exeter Planning Board is continuing to collect informa- tion on how other municipalities are solving their parking prob- lems Councillor Wooden re- vealed Monday night. He suggested a committee should be established by the planning board, businessmen and council to plan a parking ,program. His remarks stemmed from an enquiry by Councillor Wright who wondered "if anyone Is do- ing anything about it". Wright said he'd heard a ru- mor about a business expansion which would cut down the amount of limited parking space now available. Wooden, planning board sec- retary, said most municipali- ties are solving the problem by buying land for parking and making a direct assessment against the business district which benefits. Agree GB dump a hazard GRANT PERMITS Council granted several per- mits which had beefi referred to the PUC at the last meeting. A letter from the commission indicated agreenlent had been reached over Supply Of plastic water line to a portion of the Dow subdivision, under which the owner would be required to instal the line. This will affect applications front Dobson Roofing and Leona and Veil for hOeset in the tub- division. , The town learned it was obli- gated to provide a read for Bruce TtiCkey; who plant to erect a house on John St., east of Edward., The read, although not built UP, hat' been open for Seine 50 yeara, Other ,PerMits were, granted to Dotiglat Sweet; Hill; for a $5,000 addition to hig house; belbert Taylor- , 'Nantes ilead, a garage; and to JaCkWeberfor a restaurant On NO. 83, 'west of 4. Exeter's new Lutheran con- gregation has selected a name for itself, President Ward Kraft announced this week. Members voted recently to call themselves Peace Lutheran Church of Exeter. This was one of four names on which a poll was taken. The congregation, establish- ed nine months ago, presently uses Caven Presbyterian Church for its Sunday morning services. Rev. W. A. Oats of Dashwood is provisional pas- tor. The fledging group has re- ceived token support from an- other new church of the same faith. The Mount Olive Lutheran Church, recently established in London, contributed $20.00 to assist the organization here. The congregation has decided to purchase communion ware with the donation, This week marks the first anniversary of the move to es- tablish Peace Lutheran. , But village garbage collector Harold Skipper was just as convinced the dump wasn't guilty. "I'll defy anyone who says the fire started at the dump," he said. His assistant left the grounds about noon and stated there was no blaze in the dump at that time. It was shortly after noon when the fire alarm sounded. "I'm standing up for the town and the dump," said Skipper. "It didn't start there," Fite- Men, he said, saw the fire com- The program was announced Tuesday night in the legislature by Energy Resources Minister Simonett. It will be co-ordinat- ed closely with Hon. William A. Stewart's agriculture depart- ment which has shown consider-, able concern over last sum- mer's water shortage. Simonett said the gov't will pay 75% and finance the re- mainder of the cost of building waterholding dams on tribu- taries or small creeks within Watersheds. It will also pay farmers a subsidy of 50% of farm ponds, up to a maximum of $500 for the individual unit. This will be retroactive to Dec. 1, 1983, when the gov't urged farmers to build ponds to insure sup- plies. The third ,part of the pro- gram is an offer to pay 50% of the cost of drawing water for domestic use to townships which are declared "drought- stricken" during emergencies. Agriculture Minister Stew- art, who last fall urged con- centrated action on the rural water problem, said Tuesday night depot of agriculture ex- tension engineers will assist farmers in locating sites for ponds and planning their con- struction. He's personally enthusiastic about the value of ponds be- cause of his own experience. He has several on his farm near Denfield and says; "They have helped me out of a drought problem many times." "I think we have to encourage the' trapping of this Water where it falls"; the agriculture minis- ter said, Grand Bend council agreed Monday night to present a full report on its water system in- vestigation to a public meeting April 27 sponsored by Grand Bend and area Chamber of Com- merce. Rev. C. A. Brittain, chamber president, told councillor s there's a "great deal of public restlessness" over the prob- lem and that the people want to know what progress is being made. "How serious are we about getting water?" the minister asked. "Are we going to be persistent until we arrive at a solution?" These are some of the questions he felt should be answered. In a letter from the chamber which preceeded the president's remarks, the body urged coun- cil to undertake a system as soon as possible. The letter stressed the drop in water level, resulting in concern over private water supply. And the health danger. "We note," said the letter, "that the medical officer of health, Dr. F. Boyes, Parkhill, reports that 95% of the water tested from Grand Bend sources tests A-1. We feel that this percentage is not high enough and it may only mean that all sources are not being tested". The chamber indicated that some people are using water. from the river. "We note also the futility of advertising our resort as a grand place in which to vaca- tion when none of us can guar- antee good water in any quan- tity whatsoever." Council members reviewed some of the activity Which has been taken to date. Dr. E. A. McMaster, a member of the citizens' water committee ad- mitted that progress is slow but it could not proceed any faster. Reeve Webb: "The men "on the water committee have work- ed hard to rush this thing BRIEFS OPP Constable GeOtge Mita shell pasSed his qualifications for corporal rank in an ex- aininatiOil at Toronto Tuesday. *. * Slim of $1.00 was stolen froin the Mine of Norman Wellington St.', Saturday night alter etitrYWas gained by Int a brick through a storm deer._ TWO silver dollars and Ealk: 50-cent Pledea were among the cash Stolen, )• The alternative Of a grid 'Ostend Of pipelines across The PrOVitiee involves a major cost obstacle', he Said. eilatniert C, McDowell Ltd# began pouring curbs Chit Week for the tea can't afford to buy their water Wilding of NO. 4 into Exeter, AbeVe; .Mahlon Seeder, tOWn, from a pipeline:' tonna cement. Depot Of highways hat Indicated 'the contract Grants toward small darns 'Work Will proceed inaniediately. 'a-T-A photo such as 'the :MortiCiati 12 12 2 A brisk exchange at Grand Bend council meeting Monday night reveals there's still sharp disagreement over whether last week's Pinery fire started in the municipal dump. Council admits, however, that the refuse ground poses a ma- jor threat to the entire lake- shore area and it's agreed to look into acquiring another site. "We'll give it a lot of con- sideration," Reeve Stewart Webb assured a group of in- terested spectators at Monday night's session. William Blewitt, whose home just north of the dump was threatened by last week's fire, insists the blaze started there. In fact, he said: "There's e. fire in 'the dump 90% of the time, no Matter what anyone says." sure the fire started there," Blewitt told council, ',The wind blew it into the bush. I put out several fires in our laneWaya" The fire raged through about 400 acres of tin. cierbiaish Tuesday afternoon. Chureh Notices . 4 w 4'4 Corning Events . tditorials 4144 Feminine Facts 'N Fancies 8,9 Hensel]. . . . # , # 4 Lateen IV II • y 10 Sports .. Want Ads 4 V WWI' I 10,11 ing toward the dump, not going away froni it. lie said there was 100 feet Of grass to the fire well of the dump which Wasn't burned, Skipper admitted, there was a hazard from people dumping in the north aide of the area, He asked that the north side be closed off with a fence parallel to the road to force residents to dump in the south or east side, 'Coutcillot Ory W as Sin anti said he'd been requested "to de „Something about the dump" and suggested the fire wall be widened and nearby hills' clear- ed of brush. Jelin I<owalchuk, a spectator, urged council to Start looking for another site. "Thousand" Of young trees were destroyed by OW fire", W. L. Diiiikeldi a Cottager, Said he'd Ifitd to tee a bylaw requiring tropotty OWrierS rake their leaVet between Oda tuber 15 and NOVetriber 16 stead of leaving them until Please turn to back page Masons host Stratford J. EdWards, master of Strat. ford MaSoniC Lodge 332, coniparlied by 23 Mernbera of the ledge, paid a fraternal Visit to Lebanon Forest Lodge Mon-, day evening when Alderritail J. Hastings of Stratford, received his third degree. VW ken Hod- gins introduced the visitors and WM ',T. Cerbett welcomed the brethren. PM trtiett Gerson expressed a Vote of thanks for the fine work pig on by the 'visitors. A fourth degree followed.