The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1971-01-14, Page 1READY TO MOP 'EM UP — Vice-principal Morley Sanders uses a
mop for an unofficial face-off in preparation for Friday's broomball
game between South Huron District High School teachers and grade
13 students. Principal J. L. Wooden drops the ball between Sanders
and student council president Burton Moon. Sanders says "We'll
mop up the opposition" while Moon predicts a 100-1 score for the
students. T-A photo
4
VOYAGEUR HOVERCRAFT TO BE MANUFACTURED NEAR GRAND BEND
BEFORE AND AFTER — All candidates joining the Hensall
Kinsmen club last week were properly' repared for an airplane ride.
Above, Ian McCallum gets his airsick pill from John taker and icon
Wareing. T.A photos
MURRAY DESJARDINS LAWRENCE MASON
... challenged by former councillor
Hensall Kin plan
session on drags
FIRE DESTROYS BARN — Jerry Boersma, right, is shown chatting
with Exeter Fire Chief Gary Middleton as fire destroyed a large
poultry barn on the Boersma farm, Tuesday. Flames and smoke
billow from the barn below, while firemen from Dashwood, Exeter
and Crediton fight to save another barn at right angles to the one
destroyed. T-A photo
Ninety-sixth Year
EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 14, 1971
Price Per Copy 15 Cents
.r'!•.'• t.tot.,tot.tootowtotot,
New industry could employ 300
there were less than 10 percent of
the operators, causing problems
and Chief Day added that three
cases his force had investigated
involved out-of-town people.
Open trails
Roger Martin, resources
manager of the Ausable River
Conservation Authority, reports
this week that new trails have
been opened in the vicinity of the
Parkhill dam in addition to the
nine-mile trail opened last year.
The new trail is at the back of
the conservation area and gives
access to the former Shaddock
Please turn to page 3
New policeman
former detective
The newest member of the
Exeter police department
assumed his duties, Monday
afternoon. Ardell McIntyre, a
former detective with the
London force replaces Constable
James Dingwell, who was
recently named Police Chief in
Mitchell.
Constable McIntyre and his
wife Royce and 16 year-old son
Guy and 12-year-old daughter
Patricia expect to move to
Exeter shortly from their
present home in Thamesford.
The McIntyre's have two
older children.
Airplane lands
on Exeter field
An unidentified pilot made
an emergency landing in the
field beside Fred Darling's house
on Sanders St. East Saturday
afternoon.
His plane landed around 3:00
p.m. and the pilot got out with a
gas can and returned later and
took off again.
Announcement of the arrival
of a new industry at the former
Grand Bend airport was made
jointly last week by Bell
Aerospace Canada. Limited and
the federal government.
Bell Aerospace, a division of
Textron Canada Limited is
ptirchasing 52 acres of land
along with two buildings from
Eagleson Construction Ltd.
The Grand Bend construction
firm bought the entire former
federal airport property from
the Dominion of Canada in
1964.
The new firm will begin
development and production of
its Voyageur heavy hovercraft.
The vehicle will be a twin-engine
self-propelled air cushion
machine designed to haul
payloads of up to 25 tons.
Fitted out in passenger
configuration, the craft could
accommodate between 150 and
200 persons.
The firm has entered an
agreement with the federal
government under the Program
for the Advance of Industrial
Technology to develop and
produce this new class of large,
rugged air cushion vehicles
aimed particularly for use in the
Arctic.
Under the agreement, Bell
and the federal government
share the development and
prototype costs 50-50. The first
prototype is due to be
completed in December, 1971
and the second, this one with
the Canadian engines that will be
fitted to all production models -
is due four months later.
Present plans call for a
production rate of one-two of
the Voyageur class craft each
month. It is expected about 50%
will be exported.
Two senior U.S. Bell
executives with long production
experience, William Gisel, now
Quick action
ends danger
Quick action by several
people averted a dangerous
situation at the Exeter arena,
Thursday morning.
While the Norval Jones
trucking firm of Exeter was
cleaning snow away from the
east exit of the arena, a natural
gas line meter was accidentally
struck and the pipe broken.
Assistant arena manager Gary
Middleton who is also the town's
fire chief quickly called the
PUC. Workmen were on the
scene in minutes and PUC
manager Hugh Davis contacted
Union Gas officials in London.
As fire chief, Middleton
quickly summoned a half dozen
firemen to stand by with
necessary equipment and all
roads to the arena were closed.
PUC employees were able to
block the broken pipe line. The
morning recess period at Exeter
public school was curtailed as all
children were taken inside.
Union Gas employees from
London were on the scene
within a half hour and repairs
were completed by 12:30. The
accident occurred at about
10:15.
A proper guard was placed
around the pipe and meter,
Wednesday morning.
Middleton said, "The fumes
in the arena were pretty strong.
We shut off the hydro. Even
took the phone off the hook in
trying to eliminate any danger of
spark from any source. The
co-operation from Hugh Davis
and his PUC staff was terrific."
Slowdown affects
trailer workers
A slowdown in production at
the Exeter Custom Trailer plant
has been caused by seasonal
adjustment in levelling off
inventories.
President and general
manager Bill Smith said
Wednesday, "we have had to let
a few of our low seniority men
go, This is definitely a seasonal
thing. If some orders came in
tomorrow, the full staff would
be back at work. As it is over
half of our employees are still
working."
Damage has been estimated at
between $85,000 and $40,000
in a fire which levelled a large
poultry barn on the farm of
Jerry Boersma, RR 1 Exeter,
Tuesday morning.
The four-tier barn was
completely destroyed but
firemen from Dashwood, Exeter
and Crediton combined to save
another building right beside the
one lost in the blaze,
There were no chickens in the
building at the time. In fact, the
Hay farmer was preparing the
barn for a shipment of 17,000
chicks expected later the same
day,
Origin of the fire has not
been detertnined, but the owner
said it may have been one of the
brooders which had been turned
back on in preparation for the
new birds,
president of 13e11 Aerospace
Canada and a vice-president
William Smith will move to
Grand Bend later this month.
It is expected about 30
workers will be needed initially,
building up to 70 by the end of
the year.
Vice-president and general
manager James Mills says, "in
five years, if all goes well, we
should be tip to 300 employees
at the Grand Bend plant."
After, plans to locate in Nova
Scotia failed early in 1970, "we
set out to find a new plant site"
continued Mills.
"We literally went from coast
to coast, Vancouver Island to
Newfoundland and points
between. Grand Bend was our
final choice."
"Why Grand Bend? It isn't in
a designated area, so Bell doesn't
get any federal or provincial
grants. There's only PAIT for
the development phase, and then
A number of experts will be
on hand in Hensall next week to
air their views on drugs at a
narcotics information night
being sponsored by the Hensall
Kinsmen.
The purpose of the evening is
to inform people of the effect
narcotics can have on their lives
and their community. The event
will be staged at the Hensall
Crossing guard
will retain post
Papas and staff members at
Exeter Public School will be
happy this week.
Their "friend" Hank Greene
has been retained by council as
crossing guard.
Council had indicated to
Greene he would be retired at
the end of 1970 due to reaching
retirement age, but students and
staff members presented a
petition to council asking that
he be retained.
Applications were received by
council for both the crossing
guard position as well as the
janitor work that Greene did at
the town hall, library and clerk's
office.
The property committee of
Reeve Boyle and Councillor
Cudmore recommended last
week that Greene be retained as
crossing guard and the janitorial
duties be handed over to one of
the applicants, Jim W. Wallace,
53.
Mr. Wallace commenced
duties Monday at the town's
casual labor rate of $2.56 per
hour.
He was working in the barn
and when he went to the top
section, found it full of smoke
around 9115 a.m. He asked the
telephone operator to assist in
geeting a fire department, and
the Dashwood brigade wag
dispatched.
Hydro employee
falls, breaks leg
Jim Potter, ,Exeter, returned
home Monday from St. Joseph's
Hospital, where he received
treatment for a broken leg.
An employee of Ontario
Hydro, he broke his leg just
above the ankle when he slipped
on some ice getting into his car
St the Clinton office last
Wednesday afternoon,
the company is on its own."
This site was taken for a
number of reasons," Mills
explained.
"It has 52 acres of scrub and
swamp and, is within easy reach
of the beach — ideal for our
testing program. The buildings
on the old airfield aren't too
big."
The Voyageur project itself
could be a valuable addition to
Canadian technology. Essentially
it is a large air-cushion vehicle
that is the basis of a total
system. Each customer could
order the version that suited his
needs. As a freight carrier it
could handle a 25-ton payload,
but it could also be fitted to
carry an oil-drilling platform or
anything else that had to be
moved through rough country.
The cost of the basic
Voyageur is expected to be less
than $1 million.
Please turn to page 3 —
public school on Thursday,
January 21 at 8:00 p.m. There is
no admission charge.
In charge of the evening are
Bill Fuss, Tom Duffy and Bill
Mickle.
Speakers will include Cpl.
Trail of the RCMP, Cpl. Ray
Brooks of the Exeter OP, Major
Jack Barr of the Salvation Army,
Mrs. McAvoy of the Drug and
Alcohol Research Foundation
and Dr. Hughes of the
department of health and
welfare from Ottawa.
Also scheduled to be on hand
are Dr. Moyo, Seaforth; Dave
Hammond, St. Marys; Rev. H.
Currie, Hensall; Rev. Blackwell,
Zurich.
The format of the evening
will have three segements:
1. A talk by several of the
panelists about their particular
field, and its application
regarding narcotics.
2. An open discussion about
the subject allowing the
audience to ask questions of the
panel.
Please turn to page 3 —
Only one crash
for town police
The only accident of the
week on Exeter streets occurred
late Saturday evening.
Involved were vehicles driven
by Douglas Webber, RR 1
Hensall and Gerald Traquair, RR
2 Kippen. They collided at the
intersection of Main and Anne
Streets. Constable George
Robertson estimated total
damage at $350.
After they had been on the
scene for a short time, they
called Exeter for assistance
around 10:00 a.m. The Crediton
tank truck was also called in to
provide extra water supply,
It was over an hour before
flames finally broke out through
the building, although smoke
had been billowing out of it for
a lengthy period of time.
At the height Of the blaze
there was some concern that the
nearby barn may be ignited, but
firemen managed to save it by
constantly pouring water on.
There was some water damage to
it, but that was all,
Mr. Boersina, who operates
the farm located two miles north
of the Exeter cemetery, said the
building destroyed was covered
by insurance, He said it Was
"Most likely" that the
structure would be rebuilt.
Only moments after they were
sworn into office Monday
afternoon, two elected officials
of the village of Grand Bend had
their eligibility challenged.
Lawyer Andy King of the
London law firm of Mitches and
Mitches challenged the eligibility
of councillor Murray A. Des
Jardins and Public Utilities
Commission member Lawrence
Mason.
King was representing former
councillor Ian Coles who was
defeated in the December 7
election.
The lawyer did not give any
reason for his move when asked
by Reeve John Payne, only saying
he was retained by Mr. Coles and
a letter concerning the matter
would be forthcoming.
Council adjourned for five
minutes and a call was put into
the village solicitor Tom Bates of
Gillies, Saint, Caskie, O'Donovan
and Dickie in London.
The solicitor suggested that
Des •Jardins should not take part
in the meeting.
Shortly after, the challenged
councillor was in touch with
Department of Municipal Affairs
officials in Toronto and was told
he was a valid councillor until
declared ineligible by a judge's
decision.
Des Jardins told the T-A, he
had contacted Municipal Affairs
in London before and after the
Minor damages
in two crashes
Only two accidents were
investigated in the area during
the past week by the Exeter OPP
detachment officers. Both were
of a minor nature and no injuries
were reported.
On Wednesday, two "parked"
vehicles were involved in an
accident in Hensall,
A parked car owned by
Douglas Weber, Zurich, was
damaged when an unattended
pickup registered to Marvin
McAdams rolled into the Weber
vehicle.
Damage was listed at $50 by
Constable Dale Lamont.
The other crash occurred in
Zurich on Friday, involving
vehicles driven by Edgar
Edighoffer, Michigan, and
George Bedard, RR 2 Zurich.
The collision occurred at the
intersection of Frederick and
Rosalee Streets and damage was
set at $275 by Constable Frank
Giffin.
Snowmobilers hurt;
6
hope to start club
Two snowmobilers were
injured in area accidents this
week.
Edward (Ted) N. MacDonald,
32, RR 2 Hensall, sustained a
broken right leg shortly after
1:30 a.m., Saturday, when his
.44
snow vehicle upset on the farm of
Harold Elder.
MacDonald was treated by Dr.
R. W. Read, Exeter.
Constable Ed Wilcox
investigated the accident and
reported no damage to
MacDonald's machine.
On Sunday afternoon at 4:30
p.m., George Newman, 26, RR 1
Cottam, was injured when he was
thrown off his snowmobile at
Pineridge Chalet.
Newman suffered a fractured
collar bone, cut right knee and
cut wrist.
He was treated by Dr. V.
Gulens, Dashwood.
The matter of snowmobiles
was broached at Exeter council
Friday night when Councillor
Ross Taylor asked Police Chief
Ted Day if there were many
complaints regarding
snowmobiles and if he would
recommend to council that
curfews be set.
Chief Day didn't get time to
answer the queries before other
council members joined the
discussion.
Taylor said he thought
curfews were rather severe
penalties and most members were
in agreement.
Chief Day did say that a
couple of local individuals were
interested in forming a club in an
effort to curtail complaints.
Councillor Ken Ottewell
thought such a club would be a
In the matter of the formation
of a club, Jim Newby advised the
T-A this week that an organiza-
tional meeting will be held at the
Exeter arena, Tuesday, at 8:00
p.m.
All area snowmobilers are
invited and a member of the
Stratford club will be on hand to
advise of the procedures and
benefits of establishing a club.
Every snowmobile enthusiast
in the area is invited to attend.
Newby emphasized that it
would not be a social club, but
rather a group to help make the
sport safer in this area and to
prevent the necessity of restrict-
ing regulations.
good idea if they could do their
owe discipline. He said clubs were
successful in other communities
A and it was better for enthusiasts
to set their own regulations rather
than have council do it for them.
He said council should tell
them that the matter of curtailing
',complaints was up to the owners,
and if they couldn't improve the
situation, council would have to
regulate it for them.
Mayor Jack Delbridge said Large poultry barn destroyed
Loss is over $35,000
Defeated GB candidate
challenges two officials
election and was assured he was
fully eligible. He also said, "I feel
I am qualified to sit on council.
We will let the chips fall where
they may."
PUC member Lawrence Mason
said he was probably being
challenged due to his position as
chief of the Grand Bend and
district fire department but
added, "I'm not concerned."
In the absence of an official
village clerk, Manny Pennington
of Parkhill administered the oaths
of office to Reeve John Payne
and councillors Ivan Luther,
David Jackson, Mrs. Shirley
Kirkton's Pauls
on Hunter show
The Paul brothers and Shirley
will be seen on coast to coast
television Friday night.
The popular Kirkton area
singing-comedy group will appear
as special guests on the Tommy
Hunter show on the CBC
network. The show is scheduled
for nine o'clock in this area and
will run for a full hour.
Gerald and Lee Paul and Lee's
wife Shirley will take part in the
opening production number with
the complete cast and will present
their own vaudeville routine with
four songs later in the program.
Sylvester and Des Jardins in
addition to Prosper Vanbruaene
and Mason of the PUC.
Rev. H. G. Dobson of the
Grand Bend United Church led in
a short devotion period.
Reeve Payne outlined many of
the important issues and projects
he felt would be facing council in
the next two years.
Payne said each committee of
council would be allowed to
function on its own without any
interference from him. He hopes
to have two or three forums
during the year when ratepayers
will be given a report on council
activities.
The new Reeve listed the
proposed medical centre for
Grand Bend as a top priority this
year. The centre is expected to
cost about $35,000. Some
$8,000 has already been
promised to the finance
committee. A campaign will be
launched within the next 10 days
to solicit the balance of monies
needed.
Payne said he promised in his
election campaign that he would
try to hold the tax line. "I will
watch every expenditure closely
and give as many contracts and
jobs to local contractors and
firms."
After the medical centre
becomes a reality, Payne will start
on plans for a recreation centre.
Please turn to page 3 —