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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1974-01-17, Page 1JOHN MUSSER ...Driver seriously injured in snowmobile-car crash Snowmobile accidents continue to increase in the area and the most serious of the season oc- curred at 2:10 a,m., Saturday, when a car and snow machine collided on Highway •83 west of Exeter. Driver of the snow vehicle, John Mitsser, Exeter, was seriously injured and is a patient in University Hospital, London. He sustained a fractured left hand, splintered left elbow and a report of those crashes appears elsewhere in this issue. There were four other ac- cidents investigated by the Exeter OPP this week, the first being at 3:50 p.m., Wednesday, when vehicles operated by Ronald Samways, RR 1, 13rucefielcl, and Kenneth Barry Campbell, RR 2 Ailsa Craig, collided on Highway 4 just south of Exeter. Campbell and a passenger in his car, Deborah Campbell, Preliminary is adjourned Huron Street West, just west of concession 2-3 of Stephen, Cpl. Ray Brooks investigated and set damages at $150 in the mishap, The final crash occurred on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. on Highway 81, just east of Grand Bend. A van operated by David Rivers, Chatham, went out of control on a curve and rolled over on the road, Damage was listed at $400 by Constable Al Quinn. During the week, the local detachment officers charged 18 people under the Highway Traffic Act and issued warnings to another 16, There were three under the Liquor Control Act and two under the Criminal Code. received cuts and bruises as did passenger in the Samways.' vehicle, Maureen SamwayS, Constable Dale Lamont in- vestigated and set damage at $1,100. Later in the evening, a mishap caused no damage but the driver sustained a head laceration when his car skidded off sideroad 5-6 at concession 1445 in Tuckersmith Township. The vehicle was driven by Robert Thiel, Zurich. Constable Don Mason in- vestigated, Damages of $150 resulted when cars operated by Hendrick Gruyaert, Exeter, and Terrance McGuire, RR 2, Goderich, collided Thursday morning on INJURED ON SNOWMOBILE — An Exeter youth John Musser was seriously injured when the snowmobile he was operating on Highway 83, Saturday morning was in collision with a vehicle driven by Don Gifford, also of Exeter. The left side of the snow machine was extensively damaged as shown in the above picture. One Hundred and First Year EXETER, ONTARIO, JANUARY 17, 1974 Price Per Copy 25 Cents shattered left knee cap. The knee cap was removed and the 18-year-old has undergone two operations on the elbow. Driver of the ear was Donald Gifford, Exeter, who sustained minor bruises as did a passenger in his small car, James Neilson, Dashwood. The investigating officer was OPP Constable Bill McIntyre, who set damage in the collision at $750, Police report that the snow vehicle was proceeding east and the car was westbound when the collision occurred. It was snowing at the time and visibility was limited. On Friday at 3:00 a.m., a snow vehicle driven by John Rundle, RR 6. St. Marys, struck a bridge on sideroad 5-6 of Usborne, Rundle was treated for cuts and bruises at St. Joseph's Hospital, London. Constable Bill Lewis set damages at $500. The two snowmobile crashes are among a growing list being reported. The Pinery OPP report two accidents involving four snowmobiles in the past week. A Call for rec director, plan area recreation New bridge, water system Stephen hopes for 1974 The preliminary hearing into the charge of non-capital murder against Lloyd George Salter, RR 3, Kippen, has been adjourned until February 18. The hearing started Thursday and continued through Friday before Judge Marshman at Goderich: It is expected to take another three days for completion when it resumes next month. Salter has been charged with the murder of Hensall widow Mrs. Jane Burton McMurtrie, 93, whose nude body was found in her home on October 5. Tests revealed she had been strangled and sexually attacked. At the opening of the preliminary hearing, defense lawyer Jim Donnelly, Goderich, asked for an order prohibiting publication of any evidence His request was approved by Judge Marshman. Several Hensall area residents have been called to testify at the preliminary hearing. Council instructed clerk- treasurer Wilmar Wein to Conservation area funded ARRIVING AT HEARING — Lloyd Salter, Kippen charged with the murder of Mrs. Jane McMurtrie of Hensall is shown in the above picture being escorted to the Huron County court house for the preliminary heariachIbe, QM officers are,,Cstables ond,Dole Laroton0 of the Exeter detachment. T-A photo Need cited for `give and take' prepare a bylaw which would allow collection of real estate taxes from industries at Huron Park once a month, Due to several municipal conventions, the dates for the next two council meetings will be changed. The next session will be held January 22 at 7.30 p.m. and the first meeting in February is scheduled for Friday, February 1 at 1.30 p.m. Approval was given to owners of vacant lots within the boun- daries of the westerly water area to make the necessary con- nections during the current construction period. A request from the Ontario Development Corporation for an increase of $500 to $2,000 in the annual fee paid by Stephen for snowplowing and grass cutting on Canada Avenue in Huron Industrial Park and all roads in the Huron Park residential area. The.Ontario Rural , Municipalities convention in Hamilton, February 3-5 will be attended by clerk Wilmar Wein, deputy-reeve Cecil Desjardine and councillor David McClure. Attending the Good Roads convention in Toronto February 24-27 will be reeve Joseph Dietrich, councillors Steve — Please turn to Page 3 Proposal made for Hall Lamp A group from Huron County including former employees of the Huron Park Hall Lamp company has made a proposal to the Ontario Development Cor- poration which could reactivate the plant. A spokesman for the group said Tuesday evening that a request to ODC for financial backing was made last week in Toronto. He added, "we were told an answer could be expected in a little over a week. Hopefully, we should hear from them later this week." If financial support is received from ODC a new company would be formed with absolutely no connection with the former Hall organization. Close to 400 area employees lost their jobs in late November when the parent company in the United States went into receivership. Production is continuing on a small scale week-to-week basis with about 15 employees assembling tractor parts for Massey-Ferguson. At the inaugaral meeting of Stephen township council for 1974 the reeve and councillors outlined projects which they felt were the most important. Reeve Joseph Dietrich listed construction of a new bridge to replace the one which collapsed in 1973 on sideroad 15 near the Brand Bros. property and the realization of a system to supply water to the police village of Dashwood and possibly other areas in the township. Updating townships roads with blacktopping of at least one mile this year was high on the agenda for deputy-reeve Cecil Desjar- dine. Councillor Stephen Dundas said he has been advocating the paving of roads for a long time and hoped two miles could be completed this year. Improvements in roads, water and sewage programs were advocated by councillor Dave McClure and the third councillor Kenneth Campbell looks for further improvements at the township waste disposal site on Concession 14. Council received a letter from Huron County planner Gary Davidson confirming Stephen had asked the county to devise a secondary plan in April, 1973. This was to answer a complaint from provincial authorities that Stephen did not have zoning and regulating bylaws. referred the recreation proposal to the executive committee for study. Boyle added, "I can't see recreation on a county level but it could work on a smaller scale, possibly South Huron." Bruce Shaw has represented Exeter at two recent meetings of recreation officials from all towns in the counties of Huron, Grey and Bruce. Seven smaller groups have been designated and Exeter has been placed in Cluster 7. A fur- ther meeting of this Cluster will be held in Seaforth on January 29. This new venture is being sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. Aims of the group are to make certain training and leadership op- portunities available and provide a centre for information. In further explanation Shaw said "the idea is to spark en- thusiasrnAor recreation and give provincial guidance and possibly augment programs we already have." The town of Exeter should have a full-time director of recreation by the end of February. Monday night the local RAP committee authorized ad- vertisements calling for ap- plications of a director with a Type "A" or "B" certificate. In addition Don Reid, a con- sultant with the sports and recreation branch of Ontario Community and Social Services will be including this information in flyers he sends out through his department. Late in 1973, a committee in- vestigating the operations of RAP which controls all activities of recreation, arena and parks in town, recommended hiring of a director. At a .recent meeting town council gave RAP the authority to hire a rec director. Council is represented on RAP by coun- cillors Bruce Shaw and Harold Patterson. Representatives of councils and recreation groups from Exeter, Grand Bend, Zurich, Hensall, Huron Park and the townships of Hay, Stephen and Usborne met last night to discuss the possibility of area recreation programs. At Monday's session of RAP arena manager Alvin Willert who also looks after operation of the Exeter swimming pool said he felt about 50 percent of the youngsters participating in swimmill, house league hockey and figure skating came from outside of Exeter. Several other ideas for ad- ditional district recreational programs are being proposed. Exeter reeve Derry Boyle, a former member of RAP said Huron County council had County considers central dispatcher The Honourable Leo Bernier, minister of natural resources, and Mr. Jack Riddell, MPP for Huron, announce the approval of a provincial grant of $8,250.00 to the Ausable Hayfield Con- servation Authority for the proposed Webster conservation area. l'be„,,,propq§ed conservation area comprises some 61 acres of land in the Township of Stanley. The Bannockburn River flows through the property. The southern portion consists mostly of deciduous trees such as hickory, black walnut, beech, sugar maple, white ash and a few hemlock. About five acres of the property are flood plain. The great diversity in vegetation within this small acreage, and availability of water throughout the property, have encouraged numerous wildlife species including ruffed grouse and ring neck pheasants. All member municipalities will bear the Authority's share of the cost. Boyle given lifetime pass Discussion of a possible Huron county central fire brigade dispatching office dominated the inaugural county council meeting. While some council members objected to certain aspects of the system, most were in agreement that a feasibility study be requested through the Ontario Fire Marshal's office. The study would cost the county nothing. The Development Committee, chaired by Allan Campbell, made the recommendation in its report to council, Although no date has been set for the study, the recom- mendation along with the rest of the committee's report was accepted during the meeting. In presenting his committee's report suggesting the dispatching system, Mr. Campbell said he hoped for discussion and questions about it. His hopes were fulfilled, The issue raised by some cduncillors was that it would take two calls to get a fire truck to a fire: one to the dispatcher and an other from the dispatcher Derry Boyle, who has been a member of Exeter's RAP committee for the past 10 years and involved in many sporting ventures in town was given a lifetime pass to the Exeter arena at Monday night's meeting of RAP. Boyle, who has been replaced on the board by councillor Harold Patterson as one of town coun- cil's two representatives had handed in his pass at the end of 1973. All current members of RAP have a pass to the arena. The former member attended Monday's meeting as an observer and after he left, a motion was passed approving the lifetime ducat to the arena. Warden received threatening letters Provincial Police at Goderich confirmed this week there would be no charges laid against the person who sent threatening letters to newly-elected Huron County warden William J. Elston during his campaign. "We are satisfied there will be no attempt to carry out the threats in the letters," said the spokesman. "We're satisfied as to who sent them." Few details have been released by the police or Mr. Elston, who is reeve of Morris Township. He confirmed that he had received the threats but gave no further details. No problems yet for firm Renovations are expected to commence at Exeter Public School in the last week of January or the beginning of February. Work on the addition will not likely start until mid-March when weather conditions are better for outside work. John Refflinghaus, general contractor, met recently with principal Jim Chapman to lay out tentative work schedules. Both realize the problems in at- tempting to carry on an academic programme and a building programme simultaneously but "agreed to give and take". Official notice about relocating classes at JAD McCurdy during construction will be forwarded to the parents when details are finalized. "We're trying to set up a schedule that will cause the least amount of inconvenience" said Mr. Chapman. "We're also investigating the possible use of the "gymtorium" at the arena so that our physical education programme can continue. Mr. Willert presented a request from the Principal to the R.A.P, committee at the January meeting and their response was most positive. Board approval of details will be requested at their next meeting. While several manufacturers in the mobile home field are experiencing slowdowns in production due to a shortage of materials, assembly lines at the Exeter plant of CustomTrailers continue as usual. Custom general manager Bill Smith said this week,"it's been a long, hard battle for more than a year to get enough materials but constant follow-up by our pur- phasing agent has allowed us to continue with normal produc- tion," He added, "a scarcity of low cost housing has been a factor in keeping the mobile home business very active," IN AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT — Members of the Elimville I Foreign Fixers presented a scene from their skit, "Come Dine in Italy" at Satur- day's 4-H Achievement Day for Exeter and area clubs. Shown above are Joan Pym, Karen Skinner and Linda Hern. T-A photo Snowmobiles in collisions Two accidents were in- vestigated by the Pinery OPP detachment during the past ,week, and in both cases snowmobiles were involved. On January 6, a collision oc- curred on the Ausable River, Port Franks, between machines operated by James W. Marshall, Sarnia and Kevin Shipley, Forest. Mr. Shipley was taken to Sarnia hospital suffering from a broken leg and damage was set at $110 by Constable P. M. Clush-m On Saturday, Constable R. D. Hendley investigated another collision involving two snow vehicles in the Thedford con- servation area. Drivers involved were Patrick J, Mahu and John W. Miller, both of Wallaceburg, set Damage $325. to their machines was During the week, the Pinery officers investigated 18 oc- cUrrenees. Ten charges were laid under the Motorized Snow Vehicle Act and eight under the Highway Traffic Act. Items worth $770 stolen from vehicle Tenders called for CCAT. work Tenders are now being called for renovations to Building 71 and a greenhouse addition at Cen- tralia College of Agricultural Technology, Huron Park, for the ministry of agriculture and food. The renovations, covering approximately 5,000 sq, ft. consist of converting an aban- doned prefabricated metal barrack into areas for laboratory, mechanics, im- plement and other storage; office space, lunch and wash rooms, A new prefabricated greenhouse, 18' x 30' will be added to the building as well, Specifications call for struc- tural alterations to relocate windows and install overhead doors, new interior stud par- titions, resilient floor tile, washrooms, and painting the building inside and out. New mechanical and electrical ser- vices are also included, as well as li asphalt paved driveway in the si tework. Approximate construction time for the contract is estimated at four months by Ministry of Government Services staff who designed the project. RR 2, Zurich. The vehicle was taken while parked at the Zurich arena parking lot Thursday, It was recovered later in Hensall. A juvenile and an 18-year-old Hensall youth have been charged in connection with the offence by OPP Constables Mason, Glassford and Quinn. Police are also investigating the theft of a small wood stove which was taken from a shed on the farm of Leonard Lovell, Flay Township. The theft of the stove, valued at $30 was discovered on Friday. A car stolen last week from the property of Jack Taylor, BR 3 Exeter, was recovered neat' the Exeter arena. to the fire brigade closest to the scene. One council member termed such a system as"cumbersome, ridiculous." Another member felt that the recommendation put the cart ahead of the horse." "We're talking about dispat- ching but we're dispatching what?" he explained. All areas of the county do not have equal fire fighting equip- ment. Until fire areas are properly defined and get equal equipment and protection the expense wasn't justified, he said. The fact that few fire brigades in the county have trucks equipped with two-way radios was another objection put forth. Mr. Campbell explained that by having one central dispatcher municipalities in the county could save money. The service would not be duplicated. Three dispatchers could be hired to man a central telephone 24 hours a day, The telephone would have a Zenith number so that no long distance calls would be necessary anywhere in the county. Another benefit of the system would be that in case a fire was too much for one brigade to handle, it could call back to the dispatcher who would send other brigades to help. Citing the case of a massive disaster such as the gas ex- plosions in London, one council member said that it made sense to tie county fire brigades together with a central dispat- cher as a similar disaster might occur in Huron County, Mr. Campbell said that most fire trucks in the county would be equipped with two-way radios "before too long, within the next three or four years." Trucks equipped like this would be able to respond to such an emergency. All county fire brigades, even volunteer departments supported by county grants, would be eligible to participate Mr. Campbell said in response to a question. The advantage of this would be to eliminate the possibility of two fire departments answering calls from different people turning in alarms for the same fire, said Mr. Campbell. Another council member suggested that a professional dispatcher would know better Please turn to Page 3 Thieves made off with items valued at $770 when they broke into a car owned by John McNair, Centralia. The theft was reported Tuesday morning. Included in the loot was a 12- track tape player and two speakers valued at $100; a quantity of tapes valued at $250; a diamond ring worth $385; a snowmobile aerial valued at $18 and three boxes of shotgun shells worth $15. The theft occurred while the vehicle was parked at the Club Albatross parking lot at Huron Park, Charges have been laid in connection with the theft of a truck owned by Richard Bedard, HEADING DOWN THE HILLS — A very popular mode of winter transportation down area hills is by way of an inflated tractor tire tube, Above, Nancy Perry prepares to push Isabelle, Paul and Mark Perry and Steve Ferguson down the slopes at Morrison Dam, t-A photo '''Sr...41111101imerimemiloweriaiumeremilm•orti