The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1974-03-28, Page 4Callous criminal deeds
want not Waste not —
The report of the Provincial auditor
must have our thrifty forebears dizzy from,
turning over in their graves. According to
this report the Ontario taxpayer has paid
far office space never used, given grants to
psychiatrists who never worked, been taken
in by a well-travelled student of higher
education and geneeally been taken for a
ride.
The Ministry of Government Services
paid $124,000 rent for office space never us-
ed. Two floors of the building were vacant
from November 1971 to September 1973.
Fifty-one bursaries were given for post-
graduate training in psychiatry on condition
that applicants work for the Ministry of
Health after graduation. The report shows
that only 14 had fulfilled their agreement,
four were still doing so, two were repaying
the bursary, one had died, and the other 30
We .look but don't see are a question mark,
One member of the 13-member com-;
mission on Post-Secondary Education
managed to take home 27% of the pay and
47% of the expense money. A lot of claims
were made for Saturdays, Sundays and
public holidays.
The former Agent-General in Ontario-
House in London was paid $7,000 to relocate
in Toronto in April 1972, then in July he was
fired and given $35,000 in severance pay.
Deserting fathers and husbands owe the
Ministry of Community and Social Services
about seven million dollars.
And so the list goes on. And who do you
think makes up for the money lost in such
sloppy financing? The answer is the tax-
payer who is honest and pays his taxes, you
and me. —The Ridgetown Dominion
Lip service only
percent of its GNP on education.
Education minister Tho,mas
Wells suggests there is no other
province in Canada with a higher
per-pupil spending figure than
Ontario's,
The conclusion may be that the
ceilings are not, creating the
hardships that some would have
us believe. Or perhaps we should
say the hardships are not as great
as uncontrolled spending would
create.
Yet, there will surely be a day
of recknoning:
You remember the story Jesus
told of the rich man and
Lazarus. The former lived in
luxury, dressed in expensive
clothes and ate gourmet food
every day ... a picture of in-
dolence and self-indulgence,
Lazarus was a poor, sick begger
who kept himself alive by eating
the crusts that fell from the rich
man's table.
Jesus went on to say that when
the poor man died he was carried
to glory while the wealthy man
went to hell and torment.
Now, what was the sin of the
rich man that he deserved such a
fate? Was he deliberately cruel to
Lazarus? Apparently not, for
Jesus makes no mention of him
abusing the man or even ob-
jecting to him lying at his gate
and picking up what was thrown
from the table.
The sin of the Rich Man was
that he never even noticed
Lazarus, that he accepted him as
part of the landscape, and ap-
parently thought it was perfectly
natural and inevitable that
Lazarus should be in pain and
hunger while he wallowed in
luxury.
Today, the sin of many of us is
that we can look on the world's
suffering and need, and feel no
grief or pity in our hearts. We can
look at our fellow man, hungry or
in distress, yet see no reason to
help him.
Wealth is not in itself a sin, but
it is a responsibility, We would do
well to remember that what we
have on this earth is really only
lent to us. There's no way we can,
take it with us when. we die.
Ambrose, commenting on the
rich fool who built bigger barns to
store his goods, said, "The
bosoms of the poor, the houses of
widows, the mouths of children
are the barns which last
forever." + + +
We'Ye just received a letter
from a principal of a children's
home in India which houses and
educates several hundred
children with the aid of spon-
sorships from .Canada and the
British Isles,
As these children graduate
they move from, the school into
society and make room for other
youngsters waiting to gain en-
trance.
In his letter the principal tells
about going to Shillong and
Calcutta to face the terrible task
of interviewing 200 needful and
deserving children to fill the 25
freeships (provided by sponsors)
available. He says, "It was a
virtually impossible task which
thoroughly depressed me."
"It is only after such an ex-
perience," he continues, "that
one becomes aware of the
enormity of the problem and how
very fortunate children (and
parents). are in Countries where
the opportunities for education
are taken so much for, granted.
The gentleman is certainly
right when he says we take
education lightly here. There is
virtually no young person living
in Canada who cannot attain an
education right up through
university if they really set their
minds to it. I find it sickening and
disheartening that ,many
Canadian youngsters loaf their
time away, not appreciating or
ignoring the vast opportunities
offered them.
But they are not to blame, I
guess. We parents have lavished
everything on them since they
were born. They demand, and for
the most part we give them, more
than they ever require so how can
they know that it's wrong to
waste their own and other
people's time, money, health and
knowledge while others go
through life deprived of many or
all of these things.
ning. Nor should it be a party to that kind of
perversion of the purpose of amateur
athletics.
But a further truth is that unless it
does, Canadian competitors will never be in
the same league as Russians, Americans,
East Germans, to name only a few, in the
Olympics or in any other international com-
petition except where individual excellence
and desire can make up for a lack of
national purpose.
The establishment of a single national
training complex would be yet another sym-
bol of the federal governments lack of con-
viction in the value of winning international
sports events.
In the long term — and forgetting for
the moment the political uses of winning —
world champions are supposed to inspire a
general awareness of the need for
soundness of body and lead, theoretically,
to widespread improvement in con-
ditioning.
Canadians are among the softest people
in the world, as the federal government's
expensive "Participation" advertising
campaign points out. There isn't much in-
centive from the federal government for
them to change.
—London Free Press
If, as Health and Welfare Minister
Marc Lalonde says, the federal government
intends to build a national "multisport"
complex for the training of Olympic
athletes, Clinton is not theplace for it.
In fact, a single national training facili-
ty is not what is needed.
No one will fault Robert McKinley, MP
for Huron, for putting in an early bid for his
riding, where some of the required
facilities already exist at the former RCAF
base. But a training complex at Clinton
would serve only Clinton area athletes. The
same could be said of a Toronto, Montreal,
Vancouver, Winnipeg or Halifax complex.
They would function only for those athletes
nearby.
If the federal government is serious
about helping to improve training facilities,
it is starting too late for the 1976 Olympics
and with too little. Federal initiative was
needed two or three years ago to build a
national network of facilities which would
be accessible to the greatest possible
number of aspiring Olympians.
The truth is that the Canadian govern-
ment does not really take athletic competi-
tion on the international scale with the
same seriousness as many other nations
which place a political currency on win-
to wage an all-out campaign to
get rid of the Davis government
in the next election.
There was a suggestion that
each teacher contribute one day's
pay towards a fund tofinance the
project.
No doubt that- was just too
much to expect of such a large
group, in which there has to be
more than a few die-hard
Progressive Conservatives.
While they may think the Davis
government has erred in their
recent battle with teachers, their
political affiliation just is too
strong to start forking up funds to
defeat the people for whom they
have been voting for many years.
There are certainly some local
teachers who would find it most
difficult to contribute money to
such a campaign.
+ + +
Step on the .
Provincial
benefits?
• •
By ELMORE BOOMER
Counsellor for
Information South Huron
For appointment
phone: 235-2715
or 235-2474
Pig manure ma e answer to the
energrerisig. That; a any rate;"&"theYie*
of Winnipeg's Fred Hamilton.
Vice-president of the recently-formed
Biomass Energy Institute, Hamilton says
"biomass pellets," produced from hog
manure, straw and other farm "garbage,"
yields methane gas. In turn, the gas could
be used to heat homes, office buildings and,
possibly, to power automobiles.
At 62, Hamilton is an unlikely prairie
prophet, but 'together with Ernie Robert-
son, the- Institute's executive director,• he
forms a team, that, after initial neglect, is
now being widely sought by various levels
of government.
And, according to Hamilton, if the
Institute succeeds in winning large-scale
federal funding for further biomass ex-
periments, the energy crisis may soon be a
thing of the past.
Not being dependent upon gas,
the writer suffered no in-
convenience or hardship due to
the foul deed perpetrated by
some idiots last week in cutting
off a Union Gas pipeline to this
area.
However, we did have some
indication of the problems that
such actions can produce, and it
is difficult to imagine that there
are people in our midst who
would stoop so low.
On one of our calls, we con;
versed with a woman who sat
huddling in her coat in a local
store. She was suffering from an
extremely bad cold, which was
not being improved by the fact
the premises had no heat. She
couldn't go home, because her
house was also dependent upon
gas for heat.
' Later in the evening, our young
hockey players were scheduled to
take to the ice and they had to
suffer through the unpleasant
task of changing uniforms in
unheated dressing rooms'.'''
‘:Several- ofi sthe lads, "Nve`te).
getting overcolds and we doubt t
the conditions aided their health,'
to any great extent.
Most adults can suffer through
a short hardship with no heat,
particularly when the tem-
. perature outside is not far below
the freezing mark.
However, for the infants, the
frail, the elderly and the sick, the
lack of heat is something which
can ,create considerable hard-
ship.
Now, can you really imagine
that there are those who would
deliberately. create such hard-
ships? If caught, they should be
punished in a manner befitting
their callous criminal deeds.
+ + +
Second trip in 30 years
People are still shaking their
heads about the federal govern-
ment decision recently to pay a
subsidy of seven cent& per pound
to beef farmers in view of the low
market prices they were
receiving.
Few quarrel with the fact the
beef farmers needed some help.
They were losing upwards of $100
per head at the market prices 'and
many were seriously thinking
about getting out of the business.
The disturbing aspect of the
entire situation is the fact the low
prices were blamed on the large
number of beef from the U.S.
being brought into Canada.
So, Canadian taxpayers are
now paying out a subsidy of seven
cents per pound for beef rather
than "upset" our cousins to the
south of us.
It's too bad a few people in
Canada didn't get upset a bit
more and end such foolishness!
The situation is even more
ridiculous when you consider that
American beef producers are
allowed to use a growth hormone
in the cattle they ship here, while
our own Canadian producers are
not permitted to do likewise.
Top that one if you can!
,While not their main beef,
,teachers in Ontario are upset
:about the government's ceilings
on education,
MaiV people have been led to
believe that the ceilings imposed
by the government are
decreasing the government's
share of education spending,
Not sod The ceilings were
designed only to control the
annual rate of increase in
education spending. In 1968, for
instance, the jump in spending
over the previous year was an
incredible 20 percent.
Education now accounts for 30
percent of the total provincial
budget and the total expenditure
in grants to local school boards
this year will be $1.3 billion,' an
increase of $100 million over 1973
and $162 million over 1972.
At last tally, Ontario spent 8,5
percent of its Gross Provincial
PrOduct on education. By com-
parison, Britain spends just three One of the interesting stories to
come out of the recent national
Progressive Conservative
Association meeting in Ottawa
was that concerning the in-
volvement of Ontario Premier
William Davis in the election of
the national president.
Claims were made by many in
attendance that Mr. Davis was
one of the Major factors in the
defeat of Londoner 'Don Mathews
who was seeking re-election to
the post of national president,
It seems almost incredible that
a man in so much apparent
trouble as that confronting the
Premier of Ontario would have
time to get involved in such ac-
tivities.
However, with the teachers on
his tail, he can perhaps be ex-
cused for aspiring to the job of
national leader, which many are
suggesting he clearly indicated
last week.
+ + +
We're not too surprised that
many teachers have had second
thoughts about their union's plan
pounds a week, because it's the
off season. That is about 60
bucks. They couldn't stay home
for much less.
Well, I'm not one for skulking
off to the south and leaving other
Canadians to suffer. I had a
choice. I could go over to see
Grandad, or fly to Germany for a
few days. Free. It's not that I
don't respect and admire my
father-in-law, but for some
reason I chose Germany.
I hope I get a better reception
that I did last time I visited that
country.
Last time I ventured into
Germany was almost thirty
years ago, There was a fairly
large and assorted company in
the group I travelled with:
privates, corporals, sergeants
and one Flying Officer — me.
We had no trouble getting into
Germany, even though we had no
passports. Perhaps it was
because of the efficiency of our
tour guides. There were eight of
them, and they were extremely
Canadians, weary of winter,
are taking advantage of the
school winter break in every-
increasing numbers to get away
from the true north, strong and
freezing.
Colleagues casually mention
that they're off to the Caribbean
or Mexico or the Canary Islands
or some such exotica. It's con-
sidered passe these days to go
merely to Florida.
Students will be descending in
throngs on places like Athens,
Rome, Paris, London.
Chief reason is that air travel is
no longer for the rich only,
Package deals and charter
flights put a mid-winter break
within reach of us ordinary Joes,
A friend of mine, for example,
is going with his wife for a week
in the Channel Islands, those tiny
bits between England and
France. Air fare is only $209
each, return. And do you know
what they're paying for a hotel
room with bath, and three meals
a day? Twenty-eight lousy
Times Established 1873
attentive. They 'would even ac-
company one when one had to
relieve oneself.
The guides were tastefully
arrayed in field-gray, and had
similar accessories - guns.
I can't kick, however. I'll bet I
was the only P.O.W.. who rode
across the German border on a
bicycle. I couldn't walk because
of a well-aimed kick on the
kneecap, and they were sure as
hell not going to carry me, so they
let me ride one of their bikes.
I'll never forget the first place
we stayed at, in Germany. It was
my first taste of that old-world
charm. It lacked a few of the
amenities we spoiled North
Americans are accustomed to,
but it had a quaintness all its own.
It was a barn. There was nobody
there but us chickens, the cattle,
and the tour guides.
At that, it was practically cosy
after a couple of weeks living in a
box-car, in Holland. It was a mite
chilly, being November, but we
Advocate Established 1881 Amilgamated 1924
may look to this ministry for
financial help. Your disability
must be permanent and such as
to limit the fulfilling of normal
activities for the gaining of a
living.
Medically unemployable
fathers of families may apply for
help. Elderly people who are not
yet eligible for Old Age Security
because they are not yet 65 or
because they have not lived in
Canada for the required ten years
may gain needed financial
support under Provincial
Benefits. There is no minimum
time of residence in Ontario
before these benefits can be
received. You do not even need to
be a Canadian citizen.
,Can you have assets and still
benefit? Yes! Up to $1,000 for a
single person and $1,500 for a
couple with $200 for each
dependent. And what about in-
come? Yes, there are certain
forms of income that do not
count. Tax rebates, family
allowances and youth allowances
are just three of these, You may
even work and still qualify under
Provincial Benefits if you remain
financially eligible.
As you can see, here is a basic
program to meet family needs in
a complex society. One thing to
keep in mind is that ineligibility
under Provincial Benefits does
not cur you off from government
aid. You may, if in need, apply.
for General Welfare Assistance
from the county office.
In talking with Mrs. Hohner,
she speaks of a particular in-
terest of her own at this time. She'
has support from a number of
people for a used clothing store or
depot in our district. She is
seeking space for such an effort
and if you could help, you are
invited to contact her, No doubt
the need for volunteers to man
the store is also present.
Here is a government program
with some flexibility to meet the
needs of Ontario's people. There
is even room for innovative
volunteer service.
Names are various and many
on the Ontario social security
scene. One does not know
whether often repeated terms are
general in nature or names of
government or private
programs. So we ask, "What are
Provincial Benefits?"
Provincial Benefits is a form of
aid for families and single people
who have long term financial
needs. It is provided for such
fathilies by the Ontario Govern-
ment under the Ministry of
Community and Social Services.
Various aid programs .are
'provided for, which previously
had separate enabling
legislation; e.g., blind pensions,
disability pensions, and others.
This streamlined delivery system
has as its head, the Hon. Rene
Brunelle and as Deputy Minister,
appropriately a woman, Dorothy
Crittenden.
Provincial Benefits is a service
which has a local representative
for South Huron Mrs. Marilyn
Hohner, 483 Main Street, Exeter.
Mrs. Hohner is one of four field
workers who work out of the
Wingham Office and she seeks to
care for the needs of numerous
families in Exeter and district,
Mr. James Deneau is in charge of
this regional office. Mrs. Hohner
and others on staff at the office
welcome inquiries regarding
their services. The Wingham
office number is 357-3370,
Well, of course, the leading
question is simply, "Who is
eligible for this aid?" You may
receive this aid if you are a
mother raising children alone.
This is true whether you are a
widow, an unwed mother,
divorced, deserted by your
husband, or your husband is
serving a prison term.
This service is available if you
are a foster parent and the
criterion here is the child's need
not yours.
If you are blind or disabled, you
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
O,W.N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC
Editor — Bill Batten Advertising Manager
Assistant Editor -- Ross Haugh
Phone 2351331
I Wonder
What
THE WAREHOUSE
Is Going
To Sell
Toronto by taking top honours in
a contest at Listowel.
The Pinery Park at Grand
Bend, now in course of con-
. struction, will be one of the
largest and one of the finest in
Ontario. It will include 13 miles of
roads in its *4200 acres, and two
new bridges across the Ausable
River,
Led by team captain Larry
Heideman, Exeter Mohawks
sidelined Forest to enter the
WOAA "B" finals against the
Philipsburg Chevs.
Alison Clark, Centralia, has
been chosen to represent SH-
DHS in the London Free Press
School Queen's club. An award-
winning academic student, she
has also captured honours in
public and verse speaking,
drama, citizenship, track and
field and team sports.
10 Years Ago
Saturday Lucan honoured its
favorite sPbrtsman, Harvey
Langford, with a special
celebration that reflected the
community. • One of the
many tributes was made by Bill
Smith, Legion President, Bob
Murray was MC.,
Executive of the Ausable River
Conservation Authority spent
most of Tuesday afternoon
discussing details in regard to the
Parkhill Dam, Final drawings for
the million dollar structure are
expected to be completed by the
,end of April.
Mr. & Mrs, Charles Fisher,
Exeter, celebrated their 35th
wedding anniversary Friday
Mara 27 When a family dinner
was held at the home of their
daughter Mr. & Mrs. Norman
Fisher and Susan, Dashwood,
Published Each Thursday Morning
at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Registration Number 0386
Paid in Advance Circulation,
March 81, 1972, 5,057
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $0-.00 Per Year; USA $11.00
,
50 Years Ago
Mr. Charles Salter was in
Guelph last week taking a short
course in cream grading at the
O.A.C.
Mr. & Mrs. Garnet Passmore
and family have returned to their
farm in Usborne after spending
the winter in Detroit.
During the severe windstorm
from the east, Saturday morning,
the large iron roof of the Central
Hotel was completely blown off
and deposited in the rear yard.
George Beavers carried off the
majority of prizes in the bird
house competition conducted by
the Exeter Horticultural Society,
The houses are on exhibition in
the show window of M. R. Gar-
diner's furniture store.
25 Years Ago
The RCAF celebrated April 1
its silver jubilee, At Centralia the
occasion was celebrated with an
anniversary dinner,
Joe Creech was named
manager of the Exeter Baseball
team at a meeting in the town
hall for which President Bill
Allison presided,
Preceding his sermon at James
Street United 'Church Sunday
morning, Rev. H. J, Snell had a
special message in welcoming
into the Dominion, Canada's 10th
province, Newfoundland, March
31,
Elgin McKinley, farmer of
Stanley township has been
selected to carry the Progressive
Conservative banner for the
riding of Huron-Perth in the next
Federal election,
1S Years Ago
DaVe Ducharme, 12A student,
won the right to participate in
Ontario public speaking finals in
paired off and curled up in the
hay, like so many sets of spoons, I
drew a big, ugly Canadian
private from St. Catharines with
a bullet wound in his neck which
stank a bit, But he was warm.
One of our next stops was the
delightful old city of Brunswick,
where we spent an enchanting
three hours in the air raid shelter,
during a raid. It was worth it. The
German equivalent of Red Cross
ladies gave us coffee, ersatz but
hot, the first hot drink we'd had
for days.
Some other highlights of my
visit were! the interrogative
centre and "solitary" near
Frankfort; rolling on a train
through a night attack on Leipzig,
windevva, shattering, flareS and
bombs falling; a look from a train
at the appalling rubble of
Hamburg; hitch-hiking hank
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