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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-03-18, Page 4Smiley's Those Tories are something. This column will not appear until after their convention, but I'm still going around shaking my head in amused perplexity. Theme of the convention seemed to be "Healing old wounds." This phrase came up again and again, as the blood from the old wounds oozed steadily, paying no attention. Tone of the convention, aside from the theme, seemed to be, "Open new wounds." And they were visible, pouring forth fresh blood. Not all the pious proclamations of solidarity, working together, and we're-all-brothers-in-the- great-Conservative-party could hide from any viewer that carrying a chiv was the order of the day. By the time this appears in print, I have no doubt that Joe Clark, the new leader, slick as a seal when he took over, will look more like a porcupine, with all those daggers sticking out of his back. It's a good thing he weighs only 145 pounds. At least a skinny guy is a smaller target for the knives. What a scenario! Their leader, Robert Stanfield, was stepping down after eight harrowing years trying to get a crowd of mavericks to make sense. He's the best leader the party has had since Robert Borden. So what do they do as a zippy opening for the convention? They hold a laudatory dinner for John Diefenbaker, who has made things as difficult as possible for Stanfield, since the latter beat him out for the leadership. Mr. Diefenbaker needed that dinner like he needed a hole in the head. He has been honored quite often enough as the Grand Old Man of the party. And with his ego, he doesn't need anybody to tell him how great he is. Oh, Stanfield was given a dinner too, but sort of second banana, if he'll pardon the ex- pression. He laid it on the line. Told the Tories present they had to stop the in-fighting, and get together if they were ever to form a government. That was about as much use as me telling a class of students that if they didn't do their homework, they would fail. Totally ignored. Next day the cats turned up for the farce. The actors did everything Shakespeare warned the players not to do, in the play Hamlet. Heward Graftey and Patrick Nowlan sawed the air violently with their hands, shattered it with their mouths, cast their appeal entirely to the groundlings. This after, like Leacock's hero, leaping each on his horse and riding off in all directions. John Fraser, a decent-looking chap with about as much charisma as Fred Flintstone,read a speech that would have put to sleep the annual convention of the Women's Institute, Pretty Boy Mulroney, batting his eyelashes at the cameras, smiled and smiled and made a speech that might have got him a $25 fee on the banquet circuit. Sinclair Stevens, an old-time image of a Bay St. Tory, bald and rich, made the only attempt to inject a little humor, and it bombed with a crowd which seemed able to applaud only platitudes, Richard Quittenton from somewhere quit before the balloting began. Jack Horner should have stayed in a corner, instead of trying to ride the herd back into the 1940s. Paul Hellyer, defeated for the Liberal leadership, hotly at- tacked the Prime Minister with vague innuendoes, and com- pleted making an ass of himself by savagely attacking the press, of which he is a working member. ,James Gillies, an economics professor, sounded like one, but 'had the good sense to get out early. Claude Wagner, formerly beaten for the Liberal leadership in Quebec, and lured into the Tory party with a $300,000 trust fund, proved a master orator, but said virtually nothing. Joe Clarke, the eventual. win- ner, made one studied joke, then launched into an earnest, dull speech which managed to cover most of the diamond without touching many bases. Flora McDonald, to my mind, made the most honest speech of the lot, She was simple, but eloquent, warm but strong. Next day the blood-letting began. Diefenbaker, never one to forget or forgive an insult, real or fancied, remembered that Joe Clarke had worked against him in a leadership campaign, and went to Wagner. Little Jack Horner followed him into that corner, after taking a swing at a reporter. Hellyer, looking as though he'd been sucking a persimmon, joined that middle- aged crowd. Flora, obviouslycrushed by the knowledge that hundreds of blatant liars had promised her second-ballot support, went to Clarke, as did most of the others. Quebec media people claimed there was a gang-up against Wagner. Ridiculous. He got just under half the total vote. It was scarcely high drama. More like low comedy, But the party has a new leader. He looks Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Published Each Thursday Morning of Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386 Paid in Advance Circulation September 30, 1975 5,420 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $9,00 Per Year; USA $11.00 CCNA BlUI RIBBON AWARD 1014 SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W,N.A,, 0.W.N.A. CLASS 'A' and ABC Published by J. W. Eedy Publications Limited I Editor — Jim Beckett Advertising Manager Women's Editor — Gwyn Whilsmith Plant Manager Jim Scott Composition Manager — Dave Worby Business Manager — Dick Jongldnd Phone 235-1331 Jim Beckett's •wao .......................... "Osgood really likes to get into the spirit of the game." Exeter Kinsmen have new project One of the profound effects of the Watergate crisis in the United States was -the shifting of the actual functioning of the government from then President Richard Nixon to his underlings who were not im- plicated in the scandal and the virtual halt of government functioning as Nixon sought to save his position and reputation. Naturally, the government has again started to function, at least partially, under the semi-guiding hand of Gerald Ford but the lapse left the country in a state of dis- organization with the big business of government halted, • The same, it seems, is happening in Canada as the opposition members have begun the traditional move of the filibuster in order to force Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau into action on the judicial in- terference action taken by his cabinet colleagues. The opposition, notably freshman leader Joe Clark of the Progressive Conser- vatives, have lept at the issue, calling for a full inquiry into allegations made by Chief Justice Jules Deschenes that three members of the cabinet; C.M. (Bud) Drury, Marc Lalonde and Jean Chretien, had at various times, made telephone calls to judges in Quebec about trials in progress. Mr. Drury presented the Prime Minister with his resignation on Friday, but Mr. Trudeau stunned the Commons by rejec- ting it and setting in motion the move towards the filibuster and a non-confidence motion. Mr. Trudeau, who has become in- creasingly insular and arrogant over the past months, has so far refused to give in to the filibusters, and has brought, for the time being, the country to a halt, stopping important legislation. The further tentacles of the brewing scandal may well go beyond the effects that it will have on the country. Without trying to cry fire at the first puffs of smoke, the Liberal party could well be damaged by the Politics ...politics scandal if it came to the point of another non-confidence motion. Naturally, the Lib4rals are quick to de- fend their leader, defending his claim that the actions of his ministers were "im- proper but not illegal" but like Watergate, those same defenders may be quick to leave the Prime Minister if it becomes ap- parent that there is more to it then he says. This could seriously ravage the Liberals, as to succeed in a non-confidence motion they would both have to go against their leader and their party lines,as it is un- likely that Trudeau will free them to their own conscience. A split such as this could sear a party that has, until recently, withstood the internal bickering that plagued the Tories and NDP. Trudeau, at one time considered a con- summa tepolitician, has left manyexperienc- ed observers puzzled in the wake of recent events. His controversial trip to Cuba, his labelling of Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa as "politically stupid", his New Year's statements, although harmless, were blown out of proportion and of course the debatable effects of Margaret Trudeau and her search for "freedom" have caused many people to say that he is leading the Liberals down the road of political genocide, although appearances suggest he is surviving. It is still too early to discount Mr. Trudeau, and indeed, iZ would be unwise to do so as in the past he has shown that he is in control of situations that seem to be run- ning away on him, but maybe this time, if there is more to the present situation than first comes out, he is in trouble. His arrogance won't help him, and despite the fact that he is a fighter and is now begin- ning to fight as Liberal organizers are proudly pointing out, he may well be out in the next election, particularly if he divides his party on the demands for a full inquest by refusing again. Forcing his members to oppose him, tearing the party in two would cost him the next election. There is a story about a little boy playing barefoot on a gravelled country road. "Doesn't that hurt your feet?" someone asked him. "It did at first," the boy an- swered. "But the rocks get softer every day." Of course, the rocks didn't get softer, but the boy persevered and triumphed over them. We all have areas in our lives which lack proficiency, For the student,it may be mathematics; for the young bride, it may be a roast done to a turn; for the would be musician, it may be a particular piece of music; for many of us, perhaps it's the ability to communicate well with others, Artist Warner Sallman once told how he learned a lesson of persistence in his art class one day. His instructor pointed out to him that he was having trouble with the hands of the subjects he was painting, "For the next week", he told Sallman, "I want you do draw nothing but hands. Sketch them until you'll never need a model to show you what a hand looks like clasped in prayer, picking up a book, clutching a purse or raised in a salute, Sketch them in every conceivable position." Years later, Sallman said, "People tell me the hands I paint are lifelike, but this wouldn't be true had my instructor been satisfied with less than the best." We can never turn areas where Recently the honorable Marc Lalonde, minister of national health and welfare introduced Canadians to a Fit-Kit produced by his department. The kit is to enable Canadians to estimate how fit they actually are and to assist them in the selection of physical activities Which are appropriate to age, occupation, lifestyle preferences and personal capabilities, These are some of the things it included: A self-administered fitness test of heart and lung fitness; a weekly guide to physical activity; illustrated tips for rhythmic exercises intended to improve muscular strength, Persistence, persistence Huron Park Arena will be the scene of plenty of action Saturday night as one of the first fund raising efforts for building a new arena in Exeter gets underway. The Exeter Kinsmen club have put all the support they can muster to ensure the project is a success and they are offering what they believe will be a good choice of entertainment for everybody who attends. The fun begins at 8 p.m. with what has been billed as exciting hockey action between the Exeter Old Timers and Team 10 from CFPL, London. The game should be a lot of fun for the players and great en- tertainment for the viewers. The second feature of the Kinsmen night of entertainment is a dance at the Huron Park Recreation centre at 9 p.m. The musical entertainment wiltbe provided by The Heywoods, popular group in this district This writer has been unable to get documented proof of the ages of the Exeter Old Timers but several comments heard about town in recent days will testify to the hockey skills many of them have shown over the years. The fun they'll get from playing the game they love so much will just be a prelude to the satisfaction they will have in making one of the earliest money raising attempts for the arena fund. This writer will not go out on a limb and make any predictions as to which team will win the game but it wouldn't be hard to guarantee that it will be an en- joNo ble sight to watch. Representing Exeter in the action are Reg. McDonald, John Varley, Gary Kyle, Larry Willert, Paul Mason, Hans Zeehuisen, Rick McDonald, Derry Boyle, Har Brintnell, Lloyd Moore, Bob Jones, Bob Lammie and Jeff Davis, Kinsmen members are op- timistic about the success of the game and dance and are ex- pressing hopes that a con- siderable sum will be raised for this worthwhile purpose. The price of admission for each event is extremely inexpensive — and if tickets are bought for both activities you can save an ad- ditonal 50 cents. Where else could you be able to have all the fun and activity of the hockey game and then enjoy yourself later at a dance for the modest amount of only $2.00? Tickets are available at the Bank of Montreal or Exeter Co- Op. Not the first The Kinsmen project, although the first group effort this year to raise money for the arena, is not the first to take place. Over the past two years the Exeter Agricultural Society has raised $1,000 to be earmarked for a new arena. The old arena was the scene of a couple of successful country and western shows that each showed a profit of about $500. The main factor of these early successes was due to the hard work of a committee composed of Alice and Jerry MacLean, Marg. and Norm Whiting, Kathy Scott and Bob Heywood. Apparently the money is safely stored away in one of the banks in like a live one, and his smart (in both senses) young Wife should help. But he's going to need a lot of bandages to staunch the old wounds, and the new ones, I don't know Mr. Clarke, but we have both appeared regularly in the High River Times. Go get 'im, Joe. 50 Years Ago Hon. J. G. Gardiner, of Usborne, Minister of Highways, was on Thursday last chosen as Premier of Saskatchewan. This is the second premier that this community has furnished for Saskatchewan, Mr. J. G, Dow who has been shipping horses to Montreal has shipped over 800 horses, averaging $125 to $150 each. The property of the late John Mitchell on the corner of Main and Wellington streets was sold by public auction on Saturday to Mr. Thos. Laing for $1,625. Miss Ella Link left on Monday for Seaforth to take her position as milliner at the McTavish store. 25 Years Ago Lucan took the lead in their play-off series with Zurich, winning 11-7 Wednesday night at Seaforth Arena. Seventy dollars has been received from California and the west for the Clara Vosper memorial in the new public school. Contract for the construction of a 250-man barrack block, stan- dard control tower and unit supply building at Centralia was let to the W, C, Brennan Con- tracting Company, Hamilton, for $774,262 Attendance at the Exeter Public School has suffered greatly this past week with many eases of flu and measles being reported. Exeter Public Utilities Com- mission received a refund of $867.27 from the Ontario HEPC for 1950, one of the smallest rebates received in recent years. Operators at the Hensall ex- change of the Bell Telephone report that there are over 50 telephones out of order Wed- nesday morning, including special meeting near the end of the month. This writer believes the town will give the green light to get the arena building project underway, Exeter Kinsmen must think the same way because they are not wasting any time in their fund raising endeavours. It won't be long before other organizations in town announce their own projects for getting money for the arena . . . and there's going to be quite a few of them before nearly enough money will be gathered for the fund. The campaign will be starting soon and it is to be hoped that everybody in the community will be as generous as they possibly can in supporting what is probably the single largest project of this type ever to be attempted in town. A campaign chairman and committee will have to be selected to make sure enthusiasm is maintained and to help with the co-ordination of the many fund raising activities. The only cerain thing right now about building a new arena is that it will be a monumental task requiring a lot of dedication and hard work from a large number of individuals. When this is combined with a community that is right behind the program every step of the way the results could be nothing short of successful. Let's hope so. Let's also hope that the Exeter Old Timers are playing to a full house when they skate on to the ice in the Huron Park Arena Saturday night. business, residential and all rural lines. The trouble was caused by a man cutting a cable while digging a post hole. 20 Years Ago Production of the operetta "Peter Rabbitt" by Junior students of Exeter Public School was an outstanding Education Week feature. Connie Ostland and Allison Clark were judged among the top six in Western Ontario com- petitions in verse speaking in London, They go on to compete in a provincewide contest in Toronto over the Easter week. Passenger service of the London, Huron, Bruce CNR line — one of the most popular forms of transportation to and from this area — will be discontinued April 28. Nancy Tieman, of Dashwood, a former SHDHS student,presented a graduation recital in the UWO McIntosh Memorial Gallery, London. She is graduating this year from Music Teacher's College, 10 Years Ago Over 300 farmers from Huron County were presented a broad education programme at the first Agricultural Conference to be held in Exeter Saturday. F/L R. F. Greenfield was elected to the, post of Mayor of Huron Park Monday, He and his 14 new council members will take office April 1. The RCAF Station in Centralia finished off their combined charities campaign with the expected 60 percent participation and $2,500 in Collections. The Exeter Board of Trade hopes to expapd membership to 100 within the next few weeks as they anticipate an increase in business and trade, we lack proficiency into ex- cellence if we run away from them. But we can win over them if we face them head on with deliberate persistence, even sometimes, to the point where we're ready to accept failure as a stepping stone to success. The same rule ' applies to weaknesses of temperment, too. Are you touchy, impatient, hotheaded, depressed? You can get help. If you ask God, He will help you but don't„ expect Him to draw a circle of protection around you. If you're hot-headed, He won't wave a magic wand and make you sweet tempered. More likely He'll place you in circumstances where you are annoyed and buffetted, where, with His help, He expects you to control your anger, If you are impatient, touchy or morose, you may face recurrent provocation. God doesn't shield us from battles which help us win the victory over our weaknesses. He knows through constant subjection to trial we gain overcoming strength. Each victory is a down payment on the next. The Clock of Life The clock of life is wound, but once And no man has the power, To tell just when the hands will s top At a late or early hour. NOW is the time you own! Work, pray, give with a will Place no faith in tomorrow, for Your clock may then be still. beautiful, best-endowed-by -na- ature part of the world. One could only pity those unfortunate people who didn't have the sense to live in British Columbia too. Perhaps British Columbians are a race apart. The soft sea air and soft water make their hair lustrous (and their teeth rot), so that to the 'new arrival, peoPle' in That Great and Glorious Province do look different. Eventually though I caught on, and grew acclimatized, I learned to apologize for coming from Ontario but I cannot help it" — reminiscent of Boswell meeting Dr, Johnson. "I come from Scotland Sir but I cannot help it." To which the ruthless old doctor replied "That sir, is something a great many of your countrymen cannot help," And that is something you should know about me, an in- timate thing. If I had to pick one book to have with me on a desert island, it would he Boswell's Life of Johnson. You would like other intimate secrets now the Pandora's box has been opened? I've been married, I've been a mother, I am a grandmother, I've wasted years of my life and the tax payers' money in university (but they were good years), and I've been psycho-analyzed. What will I talk about in succeeding columns? The things that interest me, naturally. First on the list is people, The crazy, wonderful things they, and we do. Because as I mentioned earlier, I am also a counsellor, As such, I hear the life histories of many people, and the infinite variety of human beings and their ex- periences never cease to awe and delight me. And I might mention cooking (try and stop me), not because lady writers should discuss cooking, so much as EVERYBODY should discuss cooking, and care deeply about it, and about food, how it tastes, and how to prepare it. Maybe you'll write me your thoughts about life — bits of your philosophy you'd like to share, Or' you might like to write and tell me where to go. (No, I can't go back to B.C. They won't let me in.) endurance and flexibility; a progress chart which enables an individual to record participation and progress in his chosen ac- tivity program. Also included in the kit is a special slide rule which helps to calculate how far to walk or run in 15 minutes to maintain or improve fitness level. The popular manual, Health and Fitness, by Dr. Per-Olol Astrand Of Sweden, is also enclosed with the kit, The Fit-Kit is available for $4.95 from Fit-Kit, Ottawa, K1A 059. Make cheque or money order payable to the Receiver General for Canada, What kind of weird bird is now filling this column, you ask. A very weird bird indeed, I answer, Let me introduce myself. And lest you think this is an easy task, try summing yourself up in seven hundred words. I am a professional counsellor, and also a commercial writer — a wordsmith who slaVed over a hot typewriter for over ten years, writing advertisements for many things including truck tires and airlines. In that capacity I met many notables. The one that sticks out in my mind is Elsie the Borden Cow. I wonder how many readers remember that old trade- mark? But Elsie, and several succeeding Elsies, actually lived. Elsie had her own travelling boudoir and among other honerurs, hats were actually designed for her, That does date me doesn't it — for what liberated woman wears a hat these days? Certainly I am very ancient, at least middle-aged. As such I have a sort of middling wisdom. I'm not as wise as many old people I've been privileged to know, but I am slowly and painfully acquiring more serenity than was granted me in my wild impetuous youth. For many years I lived on the west coast, although born and raised in Ontario, It is an in- teresting experience living in two such different parts of our country. I travelled west on the C.P.R. in those happy times when the train shunted slowly through the Rocky Mountains in daylight hours, Then night descended, and yoii awoke to find yourself in a sunny, almost tropical land, or so it seemed by comparison with the snowy Prairies you had seen two days before. But those Rockies, despite their magnificence became a barrier between me and home — Ontario. Gradually as I learned to live in British Columbia — for truly it is an education — I realized that the mountains were like the Great Wall of China to British Columbians — for beyond the mountains lay that strange 'country, Canada, while here we were all cosy and protected in God's country, living in the most town drawing a good interest rate and waiting for the time when it can officially be turned over to help pay for construction of the proposed new arena. The money will be released only after construction of the building is officially underway. Although no official decision has been made by municipal officials it seems to be a foregone conclusion that a new arena will be built in Exeter, The only decisions that will have to be made are where it will be built and what type of building it will be. Many people are working on this right now as well as trying to get estimates on the cost of such an undertaking. Meetings will also be arranged with local officials in the com- munities surrounding Exeter to determine if they are willing to p,support the new construction.. ',Certainly the Exeter group will be looking for all the help they can get and it is expected other areas will be willing to lend their support if they can be convinced of the benefits of building a new arena. The amount of money they invest in the program will hinge directly on the value of the benefits they feel will be derived from a new recreational facility. These are just a few of the many things that will have to be thrashed out soon if there is to be even a remote chance of having the new arena operating by the beginning of next year's hockey season. It is expected that the plans and figures will be announced at a Kit Schiller begins new T-A column Government selling physical fitness book