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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1980-11-19, Page 30Pap 6—LueWow Sel WethieldaYt Noirember 261 1980 w. SENTINEL ;JOCELYN: SEWER . publisher SHARON J:DIETZ • Editor , ANTHONY N. ;JOHNSTONE Advertising and. General'Manager PAT LIVINGSTON • Office Manager MERLE E4L1OTT .Typesetter JOAN HELM • Composition Business and Editorial Office Teleplione 5282822 Mailing Address P.O. Box 400, Lucknow, NOQ 2110 Second Class. Mail Registration Nurnbei-41$47 Subscription rate, $1150 per year in advance Senior Citizen rate, $11.50 per year in advance U.S.A. and Foreign, $23.00 per year In advance Sr, Cit. U.S.A. and Foreign, $21.00 per year in advance To the Editor: The one mistake the electors made in the case of Lloyd Ackert was that they hadn't made the decision (not to re-elect him to the Bruce , County Board of Education) two years ago. Mr. Ackert was one of the big five on the board, the rest could go hoine. He fully exemplified lack of communi- cation. Probably his least important Contri- bution was his part on the Values and Morals Development Cormittee. Lloyd was named chairman of the committee and -he made sure trustee, Albert Smith, Tobermory, was not a member; the reason, Mr. Smith in his- Ti40kai)ett.propetty..4rO044.:1900 .. Letter to the editor Trustee $ -• roc or sadisappointing By'oin Campbell The great Atlantic storm, the worst which the ship Mavis w as o-exp e en ec , to ok-,many -h ours-to--sub s i de; Throughout the night and well into the following day, Tan Jamieson, the first officer, remained on the wheeldeck, holding the brig against the forces of wind and sea. When at last he was able to hand over the watch to the second mate, he took stock of the damage and the casualties. There were huge rents in most of the canvas, and some of the sails were just strips of tattered cloth, flapping like streamers in the breeze. A few of the ropes had snapped under am strain and the top of the foremast had broken and splintered. Two men had been lost. One was a seaman who fell from the rigging and the other the skipper himself, who was washed overboard by a wave. Amongst the passengers and crew there had been minor casualties and one of these was Flora Fraser. She had sustained a cracked rib after falling down the wooden stairway, leading to the steerage deck. Doctpr Cameron had carried her back ,to his cabin and placed her in his own bunk. The young doctor was not concerned ,so much with her injuries. The fall had brought about a miscarraige of her pregnincy. "How would you like to have a' guest?" Doctor Cameron asked his friend Duncan MacLeod. "I've given my bed to the Fraser woman until we reach Halifax." He smiled at the minister rnischieviously. Pointing to the top bunk in MacLeod's cabin, he said, "Do you think I'll be any closer to heaven, if I sleep up there?" Meanwhile, Mr. Jamieson set about getting the brig shipshape once more. Some of the crew engaged themselves with the hand pumps, draining the water which had washed into the holds and lower decks. Others busied themselves aloft, stripping off the remnants of ropes and canvas from the rigging. Chippy Chisholm limped around as he assisted with these operations, still suffering from the injury inflicted by the captain. The skipper would chastise him no morel There were new ropes to be spliced and spare canvas to be brought from the storerooth and hoisted up the masts. By late afternoon, the Mavis was once more properly rigged and sailing in moderate winds. The first officer then turned his attention to the welfare of the passengers and sought out Doctor Cameron to ask for advice. edttees.. inaugural address after becoming- chairman (of the board), said "A re- turn to the ten commandments is a necessity", I attended a meeting of the Values and Morals Committee in our local high. school. I learned you are just to love everyone, be kind and "don't pull a boy's hat over his face". I A letter in your same issue (Luck- now Sentinel November 19) from Mrs. Donald Milne, reminds me of the board's manipulation when she was coming 1.43 for chairman. The board returned, the same man fora two year period (as ehairman) which has never happened before' or since. A good example of keeping the t. Important future The Ontario Task Force examining the future rote of rail, transportation in our province has made several fine recommendations in its interim report. If the final report draws firm coridlusions along the guidelines set out in this interim report, action should be taken on their policy position. . The report recommends the archaic Crow's Nest Pass rates which obligate the railways to haul grain at 1897 rates should be declared void. While the railways may not pass their savings onto the customer, they could use the multi-million dollar savings to invest in new rolling stock, an improved roadbed or some sorely needed research. Perhaps of most interest ,te local industries and potential rail customers is the task Force's position regarding the abandonment of branch lines. Branch lines Should . not be abandoned due to focal or short-term considerations without examining the present and future impact on the economy, of the region. If the abandonment of a branch line puts a number of successful industries out of business, it does not make economic sense and an unprofitable branch line may be a bargain compared to widening a road. A study underway in the Bruce Peninsula and mid-western Ontario is permitting the provincial government and the railways to analyze the transporta- tion needS of the entire region. To abandon the CP Walkerton Subdivisjon line would almost certainly spell the end to Grey County's plans to become a supplier of aggregates. Passenger trains must become, much faster and convenient and more comfortable than they are now, if there will ever be a si • ifieant switch from travel by car or air to train. The high cost and short supply of fuel makes it imperative that the railways begin now to make travel by rail a real alternative. If Canadians are, to have the kind of passenger trains available in Europe and Japan (Japan's famous Shink- ansen "Bullet Train" is generally considered the finest and the only profitable passenger service in the world), the railways need a much better roadbed, better signalling systems. more grade separations to replace level crossings and a more positive attitude on the part of the railways toward their passenger services. Reducing the weight of treight trains to provide a better roadbed, and amalgamation of the two railways to produce more efficient service, better facilities and a decrease in maintenance expense would create a rail system in this country which would be an alternative transportation mode worth considering for travel or shipping goods. The customer would also have the advantage of lower prices because there would be less overhead for ,the railway and the two companies would no longer be setting their rates jointly, behind closed doors. By eliminating duplicate services and ancient rivalries, they could provide a rail system which is more efficient and competitive with other transportation methods to their own benefit and that of their customers. Rail has a very important role to play in the future of I this province and this country. Hopefully, the final report •• • prepared by the Task Force on Provincial Rail Policy will not sit on a shelf at Queen's Park gathering dust. Its recommendations should be acted upon immediately. Got a beef? Write a letter' "Were there many casualties during- the storm,- Doctor, apart from the poor man and the captain who were lost in 'the sea?" "Oh, the usual binises but nathing..seriaus-There_w_as one woman, a Mrs, Fraser _who had minor injuries. Unfortunately she also had a miscarriage, so I put her in- my cabin to rest. I've mewed in with our friend the minister. I hope you have no objection?" • The first officer shook his head and Doctor Cameron knew that conditions on board would improve drastically now that the captain was no longer on the ship, "What about the health of the passengers? Any more signs of typhus?" The doctor considered for a few minutes before he replied. "I've been thinking about that. No! Mr. Jamieson. No further outbreaks. It seems that the disease takes the weakest people. The very young, the old and those who are undernourished. Do you think you could give them some food, apart from the eternal oatmeal and salt pork? Anything to give them encouragement to eat and build up their strength, and spirits!" Mr. Jamies laughed. "By all means, Doctor. I'll , give instructions to the steward to issue cheese and we'll bake fresh bread. As for their spirits, there'll be an issue of rum all round!" )the lull after the storm brought a new feeling of hope to the immigrants. That night they gathered on the after- deck and sang lustilly, fortified with full bellies and the warmth of the rum. The 'old fiddler played some lively reels and the fisherman from Aberdeen added to the music with his concertina. They danced the Highland Fling and happiness came back to the faces of the children. Filled with glee at the merrymaking of their parents, they clapped hands to themusic..Mr. Jamieson witnessed the scene from the wheeldeck. He was pleased and happy as he headed the Mavis into the setting sun. Lying in the bunk of her temporary berth, Flora Fraser heard the noise of the festivities. Induced by a mixture of sadness, through the losses of her husband and her unborn child, and ,relief that the storm was over, a tear rolled down her cheek. There was a knock on the cabin door and the handsome face of Neil. MacCrimmon appeared. •"Doctor Cameron said I could visit ye for a wee while, Mrs. Fraser. Look! I brought ye some food and a few sweeties from the first-class saloon." to the editor public in •the dark was the setting of administration salaries last Tnesday. The salaries are based on the maxi- mum salary for a Secondary School prinicpal plus $5,000, 'What 'is the maximum school principal's salary? The board's offer set it at $43,683 for September 1, 1979. through August 31, 1981. Thus the Superintendents would recieve $48,683, an increase of $2,783. The Director 'of Education would receive the Superintendent's.: salary plus $5,000 or $48,683 $5,000 = $53,683; • He now receives $51,750. ' The increase would be $1,923, how- ever, if the new contract changes the salary, the figures would be different. An Interested Citizen.