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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1987-02-11, Page 4Page 4—Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, February 11, 1987 P.O. Box 400, Lucknow NOG 2H0 Established 1873 528-2822 BLUE RIBBON AWARD Thomas Thompson -Advertising Manager Subscription rates in advance: Alan Rivett -Editor 51'7.00 Outsiae Canada $60.00 Pat Livingston -General Manager $14.°° $ Outside Canada 58.o0 Senior Citizen Second class mailing reg. no. 0847 Advertising is accepted portion of the advertisi reasonable allowance advertisement will be p e condition that in the event olk typographical error, the g space occupied by the erroneous" item together with a or signature, will not be charged , for, but the balance of the lid at the applicable rates. Cote says one thing, doing another Michel Cote, the minister responsible for Canada Post. last week'pro- mised to halt the closing of rural post offices across the country. But, before you applaud too loudly, please read on. Within minutes of making that statement, Mr. Cote said he really meant that no more closings would occur "for the time being". To help clear up any confusion about his statements, Mr. Cote then said "1 know what 1 meant." the next day, Mr. Cote said that Canada Post plans to go ahead with its plan to close rural post offices, after it consults the public. You really shouldn't find any of this confusing. The facts,obviously, ore these: The Conservative government firmly intends to proceed with plans to close dozens, if not hundreds, of rural post offices. However, before dotng so, they will try to do a song and dance on us to show us that the closings are a good idea. The government has no intention of conducting real consultations with the people, where the people would have any say, or where strong protests would bring any different results. The bureaucrats' little minds are made up. The post offices will be closed, but only after we have been given another dose of sugar-coated words under the guise of "consultation". It'snonsense such as this that destroyed the credibility of the pre- sent government in Ottawa. It also seriously damages the credibility of all government at all le Is. Besides that, the wholesale closing of rural post offices is a bad idea. Not only will such closings have an adverse affecton rural employment and the rural economy, already devastated by the problems in agriculture, the change will move government one step further away from the people. Instead of closing smaller post offices and concentrating more power and influence in major urban centres, the government should seek ways to better utilize the facilities and the staff expertise offered in the rural areas. Many of Canada Post's managementfunctions could be transferred to these rural post offices where they would likely be done much more efficiently by people who care. That would help bolster the rural economy and improve Canada Post. And both results would be an improvement for the people of Canada. Port Elgin Beacon Times Let's consider the potato With a bit of creative license, there's no end to the items you can dream up which could constitute a column. With your indulgence, I would like to take you on a journey through the ab- surd, the nonsensical, the ridiculous, using this column as the vehicle. What will it be about, you ask. I'll endeavour to tell you, but first I would like to give you a few hints about this unheralded object which I will devote this entire column to. Prince Edward Island loves them; kids hate them (at least I did when I was a young spud) ; the Ruskies imbibe in its nectar (the dreaded spud juice or "Vodka") ; McDonalds like tO put lots of salt on them (a little fries with your salt!) ; truckers like to smother.catchup all over them (a little home -fries with your catchup !) ; there's even an NBA basketball star named after them ("Spud" Webb of the Atlanta Hawks) and, of course, Canada's gift to folk music Stompin' Tom Connors writes songs about them (how can anyone forget "The Catchup Song" (Catchup loves !) or the spud anthem "Bud The Spud") . Now do you know what I'm talking about? You guessed it - the lowly potato. Why am I boring you with such a mundane object as a potato? Well, you see, I received this press kit recently with some really neat facts about potatoes which I wanted to share with the readers. Did you know: THAT Canada produces approx- imately 6 billion pounds of potatoes each year. THAT Canada exports over 2 billion ALAN pounds of potatoes to over 28 countries each year. THAT Canadians consume about 122 pounds of potatoes per person a year as fresh, frozen, French fries, dehydrated and canned potatoes. THAT three to four medium potatoes equal one pound. THAT Canadians eat about six pounds of potato chips per person a year. THAT fresh potatoes are the largest moving volume vegetable at retail. THAT potatoes grown on Vancouver Island and Newfoundland can only be consumed on those islands. This is to prevent the spread within Canada of nematode infestation and potato wart disease. Now, after reading this column, you'll know a great deal of information about the potato that perhaps you didn't know (or didn't care to know) before. On that note, I will close'the column with the famous verse from the most loved spud song of all - Bud The Spud. He's Bud the Spud from the bright red mud Rollin' down the highway, smilin' The spuds are big on the back .of Bud's rig Cuz' they come from Prince Edward Island. Winter beauty By Alan 70 years ago February 15, 1917 Pte. Dan McDonald welcomed home It was a hearty and healthy looking young man who, wearing the King's uniform, stepped from the GTR train as it pulled in- to Lucknow last Wednesday night, nearly two hours late. He was greeted on every hand as Pte. Dannie McDonald, for up- wards of two hundred residents from the village and some from the country had waited about the station for more than an hour to bid him welcome home. He was one of the first two from Lucknow who enlisted on the outbreak of war, and now he was the first to return - partially disabled and unfit for further military service, otherwise he would not have come. The band was playing as the train pulled in, and as the soldier swung out of the car, the crowd cheered him heartily.. They then sang a patriotic? song and "He's a Jolly Good Fellow". While this was going on Dan was meeting his parents, brothers and sisters. They couldn't be discouraged by his looks for everyone remarked that he was nnit.h bigger and stouter than went he went away. The elbow of his right arm had been shattered by a shell, which fortunate- ly did not explode. It is now well healed up, but it is still and he has the use only of the shoulder and wrist movements. 50 years ago February 11, 1937 Murray Murdoch, Any Blair and Syl Apps are cousins (By The Rev. J.W. Whillans)It has been suggested to me that I might say something about a trio of cen- tre ice players in the National -League - the Iron Man of hockey, Murray Murdoch, An- dy Blair, now of the Chicago Black Hawks and Sylvanus Apps of the Maple Leafs. Many people know that there is a family connection between them, but few are aware that there is another connection that has linked them up in hockey and done much to bring them into the arena of the big lights. Back in the early days in Winnipeg the Anglicans founded St. John's College on the model of the famous schools in England. The boys from St. John's have taken a worthy place in Canadian life, and as a nursery for athletics it ought to be as well known in the east as it is in the west. It was to this school that Murray Murdoch, born in Lucknow, Ont., was sent from Alberta where his parents resided, and at St. John's he remained as a boarder and student from the age of ten until he had finished his university course at the age of 30. ...Having graduated Murray was settl- ing down to a course in accountancy when Lester Patrick on a still hunt for a world champion hockey team, slipped a Rangers sweater over his head and introduced him tothe fans of Manhattan. And he is there today never having missed a league or ex- hibition game in over eleven years. I was told up in Huron last summer that if Mur- ray comes back to his native county he will receive such a welcome as he has never been given to a returning son. 25 years ago February 14, 1962 "Chin Line" donates to artificial iceHockey and the Chin boys are synonymous, and whenever hockey reminiscing starts, it's sure to centre around those rousing days when the "Chin Line" was sparking some classy teams. Believe it or not, it is about 20 years ago since these three kid brothers developed amazing puck and skating skill, to even- tually attract the attention of the Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom they had a tryout. ...Mindful of the "good old days" in the Lucknow Arena, when the plaudits they received "raised the roof," the threesome have made a generous contribution of $25 each to the artificial ice fund. Dear Cam, It is with pleasure and with fond, memories of the good old hockey days in SENTINEL Lucknow tha we send our contribution to your Artificial. Fund. We know from the past, that the en- thusiasm and efforts being put forth by the sports fans of Lucknow and District will ensure success in your worthwhile project. Best wishes to all, George, Albert and Bill Chin 10 years ago February 16, 1977 Area will be helped with snow costs - Murray Gaunt, MPP for Huron -Bruce, told the Sentinel Monday that provincial money will be forthcoming to assist municipalities in the Huron -Bruce area who have been hard-hit financially with this winter's excessive snow removal costs. A committee ( made up of three -cabinet ministers) will meet this week to establish some sort of formula to reimburse municipalities whose snow removal costs " Vete 'excessive 'over that of `other years. This will be paid through the supplemen- tary requisitions placed by the municipalities with the government.