The Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-10-05, Page 1101$'
Single copy 35c
Published In Lucknow, Ontario, Wednesday, October 5, 1983
20 Pages
in the news
Convict Famish
on theft charge
David Famish of Goderich was found
guilty of break, enter and theft in Bruce
County Court, Walkerton following a trial
September 21 and 22, He was remanded out
of custody until November 17, when he will
appear for sentencing.
The charge stems from a break and enter
at the Pine River Cheese Co-operative on
November 21 of last year. A safe containing
money was stolen from the Co-operative
during the breakin.
Judge J. lan McKay presided at the trial
and Crown Attorney R. Garry Hunter of
Goderich prosecuted.
We're modular!
Our readers will notice an exciting new
format unveiled in today's issue. We have
adopted the modular system of selling
advertising, which allows a cleaner news-
paper page design, Readers with a graphic
eye will notice the new format is similar to
the front page design we have been using
with its wider columns. Our change to
modular offers the opportunity to create well
designed pages that require little effort from
the reader, preserving a sense of graphic
continuity and sequence throughout the
newspaper.
Play along
There are several foot bridges around
Lucknow and our Sentinel photographer
found one in an out of the way spot, A
picture of this bridge appears on page 6 in
today's Sentinel and if you recognize the
location, phone the Sentinel with your guess.
Big veggies
Harold Greer of Lucknow certainly grows
large tomatoes. Mr, Greer brought in to the
office four beefsteak strain tomatoes ranging
in size from 16 - 17 inches around. The
largest weighed approximately 1'/3 lbs. with
a diameter of 51/4".
Receives pin
Mr. Alexander MacKenzie of Copeland
Lodge, Wingham, formerly of Lucknow, was
presented with a 70 year membership pin of
Canadian Forster% on Sunday, October 2,
1983, by Mr. Fisher and Mr. Kernighan of
Benmiller Court # 86, on behalf of the high
court, Brantford. Mr. MacKenzie joined the
Langside Court #471 on April 7, 1905 and is
the last living member of that court.
VLqits with family
Betty Morrison and baby son, of Sudbury
spent the weekend at Currie Co well's home.
On Friday they had supper with George and
Olive Colwell of Lucknow. Also present were
Albert and Jean Colwell of Blackhorse. Aii
enjoyed a lovely dinner and evening
together.
Accepts position
Lynda Campbell. Mississauga, daughter
of Bob and Wilda Campbell. Lucknow. has
accepted a position as Sales Co-ordinator
with Toronto Barber and Beauty Supplies.
A free anti -rabies clinic WAS held Monday at the Town Halt when pet owners could take their
pets to be vaccinated. Angela Glenn of Dungannon 1d eihown holding her cat while it receives
its vaccination. j Sentinel Staff Photo)
Bruce board opposes French
language schooling on demand
The Bruce County Board of Education
says a proposal to make French language
schooling available on demand in Ontario
should be scrapped,
The board, in a report approved Tuesday
and to be sent to the Ontario Ministry of
Education, condemned the idea as being
expensive and a potential cause of divisive-
ness between English and French language
groups.
The provincial government, in a surprise
announcement in March, said it will drop the
"where numbers warrant" clause from
current regulations, which require at least 25
elementary or 20 high schooi students before
classes can be taught in French to franca -
phone children.
School boards have until September 30 to
send their comments to the ministry.
Education Director Jack Bowers said after
the meeting that so far he has had two
inquiries whi,_h might have been demands
for French language instruction if the legis-
lation was in effect.
The committee report approved by the
board expressed concern "about a tread in
provincial legislation that forces boards to
provide special programs as a matter of
"right" for special groups,"
The board feels that each new program
will mean an added cost to taxpayers and
"as the burden of costs to service such
legislated 'rights' grows, other programs for
the general students will have to be curtailed
as there is no bottomless money pit available
to school boards."
The extra costs are obvious, the board
says.
The additional instructional costs, the
additional costs for transportation, board
and lodging....and the cost of additional
trustees of advisory committe( must be
paid by the general taxpayer.
"ft is difficult to understand how such a
proposal could be contemplated in the
present economic climate."
It also is concerned about the impact of
hidden supervisory, administrative and legal
costs necessary to make sure that the
legislation is being followed. -
Trustees feel the proposal gives ' ,lisptr-
portwonate" representation to minority
groups on school boards. The board vi:-ws a
ministry requitement of four additional
trusters (Yn any hoard that has 5()1) franco-
Xurn to page 2'
Hospital activity
continues to decline
By Henry Hess
A slow decline in the level of activity at the
Wingham and District Hospital is continuing
to cause concern to some members of the
hospital board.
In the short term, the drop in hospital
activity has been a financial windfall, with
the savings in staffing costs permitting the
hospital to chalk up a record surplus at the
end of last year.
Some board members, however, in partic-
ular Finance Chairman Robert Pike, have
expressed concern that if the trend continues
it might eventually lead to a cut in funding
from the Ontario Health Ministry.
That fear was raised again last week, as
the board resumed meetings following its
summer recess,
After hearing Pike report the hospital had
been asked by the ministry to revise its
budget in light of the lower than expected
activity level last year, and that activities
have dropped even further this year,
Wingham board member Archie Hill inquir-
ed whether the trend could affect future
budgets.
In the absence of Executive Director
Norman Hayes, who was prevented by
illness from attending the meeting, Pike
recalled that when he had raised the
question earlier he had been assured the
decline is a temporary phenomenon, a
"ripple", which should correct itself and is
not likely to affect funding,
To date, the board has been unable to find
a satisfactory explanation for the falling
Turn to page 2•
NDP teak force
in Wingham
Mel Swart (MLA, Welland-Thorald), the
NDP's agriculture and prices critic, will head
a task force on agriculture which will tour
seven areas of the province this fall,
Accompanying Mr, Swart will be Donald
MacDonald, caucus chairman and former
NDP leader, Several other NDP members,
including George Samis, Dave Cooke and
Mike Hreaugh, will join the task force in
various parts of the province.
Crucial agricultural problems, both short
and k►ng term, are not being dealt with by
Ontario's Conservative government. The
task force intends to examine them in depth
at the local level and discuss them with area
farmers and their organizations.
ftigh on the list of problems is long term
finance with Ontario still lagging behind all
other provinces in meeting this need.
In recent years, the spread between farm
gate and consumer prices has increased
dramatically. The spread on tomato juice has
increased from an average of 70 cents in
1981 to 51.08 in August, 1983, On ice cream
it's increased from 51.01 to 51.47.
As pointed out by the Ontario Federation
of Agriculture, Ontario's prime food land
continues to be destroyed by development,
pits and quarries and other uses at ar,
alarming rate. Since 1971, one million acre.
has been lost.
After years of discussion, no tripartite at
other adquate farm income stabilization has
been put in place. Mr. Timbrell seems
determined to forge ahead with his higher
qualifying criteria for farm tax rebates. The
new criteria will make almost 20% of Ontario
farmers ineligible. •
These are the kinds of issues whichthe
task force will be pursuing. ft may well he
that the time has come for them to be deet
with by an all party task force of tS,e Ontario
Legislature or by a Royal C'omm,.;sion.
Starting in Wingham on October 5. the
Nor task force will he in New Liskeard o'n
October 17. Chatham on October 19. Raglan
on October 26. Stratton on Nmember 2. St
Catharines o7m November 9 aril! F snch 'riy
November 16.