Times-Advocate, 1985-05-08, Page 12are 12 Times -Advocate, Ma
BOWLING CHAMPS -- Huron Park Ladies Monday night bowling -
high single, Joanne Hodge; high triple, Mari Green; high average,
Donna Glanville. r
"So what'.' ' Said 1111 friend at the
house party. "What it 15 or 20 percent
of the farmers in this county are in
trouble, why not let them go brokethe
same as anyone else in business goes
broke when they expand al the %wrong
time and run into high interest rales
and lower land. va lues'.?•'
"Why not lel them declare
bankruptcy" They're probably poor
businessmen or they wouldn't be in
'the spot they are."
But does our government let other
businesses go broke? Not really. sir.
Think of all the bail -outs for big
business in the last five years. 'Think
of the billions -- yes, pillions -- ot
dollars from the taxpayers of this
country that have leen used to help
other businesses. Why not sone to
help farmers?
As I understand it. the one-third ot
farmers with the biggest debt load
are, generally speaking. (he most el-
ticient and productive farmers in the
country. Ralph Ashmead of the Farm
Credit Crop. suggests that one in six
tarmers.is under stress although on-
ly a few are in imminent danger oI
bankruptcy.
Slowpitch
gets going
The Exeter Laches' Slowpitch
League begins its schedule this Thurs-
day. play 9 at 7 p.m. The league
welcomes one addition to its ranks.
the Exeter inn - djanettes, bringing
the total number of teams to nine.
All teams are keen to get started
and a few exhibition games have
already been played. Light renova-
tions on diamond 1 have resulted in
some changes to our regular schedule
for at least the month of May. Games
scheduled for 8:X p.m. will be played
at 7:00 p.m. on the Legion No. 3 dia-
mond and those scheduled for 10:00
p.tn. will he played at 7:00 p.m. in
Kirkton until further notice.
Our schedule runs every Thursday
night from May 9 to September 5 with
our playoff tournament scheduled for
Sept. 6. 7.
Join us for the excitement and ac-
tion of ladieg"-slo(wpitch.
Swartman
Fashions
Closing
Monday and
Tuesday
We're closing Monday
and Tuesday to prepare
for the biggest sale in
the history of our store.
Watch next week's T -A
for details.
The (fueslimi 'till remains: Why riot
let them go broke? It's a tree country.
Or are we going to take away that
final freedom... the freedom to make
mistakes and go bankrupt?
Because, says Ashmead -- and 1
agree with hire -- the group that will
go broke could mean the industry
could become less efficient: the group
on the edge are really young and pro-
gressive. in the end. it could make
Canadian farm products less com-
petitive on international markets and
mean higher food costs at home.
In other words. letting this small
group go broke could allow the entire
industry to slip in prottuctivity.
[tarry Pelisser(i,pr'esident of the On-
lario Federation of Agriculture.sug-
gests Ashmead is wrong and Cana-
dian farmers are. and %yill continue to
be the most productive in the world.
"We've got the production side
whipped." he maintains. "It is finan-
cial management capabilities that
need emphasis. -
Harry is a lot closer to the farm
scene than I am and. his ideas should
be heeded but 1 still believe produc-
tivity could be affected if too many,
farmers are lett to be weeded out in
the capitalistic process.
1 and not suggesting that every
farther in Canada who is in financial
trouble should be bailed out. Sorne
system is needed lo preserve those
men and woolen who are progressive
and elIicient. a system) the
bureaucrats should be able to figure
out.
host Farm leaders agree that some
sorting out is necessary. 'There are
some farmers who will go into
bankruptcy. in 1983. there were 488
Farm bankruptcies across Canada.
From .January to September last
year. 417 harmers went broke.
Should t'anadians aIlo w That many
to go under? i think the figure is too
high and the senior governments
should- he concerned about it. con-
cerned enough to do something in-
stead of making promises. When you
look al the average net farm income
in Canada. it is obvious that some
farmers need help. Stats('an says the
average net tarns income in 1971 was
$2.579. 14v 1981. the figure had risen to
$9.8-1I . not very much when you con-
sider the huge investment farmers
have in land. buildings. equipment
and livestock. Few small business
people i know have a net income of
less than $200 a (week but that's the
average in agriculture.
If something is not done for this
group of people -- the Farre credit
Corp. estimates one -Third of Canada's
farmers are in a risky debt position.
and this same group produces more
than hall the food -- we could end up
being mighty hungry people
HONOR JUMBO
St Phomas is commemorating the
death of .lumbo. the wiir•Id famous
elephant. in this city. ILMI year's ago
A group of local patrons formed the
St 'Thomas .Jun►1x► Foundation. 1lead
ed by. Mayor Doug T.1rry• members
have volunteered their lithe to plan a
fi v rLu festival.Jumbo Days. This
major slimmer event will be held in
51 Thomas. ,lune 27 lo July 1. 1985
MOM
Deserves the Best
( irthe
,144414,4
Choose from
an excellent
selection of
Rockers &
Recliners
6)Y,' SI ft rel, Pnen!?►5-I%1
ib.piztandi
rt
(
Claybird
activities
underway
The Claybird Gun Club has opened
for the 1985 season with a completely
renovated trap range. Also new for
this season is cash prizes and trophies
for a season -long trapshoot.
Trees planted last fall on a conser-
vation project initialed by the club
members has added greatly' to the ap-
pearance of the club grounds. The
club also has two-1UOyd. rifle ranges
and a government approved hand gun
range.
Membership in the club is open to
the public at reasonable rates. For
more information call 234-6260 or
228-6459.
The new executive for this year is:
president. Charlie Uinney; vice presi-
dent. Jody Mosurinjohn; handgun
captain. Frank Brugger; rifle cap -
Ilan, Russell Gibson: black powder
captain. Larry Mason: trap captain.
Doug Moore, Darryl) Kennedy, Ray-
mond Playfoot.
Trap Scores from May 5 were: Jody
Mosurinjohn. 22; gusset) Gibson. 18:
I'aul Armstrong. 18; Bill Armstrong.
16; Pierre Leroux. 13. -
.Jody Mosurinjohn
"A" CHAMPS -- Huron Park Ladies Monday night bowling - here are the "A" chomps: Mori Green,
Joanne Hodgs, Dionne Revington, Pot Hartford. Missing ore Marie Greenwood and Debbie Revington.
' BCHAMPS — Huron Park Ladies Monday night bowling - here are thg "B" chomps: Helene Fick,
Helen Kadey, Helen McDonald, Barb Moore, Donna Glanville, and Marie Jaques.
c'""mod
Prices Slashed
on all Moffat Horne Appliances
Deluxe Washers
30" Ranges
from $579
from $549
Microwaves from $299
Deluxe Dryers from $379
Campbell
Your Homeland
appliance 'tore
Homeland Appliances
63 Main St., (Lower Level)
Exeter, Phone 235-1501