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Times-Advocate, 1987-06-24, Page 4Poge 4 Times -Advocate, June 24, 1987 Times Established 1873 _ —Adv [e Ts_lablished-1881- - Amalgama ed 1924 ime Published Each Wednesday Mo Second Class Mail Re Phone 51 cn gnt°`a LORNE EEDY Pubtjgher JIM BECKETT Advertising Manager dvocate at Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S0 tion Number 0386. -1331 BILL BAT Editor HARRY DEV Composition M SUBSCRIPTION • Canada: $25.00 Per year C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. NA More than one jerk? Councillor Ben Hoogenboom in- dicated he was trying to choose his words carefully in describing those responsible for dumping flower pots on the main drag as being "less than intelligent people". • Mayor Bruce Shaw was more direct- ly to the point when he quickly added the description as "jerks" would be more appropriate; Perhaps both erred in using the plural as it is to be hoped that only one individual could come up with mastering a deed that is totally offensible and deplorable. The BIA project is extremely beneficial to the appearance of the town and the pleasure that should be enjoyed by permanent citizens. and visitors. It is rather costly in. the investment of money and time and it is very disconcerting that it should get so little respect from at least one. ROSS HAUGH Assistant Editor • DICK JONGKIND Business Manager ES: .A. $65.00 S 'A' In that regard, local cit concerned that mischief and damage to private and pub showed the largest statistical the 1986 poli,' report tabled must be esulting operty ease in week. The total averaged well such incident a week and tota Amounted to almost $8,500. Obviously, there are more da -and. costly criminal activities tha be given higher priority by the poli hopefully the goal of tackling that one that brings about positive result one age year. US st t Private citizens must also realize responsibility they have to prot themselves and their neighbors from t antics of jerks. The police- will bett * reach the goal with the anonymous ti ,from people to combat the offences. Keep goal in mind There's some indication there will be some interesting debates before the foul' area municipalities involved in the. Ex- eter and area - fire board reach a new agreement as. it pertains to proposed boundary changes and the resulting cost split.. - Although the hiring'of a full-time fire chief and the purchase of a costly new fire truck arenot part of the agreement, they are matters that sit in the background to cloud the situation. Municipalities which see those costs looming on the_horizon can be expected to allow them to temper their decisions on the final terms of the agreement itself. . However, it is imperative att. the homeowners in the respective municipalities are assured of the best fire protection possible and some should perhaps be uneasy over the prospect that the service from Exeter could be replac- 'ed. Those living on the town's doorstep should be adamant that they be served from there and not to get diminished pro- tection from a considerably farther location. Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited THE Puna MiNISTiR SAYS IT'LL ONLY (OST THE PUBLIC A FORTUNE,. MIND )"OU,THATS JUST AN ESTIMATE. Two An interesting debate surfaced at the recent South Huron rec centre board about the pros and cons of hiring full-time or part- time staff members and the dif- ference in benefits paid to those in the respective categories. In was rather outside the general discussion, but several members aired their views about the , increasing practice being followed by a number of employers in alleviating their costs for benefits by choosing people on a part-time basis. The writer had some direct in- volvement in that regard over the ast couple of years when umber one son completed his ucation and .ended . up sear- ing for gainful employment. ne of his first steps in that and was assuming a position youth club in London where 'as employed as a lifeguard swimming instructor. It was 'fled asa parttime position. latter designation did not ularly cover the number of vorked as the total would sidered as full-time by nd would even exceed e terms of some unions. er, the part-time was very clear in the s; that being benefits. ived no benefits It was apparent in their discussion on the topic last week that Exeter council envision the need to update the .current agreement due to changes that have transpired, as well as giving considera- tion to those which any of the other three may see needed. The attitude was of reciprocity and hopefully all parties will maintain that on such an important matter: - The question of hydrant rentals ver- sus equipment destined primarily for rural fires will be an issue of some con- sternation, as well as the general matter of the proximity which all Exeter homeowners enjoy in comparison to some rural residents who are a con- siderable distance from the same type of protection. Some appear to be the proverbial items of oranges and apples, but still have to be blended into a favourable con- coction. The favorable reality is that it has been accomplished in the past and there is no -reason why it can't be repea ted. Interesting experiment School buses with rear -facing seats and seat :belts are the safest way to travel, a Transport Canada study says. This newspaper has pointed out the need for seat belts in school buses several times over the past few years. The study analysed five different seating arrangements with various seat .belt alternatives on school buses and found the rear -facing seats were the best for safety performance.. Transport Minister John Crosbie said recently. These buses equipped with rear - facing seats and lap belts are being built for the Transport Department and will go into service in demonstration projects in late summer. Results will be announced in the fall of 1988. • Let's hope we don't have any serious school bus accidents in the next 18 months. Wingham-Advance Times Supervise youngsters Last week there was a tragic accident down in Kent County. Three fourteen year-old boys were trying to get a mini -bike go- ing on the gravel road next to their faem. Since they couldn't get it started there they decided to try it on the paved highway. It started. Ope lad jumped on and headed off. down the highway. For some . reason he decided to make a wide turn but didn't take a look around as he did so. - The transport driver coming along the highway at 80 i kilometres per hoar never had a chance to avoid him. The bdywwas By the Way by . Syd ' Fletcher Brampton, a boy was paralyzed for life after colliding head-on with a boy on another mini -bike. Last winter, a couple of youngsters were drowned when', their snowmobile went through the ice of a small lake.• I suppose you could put out a new law which would prohibit such use by children but when it comes down to it, the respon- sibility really rests on the parents' shoulders. It is up to us to supervise our youngsters and to the best of our ability try to killed instantly. keep them out of potentially A couple of years ago, in dangerous situations. s b m th cat othe He what 11a� ed in teresti the fa status workfo augurat ad my interest twigg- regard, it was in - read and hear about is a very growing any, people in the nd has been in - any employers to Last Sat rang just as to make my i went to th was. A man, -stood on the half -ton truck laneway. sides aired keep down their costs. Benefits. can be very sizeable portion of employment costs for many firms and more and more are joining the list in an effort to reduce them considerably or eliminate them entirely when. that is possible. Exeter council representative Dorothy Chapman doesn't have Batt'n Around 11 with 'The Editor too much trouble. starting up -a debate with other rec board members and her suggestion of hiring a part-time staff member with no benefits .was no exception. . While there can be no argu- ment with her basis that it does keep board costs down, it was ob- vious that other members felt it was an unfair resolution of that aim. Chairman Jim Workman and Usborne representative Ken Oke, both who get employee benefits in their work places, were strong in their objection with their distaff cohort over the opinion that it was a suitable method of keeping costs down. Both men feel that all employees should be treated equally and get the same benefits as others when they join in similar duties and respon- sibilities. It does appear to open up a double standard for those receiving .pay cheques carrying the same signatures. • Ironically, many of those who are eliminated from benefits, are those in the bottom portion of the wage scales in today's society, and that further compounds the problem they .are expected to face. - Invariably; those in the higher echelons get a larger percentage of their benefits provided .by the . employer, and that helps to widen the gap between the various wage categories. - *:. There's little doubt but what employee benefits have become a major factor in wage costs be• ing met by employers and in some instances that can he verified by the fact union and organized groups battle more strenuously over those benefits than. the- size of their pay increases. That has been instrumental in employers taking steps to keep some of their help off the lists of those getting benefits, while still filling their requirements under that situation when possible. It's an obvious struggle as evidenced by the debate locally last week and while board costs mus& be scrutinized very careful- ly, all employees should be treated equaliy to provide har- mony in the work place. art snatched away the doorbell s getting ready coffee. r to see who it older than i, an empty • arked in the "Good day," mornin'." "Not too bad, for this time of "Supposed to g afternoon. We nee know." i wasn't sure wh Probably a neighb once or twice, or Elizabeth's third c the Eighth Line. T wasn't here, sh everybody and remembers their firs names, too. "I hope I wasn't yous," the man said. "Oh, .no. 1 was just make myself a•eup of cof you come in and have a c me?" "If it's no trouble." "No trouble at all. Come No need to take your boot It's pretty dry out there." "Yep, it's sure been dry. could do with .a good drenc like a couple o' days o' ste rain. That d be a blessin'." "I hear the forest fires are r ly Had up north," I said, "how you take your coffee" ''Plenty o' milk and two lum o' sugar. Yep; they got some bi ones burnin , up there." I still couldn't figure out who the fellow was, but surely he'd state his business soon and put me in the picture. it was embar- rassing to have a man in the kit- chen fob coffee and not remember his name or.anything else about him. "That's a good ash ceiling you've got there," he said, "there said, "nice •ool though e rain this rain, you guy was. had met one of s from d she nows ways last bin'. to ill ith used to be lots of ash around. Not so many left nowadays. Nope, them ash seem to be gettin' fewer and fewer." "I guess we're lucky," I said, "we still have two ash trees grow- ing on our property. Pretty big ones, too." "is that so? Well I'll be." i began to wonder whether he was in the lumber business, but PETER'S POINT • he soon changed the subject. "That's quite the collection of books you got here. Do a lotto readin' I suppose." "Whenever Ifind time for it," I said. "These are Elizabeth's cookbooks, actually." "That a fact? I bet she's a good cook. Now take my wife - Mabel - she's never used a cookbook in her life. But I bet she could out - cook them chefs at the fancy rest'rants any day. Yep, she just goes by what she feels like, and it always comes out perfect. For me, anyways." "Your wife's name is Mabel. lm just a • little bit lost now. ou're aver on the Eighth Line, en't you?" It was strictly a hing expedition. I still didn't ve the faintest idea who the was. Heck no, we live over by the r, way out past the cemetery. know where the big barn is urned down last fall- well. just a mile down the road ds the Frasers." n't say anything because I feel like admitting my ig- i t di norance. I just waited for him to go on. But he didn't. He just sat there, looking at me, sipping his cold, white coffee. if there's one thing i can't stand, it is to sit across from another human being who is star- ing at me without saying anything. 13ut that's just what he did. I had to break the silence. "So what are you up to these days?" i asked, hoping to get a clue to this man's identity. "Same as always. Keepin' busy, keepin' out o' trouble, you know how it is." i didn't know, but i couldn't ad- mit that. "And what brings you here this morning?" Maybe i was breaking a rule of conduct by be- ing so rash, askingihe man what his business was before he had an opportunity to state it himself, but I didn't really feel like enter- taining him much longer. i had work to do, and time was ,gettin on. What's more, I had promised Elizabeth I'd have lunch ready for us and the children. "Well actually I was just tryin' to find Bill Mitchell's place - he's supposed to have some wood for sale. And in all likelihood I must've took a wrong turn down at the bridge. So I stopped here to see whether you could point me in the right direction." "Oh well," i said, greatly relieved, "Bill Mitchell's place is on the other side of the creek. i'JI show you how to find him." • We both got up. He thanked nie for the coffee. I told him how to get to the Mitchells, and the half - ton disappeared in a cloud of dust. Minutes later, Elizabeth and the kids came home. "Where is lunch?" • "i've had a vikitor:" "Who?„ "I haven't the faintest idea." Did you ever have the feeling that part of your life has been ,snatched away from you?