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Times-Advocate, 1988-06-29, Page 5n the Street By,........„ IIMffl I've constantly argued with my wife about the benefits of picking your own strawberries. Barb, who always picks her own,'maintains you save money, get fresher berries and eventually end up with bet- ter tasting desserts. My method of providing the family with fresh berries has served me well over the years as I've never had to go to the fields. Why bother when you can go to your favorite grocery store and get all the berries you want in a matter of seconds! My method of getting berries without havin to do iiny work -was strengthened recently when I heard about a 1 al woman who had picked most of the day and accidently locked the rrics in her car. In fact, a locksmith had to be hired t� get into the v u see, Barb;- picking berries can be more expensive than you the k," I quipped. "Not s�, said Barb, the same woman was back picking a few days later proving there is nothing better than freshly -picked strawberries." Either way, I•lhink I'll stick with the status quo. She picks them and I eat them. , Several mothers who live on the west side of Main Street have more ammunition in their argument for a traffic light at the crossing near Becker's. Young Chad Dalrymple could have been seriously hurt recently when he was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street with his bicycle. Although the crossing guard was on duty at the time, some people believe the safety. factor would be much great- er if a light were installed. ********** Anyone who has gone to Usborne Central School will be interest- ed in knowing Vi Hunkin is rctiring after 24 years of teaching. Last Thursday she was presented with a surprise gift by the Students' Council. ********** If you take a drive around town you will notice a record amount of residential building. In fact, with the exception of several building lots in the Mill and Waterloo arca and the Darling subdivision, it won't be long before finding a place to build will be difficult. ********** Probably the happiest people in town these days live on Eastern Ave. After suffering from potholes and dust for years they are finally getting asphalt. The curbs are already in and the pavement will be going down in a few days. I know how happy you can be when you drive home for the first time on new pavement. We lived on Sherwood Cr. for nine years be- fore getting a properly finished street. It's a great feeling. ********** A reader called in with an interesting question the other day. "Why do people put out garbage meant for the big pickup the day after?" Good question. ********** You can loam a lot about people during the hot spell we've been having recently. The London F-rce Press reported many people who arc watering their lawns in spite of restrictions imposed by city{hatl have been turned in to authorities -by tl r neighbors. Imagine hhav ing someone who lives next door calling the police when they could have called you directlz. Somehow I just can't picture this happen- ing in Exeter. a,r ■ . ■ 10 years ago •A committee of the Ontario Legislature found thq United Atfto Workers guilty of having breached the privilege of MPP Jack Riddell. The complaint of breach of privilege by Riddell was madeBin the previous March after the UAW initiated legal action against the Liberal MPP over re -marks made in connection with the controversial strike at Fleck Manufacturing in Huron Park. The UAW attempted to sue Riddell under the Libel and Slander Act and the Labour Relations AQL - Lennox MacLean, lawyer for the UAW, said the decision would "se- riously jeopardize the rightsaef members of the public tp bring civil actions against their MPPs". Riddell's privilege came under section 38 of the Legislative Assem- bly Act which states that an MPP isn't liable to arrest,'detcntiomor mo- lestation for any matter of a civil nature during a session of the Legislature or 20 days before or after. 20 years ago •While a wave of support swept across the country for -Federal Liberal leader Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the Progssive Conservative Party stood firm in Huron County, electing Robert McKinley with a sizeable majority. Matt Edgar was the Liberal candidate while Shirley Weaver entered the race late as an,NDP candidate. •A skipping Karen Kerslakeappeared in aphoto on the frontpageof the T -A. A student at Usboumc Central School, she went on a skipping marathon which lasted for 1,135 turns of the rope. Kerslake beat Irene Deelstra by eight skips in the competition. •Exeter swimming_pool season tickets went on sale at a cost of $20 per family, $7.50 for single adults and $5 for children 14 years and under. SO years ago •An ad, disguised as a news story, read: WHO WAS CROSS AND TOUCHY PUT HERSELF RIGHT WITH KRUSCIIEN "I 'am 39 years of age," a woman writes, "Yet some days I have been feeling and looking 100 years old. I would get fits of exhaustion with no good reason at all. I was not fit to live with because I was so cross and touchy. I did not seem to have any ambition to do my housework and I was tired all the time. "I took Kruschen and found it helped me very much. Since I started taking it, I am a different person." It was signed Mrs G.M. The story continues: "The 'liule daily dose' of Kruschen puts an end to tiredness and depression because it restores the eliminating organs to proper activity by providing them with a daily reminder... Cleansed and invigorated blood is sent circulating all over the system, carrying new vitality to every nerve, and new vigor to every limb." 70 years ago •"Mr. David Mack sustained a nasty shaking up and a bruised shoulder on Friday evening when his horse ran away on Station Road and he was thrown out on the ground," the Advocate related. "He is laid up for a few days." .Watching the results of the Russian revolution of 1917 from afar, the Advocate reported: "Bolshevic doctrines have brought Russia down from one of the greatest food producing countries on the globe to a condition of starvation. Drunk with liberty which they did not under- stand, filled with idealistic notions about the equality of man, and lacking individual initiative, production in Russia has practically ceased according to the evidence reaching the outside world... Bolshe- vism is sometimes quoted in this country as an ideal worthy of initiation. The pass to which Russia has drifted is a warning that Bolshevism and insanity are not very far apart." Times -Advocate, June 29, 1988 Competition stiff Page 5, No guarantees in Huron Park future By Adrian Harte Speculation has arisen that Huron Park, the industrial hub of south Huron County for nearly 20 years, may be dulling its competitive edge in attracting and keeping industries in the park. Many see the Ontario Development Corp's (O.D.C:) pro- ject as essential to the economic health of the area, but others won- der if the 12 employers of 1,200 people will continue their commit- ment to the park. Bill Gilfillan at Coolman .Real Estate is one of- those who has watched Huron Park with some concern. He sees the park losing its grip on the manufacturing sector and worries about the consequences to South Huron's economy in a de- pressed agricultural market. Gilfillan would like to see Huron Park retain its industrial momen- tum. "My concern is to keep that commercial base going, increasing - it rather than decreasing," he said. He guessed if 600 jobs were lost within the park, more than $8.5 HURON PARK - Can it continue to attract Ontario's industrial dollars? Hessenland opens new extension ST. JOSEPII - For those looking for a night spot away from the bright lights that attract the young- er set, then Ernst Ihrig at Hessen - land thinks he has the place for you. . This summer marks the opening of a new beer garden and banquet room added to -the west side of the popular resort/motel at St. Joseph. "We have a lot of middle-aged people here, and I think that's our clientele," said Ihrig. On Friday's opening night the room was packed with two busloads of seniors on tour from Michigan. With a capacity of 160 and a buf- fet service, Ihrig targets the rooms image at a more "comfortable, casu- al" atmosphere. A raised stage and dance floor allows Ihrig to provide German entertainment every week- end for the summer months, and means the room can also be booked for smaller wedding receptions or gatherings year-round. With its wall -to -ceiling glass fac- irig a view of the Lake to the west, Ihrig agrees the beer garden is something of an expensive gamble. He is hoping Hessenland will be- come known for more than its Ger- man restaurant. Looking around the room at the seniors who are obviously enjoying the traditional German entertain- ment, Ihrig pauses, and then says "I think it will be -worth it." NEW ADDITION - Hessenland's 20 staff are ready for new customers to visit the new beer garden and banquet room adding to the resort's attrac- tions. The room features a stage and dance floot'where crowds will be en- tertained German style every Friday and Saturday until September 10. Peter's Point Continued from page 4 the product unless the manufacturcr bribes me. With an annual supply of the right stuff. I'll give you�sne teensy wcensy hint. There are two Om peanut people on the label, a male and a female. Both wear a cap with an S on it. And it's got to be the creamy kind. Not crunchy, not smooth, not extra creamy. Just creamy. That's the kind they cat. None other. million would disappear from the Local economy. "Fleck is definitely down a few people from their peak," said Gilfil- lan. 'He attributed loss of business not to mismanagement on O.D.C.'s part, but to government policy of encouraging and subsidizing indus- try in other areas. "Here we are .with an O.D.C. that's getting less than our share of business," he stated, citing the move of Protective Plastics as a prime example. "We lost it because promotional dollars caused it to go to Brantford," said Gilfillan, noting that South Huron docs not qualify for subsidy incentives. Cheryl Dowson, a secretary at Protective Plastics, confirmed that the fibreglass truck body manufac- turer will consolidate all its opera- tions at its Brantford plant within the next few months. "We'd like to have everything all in one place," said Dowson, adding that the St. Marys' plant has already closed and Huron Park is to follow. The Brantford plant is a little over a year old. According to Dowson, Huron Park employees can keep their jobs if they choose to move to Brant- ford. "A lot of them have been here a long time," she said. Foreign competition A Fifth Estate report aired recent- ly detailed the attraction of some in- dustries to Mexico where labour costs a fraction of what it does in the U.S. and Canada. The report painted American multinationals as exploiters of Mexico's depressed economy and workforce. Fleck Manufacturing has operated a plant in Mexico for a number of years. Their Tillsonburg head of- fice declined comment on the future of the company in Mexico or Cana- da Rick Airey at the ministry of in- dustry, trade and technology claimed that companies very rarely think in terms of borders. Factories will lo- cate where it is most economical to do so; and Mexico is very economi- cal because of inexpensive labour and few taxes. I would have to say that is an ongoing threat (to Canadian manu- facturing)," said Airey. "There's half a million people unemployed sitting withing, 80 miles of the (U.S.) border." He foresaw a situa- tion where technological know-how is in North America, with manufac- turing muscle in places like Tai- wan, South Korea or Vietnam. "I have a lot of empathy for a company like Fleck...They are in a cutthroat business," said Airey, not- ing pressures for zero -defect manu- facturing come with a very high price tag and every effort must be made to save on labour costs. Aircy predicted small industries will continue to prosper in Ontario, but not within the same broad mar- kets. He expects companies to serve small 'niches' in the market- place. David McKinnon, president of O.D.C. in Toronto, argued that On- tario's manufacturing sector will not lose factories to Mexico or oth- er third -world nations. "Probably the most rapidly grow- ing part of the industrial world is Southern Ontario," said McKinnon, 'claiming our historical and social structure is poised to maintain that advantage for some time to come. "Mexico's got its own set of problems-," he said, citing debt and growth limitations. On the other hand "our growth has been quite re- markable," McKinnon 'claimed. The president said that O.D.C. values its clients and does not want to see employees lives interrupted by factory relocations. McKinnon does not feel the loss of some man- . ufacturers is any cause for concern. "We think we've done a pretty good job of keeping Huron Park full," he said. One future emphasis he would like •to see is the attrac- tion of more high-tech companies into Huron Park. "I don't see any grounds for any- one in Southwestern Ontario to be pessimistic about their economic future," McKinnon insisted. He claims increasing cost pressures in -Toronto are likely to drive more • manufacturersinto rural areas in the search for cheaper land and less ex- pensive labour. But the question remains, can Huron Park compete with other municipalities in search of industri- al development? - Domestic competition "We have to compete with oiher areas of the country," agreed O.D.C. media spokesman David Goodyear, but he pointed out the corporation will not encourage in- dustries to leave one municipality just to relocate in one of their parks. "We don't encourage one against the other," Goodyear said; however, 'we will accept an expansion." He added that even Ontario government policy is not to encourage reloca-. tion from other provinces. Neil Saarie at the Department of Regional Industrial Expansion (DRIE) spoke of the subsidy incen- tive program sponsored by the fed- eral government under a four -tier system. It's u:LF v - IIIMEMORIWOWN ■flMMOMP ■/WWWON IIIMVIWWWVOVNW Half the country lives in census tracts designated as tier one and thus industries developing there receive no subsidies.• South Huron County is included in this category. Saarie confirmed Brantford is con- sidered tier two and qualifies for in- centives. This Industrial Regional Development Program expires this July 30, after eight years, but Saarie says it has left its mark. - "There are a lot of very good rea- sons why a company would want to move," said Saarie, but DRIE makes sure of companies' motives first. "It has to be based on good facts, not -our money," he stated. Nevertheless, Saarie claims to have witnessed some relocations made under .questionable circum- stances; however, under secrecy re- quirements, he cannot reveal the ra- tionale bchind company relocations. - But Saaric commented on the hid - 'den strengths of the region's indus- trics. ' "Southern Ontario is very active- ly engaged in exports and worldwide markets," he said, adding that these manufacturers keep a low profile in the public eye, but maintain thcir markets by knowing precisely what products they can build best. While the federal incentive plan has expired, local politicians arc bound to still be concerned about competition from other industry - starved municipalities for new facto- ry develop/bents. Every city and town seems to have its own pet in- dustrial park project waiting for cor- porate commitment. As if that isn't enough, multinationals are under in- creasing pressures to- make use of countries where labour costs- arc less. Will Huron Park and the rest of south Huron County be able to re- sist these pressures and keep their industrial base, or will larger com- panies be drawn away in search of government funding or cheap la- bour? G.W. Parsons & Associates Inc. Management, Accounting and Computer System Services 50 Hill Street Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S0 Doug Denomme Gerry Parsons C.M.A. 519-235-1304 For complete computer sales and service G.W. Parsons & Associates Inc. is associated with EPSON COMPUTERS & PRINTERS Epson is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation