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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1969-07-03, Page 44 ham Advance -Times, Thursday, July 3;?1969 Strange Attitude Non -farmers in Ontario are more than a little puzzled by last week's vote on the General Farm Organization. The puzzle- ment arises not so mulch over the defeat of the GFO proposal but rather because of the comparatively small number of farm families who cast ballots. This newspaper has consistently re- frained from comment upon a controversy which had become so, involved that in- telligent and unbiased reporting was all but impossible. We believed that farm- ers certainly need a strong organization to represent them and the choice was their own. It would appear, however, that a great many farm people are not very deeply concerned about such an organization, since they failed to avail themselves of an opportunity to express their opinions, one way or the other. Because farm incomes have been much' -below the levels earned in most other oc- cupations the laws of our land permit the establishment .of marketing boards—a sell- ing mechanism that is forbidden in other businesses. There are extremely stiff laws which forbid businessmen to agree on the selling prices of those goods' and services which are vital to our economy. A few years ago, for example, the paper wholesalers were forced to pay heavy fines (from $10,000 to $20,000 each) for agreeing among themselves on the prices they would charge for their product. The same penalties have been handed out in other instances of a similar nature. The inference is, of course, that such agreement act to restrict trade. Supposed- ly, in our economy, competition will pre- vent prices from getting too high. How- ever, the marketing boards are actually permitted not only to agree on price levels,. but can withhold products from the mar- ket to create a scarcity and thus a higher selling price. It can certainly jbe pointed out with complete truth that these restrictive prac- tices have not made very many farmers wealthy, and that so far the price setting has been fair to the public—but that does not alter the fact that, it is still a form of price-fixing in restraint; of free trade. The same thing is true, too, of our labor laws, which permit workers to .eliminate free competition for their jobs —and their right to organize and to strike is backed by law. We don't begrudge farmers one cent of the higher prices they are able to secure, but we do wonder why so few of them took advantage of the chance to stand up and be counted last Tuesday. inf�rmati�n—At Last The message has finally filtered through to ,Queen's Park that some ex- planations are needed. Premier John Ro- berts announced last week that he. and other members of his Cabinet will tour the province to answer questions on the controversial proposals which face the public. High on the list will be county boards of education, regional government and provincial assessment regulations. On several occasions during the past year, this column • has pointed out the .need for explanations from provincial authorities. The generaa/l public is uneasy about the changes which are in the mak- ing, and so far no one has taken the trouble to state exactly what improve- ments are to be expected. County school boards have been the target for much, of the criticism. With a whole new echelon of highly -paid civil Ser- vants and a demand for new •buildings filled with office staff and -equipment, the taxpayer is quite naturally. concerned. He has lost the intimate relationship which was available. to him when local boards directed the schools, and he has yet to be told why the broad-based, county system will be any improvement over the old set- up. Similarly with regional government. it is not difficult to understand the need for change in the administration of places like the growing Kitchener -Waterloo area, . but to most of us it makes little sense in the rural areas such as our own. The elimination of inequalities in assessment under a provincial system is •more logical, but most people are in real fear of big. tax increases as a result of the change. We all know that taxes never come down. Mr. Robert's decision is enlighten the public is a wise vne,",;but it may have been made much too late for the welfare of the party he represents in the Legislature.. Don't Move to the City • Since prices for housing have been on the increase we have several times heard the remark that a' fami ly can live' just as cheaply in the .,city as in a small town. Don't you believe it. Curious about Mr. Hellyer's much talked -of "condominium" housing, we took time to visit one of these new develop- ments in the Toronto area. The houses are all rented, but those tenants can.' have it! The particular place we visited was a square of homes built around a black - topped parking area. Each tenant has a number space in the lot and the first thing we found was that no outsider may park anywhere on that square. If he does the superintendent is out like a shot toorder him away. If any of the' tenants have guests their cars have to be parked down the block at the nearest supermarket. Then there's all the trouble over cats and dogs. Not one animal can be put outside. Even the cats have to be on a leash; Since the homes are all attached to each other the youngsters have to be kept strictly quiet. Even a reasonable argument raises the. ire ,of a neighbour. Each ' home contains two bedrooms, kitchen, dining -living room and basement. The back yards are the only' place where grass' will- grow and each yard is the width of the house and about 20 feet from front to back. Trees? Not one in sight. These houses are located about 14 miles from the downtown area and they , rent for $200 a month. Perhaps we're a bit old-fashioned, but we'll stick with the solid brick house in a country town, where you can look across the river to the green of open fields and the cat doesn't have to wear a necktie. Backbenchers Arise The government backbencher has long / been regarded as one of Parliament's most wretched men. He is forced to work out of a small, cramped office with inadequate secretarial and research help. He is whip- ped into line on votes and forced to de- fend government policies which he had no part in formulating. He can be brushed aside not only by the prime Minister and members of the cabinet but by the raw youths who serve on their staffs. He is given only the most meagre opportunity to display his talents in debate in the House of Commons; and when he does get up to speak, no one stays around to listen. Faced with these frustrations, some of the brightest government members in the past have lapsed into indifference. • Some .of the backbenchers who were swept into office in last year's Liberal HO IN. victory have served notice that they will no longer accept that system. There have been occasional eruptions' of independence from the Liberal backbenchers ever since Parliament convened', and the spirit flow- ered last weekend at a two-day caucus in which members spread their grievances before Prime Minister Trudeau. By all ac- counts the effort produced some results. Members were talking hopefully after- wards of bigger car allowances, payment of moving expenses and some improve- ments in secretarial assistance.. •These are useful bread-and-butter im- provements; but if the backbenchers are going to take to the barricades, we hope they aim higher. They should. rake ap, unholy • row until they are given much more say in the legislation they are re- quired to support.—Montreal Star THE WINGHAM ADVANCE - TIIVI.ES Published at Wingham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited W. Barry Wenger, President - ° Robert O. Wenger, Secretary -Treasurer Member Audit Bureau of Circulation Member Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association Subscription Rate: 1 yr. 41$.00; 6 months $3.25, in advance; USA $7.00 per yrs.; Foreign rate $7.00 per yr. Advertising Rates on application Second Class Mail • -Registration No. .0821 • Return Postage Guaranteed Canada is an adolescent Well, give or take a day or two, and Canada is 1.02, Years old. A man of that age ` a4 ancient, either wise or 'senile, dignified or drooling. A coun- try of that age is just a pup. Question: Is Canada senile and drooling, at the age of a pup? Some think so. I don't. More than anything, our country is an adolescent. It has all the best and worst features of that peculiar breed. It is easily fired to jealousy, self -doubting, suspicious,lack- ing in self-confidence, shy one minute and bold as brass the next, opinionated without knowing much, conformist and rebellious, anxious for approv- al and deeply wounded when it is not understood, idealistic and materialistic. In short, a typical teenager, all mixed up. Tremendous potential, but no clear idea of where it is going. Older brother, who used to seem content to work the farm and go to church, has gone all weird, -He gets sore now when you call him the old nick- names like Peasoup or Froggy. He demands a voice in manage- ment of the farm and threa- tens to leave and set up on his own, if he doesn't get it. It's probably because he has fallen in with bad company — a gang interested in bombs and folk -singing and poetry and freedom and all that sort of disturbing stuff. Little brother, who used to be content to sit in his playpen and feed . on scraps, •and -be happy if his . diapers were changed once in. a while, has also become belligerent. Insteadof smiling when you give . him a morsel, he has ta- ken to blowing on his Kahn- Tineta Horn and rattling the bars of his ca uh, °playpen -and scowling and hollering "Discri- mination;" if he doesn't get a share of the goodies — right now: Second cousins out west, up tO their .ears in wheat and oil and $1.69 steaks, are also deeply and vocally resentful because Grampa told theirs*. thers, "Go West,young pinus,* go West." They feel that. t should still get a -Cut of the d family farm's income, back � c•. t't' 1~1131 . Down East, 'Uncle • Hiram as• fed up with fishing and rum, and is sending his -sons and daughters to visit, permanent ly, as soon as they are old enough, vertup North, those ex. Siberian eousins who were here first are beginning to bel- low instead of grin happily. Not content with having ruined the sleigh -dog industry, they want jam on their blub- ber. Right in -the heart of the country, Uncle Charlie, smooth and debonair as ever, is pat- ting everyone on the back with one hand and lifting his wallet with the other. In Ottawa, Daddy, who, has taken to wearing his hair in a peculiar way and being photo- graphed with striking young ladies, is saying things, as he always did, which sound very profound, until you try to re- member what he said, No wonder Canada is an ado- lescent: up -tight, bewildered, belligerent. He's beginning to feel as though he comes from a broken home. And he feels pretty rotten when he thinks of the good old days when the -family was one big. happy fami- ly. He's glad for his cousins out West, though. he's switched to fish and poultry. He's leery of his older•.brother, who's be- come so hard to get along with. He's sorry for his Uncle Hi - ram's kids, but wishes there weren't se many of them com- ing to visit. He wishes the kid brother in the playpen would stop rat- tling the bars and climb out and help . feed the" chickens. And that Uncle Charlie wasn't so slick, and that Daddy, up in Ottawa, would stop giving him an allowance and then bor- rowing most of it back, with- out interest. Perhaps most of all, he wishes Uncle Sam would stop - being so avuncular •and at the same time bellicose. Some- times, he wishes he. still had a Momma. Today,. it's tough to be: an adolescent.. --Dr. S. N. and Mrs. Cor- tin, Ray, Barbie, Ruth, Anne and Grace of London were in ,.16w mfor the ,weesieziendorand at- tended the farewell gatheriig -for Rev. and Mrs. G. L. Fish at St. Andrew's Church on Sun- day. Last winter the, Hon. William Davis announced that the length of the present school year would be extended by an, ad- ditional ten days. a The motives for such a. - move perplexed most students and as a result, the mass walkouts and the march upon Queen's Park took place, but to no avail. But if the policy was to remain why were thirty-four schools in tie Metro Tor- onto area allowed to terminate their year on May 30 for the senior students? The reason according to the principals was to allow students to obtain summer employ- ment, and also there would be no loss of grant money to the, schools because grants PASS EXAMINATIONS The following pupils of Mrs. Edwin Martin, Brussels, were successful in passing pianoforte examinations for the Royal Con- servatory of Music, held recent- ly in Blyth. ' Grade VIII: Vonne Mc - Cutcheon, 1st Glass Honors, 80%; Beverly McNall, Honors, 75%. Vonne stood ,highest in Grade VIII at Blyth. Grade VII: Connie McWhir- ter, Honors, 73%. • Grade VI: Dorene Cardiff, 1st Class Honors, 82%. Dorene was the only one in the Grade VI class. Messengers meet BELGRAVE--The Messengers held their last meeting at the home of Mrs. Thomas Camer- on. Alison Roberts. received the offering while the children sang " Hear the Pennies Drop - gThey ' reviewed the study of China.. The children proceeded with their booklets which had been made during the year. After this a sings -song ,of chil- dren's hymns w ri 'y'e<i c, t 't Mrs. Cameron Wa "'hissresg ' to the children who were invit- ed for the supper meal including Chinese fortune cookies. ' BY MURRAY GAUNT, M.L.A. HURON -BRUCE 1 Report from 'Queen's Par The Legislature is recessing. the end of this week so this will be my last report until the fall. I will, therefore, try and give a capsule summary of the Leg- islative highlights which took place this week. The- Legislature this week • gave approval in principle, eCommittee of the Whole House approval, and third reading to a bill which will bring Ontario into the federal medicare scheme on October 1st. Ontario farmers rejected a proposed General Farm O rgani-' zation. The G. F. 0. proposal attracted only 43.8 per cent in favour, far short of the 60 per cent itneeded to pass. Agri - THE BIG BLOW -UP --Deep in the bush at CFB Petawawa, Bdr. George Welwood, 17, of Boland Street, Wingham, a member of the 21st Field Regiment, RCA, puffs as hard as he can to blow up another "enemy" balloon. The balloons are used as targets in bush trail training. Using live am- munition, the men walk along a trail through thick bush and snap fire at balloons which pop up at them without warning. It's part of the 'realistic training. culture Minister Stewart obvi- ously distraught over the re- sults, e-sults, said he couldn't under- , stand why the proposal hadn't met with greater favour among farmers. "However, we want- ed their opinion and we got it, " he continued. Premier John Robarts is con- sidering restructuring Ontario's ever lengthening legislative sessions 'into three sections with a recess between each starting with the session that will get underway next year. This present session will re - cony -le on September 30th which will mean that members will have a 12 -week break be- fore drawing to a conclusion -the session which got under way on November 19, 1968. Th e members despite a Christmas vacation and an Easter Recess, have been sitting for a record 117 days. In order to finish on the target date on June 2 7th, set by the Government a few weeks ago, members -chalked. up record sittings for the week• by sitting until 12:30 a. m. Monday night, 1:25 a. m. Tues- day, 2:40 a. m. Wednesday, - and 3:40 a. m.' Thursday night. The Ontario Food Council tabled its report into beef prices and indicated the high price was due to a scarcity of beef on the North Arnerican Contin- ent. The report further said, "Our research into the trade pricing of beef does not show evidence of exploitation al- though it is noted that. while the price of live and carcass beef has eased in the last two weeks, average retail prices continued on an upward trend: Major changes in Ontario's assessment laws and procedures were proposed this week in the Legislature by Municipal Af - fairs Minister, Darcy McKeough He introduced a new Assess- . ment Act which, he says, is the most significant revision in 65 years. The changes are designed to create "the comer - atone of reform for our system and structures of local govern- ment. " Or None ... By Grog Cater 12C are based on enrolment and not on at- tendance. If this is allowed 'why was such a policy enforced inhe first place? If one school can simply disregard such an order, why not the rest? The policy should have made it clear that ALL students attend in ALL areas until the twelfth of June or the plan ` should have been scrapped. There are thousands of students through- out Ontario who are in as great a need of employment as those students in Tor- onto. As -.it exists now the policy seems almost useless and is in fact discriminating againstthe majority of highschool students in Ontario. AAA TODAY CHILD BY HELEN ALLEN This bright-eyed, alert little fellow is Hendrick, seven months old, born to an Anglo-Saxon mother and a pat't-Neg- ro father. As you see, he is a ver good-looking boy with big blue eyes, silky brown hair and a light tan complexion. He is usually quite sober when 3neeting strangers but on closer acquaintance reveals a delightful grin, accompanied by loud squeals and an infectious chuckle. Hendrick sleeps soundly and has a: good appetite; as you'd guess from his well-nour- ished look. Initially. he was a colicky infant, but is now healthy, relaxed and contented, a delightful member of a household. This happy .baby needs parents who will appreci- ate his heritage and will provide a loving, stimulating home. To inquire about adopting Hendrick please write to 'today's Child, Department of Social and Family Services, parliament Buildings, Toronto 182. For general information about adoption ask your local Children's Aid Society. Wroxeter Personals Mr. and Mrs. Russell Hay- den held a delicious barbecue Saturdayy aftemoon for relatives and a few close neighbors which was greatly enjoyed by all. It also enabled the neighbors to make the acquaintance of the • Haydens' English relatives. Miss Evelyn Jewell, Hamil- ton, spent the week -end with Mr. and Mrs. Laurie VanVelsor. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Cle- ment and Mr. and Mrs. Peter isabelle'and Sandy of Toronto are spending the 'holiday week- end at their home here. ' Mr. and Mrs. Danny Salter, Islington, spent the week -end • attheir home here. Mrs. Isaac Stokes and Edith, ' Mr. and Mrs. West Haugh, Mae and Donna of Tumberry were Sunday guests with Mr. and Mrs. Fraser Haugh. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Iredom and. family; St. Thomas, spent the week -end with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ackerman. The annual Gibson reunion , relatives of Mr. Gordon Gibson of town, Was held in Wroxeter Community Hall on Sunday at- tended by people from Wroxe- ter, Listowel, fordwich, Brant- ford, Elora, Harriston, Weston, Kitchener , Wingham e London , Toronto and Gorrie. Mrs. A. Wearing is spending some time this week with rel- atives in Erin. Miss, Anne Douglas arrived on Sunday to spend the vaca- tion months with her parents, - Mr.. and Mrs. Leslie Douglas. She will teach in Ottawa again next term. Mr: Bill Higgins, Bruce Mines, arrived home to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stew- art Higgins, following the end of the teaching term. Mr. and Mrs. Ron Higgins and family, Stratford, spent Sunday at the same home. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Boyne of Allan, Sask. , accompanied by Mr'. Lloyd Sage, Listowel, visited Tuesday at Ross Tomans. Mr. and Mrs. Ken Greer;' Scott and Cindy, Sharon Somer- ville and Mr. Clarence White spent the week -end at the White home here. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mont- gomery, accompanied by their grandson, Robin Armour and Mr. Montgomery's sister spent the holiday week -end at their home here. Mrs. A. Wearing returned home Thursday after visiting at , Toronto and Brockville. Mr. and Mrs. James Robert- son and Mrs'. Angus Carmichael, Goderieh, visited Tuesday with Mr. and Mrs. William Hart.