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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1974-11-28, Page 1• and ratepayers interested, in the coming; ucipal elm turned Wet the WittOala Town Rail on )(outlay. :evening to Iiittan to explanation of how their . mot; cipadl Adel*. spent their ' fax dollars over. the pot two ,years. Mayor DeWitt Viler intro4, *Iced! co, the reeve and. amity r0eve and the hes the. Pu Utilities Cot j to the *udjence and asked the public veto give a ,'shortreport O. their o itte, .:'. Police -Committee Chairman.. Harris was the first to draw a question from the audience as he was explaining *Me or the hO ground behind the county cil's request for an Ontario Police•. Commission study into tour gested' systems of Pole the county, Those four dices are a county -wide force, . a complete OPP takeover of policing duties, a combined five -town force or the continuance of the system currently in effect, Andrew Ritskes, a political hopeful in the Dec. 2 council race, asked Mr. Harris why such a study was necessary. Re was told that''. this year a,.. task force' report had mended that . police f in municipalities with,los than, I5, people should be disbanded. work., and theI� OPPtake� over police "�o k., Mr, Harris also tuki fir. tykes that the cost of the study, which was % undertaken for ()PC by . the provincial attorney.. general's department was con meted at ±. direct,to the county's s taxpayers. Day Care Centre Councillor Jack Gillespie re- ported it ` �i on the town's day care iand aa applying as100 Per a 'capital grant for the ofa new;,QO0daiaycarec�� The flew centre will serve 00 care and 10 mentally r pre-school children. fle added that. the Wile hien M ode ter the t: ly Bearded wotdd be relinquishing their for • pre-schoolsit ti* tie town, Mrs. Renus. B#tietskei Reeve Joe Kerr, who heads.11* public work oo ltd} . . the town's sidewalks would , paired, The reeve .rejoined that sidev elks are not itabdiz the goverment_ .. a. '� . they are only added 1n areas where roeurfacing. work is done,; .dine to cost.i'ituance a o� mites, Mrs.- isided that the:tom will be fs ' new a ra J St. m their up. fiscal year„ f'w+ever, property committee C'hainnan Jack Bateoon can- noned the ratepayers not to. expect the work on the main *met sidewalks to come over- night, but rather in three or four Years. , Rove e wild ted the gathering that he and represent the town on tbe Ancil., Re He entioned �had been inv ved in dis- cussions in Goderich concerning, county government re -structur- ing and commented that a county %eouncil position is a ' time con- suming one, He also told the Meeting that be was the ,chair, man of the town's recreation committee and '.felt that a d job is being done in that tree... Bad eels support for ,Reeve Kerr and the deputy mint ale.ction and exhorted them J010131 WINK" Oaa tending . issat HHuronvlew. The depUty reeve a gplained, for those at the meeting not aware or the issue, that in the past toders had been :let for the fly contract atthe county home baud in the past year the contract wilt elmover er lgy to a ;Clinton; . Deputy Reeve Wild as- suredMrs Bailey that the matter would be investigated and recti. Jun Currie challenged the recreation committee chairman FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS gathered at the home of Mrs. David Cathers, Minnie St., on Tuesday to help her celebrate her 97th birthday. Mrs. Cathers' table was decorated with a beautiful birthday cake in honor of the occasion. Mrs. Cathers is still active and is in rea- sonably good health. She also keeps busy and does her own housework. (Staff Photo) Accident claims life of Whitechurch woman Mrs. Albert Coultes, a 66 year- . old Whitechurch resident, was killed last Friday when a car in which she was a passenger was involved in a two -car collision on Highway 21, 15 miles north of Owen Sound in Bruce County, near the village of Elsinore. A Wiarton OPP spokesman said that Mrs. Coultes was a passenger in a car driven by her daughter, Mrs. Wilbert Schwich- tenberg of Port Elgin. The two women were driving west on the highway when an eastbound car driven by Joe Azzopardi of Port Elgin moved into the westbound lane to overtake another vehicle, Upon seeing the oncoming car, Mr. Azzopardi swerved back into the eastbound lane to avoid a collision, but lost control of his car. The Azzopardi car then, swerved back into the westbound lane and collided with the Sch- wichtenberg automobile. Investigating OPP officers re- ported that Mrs. Schwichtenberg, Mrs. Coultes, Mr. Azzopardi and his wife Marie were all injured in the crash. However, there are no reports so far being released con- cerning the survivors' condition. The crash is still under investi- gation and no charges have been laid so far. Mrs. Coultes was the former Grace Martha Kerry and was born in 1908 in Brant Township, a daughter of the late Thomas Kerry and Martha Atkinson. She attended the Ellen Gowen Public School, Brant Township, and graduated from the Spotton Busi- ness College, Wingham. She was employed as a bookkeeper by the UFO Crearn►ery in Wingham for ten years. \ On November 18, 1935, she married Albert Nelson Coultes in Wingham. He is left to mourn, with two daughters, Mrs. Wilbert (Marjorie) Sehwichtenberg of Port Elgin, Mrs. Alex (Diane) Craig of RIt 3, Wingham ; one son, Jack Coultes of Blyth; and six grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Miss Marjorie Kerry of Toronto and Mrs., Law- son (Daisy) Majury of Paisley; and one brother, Nelson Kerry of Chesley. She was predeceased by one sister and one brother. The late Mrs. Coultes rested at the S. J. Walker Funeral Home, Wingham, where service was conducted Monday at two o'clock by Rev. Graydon Cox of London and Lawrence King of Bluevale. Interment followed in Brandon Cemetery, Belgrave. Pallbearers were Elwood Groskorth, Glen Majury, Russell Chapman, Garnet Farrier, Dawson Craig and Mervyn Pipe. Floral tributes were carried by Jim Gaunt, Ken Coultes, Bryan Coultes, David A. Hackett, Howard Walker and Bill Tottenham. Mrs. Coultes was a member of the Whitechurch United Church, the United Church Women of which she was treasurer, and the Women's Institute. OPP, town police investigate thefts Wingham town police and the Wingham detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police are collaborating on an investigation into three breakins reported last week. The breakins, which all oc- curred on the evening of Friday, Nov. 22, took place in Brussels, Bluevale and Wingham and are believed to be connected. Acting Wingham Police Chief Ron Zimmer reports that thieves broke into Warren House on Diagonal Rd. last Friday evening and made off with about $20 in small change and bills. The cul- pritsained entry by smashing in the glass window on the east side of the building. A five-year-old Wingham boy was taken to Wingham and Dis- trict Hospital for treatment of injuries he received when he darted off a curb at the intersec- tion of Patrick and Frances Sts. and ran into the side of a car. The car, which was driven by Edward Bauer of Wingham, was travelling east on Patrick St. at the time of the mishap. Acting Chief Zimmer said that Blain McKittrick of Angus St. Wing - ham, was takeh- to the hospital following the mishap. However, the hospital has declined to re- lease any information concerning the lad's injuries or current con- dition. No charges were laid as a result of the accident. Police are asking for public aid in locating a wallet owned b Herman Morsink of RR 1, Luck - now. Mr. Morsink reported that he lost his wallet, which con- tained a small amount of cash and a number of personal papers, sometime during a visit to Wing - ham on Nov. 21. Anyone locating the wallet or knowing of its whereabouts is asked to contact the Wingham police. Police charged two youths with offences under the liquor Control Act last week. Mike Storozuk was charged with having liquor in a place other than his residence and a juvenile was charged as a minor having possession of liquor. Police are also investigating the report of a missing 13 -year- old girl. Police say they have no further information on the matter for release. Wingham council'votedby narrow 4-3 margin last , evening to make an application the Ministry of ,Community :avid Social Services for a new $200,00t developmental centre whit would house 30 day eaare and Ia$ retarded pre-school children'` vote came at a Special .couanWA meeting called to'. _.discuss op lona open to the town in applying foxy . capital grant from theprovince following a Ministry announce- ment ment that $15 million would baes made available throughout On'. tario for construction or renovaw tion programs. The Ministry will shell out. 100 per Cent of the cap tal costs for projects approved under the program. Day Care Committee Chair man Jack Gillespie explained the background of the situation that necessitated the special meeting. He told council that the Winghamn Association for the Mentally lie- d: had -received a gift of $25,000,froil`an'area man earlier this year and hid planned to put that gift towards the construction of a developmental centre for 15 retarded pre-schoolers currently enrolled at the WAMR's Silver Circle School. At that time the Ministry was ready to pay 50 per cent of capital building costs for such projects. POLICY CHANGE However, Mr..Gillespie went on, the ministry changed its cost sharing policy for capital ex- penditures and planned to pay 100 per cent of such projects. At the same time a policy change was announced that called for the in- tegration of regular and handi- capped children into common programs and facilities though - out Ontario. That change in the capital cost sharing policy had spurred the day care committee into recom- mending that the town apply for a grant to renovate the day care centre to alleviate the over- crowding of the present facilities. The committee chairman told council that the centre is working to capacity and there is an ex- tensive wafting list. After the town applied for its grant, the province°'contacted of- ficials for both the day care centre and WAMR and suggested that perhaps a wing could be add- ed to the day care centre to ac-., commodate the retarded children as well as renovating the second floor of the existing building for use in the day care program. Upon hearing of this Ministry recommendation council had ap- proved a joint venture. TOO CROWDED Subsequently the province con- ducted a study and decided that the present facility would be too crowded and lacked sufficient play area for all the children who would be served. The Ministry then offered the town and WAMR a new building to house 30 day care students and 10 retarded children. This, in effect, would create two day care centres in town and Mr. Gillespie was rather leary of the added ex- penses that would be incurred in staffing and upkeep of two fa- cilities. A joint committee of WAMR and day care officials concurred and decided to ask for one building. Following further consultation with a Ministry representative Councillor Gillespie was told that Wingham had two choices, either go for the$200,000 new building which wod house both WAMR and day cage programs or reno- vate the old day centre and leave the retarded children "out in the +told" with no new facility. The government •ad elves the; WAMR lap cation a+.,elt,did not feel t ,,;that WAS viola be serving 1 enough children, to warrant_ _a sep- arate facility. What Mr, Gilespie wanted from council* on Friday night, was some direction as to which option they wanted, • f =COST SHAG cotaltillor Marg Bennett, con• cerned because thi town must pay 20 per cent. of the operating costs for the day care centre, wanted to know how many child- ren from Wingham would be served, by WAIVIR in such a centre. Chairman Gillespie answered 'that less than half of the children at ' both the Silver Circle School and the day care centre are froth Wingham. He added that WAMR is set up. on a Ilhitrict rather than a municipal basis. He conceded to council that n the, next year the, eom- ttt a .,have to try Ottt o- lfs�.a .. J p1. Icjmental c and the rest why** rnn in hie view shouldeet hove ashigh priority in comparison with police or fire committee hudd, la always theIt* 001000' ' council. He added that the .tionbudget very rarely suffers y y; +da itch's Pert that the more .important budgets do, Mr. Cur* wondered if the other budgets shoun't be looked after mat. The s who .replied to the question d to ml con-. ;true it as an allegation of favo ddtiun or patronage on .the council'aaa part. M11. Ben*Stt an- swered that the only reason, the recreation.budget is Wit. is becauseit . usttallY ray firat. It was ,also noted that in. tio ter the reerestien depart. to be eligible be .ler psi*dM budget ;iafpo,ad by Doc.33. a 04Oa* Dixme of the two mayoralty ea date. thenumielpaltieetion, __ n heat whet leo took to suggestion. Of�. int. He sewed that if there hod been jxek tial frot t aware ' Mr.Currie tried. guest* s ,aeket condi other budgets are : "halacked" doWnd, recreation budget il .nok his eff. te slaty 9007 .Please Min t with the neighboring tow ships whose resident$ are utilizing the Wham facility. The councillor continued, men- tioning that there was a minor. that the county may become in- volved in such prams and. eventually fund day care and de- velopinental centres from God- erich. Councillors Willis ; shied away from, the suggestion the county might take the endeavour. over and pointed to it as another step towards regional govern- ment. Mr. Gillespie read a letter to council from MPP Murray Gaunt which suggested' that there would not be enough room in the present day care centre if retarded child- ren were integrated into that fa- cility and seemed to ,suggest that the retarded children might have to mike do with their presed A.eorin- set= ' wa grant because:t retarded child- ren bad been bypassed before in their efforts to get a develop- mental centre. He ` commented that to do so a second.•time w be unfair because tly had .411 the .initial groundwork for such a project. Mrs. Bennett asked council what they would dowith the .Pa ent day care, 'centre if •.a new building was built. She was told that for the time being the day care program would have to be split and botkfacilities would be used, Further in the fu " , Mr. Gillespie foresaw ?the old ding being used- as a library.. Councillor Bennett then camel back to the point that most of the . children served in the tom's present and future facility would be from outside the municipality .and could not agree tlt*torn should be subsidiiinifday care prograrsa,rnratfer. duniT: 1 1 that it was a twf ed1 c'a'use' , the • PeePle trem .municipalitleswhose children tare enrolled in thO Wingh*m Pro* grata for the most pure ate .Play hy" Ind' merce in the, town, After some disc on cost of mainhti - rctrae";and'; 'tea rtes, stmc dilliesi decided to v motion town � cility*hereby ., mentally retarder a theirown inti -sing dillies. That mHa ed ► ;v Y anta para e not dead yet The Wingham Business As- point the chairman proceeded to sociation is $400 short of their name a number of businesses goal to date, in their fund raising which had refused canvassers. efforts for the December 7 Santa Jim Currie cautioned the par Claus Parade, but they plan to go ade chairman and said that he ahead with the parade anyway. felt he was treading on "thin ice" by reading the merchants' names aloud to the meeting. Mr. Carter was noticeably per- turbed by the situation and com- mented that there are 138 businesses in town and if each gave $10, the parade could easily be financed. He did concede that no replies had been received so far in answer to a request for donations from local industries; but about $150 in further dona- tions are expected. Jon Bateson asked the chair- man if the parade could not be changed from the Dec. 7 date to the following Saturday. Mr. Cart - The association's _monthly meeting last Thursday evening centred on whether or not the parade could be saved. The par- ade chairman, Don Carter told the members that so far the com- mittee has managed to raise nearly $600 for the project, which will cost an estimated $1,000 this year. He added that one attrac- tion alone, the steam driven cal- liope, is going to cost $450. That, combined withexpenses for children's candy gifts, another band, gifts for residents at Brookhaven Nursing Home and other expenses will push the price up to the $1,000 mark. Mr. Carter er replied that all the bands in the area are already booked and changing the date would do little or no good except perhaps to foul up everyone's schedules. Mr. Bateson also suggested' noted that several businesses which benefit from the WBA's projects are riding on the as- sociation's coattails and not sup- porting the endeavours. At that MRS. HARPER ENGLISH was the guest speaker at the second annual meeting of the Wingham Horticultural Soci- ety last week. Mrs. English showed the meeting some of her handiwork in flower arrangement and demonstrated by creating a Japanese style arrangement during the meeting. (Staff Photo) that if the calliope, the single most expensive attraction of the parade, was cancelled then three or four bands could be booked in its place. Chairman Carter coun- tered that suggestion by inform- ' ing Mr. Bateson that most of the bands in the area are obligated to play for their hometown parades, most of which will be held on Dec. 7. Another member, suggested that Mr. Bateson be told what a calliope was. It was explained that it is the last existing attrac- tion of its kind in Ontario and will definitely draw a large number of spectators. Mr. Currie asserted that the as- sociation should not "change horses in mid stream" and should support their parade committee. Several members concurred, feeling' that the plans had already been laid and now was not the time to be asking for changes. The matter was finally handed back to the parade committee for their decisions as to how to raise the extra money needed. A motion put forward by Mr: Currie calling for an increase in membership fees from $10 to $50 annually was another point of animated discussion at the meet- ing. The merchant said that, in his view it would be better to have half as many WBA members who would be willing to pay a $50 fee and do something, than to have a large membership which pays the old fee and is inactive. He de- clared that it is virtually in- conceivable that the association will grow in numbers. Murray Gerrie seconded the motion that fees be raised. However, before a vote was taken past president of the WBA, Bill Hanula, made a motion that the executive submit a budget to the membership be- fore any fees were set. He said that by doing that, a clear view of how much would be needed would allow the executive and member- ship to determine their fee struc- ture. .. Moat of the WBA members • were in favor of Mr. Hanula's motion and they decided to table Mr. Currie's request until a bud- get had been produced. In one last item of business the meeting approved guidelines for store hours over the Christmas season. It was decided that stores should open on Mondays in December and extend evening hours from Wednesday Dec. 18 to Monday Dec. 23. Councillors { iHespie,- Harts and Reeve Joe Kerr :~ porting the motion and Council- lors Bennett and Willis voting with Deputy Reeve Harold Wild against it. Councillor Gillespie told the council that there is no guarantee that the town will get approval on this application but added that he was gratified to have council's support for a new structure. OOPS! It has been brought to our at- tention that in our recent list of students receiving their diplomas at the commencement ceremony at F. E. Madill Secondary School two weeks ago, we missed Richard Smith's name. Richard received a Secondary School Graduation Diploma. We hope that Richard and his family will accept our apology for this oversight. Postal service remains normal The public can be assured that postalc'itirvice""'-frOirt''Alitesday morning onward will not be af- fected by the fire at the main Toronto post office Tuesday, Barney Barnes, public affairs officer for the South Western District office, said, "We're making alternative plans," he said, as a result of the blaze at the Toronto postal build- ing, one of the largest and most important in the country. The plans include transporta- tion changes and routing swit- ches to other centres such as Lon- don and Hamilton. "Mail will proceed and will go through by different routes," Mr. Barnes said. The official was uncertain, though, as to any local mail, in- cluding government cheques, that might have been destroyed in the fire. The details of the losses were still sketchy when Mr. Barnes was interviewed Tuesday afternoon. But Mr. Barnes emphasized that any material mailed Tues- day morning and afterwards would have no difficulties and service will remain normal. The South Western District office serves a territory as far west as Windsor, north to Owen Sound and east to the Niagara Peninsula and Hamilton. C