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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1966-01-27, Page 1v.. •w M.r .�wT V RICR` i -GN S .l)/1s X011$:,;,:Jrv'. I '^+,, 1966 • Goderich town council reject- ed a, request for an $8,300 sub- sidy from local...ambulance eper- ator Ralph Hawes on Friday. The council. withdrew behind the closed doors of committee as a" whole • to consider the re- quest and discuss possible alter- natives. On returning to. open council it was moved that the Alex= andra Marine and General Hos- pital board be requested to con- sider taking over the service. The. controversial issue was, placed in the lap of town coon: cil after a request for an $85,000 subsidy. for a county wide .ser - Vice was turned down by Huron County, Council. Mr. Ilawcs informed council that he .was losing .money on the service and could not, carry on after January 31 unless he received the-subsidy:- 1Ie took over the ambulance, service here op December 15 after the local funeral directors withdrew their ambulance ser- vice. . Funeral directors Floyd,Lodge arid Ed.- Stiles, who had pre- yiensly run , seryices-. , id • town, were brought in- for consultation when council went into com- mittee • es - --a whole. • Reeve -Reg ` Jewell said he had, 'Teen approached' by .bath Colborne and Goderich "Towns ship. officials regarding a pos-. ••sible stoppage of the "service. "They -hate said they will be willing to join in any agree• - ment we might make for am- budar ice coverage," Said the reeve. __ _ Council agreed that the hos- pital board must be approached and, asked to report )aek to council at the earliest. possible date. To consider Aid Alexandra Marine and Gen- eral Hospital board will run a town ambulance service if no one erre will, " James .-Britnell, vice-chairtiian of the board, said this week. "The hospital boars Will not see the community without an. ambulance service," . he said. "i he board will' take over if everybody else backs down." Mr. Britneil •said'an "expl‘r-1' atory -meeting"- has- been .cali- A Goderich: lawyer's .appeal of a magistrate's court cbnvic- taon against him wider. the town peeking bylaw was adjourned to Jan. 31 for judgment. • Huron, County Judge R. S. Hetherington heard argument, "from Dan 'Murphy, the lawyer, and town solicitor 'Kenneth •Huinter. • . Mr. Murphy was convicted July 8 by Magistrate G. G. M,arshman, of London, and fined $1 for parking' ,overtime in an area with ;a two-hour. limit. ' - • Mr. Murphy challenged the valaLty -of the •bylaw. T' 'He termed' it "discriminatory" be- cause ebiincil included a pro- - vision -for a -$2- fine-ilia—ticket� is' paid out of count while •the fine in • court is $1. "I don't _.,"know any,.other court, we can go •to ifyour honor finds the bylaw valid,' _._ --Mr. ".Murrp''h'y-- rrai d. "It is discriminatory. Too many people were paying $1 • fines in court and council 'rais- ed the rate to $2 (out of. court). You are entitled to lookeat the intention of town council," Mr. Murphy told• Judge Hethering- ton. , :Council had originally set the oirr°time parking. fine at $1 for • a first offence but later Aim the out of court fine to $2. The fine remained at $1 in count. • Judge Hetherington said he has not read Magistrate Marsh- • man's reasons for his judgment. Mr. Hunter said yesterday's proceedings were " by way of a trial de novo (new, trial)'! • • Constable Roy Venn testified he was chalking tires in-Caurrt- house Square April 27 to check on parked cans' and found a ear that had been parked for two -.hours •and five minutes. He said it was later found to be Mr. Murphy's car. Mr. Murphy •Argued that the summons said that he, as reg: i.stered owner of as ear, parked it or Caused it to be parked in the location des.eribed, but that no evidence was present- ed th-at he did either rbhing. He pointed - out that the town was • given the right by the Ontario Municipal Act to pass bylaws regttlsting traffic. "Council does not have the right to make it an 'offence' for an owner to violate a •perkinii ylaw,,,, he said. "If they (coun- %1) want to' charge the owner. they should specifically say SD." ed by chairman John Schaefer for Thursday. ,to discuss the situation and details of oper- ating _a service. The board was , asked town council. to consider o erating a ser'Vice after council rejected ,a request by , ambu- lance operator Ralph Hawes, of Goderich for an $8,300 subsidy, Mr. Hawes has informed coup,. cit he can't continue his service past Jan.' 31 without the sub- sidy. . His application to Huron County council for an $85,001 subsidy to trim a county -wide ambulance service was turned down. County council ;said it was up to individual munici- palities to provide..:the service.: • Mr. Hawes ,started 14, service Dec. 15 after, local funeral di- rectors withd=ew their ambu- lances. ' He has said he will continue the service to Goderich, Auburn, Blyth and Clinton at least until he ..is ..officially. ..informed whether subsidies will be grant- ed. Mayor Frank Walkom hasp decided to make a last ditch attempt to establish a Centen- nial committee in Goderich. On Friday the mayor' an- nounced that a meeting would be held on February 28 to try to set up •a committee. "If 'this meeting is a fail- ure, we will hang up , our' hats," said the mayor. At the inaugural meeting of council, Mayor Walkom said Goderich was th% only community in Canada faced with the peespect of not cele- brating the Centennial be- cause of public apathy. "We muse 'have a decent turn out,' said the mayor. "'There is "no point in getting only 15 people out to a meet- ing and'saying the whole town is behind it. "This is a • last-ditch at- -tempt,,'. he- said. All-Star Teams It's the Goderich Rotary Club against the CKNX All -Stars on Friday, March 4,•in the 1966 All- Star hockey game. Proceeds will go to the Re- tarded Adult -workshop. T'ic'k- ets are now on sale. } An advance crew from Logan Construction .. The crew is dropping the level of .tine of Stratford prepare the site for 'the $830,- • ground so. the plant can achieve rhaaximum 000 lakeside sewage .treatmeert• plant here. flow. • -' Signal -Star Photo At the quarterly dinner meet- ing eeting of the Goderich and District Labour Council, guest speaker Stephen Helesic outlined -the history and the philosophy of the Credit 'Union Movement. Since the organization of the first Credit Union in Canada in 1900, the movement has grown to over 4,720 Credit Unions serv- ing more than 3,700,000 Can- adian members, with assets of $2,600,000,000. - Mr. Helesic went on to in - By W. E. Elliott The provision of ambulance service in Huron, where with- drawn or otherwise lacking, was placed in the lap of the local municipalities bycounty coun- cil in the closing hours of the January session A report of the,county board. of health (1965) pointed out That municipalities have author- ity of the Municipal Act, to en- ter into an agreement for such Situation • arises. We are .op- posed to a county wide system; it -should be .open to all, not just one ar two go into the.. business." 'Reeve Sewell: "Our .two fun- eral directors in Goderich have given wonderful service in the past. We are not opposed to - corning to some agreement, but there would still be Colborne' and part of Goderich Township,. to be considered:' - Reeve Grant Stirling: "This matter was brought up at the Association of Counties,, and :here is no county operating an ambulance." '• Clerk Berry said a letter from - .- Wingham funeral directors in- • dicated they want to get out of, the ambulance business." • He read some information from a 'province -wide report on ambul- ance _service. It Was --"reported that ambul- ance supsidies ranged flrom $100 to $17,400. A. Survey'Show- ed 23 ,operators carrying on the service exclueiveiy, and 158ein connection with some, • other • business. Collections were made - in only 68% of tr'affi,c accident - calls. - When county representatives . on hospital boards were 'making their, reports, earlier, the am- bulance question was brought up. by Warden Stewart. • "Some thought this could be tied in.,with hospitals," he said. "Would any of these men be prepared to. say Whether or not , - this is a, good idea?" . n John k'isher, . '"'Wingham, , thought it might be 'worth, look- ing into. Deputy 'Reeve Jack -Alexander, Wingham, said: "We' have no trouble with :ambul- ances. am4 ul-antes, • We have two working; our fireinen are trained In first aid and quite capable of handl- ing an ambulance and -quite pre - Pared to do that if we have to, 'but we. have no trouble at pre- sent." •- -- Cost Factor ' "I think the anibulance pro- blem 'is greater here ,than else- where in the county," said hos - pital chairman John • Schaefer. This will come up in council, but personally I feel 'I want to have. some assurance there will be ambulance ,servi-ce'in. Gode- rich. , ''There are good, reasons why an ambulance . should be cern- fleeted with a hospital. ' It could be tied . in with your answering service.. -If you have. co-oper- ation of -other -hospitals with ambulances, you could co-opt and cover one ,another's tterri-_._ _ tory. • • - , - "Cost is: oneeefactor, and in our position' we are 'in no posi- ,R tion /to make outlay for necee sary equipment or face 'theloss in running a st;rvice.' Some of the cost could he put in with hospital _post, as far as OIiSC .TTI , is concerned and other services integrated. • "We -have rat present no` order- lies., 10 drive" an ambulance. Night calls would • be a problem, because not too many hospitals have night staff on, and for the night, hours, when the, number of cells is smallest; St., John Ambulance - mightprovide the , go -and -carry type of service: • • "We have had some discus- sion, and if no service were provided Is think , the hospital board, would step- in and tiy • to provide it," said Mr. Schaefer. Reeve Duff Thompson, Clin- ton', who presented the Clinton hospitaleerepor°t in absence •of Beecher Menzies, said: "At pre- sent the Clinton hospitals working very closely with Sea - forth. and as far as the ambul- ance is concerned in our com munity we have no difficulty. • We made -- arrangemen„ts not only fat the” hospital but the town: Mr. Hawes, after, the county council session ended, told this reporter that after the provin- cial het is passed it will stand- ardize ambulance service . and set rninin um basic requirements for operation. "I have two vehicles operat- ing efficiently and economically for Clinton and Goderich;" he ., . said. "I Should have three, so' that' if the regular vehicle' is out of the nreaa another is avail- able. These will serve ten'ipor- arily, Tui will be- alfiscifelre when • - the Act is passed:" ' form the gathering on the pro_ service where not provided grecs of the Goderich Commun: t.h`rough . the - local board of ity Credit. Union, which was es- i health. tablished in 1954 with 29 mem-; So far as county council is bers ,arid a total in assets of concerned, this disposes of an $30.00. Since that 'time, the i issue thrust upon it when open - Community - Credit Union has, ators tri the- Goderich-Clinton- grown considerably to the pre- Auburn area announced termin 'sent assets of oven' $425,000 and ation of --the service at the end 1158 . members. of 1965. • He al.o pointed out- that . the Subsequently,. Ralph Hawes -Credit...Union. is good. for the .of _."Goderich undertopic_ to_ _con- community, since all the mem- tintle it to ;March 15, rind on -bers' money works. within the December 22 proposed! payment community and its earnings also of $85,000 as initial ekpenditure stay, in tjie`community. He gave on a county -wide service. an",example whereby the niem- Th'e board''s report, presented -hers .are about to receive -ap- by Chairman John Morrissey proximately 114,500 in "divid- of Crediton, , pointed out that ends from last -year's earnings. the only ,written• comn;iitments The speaker emphasized that received concern the area of. people shodld- beware'of signing Goderich, Clinton and Auburn. their name to any loan contract Funeral' directors elsewhere unless".they fully understand the ,Illy' Indicated orally_ what they true interest' rate which they might plan. • will' be obligated to pay.- Council was' informed that an He stated that the Credit Un- offer had been. received from ion movement welcomes the Alwin Sherwood, Dungannon, to proposed provincial legislation operate, a county -wide .service to disclose the true 'interest with six ' ambulances, with a rates plus the costs of loan con- subsidy of '30 cents per capita tracts, adding that Credit Un- or about $15,000. ions have always had their true" Discussion,in council indicat- interes,.t,.rate on their documents, ed much opposition:. ,to the Many -people believe that `the county trying to handle a ser - 6% discount interest is a true vice, and an opinion on the part 6% per annum. This is not so; of sonic members that 'the gen- for when.. the payments are erel hospitals should organize made on a monthly basis, this the service. 6%`becomes approximately 12% ; Deputy Reeve Wilmer Cut - simple interest rate. By the hill, Seaforth, • said: ° "Doctors, same toker: a 2% interest rate undertakers and hospitals could becomes 24% simple interest get together and run it to their rate, she said. , - •own advantage from' a hospital." During the business session Reeve Clifford , Dunbar, Grey: of the Labour Council, it•was felt `}I think the real solution is that more interest should be withthe hospitals, and " until directed towards the town caun- that can be accomplished the cil and its activities.. Labour present recommendation is one Council members should attend we should 'accept." - Opp'osition Deputy Reeve Jack Alexander, V�'itigliam: "Our fire department is prepared to take over if the .CLINTON—Huron County of- ficials -propose to boycott CNR freight in the _area unless ,CNR drops its, plans to curtail pas- senger service from Stratford to Goderich.. A brief, from county council Feb. 13 to the' Board of Trans- port Commissioners ,and Caaia-. dian National Railways, object- ing,to the prbposed,eurtailment, will likely contain an ultimatum. Municipal r e p r e s e ntatives from Goderich, Clinton arid Seaforth suggested Monday that the "day the • passenger service is curtailed, all CNR freight be boycotted in ,the, area. The Clinton ' and Seaforth chamber 'of commerce and the Goderich Businessmen's ' As- sociation will be asked to a meeting in Clinton lefonday to lay plans for ithe boycott. Representatives. from •Dublin and Mitchell will also be. asked to atte-nd. ' • Chambers of commerce ,and business associations through- out the area will be contacted to seek legal "assisten•ce im drawing up such :an ult,imat•um, The brief was .approved at the January session. The suggestion -for ;the boy= cott came from. Goderich 'busi- nessman B. R. Robinson at a meeting 'here last night. - He. said cdrtailment of passenger service would • affect Huron County's entire economy. • "Unless We threaten to take' freigrht away, we are beaten," he said. --Ue said Canadian,' National Railways has all •the'figurc'`s' to show that passenger service' ha.3 been a money-losing pro position and, that.there has been a dropping- poplation with. no promise of growth. "This is what •the • railways study. Thea• have the figures and they do not see anything but the dollar signs," , he said. MWe have to. hove something very concrete_•_sand positive to show them or it Ls hopeless." Reeve Duff Thompson of Clinton said he• felt more opti- mistic., "-Here in this. area, we have everything that contributes to ore •econ•omical. production than the highly -populated area," he said. Mayor Donald Symons or Clinton .'aid -"-he. felt the CNR has a x- sponsibility to give rood service, blit he did not feel it had clone much to •en- courage passenger business. Coen. 'WVarteir Sheardov>rarn Goderich suggeoted • the,. CNR reinstate a former train; sched- ule which: was discontinued . in 1957. and under which a travel- ler could catch an early train • frtfm Goderich, reach Toronto by 10 a.m.-and return" to Gode- rich by 'midnight. Time only To- ronto -bound train under the present schedule leaves Gode- rich, at noon and reaches To ronto at about • 4 p.m., . which. means . • travellers must stay overnight in Toronto to 'corn - duct their business and return home the next day. • Mayor Symons said, "We are paying into this business which is government-owned and-' op- 1 Town Council meetings on a erased. There must be other rotation basis. This is not meant to critieize the Town- `Council lines that aren't as profitable.) but is only to observe the pro 'Why are, they discHminati:ng 1 ceedings• of the meetings and { make reports to the Labour (Council at its quarterly nieet.i. ings. This should he one of the primary. function °of the Labour Cnune'il, it was pointed -out.. of iinst this area?" Wi:,.9AM EISSET Goderich's postmaster front 1937 to 1955, William Bisset died on Monday after a long illness. IIe was in, his -15111 year. - Born iii Colborne Township, .he served during the first world ‘var with the 56th Battalion of the Royal Canadian Artillery. A member of the Knox Pres- byterian Chureh and a member of • the Kirk Session, Mr. Bisset was a past first principal of Huron Chapter '1Vo. 30 of which• be was a life member., A past master of Maitland Lodge No. 33, A,F &. AM, he was secretary of the order for many years as well e being a life m•cmber. Mr. I3.isset is starvised by his ,vidow, the . former May. Me- Vionus; a daughter, Mrs. Ronald Clare) Patterson, Toronto; two brothcrea Peter rand Robert of Goderich, and .three grand- children: Ile was predeceased by his ;nn William who was killed while.. serving as a Flight Serg- eant with the RCAF in. 1943. Funeral services , were held •,n 'Wednesday at the Lodge, ttner' 1 home., Interment fol- lowed in Colborne cemetery. Pallbearers were: Rev. Robert 'ifiset, Fred Bisset, Gordon Wal- ter, William, • Sturdy, John Sturdy and Peter Sturdy. Masonic honors were eon - 'erred on Mr. I3issetu, at the 'lodge funeral home on Tuesday evening. A ten of salt will be sold in oagTeh on Safurdat,afternoon as part of a town canvass by the Minor Hockey Association to reach a target of $240. Close to 300 young, hockey enthusiasts wttl be taking to the streets at 2 p.m. for the 90 minute door-to-door blitz. The 40 cases of salt have been donated to the canvass by The Sifto Salt Division of Dom- tar Chemicals Limited. Association officials have re- quested "all fathers" to be al the arena at 2 p.m. as their cars are urgently -needed for the drive. - _. The mothers are -not g6lng- to get out of the act either. ..A meeting has been called for 3. p.m. for any • mother interested in forming an auxiliary to help the Minor Hockey Association. This meeting will be held in the arena. Reeve Assists Local Chi_�dren Reeve Reg Jewell came to tiie assistancz' of ehHfl-r°en--i -hod lice, in the area of tin•_ Judith (rood �rham park at .last Friday's council meeting. The reeve -objected to the recent decision to lock the'park, gates during the winter. months, "I • do not see why these kids. have to play out on the streets when there; is an acre of land . there," he said "They have beep playing there for years,' and I don't see why they should be locked •out now • i Parks chairman, Councillor' Herbert ..Such said the gates' had' heen locked because some children were managing t get into the pool area. "They have been.- getting through the fence into an area where they might hurt them- selves," said Councillor Such. 13e agreed to look into the mat- ter of, repairing the fence and IT-on,'ning the gates. ` COL. D. B. WELDON "4 Col. Couglas B."Weldon, chair- man of the board of Goderich Elevator and, Transit Company Limited;- has accepted the post of honorary chairman of the fund raising committee at the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, Goderich: Mr. Weldon was born in Monc. ton, New ' Brunswick, and. .has' been a resideint of . ondon for over' 40 years. iHe is a chairman of the -Board of Governors of the University of Western Ontario rand three years ,,ago was awarded an hon- orary degree sof Doctor of Laws at the University of New Bruns- wick. Mr. Weldon is the current president of -the Royal `Winter Fair and also is onorary chair- man of Midlan_ -Osier Secur. ities. Among his directorships are -several prominent companies in Western Ontario such as Labatts Breweries of Canada Ltd., Sup- eriest Petroleum , Corp. Ltd., Northern Life Assurance Com- pany of Canada and Emco Ltd. - Mr., Weldon will lend his hearty' support towards raising the necessary:funds for the con- struetion of ,,the -addition. -10 this haspit>!it. Ti should com- pleted late in 1966., Goderich tgwn council has re- quested the provincial `and fed- eral governments to pay 50 veer cent of Maintenance and oper- ating costs at its $830,000 sew- age treatment plant now' under construction. The resolution calling for aid for all municipally Operated treatment plants received un- animous support at the regular meeting of council held on Friday. 1 rencla iarrteen, g, and Mary Itubh Rush, 13, go through a's-election of Scottish dances as a highlight of the- Robbie Burns night celebration which Was held at the Royal Canadian Degibn hall on Friday. • Signal -Star Photo Vince Young, president of the Goderich Minor Hockey Association, revealed recently he is stepping down from the pos9,ion for "health reasons." Mr. Young'made the ,an- nouncem,ent as he headed down eolith "for r. few days of sun and rest on doctor's orders." Election of officers for the association Will be held on Sunday night at the arena.