The Goderich Signal-Star, 1966-10-06, Page 2ditcriais...
Massive Changes In 20 Years
It is 20 years since school chil-
dren slogged through the mud of
abandoned air force base at Port
- Albert, and the last time the Inter-
national Plowing Match was held
in Huron County.
' That was 1946. It was the year
of the International "Victory" Plow-
ing Match, out of its Second World
War hibernation to return the plow-
ing match to its familiar ,place on
the Ontario rural scene.
Rain that year made the Port
Albert air field a quagmire. Despite
the weather conditions the plowing
match drew 140,000 persons, and in
one day 86,000 attended the event,
representing a one -day attendance
record for the International to that
point.
From this somewhat inauspic-
ious post-war beginning, the ,Inter-
national has continued' to grow to
the point where it is the largest out-
. door agricultural event of its kind
in Canada.
This year the International re-
turns to Huron County, and the
predicted attendance. is 50,000 a day
for each of four days. There is every
reason to expect that this prediction
may be understated if the weather
does not interfere. _ _.:.
In the 20 years since the Inter-
national opened, in Huron there
have been massive changes in Cana-
dian agriculture, and it is an indica-
:tion of the fascination humanity has
for the soil which sustains its life
that the International continues to
record a greater attendance each
year although fewer and fewer per-
sons are actively engaged in agri-
culture. - -
About the time the 1946 plow-
ing match was being held at Port
Albert, 47 per cent of Canada's
population was'classed as rural and
about 53 per cent,as urban. Ontario's
population was 42 per cent rural
and 58 per cent urban.
As we moved into the present
decade the ratio had changed mar-
kedly. On thenational scene the
rural population stood at 2 per
cent and the urban at 71.1 per cent,
Letters To The Editor . a
Sir:As an Inspector a the
SPOA for 33 years, now 're-
. tired, I still hope I can get
something across to some of
these so-called sportsmen, with
guns that go around shooting at
anything that moves. I often
wonder haw many of this type
would go into the woods, if
the animals carried weapons and
could fight back—not. many 1
• am .afraid.,
I often wonder hone anyone
cap be so callous _ as to shoot
,any animal, domestic or wild,
then leave it to die in agony.
This also goes for the motorist
that runs over an: animal that
is' on the road and doesn't ever}
stop to see if the animal is dead
or badly injured and to see that
• it is put out of its misery. This
is happening most every day.
One -morning last week, our
pet cat was not at the door as
usual, waiting for his Breakfast,
He was the one of two survivors
of a litter of six that had been
brought to this area and dump-
ed by someone and left to their
own resources, all but two have
been killed on the highway.
. The ane that was missing this
time was our favorite, he was
a clown and full of tricks. We
spent a lot of time over the
weekend looking for him, we
found him•on the Monday at. the
edge of the long grass on the
sideroad near our property. At
first I thought he had been run
over until I saw the bullet hole,
it had entered hitsupper jaw and
while in Ontario it had dropped to
20.8 per cent rural and 79.2 per
cent urban.
From 1941 until 1961 the Census
of Canada, reports the percentage
of the labor force engaged in 'agri-
culture and akin occupations in Can-
ada moved from 31.8 to 14.37, and
in, Ontario from 22.45 to 9.89.
In - 1951 Ontario had 150,000
farms with 20,900,000 acres, employ-
ing 201,000 persons, . with $445,000,-
000 in machinery, cash receipts of
$801,000,000 and net value of pro-
. duction $573,000,000.
By 1961 the province had 121,-
000 farms, with 18,600,000 acres, em-
ploying 169,000 persons, with $579,-
000,000 in machinery, cash receipts
of $891,000,000but net value of only
$543,000,000. .
How do we compare with other
parts of the world? In ,South / /Se ��,pC���,�
America 65 per cent of the popula-, �, OS ,.Will, V
tion work producing food. In North
America only 16 per cent are so
engaged. D Ut
Thus has agriculture changed
within 20 years. Huron may not
have changed as much as other parts
of the country, but it has changed,
being a predominantly agricultural
economy.
Hurom has more than 5;000
farms: Most of its farmers are en-
gaged in growing livestock, and
about 33 per cent have dairy opera-
tions. In 1965 its cattle and poultry
were valued . at $35,000,000 more
Wan any other. county in Ontario.
Ninety-five per cent of Huron
farmers use electricity and • 90 per
cent tractors and automobiles.
Cash crops are gaining and now
have a total value of more than
$1,000,000 a year.
It will be interesting to attempt
to discern what impact the holding
of the International Plowing Match
in Huron will have on the county.
Any exposition that introduces new
ideas is bound to produce changes.
This will probably be one of the
plowing match's greatest values,
and a good reason. why every resi-
dent of the county should attend it.
What About 'Two -Year Terms?
Mayor Walkom and members
of council may decide this evening
that future mayors ' and councils,
Public Utilities Commissions and
Public School Bards should hold
office for two years:
Council can initiate two-year
terms by mel:ely-passing a bylaw. Or
it can seek, a mandate from the elec-
tors for such procedure through a
plebiscite.
A two-year term has a number
of advantages. The dividends, in the
proper circumstances, are efficiency
and economy.
An immediate saving of about
$675 in election expenses would ac-
crue from the fact that one election
would be. held every .two years. A
further $560 every second year
would be saved if it is not necessary
to print a voters' list every year.
Projects started in one year
often overlap into a second so there
is a value of continuity. It .usually
takes at least a year,„4efore a fresh- •
man councillor orients- himself to
' council procedure and starts to
make a contribution to its delibera-
tions.
Occasionally meaeures which
are politically distasteful have to be
introduced for the public good. By
instituting such legislation ° in the
first year of the term, the elected
•
orses Have Their Pkice
Although the large majority
of contestants in this year's In-
ternational Plowing Match will
use tractors about 10 will use
horses for plowing. The match
is, being held at Scott Farms,
McKillop township, Oct. 11 to
14. '
Whether a contestant decides
to use a tra'c"t. r or horses, he
has the choice of either bringing
his own or having them supplied.
The 'horses will 'be stabled at
the Clinton fair grounds which
is located a few miles west of
the site. The nearly 300 tractors
required for plowing, wagon tours
and other uses will be parked on
ten acres ' of land at the 'site
which' has been set aside for
this purpose.
can go to polls the following year
standing on a record that may not
be so freshly aggravating in the
electors' minds.
The real responsibility in an ex-
tended term of office for the elected
rests with the electorate, unfortun-
ately a group which little seems to
care who is elected or for how long.
In contests where elected of-
fices are filled by acclamation it is
tooeasy - for persons of inferior
ability to gain a chair. Sadly such
situations exist and continue un-
remedied even in single terms of
office, but it is no reason why it
should be compounded in an extend-
ed term. •
Itis therefore the responsibility
of the electorate to nominate those
with the ability to fulfill their trust,
and elect who will live up to it.
This might be a good reason for
council to send the question of..two-
year terms to a referendum ; to see
how many are alert or concerned
about the proposal.
Measles Vaccine
In Canada last year there were
71 deaths from measles. Of this total
38 per cent were infants under 12
months. This is a needless waste of
life where there is available a safe
and effective measles vaccine.
•
Established
1848
0141r
Gabn,ntc •tjnat-tar119th PubliYearcation of
--43- Th. County Town Nlowspapar of Huron --0---
Published at Goderich, Ontaridtevery Thursday morning by
signal -Stour Publishing Limited
ROBERT G. SHRII✓R
R. W. KEARNS
President and Publisher Managing Editor
s. 1d'. arms. Plant Supt.
• I r . Member of C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A. and A.B.C.
•t
• Subscription Rates $5 a fear --4o U.S.A. $6 (in advance)
bAuthorized -its' 15econd Crus: Mail, Poat Office Dept.,
Ottawa and for Payment of Postage in Cash.
al taA4
The horses can also compete
in the horse show which includes
teams up to six horse hitches.
On the opening day of the match
the show is restricted to coun-
ties holding their annual plowing
match in conjunction with the
.International Plowing Match. The
horse show on Oct. 13 is open
to all teams that have plowed
in the° match
The majority of horses take
part in the daily parade at 1 p.m.
Plowing Competitions
It must be remembered that the
International' Plowing Match and
Farm Machinery Demonstration
is, first and foremost, a com-
petition in,plowing open to plow-
men in any part of the world.
It continues to draw the interest
of our young men particularly
our junior farmers.
The support by donors, most
of whom represent firms who
do business every day with farm
people, is very much in evidence.
It should be noted here that the
awarding of trips to the British
Isles to winning plowmen for
many years, resulted in the for-
mation of a -World Plowing-Or—
ganization and because Ontario
had been holding a large match
annually they were in a position
to act as host on behalf of Cana-
da for the first. World Match of
the new organization at Cobourg
amain 1953.
O. P.A. officials not only took
• a prominent part in the arrange-
ments but succeeded in setting
up the same year a Canadian
Plowing Council which brings to-
gether annually the best plowmen
from the provinces for a Cana-
dian Championship Contest.
Down Memory Lane
Unveil Tablets At Kn�x
55 Years Ago -1911
An event which proved of
intense interest to those who
were present in the 'Knox Pres-
byterian Church on Wednesday
evening was the ceremony in
connection: with the un+veildng
of memorial tablets in memory
of the former revered pastors
of the church, Rev. Dr. Ure
and Rev. Jas. A. Anderson.
A new electric motor was re-
ceived this weeks by the Gode-
rich Elevator & Transit Co. Ltd.
It was purchased from the Allis-
Chalmers -Bullock Co.,. of Mon-
treal, and was brought here by
express in a special car from
G.T.R. It is said to be the
heaviest shipment of express that
ever was ---br gglit, into Gode-
rich: It weighed 12,000 pounds.
At the meeting 'of the Public
Sdhooi Board en Monday even-
ing, it was decided to promote
Miss Sharman from the position
of vice-principal of Central
School to that of principal.
* * __
15 Years Ago1951
Representatives` of the Gode-
rich Board of Trade. attended
the Teeswater Fair on Wednes-
day and made a survey of the
fair there with a view to using
ideas for a proposed revival of
the Goderich Fair.
Several trees on the bathing
beach were toppled over by
last week's storm. With a strong
southwest wind the water flood-
ed the wharf for some time.
The Lawn Bowling Club is, hay-,
ing a mixed doubles' • tthirna-
ment on Thanksgiving lay. Play
is set to begin at one o'clock.
* * *
10 Year Ago -1956
Mail -,.service in and out of
ti-oderich by trudk was inaug-
urated on Sunday with the first
mail out On Monday the first
mail by truck came in.
Alex McIver, the bicycle cham-
pion of 50 year's ago, left Sat-
urday on return to Winnipeg
after spending a good part of
the summer in Goderich.
A power cruiser froan Detroit
has been in harbor for about
Will Council Bury
Centennial Plantings?
spruce, with the idea that • this
By G. MacLeod Foss • would put a flavor of woodsi-
For same nine or more years, ness into persons breasting the
the- struggling local Horticul- dangerous curve .up from the
tura Society has attempted, bridge. This was duly approved
within the limits of its meagre ,and the planting effected. No
budget, to improve the town sooner was this done' than the
by plantings here and there. clubs of Goderich were permit -
There is a triangle of land, ted to erect a large signboard,
bounded by• Caledonia Terrace, apprising Esgdimaux from' the
Highway 21 and the Salt Mine far 'north of their prowess. This
Road. (This last was called served to detract from the plant -
the North Road at the time coun- ing in no uncertain manner.
cil was gaining expertise 'in de- Next the Maitland Country
termining just how much earth Club was permitted to erect an
it could remove from the bank, equally large sign, which vied
so that certain houses on Cale- with the planting and the clubs.
donia Terrace would just not Now come . the salt sellers, and
topple down on to the golf as this is written, a massive
course •below, some hundred launching pad in concrete is
feet. Council's latest experiment being cast on the same ° site.
is a reversal of its former one. Whether it will proclaim that
Now, it is to find out how much Goderich is "the saltiest Town
spoil can be dumped over the in Ontario" remains to be seen.
bank, down some hundred feet The question arises: Must
again,., in an apparent attempt each one foul the effort of the
to create a landslide which: will last? Is there noone on eoun-
block the C.P.R. tracks below cil with. a soul above the gar -
the trailer camp: In these days bage dump? True, in spite of
When adult education has come' the claim to "Prettiness," `.here
to the fore, excursions such as has been dnly one member of
these must be condoned.) council to .support the society
But to return to the question over the last 10 years. The final
of the plantings. Some four question therefore becomes:
years ago the horticultural so- How long must we was till
ciety sent council a surveyed council authorizes the burial of
plan of the aforesaid triangle of the Society's Centennial project
land, asking approval to plant of Miss Canada roses and
shrub roses, backed by-, blue maples? •
.two weeks now with its pilot in
Alexandra Marine and General
,Hospital. The boat was heading
for Manitoulin Island when boat
trouble was experienced and
then illness overtook the pilot:
* * *
• One Year Ago -1965
A group of 50 GDCI honor
students left for a three-day trip
to Quebec City on Thursday.
The party was chaperoned- by
Mr. and Ma's. J Seaman.
The 1965-66 season of the
Community Concerts started
with _ the amazing Lee Evans
Trio, October 5th at 8.30 p.m.
in the GDOI auditorium.
Ron Feagan, the 23 -year-old
Goderich driver - trainer - owner
dropped into the Western Fair
Raceway last Thursday to team
two horses and won with bath.
emerged through his shoulder.
By the evidence at :the scene, be
had writhed in agony fax a long
time before bleeding tpa - death..
We would not have feat so
badly, f the so -nailed hunter
had used another bullet to put f—
the cat out of its. misery; but to
leave it to die in agony, to me
is one of the worst forms of
cruelty.
It is unfortunate bhat acounty
the size of; Iuron does not have
a branch of the SPCA, also an
animal, shelter where lost or
injured animals' can by taken,
and if the animal is too badly
injured or too sick to be saved,
it could be humanely destroyed.
I will quote in part, section
387, subsection (A) of the Crim-
inal Code:
"Anyone commits an offence,
who, willfully causes or being the
owner, wilfully permits unneces-
sary pain, suffering, or injury to
an animal or bird.
The same act covers in part,
the person or persons, who take
domestic animals ,to some dis-"
tank part and abandons them to
their own resources ,or to run
over an animal and leave it in-
jured on the road, without stop-
ping to see that it is humanely
destroyed, if too badly injured
to be saved, this not only applies
to domestic but also wind animals
and birds.
Anyone found guilty of any
of these offences, in a court of
law are suibjedt to a heavy fine,
or impri'sonanent, or both."
L. Anderson,
R.R.1., Goderich.
r
James Richardson & Sons Ltd:
"Serving The Feed Dealers of Western Ontario"
PHONE 524-8388, GODERICH
�. . SPECIAL
THANKSGIVING MEALS
WILL BE SERVED AT THE
LITTLE INN — BAYFIEL.D
SUNDAY BRUNCI--11:30 - 2:00
DINNER— 5:30 - 7:30
MONDAY DINNER -1:00 - 3:00
—OPEN WEEKENDS ALL YE4 R —
For Reservations Phone 565-2611
—Special Thanksgiving Dinner-43.50—
mulled cider.
Consomme and cheddar croutons.
Roast Turkey with savory dressing and cranberry-orang
relish.
Prime rib roast of beef with Yorkshire pudding.
. Butter-whipped..potatoes.
Turnip or baked acorn squash.
Sweet and sour cabbage or green peas.
Tossed salad. with Roquefort or French dressing
or
Sunshine jellied- salad.
Crisp assorted relishes and hot homemade rolls.
Pumpkin pie with whipped cream
or
Apple pie and cheese.
or
Butterscotch sundae with toasted almonds.
dr
Indian pudding with ice cream.
Fruit bowl — Mints.
Coffee — Tea -- Milk — Sanka.
PRY;DE & SON
Memorials
Finest Stone and Experienced Workmanship
DISTRICT
Frank Mcllwain REPRESENTATIVE'S
5247861 or 200 Gibbons St. = 524-9465
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