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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-03-25, Page 1erokh 4 sTA„0„, I I N lotaA L. 133 YEAR -12 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1981 50 CENTS PER COPY PUC members want same increase as council Members of the town's Public Utilities Commission feel they are entitled to the same pay raise as council. In a letter to council, PUC manager Al Lawson, asked that the commission's annual remuneration of $1,080 and daily per diem rate of $27 be adjusted upward by the same percentage of increase"recently granted to council salaries. The increases would be effective January 1. Councillor Elsa Haydon argued that commission members are not eligible to collect both honorariums and a perdiem rate: -" "They cannot collect both, council .has never authorized that," she said. Council approved the 10 per cent increase for an- nual remuneration boosting commission pay to $1,1 The request for an increase in the $27 per diem rate was referred to the finance committee. Jack Riddell'rolisto fourth election win Huron -Middlesex Liberal MPP, Jack Riddell, won his Exeter. Riddell recorded a 2,000 vote majority over fourth straight election to the Legislature Thursday Conservative candidate Jim Britnell. and shared the victory with his mother Dorothy in • A Conservative majority government will.not serve the people of Ontario as effectively as a minority, Huron -Middlesex Liberal MPP Jack Riddell said in a 'post-election interview. Riddell, a 4L year...-old.Ja!tTner,_.was....eiected.-to itis fourth term of office sincewinning a riding byelection in 1973, but the victory was tempered somewhat by the Conservative 70 -seat majority win ending six years of minority government. "It isdisappointing that we're going into a majority situation because now the Conservatives can bulldoze policy," he said. "Minority government was effective and the people were happy. It provided effective checks and balances in government," The Liberals failed to make any gains in the election and will again send 34 members to the Legislature. The Conservative strength was evident in Huron -Middlesex as well with Tory candidate Jim -BI1tna ciit bigRiddell'rifnajority to Inst 2;000'votes. In 1977 the. Liberal majority in the riding was close to 4,000. Riddell attributed'.the close race to complacency • within the party organization and among voters.. "There was just too math complacency among the vo6ers ana cion, tfie first day of the campaign people were saying there was no need to worry," he said. "We may have lost 2,000 votes because the supporters didn't get out and perhaps the organization could have made a greater effort. We had an excellent campaign and the organization worked hard but perhaps we needed.just a bit more." Britnell .topped the polla in Goderich and made some gains in the Clinton area. Riddell attributed those gains to' the Conservative advertising campaign and the fact that it was his opponent's home turf. " "Jim has lived in Goderich for over 20 years and you have to expect he would do well there," Jack said. "But we wouldn't have spent half the money the Tories did during the campaign. We did not spend any money on radio or television and are.pleased with the vote considering that limited exposure." • In commenting on 'the Conservative majority win, Riddell conceded that the public voted on leadership and could not accept Stuart,Smith or Michael Cassidy in that role. "I think the vote reflected a leadership vote and the trend was for Davis," he said. "The Tories were running ahead in the polls. and the people were prepared to accept Davis as leader and not Smith or Cassidy." Smith's failure to generate interest in the Liberal philosophy may lead to a leadership review, a move Riddell contends will be left up to the party leader. _"Stuaft wti to cie the `uiiitiidive viii tiie "iieaderslup .� m question. I admire the man for his courage, leader- ship and intelligence," he said. "He would be prepared to ask -the party about his leadership. He is just thatkindofman." . ... . The Huron -Middlesex, Liberal Association has learned from this election, and the lesson is that nothing can be taken for granted. Riddell insists that each election will take more work and is convinced that personal contact, although a tedious chore in a largeriding, is the best approach. The Legislature will not reconvene. until after Easter and the Liberals will again assume the role of opposition: But against a majority government the rules of the game have changed: . "We will still be the official opposition and we will criticize when necessary, and introduce private member's bills when necessary," Riddell said. "We will 'continue to operate for the people as we have done in the past" • avis gets majority mandate Premier William Davis and the Conservative Party ' received a clear mandate from the voters•of Ontario Thursday. and were restored to power with a majority victory: ' Soon,after the -Ws closed at 7. p.m..it was evidi'nt the Tories would regain a:,majority government acid only the final numbers wer"e,in doubt. Davis needesi 63__seats to form the majority government he sought and the Conservatives ended • up winning 70 of 125 Ontario ridings an increase of 12 seats frem the 1977 proviiricial: election. The Liberals :simplyleld•their own in>tha ectien:again'iivinningga4 seats iii the Legislature. • The big losers in the 32nd provincial election were the NDP and leader Michael Cassidy who watched his 33 -seat block in the Legislature dwindle to 21. It was the first election for the NDP leader since taking over from Stephen Lewis in 1979 and although he vowed to fight for the party again, his leadership is now suspect. • Historically, a low voter turnout works in favor of the ruling party and this election was- no exception. General apathy during the election campaign was reflected in the number•of votes cast and the turnout at the polls was down close to eight per cent across the province. ' Elston staves off challenge BY HENRY HESS It was nip and tuck, but in the end Murray Elston accomplished what. he had set out to do: keep the Huron -Bruce riding in the Liberal fold. He overcame a strong challenge from Conservative INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR Sea hunt? These frogmen did't roll in from acro,s s the lake but rhthet; the four divers took advantage of the spring-like weather Sunday to • enjoy some scuba diving off the south pier. Pictures inside. More on Nukes Ted Johns' hilarious play, St. Sam and the Nukes premiered at Blyth last summer and a new version will be offered this year. If you saw it the first time you'll love the new ver- sion. See story page 1 A. Tournament The 32nd rendition of Young Canada Week is off and running with 62 teams competing in five divisions. We've got stories and pictures inside on the sports pages. Regular Features Newborns Pg. 2 Real Estate .. Pg. I R- 19 Columns Pg. 4 TV Pg. 4A Editorials Pg. 4 B. Board Pg. 5A Letters Pg. 5 Church Pg. 8A Sports Pg. 12.14 Weddings Pg. RA Classified.... Pg. 15-17 Farm , Pg. 12A Gary Harron, in a race which saw the lead change hands several times, to win the seat 'by 224 votes, 12,164 to 11,940. NDP candidate Tony McQuail polled 1,979 votes. It was a tense night for Liberals in this riding, grown accustomed to watching Murray Gaunt sweep to victory with margins approaching 10,000 votes. ye He,ar.the '"y"-'pwreah%Ytppy -see their- andidote win - in the face of a strong Conservative tide across the province. • Mr. Gaunt, who had stenned down at the start of.the campaign explaining he wants to spend more time with his family; showed the strain as much as anyone. having campaigned hard for his successor. 'That was too close for comforts', he declared as he arrived at the Teeswater Community Centre for the Liberal victory celebration. He called the race 'a real nail -biter', recalling that one of his own early elec- tions was even closer. He assured Mr. Elston this was the important one however now he has four years to work hard before his next campaign. He promised to help his young successor in any way he can, offering to take him down to Queen's Park, 'and introduce you to all those good Tondo.wn there'. Mr. Elston arrived later, having watched the race unfold from his headquarters in Wingham, and he appeared tired but clearly happy with his success. Special tribute to Gaunt ,'- '.':.nks,F". `r`1,=ti,R �'-1..e-ef a y ea.r auto-each-Wantd .. every one of you,' he told the cheering crowd. 'I should be standing up here applauding you.' He thanked all his campaign workers, paying a special tribute to Mr. Gaunt, whose ntribution he . described as 'tremendous', .and . promised he will continue working hard for the next four years. 'The whole riding of Huron -Bruce will be my home,' he pledged. 'I'll work as hard as possible ..for everyone.' - Although Mr. Elston's campaign manager, Terry Merkley, had predicted two days before the election the outcome _would' be decided by fewer than 1,000 votes, the closeness of. "the race appeared to take many Liberals by surprise. As the evening wore on, small groups of supporters D Turn to page i0 Britnell fought uphill .. battle against incumbent �m Britnell hates to lose. And although the Huron -Middlesex Conservative candidate cut the Liberal winning majority in the riding, his loss to Jack Riddell was still a disap- pointment. "Sure the loss .was a disappointment;" he said. "There is some consolation in the fact that I won in Goderich." Liberal candidate Jack Riddell won his fourth successive election in the riding, but not without a good fight from Britnell. In 1977 Riddell held a 4,000 vote majority over PC candidate, Anson McKinley and Britnell reduced that margin to 2,000 votes last week. Voter enthusiasm was low during the 44 -day campaign and that was evident in the turnout last Thursday. It is difficult to speculate if a heavier turnout would have helped either candidate. "I know Jack thought he was hurt by the turnout but I can't say if it helped or hindered me," Britnell corhmented. "There were just too many un- rnm-witt.nrI . -4... - " • But he knew that running against an incumbent was an uphill battle, a battle that requires' relentless pursuit in the 44 -day campaign. While Britnell will not be sitting in the I,egislature, he was pleased with the party 's performance pro racially. "The voters proved that the' BII,D program and the Davis team was the only way to go. The ('on- servatives had something positive and there was no alternative." he said. -If i can't Abe there, there rs consolation knowing the party platform will he carried out." While al>:111 , was pror,rinent among inters. Britnell found that per --oval contact vas. difficult at hest: in a riding like Huron -Middlesex. "I had a problem reaching the rural people in areas where there are no Large towns or villages." he said. "And people like to see and touch the candidate." There is little consolation in• losing an election considering the effort expended during a campaign. "I'd like to have made it but I tried hard and lost 16 pounds in the process," The vote was also down considerably in two neigh- bouring ridings where the Liberals retained seats. Jack Riddell won the Huron -Middlesex riding in a close contest with Conservative candidate, Jim Britnell and Wingham lawyer, Murray Elston, retained the Liberal seat in Huron -Bruce vacated by Murray Gaunt. But Davis now has the mandate -of Ontarians .to pursue his party's BILD program,. a complex econdmic document, and negotiate with the other ... provinces on.41pricing ant4po nstitutionalrtnatterss ,� o�>� �t have zwi tut .Ontario His cabinet was returned to power and bavis has since 934. many more new faces, with cabinet potential, from which to choose. One of the keys to the Davisavicctory was the demise of the New Democrats in Toronto ridings. The NDP lost seven seats in Metro, five to the Conservatives and two to the Liberals. The Con- servatives also picked up a seat in Toronto formerly held by the Liberals. ' The Davis=majority win ends six, years of minority government in Ontario and marks a OuurTli sic cessive victory for Bill Davis as Conservative Party. leader. , ealth Unit will test later for radioactivity BY JOANNE BUCHANAN Two pieces of dinner china sold in southern Ontario about 30 years agoand found to be radioactive, have been turned into the .Goderich police station. But Brian Lynch, Huron County's Medical Officer of Health, says there is no need for alarm. A story in the London Free Press last Friday revealed that the inexpensive china, marketed in Canada under the brand names Fiesta and Fran- ciscan by a U.S. firm in the 1950s, has a radiation level that could be dangerous to humans. Chemistry professor Harry Sharma of the University of Waterloo says the source of con- tamination is likely uranium in the glaze, He says the substance was used in orange, yellow and red glazes several decades ago. Blue, green, maroon and grey dishes of the two brands in question do not seem to be affected. ---Sha. ins' twobied 'oi urs tnc c&�ssi rTvi4y-p_� _.'. -- about two weeks ago when a third -year chemistry student mentioned a friend had inherited some dishes known to be radioactive and brought a sample in for testing. - He says the atomic energy control board views the emission levels from the dishes as unacceptable he is particularly concerned about children eating off them because they are more susceptible to radiation , than adults. Apparently, radioactivity has only been found on the surface of the dishes and there is a particular reaction to acids found in certain foods. Dr. Lynch says the radiation from the dishes is weak and repeats that there is no cause for alarm. If you have dishes of either of the two brand names in question, he suggests that you crush or break them into small pieces and dispose of them at a landfill site. If you would like your dishes tested for radiation, take them to the Huron County Health Unit in the Court House and Dr. Lynch will send them to the University -of Western Ontario for testing. Some dinner china sold in southern Ontario about 30 years ago and found to be radioactive, has been turned into the Goderich police station. Here, Police Chief Pat King liioks over'the brand name in question. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan ) Drinking drivers will have to be on the ALERT in town The Goderich police department will be cracking down on drinking drivers beginning this week in an effort to curb a lcohol-.related accidents. Police Chief Pat King said the Goderich force has borrowed the ALERT machin from the OPP ana will begin random roadside testing this week. The Alcohol Level Evaluation Roadside Tester is being•used by several ()PP detachments across the province and is credited with the subsequent decrease in acohol- related accidents. There has been an increase in accidents in Goderich and Chief King said the use of ALERT may cut down on drinking and driving in town. "We will be using the machine periodically to test drivers and if it lowers accidents we hope to buy one," he said. "Last year there was an increase in alcohol-related accidents and vandalism caused by drinking drivers." So drinking drivers in Goderich should now be on the ALERT.