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The Goderich Signal Star, 1976-03-04, Page 12• . PA 4 CrODERIC,H S;IGNATI;-STAR, THURSDAY, MARG•F 4, 1976 If a week in the sun does nothing else, it rerninds you that snow, wind:, •rain and ice - will give way one .day soon to warmth and spnsh'inehere too,; And - that's worth remembering, especially •. -after a wither likethe.one we're presently experiencing,, The entire Kellerhouseheld, ° '•flew . to Florida• for one too: short week. •Despi'te a .colds wave which a•rri.ved about a • day..afterwe dia,•we managed to find enoughsunshine to get ' some basic burns and enough w•arm.th•, to co(npletely relax and enjoy ourselves: In the Oriando area where we spent. our southern• sojourn, we had about one hour of rain "during eight days':'' Other Goderich travellers who visited the Fort Lauderdale district the same week, ,•experienced. much more rain. So• we considered ourselves for- tunateindeed. .• Incidentally, it was the first time any of the Keller family had flown and we were properly impressed With the- • speed and ease .of the trip. After using up -the better part of six days in each of the . previous two years getting to,, our .Florida hotel and home again by car, two hours•down and another two hours back is a pleasant change.• •r One thing bothers me about Florida. -That's the fact that to •many. Floridians, Canada - is 'the hinterland of the world and Canadians are .the scum of°it. One lady from Toronto I met in Florida actually didn't • admit to :being a. Canadian: She preferred to lie about it all, and let.people believe she Was from .Rochester, • New One of the restaurants in Daytona Beach <.a: fine eating - place •called the.- Wooden Nickel - attaches 15 per cent automatically to the .bill. It is the waitress', tip, of course. • When we Were leaving the establishment, I asked the • cashier •the: reason for the policy. She told me it was to make -'"Canadians pay up;'. 'According to this young lady, Canadians and . Europeans. are terrible tippers. • "You would think that when ,they corne to another country •• where the custom is different they would try .to adopt, the -ways here," she told me. The previousrriight, the girl. said, she'd worked the'bar in this . restaurant. She'd' done over $300 in•.business and had :$3 in tips. • • "I' couldn't believe it,"she - exclairned. Hence the automatic gratuity on the food bills. • I .could understand the. �ll'glit "of •this 'gal, I' suppose. She very likely depended on' her tips as a yery real parte • her salary. When they didn't materialize, she felt cheated. But just across. the -street from the Wooden Nickel sits another eating plane, now boarded 'up..•It was at this , very place that the incident occurred Which I :reported last year after my trip south - the. -pane in_which_ all the Canadians in the .place stood. up to be counted wh.en one Canadian customer was given a bad title. °by . a waitress who gave her astale • dessext because"she's only a Canadian". Obviously, the business• of • the American ..public just • wasn't sufficient to keep that 'r.estauraetin •business: e's little doubt that. illpodW . Tan avoided that urant Like t plaguewhen they were treate•. .out-and- out ut and•out badl.yby the staff.• And I couldn't' help hoer tg " that, the Wooden Nickel couldn't suffer the same fate between new and the time I return. It certainly is a great plates to`eet. ++'+• . There certainly are •lots of `Canadians in Florida'and it is ' surprising that :the : people there-ddri't have ..a -greater kno>vledge of .our c.auntry than they do: • a, On Sunday :.morning; my husband and ' I wanted to attend church. )Since we are Letherans, we looked: in. the telephone book to find the closest church. We called the church and the' man who answered said it was so difficult to give directions to the .` church, :it :would be 'simpler for him to come to get •U •- • • And that's exactly, what he did.. And he arid his wife took its - home with '.them after •service for a snack before driving us back,to our hotel. Their knowledge of Canada was almost nil. For instance, they wanted to know; if we had telephones here!' Imagine! When we told them we not only had telephones, but all the modern conveniences which they enjoyed, they were absolutely astounded., Our colorful money 'vas. a real delight to the children, They were really excited { about- aur pink two dollar-. bills, our blue five dollar •bills; our purple tens, and our green twenties. The little .bey in the house, insisted'w:e should keep that , money in a safe place td, show to our -friends. When we told him that we could get money like that at :any, bank. in 'Carrara., he. Was `justunable to` fathom such a thing.. "You; better keep it ;" he told us again..' ' :The lady of .the house was. born in Ohio, but to' her, Canada' was on th.e other• side of the globe. When she told me she had an aunt in Detroit. whom she visits once a year, I told her she: was onlya few. hours. away from .Qoderich at that point. ' • She looed at me with with wide eyes. . •° "0.11-, I •don't think I'd ever go .•over into Canada," she said, „almost sounding frightened 'at the thought.. "But we might call you." Unbelievable! +++• In' one of the lineups, I was pleased to get -talking to a couple' of Canadians from Lindsay. I asked right away if they had heard who won the. nomination for the. PC .party of Canada., . "Sure, Joe Clark," he told me, ' e Letters to the Editor By Shirley 1: Kkl:ern Y "Joe Clark?' I asked '°Aro • .you sure?" "Yep " •he told me. "'Joe Clark •` . . Now I'll udmit that Joe ,C.lark •lsrl_''t .,a • glamorous • sounding name, but • one, Would think ;that the election.•". or 'a leader for . the national .•• Progr'essive 'Conservative - Patty ,wciujd .deserve a. Mention. in the Florida news: After :all; we'll hear next week how Ford and Reagan make out hi: the Florida primaries. ". But I think that if Ottawa burned down and Trudeau were hung in downtown Montreal,:the . Florida .•news Media wouldn't acknowledge.. it astoo newsworthy. It,: is. really a shame when a country gets so large and. so • • powerful it cannot relate to its neighbors with .more interest and genuine concern. - And though our borders are peaceful • and . our' .outward relationships are friendly, the • people of the USA and Canada have a long way to: go yet before understanding will be fully achieved, - As for me, a visit to Florida' always stirs u that national pride within me that• says, „5 I m a Canadian and proud of it. God save the Queen." ers -write I'' abundant food. Garments No • free„ rides . were hard to .come by.. The •Kulurriese; did not even have camel chins to heat their ,D ear Editor, The following, appeared in an "0'.R.F.E•.D•.A." bulletin lately. 'I thought . it a fair analysis of our present situation,- and worthy . of', reprinting: PRIDE SWALLOWED ''ECONOMICS' EX- PLAINED" - Tajlstaal After the War of the Almonds, The. Land of Kulumar was the richest and most powerful of all. Its. fields were bountiful and its 'granaries were. full. Its flocks were fat and sleek. The Kulumese were proud and productive. They worked, and they,. rejoiced -.in• ,the highest standard of living. known. • Sire, the Generous, ser- ' veyed all this plenty and said: -Surely a country :as rich as. Kulumar-Should provide food" .and housing and garments for .our less; fortunate. "1 will ask. the Lawmakers to levy a tax on • the workers to-,T,rovide-_ this." And' the'•'Lawniakersr each of whom hoped one day to • become Sire, levied the taxes. They then said: "Let there also be free circuses for those -who• do not work. And let there' be soft hassocks and free food and• wines for those • who watch the circuses." And the -Lawmakers' levied More t-a-xes:•• Whenthe workers of Kuluniar heard' of thefree circuses, the soft hassocks, and the food and wines, and then . figured their : now monstrous taxes, they said, "That's for us." The farmers left the fields.. The shepherds abandoned. their flocks.•.The weavers laid down their shuttles.." The blacksmiths 'cooled their forges. All the- Kulumese.., were watching the free cir- ' cuses. Plenty turned to scarcity. .. No longer was there tents. Prices rose and rose. And the Lawmakers ,raised` taxes again and again. (It' -was the only thing they knew how todo.) • •Misery and gloom replaced• joy'and pride.; And Sire, th.e Generous, who was well-intentioned, went to the Wise Man of the Mountain'° and said, "Wise' One, I have tried to give the good life . to. my ,people. But they no `longer want to work. Food 'and' goods -are scarce.. Prices are outrageous. Taxes are even more so. Give me a solution." And the • wise man of the mountain replied in ;Kulumese: "Tanstaafl"' which means: "There Ain't. No Such _. Thing As A Free Lunch." Yours faithfully, George Wraith,. ' • Box95, Goderich, Ont. • Write MPPs Dear Editor, Re: O.H.I.P cutbacks & hospital closings. ' Mr. Davis arad Mr. Miller are in serious trouble now because;. of lack of com-. inunication. Mr. Stanfield could never' communicate either. When the Liberals -take a trip around the block or sing 'a song it's big news. A . party in.ust get their actions to the public fast„ because events happen fast On these times, and it's to the party's advantage.to,do so. The reasons for the cut- backs were in the big Metro dailies who have 'their own reporters, but practically nothing in the . small town dailies where the closings ,were. ' The annual budget for O..H.I.P:. is ° $3,000,000,000(3 billion.) and. rising 20 percent the too:smith SIGNAL -STAR The County Town Newspaper of Huron — Founded in 1840 and published every Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CWNA and OWNA. Advertising rates on request. Subscriptions payable in advance 811,00 In Canada, $12.50 . 'in all countries other than Canada, single copies 25 cents. Display advertising rates available on request. Please ask for Rate Card No. 6 effective Oct. I, 1975, Second class mail Registration . Number 0716. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of typographical error, the'tldvertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for but the balance of the,advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error advertising goods or services at a wrong • price, goods or service may not be sold. Advertising is me4'ely an offer to sell, and ma,-v'he with, drawn at any time. The Signal -Star Is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts or photos., • Business _and Editorial. Office. tELE HONE 524-3331'. area code' 519 • ilAailing .Address:* ' R:p: BOX" 12D, Goderich • Second .class mall: registration number- 41t6 . Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. ROBERT G. SHRIER—president and publisher _SHIRLEY .1 KELLER,-•editor JEFF •SEDDON--editorial staff . DAVE SYKES---editorial staff EDWARD J. BYRSKI—advertising manager - to each year through use• and abuse. -75 percent of this is for salaries . . It could bankrupt Ontario; as nearly .1/2 . of the .Total - ProvinciatBudget is going for • o• r StGK A T�tR. r111111111111111111W health' now. . Tomake matters worse - the Federal Government IS - cutting aback its .50 percent 'grant this'Year to 13 percent. • Next year it will be .- 10.5 percent: The Ted's started this in. 1968.,: and there is a_ "bill in Ottawa going thro its .third reading now to redeem the above 56' percent grant:for 13 percent right away. - Mr. Davis should have put a full page ad in all the dailies in Ontario explaining these reasons for cutting hack but we heard 'nothing:' It again proves lack of • com- munication and Mr. Miller. found this out 'making . his rounds. Radio and "TV chats are good too . . • Re Wintario .- - Mr. • Welch says it's only a drop in the bucket. - However, I think it might help, plus 'a hospital• lottery. • • Also write Ottawa and your Federal, M.P. tp .restate the grants and your jobs. Mrs. B. Anderson Stratford. Not much change The Editor, Not much has changed. since the time -of the:"Family Compact". • According to James Scott in. "The. Settlement of -Huron County'', Colonel .Van Egmond had the, following to say about the rulers of the province in the year 9.837 "The lands here belong to, hardhearted, ..arrogant, op- pressive and tyrannical disposed open, ignorant of the: requisites ... etc.' It appears that our present rulers are still the same type of men, - hardhearted, arrogant, oppressive . and tyrannical disposed, ignorant ' sof the requisitesof the smaller_ rural communities for their existence. A , professor.' • at '.the University • of Western Ontario recently pointed out that to his regret the small rural toWns were .losing continually in population because of the lack of ser. - "vices• required for the older retired' -people who would vastly prefer to live there. 'Health Minister (the executioner) Miller perfectly °fits the descriptionthe bid: Colonel gave to his con- temporaries, and Premier Davis, by. not' assuming his responsibilities as. premier. displays the same attitude. Fortunately wedo not live in the Colonel's time, for I have heard tempers that" were hot . enough so that people Would .be• tempted to take up arrns. , .. 4 What we can,dolthough is rotest fight with the. weapons at our - disposal, and those are letters and- c-aids_-andtele p:hon:e calls.. to revery MPP you can think .af� be it governrnent or•op- position. •• Ask questions such as: "Why is it that -nine out of ten hospital closings are ,in op- position ridings'? • "Why is -a •new hospital • needed in Millers riding?" "Are We going into anera where at election tine we will. have to, guess who.'wil•l Jorrn the next government, so we male sure that . we are in a government riding?" Is this'the way we should be, heading'. in Ontario? Is that our nevi democracy? - These • all are valid questions .and- we better ask them. I ain also perturbedby the two-handed Statement by the -Liberal leader. Stuart Smith which he gave to the press. He sounded like a govern- ment/economist. "On the one hand Miller' is doing a great job and should be com- mended. On the other hand maybe he could have don different.•• What kind ora statement is . that? We can already seethe handwriting on the wall when - parliament convenes in early , March. Some token op= position by the Liberals. The NDP, :who -always °had' a more humanitarian ap- proach to any problem, will be the only real opposition against the- --clos:in-g-.of -.our .. community hospitals and if you people in other parts of the countrythink, it won't affect you, . you better think again, for the next time your wife has to go to the hospital for a delivery, the bed may be •occupied by some mother ;from Clinton and you will • Readers are cordially Invited to express their opinions of local., provin- cial and federal issues • . through , the Letters to the 'Editor column of Leiters, Goderich Signal -Star. ' All letters must •be signed to . be published, aithbugh pen names are permissible providing it • Is understood that upon • request from another reader, the letter writer's true name will be revealed. • Whild theme Is no limit to the length of 'a letter whichcan be offered for publication, the editor • doll reserve the right to, delete Portions 'of any copy siui>mltted for In- • ctusiol in .. this newspaper ' Take an,aetive Interest In your., hometown newspaper, Witte a totter to 'the' Editor 'today.' ospital closin have to take her to London or. - . Stratford or Walkerton..' . • - .-Uf--co- urse, no one in --his .right Mind can quarrel with the statements made that. wi? - have to economize in order. to' :lick inflation,' but'that is not the issue: -The issue is if we want to jeopardize the health4 • care for those we'love and for ourselves, when surely 'other ways can be found to •effect the:same savings. • The forays in to the rural. country by Miller look a lot like guerilla.:warfare against those•who didn't vote the way the. PC's would have liked us to, and the soft statement by . Stuart Smith' sounds like party leader who ` has no stdmach for an election. - It is regrettable that. with two highly respected. Liberal MPP'•sein'Htiron County, who are valiantly fighting' for the• saving of our small towns from further" erosion,. we cannot, if we want to be : consistent, vote for them anymore if their party. doesn't.back them up. : Adrian Vos • . .:Blyth • • Fe6ls.like child Dear Editor, 'I,: -as a citizen of .Clinton,, and an employee .Of 'the Clinton Public Hospital, feel like a child must feet when he cannot get the attention .of an adult that he wishes 'to ex- plain something to., The • Provi.nciai'.. Conservative. Government being . the ADULT, and Clinton and its surrounding :-area being the CHILD. • Huron County is being bit extremely with this cutback,. and twig of the -hospital's that. are supposed to be able to, look after our, health' needs have .• had cutbacks in their. budgets. I am enclosing a copy -of a small iLent„c1ipped from the Exeter Times from the week; of February 27, 1976. Please bear' with me while I'com:pare the two hospitals, paragraph by. paragraph. TA: "A specialist in internal medicine is now . visiting South. Huron_ Hospital --on a monthly • basis; Ben, Hoogenbooin, . director of', public;relations said Monday The spe'elalist; will -`bring resident •sfud•ents with. him. 'from the• University of Western . Ontario. Mr, Hoogenboom said their visit's • will become more'fregtient as • required." . • Clinton Hospital :has a specialist• in internal. medicine on their active staff. This Doctor likes . less than one mile out of :town arrd is • available on:'a. 24 hr.' basis. This past month- he has had a final year student: working under his direction.. • , Also we have, five general practitioners -ori our actve staff, and four are well Grained anesthetists. TA: . . • Mr. Hoogenboom said eight '-`major operations" were done. in 'January at •the, :hospital." - We have two excellent surgeons -on'our • • staff. In January 1926 these, :surgeons (contin:ued on page 5-) EDI TORI AL COMMENT .�-rose and a thorn 'A bouquet this week goes to Goderich. Township.—Council and their clerk, Robin Thompson, who have sent to the 'Si'g'nal -Star a copy . of their meeting miniftes' for publication. With this. move,. Goderich Township loins •Colborne Township and West Wawanosh Township in -allowing the. ratepayers in . their townshipsthe'. oppor. tunity.to be,up-to-date on council matters. It cannot be stated too often here, the 'impor'tance of keeping °all Business of . erected persons before the, public whenever possible.. Though not all taxpayer will avail themselves of the opportunity to read 'about council deliberations,' many interested citizens will appreciate this extra service on the part of council and clerk. Only one township. in the area now remains without news coverage.' Ash- field Township is urged to get on the band wagon and send into the Signal. Star copies of their meeting minutes ' for'publication. + 4 1 Response .to. the ..Civic Corner has .. been disappointing. This little clirner of the.. Signal Star was initiated as just onernore�way to keep the business'of elected bodies before the public., It•was, confain the date, tithe and place .of .. +011 ineetings•wi•tli'in the community; for.. 1h.0 i:xpress purpose of rerninding.,an' and all- interested citizens of the up- coming events. This newspaper didn't suppose the: ratepayers would suddenly flock to all public meetings, The column' was designed only • to 'remove one' more excuse for persons who say they don't- ' knowvvhen pubhic."Meetings are being. held. Letters were sent out from this office to all municipalities in the district including county council and .county •school board. These elected.boards and councils were invitedto send in a listof upcbming meetings for the month, they could be published, free of charge, in the Civic Corner. So far, there has been a response from fhe "Town of Goderich .plus an• indication from Colborne Township that the Civic Corner will be utilized. However, for the past two or three weeks, there has been no Meeting notices sent to this office for the Civic ' Corner and the column has been discontinued untilinterest•is renewed. b,lectel•officials all over the county moan abouf• the apathy rof. ratepayers who don't seem to care about attending public meetin s. Some of they' afh , of � f� y course,must be attributed, to elected officials `'who ,don't htlestly solicit Spectators for their deliberations and Often ' are just as. happy .working" in . sol etude,' —SJ I .