The Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-07-14, Page 466
PAGE 4--GODERTCH SIGNA L7STAR;"'rI'HU'RSDAY, JULY 14, 1977
The question of what to do with the
radioactive waste from the nuclear energy
program in Canada is causing much
justifiable concern among citizens here.
They keep asking the pointed question: .
Does this generation 'have any right to
create a possible devastating dilemma for
the next generation?
The proposals for plutotlium
reprocessing and the burial of nuclear
wastes is becoming a hot issue in Canada.
Plenty of interest will be shown in the next
year or two for the environmental research
that is being done at the Chalk River
Nuclear Laboratories, the main centre of
atomic 'research in Canada.
is or the past '0 years, Canadian scientists
have been studying how' minute quantities
of radioactive materials travel through the
environment, particularly the water ways.
It is believed this kind of research is unique
in North American and perhaps even the
entire world.
Twenty years ago, for instance.:':i glass
blocks containing high-level radioactive
wastes (including plutonium) were placed
beneath the water table. It is just an ex-
periment, of course, but a bold one which,
Canadians will want to keep an eye on,.
Actually. Atomic Energy of Canada „Ltd.
is not considering water storage as a long-
term solution. Far from it. Geologists are
'diligently searching for special. waterless
rock formations at least a half billion years
old, having no mineral value; into v)+hich.
radioactive wastes could be, placed and
sealed off from the environment. The rock
in which salt is found is believed to be one of
the more stable rock formations on earth
and, of course, with ,Goderich located in
such a geological situation, special interest
is shown here for AEC's studies.
Durittg the recent proyirlej,,J _,election•.
candidates in Huron -Middlesex were in-
terviewed concerning their Views about
nuclear energy. Only one candidate - Anson
McKinley for the Progressive Con-
servatives said he had faith that the
scientists would come up with the
necessary answers to the safe storage of
nuclear waste and the eventual
reprocessing of it into safe, reusable and
potentially valuable substances. There will
be many people in Canada who will ,agree
with him.
.Others, though. will remain unconvinced
as 'are MPP Jack Riddell and Shirley
«eary. who was the candidate for the New
Democratic Party in the Riding. There are
just too many important questions to be
, nswered. they say. And these Canadians
remain skeptical and watchful of all the
experiments going on in the country
regarding nuclear wastes.- SJK
Struck down
Remember the good old days, when morn
and dad got ypu out of bed during a summer
thunder storm and you'stood sleepy and
shivering in your nightgown wishing only to
get back into your bed even if it did mean
certain death? Or remember running about
the house unplugging the radio, the lamps,.
anything electrical? And remember those
warnings not to use the telephone while a
storm was on?' Remember the lightning
rods on the barn (always) and the house
-(sometimes)?
Now as people have grown more
sophisticated, not many get excited during
an electrical storm. Storms come -and go,
and life seems to go on normally
throughout them all. Showers are taken,
telephone calls are made, the,kids watch
television, mom does the laundry, dad
stays in his all -electric woodworking shop.
In the United States, lightning is con-
sidered by authorities to be a bigger thz'eat
to life than floods. It is estimated that
lightning kills one person and injures four,
in that country every single day.
Canadian statistics are better. Only six
people were killed by lightning in 1974. The
Globe and Mail indicates that its files show
that 104 Canadians died from lightning
bolts between 1962 and 1972, with 80 per
cent of those deaths occurring in Ontario
and Quebec. In recent years there has been "
a dramatic increase in deaths bylightning -
10 ,people were killed in Ontarir between
July 1975 and June 1976 reports say.
The Ontario Safety League states that
you can expect, in your immediate square
mile, one or two strokes during,rch
thunderstorm. If your area, for example,
has 2.5 electrical storms yearly, you may
expect from 25 to 50 ,lightning bolts to hit
within a half -mile of your house this year.
According to the League, the most
dangerous time is just before the storm
when dark clouds appear and the air is
charged with electricity. If you are out-
doors at that time and your hair feels as if it
is standing on end, you are being set up as a
perfect lightning target.
If you're. in or on the water, get out. Stay
away from wire fences, '-clotheslines,
overhead wires or towers, and machinery.
Avoid isolated trees and wide-open spaces
where you' might be the tallest thing
' around. A structure made of any type, of
metal will provide good protection, since
metal is an excellent electrical conductor.
If this is not available and you are an open
ground, lie flat.
If you are inside, don't stand in doorways
or near open windows. Keep away from the
fireplace, sink, bathroom fixtures, the
phone and the television set. It makes good
sense to unplug, all electrical appliances
(lightning can produce an electrical
current in the TV's antenna and cause, a
short circuit in the set).
Even being trapped in a car is good
protection. You are completely surrounded
by metal and to the. League's knowledge,
lightning has never struck an occupant of a
rubber -tired automobile.
Respect lightning, says the Ontario
Safety League. It is erratic and dangerous.
Spending habits
'There has been a tendency over the years
for Canadians to dismiss arguments that
they live dangerously beyond their means
as abstract sermons that may be true but
which require little or no change in life
styles.
The fact is that Canadians do and
because they do. thea, are in a serious,
economic and moral position. Canadians
are in the old something -for -nothing syn-
drome or what might be described as
getting someone else to finance their
dreams of the good life. it's called plastic
money or getting small loans from finance
companies to pay -the grocery hill.
The hard., cold facts are that Canadians
have come to the enc, of the road in their
attempts to have the government bankroll
them. They have encouraged government
spendingto jump from 26 percent of the
nation's output in 'the 1950s to 40 percent
today. In cash that means from $8 billion -a
year to c 5 billion. It comes right out of the
taxpayers' pocket. too.
But instead of changing attitudes
Canadians kept demanding more so the
government printed more money which
merely added to the inflationary spiral,
Then still unwilling to live within their
means Canadians tried another -tack —
borrowing from foreign lenders. In 1975
and 1!)6 (Okada became the world's
largest per capita borrower. Canada didn't
just borrow to improve its worn-out
manufacturing systems and provide new
jobs. it borrowed to continue financing
consumption:
Now the tax load won't bear much more:,
The Hank -of Canada won't print new money
and the borrowing has eaten up enormous
amounts' 'of money in interest •and
repayments'.
Where does Canada go from here? How
docs Canada get more out.of the economy
than it can provide?.
Perhaps for a change. Canadians will
listen, start to live within their means and
thereby take the burden off the poor and
underprivileged and find again what. it
means to conserve and save.
•
Speaking of memories........
•
Goderich (ventral School, 1922:
BACK ROW, left to right, Norman Bowler, Albart Rooth, Harold Taylor,
Helen Cooper, Kathleen Powell, Dorothy Rooth, Miss Ada Burritt (teacher)
Nancy Deusnbarry, Lola Elliott, Dorothy Allan, Frank Tufford, , Jim
Sutherland, Ambrose Colborne;
SECOND ROW, left to right; Clara Moore, Lily Leggatt, Alberta
Osbaldeston, Madeline Acheson, Kathleen Robinson, Pearl Sandy, Jean
a bell, Edith Cornfield,. Irene' Westbrooke, Emma Shelton, Margar
Huston, Margaret Sandarson, Margaret Shortreed, Alma Howell, Ire
Steele; -
FRONT ROW, left to right; Haydan Weston, Jim Parsons, Orvil
I)pnkeith, Lyall Crawford, ,Jack Kneesha)v, Clayton Anderson, Jose
Graham, Laurence Mumby, Stanley Warnock, John Parsons, 11
utherland. (Photo by R.R. Sallows, Goderich)
DEAR READERS
•4
•
IIY SHIRLEY I. KELLER
Jubilee Three has been a
wonderful celebration but
personally, I've been kept
very busy. as I'm sure many
other people have been. For
some people while Jubilee
Three was underway, their
whole attention was focused
on the festivities ... and that's
as it should be I' supposed.
But for me, life continuedin
its normal fashion:'There was
still cooking, 'cleaning and
shopping to be done for the
family; office matters to
tend; meetings to ,get to;
regular weekly duties
-carry out; a couple of family
extras thrown in .for good
measure: and just ,for some
added activity, the Jubilee,
Three Celebrations.
A
r bt Oobtricij
SiGNAL-STAR
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The Signal -Star Is not responsible for the Iola or damage of unsolicited manu.cripts or
photos.
Published` by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd.
ROBERT G. SH R'IER' — president and publisher
SHIRLEY J. KELLER— editor
EDWARD J. BYRSKI — advertising manager
Mailing Address:
• P.O. BOX *.20, Goderich
Second class mail ieglsfration number --071e
Business and Editorial Office
TELEPHONE 524-$331
area code 519
I've had so much on my
mind lately, my bead has felt
like a crowded bus terminal.
It was a full time job just to
keep departures and arrivals
sorted out, so to speak. There
really wasn't much time to
similly relax and enjoy..
That's a city too. I betI would
have had_ agood time.
++
I had so much on my mind,
in fact, that I came very close
to getting in a couple of car
accidents in' recent days. I
would be, driving along,
thinking about this or that
and not really paying mach,
attention to ' my driving.
That's a bad situation. It can
create real havoc for other
drivers on the road.
I was interested to read a
release from the Public and
Safety Information Branch of
the Ministry of Tran-
sportation and Com-
munications. Itaid that. in
1975, eight out of 10 accidents
accurred in broad daylight,
under normal driving con-
ditions among sober drivers.
What was the cause of the
accident?
"Our researchers -feel that
driver preoccupation is the.
prime suspect in the mystery
of - why these accidents
happened," said James
Snow, Minister of MTC. "The
driver is going along, and
maybe his ' mind begins
wandering off the road and
traffic and into business
problems or social activities.
Or maybe something -
distracts his attention
visually for just asecond."
"That's all it takes," says
Snow. "Amoment's
distraction and the driver
isn t really in charge. An
accident follows. We believe
that this is what puts 87.2 per
cent of the drivers into our
collision statistics."
+ + +
If you - combine pre-
occupation with speeding,
you have a truly deadly
combination. Last year in
Ontario,, over three-quarters
of a million speeders were
convicted for speeding.
That's an increase of over
100.000 from 1975 according to
MTC.
Compiled from police
reports. - from across the
province, the figures showed
that` 809,039 drivers were
convicted for speeding last
year 'compared with 707;352 in
1975,
"Of that staggering total,
6,587 drivers were convicted
of driving 30 or more miles an
hour above the localspeed
limit," Snow commented.
"It's quite obvious to me that
far - too many drivers are
simply ignoring the rules of
the road."
q. -
Convictions for failing,. to
observe "stop" signs.-- a
major contributor to ac-
cidents - were also up. Last
year, 58,377 drivers were
caught running stop signs, an.
increase of 560 over 1975:
An additional 46,555
motorists were convicted of
running red lights, a whop-
ping 10 per cent increase over
the 1975total of 41,905.
And 3,123 drivers
found guilty of failing to
for a standing school
while its lights were Bashi
"This set -of statis
bother's me "Snow admi
introduced the regulatio
protect the lives of Ont
youngsters ' who use b
each school day. The m
has given it wide ' cove
and we'vepublicized the
as widely as possible. -
still get complaints that s
motorists wheel by Stan
buses as if they didn't exi
'1 can only suggest
driver preoccupation is
reason why so .many dri
'fail to obey stop signs_an
'1traffic lights,"' Snowy s
"Common sense tells the
no driver would wilfully r
serious' accident
deliberately. ignoring
critical traffic controls."
+ + +
This summer, MTC
oI
h
ad
tt
t,
io
its
c
m
a
r�
Well received
Dear Editor,
four days of Jubilee 3
Celebrations were hardly
adequate to cover the entire
scope of Goderich's eleven -
day -festival .of • and for
people 'adequate,
however, to have some idea of
the collective efforts behind
your impressive
Sesquicentennial project.
What impressed us "most?
Hard to saythere was so
much to experience and
admire.
The town? Yes, you're
probably right - "Prettiest
Town In Canada".
The people? Friendly help
and smiling faces; no im-
patience for waiting or re-
takes. The treble choir willing
to sing a marvelous rendition
of "They All Call It Canada"
a second time for us,
DEAR EDI'l.....DR
, The weather? Who says the
project isn't blessed! At this
writing, Wedn� day, July 6,
an all -day downpour 'in
Toronto, sun and heat' in
Goderich!
The program? Could be a
model for other towns and
cities.
The administrative powers
behind the festivities?
Faultless.
So to all - executive,
committee 'members, par-
ticipants, performers .and
audiences thank you for your
thoughtful and effective co-
operation in allowing us to-do
our job in the midst 'of your
Jubilee 3 Celebrations.
For The Ontario
Scene Film Crew
Joan Reed -Olsen
Producer -Director
Editor's Note: Telecast dates
for the-Goderich segment are
not known, but it will
probably be in October of this
year.
Too much beer.
Dear. Editor,
Congratulations in the 1,50th
anniversary of your town. I
attended the parade on
Saturday and enjoyed it very
much, with one exception.
The amount of beer drinking
by those taking part on the
floats was disgusting.
If young people, marching
and playing instruments
could get by on a squirt of
water, surely those in cars
and on floats didn't need
cases of Labatts to keep them
'cool. One man driving a
vintage car was sitting with a
bottle in his mouth. What does
this do for the campaign "If
you drive, don't drink"?
The amount . of ` beer
drinking by young people
these days is increasing and
so is alcoholism. This display
would do nothing to
discourage the younger ones.
One curious thing. Both
Carlings and Carlsburg had
floats in which no drinking
was in evidence.
Were all the cases of
Labatts subliminal ad-
vertising by them? How
sneaky!! If so, they should be
severely censored.
Yours truly
Margaret I. Hearn
Scarborough.
Delighted
Dear Editor,
Congratulations to the town
of Goderich on its . 150th
Celebration! I was there last
Saturday, and delighted to be
back in Huron County where I
was born and lived for
several years (Ashfield
Township).
I understand there is a
"The Settlement of H
County" by James - S
Ryerson Press, Tor
published approximately
years ago. I am intereste
receiving a copy of this
and any other publication
the history of Huron Coo
The price(s) could be
eluded.
Would you please send
the infotbnation as to whe
could purchase - per
through your office
museum - where
available. Thank you.
Yours sincer
(Miss) Hilda Twa
48 Tecumseh A
East Lon
N6C
Wants papers
Dear Editor„
Enclosed find $3.00. I w
mil in pilgP
YEARS AGO
Our veteran horseman, A.
M. Polley, is rejoicing in the
possession of a valuable and
generous gift from his
friends, C. K, Eddy and Sons
of Saginaw whose ' beautiful
yacht spent a few days in this
harbor the past week, during
which Mr. Polley and family
showed the visitors the
beauties of Goderich scenery.
They have'now presented A.
M. with the well bred trotter
Tom Reed.
Nearly 600 members and
LOOKING BACK
friends•' of the Huron Old
Boys' Association Of Toronto
reached Seafo'rth last
Saturday for their third
annual visit to the old county.
That the hot spell had come
was evident last Saturday by'
the number of boys bathing in
the harbor or river and the
large number of persons
young and old, patronizing
Babb's bathing house on
Monday and Tuesday.
25 Yi:ARS AGO
A new fog horn is being
installed on the south-west'
breakwall here and will
replace the present one on the
north breakwater. The total
cost ofconstruction and in-
stallation is ' approximately
$15,000. The work is expected
to take seven weeks , to
complete.
- Pouring of the permanent
floor at the Memorial Ar.eria'
is expected to commence
early Tuesday morning next
with the floor ready for use
during Old Home Week.
Orangemen from North
Huron, South Huron and West
Bruce gathered at .Wingham
on/Saturday to celebrate the
262nd anniversary of the
Battle of the Boyne.
5 YEARS AGO
After months of discussion
council has finally received
some preliminary sketches
for the proposed fountain at
Town Hall to commemorate
the late Sherman Blake,
former town clerk, and the
late Ken Hunter, former town
solicitor. Nick Hill outlined
plans for an approximate
eight -foot square area which
would contain a fountain
•
amidst a variety of -plants.
Goderich Business ColI
owner Ruth Ann Mail
notified town council 1
Thursday evening that
college would be vacating
premises on ;August 1
year.
A large crowd enjoye
wide"variety of entertainm
Saturday afternoon in C
House Park as' the order
the Loyal Orange Lodge!'
their annual July
celebrations, locally for,.
first lime in many,years.
to
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