The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-01, Page 4eNA
Goderich-'
STAR
The County Town Newspaper of Huron
Founded in 1110111 and published every Thursday at Goderich, Ontario. Member of the CWNA
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Published by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd. ,
ROBERT G. SHRIER — president and publisher
SHIRLEY J. KELLER — editor
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Second class mail registration number — 0716
Ministry learns little
Petitions are being circulated in several areas of
Huron County, asking the ministry of health to
reconsider its decision to close out existing hospital
beds. There is no question of the public's right to
express its concern over what appears tobe an
arbitrary and, in some cases, an unjust ruling.
The columns on this page are wide open to those
who wish to express their opinions on bed closures,
a method which is more useful than merely signing
one,; s name to a petition.
There is little point in trying to convince the
ministry that its efforts to cut health care costs are
ill-advised. Not one among us -would willingly
assume the task of bringing Ontario's health, ex-
penditures within `manageable limits. Certainly
something has to be done and it may be that a
cutback in hospital beds is one of the answers -
provided a better approach to the question can be
utilized.
In those areas of the province (presumably near
the large centres of population) we understand
there is a surplus of nursing home beds. If -that is
the case it may also be presumed that some long -
stay patients can be moved out of costly hospital
accommodation and looked after adequately in
nursing homes. But that situation does not prevail
in this area. In fact we know of several other cen-
tres, including the city of London, where nursing
home beds are at a premium.
Apparently the ministry learned very little from
its experience a few years ago when an attempt was
made to close out several hospitals in smaller
centres. The public outcry was more than Queen's
Park bargained for and as a consequence most of
the threatened hospitals are still open, including the
12 bed institution at Chesley. The 'growing anger
over the 'latest ruling has been occasioned by the
same lack of understanding on the part of the
ministry. To simply decide that a cut of 20 per cent
of hospital beds across the province can be
achieved without serious personal hardship is
naive.
The need for hospital accommodation differs
from place to place, depending on a variety of
factors, the most important of which 'in our own
area is the relatively high percentage' of our
population which is made up of older people.
Another problem arises from the way in which the
ministry has set out the total population figures to
determine the number of beds allowed per hospital.
Mere statistics cannot provide the answer; the
pattern is more accurately set by the number of
doctors who admit their patients to a given hospital
and also by the quality of treatment facilities at any
one hospital.
What the politicians fail to realize, even at this
late date, is that the residents of smaller centres
are intensely proud,of and loyal to their community
hospitals. Hundreds, even thousands have con-
tributed to the original construction of . their
hospital and to its expansion and improvement over
the years. They are deeply resentful of an order
which comes out of an office in Queens's Park
dictating how much of that hospital they can
use.—The Wingham Advance -Times.
Proper solution neede
In a brief presented last week by PUC Chairman
Herb Murphy to town council, it was once again
pointed out that.. the townand. the PUC have the
same solicitor. In Murphy's brief, the question was
posed whether the PUC or the town should'retain
the services of a different solicitor.
The question of one lawyer representing all
parties in municipal matters isn't new. In small
towns it has been a foregone conclusion.
But there'slittle doubt it isn't the most desirable
set of circumstances. It is time this problem was
dealt with in Goderich, time that some permanent
and proper solution is found.—SJK
Consumers penalized?
Ontario Hydro seems to be a victim of 'its own
successful advertising campaign.
For sometime, Hydro has been sponsoring a
series of newspaper and television commercials
advising consumers that "wasting electricity turns
', people off ! " Apparently Hydro users have taken
the message to heart, turning off unnecessary
lights, using energy -burning appliances only when
necessary and generally being a little more con-
scious of wasted energy around the home.
Of course, when we see office buildings and
skyscrapers ablaze with lights at night, it may
seem pointless for the ordinary consumer to worry
about leaving on an extra light or two when a room
isn't being used. But individual energy saving has
been an important factor in cutting down on
Ontario's electricity needs. •
Both the successful advertising campaign and
Ontario Hydro's miscalculations in estimating
future power needs, in the province have resulted in
the company beinleft with a hefty power surplus
on its hands. One company spokesman said the
company overestimated local demands for the
1980's by as much as 40,per cent.
Now the power company is negotiating the sale of
its excess power to eastern seaboard states to the
south of us. The idea is that the sale of surplus
power will prevent we taxpayers from paying for
power we won't be using.
Consumers, after all, deserve a small pat on the
back for taking Hydro's message seriously and
cutting back on wasteful energy demands. Now
let's hope. consumers will be rewarded for their
efforts when they receive their monthly hydro bills.
Consumers shouldn't be penalized by having to
pay for the power. Ontario Hydro has suddenly
discovered it doesn't need!—The Huron Expositor.
PAGE 4 GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MARCH 1 , 1979
„04z,,;>0
DEAR EDITDR
�;.e..42;# coo
Renews plea
Dear Editor,
The Signal -Star
published last week a
story about the career of
the late Brigadier G.
MacLeod Ross, a
professional soldier who
served in many parts of
the world and held many
important appointments
before coming to
Goderich. It was well told
and interesting though
condensed, the narrative
filled a column or so.
I am encouraged to
renew my plea that in
obituaries of ex -service
men now passing there be
something more written
than: "He served in War
I" or as the case may be.
I am reluctant to believe
that any family which
had a member on active
service cannot remember
the- name of his unit, at
least. A man who served
two, three or four years in
one of Canada's famous
battalions or artillery
brigades may count these
years among the best of
his life. They ought not to
be disposed of in five
words.
W.E. Elliott
Dangerous
Dear Editor,
Guided as he is by
deputies and -
statisticians, I wonder
whether Mr. Timbrell is
actually aware of the
dangerous and
frightening situation in
which he has placed the
people of Ontario through
his unilateral decision to
cut the number of
hospital beds in this
province.
It is true that some
hospitals in certain areas
may . not suffer _._..so
severely. Others, such as
ours in Huron County,
which has already been
financially punished .for
keeping open a necessary
five extra beds, even
though these beds have
been managed within the
existing budget, will be
pushed to the point where
it mayo not be. humanly
possible to maintain the
quality of medicine , to
which everyone is en-
titled. Infection and other
horrors of overcrowding
.become distinct
probabilities. staffed bureaucracy,
At this time, then, and, depending upon
many of us query the one's priorities, the
possibility of an over- Turn to -page 5 0
r
Stern .ice
by Jeff Seddon
75 YEARS AGO
The engineers party,
engaged in taking
soundings off the harbor
mouth, completed their
work on Monday and the
plans for the proposed
breakwater are now en
route to the Public Works
Department.
Bread has risen in price
by reducing the size of the
five cent loaf. This
method of keeping up
with the rise in flour is not
explained by the ticket
attatched to each loaf of
the baker's bre,ad.
Robert Clark started
cutting ice at the harbor
'again this week to supply
up town people whwtore
their own ice.
A new legal part-
nership has been formed
in Goderich consisting of
M.G. Cameron, K.C.,
M.P.P. and J.L. Killoran,
LOOKING BACK
barrister of Seaforth to,go
into effect April 1.
The Leap Year Car-
nival came off on Monday
evening at the West
Street rink.
About 450 sons and
daughters of Huron
County renewed old
acquaintances at the
annual reunion of the
Huron Old Boys.
Association in Toronto.
The storm of Monday
was the most severe of
the winter so far as injury
to the railroad traffic was
concerned, almost all the
lines in Ontario being
snowblocked.
25YEARS AGO
Concerted efforts by
the Goderich and Clinton
fire departments saved
valuable records and
papers kept in vaults
when fire gutted almost
the entire inside of the
100 -year-old Huron
County Court House here
last Friday night. The
building was ' reportedly
insured for $75,000. It was
Goderich's second major
fire in less than five
years. In the fall of 1949,
Knox Presbyterian
Church was destroyed.
Sunday night brought a
heavy fall of snow to the
district. During the night,
the snow changed to a
driving rain making the
roads a sea of slippery
slush. Garages with tow
trucks were the busiest
places in town as cars
skidded into ditches. All
day Monday, traffic was
kept at a standstill as
slush plugged the roads.
G.D.C.I. held its annual
variety show "Collegiate
Capers" last Thursday
and Friday evenings
offering fine en-
tertainment for capacity
crowds.
A native of Goderich,
William M. Prest of
Toronto, plans to open,a
law office in Goderich
within the next few
weeks.
An Industrial
Promotion Board for the -
County of . Huron was
organized Wednesday
afternoon last week to
attract industries to the
county. •
5YEARSAGO
While rumours have
been rampant in Huron
County since the
provincial by-election in
1973, last Friday was the
first time there was any
official indication that a
nuclear power station is
planned by Ontario
Hydro for this area when
a delegation of Ontario
Hydro representatives
appeared at Huron
County Council.
The Historic Sites and
Monuments Board of
Canada has approved
designation of the former
Huron County Jail at
Goderich as being of
"national architectural
significance" and will
erect a plaque so stating.
Mrs. Tony Meriam was
chosen queen of this
year's Kinette Mardi
Gras.
L.W. Gareau of R.R. 4
Goderich has been ap-
pointed Marina Super-
visor of the Goderich
Municipal Marina for the
1974 season.
Council has given
approval for an ex-
penditure ,of up to $3,500
for public washrooms at
the new bandshell
proposed by Goderich ,
Lions for the town.
l
DE! AR
REALE
S
BY SHIRLEY J.KELLER
Hospital beds - the lack of them - is a
subject that is being discussed in just
about every conceivable place. But not
long ago, I heard one of the most in-
teresting comments on the current
situation I'd heard to date from the
pulpit in my own church.
My pastor, the Rev. Marvin Barz;
was preaching on the great concern
that Jesus Christ has for ur welfare in
all things. And accordinn to Pastor
Bar, knowing that Christ cares and is
wil.l»/ng to help can make all the dif-
fere'nce in a.person's life.
I have no intention that this should
sound like6 preaching. Naturally the
Signal -Star readership encompasses
all faiths and all beliefs, but I would
like to relate to you the thoughts Pastor
Barz put forth in his sermon. If it
sounds a little prejudiced, please try to
overlook it, for it is simply the idea of
what the pastor said that I'd like to
leave with you, not a plug for my
church or its teachings.
Pastor Barz mentioned that sin is
still the greatest problem mankind has.
He says it is sin that makes us sick and
• in a roundabout way then,it is sin that
is putting the strain on hospital beds in
this province.
• Now before you tear up this
newspaper and throw it at your spouse,
please let me qualify that statement
somewhat. In the strictest sense of sin,
and thinking of sin as that end of
perfection which Christians believe
coincides with the fall of Adam and Eve
in the Garden of Eden, there would be
no sickness at all if man had not sinned
in the first place.
But given that sin did enter the world
and that all mankind sins, and ac-
cepting that sin can take many subtle
forms, such as anger, greed and hate, it
could be stated that a sin like worry
could make you sick.
Is worry a sin you ask? Well,
Christians who learn that God knows
what we need to sustain this body and
this life and believe that God will
provide for us, feel that when we fail to
trust„in God and.•begin to worry about
taking care of ourselves, it can be a sin.
And is there anyone out there who
doubts that worry can Ynake you sick?
How many are there who work
themselves into such a tizzy about
goitcg to have a tooth filled at the
dentist's office that they are physically
ill - headache, nausea, fever, shortness
of breath, the whole thing.
Yes, worry can put people in the
hospital. So can fear.So can guilt
feelings.
True; these are mostly emotionally
related illnesses and have little to do
with viral infections or broken bones.
But emotional upsets can make people
sick in their bodies ... and emotional
upsets can often be linked to a lack of
peace in the business of everyday
living.
And when you think about it, if
Ontario's hospitals could be emptied of
all the people who are being treated for
emotional and psychosomatic disor-
ders, a good many beds would be freed
up for use by patients with other needs.
In the coffee shop at the Signal -Star a
few weeks agog there was discussion
abiut'a book currently on the market
entitled"All These Diseases". And in
this book, "a medical doctor who is also
a phsychian drew some remarkable
connections between illness and a lack
of faith in God.
That's really nothing new. Certain
religious groups are very explicit about
their belief that faith can ward off
sickness ... or even' cure it.
But the Ontario Ministry of Health
doesn't get involved with this kind of
theorizing. As a general rule, neither,
do doctors or hospital boards. Even if
they did, it probably wouldn't be a
popular stand.
Still it made for an interesting ser-
mon and a thought provoking comment
on a very complicated issue. To a
Christian it makes a whole lot of sense.
a
J