Wingham Advance-Times, 1981-04-29, Page 4n? WN; t, • ,
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TRE WINGHAM ADVANCE -TIMES
Published at Whigham, Ontario, by Wenger Bros. Limited
Barry Wenger, President
Henry Hess, Editor
Robert 0. Wenger, Sec.-Treas.
BM Crump, Advertising Manager
Member Audit Bureauof Circulations
Member — Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Weekly Newspaper Assoc
Subscription $16.00 per year
Second Class Mail Registration No. OM
Six months $9.50
Return postage guaranteed
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Thoughtful writers
We don't know how many of our
subscribers regularly read the Madill
Mirror, the page which is written by
students at the local eecondary school.
If you don't, you are missing some
excellent pieces.
Not only are many of the students
who contribute to the page very good
writer, some, of them betray a sur-
prising understanding of, and sensitiv-
ity to the world around them.
Our April 22 edition of the Mirror
carried an editorial written by Kathy
Underwood, in which she based her
concept of faith on her observations of
nature. Many of us who have lived
longer lives might discover something
very refreshing in her thoughts!
Another article on the same page
was a tribute to the late Jack Kerr,
written by Lynne Nicolson, and those
words also disclosed a keenly sensitive
young person.
Both articles are worth reading if
you still have last week's paper in the
house.
Paying for the privilege
It is ironic that the Canadian gov-
ernment should decide to buy Canadian
Petrofina (at a price which even the
Fina people agreed was away too high)
and then make the customers of the 011
company they own pony up an extra
three and a half cents a gallon for the
privilege.
Theoretically, the purchase of the
oil company by government was
intended to give the people of this coun-
try some control over the supply of
gasoline and heating oil in future, but
when the scheme was first discussed in
Parliament we cannot recall any men-
tion of the fact that consumers were to
be hit with an extra charge to finance
the whole deal. It's a bit like buying the
bakery so we can eat our own bread
purchased at the price of cake.
The entire question of petroleum
pricing is, of course, riddled with con-
flicting opinions.. Alberta's government
is crying out for higher prices — world
price as soon as possible. The reason
given is that until gasoline is priced at
Middle East rates we will continue to
waste it. That argument may be valid
for those of us who still want to drive
big, gas -gulping cars, enjoy 5,000 -mile
motor vacations and zip around on
snowmobiles or in motor boats. The
same argument seems less valid when
it applies to those who must use motor -
driven vehicles to earn a living and to
heat their homes and work places.
The sensible course would be to ra-
tion gasoline. It worked well during the
war years, when allowance was made
for the consumer's actual needs. In
other words farmers and truckers
could get more fuel than could those
who drive their cars for pleasure only.
A similar differential might be 4stab-
lished in the price of gasoline as well.
Watch for the phoneys
As long as there are.human beings
in this world there will be crooks.
Sometimes we wonder whether human
intelligence is not geared more to dis-
honesty than to good works.
Not long ago a 14 -year-old lad was
found guilty of using the mails to de-
fraud ' the gullible. His ingenious
scheme involved mailing 'out pam-
phlets t6 all and sundry, offering, for a
fee, to tell other people how to get into
the pamphlet mailing business. For-
tunately his ,scheme was uncovered
and his mailing privileges were ter-
minated betore too much damage was
done.
Another hot little idea which reap-
pears from time to time is the envelope
stuffing racket. An ad in the local paper
offers what appears to be lucrative re-
turns for the simple task of placing
brochures into mailing envelopes.
Those who have bitten on the plan have
found that for one reason or another
their work is unsatisfactory and they
were never paid for the lobs they did.
(Please note: this newspaper refuses to
print such ads.)
Pyramid sales are nothing new.
They have been operated in a dozen
different guises for many years. In es-
sence they are nothing more compli-
cated than finding enough suckers so
the people at the top of the heap make a
great deal of money and the victims on
the bottom level pay the shot.
In recent years a new racket has
sprung up. It is the mailing of docu-
ments which appear to be invoices for
goods or service supplied to a custom-
er. In reality the scheme depends on
the fact that many business people who
are responsible for company purchases
do not know, or perhaps do not re-
member whether or not the items men-
tioned were ever ordered or delivered.
Apparently there are enough of these
careless business people to make the
scheme work.
As some distinguished personality
once said, "There's a sucker born
every minute."
The great imitators
The one thing many people are
particularly good at is imitation. One
guy robs the passengers on an airliner
of all they possess and gets away by
jumping out under a parachute. So next
month someone else does the same
thing.
One hugely -successful evening
soap opera comes to life on TV and a
few months later there are two or three
more of the same brand. If a movie
featuring a priest does well you can be
sure there will be a whole series on the
same pattern.
One of the silliest imitations we
have heard about recently is the hung-
er strike embarked upon by Jim
Anderson of Stratford who has vowed
to eat nothing until the disbanded Perth
County Historical Society has been re-
established. He probably got that
bright idea from the Irish fanatic who
is lying at the gates of death by starva-
tion for political reasons.
The Irishman Will, In all probabil-
ity bring on a civil war if he goes to the
great beyond. The Stratford man will
probably do nothing more impressive
than make a fool of himself.
Like Mr. 'Anderson, we too regret
the fact that Perth County officials
have so little regard for the signifi-
cance of history. But there must surely
be more intelligent ways of making the
point. Mr. Anderson may find that very
few people care how hungry he is.
Seems unnecessary
Well, it seems we are going to be
forced to buy our food under the metric
system, whether we like It or not.
Pounds will become kilos; quarts will
be litres, ounces grams.
It is quite true that the metric sys-
tem is a more efficient method of mea-
surement than the imperial standards
with which we have for so long been
familiar. Based on units of ten, it does
simplify many calculations. Since it is
the system now used in most countries
the world over, It does make sense that
Canada should get into step.
On the other hand, because the vast
bulk of our foreign trade is with the
United States, and because the U.S. has
backed away from metrification, new
complications will arise where imports
and exports between the two North
American neighbors are involved.
Most of us have adapted reason-
ably well to kilometres and litres, but it
is not difficult to foresee the problems
older folks will have in food stores.
Think of the hundreds and thousands of
recipe books prihted in years gone by
and still in daily use by housewives.
Measurements in quarts and teaspoons
are going to be very difficult to calcu-
late in litres and grams. -
This will be the time when those
cooks who throw in a dash of this and a
pinch of that will really come into their
own. For them no measuring cups and
spoons are necessary. They are the
bush pilots of the kitchen — although it
might be a bit much to say that they
cook by the seat of their pants.
MYSitt4:17:4.2. " t
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ews Items from Old Files
APRIL 1934
A Wingham Dramatic
Club was formed and will
undertake to produce
musical comedies and plays
for the entertainment of the
people of the community.
Officers for the new group
are Dr. A. W. Irwin, Miss
Doris Fells and C. B.
Armitage.
The Presbyterian congre-
gations of BlueVale and
Eadies' have • extended a
unanimous call to Rev. John
R. Greig of Chatsworth. Mr.
Greig has 'spent two sum-
mers in this charge as a
student missionary, „
An enthusiastic meeting of
the Young Conservatives of
Wingham and district was.
held, at which time John P.
McKibbon was elected
president of the group. Vice
presidents are Mrs. Reg
DuVal, Graham Wray and
George Mines. This is the
first Young.. CotBservative
group organized. in • Huron -
Bruce. -
Meehan Bros. ' have pur-
chased the property in which
H. B. Elliott has his book
store and will soon 'transfer
their stock into that building.
Highlights of the new
budget , presented in the
House. of Commons include
reduction in the sugar tax
from two cents to one cent
per pound; and a 10 per cent
tax on gold when over $30 an
ounce, to offset the loss in
revenue from the sugar tax.
Gold is selling today at
approximately $35 an ounce.
Miss Marjorie Waller of
Wroxeter left for Toronto
where she has accepted a
position.
Without discussion, the
• House 'of Ciainnicins' voted
$2.250 to Jack Miner to
enable him to carry on his
bird sanctuary.
.APRIL 1946
Several members of the
Wingham Rifle Club were
successful in the recent
matches sponsored by
Dominion Marksnien.
nation-wide organization of
target shooters. Frank
Sturdy of the local, club won
the Provincial Grand
Aggregate Championship for
Ontario. T. W. Platt won
third place in that event and
also placed in other matches.
Mrs. Myrtle Platt won first
prize in the ladies' match of
the Canadian Rifle
Association.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Wells
recently purchased a
combination tourist camp
and dancing pavilion called
'The Old Oaken Bucket' on
Highway 3. near Essex.
At an open meeting in the
council chamber a town
softball league was formed.
Named officers were Alex
coutts; Jim Seli, Stewart
Cowan and Del Ewing.
The charter of the newly
organized Brussels Lions
Club was presented at a
ban'quet to the president,
Roy Cousins.
Mr. Switzer of Mount
Forest has purchased
George Oakley's garage
business in the village of
Gorrie
Rev. G. K. and Mrs. Nobes
and children will leave soon
to take up. work in Saskat-
chewaHe • has been in
charge of St. James
Anglican Church, Wroxeter,
for the past two years.
At a community meeting
held in Belgrave it was
decided to form an Athletic
Association. Ele.ctedjefficers
of the new organizatidn were
Richard Procter, R. J.
McKenzie, George Johnston
and C. R. Coolies.
APRICI957
Frank 'J..' .GibboiiS left
Monday for Toronte where
he will attend the Provincial
School - of Trades as an ap-
prentice in lathing..
The tenth annual Turn -
berry Township Music
Festival was held in
Bluevale with the top win-
ners in solo classes. Judy
McGlynn, Patsy Hotchkiss,
Gail Henderson, Mary
Haugh, Doris Wa11,, Robert
Johnston, Don McKay, Hugh
Mundell, Al Rettinger and
Winston Gibb.oliS.
The ,annual election of
officers took place at the
meeting of . the Wingham
Wemen's Institute, Mrs. R.
A. PoWell, was named
president- . and vice,
presidents are Mrs. M. Guy
and Mrs. G. Hastie. Mrs. W.
Henry is secretary -
treasurer.
A new railfoidliiidge over
the Maitland River, one mile
east , 'of Gerrie on Harry
King's farm., has been
erected by the C.P.R.
The Howick Junior Far-
mers have taken on a new
project, the erection of
concession signs at all the
corners in Howiek Township.
Basketball teams from
Toronto and Owen Sound
gave an exhibition game
before CK1NX television
cameras at the Wingham
District High School on
' Saturday. The event is
believed to be unique in the
fact that it is the first time a
game of this kind has. been
televised. ' ,
The Fordwich United
Church was the scene of a
iiFetTY" wedding
Marianne Jean. Doig -and J.
Harvey Bride were united in
marriage. •
Rod McIntosh, popular
manager of 'the local
Maitland , Creamery,
operated by United • Co -
Operatives of Ontario, will
lease the middle of Aprif.to
join Investors' Syndicate of
Canada. He will reside in
Preston and work out of
Kitchener. The new
manager for the creamery
has not been named. ,
• Five swans have been
spotted making themselves
at home on the flooded
wasteland just south of town
during the past few days.
These wild birds have been
so rare that their visit is
unusual.
APRIL 1967
John Hayman and Sons
Ltd. of London was ten-
tatively awarded the con-
tract to build the new ad-
dition to the Wingham
District High School by the
Huron -Bruce High School
Board. The firm's $2,359,000
bid was the lowest of seven
received,
James Wild, son of Mr. and
Mrs'. Harold Wild of
Wingham, has recently
'received a promotion and
transfer with Ontario Hydro.
Jim moves from the Lam-
bton Generating Station
project at Sarnia to Hydro's
head office in Toronto:
One' of the most critical
problems!, facing, the • com!
uoty,. is, Oevitiipendjng.
departure ,of Doctors 13: N.
Corrin and A. B. Klahsen
who leave for London at the.
end of May. There are no
repjacements lined up and
the problem has been placed
before provincial author-
ities.
IndUetrial. Acceptance
Corporation and Niagara
Finance Co. Ltd. will open a
branch office on Wingham's
main street, on the site of the
old Dominion Store.
The swimming , pool
building committee reported
to a special meeting that its
• investigations have been
completed 'and if the com-
munity is to have a swim-
ming pool a minimuni' of ,
$25,000 will have to be raised
from the public.
Miss Julanne Dauphin has
accepted a. !position at Vic-
toria Hospital, London, as
secretary in the pathology
lab.
NOSTALC4A—A group of visitors to Wingham's Film and Nostalgia Festival got
a chuckle out of a collection of reject clips from vintage films Saturday. The
festival, held last weekend at the town hall, featured film showings ranging from
the silent version of 'Ben Hur' to 'Superman' and collections of movie and
televisiOn stills, old posters, magazines and press books.
';Arirrrr.
John PattkPik:
4yAlthstemottgfohr -Woatet4111:1
was installed 1010010111
187 ..no effort was 444 to
supply the town'; .1110
domestic water. Moattontes
had a shallow dug well;
Some n later years had a
drilled well.
The attitude towards
cChayon on w
ewasseshoo
otWsd wina
usadistc;
at a councitigeOng tni1895.
John''ffaona .1A!'oughtp up the
subject and: pointed Out that
a water syStem.was needed
to have. -' sers. JOhn
Neelands suggested that the
big taxpayers were against it
and the council should not
force it.
Nothing was dope until
April, 1902, „when the council
decided to, have an engineer
visit Wingham to make a
survey and devise a scheme
for a waterworks and sewer
system. It was decided the
water would come from
springs in the west side of
town. A trunk sewer was to
be laid from Alfred Street
down Josephine to Scott
Street, with a cellar draM in
the same trench, with a
septic, tank for disposal. The
total cost was set at $27,655.
The waterworks could be
used without the sewer but
the sewer could not be used
without the waterworks. it
was rejected by a VoteOf the
people in January, 1903.
Later in 1903 a new idea
was put forward to drill
artesian wells and use an air
compressor to force the
water , to a standpipe
reservoir. The whole scheme
was to cost $35,600. It too was
rejected in a vote.
In July, 1905, a bylaw was
submitted to the taxpayers
to extend the waterworks for
fire protection. This was
passed with no .trouble.
Mayor Bell, S. Bennett and
Walter Green went to Berlin
(Kitchener) to confer with
Engineer Davis. -
Land was purchased from
John Armour at the top of the
John Street hill on which to
erect a standpipe. The
otc11.4.0".7.. t74ricoldlig: afnedr.,
$5,9W'Alt.**,-41 an t0 -foot
Otandpipet.,,:000101.# with
foundation, was accepted. g
•
Walter OrgotiVso was given!
a contract to construct a new
concrete flume to the pl#11P-1
upperh eat'esc nnt t ieP ';e41 e‘ wast.7n fd *n sf h e thed
by ,June; 1906, and was con,i
neeted iiitd the system]
neivWa.Aer mains were;
laid to provide more fire;
'hydrants around the town.
'Some people applied to makei
eonneetiol*r. mainsi
where possible sathey could!:
install bathroems,i-With theire'
own septic tanks.
With the standpipe on the
line full of waterf-there was
always water on pressure in:
case of fire. The old way
required a man to go and
start the pumps at once when
the fire alarm sounded.
Nothing more was &one:,
about domestic water until
March, 1909. The council.,
wanted to sink three wells •
near the pumping station;
and extend the system!
throughout the town. Cost,:
was estimated to be about'
$5,000. Thought also was
given to . filtering river'
water. In July the people. ,
again turned down a bylaw.
to raise $6,000 for domestici
wa, ter,
A meeting was called in.
the Town Hall in November,:
1909. Mayor Gregory was
chairman and invited dis-
cussion on sanitary condi-
tions. There were not ver'
many present to hear Dr.
Kennedy give a long talk on
preventive medicine. He
pointed out that six young
people had died in Wingham
in the past year from typhoid
fever. He said the only way
to eliminate the disease was
to provide pure water and
sewerage. This address was
later published in a small
booklet. • Some copies still
exist. A' silver collection wag
taken at the door in aid of the
hospital.
To be continued.
Rider unhappy with
bike-a-thon coverage
Dear Editor,
On Sunday the Canadian
Cancer Society held the
Great Bike Ride for Cancer
in Wingham. No one can
doubt the extreme im-
portance vif.the role the
cancer soclfity plays in the
daily lives of many people in
the Wingham area.
I wish to make several
suggestions on the
organization of this bike
ride. It was poorly ad-
vertised, with few .par-
ticipants and spectators. The
participants all had a special
wish and desire to be in this
New Books
in the Library
SPARKS FLY UPWARD
by Stewart Grainger
Funny, heartbreaking,
hairraising and always
completely candid, this auto-
biography discusses openly
the -author's tempestuous
private life and presetts a
vivid insider's view of
movie -making.
SIGNS OF THE GODS? by
Erich von Daniken
This is von Daniken's
seventh book. It is the fruit of
years of travel and scientific
investigation in his unforget-
table search for the causes of
some of earth's most puz-
zling mysteries.
THE HILL OF SUMMER
by Allen Drury
Here is a tense and power-
ful story of the clash of
minds, purpose and ultimate
national aims represented
by the unyielding and grimly
determines new leader of the
Soviet Union and the farm -
horn, easygoing, grand-
fatherly new president of the
United States. The Russian
launches the Soviet drive to
win the final battle that will
decide the fate of all man-
kind and the American
seeks, with a combination of
military force, guts, bluff
and determination, to head
him off.
bike-a-thon, and it is- a pity
their actions were barely
recognized by the loCakradio
and TV station andpress.
At the turn -around point on
the B-line there was no water
for a rest, and in future bike.
rides this should be a • con-
sideration. No one was
present at the finish line to
Congratulate the par-
ticipants except for one lone
Kinsman ( when I arrived) .
Where was the press to
take pictures of the finale?
Where was the local media to
record the names of the
finishers? I am not blaming
the reporters, but perhaps
the organizers could have
done a bettet-. job of - in-
forming the press in order
for them to do their job.
After riding the 15
kilometres some of us were
exhausted and would have
appreciated some refresh-
ments, but none were
provided. Some of us felt
discouraged. I, for one,
wished 1 had remained in
Kitchener and ridden there,
where the bike-a-thon was
advertised on radio and TV. I
felt very sad to think that
apparently not many people
had heard of the ride in this
area.
Dreams of a cure for
cancer vanish when there is
ignorance. We all are
vulnerable to the dreadful
disease of cancer. That is
why more money is needed.
That is why events such as
this bike ride must be well
organized, or 1 am afraid
even fewer people will
bother turning out next year.
Mrs. Katherine Vanderhorst
Kitchener
EDITOR'S NOTE — A num-
ber of competing events on
Sunday afternoon kept us
from devoting exclusive
attention to the bike-a-thon.
However, as readers can See
from the coverage in this
issue, it was not ignored. In
fact our reporter spent a full
hour there during regis-
tration and at the start of the
ride.