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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-03-23, Page 4Es age of e itoriol opinion March 23, 83 44*.tAtoczatat-00. it am : bbanet-Jame Published at Wingham, Ontario, b, Wenger Bros. Limited Barry Wenger, President Henry Hess, Editor Robert O. Wenger, Sec.-Treas. Audrey Currie, Advertising Manager Bi tit N�bb 'N 1982 Member Audit Bureau of Circulations Member — Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc. Subscriptions $20.00 per year Six months $11.50 Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 Return postage guaranteed Food for the mind An editorial commenton the Madill Mirror page of The Advance -Times last week pointed to a condition of our times which deserves careful consideration. Mchelle Hooftrnan expressed concern about the influence of television on an entire generation of children, young- sters who, often at the bidding of their parents, spend endless hours glued to the TV set. Admitting that television is cer- tainly not without its values as a source of information as well as an entertain- ment medium, the article pointed out that "the tube" should not provide a total alternative to good books. We heartily agree. Many television programs are doing damage to the English language. Since few TV newscasters, commenta- tors or entertainers are subject to the supervision of editors, misuse of lang- uage has been increasing at a rapid pace. Children tend to believe what- ever they hear is necessarily correct and thus incorrect English creeps into the spoken language of a new genera- tion. The greater danger, however, lies in the fact that children constantly watching television are growing up with no outlet for their own imagin- ations. A child reading a book provides his or her own mental pictures to fit the story being absorbed. Leaves ruffled by the wind, waves lashing a storm - ridden shoreline, the straining legs of a galloping horse — all become mental images for the young leader. The child produces personal television and thus learns to maintain the mental alertness and vision which are necessary com- ponents of any intelligent adult. MOST VALUABLE PLAYER in the AAA division at the Midget Hockey Tournament on the weekend was Blake Sawyer of the champion St. Catharines Midgets. Herb Kenyon presented the MVP trophy and kit bag following the championship game Sunday. Legislation under threat Big news in this area last week was the hunger strike undertaken in the Stratford jail by the president of the Farm Survival group, Mr. Wilford. The man vowed to starve himself to death, if necessary, to ensure that the Can- adian parliament would enact legisla- tion to prevent foreclosure by the banks -on the properties of bankrupt farmers. With all the sympathy in the world for farmers who have found them- selves in serious financial difficulty, we cannot agree that any laws of the land should be forced through parliament with a human death as an alternative. The fact that it was his own life which he threatened makes no difference. A Painful moral A British Columbia judge was faced last week with what surely must have been the most painful decision of his career. He finally ordered that young Stephen Dawson undergo an operation to prolong the child's life. The case arose when it became ap- parent'that the child would die unless surgery was performed. His parents refused their permission on the grounds that he should be allowed to die, since continued life as a blind, re- tarded and physically handicapped person in constant pain promised only an agonizing future. There was no reported evidence that the parents were anything but deeply loving in their relationship with the boy. The B.C. children's aid or- ganization, however, was prepared to fight the case to the highest court in their belief that no parent should have human life is still a life, whether Wil - ford's or that of a hostage. If such violent tactics are seen to be successful there might be no end to the pattern; every group which felt it- self to be the victim of government neglect might try the same tactics. Mr. Wilford did, of course, succeed in drawing lots of attention to the plight of bankrupt farmers. The town of List- owel was overflowing with city news- paper and TV reporters and Camer- men. Whether all this attention will eventually prove beneficial to farmers generally is another matter. It has pro- vided adequate warning to The banks to be very careful in future about extend- ing credit for farm operators. issue the right to deny life to a chug. The moral issue involved is, in it- self, an agonizing one, as the judge demonstrated when he begged the par- ents to make the decision themselves. The techniques of modern medicine have completely changed the values by which we must make decisions about human life. A few years ago the ques- tion would not have arisen because the operation would not have been pos- sible. The child's death would have been accepted as God's will. But today we must decide whether God is the arbiter or the judge and the surgeon are the ones to decide. In this case the judge decided the operation must be performed, so the child will live. Only time will tell what the quality of his life will be. Certainly none of us would willingly have taken the judge's position as he wrestled with such a decision. Pigeons going to pot The pigeon population of Kitchener will probably suffer a sharp decline since it has been discovered that there is a thriving market for the birds. It seems That several ethnic groups in other places are very fond of pigeon meat in a variety of forms. So quite a few of the birds are headed for The cooking pot. Now there are many people who like pigeons. They speak in glowing terms of the gracefulness of their flight. They admire the pigeons' faith- fulness to their mates. They think pi- geons are beautiful. Well, we can't make that belief unanimous. Personally we dislike these birds. Our antipathy commenced when Number One Son decided to become a pigeon owner at age nine. Up to that time we could take pigeons or leave them alone, but after several families of these birds learned that our house, garage, trees, lawn and garden were to be the sites of their domestic bliss we changed our mind. If you have ever attempted to keep your automobile looking respectable after a pair of pigeons lodged in your garage you will know what we mean. If you have travelled to any of the capitals bf Europe you will also know what we mean. The statue of Lord Nelson, standing at the very hub of the empire in London's Trafalgar Square is besmeared and befouled by pigeons. You can't walk across the square at St. Mark's in Venice without stepping on pigeons or their by-product. You can't kill them and you can't get away from them. Ifs highly probably that this arti- cle will be sharply attacked. Now that the animal lovers have wiped out the seal hunt we will probably be singled out asan enemy of pigeons. Neverthe- less, since people have to eat and a considerable number of pigs, cattle, chickens and sheep must be sacrificed each year to fill human stomaches, we feel it more than fair that pigeons should begin to bear some of the burden. This unforgettable winter Every person, young or old, has heard of the winter of 1947. That was the year it snowed and snowed and snowed. The worst winter in human memory. Probably the winter of 1983 will become a legend too. The winter when it didn't snow. Well, there has been a wee bit, but not enough to even raise the occasional gripe. But don't think for a moment that it has been a winter of great glee for everyone. The 011 merchants have had much slimmer pickings than usual. The snowplow crews and the people who customarily dig out driveways have felt the pinch. Snowmobilers are pretty long in the mouth and ski resort owners are still trying to explain things at the bank. It doesn't help much, but an emin- ent climatologist explained it all the other morning on TV. It seems that our weather patterns are established away out in the Pacific Ocean, where, in normal years a large body of warm water tends to set up continental winds which moderate our otherwise frigid winters. This year, however, the warm water mass Is several times its usual size. Hence our Florida -like winter and the horrendous storms on the west coast. Does that make you feel any bet- ter? A Tax reduction program creates differences in farmers' opinion The Ontario government intends to offer a new system of taxation/ for farmers, under which those who wish to participate will be eligible for a tax rebate equal to 100 per cent of the taxes on farm land and buildings. They will, however, pay normal taxes on their homes and one acre of land on which the home is located. The farm taxation system which has prevailed up to the present sets farm taxes on the basis of assessment of the entire farm and its build- ings but 50 per cent of the total tax bill is rebated to the owner. There is a sharp difference of opinion about the merits or evils of the new system, as the following letter from Gordon Hill and the quotes from Jim Armstrong and his son point out. In an interview with The Western Ontario Farmer, Bill Armstrong says that he feels the proposed rebate can do nothing but damage agri- culture's image in the public eye, especially with other businesses that must pay full taxes. Armstrong asked why commercial businessmen shouldn't get their taxes paid as well as farmers. An important point in the Armstrong argument is that currently, producers may apply for a 50 per cent rebate on their property tax, includ- ing land, barns and farm- house, which can be deduct- ed as an expense against farm income tax. Under the rebate program, however, farm buildings and land be- come seperate from the farmhouse and one acre par- cel on which it is situated. Everything will be reas- sessed and while farmers will receive 100 per cent re- New property tax proposal doesn't threaten ownership Dear Editor, Recently, at the request of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), the Ontario Government again offered a new farm property tax proposal. Basically, the new proposal is this: farm land and buildings will be assessed and taxed as they are now; farm homes will be assessed and taxed equitably with other homes in the community; the lot on which the farm house sits will be assessed and taxed at 50 per cent of the value the lot would have if it could be severed. The program will be legislated, therefore more permanent and secure than the present rebate program which must be approved each year by Order in Council. Farmers will continue to pay their entire property taxes as they do now. Those farmers who wish to will receive a grant equal to the sum of the taxes on their land and farm buildings. There will be no grant on the farm house and lot. The farm property tax grants will be in the same category as many other government payments. For eaxmple, grants for farm ponds and water systems, milk houses, stables, barns, implement sheds, drains, manure storage, fruit and vegetable storage, grain storage, deficiency pay- ments on farm products, rebuilding factories, paint- ing and sprucing up farm rebuilding factories, pain- - ting and sprucing up farm buildings, modernizing machinery and equipment, assisting Massey Ferguson, Chrysler and other cor- porations to remain solvent, as well as many other purposes. Some farmers oppose the new plan. They mistakenly equate payment of taxes with maintenance of property rights. The right to awn, hold and enjoy property is ensured by a document called a "Deed", registered 4 through the legal system and enforced by law, not by payment of taxes. Farm property rights were strengthened recently by the Government passing new laws to reduce and control trespassing. Of course, farmers will continue to pay property taxes too and receive a receipt from the municipal tax collector. However, many people securely own property with- out the property being taxed. Expensive paintings held as an investment, bonds, travel trailers, sail and motor boats are among the items of property not assessed for property tax. Try borrowing one without the owner's consent. Many senior citizens receive property tax grants, but uninvited public use of their homes is not permitted. The OFA continues to believe that an equitable tax system should be based on four points: —people taxed for services to people; —property taxed for services to property; —land assessed according to productivity; —taxes based on ability to pay. The Ontario Government and the staff in the Property Assessment Branch have sincerely tried for many years to find such a system for taxing farm property. They have been unsuccess- ful. Government decided three yearsago not to con- tinue the search because, probably, the funds generated would not justify the hassle. Farmers now have a choice. They can oppose the new proposal and the Government will retain the present insecure system. Or they can accept the new proposal with its legislated security and the additional $20 million it would annually provide to the farm com- munity. Gordon Hill Varna. Ont. bate on the farm buildings protion, they will have to pay tax (which is not deductible) on their residence, just like any other homeowner in the municipality. Armstrong also points out that the present 50 per rebate was intended to re- lieve the farmer of paying education tax on the value of his land and buildings, but under the new system that basis would be altered. He also poses the question of what will happen if there is more than one farmhouse in- volved, as in the case of a father -son operation. He also asks what will happen to bill- ing for hydro. Will there be one bill for the house and an- other for the barn? Bill Armstrong's father, Jim, expressed the same views in an interview with Farm and Country, adding his fear that the new system would simply provide for government an ever-in- creasing weapon of control over farmers. In the same article Farm and Country quoted other farmers who provided examples of how the change could seriously affect some farmers. A man who has a market garden operation on less than 100 acres near Hutton- ville has two houses on his farm. With one -acre lots selling for up to $100,000 in the general area he could be taken to the cleaners. Jim Armstrong and a Caleddt1 "East "beef farmrier; Tom Jackson, are presently travelling throughout the province in a campaign to alert farmers to what they believe are the inequities of the proposed change in taxa- tion. Thoroughly disgusted by hockey `hoodlums' Dear Editor, I was thoroughly disgusted to read in your paper of the way some of the parents act when watching their young sons play hockey! I am sure the boys aren't there because they have hopes of being big stars sont day, but because they enjoy the game. How ashamed they must be of those parents. My son, who lives in Hamilton, is a coach, also at times a referee. I have never heard him say that they have trouble like that. 1 must ask him when he comes up at Easter. I hope they stop acting like hoodlums and more like parents. Winnie Taylor RR 1, Wingham inners' night for family trees Dear Editor, Genealogy is becoming more and more popular of late and, during the past few years, the number of people tracing their families has grown tremendously. Mem- bers of the Huron County Genealogical Society are frequently asked for inform- ation on "how to get start- ed". We have therefore decided to hold a Beginner's Night in an attempt to assist those who want to start, have just begun or who don't know where to look next. It will'be held April 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the board room of the assess- ment office, 57 Napier Street, Goderich. Entrance and parking are at the rear. There is no charge for this workshop and an excellent program has been prepared. Anyone at all interested in finding their "roots" is most welcome to attend. Further PRESS COUNCIL The Advance -Times is a member of the Ontario Press Council which will consider written com- plaints about the publica- tion of news, opinions and advertising. If a com- plaint can't be resolved with the newspaper, it should be sent to the On- tario Press Council, -151 Slater St., Suite 708, Ot- tawa, Ont. K1P 5H3. information is available from Alison Lobb, chairman, at 482-7167. Carole Robinson Secretary Goderich New Books in the Library THE MAKING OF THE MICRO By C. R. Evans This is the fascinating and exciting story of the calculating machine, from the counting frame to the computer. It is a story about people as much as about science and mathematics — people whose work paved the way for what is the most important single invention of the twentieth century: the microprocessor. FLOATING DRAGON by Peter Straub The time is the present; the place is an affluent commuter town — mani- cured, woodsy, a bit bohem- ian — where every refriger- ator is stocked with Perrier, every closet with expensive jogging shoes. There is only one thing wrong with living there: Hampstead is about to be visited by a siege of un- speakable horror. THE HIDDEN -HAND PRESIDENCY: EISEN- HOWER AS LEADER by F. Greenstein ro When Eisehower left office more than 20 years ago, he was generally regarded as the very mo l of an inef- fective president, a benign, but politically indecisive, leader who reigned but did not rule. Only :now, five unsuccessful presidents and a disastrous war later, are we beginning to wonder how this seemingly bumbling and inarticulate man was able to get so much done while appearing to do so little. Seek improvement of communications Huron County Board of Education, at its March 14 meeting, approved eight rec- ommendations from its executive for improvement of communications with staff and the public. The recommendations fol- low a commitment made by board chairman Dorothy Wallace to improve com- munication with the two sec= tors. Articles and a question and answer column about educa- tion in Huron County will be published in Focus, a Signal - Star Publishing Co. Ltd., publication. Individual schools will publish school newsletters for distribution and have "school news" columns in AAA RUNNERS-UP—Dave Hynes of the Wingham Legion presented the runner-up trophy for the AAA divi- sion to Paul Summerby, captain of the Oakridge Midgets, who dropped a 2-1 decision in overtime to St. Catharines in the AAA championship game Sunday at the Wingham Midget Hockey Tournament. local newspapers. Internal communications will be encouraged by invit- ing chairmen of principals' committees to attend meet- ings of similar, board com- mittees. Principals and teachers will also be invited to make presentations to board committees where it would assist the board in making a decision. Annual one -day seminars will be held with board mem- bers, executive administra- tors and principals taking part, and every three years (following an election) a three-day workshop will be held for trustees, adminis- tration and principals where common concerns and prob- lems will be discussed. Evening of poetry at Clinton library The public is invited to an evening of poetry at the Clinton branch of the Huron County Public Library on Tuesday evening, March 29. George Amabile, a Canadian poet, will be giving a reading of his work, starting at 7:30 p.m. In addition to being a poet, Mr. Amabile is an associate professor of English and creative writing at the University of Manitoba, whose work has appeared in 65 periodicals and maga- zines and a dozen anthol- ogies. He is a gifted performer, whose resonant voice presents his poetry very well in a public reading. He has given readings of his work throughout North America, on the CBC and public television. The program is sponsored by the League of Canadian Poets and the Canada Council, and admission is free.