Zurich Citizens News, 1978-06-22, Page 4Page 4
Citizens News, June 22, 1978
"Each year, I spend half my time getting the lawn to grow fast and the other half cutting it, because if grows so fast!"
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Z.C.N.
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fo d for thought
Food these days continues to be a hot topic for
conversation, what with the higher prices con-
sumers are paying for beef this time of year and
with the opening of the new Zehrs store in this area.
According to the Anti -Inflation Board, retail
beef prices were 13.5 percent higher in the month of
May than they were in the preceding month.
This is of interest to the consumer as an item
by itself but it's of more interest if you believe
figures provided by the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture.
According to the Federation, their farmer
price index which is designed to measure the
changes in prices paid to the farmer showed an in-
crease of almost eight percent for the prices paid to
beef farmers during the same period of time.
For the price of poultry, the situation appears
to be somewhat reversed with the farm gate price
increasing eight percent while the prices paid by
the consumer rose only a little over four percent.
The same situation holds true for pork with the
retail price going up by about two percent and the
price paid to the farmer increasing by almost ten
percent.
There's a saying that states figures don't lie but
there's another saying which says something to the
effect you can use figures to prove almost anything.
Nevertheless it's becoming increasing ap-
parent that the farming industry in this country is
in trouble with farmers dropping out of the business
on almost a day to day basis.
One of the main problems that the farming in-
dustry is faced with is a drop in the real income
which they have been receiving.
If consumers were to spend as much on food in
terms of a percentage of income as they did ten
years ago, more farmers might be encouraged to
stay in the business.
Cheap prices today, might translate into much
higher food prices down the road as arable land
continues to be swallowed up by urban development
and as potential farmers are turned off by the
marketplace's apparent apathy towards his plight.
As the sun sets m..
Every once in a while a member of parliament
comes out with an idea so workable, that it actually
makes sense.
Gord Walker the Progressive Conservative
member from London south has introduced a
private member's resolution calling for the Ontario
government to insert what he calls a "sunset
provision" for all government agencies, boards and
commissions.
What the sunset law would do, would be to
provide for an automatic termination of any of the
above bodies unless they could justify their ex-
istence to the government. Walker says if the body
can justify its existence, its life could be extended.
According to Walker, the sunset law has been
used successfully for several years in various
American states.
While the intent of the law is fine, the London
MPP fails to state who would have the final say in
whether a certain body was to live or die.
If the final decision was left up to the cabinet or
the ministry that had originally set up the body,
charges of coverups and politically expedient
moves would inevitably arise.
Letting the legislature have the final say might
not be the best move as they could disagree on what
should or should not die.
Maybe what we need (perish the thought) is an
agency to decide whether other agencies should
bite the dust or continue on ... or how about
another royal commission?
What ever the final solution as per the policing
of such a law may be, the sunset law none the less is
an idea which should be given serious consideration
eN.
FIRST WITH LOCAL NEWS
Published Each Wednesday By J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd.
Member:
Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association
Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association
News Editor - Tom Creech
Second Claes Mail Registration Number 1385
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• Ilxscella leous
• �au� blyings
•
By
TOM CREECH
Ei Fiddling with
▪ a bean burger
- is trivial.
One of the advantages of being a part of this
business is the exposure to events or people with
whom you would not normally come in contact.
Such was the case Saturday evening when for the
first time I attended the fiddler's contest at Hensall
and what a revelation it was!
It must be stated at the outset that my musical
tastes are centred mainly around obscure rock
groups. (Why, I don't know.) Have you ever heard of
Dragon, Elf or the James Montgomery Blues band?
I think you've caught my drift.
Returning to what I was talking about, the
F'iddler's contest is definitely something that can
grow on you. The continuous twang which comes out
of each violin, the rhythmic sounds of the tap dancers
and the general humdrum of the crowd is infectious.
One nice thing about the contest is the number of
local people who did well in the various categories
with Zurich's own Becky McKinley taking the 12 and
under step -dancing competition. In one of the fiddling
contests, out of the three finalists, one gentleman was
from Dashwood and another contestant resides in Ex-
eter.
Returning to step -dancing, one of the evening's
highlights came when Henry Adkins entertained the
crowd of 1100 with a couple quick -footed numbers. The
crowd loved it, along with former CKNX broadcaster
and MC for the evening Johnny Brent, who could not
keep up with the fleet -footed senior from Zurich.
One of the many things which seems to go in hand
with fiddling is the spontaneity of the groups in atten-
dance.
As performer after performer was rewarded with
a warm round of applause, spectators who had
wandered out of the arena into the practice area
located in the banquet hall were tapping their toes and
on a few occasions, having an impromptu square
dance.
Meanwhile, on the campgrounds behind the arena,
a jam session with competitors who had been
eliminated, sprang up.
On this June Saturday night in Hensall there was
no way in which one was going to avoid listening to
this form of country music.
All in all, it was one enjoyable way to spend a
Saturday evening.
Continuing along the theme "How the news editor
spent his weekend" (sorry folks, it won't be coming
out as a paperback) some time was spent at Grand
Bend taking in the atmosphere that Buffalo -burger
fest provided. Once again, the beverage tent on the
main beach proved to be a focal point of attention with
lineups on both the Friday and Saturday evenings.
According to all reports, Saturday's bed race was
highly successful and the Ausable River marathon
held on Sunday attracted a large number of par-
ticipants.
It certainly makes for a festive atmosphere in a
community that is renowned for its fun times. It takes
a Herculean effort to stage such an event and the
Grand Bend Chamber of Commerce should be con-
gratulated on another fine effort.
Talking about Herculean efforts reminds me that
the bean festival is only two months away. Once again
a full slate of events has been planned, with the minor
athletic association serving up an old fashioned
breakfast. Other events taking place will be the
horseshoe pitching contest, the festival queen contest
and the bean festival dance.
This is one event I'm looking forward to covering
providing that I can resist overindulging myself in
some of those great beans.
Insignificant trivia of the month: According to the
Guiness Book of World Records, the longest single un-
broken apple peel on record is 172 feet, peeled by a
Kathy Wafler of Wolcott, New York in 1976.