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4 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, December 29, 1976 EDITORIAL COMMENT Big Job Ahead of Them Next week, the recently elected members of the Town of Newcastle, Township of Scugog and the Region of Durham councils will be taking their places and begin functioning as either a co-ordinated team or a conglomeration of locally oriented individuals or groups; we'll hope the former. Accolades must be handed out to those former councillors who ca- ried the ball through the transition eriod. Theirs was no easy task ecause in many instances they had to sort out problems that had been created in pre-region township and town councils and had not been settled before the Region and the Town of Newcastle were formed. They spent a considerable amount of time, energy and effort trying to Another Year In just three days from now this newspaper will begin its 123rd year of publication; that's quite a lot of time. But, we're proud to say that today, after all those years, it's healthier, bigger and more wide- spread in its coverage than it ever has been. In fact, the old girl is ro- duced on just about the most modern equipment available, in as up-to- date surroundings as one can find anywhere. Now, what do we have to do in 1977 to make it even better? There's no point in looking back over the past year, except to thank staff members who have done such a wonderful job, the dozens of correspondents over a wide area who each week have spent many hours reporting the news from their communities, the advertisers who have used its columns regularly, the subscribers who have faithfully supported it and the suppliers who have kept us in paper, ink, film etc., not forgetting the printing customers who have kept presses busy producing their needed stationery. There must be thousands who have laved a oart in its production over the year. During the year, The Statesman gave birth to a youngster called the Country Courier, giving advertisers an additional selling wallop at an attractive price in the area outside Bowmanville because it goes into every home free of charge, through the mails. Appreciation must go to those who found it worthwhile. As a result, this youngster has grown and we expect it will continue to be a welcome addition to our regular publication as the town continues to expand its commerical outlets. bring about satisfactory solutions, functions that must have hampered their achievements in new fields.No doubt some of them suffered at the hands of the electorate because of those inherited difficulties, and also because of problems that came after the region was set up. Unfortunately disgruntled electors often vent their wrath at undeserving targets. Now, it's a brand new ball game. Both region and town or townships should be well organized and prepared to operated efficiently, producing results that will be welcomed by ratepayers and, indeed, all citizens. So, we shall be looking for real progress in the months ahead and wish those elected representatives every sue- cess in their deliberations. Just About Over Our New Year's resolution is to concentrate all the energy available on making both these publications even better than they have been in the past, so that as many segments as possible in this area will feel that they are receiving more than adequate representation in our columns. We hope to continue providing interesting reading material concerning local events and features, accompanied by plenty of well-produced pictures to brighten the stories. As of now, it would appear that The Statesman's circulation will be growing next year even more than anticipated so that advertising messages from retailers will reach an even larger audience in the new year than in 1976. About 30 subscriptions were recorded on just one day in December and so far, only one cancellation has been received from a chap out west who has been taking the paper for 49 years although he and his family have not lived here for many years. We're sorry to have lost that one, but can understand that most of the names in the paper now are not familiar to them. One thing we'd really like to be able to do is to take a news picture on a Wednesday morning, about an hour or two before press time, and produce it in full colour for that particular edition. Our presses are equipped to do it, but we still have a way to go before we acquire the necessary skills and equipment to make this a realitv. With luck it may come about next year. We hope so. But, enough of bragging and thanking al! or you. It's time to say Happy New Year. Drive carefully and the best for 1977. Federal-Provincial Conference Lacking in Long Term Solutions According to MP AI Lawrence The federal-provincial conference provided no long term solutions, Allan Lawrence MP for Northum- berland said in a report from Ottawa last week. "The provinces are still far from being as well off under the new fiscal arrangements as they were under the existing ones," he said. "For the have-not provinces, these arrange- ments could well widen the present disparities, as the area's economic performance, upon which the for- mulas are based, creates an ever-widening gap which cannot be filled by the equalization payments scheme." However, Lawrence said the premiers had been successful in preventing the Prime Minister from anding Quebec premier Rene Levesque an 'exhibit A' in the case against confederation. Trudeau had been persuaded to make several compromises. These included an agreement to cushion the impact of removing the guaran- tees against loss of revenue result- ing from the 1972 tax reforms. The provinces had asked for four per cent but the federal government originally offered nothing. Lawrence said the federal govern- ment's increase in the provincial share of tax revenue now more closely reflects added costs the provinces will face in paying for what were "shared cost programs," such as medicare, post secondary education and welfare. The federal government will allow the provinces to take an additional 13.5 percentage points of income tax and corporate tax revenue - worth about $6.58 billion - which will finance about half of the new burden, says Lawrence. The other half will be met by an unconditional cash grant which will rise as the gross national product goes up. Lawrence said another concession was the abandonment of federal government plans to modify the equalization payments. These pay- ments, which help poorer provinces maintain national standards in major social programs, will remain for at least five years with only some minor modifications. v Ào 0ý JOHN M. JAMES Editor- Publiher Durham County's Great Family Journa! Establisnieci 122 years ago in 1854 Also Incorporating The Bowmanville News q The Newcastle Independent The Orono News Second class mail registration number 1561 Produced every Wednesday by THE JAMES PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED 62-66 King St. W., BowmanvilleOntario LIC 3K9 GEO. P. MORRIS Ëusiness Mgr. BRIAN PURDY Advertising Mgr. - I - uuI~0 o s i. DONALD BISHOP Plant Mgr. "Copyright and-or property rights subsist in the image appearing on this proof. Permission to reproduce in whole orin part and in any form whatsoever, particularly by photographic orioffset process in a publication, must be obtaned from the pubisher and the printer. Any unauthorized reproduction wilI be subject to recourse in law."1 $10.00 a year - 6 months $5.50 strictly in advance foreign - $21.00 a year Although every precaution will be taken to avoid error, The Canadian Statesman accepts advertising in its columns on the understanding that it will not be liable for any error in thç advertisement publlshed hereunder unless a proof of such advertisement is requested in writinge by the advertiser and returned to The Canadian Statesman business office duly signed by the advertiser and with such error or corrections plainly noted in writing thereon, and in that case if any error so noted is not corrected by The Canadian Statesman its liability shall not exceed such a portion of the entire cost of such advertisement as the space occupied by the noted error bears to the whole space occupied by such advertisement. 25 Years Ago December 27th, 1951 Blind Date Led to Church Career son, John, who's associate dean and presenter of the diocese of Montreal in Christ Church Cathedral, there are another 14 clergymen in this family which has numbered two archbishops. Wright is only the second rector St. Cuthbert's has had in its 85 years' existence. The previous minister, CanonNMor- land Lamb, served the parish for over 45 years from the time of its opening in 1890. During World War Il, Wright was chaplain to the Royal Canadian Air Force's eastern air command in Moncton, N.B. After, he left to become parish priest at Trinity Church in Barrie and later, at St. John's, Bowmanville. His five children all attend- cd private school, "because I believe in giving them the very best." He's married and has one grandchild. When Wright came to Lea- side, the community was just opening up. "We were faced with a debt of $100,000 and it was our women's organiza- By Ann Farrell Star staff writer The Rev. Joseph de Pencier Wright says you never know what will happen when you accept a blind date. Especially when she's the daughter of an Anglican bishop. In Wright's case it led him to abandon his ambition to make a fortune in oiffields out west and spend a lifetime a. an Anglican minister. "When I had that date with the Bishop of Ontario's daugh- ter, he said: "We need young men of your calibre." This set Wright thinking. Not long after, he left Queen's University in Kingston and took a theology degree at Bishop's University in Len- noxville, Que. Nearly 40 years later, and after more than23 years as parish priest of St. Cuthbert's Anglican Church on Bayview Ave., Wright, 65, will retire Jan. 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. The priesthood is a popular vocation in the Wright family. Besides his father, and eldest Frequently, the nation's news media carry lengthy tributes to prominent political figures who have died and who have made important contributions to the country's wel- fare. But most of them have been men in elected positions. Last Wedneday, it was different when Mrs. John Diefenbaker died in Ottawa after a lengthy illness. She hadn't sat in Parliament, except as an observer in the Gallery, but during the former Prime Minister's rise to power and throughout that eriod until his defeat, she had ecome almost as well known and highly regarded as her husband. Following is a tribute to this remarkable woman by Dr. James Johnston, publisher of The Cobourg 'Star, who was in Ottawa during those years and knew her and her husband. "When Olive Diefenbaker went to, lie down Wednesday noon and quietly died, this country lost one of its great and courageous women of the 1970s. "Wednesday morning, she was back in her own house for Christmas - - home from the hospital, and she was happy. Her husband left for his Parliament Hill office. As was his custom, he telephoned her during the morning, and unknowingly then, they had their last conversation just before noon. During lunch, she decided to lie down, and seconds, later, she was gone. "This great and gallant woman was always there beside her husband. She shared in the moments of grandeur, and never took the limelight. She shared in the mo- ments of defeat, and never showed the sorrow. She was strong, and firm, and resolute, and she was kind. Olive Diefenbaker had a good political mind, and like her husband, she knew Canada and loved every corner of it. Certainly, she had an effect on his decisions. It is no coincidence that Olive Diefen- baker's husband appointed the first federal woman cabinet minister in Canada or appointed many women to boards and commissions. Olive Diefenbaker was a sounding-board for many of John Diefenbaker's policies when he was Prime Minis- ter, and he rightfully put great trust in her ability. They were an affectionate team - - not in the modern way of women's lib - - Olive Diefenbaker did not have to prove anything to anybody. She had ad a successful career of her own in education before she married the Chief, and was one of Ontario's E ioneers in vocational guidance. She ad a natural interest in people, treating everyone as someone tions which paid all that off." There are now 550 families in the parish; 40 organizations turn out each week, and 12 guilds. Between them, Wright said, they raise $15,000 annually. There are 100 sidesmen and a junior and senior choir. "There's a healthy Sunday school, and we need three services each Sunday to accommodate everybody," Wright said. Although he admits that attitudes to religion have changed radically, during his years as a minister, Wright describes his parishioners as "devotional". The parish has many young married families, and during the season of Lent, Wright said, the church is packed for special services on Wednes- day evenings. "There's no apathy around her. We even send money to other parish- es., Yes, he said, if he had his life over again, he'd still become a priest. "We need strong men, those who'll set special. She had a warmth that put young and old at ease. Younger people may not remem- ber her many public deeds. But throughout this land, the crowds might gather to see the Old Chief, but they wanted Olive at his side, too. She could campaign and politick with the best. There were many times, when she moved across Canada, in great physical pain, but because she had made a commit- ment, she continued. She never let down. And no one ever knew. Olive Diefenbaker lived to see her husband's policies vindicated. He stood for a strong, united Canada - - he still does. He stood for a strong, national purpose and never a'sellout - - he still does. He stood for a multi-colored Commonwealth - - and there would have been no Common- wealth today had he not forced out South Africa for its racism. She also lived to see her husband once again honored by his Conserva- tive Party, and to see that party attempt to wipe out the tragedies of 1966 and 1967. She saw her husband emerge as Canada's national con- science. More than any other person, she urged him to get his memoirs on the record, and she lived to see two volumes published and the remainder underway. The Queen, the Churchills, the Anthony Edens, the Eisenhowers - - John and Olive Diefenbaker knew them all and they represented each and every Canadian with dignity and honor as they served their nation. They lived the story of Canada in very human terms. Typically, when the Chief heard a new story or a piece of news, he would phone his wife at home and tell her. Or he would take home fish - - how he would take home fish - - and she would have them cooked for dinner. Or an admirer would send some venison or some moosemeat, and home it would go with instructions for dinner. Olive Diefenbaker required no bodyguard or factotum as she moved about a city and a nation that loved her. She was a familiar sight on Ottawa streets, and the people knew her well, in the stores, at the market, or pushing a wheelbarrow full of petunias and shrubs at the nursery in the spring. The people respected her, and in that city now, they have lost a good friend and neighbor. All Canadians have lost a good friend and neighbor and a gallant champion for this country. Ail Canadians now think of the grief of the Old Chief and the family who mourn her loss. We will not see her like again. Born at 12:58 a.m. Christ- mas morning was the 7 lb. 9 oz. son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Sharkey, Orono. Three members of Mrs. Porter's Sunday School class Robert Carruthers, Don Mc- Gregor and Keith Hodgson put on a most interesting skit at the annual Christmas party of St. Paul's United Church Sunday School. Residents of Burketon, En- niskillen, Enfield and district are experiencing difficulty with static drowning out reception on their radios. To date the cause has fnot been discovered. The boards are up for the hockey rink at Central Public School. John Graham is super- vising the care of the rink. Sunday school officers at Solina are superintendent Mr. E.R. Taylor, assistant Wes. Yellowlees. Murray Vice, sect'y assisted by Bruce Taylor and Ewart Leask. Ross Pascoe, treasurer. Durham District High School Board will control bequests, investmentsand trust funds of the district schools, it was decided at a- board meeting held in Orono on December 12th. Lefter fo the Edîtor 44 Wendale Ave. Orangeville L9W 1B7 December21 1976 The Statesman: I arn renewing my sub- scription for two reasons. 1. Because my cousin Gar- net Rickard in Mayor of Newcastle. 2. Because your Newcastle village correspondents are the best you have had since my an example and make decis- ions., "I'm very direct with people. I love selling and I'm selling the greatest thing in the world," Wright said. On the subject of women priests, Wright said his con- cern is how many parishes are prepared to accept them. For his part, he's "a tradi- tionalist", although a woman deacon has preached at St. Cuthbert's. But he's strongly in favor of, and involved with ecumenism, and priests of other denomina- tions and faiths preach in his church. Wright is intending to take a busman's holiday upon retire- ment, serving as a relief priest in parishes when necessary. "And I hope to be doing counselling with young people and some publie relations." -Toronto Star WR M ~y M N N N N I must admit that my feelings about the so-called "holiday season" are a bit ambiguous. There's no feeling of satisfaction greater than that experienced when the blasted Christmas tree is finally up and decorated. And there is no feeling more sinking that when your one-year-old grandson tries to climb it and pulls the whole pagan mess over on top of himself. For sheer gluttony, nothing can beat the Christmas dinner, speaking of paganism. But the sensual joy of stuffing oneself is slightly overcast by the knowledge that (in our house, anyway) one has first to stuff the turkey, and second, to wash the dishes after dinner. Then there's the Post Office. We used to know they were just trying to startle the early birds when they gave us those dates for mailing. Now we know better. Ihis column is written to appear in your Christmas issue. You'li probably be reading it about mid-February. As I write, they threaten to strike, just before Christmas. I have as much sym- pathy with them as I had with Hitler in his last days in the bunker with little Eva. I like a white Christmas, but I don't particularly want to drive 400 miles to exhange season's greetings with anyone, when I could be sitting by my own fire with a good book. Why don't we all stay home? I like the old carols, but I can't stand old Bing Crosby singing you-know-what for the 800th time. Even some of the old carols almost demand parody, with the state of the world as it is. Here are a few I have left over. To the Liberal government. (Yes, Virginia, there is still at least one Liberal government ieft in Canada): "God help you, merry gentlemen, 'Cause no one else will do it. We handed you a prime rib roast, And all you did was stew it." To the Parti Quebecois: "Oh, hell! O-o-h hell' What a mess you have made. You have sundered our country At Zilch centigrade." Wouldn't have been so bad if they'd done it in the summer. We'd have all gone fishing. To theoil industry: 'We three sheiks of Araby are. We've got oil, but never from tar Sands like all you dopey Cana- dians, Whine while we raise the price." To the Anglos in Quebec: In the Dim and )istant Past 49 Years Ago December 29, 1927 The new members of school trustees elected by acclama- tion are George L. Hall, Fred W. Nelles and A.M. Williams. Elected to Cartwright coun- cil by acclamation are Reeve F.H. Hyland and councillors J.H. Forder, J. Watson, N. Taylor and R. Byers. Report of Christmas exam- inations at Brown's School: Sr. IV-Ethel Henderson, Eliz- abeth Henderson, Jr. IV-Char- lie Alldred, Mildred Bedwin. Jr. III-June Brown, Irene Henderson, Helen Roblin. Il- Bessie Law, Arthur Bedwin. I-Eddy Roblin. Pr-Marjorie Henderson. Teacher-Vera Power. William John Martyn who has carried on a business as (1) Grocers and Feed Mer- chants. (2) Bowling Alley has announced dissolvement of the partnership as of Septem- ber 15th. C.C. Ravin, agent, was honored in Cobourg on Satur- day by members of the Order of Railway Telegraphers and presented with a brief case. (Pickering News). A frame barn on the outskirts of Stirling, owned by Rev. Fred Joblin was des- troyed by fire on Saturday morning. Also lost in the fire was a horse, fowls, buggy, harness, etc. The Joblins are presently quarantined with scarlet fever. father, Harry Pearce, was correspondent back 30-40-50 years ago. K.G.H. Pearce Editor's note: We'll go along with that on both counts. "Hark, let's all us Anglos sing, We don't want Rene for King. Though we've scorned the man for years, Save us from his French With Tears." Enough? I agree. I'm getting faintly nauseous myself. Avaunt, ye carols! Then there are the Christmas parties. The merchants have a big one, counting their shekels, even though they know they'll be lucky to break even in the next few months. The cops have a party, hauling in drunks. The drunks have a party, because they know 'tis the season to be jolly and they can get away with anything short of murder. The murderers have a party because, under our present rules, they'll probably all be home for Christmas. And the rest of us gallop from one egg-nog to another, gulping down grub that some poor woman has spent 24 hours preparing, and tried out on her husband so often that he throws up at the mention of it. The social committee of our staff tried to have a Christmas party for all the teachers and it was practically a flop because so many could not make it. They were already signed up for such things as a free party for muncipal employees and their souses. a ree Dartv for employees of a large institution and their spouses, and various other worthy events, none of them designated to help the hungry or comfort the afflicted of the world. It's bad enough before Christmas, but the pace accelerates right after the big day. All those hostesses who couldn't round up guests for a pre-Christmas bash have been frantically phoning people to attene their New Year's Eve soiree, or---" their apres-ski swill, or their toboggan-party turbulence. You have to be fast off the mark, or you'll miss the chance toplay host to 30 or 40 people who coul n't give a diddle if you never saw, and fill them with food and booze you can't afford. Well, our baccanalia comes to something of a grinding halt about the day after New Year's. We all lurch back to normal, suffer through the physical and financial hangover, take a look out at the falling snow and the falling temperature, and realize with a sickening thud of the heart that we are not, after all, living it up on the Riviera, but are stuck in the true north, strong and freezing, and there are still three months of it ahead of us. A Gallant Woman Is Gone IEX2 M EE R mEEERRRE and By Bil lSmitey Christmas Time -- 7' 7' -- -- -7'-- - - - - '&T *