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2-Orono Weely Times, Wednesday, December 26th, 1973 orono weekly ti mes Second Class Mail Registration Num ber 6368 Published every Wednesday at the office of publication SUBSCRIPTION RATES Canada $3.0...ýU.S.A. $4.50 edit@riai VET TO APPOINT COMMITTEES From word received last Friday from Mayor Garnet Rickard the new council of the Towa of Newcastle had yet to make aay appointements to tbe any of the committees and boards which will come under tbe jurisdictioa of the new Town of Newcastle, These boards and committees wîll include sucb as the parks board, recreation board, planning board, Committee of Adjustrnent and se on. Mayor Rickard said it bad been the intention to make a start on the appointments and' that numerous names had already been submitted for the variuos boards. The mnayor did state that the new council did however pass a resolution asking existing boards to carry-on for tbe cime being. There was no indication just how long this period of time may be but no doubt it will be short-lived. COMPROMISE EASES TENTION Last weeic members of the legislature sigbed relief whea Education Minister presented a compromise to the teachers which took everyone off the book for the time being. The Minister hewever gave onlya tbirty day reprise to his legislation and if the boards aad teachers of those areas which ha&'ýe'fdt settlèel their contracts and continue to- threaten to resiga the legisiature is to be recalled and the bill presented. The way an environmentalist hy Warren Lowes No. 1. TIME FOR WIDER PERSPECTIVE If there is one subject that bas pervaded the mood of the past 'decade, it has been a maunting concern for the changing world around us. Industrial 'expansion, bousing develop-ments, garbage disposai schemnes ~nd proposed new traffic arteries are but a *V of tbe more obvious changes that im-pinge on our lîves, And, in almost every controversy surroundiag these develop- ments, the term 'ecology' seemns to get inte the discussion tegether witb a vague reference to a particular group of citizens v ') are singled out as 'environmnentalsists'. What is an environmentalist? Is it a person wbo bas discovered a new politcal tbeory, a new religion or la new social viewpoint? Or is an environmentalist one who is mentally disturbed? Wben this series of articles came up for considera tion, the purpose was to try to find meaningful answers to these questions, And, pursuing this endeavour we must face. the problem of where to begin. We could plunge right into the middle of the discussion, but possibly a step back into bistory will give us the best perspective. ln the year 1892, a very perceptive man named John Muir, discussing the nature -of bis' surroundings, noted that "when'you try to pick up anytbing by itseif, you find it bitcbed to everytbing else in the universe." Thus the water, the air, the land, the sky and ail living organisms upon this spinning globe are tied together and intimnately related in what bas. corne to be known as an eco-systern - from 'ekos', the Greek word for bouse - and thus the word 'ecology'. The late Adiai Stevenson, in one of bis more philosophical moods, made tbis statement almost eigbty years later: "We travel, passengers on a little space-sbip; dependent on its vulnerable resources of air and soul; ahl committed for our safety to its security and peace; preserved fromn annihilation oniy by the care, the work, and, 1 will say, the love we give our fragile craf t." Weil, in the few. years that have ensued since Muir made bis prenauncement, our record in North America bas net been tee impressive. We bave established quite a pattera of disregard. In the animal kingdom, we have eliminated at least twenty species of mammals, birds and fishes from the face of the earth, while another fifty-nine species ef vertebrates (including wolves, coyotes, wbales, hawks) are teetering on the edge of extinction. Meanwhile we are busy pourine cencrete over the land <much of it productive agricultural soil) at the rate ef almost twe million acres per year. In the interim we bave crowded the Native People ef this continent ente reservations in meé reiuoter regiens ana weicomneu immi- krants, from every corner of the globe te f111 So to speak a cooling out period bas beent instituted with the hope tha t ahl will settle within the new time limait. It appears that a number of boards and teachers have already settled upon a contract and the number of hold-outs is lessening. The Minister has however toyed with some points that could well put hlm out on a limb. He has allowed some boards to settie above that which they can afford in the current year and allowed them to borrow from the grants, in the coming year. This is a dangerous procedure, unless the Minister is considering to take off the ceiling in the very near future. If the latter happens we are. again ln for spiralling educational costs in some centres. If he allows boards to borrow into the future he is only putting these individual boards in financial trouble. The Minister bas also hinted that if arbitration does become a fact through legisiation that be wiIl allow the arbitrator to pierce the ceilings. Here again he would only be opening the door because both the boards and teachers would not have to worry about ceilings and more would allow negotiations to crumble and go to arbitration. If Wells feels a ceiling is necessary, and appareatly he does, be cannot afford to open avenues which would only pierce that ceiling. If he does he is talking out of both sides of his moutb. TO EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW VEAR The old year fast approaches its life span and witbin a few days we wfll be heralding in the New Year with new; expectations, new hopes and a goodwill toward ail men. As one looks over the past ail too often those happenings such as Watergate seem to predominate but this bas not been the history of man entirely during the last twelve months. Reason is prevailing to a degree in the Middle East and elsewhere in the -world and people as individuals are concerned. May we express our thanks and wish each and everyone a healtby, happy and properous New Year. tic secs it up the vacant spaces. This new population,' plus the progeny from a breeding spree of our own, bas produced a bead-count of more tban two hundred million, people wbo demand te be fed and often extravagantly supplied with a ste ady flow of consumer goods. Today the gross national product is sapped from the eco-system to satisfy human wbims at a rate neyer before known la bistory Modemn beaith care, bas extended life expectancy te a new higb of seventy years, and during tbis seventy years eacb of us will consume an estimated 50 tons of food, 28 tons of iran and steel, 1,200 barrels of petroleumn products, a ton and a baîf of fiber and 4,500 cu.f t. of wood and paper. Since tbe iaws of 'tbermodynamics do net act in reverse, mucb of this intake will end up. as garbage. So, after these few decades of 'progress', we look about us and ail at once, as in a dream, the picture bhas changed. We suddeniy realize that we are confronted witbý tbreateniag problemns of pollution, depietion of fuel and mninerai reserves and social probelms breught on by overcrowding in buge metropolitan areas. What is happening Wbere are we going? To the environmentalist, these prablems have been accumulating and are accelerat- ing witb time. Tbey do not see it as a matter for politicai haggeling, as an arguement of Capitalism vs. Socialism, or Tory Vs. Grit. Tbey see a situation developing which supersedes ail politcal partisanship. In the words of Pogo, of the cartoon strip, "we bave aIl seen the villain, aad he is us." We are now gaing te leamn wbether we, as a species, are able te muster the collective intellegence te cape witb the emergencies that lie abead or whetber we tee will be listed withi the wolves, the hawks and the whales as an eadangered species. 1 I furtber instailments we wili deal more specifically witb the varieus aspects of the subject. The point we are trying te focus an here is the fact that the days ef insular social concerns are over; tbe era ef narrow pravincialism bas came te an end. Most of us in the rural areas can boast of aur pioneer ancestry, some two, tbree and four generations established. It may fil us witb nostalgia te reflect upon the intimacies ef rural dwelling as it used te be around the country store, the churcb basement, or the community hall. Butý a new generatien ef pioneers is now neepIe, a new breeci of adventurers who will -have te move into a new uncharted future. They wilI need more ingenuity than their forefathers and they will need ail the adaptabiity they can mauster. And they will need the backing of the generation wbe gave them birth. We have answered one question posed in paragraph twe. Yes - environmentalists are mentally disturbed. *LICENSE PLATES NOW AVAILABLE Ontario motorists can now obtain 1974 passenger car and trailer licence plate renewals at 291 issuing offices through- out the Province. Under the new system motorists wiIl not receive new plates but will be provided with a sticker to be attached to the lower right-hand corner of the present rear plate. Before attaching the sticker the rear plate -must be thoroughly cleaned Wax or oil could prevent the sticker from adhering properly. Motorists are reminded that they will again be required to supply information respecting liability insurance and are urged to carry their liability insurance certificate wîth them when visiting the issuing office. Those applying for renewal by mail are required to send a letter with their permit and fee, listing the name of . the insurance company, the name of the insurance agency, the policy number and the date of expiry of the policy. As in 1973, fees are $23 for a 4-cylinder vehicle; $32 for 6 - cylinders; $40 for an 8-cylind- er car and $5 for trailers. The multi-year plates mnust be validated prier to mnidnigbt, February 28, 1974. SNOW AND ICE MAY DAMAGE SHRUBS - In a release from Mr. Bert MeNeill, Horticultural Spec- ialist with the Ontario Minis- try of Agriculture and Food, it is poiated out that shrubs and evergreens around your home should be wrapped with twine *of burlap to protect them from snow aad ice conditions that we are faced with in Durham County. Small evergreens can be covered with a A-frame type structure to take the weight of the snow. Heavy loads of wet snow can weight plants down and break off brittie branches. To remove the snow either shake the plant gently or sweep the snow off with a broom. Ice that we are sometimes faoed with in the County is a different matter when it attaches itself te sbrubs and evergreens. When they are loaded with ice, don't touch them but wait until the ice starts to meit then shake the plants gently to remove the icy coat. County building to get $60,OOO0 facelift Regional council authorized its executive committee Wed- nesday to see bow far $60,000 can go in providing renovat- ions to the County Building. The renovations, wbich will be necessary , are an attempt to provide office space for: the regional chairman, ad- ministrator, solicitor, and clerk, space for the finance and personnel departments and a reception area on -the ground floor. Councils decision followed a presentation by Alan Wilcox Whitby arcbitect. Walter Beath, the regional chairman, No matter how careful yoiu are there is some slight damage to branches however shrubs and evergreens recov- er quickly if the main stem is not broken and they will return to normal next spring. However, you do need to give them some help by covering them' to keep off as mucb snow as possible during the winter months. COURSES FOR INEXPERIENCED FARMERS- Once again this y ear' the Ontario Agricultural College in co-operation with the off iée of c-ontinuing education at the University of Guelpb will be offering courses in applied Agriculture for inexperienced farmers in the winter semest- er of 1974. The courses will range in information from Agricultural Science today through to principal, and practices of Beef Manage- ment to Soil Management for Crop Production, Horticulture and courses on Soul Science and overaîl crop production. These courses will be held at Toronto in the Bayview area; at tbe University of Guelph, in Guelph; at the University of Toronto; and at Ottawa at Carlton University. Each course will be .a minimum 'of ten 2 hour ses si ,ons oni consecutive weeks commencing '8 p.m. each evening witb the except- ion of Bayview which wîli start at 7:30 p.m. Details regarding the subject matter of each lecture in the class- rooms will be. provided before classes commence to those who have registered. The charge for the courses is $45.0per person per course of $65.00 per couple per course if living in the same residence. STUTT'S PHAI PHONE ORONO 983- had asked bim to asgess the potential spaée available in the building which becomes a regional asset on Jan. 1. Altbougb Mr. Wîlcox told council he had been able to take onily a "very quick look" at the temporary regional headquarters building, there is about 23,000 sq. ft. -of useable office space, he said. When pressed by some councillors for an estimate of the costs to renovate the b uilding's three floors of the east wing, Mr. Wilcox guessed at between $65,000 and $135,000. Mr. Beatb, said there was "ýsome urgency" to get a reception area and a tele- phone switchboard set up as soon as possible. GET STARTED) Coun. John Goodwin, (Whitby), who introduced the motion directing the execut- ive committee to'get started said council "must provide some modifications' the building. "'Yeu ca 'n do what you want for $60,000," be added. In response to 'questions fromn Coun. Keitb Rynard (Brock), Mr. Wilcox indicated work could be started "almost immediately" and might even be completed within a month-. The most urgent depart&ý__ mèntal need, said Mr. Beath, is for tbe finance department. The planning, works, aad social services departments will be W~ated ln offices other than the county building, Mr. Beath said. As discussion of 'the propos- al began to bog. down in details of bQard-roomn locat- ions and whicb walls should be knocked -out, Coun, Alan Dewar chided bis colleagues. CAPABLE He feit the regional chair- maa and the executive com- mfittee were quite capable of working out the entire matter . - Mr. Beath promised council a progress 'report at the region's first meeting ln January. When Coun. Margaret Shaw expressed her concern that the $60,000 price tag was drastically low, Mr. Beath said if the executive commit- tee runs into problems or finds out that renovation work can't be done for the allotted amount, the committee would have to come back to council in an effort to get more funds. An ultimate decision wouid rest there, be saîd. Thanks te cil car kind friends. been reully ~grndi RTAC