Looking Back - 1977: Jim Ferguson elected to Manitoba government
- Details
- Published on Monday, October 9, 2017
Cecil Pittman
Neepawa Banner & Press
80 years ago Tuesday, October 5, 1937
With about a hundred dollars so far collected in membership fees, the Neepawa Public Library Association is going ahead with plans for the establishment of a library in town.
A hundred books have been donated or lent to date and the buying committee met at the weekend to choose the books that are to be purchased, and an order was made out for about seventy. The only barrier to setting up books on shelves and starting business as soon as the books arrive is the lack of accommodation. The post office has been spoken for but word has not yet been received whether or not the association will be allowed to have one of the vacant rooms in the building for it’s use.
70 years ago Thursday, October 2, 1947
The Lions Club of Neepawa are sponsoring a drive for volunteer blood donors who can be called upon during emergencies to contribute a transfusion.The purpose is to provide a list of names with their known blood groups. On the 13, 14 and 15 of October clinics will be held at the Health Unit office in the post office building between the hours of 7p.m. and 9p.m. when a small sample of blood will be collected. This sample will be forwarded to Winnipeg for grouping and the results will be sent to the Red Cross Society and the local Health Unit.
60 years ago Thursday, October 3, 1957
The 16-team Neepawa Mixed Five Pin Bowling league is away to an auspicious start and the spillers of the small pins are anticipating one of the best seasons of the loop. The early averages and the individual high scores are as follows. Ladies over 200 average: M. Jackson, 232; D. McLachlan, 223; J. Innis, 217; D. Steppler, 202. Mens averages over 200: W. Raginski, 252; W. Grieder, 216; G. Campbell, 213; R. Bares, 211; B. McLachlan.
50 years ago Tuesday, October 3, 1967
An incident of theft and the subsequent return of most of the money through an anonymous telephone call has been reported by the Town of Neepawa Police Department. During the football game at the Neepawa Area Collegiate Institute on the afternoon of September 21, the dressing room was entered and wallets belonging to seven of the players were rifled. It was estimated that $90 was stolen. An anonymous telephone call to Police Chief Geoff Pasquill two days later informed that the money could be found tied to the school door. The note with the money said the total amount had been $77, rather than the $90 that was reported stolen, and with the note was $76.
40 years ago Thursday, October 6, 1977
The progressive conservative candidate and present MLA Jim Ferguson laid a solid and confident election platform before a crowd of 150 supporters at a meeting held at the Neepawa Legion hall on Friday, September 30. He told the audience “I believe the main issues have got to be - do we want to continue with more government controls? Do we want more handouts from the government? Do we want to keep giving up our freedom? Or do we want to start getting some incentive back and a little bit of reward for the efforts that we’re making?” Mr. Ferguson mentioned the Premier’s vocal interest in the conservatives’ advertising campaign. He said he thought it ‘strange’ the Premier should be so preoccupied with the subject when there were so many other issues that should be discussed - such as the employment of young people; the per capita debt “that’s gone from the second lowest to the second highest in 8 years”; flood control measures; and the road systems. Mr. Ferguson also claimed that small businesses and farms are being “throttled” because of the federal capital gains tax and the continuation of a family succession duty. “There’s no way you can pass land from father to son without running into one or both of these problems,” Ferguson said. The former Manitoba premier Walter Weir joined Mr. Ferguson at the speakers table and he seconded most of the thoughts expressed by the MLA.
30 years ago Wednesday, October 7, 1987
Compensation cheques for the storm which hit Neepawa last July will soon be mailed out, according to the minister responsible for the Manitoba Disaster Assistance Board. Harry Harapiak said all the areas which suffered damage from the storm have been assessed and the money will be made available in the next few weeks. Each individual assistance claim will be subject to a deductible of $250 or 25 per cent of approved costs, depending on which is greater, to a maximum of $30,000. The storm at the end of July also hit the towns of Beauséjour, Selkirk and Stonewall. The town of Killarney was hit by a similar storm on August 14. The Manitoba Disaster Assistance Board has determined that about 340 homes were damaged in the 5 communities as a result of the storm. As well, Neepawa suffered considerable damage to its public roads, damage which Mayor Homer Gill estimated at the time of the storm to be “between $30,000 and $35,000.”
20 years ago Monday, October 6, 1997
Area skateboarders have been warned that if the town invests in a facility for them they’ll have to stay off streets and sidewalks. “We had that discussion,” said Neepawa area recreation director, John Douglas, following a meeting on Wednesday with 20 local skateboarders. “If a facility is provided, they know that means they have to get off the streets.” Douglas said in order to get skateboarders off the streets and sidewalks, they’re being offered input into a skateboarding facility. He said eight sites were suggested by the skateboarders, who ranged in age from 12 to 17.
10 years ago Monday, October 1, 2007
The 2007 version of the Terry Fox Run in Neepawa raised $6,962. The Sept. 16 run was preceded by several activities, including a downtown barbecue, a run and barbecue at Hazel M. Kellington elementary school and a hat day at Neepawa Collegiate. NACI students were allowed to wear a hat in class in exchange for making a donation to the Terry Fox foundation. The day of the run everything went according to plan - including the weather, the temperatures reaching the high 20’s. 76 people took part in the run, running, walking, biking and rollerblading to raise funds for the foundation. Over the years, the Terry Fox Run has become the single largest fundraising day for cancer research in Canada.
