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PA(,L 4. \Wl i \l "ISI ).J\\R 4 98.W I]1 R1 RS whitby Voice of the County Town Michael lan Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor The only Whitbv newspaper independently owned and operated by Whithy residents for Whitby residents. Pbihe i l.N.1ubihn .ind 1hotography hIn. P 1hone 6661 i lie F'ree Press Building. 131 Brock Street North, p.(. Box :!06, Whitby, Ont. Michael J. KnelI Michael J. Kneil Community Editor Marjorle A. Burgess Production Manager Karen Thompson Advertising Manager Mailing Permit No 460 Member of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce Restore capital punishment only to promote justice and not vengence. wit mecy Police and law enforcement officers from ail over Canada and north-eastern United States tur- ned out last week to bury a fallen comrade. On- tario Provincial Police Constable Rick Verdecchia was shot to death while on routine patrol near Huntsville. When one of their own dies in the line of duty, it is as though they were ail hurt and police officers take the time to rethink and re-evaluate their job and the risks that go with it' The question that has been most often asked is would the re-instatement of capital punishment have prevented Constable Verdecchia's death? In answering this question, this publication must agree with Durham Regional Police Association president Dale Allan who said last week that it was impossible to measure whether or not capital punishment is an effective deterrent. The debate-over whether or not to bring back gallows is heighty and complex and strikes at the very core of our system of values, morals and justice. It would be easy enough to sound off on this page and demand that capital punishment be restored and - used against those who take, willingly, human life. However, a troubled conscious prevents us from doing so. We do, indeed, favor a return to captial punish- ment, as punishment for those Who premediatedly kill any human being of any reason or kill a human being during the commission of a crime. However, it is not held here that the re- Instatement of capital punishment would deter the average criminal f rom committing his crime. The solution to this problem is not an easy one, however, there may only be one solution, education. When Constable Verdecchia was shot, we were ail to blame because somehow, as a society, we committed a grave error. His tragic death could have been avoided if we had the courage to instill in our children a sense of right. Whoever committed this crime was our child, a human being for which we were ail responsible for. We should have prevented his death through education and instilled a sense of justice in ail those who wandered onto the life of a criminal. There is an ever pressing need to instill in ail members of society not only a respect for the law but human life as well. We have to ensure that we ail have that respect and then pass that respect along to the next generation. It is time for the citizens of this country and their leaders to begin this program of education and prevent another unnecessary death. It is also necessary to re-examine our system of justice, to ensure that those who committ a crime, especially a violent crime, are punished in the same measure. It is easy to rally around the cry of "Hang the rotten so and so," but before we do we should re- examine our motivies for doing so. If capital punishment is returned, will it be returned in the name of justice or in the name of vengence? The ultimate penalty should not be ùsed lightly, but used only when theerile is so great that it is the only fitting punishment. Every time a police off icer dies in the line of duty the public outcry will become greater and the pressure on our politicians may cause them to take hasty action. That is not the action that is needed. While we too, mourn to death of Constable Ver- decchia and ail others who died senselessly let us temper our vengence with justice and our justice with mercy.••k However, let us not let them die in vain but take action to insure that others do not die in the same unfortunate way. Increase in ash fires prompts Crouch to advise correct disposalmethods By CIIIEF ED CROUCII Whitby Fire Department With the winter upon us, your fire department has recently answered calls involving hot ashes being removed from wood burning appliances. In three instan- ces, early discovery prevented what could have resulted in a drastic tragedy to the people involved. It has been stated many times before about the care and caution which should be taken when using solid fuel bur- ning appliances. A little thought and common sense used before you use or clean your fireplaces or stove may prevent a great deal of heartbreak and hardship. The following is a short piece of advice which, if followed, could save all concerned a problem in the future. Chimney fires are commonly caused by creosote, a tar- like deposit from condense wood gases, which can be ignited by heat in the chimney. Minimize the buildup of creosote by Pvoiding the use of green wood. Slow burning fires such as those in stoves with tightly-controlled drafts also increase creosote deposits. Raising the flue tem- perature will reduce the amount of creosote buildup. Clean stovepipes and flues regularly. When your unit is first installed, check it daily for creosote buildup until you have determined how frequently cleaning with a specia11y-designed wire brush is necessary. Because hot- ter fires pioduce less creosote, you should have to clean less oPten in cold weather. Ashes should be removed from the stove frequently, dispose of in a metal waste tin with a tightly-fitting lid and moved outside immediately. Always treat ashes as though they contain hotembers. We must emphasize that no maLter how c,îld you may think the ashes are, it is most important that they NOT be kept in paper or plastic bags and boxes, and never stored in basements or garages. Proper use of fireplaces and stoves can be most en- joyable, but the slightest slip could result in tragedy. BE FilHE 'A UTIOUS-PREV ENT FIR ES!