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WEDNESDAY MARCH 20 Committee on Good Roads Bill Will Hear Many Opinions=--An Evening on the Estimates, The bill to set apart $75,000 a year for the encouragement of the sugar beet industry passed its second read-- ing in the Legislature without any dis-- cussion, after Hon. Mr. Dryden had spoken in its support. The House per-- formed an excellent day's work, clear-- ing many importantitems from the or-- der paper. The evening was spent on the estimates, fair progress being made. An indication of the approaching end of the session is furnished in a notice| of motion by the Premier that on and after Monday next Government busi-- ness shall have precedence. © Would Not Suspend Rules. On a motion by Mr. Conmee (West, 'Algoma) to suspend the rules to allow| the introduction of a bill respecting the| Fown cf Rat Poriage, the Attorney-' General entered a protest against con-| tinuous departure from the rules. In: the present case he understood that the bill proposed to authorize the muni-- cipality to expropriate the electric lighting works, the agreement with the owning company being about to expire. There was also, he believed,. f'onsh'i'g:; SUGCAR BEET BILL PASSES. Second Reading Unop-- posed in the Legis-- lature. BUSINESS BEING PUSHED. ooo d o o n e Cl e 2R P able opposition to the proposal. The rules of the House should not be sus-- pended unless a good case was mads out. Mr. Whitney concurred in this view. Dr. McKay said that the pe-- tition for the bill came before the Standing Orders Committee and was Hon. Mr. Dryden, in moving the sec-- ond reading of the bill for the encour-- agement of the beet sugar industry, said that for the past thirteen or four-- teen years sugar beets had been grown m Ontario to a greater or less ex-- tent. 'Last year, however, the first definite tests were made with a view to ascertaining the exact prospects of the industry. A number of plots were sown at Welland, at Aylmer and at Newmarket. In briefly summing up the results of these tests, Mr. Dryden said the highest yield was 30 tons to an acre on one of the Aylmer plots ; the second highest. 25 1--2 tons, at New-- market ; the third, 24 tons, at Wel-- land. The lowest yield was 4 1--2 tons, on a Welland plot, but the probable rea~ son was not poor solil, but because the farmer did not pay proper attention to the work. © The average yield for the whole was 18 tons per acre, which was certainly a very good yield. A New-- mwarket plot led with 17.2 per cent. of saccharine matter, Welland with 16.8 and Aylmer 16.1, while the lowest was 9 per cent., at Aylmer.. The highest percentage of purity was 89.5, at Ayl-- mer, while Newmarket followed with 88.8 and Welland 88.4, and the average was 84. Such returns were eminently satisfactory. The average cost per acre was $28.70, and the average profit on the yield $43 an acre. It was thus es-- tablished that we could grow the beets satisfactorily, but there was no mar-- ket for them. The capital required for a sugar beet factory plant was very large, about $3500,000 to $800,000, to make it meet with success. The reports of the com-- missioners who investigated the sub-- ject for the Government showed that in Michigan there was general satis-- faction with the industry. Experience had shown that during the first year the manufacturers suffered more or less loss; in the second year they gained something by the farmers' previous ex-- perience, while in the third year the factory was almost certain to be a suc-- cess. To run an ordinary factory, cost-- ing about $500,000 or $600,000, a large supply of water was an important con-- sideration. _A convenient supply of fuel was also necessary, as. 10,000 tons of coal was needed per year and 2,000 tons of lime. An abundant supply of beets and good transportation facili-- ties to get them to the factory were imperatively needed. He thought that hbeets could be hauled by rail 40, 50 or GO miles to a factory, provided pro-- a divigion. Mry. Conmee safd that the municipal-- ity was very anxious to obtain the pro-- posed legislation, and the petition for the bill had been delayed through de-- lays of the mails and in othéer ways. Hon. Mr. (Gibson thought© the town would not suffer if the legislation asked was not granted until next year. The resolution was finally declared lost on not considered owing to its irreguiarity. M--. Conmee sald that the municipal-- Large. Capital Needed,. Boeet Sugar Bill.