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;iLiberal Members Want Three-- _ fifths Clause Amended. | few exceptions, efforts to repeal local | option in those places where it was car-- ied on a majority had singularly fail-- ed. -- Mr. Prest.on inquired whether the oretnment would steal this plank also Repeal of the threce--fifths clause was clearly and definitely announced in the Legislature yesterday afternoon by Mr. T. HUH. Preston. M.P.P., as being a prin-- ciple to which the Opposition is pledged. Mr. Preston, continuing his speech in the debate on the reply to the speech from the throne. delivered an able ad-- dress, which dealt with every important phase of Provincial politics. -- He point-- ed out how in the United States a simple majority was held to be sufficient to decide the question of prohibition. Still more telling was his allusion to what had actually occurred in Ontario. He drew attention to the fact that, with PREMIER AND ELECTIONS. Debate on Address Continued in the Legislature. . . Mr. 'P. H. Preston:--It is one of the principles of this . side of the House that the majority shall rule, and that ths three--fifths clause in the local option law -- shall be repealed. I would like to know if the Government intends to steal these clothes during this session. . H. Preston (South Brant) PDeals With Educational Questions, As-- ing That More Attention be Paid to Vocational Schools -- Premicr Explains What Life of Present 'FTarliament May be. PARTY'S CLOTHES INX DAXGER. SAYS OPPOSITION, from the Opposition platform, but H Hon. Mr. Hendric also introduced a§' bill to-- amend the Ontario railway act, making mortgagees of lands parties tol expropriation _ proceedings. The bill also provides that in cases where eclec-- tric railways are diverted from -- the highways cattle--guards shall be erected at the points of diversion. -- The fln1 tario Railway Board may also order, where it considers necessary in cases where railways run along the highways, | the erection of a fence between the rail--_ way and the remainder of the, highway | pty ceither the company or the. munjeipal ity. oys > ) About Prison Labor. § Mr. Preston (Brant) stated that it bad been said im the House thet the frison labor system bad been left ss 2 egacy to the present Government. This was not strictly correct, since there was reason to believe that had the late;Gov-- ernment remained in power there would have been no such legacy left at all. Mr. Preston reminded the House also that the binder twine contract was renéwed: by the present Administration. The first thing to look after in prison reform was the protection of society ; the second,| the reclamation of the prisoner to good| citizenship, and the third was retributive, justice. Mr. Preston stated that it was, a principle on his side of:the House that, the three--fifths clause should be re--| pealed. In this connection he wanted to| know if the Government intended to} "steal these clothes" during this ses--| sion . I f W. J. Hanna refused to be drawn, hint, however, that this might be last session of the present Parliamen brought the Premier to his feet with a protest that the member for Branrt no right to assume any such thing, but 'he admitted that.at the very latest the. elerenth Provincial Parliament must e pire in March, 1909.« Mr. Preston alsot' urged that when redistribution was un-- der consideration the need of mmll parts of the Province for a greater re--} presentation than of cities in proportion. to population should be borne in mind, Turning to educational matters, the, member for Brant made an eloquent plea that it should be made compuilsory for. children to attend school or continuation: classes until the age of fourtcen. TIt, was only by means of a liberal education-- al system, he said, that the children of Ontario could properly be equipped for citizenship. _ The debate was continued by Mr. W. IUJ. Hoyle (NXorth Ontario), who defended the three--fifths policy, and Col. Atkinson (North Norfolk), who de-- livered a short speech. in the course of which he dealt with licensing and finan-- cial questions. The speaker said thaf in the United: States in most cases a mere majority| was enough in liguor matters, so that | the Government could have no precedent there for thqi(r,""' ion. (He said that in places where logat option had been car--| ried on a'>majofity :and attempts had | been made to repéal it, in most instances | these repeal attrmpts had been unsUC / cessful. That showed that a majority | was sufliciei_it,&%iacure a reasonable per-- } The debate on the address will be con-- tinued on Tuesday, to--day and Monday being oceupied <by routine business. More Powers for Board. P :s x Hon. J. S. Hendric introduced @ bill to amend the Ontario Railway and Municipal Board act of 1906. ~--The bill gives the board power to determine any dispute arising between a street rail-- way company and a municipality as to the location of rails in any street or highway. . The board will also be em-- powered to say what proportion of the cost of repaving of streets, consequent upon the laying of the rails, sball be bhorne by the 'respective parties, The: board's powers are enlarged in such a manner as to enable it to control the heating and lighting of cars, the use of open or closed cars, the height of steps and the type of seat and brakes to be used . Hon. Mr. Hanna--Too many holes in them . : . * Lau