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* 8 n + SATURDAY. MARCH 15. 1913. m TO FURNISH DETAILS Hydro and T. & N. 0. Accounts a Sealed Book OPPOSITION ASKS RETURN Mr,. Rowell Points Out That Detailed Expenditures of T. & N. O. Were Laid Before the House in Former Years--Just as Practicable Now. An effort on the part of the mern-. bers of the Opposition to secure a discussion of the detailed accounts nf! the Hydro--electric Power Commission | was I[rustrated in the Legislature yes-- terday afternoon, On a motion by Mr. Sam. Clarke (West Northumber-- land) for a return of all details of Hydro--electric expenditures up to Oclober 31, 1912%, for the quantities and cost of constructing transmission lines, etc., Sir James Whitney declared that such information could not be prepared within twelve months. lion,. I. B. Lucas, Acting Provincial Treasurer, claimed that the affairs of the Hydro--electric Power Commission were different from those of the or-- dinary departments of the Govern-- ment. The Commission was actually spending the money of the munici-- palities, and could not be expected to account to the House. | Provincial Funds. | | Mr. Rowell's view was that the| Commission constructed, paid for and owned the transmission lines, that the money was advanced by the Province, and a return should proper-- ly be made to the House. If it was possible for the Minister of Public Works to give a detailed account of the expenditure on every building| erected, it was equally possible for | this to be done by the Hydro-electricg Power Commission in respect to its: work. *"There are no such facts laid | before us as will permit of an in--, vestigation of these accounts," de-- clared Mr. Rowell. Mr. Clarke's motion was rejected by a vote of 50 to 15. It is noticeable on these Friday afternoon divisions that the Government members are re-- maining within call and will not permit the majority to be cut down ; seriously on a snap vote. In moving ijor the return Mr. Fam. Clarke thought the House had a perfect right to such a detail-- ed statement, as it had to detailed statements regarding the other spend-- ing departments of the Gavernment. Mr. J. C. Elliott (West Middlesex) agreed with Mr. Clarke and showed the difficulty there was in the Public Account& Committee of déaling intel-- ligently _ with public _ expenditures without detailed statements available. Mr. RNowell declared that the acting Treasurer was trying to draw a red j herring across the track in talking' | about the Hydro--electric affairs not| {hoing in the same catcgory as those' ; of the other departments of the Gov. | ' ernment, including the Timiskaming . & Northern Ontario Railway. i No Difference. | |__It was impossible, said Mr. Rowell, ; ! {or the acting Treasurer to ¢s.ablish a | difference between the Hydro--electric | | and the_' other spending departments | | of the Government. The members of | |\ the HMHouse were entitled to such | information as was received , from the various services. This must ; be so, because the Prime Minister had | x'ecently.stated that the Government was behind the Hydro--electric enter-- prise, because two members of the Government sat upon the Hydro--elec-- | tric Commission. He disagreed with