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! It was not long before Mr. Proud.. (root encountered the Chairman. Mr. [Taylor stated that prior to his secur- ging the fiat he had seen Sir James iWhitney. "What arguments did you use outside of the merits uf this claim?" asked the member for Centre Huron. Declines to Talk. "It you did not get the lint did say you would expose Some menth, "I decline to about it." ,V-_V v", .'r.ala quUlU' .tioally nothing remains upon which to appeal to tho House. "It is a farce," said Mr. Rowe". "Utterly absurd," declared Mr. El. liott, "Steam-roller methods." and "As bad as the worst of Amt-rival] politics," were some of the character- izations ot the action of the commit- tee. . -ee9- "-"6_'.'BqINg' all." Later by the committee. hut that was not sufficient. Mr. McGarry having tasted Mood wanted more. All the questions objected to, all the ai'giiv ment upon the Chairman's ruling and the discussion of two hours were or- dered to be stricken off, and theorc.. tioally nothing remains upon which io anneal to tho Hanan Whatever it may he eH1led---stoam. roller. gag, closure or blu,hroorr---the Public Accounts Committee yesterday witnessed a scene that has not been paralleled since Capt. Sullivan threat- ened to thrash a member of the then Opposition. Not only were questions ruled out of order yesterday as he- ing irrelevant, but the very fact that tho questions had been asked and the witness refused to answer was also ordered to be stricken out. Votes l',,'.'),',)', taken and the members polled. which in the report of the eonnnittt-e will appear anomalous, hevausethere is not a shadow of " stihjm-t to show why they were brought up. The situation arose out ol' Mr. PrmodfooCs further examination of Mr. George lu'. Taylor of Taylor. Scott S: Co., with regard to the settlement under the old Central Prison con- tract. Mr. Proudfoot asked several pointed questions about threats be- ,ing made to the Government to ex- , pose a Minister if a settlement were 'not made. Mr. Taylor declined point blank to answer. A further inquiry regarding political contributions mot tho same fate. Meanwhlie Mr. Me- Garry, who is the member of the Government before the r-ommittee. was vigorously protesting that the questions were. not relevant. lie was sustained by the Chairman and later H, .hn -_.-_---___.4a ---, Remarkable Situation Arise: When Mr. Taylor De. clines to Answer HEARING NULLIFIED BY CHAIRMAN'S RULING Proceedings Stricken From Records When Liberals Are Scoring ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE EMPLOYS S TEAM ROLLER, EXTURDAY. APRIL 19, say any Faring more that was not any having tore. All the all the avg". mt G't1l you member of "From the evidence of this wit. mass it is evident something trans- pired which he refuses to tell this Mr. McGarry would hare it, known that he was not counsel for the Chair, man. but a member of the committee with a perfect right to 'participate in Its proceedings. "t think it is time? we got nu snmp hrnpar basis here," said Mr. V. M. Bowman (North Brueet, quickly ri,n- ing. "Mr. Proudfoot is conducting this; investigation. and with all due TPS. pm?! to the counsel for the Chair- man (Mr. McGarrrt this question should be answered." This was the bombshell that vans or! all the troublp. The Witness 11mm had an opportunity tn answer. Chair, man Ferguson would not allow tho question. That question did not rp- latn to the item under inmstigation. and he would not allow it to ho put. "Did You toll Mr. MuNaught that yott had certain charges against memo hers of the Government, 'and unless you got this matter adjusted you would expose thssm?" The Bomb. "Is there anything more at those interviews with Mr. McNaught that you have not told me about?" "1 am not going to answer that 1YS1lt I think I have answered that question very fully." Again Mr. Prnndfoot tried for an answer. "Did you threaten to expose any member of the Government in tour r'oriversation with Sir James Whitney unless the tiat was granted?" "If it was proper and right for Tay- lor, Scott & Co. to secure a, tiat there "as no reason why they should he obliged to make threats. Then there must be some" foundation for their threats. and l have a right to get at that, because it was quitr clear these threats brought about the granting of mo fiat." 4yontintted Mr. Proudfoot. l: "The committee might just as well stop if witnesses could refuse to an- swer at any point in the investigation." laid Mr. J. c. Elliott (Wogt Middle- Bex), warming up. Might as Well Talk. "This oommiteo should go slowly," hagan Mr. MnGarry. "Mr. Proudfoot has trot on the reward his ur-i'siinn of the vase" Thea hon. mmni-m- hm] made a. statmnent in that, way viii-4| he dared not make on the floor at" the Mouse. The Public Accounts CVsnttv.it- tee was not the plave for making such a charge. The question was not rele- Tant to the item under investigation. "I dare my hon. friend to make mm the floor of the House, on his r'?NWntt- sibiiity as a member, this "fternoon the charge he is now making hy in- nuendo." a dispute in which the witness said he had great difficulty getting a fiat to sue the Government. The fiat was granted on the 14th March, 1911, the statement of claim was tiled on the 14th June, and the case set down for trial on the 18th November, Just bc- fore the election. The whole question was referred to Mr. Thorne on that date as sole arbitrator, and the matter was settled without evidence or C'Outt- nel being heard on behalf of either (party. "To show what led up to such an extraordinary situation I pur- pose to examine this witness to show what means he took to get the fiat." the Government?" persisted Mr. I'roudfont. ' "If you have any charges to make against anybody the place to do it is on the floor of the House," interrupted Chairman Ferguson. Mr. Proudfoot protested. The Whole transaction revealed a most remarkable state of facts. Here was 13.16.