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Mr. Proudfoot----In the event of tenders being invited for certain supplies or equipment, will the Min-- isters see the tenders before the con-- tract is awarded, and will they be able to say to the purchasing agent that the contract must go t a cer-- tain direction ? Mr. McGarry (smiling)--No; thers has been nothing of that sort for so many years that we have forgotten about it. (Applause from Govern-- ment bencnes.) Mr, Elliott (West Middlesex) urg-- ed that if contracts for amounts over $200 were to be let after pubjic tenders had been invited it should be so stated in the bill. Mr. Proudfoot--How -- far would the purchasing agent have a free band in the making of purchases, «nd would the Government have the right to interfere with him? Mr. McGarry--My Hon. friend ha aptly expressed what we have in mind. The rules and regulations will specify how contracts will b« made, and the purchasing agent will bave anthority to make contracts. Mr. McGarry replied that the bill mere!ly named the Commissioner as attached to the Treasurer's Depart-- ment. The Government would not retain to itself the right to direct in any way the purchasing agent, but he would be governmed by ruies and regulations, which would be drafted by the Government with the assist-- ance of the purchasing agent. '"The Government has to take the respon-- sibility for him." said the Provinciat Treasurer, '"'and all that I am ask-- ing is that we be given a fair op-- portunity to show how the scheme will work out.'" The Provincial Treasurer men-- tioned that the idea the Government now had in mind was that when sup-- plies to the value of over $200 were to be purchased tenders should be called for. "Our object is to gct away from even a hint of patron-- age," said Mr. McGarry, "and we in-- tend to appoint a very able man to this position." Purchasing Agent's Powers. Mr. Proudfoot--What Jurisdiction will the Government exercise over the purchasing agent? Will he have similar powers to the Provincial Auditor, or will he be under the control of the Government? The tie that binds the two parties in the Legislature was strained almost to the breaking point when two or three members got "a birt touchy" over the patronage business yesterday afternoon, but after a few. tactful remarks and a little humor hbhad been introduced into the pro-- ceedings the '"spirit of -- brotheriy love," as Nr. Dewart called it, was again in evidence. For over an hour the galleries saw the nearest an-- proach to a scrap that has been wit-- nessed this session, Mr. Carter of south Wellington started it by biuntly protesting against the Gov-- ernment's bill providing for the ap-- pointment of a general purchasing agent -- His remarks about patronage got under the Provincial Treasurer's skin, and the two engaged in an oratorical bout lasting for several rounds before the Independent Lib-- eral member was appeased by Mr. McGarry's invitation to "come round to my office and see the reports." BUYING SYSTEM 8 CRITICIZED Outbreak of HWostilities Narrowly Averted in Legislature Over Patronage Discussion Provincial Treasurer's Expla-- nations Cleared Atmo-- sphere at House BUYING AGENT'S POWERS THORSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1918 tloan ;p 4 y 3. . dglett NHC In ODOI0gE~ tion the Conservatives preached the doctrine that the Government used orders in Council as a means of "putting it over'"' the people, : | Mr. Dewart--Will the proposed | regulations for the guidance of the : burchasing agent be submitted to | the HMouse for approval*? t Mr. .\IcGarry---CertaInly: noxt] session. wanlea to know if the bill applied to the Hydro--electric Commission. the Workmen's Compensation Board and the 'P. & N. 0. Railway and to all the institutions of the Province, and whether it would do away with the bursars at these institutions, Also he would like to know if the new purchasing agent would be required to pass the test of the new Civil service Commissioner, scope of the Commission,. He was informed by Mr. McGarry that the bill applied to all pur-- chases for the Province with the exception of purchases for the three commissions named. The bill was wide enough to include purchases of everything but land, and if not the Government would make it wid-- er before the third reading. Dealing with Mr. Carter's suggestion that the new purchasing agent should not be dismissed except by the Legislature, the Provincial Treasurer said: "Sup-- posing he steals our money on the 12th of July. Would the Legislature ; keep him in office until the next ses-- | sion of the Legislature, or would the . House be called in special conclave for the purpose of dismissing him s Mr. Dewart--Is that the kind of , man you propose to appoint? | Mr. M('Garry----.\to; nor are we go-- ipg to appoint a broken--down poli-- tician. Mr. Studholme (East Hamilton) was glad of this latter assurance. The Labor member protested, how-- ever, against the "order in Council feature of the bill." He reminded Mr. 'McGarry that when in Opposi-- ; tion the Conservatives preached the doctrine that the Government used ; orders in Council as a means -- of | "putting it over' the people. i Mr. Hartley Dewart (Southwest Toronto) feared the _ Government was not throwing suflicient .'sul'v- suards around the b'usmess if the intention was to abolish party pat-- ronage. Liberal members _ should have the privilege of furnishing the mnaimes ot non--partisan merchants and contractors from whom Gov-- ernment supplies could be purchas-- ed. The member for Southwest To-- ronto pointed out that on Monday afternoon a sparsely--attended House passed votes for the expenditure otf ncarly two million dollars in no time, including $400,000 for public build-- ings, etc. | He thought that was spending money rather rapidly. He wanted to know if the bill applie',l! TA (#Lim ul in l cce PE PP The member for South Welling-- ton made charges to the effect that bread had been bought by "the Gov-- ernment'"' for soldiers in Guelph at one cent per loaf more than they could have bought it for from the Co--operativo -- Society. It was A& nasty sample of party patronage, the successful tenderer being a good friend of the party in power. It afterwards transpired that the (mtario Government had nothing whatever to do with the matter, which was a Pederal affair. safeguards Against Patronage. -- Mr. Carter (South Wellington--| The purcrasing agent should havse| the same authority as the Provin-- | rial Auditor:; he should be aprointed | by the Legislature and removed by | the Legislature, not the Goverament. | .. Mr. McGarry--That is hardly pos--| sible, because the purchasing agent will have no responsibility to this House or to the country. He would rnat he asble to cone into the House not be able to conie into TNe i1IQUSC and make explanations. 'The Min-- isters are responsible at present and must remain so. If the purchasing agent were appointed by tho Legis-- lature the Ministers could not be held responsible for his actions. Tfrafting of Commission's Rules. Mr. McGarry stated that the rules would not be made until the new purchasing agent was selected. "He will be a man of great experience," said the Provincial Treasurer, "»rob-- ably from the C.P.R. or somewhere else, and will assist in framing the ].ules.fl Mr. Carter (South Wellington--