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T one tittdér the direction of the i come Board. It will maintain a. f and cites in Toronto, 8. central ! "change for the receipt of liquors In quantities and the distribution of same to sales agents, and sales agencies at locations in the Province _suiting fine c?nvenityt of the pub- 'u. we having regard to the re- quirements of distribution. . Sir William explained that he had expected to have introduced the necessary bills yesterday, but they had not been completed by the Law ,Clerk. The principles, however, had been settled and he desired to out- line them at that time so the House and the country might have ample 'opportunity of considering them. iPremier's Statement. The Government hoped to have been able to introduce to-day the temperance legislation promised in the Speech from the Throne. The Law Clerk has not, however, been able yet to complete the final revi- sion of the bills, and it may be a. day or two before they are finally re- vised and ready for introduction in the House. The principles. however, that will govern the legislation have been set- qled. and .with the consent of the House I will briefly outline the main features ol the proposed bills so that the House and the country may have ample opportunity of consids*- ing ,them before they come up for consideration in the House. We are nearing the close of the session. and 1 want the House and the country to have time to consider such important measures before they become law. It is the intention of the Govern- auent to submit two bills. one amend- ing the Ontario Temperance Act. and the other entitkd "The Tem- perance Referendum Act, 1919." There will be some amendments for the purpose of improving the working of the Ontario Temperance .Act and aiding in its enforcement. Nme of these are of great import- 'nnce. and 1 do not pr'opose to deal with them to-duy, with one excep- tion. namely, an amendment provid- 'ing tor the sale direct by the Gov- ernment of all liquors that can law- fully be sold under the Ontario Tempt rance Act. a A Inelulmcms to This is not new to '. he honorable members of the House. The Gov- ernment made a public announce- ment ot its intention in this connec- tion some. time ago. "morally-m Sale of Liquors. During the past year the methods'; provided by the Ontario Temperance) Act tor dispensing liquors that may] lawfully be sold for medicinal and| other purposes through licensed; vendors have not proven as satistac-', tory as the Government would like. A number of causes have contrib- uted to this result. Chief among these are the prohibition of the im- portation of liquor by Dominion if) der in Council. unprecedented de-l mand for liquor for medicinal pur-i poses arising out of the epidemic of! influenza that spread over the Pro-. Vince last fall, and the improper conduct of a few, and I am glad to say xery few. medical men in the Province. The Government is most anxious. as far as that may be pos- sible, to remedy any abuses and re- lieve any inconveniences that may exnst. To this end the bill to which i have alluded will provide for the abolition altogether of the sale of liquor by private vendors and will provide means for handling this business direct by the Government. in this way it is hoped to overcome, as far as it may be practicable. abuses in the giving of prescriptions; to prevent unnecessary inconvenience to those legitimately requiring liquor for medical purposes, to eliminate all private gain, and insure a Supply of pure liquor to those who are en- titled under the law to purchase it. For some weeks past the Govern- ment has been carefully studying, with the aid of the best experts it could employ, the best method of carrying into effect the policy 1 have mentioned. in order that the moat emclent methods might be employed in the distribution of liquor for med- ical and other lawful purposes un- del- the act, and in order, so far as it is humanly possible so to do, to guard against dishonesty, fraud. . 1tro1td.o.intror improper conduct af any kind in carrying on the bus. Tness. t Methods To Be Adopted. The methods the Government proposes to adopt are, shortly. as follows: tl) After the act comes into force all sales of liquor that can be law- fully made under the Ontario Tem- perance Act will be made direct by the Government. - __------ -ttt an} ir,.. tne uuvcnuuu..." (2) This, of course. will not in- terfere with sales that now can be lawfully made by druggists. but drugglsts will be required to get their supplies from Government stores. . (3) The business will be carried _. s_.,,__NS-- and nnnfrnI storey. (3) The business will be carried on under the direction and control of the License Board. (4) The board, in carrying on the business, will maintain: (a) a chief or head omce in the city of Toronto; (b) a. central warehouse or ware- houses tor the receipt of liquors in quantities And the distribution of same to sales agents; (e) sales- agencies at locations in the Province suiting the convenience of the pub- lie, and having regard to the re- quirements of distribution. - - ' -m-' _.xn m.-'-- 'lullvlllwllu»v __- "ea (5) The. head office will require to maintain an organization and staff sumcient to properly manage and administer the undertaking from an executive standpoint. It will have control of the taking over of the stocks now owned by licensed vendors. the buying of liquors, the determination of the prices at which the same shall be sold by the sales agencies, the management of all matters relating to finance and the keeping of all records, tinancit statistical. Central Warehouse in Toronto. (6) Central warehouse or ware- houses will be situated at Toronto for distribution to the sales agencies of liquors purchased by the board. and its duties will consist merely of the receipt and distribution of said liquor. - - . .. ' t (7) Where advisable the board may require' liquor purchased to be sent direct to sales agencies. but such liquor shall be regarded as hav- ing passed through the central ware- house. The central warehouse will simply keep records of the liquor re- ceived and distributed, leaving the value of the same known only to the head office. (8) Sales agencies shall be con- cerned only with the sale of liquor, and shall maintain financial records of a character which will deal with the daily receipts and deposits and the payment of necessary expenses only. They shall maintain records of a character necessary to Keep a running inventory of stock and records of all necessary information covering prescriptions honored, and to give any statistical or official in- formation desired. No purchases of liquor to be made by sales agencies. These agencies will 'be inspected at indeterminate periods, and their work and affairs closely checked up. Operations of sales agents shall be confined to the sale of liquors sup- plied to them by the board, which they must sell at prices laid down from time to time by the board. (9) It is not the present intention of the Government, after the act comes into force, to sell liquor in bulk. All liquor sold or distributed by the board shall be in sealed con- tainers of such character as the board may determine. (10) Needless to say. wide pow- ens will have to lye provided by the act, to make regulations dealing with the matters I have mentioned and with all phases of this important and somewhat complicated business that may arise from time to time. I have, however, outlined in a some- what detailed way the plan the Gov- ernment proposes to adopt. I do this in order that the House may have not only as clear an idea as possible of what we propose to do. and how we propose to do it, but in order that honorable members may have clearly fixed in their minds the Government's proposed system tor "he sale of liquor when considering the other act to which I wilt now allude. Temperance Referendum Act. The Temperance Referendum Act will be a separate act, and will con- tain the necessary' provisions for taking. the votes of the electors on the liquor question. v Befére dealing with this act I would ask the House to bear with 139 while I shortly review the facts iierFecords, financial and Adopted.