The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

i-v CERMEATLg (CLIRCE mmediately. Major Tolmie, Windsor, said that the proposal of a Commission ap-- pealed to him as '"a fair proposi-- tion.'" He added: "I cannot imagine anybody would take very _ serious opposition to that. I like the idea of a Commission of the Hous*. That seems to me to be the right Kind of Commission in preference to a Com-- mission of outsiders." _ "I regard this motion as very im-- portant and one that the House should have a little time to con-- sider," said Hon. Thomas Crawford. Personally, he said, he was not in favor of appointing members of the House on the committee. His view, he said, was that a body of indepen-- dent men, outside the House, named by the Lieutenant--Governor in Coun-- cil, should confer with the Hydro-- electric Commission Chairman and try to arrive at a settlement. Mr. Crawford said he was not ob-- jecting, but merely calling the at-- tention of the Speaker to a point that the motion for a Commission meant undoubtedly the expenditure of money, and, as such, it might 'be ruled it should come from a mem-- ber of the Government. In the in-- quiry, he said, members of the House as members of the committee, and the Government behind it, would simply be clashing with the Hydro-- electric Commission, and in effect saying to the latter: '"You are not doing the work as it ought to be done, and we are not satisfied with you."' He counselled the House to be careful. Marshall Urges Caution. Thomas Marshall (Lincoln) con-- gratulated the three Labor members on the "moderation and skill" with which they directed the Niagara meeting, thus preventing the stop-- ping of a great development work. However, he was not quite clear in his mind that the request contained in the resolution should be granted by the House. It was unfortunate in the Hydro system that a strike in one part might more or less tie up the entire system. The purpose be-- hind the resolution he thought a good one, but it must not be passed without considering the future effect. The Hydro Commission should be consulted. It was a striking depart-- ure for the Legislature to pass such a resolution. Hon. Walter Rollo, Minister of Labor, said that the work had been carried on so far now that it must be continued, probably by the same men who were now on it. However, he thought the Government should step in and take its place to stop a strike, for if a strike did take place it would have to step in eventually any way. "'The whole future rests on the Chippawa work. Why should we hesitate if we think we can step in and prevent trouble? There are two sides to every story, and a Com-- mission could find out both sides. It would be useless unless it was given all the powers necessary to find out. If we can't take advantage of the Commission, we can take advantage of the Ontario Industrial Disputes Act. It might look as if the Govern-- ment were stepping over the heads of the Hydro Commission, but that is not so. The Hydro should come and invite it." J. W. Curry (Southeast Toronto) ; hoped the House would accede to the request contained in the reso-- lution. He thought it reasonable | and safe. * ns d R. L. Brackin--Is it a fact that the men applied for a Board of Con-- ciliation, and, if so, what was the fate of the application ? _ _ Hon. Mr. Rollo--I do not know of a direct request. But I was one of a committee which asked for a board, and it was absolutely refused. Would Leave It With Hydro. John Joynt (North Huron) was against a special Commission. It was up to the Hydro Commission to investigate fully, and if it fell down, then it should come to the Govern-- ment and ask for a board. It was wrong to take it out of the hands of the Hydro Commission, whose work it was to look after it. In reply to Mr. Dewart the Min-- ister of Labor explained that the Lemieux Act could not be applied unless the Hydro Commission con-- sented. The act exempted such Commissions as the Hydro unless they were willing. -- HObn. W. E. Raney, Attorney--Gen-- eral, then gave it as his opinion that edy Premier Drury said: "I think that the members of the House and the Government. and the Hydro Com-- mission, and the people of the Pro-- vince, as a whole, owe a debt of gra-- titude to the three members of the Legislature who yesterday, on their own initiative, met the workmen engaged on the Chippawa develop-- ment scheme and averted a strike. I think that this House and the Gov-- ernment would be remiss in their duties, particularly in this time when labor unrest, if possible, must be avoided, and when also it is so nécessary that this work, so import-- ant to the Province of Ontario, should be pushed as fast as possible to conclusion, I think that the Gov-- trement and the House would be rc5 miss in their duty if, through neg-- ligence or undue delay, they left any gateway open whereby conditions, apparently averted, might later be incurred. § % (thke Ontario Industrial Disputes Act could not be applied either, for sim-- ilar reasons. Mr. H. H. Dewart ---- As it'} is only by way of receiving such in-- formation that will qualify us to vote upon the matter, I very earn-- estly suggest that the matter be left over until to--morrow, by which time it may be possible for us all to un-- derstand the scope of the Coimmis-- sion. While not at all opposed to any class of investigation to settle this matter, at the same time I find it is only bit by bit that a num-- ber of facts are hbeing understood, and as to whether Government re-- sponsibility--it having been under-- taken by the Hydro Commission, a creature of the Government--is to be avoided by the Hydro Commis-- gion and the Gow#wrnment by put-- ting that decision over upon a Com-- mission is another question.'"' "It seems to me the question is an exceedingly complex one. It is one that cannot be decided in a mo-- ment, and that had better have a few extra hours spent on it in con-- sideration in order that a right and reasonable and a just decision "Since the work at Chippawa has begun the cost of materials have gone up at an alarming rate, ana a great many people have gone so far as to say that this undertaking will never pay; that the cost of power which will be produced by this de-- velopment work will be so great as to be prohibitive in cost to the mu-- nicipalities and _ industries which will have to buy this power in order to make the development pay; that the cost will be so high that they can not and will not, buy from the Commission, and that the develop-- ment will be a failure.. Some peo-- ple have gone so far as to say that, and have brought forward figures in order to prove that statement, and they contend the development is a foregone failure., '"We find at the present time tha'tI everything is piling up to make this development work expensive, When this dispute as to wages and condi-- tions on the work arose, it was considered very carefully by the Commission, and they made an of-- fer to their employees which they concidered to be the very highest point to which they could go in the matter of concessions as to wages and conditions--the very farthest point to which the Commission could go in justice to the Province and to the municipalities® to _ which this power is to be supplied. Therefore,. they have opposed the appointment of a Conciliation Board because the Commission consider themselves to be the trustees of the municipalities and of the Province, so far as the development of electrical energy at Queenston is concerned. Therefore, they have opposed the appointment of a Conciliation Board." The Premier's Rejoinder. ~*""Then where does the trouble come in with the Hydro Commission ?" "It will not consent." N Col. Price (Parkdale) thought be-- fore any discussion the House should have a report on the attitude of the Hydro Commission. All the facts should be given to the members. Mr. Carmichael's Statement. "If the Hydro *ommission refuses we cannot appoint a board under the act," said Hon. Mr. Rollo. Hon. D. Carmichael, Government member of the Hydro Commission, said : Dewart Wants Delay,