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HOUSE DEFEATS _ NICKLE MOTION." 's After debating for one hour and a. half early this morning on a motion by W. F. Nickle tKingston) to strike out or the estimates a $67.000 item, which is to provide a $600 bonus foe each of the 111 members of the 1arisuture, the House, in Committee of Supply, at 1.05 this morning de.. feated the motion and carried tho bonus item. Mr. Nickle had as supporters John Joynt, Conservative, North Huron; D. M. Ross, U.F.0., North Oxford; J. C_. Brown, North Middlesex, and J. G. Lethbridge, West Middleman. ' Suggestion Not to Pay $600 Extra Finds Few . Friends Twitted by Premier Drury upon his failure to state that he would not accept the bonus, Mr. Nickle, in' reply, stated that of course a man opposed to the bonus item could not accept the money, even if the item carried. The House thereupon direct- ed its mirth at the other opponents of the bonus, who, according to Mr. Nickle, were now precluded from ac- cepting it. D. M. ROSS REFUSES CASH J. C. Brown Pose, amid laughter. and declared that Ontario was under majority rule. If the House carried the bonus and the rest of the mem- bers accepted it. so would he. Mr. Lethbridge said that if the House raised the indemnity he would have to abide by it; therefore he would accept the bonus. along with the other members, if the ml- jority voted for it. of the House when he said that the man who had serious objection to the bonus would not accept it. but would leave it in the public Treas- ury. Times were not auttteiently settled. in his opinion, to have a committee revise permanent salar- ies. When times became more nor- mal Mr. Nickie's suggestion of a committee might be acted on. "I would not feel easy," said the Premier, "to know that men were 'going back to their homes poorer than when they came here." L D. M. Ross. however, pounded " desk with his tist and declared he had lived without the bonus all his life and still could live without it. Mr. Joynt made no declaration. Premier Drury drew the applause:| Hon. G. H. Ferguson said that when a man was elected to the Leg- islature he was supposed to exercise his judgment on public affairs of the Province, and he, Mr. Ferguson, thought he would be considered capable of estimating the value of his time and services to the Prov- ince. _ He was prepared to accept the . bonus and Justify his action before his constituents. I Should Be 82,000 Yearly. l, W. H. Casselman. U.F.O. member gfor Dundas. said he knew that the ielectors of Dundee were not so niggardly as to expect him to make a personal tstuerif1ee in order to serve them. His only criticism was that the Government had not fixed the in- demnity at thot, a year. : Charles McCrea, Conservative 'Sudbury. announced his intention il supporting the vote. When he was elected the salary was not an issue 1at all. He could not see any great good to come out of the suggested committee. He thought that changed condi- tions made it worth while consider- ing at this date whether there ought not to be a. revision of indemnities, and to that end he suggested that the Prime Minister at the next ses- sion name a committee to consider the matter, together with the re- muneration ot Ministers of the Crown, who, he said. ought to get a salary such as would attract the best men within the Province. Letitast Parliament's Dignity. Parliament properly constituted in the matter of drawing an increased indemnity. increases ought not to be undertaken in piecemeal manner. He urged that the Legislature "get away from these periodical, irregu- lar, unfortunate bonuses or gifts. which. in my judgment. lessen the dignity of Parliament. and do not add anything to the glory that should be about the. privilege of serving one's constituents and one's country as a membecot Parliament." The committee could make recom- mendations in time, to ha.ve the mm Thomas Marshall, Liberal member for Lincoln, said the Government had to deal with this as with any other question of. expenditure. There was no other way of doing it. He ttrat came into the House in 1912, and the $1,400 received then was worth only about $700 now. Nobody throughout the Province was going to criticize the members in placing an honest and fair; value on their services. J. McNamara, Soldier-Labor mem- her for Riverdale, supported the bonus. only he thought the Govern- ment made a mistake in run? making it a permanent addition in salary. Pay Speaker More. Mr. Nickle referred to the losses being incurred at the present day by all classes of the community. the unemployment throughout the Prov- ince, and the soldiers marching to Ottawa, taking the position that they were surfering trom the innat- itude of their country. run DIR'HICI' 'VIIIIC. M. M. MacBridv. Labor, Southi Brant, justified the bonus on that ground that it was necessary. Bel suggested that the vote be increased: aumciently to place Speaker Parliac; ment on a salary basis comparable; to that of a Cabinet Minister. t H. H. Dewart, K.C., said no mem- ber who attended to hit, legislative dutins should be, ashamed to vote for & $2,000 remuneration. He twitted Mr. Nickle upon opposing the bonus. but. not refusing to accept it. D. M. Ross, newly elected 17.1".O. member for North Oxford, said he would have to support the amend- ment of Mr. Nickle. In moving to strike out the $67,000 item in the estimates which is in cover the. $600 bonus for 111 members, W. F". Nickle. K.C., Con- servative member for Kingston, re- called that it had been his lot on several occasions in recent years to oppose similar contemplated mea- sures. He admitted his position was embarrassing. but said that he could not sit still and allow the vote to pass unchallenged without swal- lowing his convictions. Mr. Nncktenin a. carefully stated presentatipn. took the ground that members were elected on the basis ota$1.400 indemnity. and so under- stood when: elected. They ought not, he said-,' to take the ground. after being elected. that $1.400 was not sufficient. They ought not to be a party to any vote that would directly or indirectly. -oenettt them- selves. He described such a vote as "bad public policy." J. G. Lethbridge, Middlesex. in seconding the motion to strike out the item hi the estimates, said he thought this was no time to be granting bonuses or increased in- demnities. John Joynt, North Bruce, said that when he was elected he understood the indemnity to be 81,400, and therefore he did not feel that he should take part in raising that amount. He believed now, however, and also an the time he was elected. that the $1.400 was pretty low.