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.8 small thing compared with the ,-4xinvestments it was probing. E' Then came the usual crack at Mr. Ferguson. whom the Attorney- Goneral accused of saying a. depart- mental inquiry had cost two or z three thousand dollars whereas the total expenditure was but $58.30. He supposed a lot okConservatives believed everything their Leader said. Hint at Campaign Funds. load Commission, he said tt use not less than 4 per cent. of the in- ure" tor one your on the anftunt Mr. Adam Beck had proposed to goal! on Hydro-ttdials. Naturally, Was closely questioned as to his figures. but he refused to be side- tncked. He claimed the cost ot the Gregory Commission would be Next Mr. Haney switched to a lengthy defense ot the Backus deal, and what looked at first like a serious scrap began. This deal had been criticized by Gen. Hogarth of Port Arthur. and' the Attorney- General went out of his way to tell the House that Gen. Hogarth now spent most of his time in Okla- homa. Several times Mr. Raneyl, had to appeal to the Speaker, who ruled against interruptions. Col. Currie tried to ask a question. and the Speaker told him to take him seat, while tho Attorney-General said he preferred to answer no more questions. He compared the Backus deal with Mr. Ferguson's 'reputed otter to the Spanish River Company tor 4.000 square miles of puipwood lands. adding that the Spanish River Company had tin- anced on the strength ot a letter from the former Minister, now Con- servative Leader. During an in- terchange the Attorney-General mentioned something about cam- paign funds. which brought Mr. Ferguson to his feet with an indig- nant denial. "Campaign funds came trom somewhere," retorted Mr. Haney. Tauon. . Coming fo {tag Sinner- Mr. Raney denied any secret, sinister motives in the Backus bar- gain, and added that the Conserva- tive criticism had suggested impro- prieties. This and many interrup- tions again forced him to ask for protection "against the member for Grenville. I know he is nervous." i.' -ij.-iunndx took up the task of asking questions, but was told, "You may not ask that question, nor any other question." Cashrand-Carry Patronage. The Sheviin-Clarke Co. limits, sold by Mr. Ferguson when a Min- ister, formed a good subject for Mr. Raney. He told how J. A. Mathieu, 'Conservative, M.P.P. tor Rainy River. was Vice-President of this company, and how an utterly inexperienced young man, McDon- ald, had valuated the timber berth without seeing it, and practically had done the same thing with other berths, by which the Shevlin-Clarke Co. had benefited. Much ot Mr. Raney's statement was taken from the evidence in the timber probe. Mr. Ferguson interrupted toadmit that it was the "grossest piece of misrepresentation ever practiced on the department," but the admission did not save him from the wrath ot the Attorney-General. Mr. Haney charged that Mathieu, who was not m the House yesterday, really had been given a present of more than a million dollars. The deal was dubbed "gross cash-and-carry pat- ronage." and "perhaps there has been nothing in Canada to com- pare with the relations between Mathieu and-the member' torGren- ville." _ A New Hydro Policy. A significant remark was uttered by Mr. Raney in dealing with the Nipigon power controversy. He was telling ot the attempts made to get Mr. Allstead of the Great Lakes Paper Co. and Sir Adam Beck to- gether on the price ot power. "And this is no nove1ty----trietion develop- ed," he asserted. Further, he an- nounced that the Government might override the Hydro Camis- sion and fix the price of power at 3 Mr. Raney admitted he had ms: 'glected to deal with many matters affecting his own department, and again the UFO. were given a chance to cheer when he euloglzed the Premier, who, he said, had net sought his position, and who, it de- feated, "will retire to his plow at Crown Hill and be perfectly con- atent." No Redistribution Words. Charles McCrea, Conservative, Sudbury, continued the debate, nat- urally entering into a totally dit- ferent explanation of the Backus deal from that given by Mr. Raney. So ended as militant a speech as was ever delivered in the Legisla- ture, and one which will require Conservative answers tor many days to come. But, in case someone forgets it all in the heat ot political battle. it must be mentioned that Mr. Haney had not a word to say on redistribution and the amendment to the Address calling for it. ter"6rt Arthur and Fort William. This price would be the same tor both places. He contended the Govern.. ment had the right to do this, in view ot the present deficits there.