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Peaceful at Start. 'The imbroglio between the two leaders opened peacefully enough. Just tefore the orders of the day were call-- ed, Mr. Sinclair rose and referred to a press report of trouble in the Tory . yranks over an "alleged letter." John R. -- MacNicol, he observed, had denied au-- . thorship of an epistle to J. A. Pinard, | Ottawa Liberal M.P.P. And Mr. Fer-- All this information came out in a{ series of exchanges between the two! Leaders, a cross--fire that grew so fierce iat one time that the Speaker called Mr.-- Sinclair to order. {Challen:ed to Platform Ducl. to fight the matter out on any platform in the Province. While Mr. Sinclair saw in the whole @ffair further evidence of a "one--man" Government, saw the Premier holding such authority that he could say what contributions should be received by the party an. what should not be accepted, the Prime Minister maintained just as emphatically that he had acted to main-- tain the fair, unsullied reputation of the Government. His first intimation of the Central's a@ctivity, he told the House, was when the Attorney--General had shown him @ letter the Central's Financial Com-- mittee had written to the London Winery Ltd., at London, Ont., asking for contributions. He also learned that other such letters had been sent out, "nd so he wrote J. R. L. Start, K.C., "rreasurer of the Central, warned him against this activity, urged him to re-- cal the letters, and send any money received back to the donors. He heard, by rumor, that contributions had been received and had been sent back. "But," and the Premier said this also more than nce. "this Government will not be besinirched." And he main-- tained from start to finisn that the whole situation centred on a local ac-- vivity and that the Government had miade it clear that it set its face against such activity. But Mr. Sinclair persisted with his e@rgument that the whole affair was suspicious, and in his final bombard-- ment at the Preimier he emphasized this thought: "It's a mystery," he said, "why an organization in Toronto should go outside such a wealthy city to solicit contributions. Do you think many people are going to believe there was any necessity for soliciting cutside To-- yonto for the party in Toronto, which sends members to both Parliaments without effort?" And, he told the House more than once yesterday, those words had been prophetic, for the letter had got ints such "hands." and there was Mr. Sin-- clair trying to "besmirch" the Conser-- vative Party. "Just think," he had tcld Mr. Starr in referring to the Central's letter, "what a fine story could be made if this letter gets into the hands of those who desire to injure the Government." Prophetic Words. guson, interviewed, had stated that it all was a City of Toronto affair. And d. R. L. Star, K.C., had said: "The Gov-- ernment would not take money from liquor interests." j At one point when the words flew hot and heavy between the two Mr. Fer-- guson challenged the Liberal Leader 'The Prime Minister first of all named the Central Conservative Association l of Toronto as the organization involved blamed the Financial Committee oi that body for "an unwise move," told how he had cut their action short sand advised them to return all contribu-- tions received. Then, emphatically de-- claring that the CGovernment had told the association that it would have to repudiate that organization's action if it were made public, Mr. Ferguson went on to say that since he had been in power no contributions had been solicited or accepted from the liquor interest, that no contributions had been solicited from anybody, and that All money received had been contrib-- uted voluntarily by persons interested in the success of the Government. sAa]- _ It was, Mr. Ferguson empahasized,cor-- 'respondence of an organization in To-- ronto. "Just the same," he added, "as my honorable friend has a Liberal or-- ganization in Toronto, if you have not heard of it." "On the face of it," he went on, "my honorable friend can see that it is an cpen letter, not a personal one------" Mr. Sinclair--You mean it got open. Mr. Ferguson--It's wide open. And similar letters were addressed to others interested in the liquor, beer and wine interests. "As this is the only appeal for funds we have made for some time, we trust that you will see your way to send us e substantial contribution, which will be very much appreciated. "'Please make cheques payable to J. R. L. Starr, K.C., Treasurer, or the Chairman. (ESgd.) "C. E. Calvert, Chairman." '"Was" Open or "Got" Open? _ Here he paused to refer to the letter | which had been brought to his attention | by the Attorney--General. It was on the stationery of the Conservative Associa-- | tion of Toronto, which carries in the upper left--hand corner the names Wil-- liam Croft, President; Garrett Tyrrel Secretary, and in the upper left--hand corner the names of the Finance Com-- mittee, these latter being repeated in ithe letter |__It was dated Jan. 24, and addressed ito the Manager, London Winery Lim-- tited, R.R. 1, Lambeth Highway, London, 'Ont.. and read as follows: |__ "Dear Sir: The Finance Committee of the Liberal--Conservative Association of Toronto,commonly known as the 'Central Association,' finds it necessary to raise funds at the present time to carry on its work of the Toronto organization, and are taking the liberty of writing you for assistance. '"'The Finance Committee consists of C. E. Calvert (Chairman), J. R. L. Starr, K.C. (Treasurer), Colonel Bap-- tist Johnston, and Gordon Shaver, K.C. This committee is appointed by -- the Liberal--Conservative Association of To-- ronto with the understanding that they will raise sufficient funds to carry on the Toronto organization. "At no time," he continued, "since I have been in charge of the Govern-- ment has there been a single, solitary collar by way of contribution directly ur indirectly, solicited or accepted for the assistance of this Government in election -- campaigns or organization: work. _ There is an organization in To-- ronto that is entirely separate and dis-- tinct from the Provincial organization. John R. MacNicol is President of the Provincial organization, and that is the reason for his emphatic denial and re-- pudiation. The Attorney--General brought to my attention the other day. information that had come to him--a letter which had been sent out, not by the central body, but by a subcommit-- tee which has to do with the carrying on of the expenses of the local office for publicity and organization in the City of 'Toronto. Knowing that even that would be the subject of misinter-- pretation and lend itself to just the sort of suggestions and insinuations that my honorable friend makes here today, the Government decided to take prompt measures to make its position clea~. On behalf of th« Government, I wrote a letter entirely in accord with the policy we have pursued in matters of this kind." Soliciting Letter, "From what I hear on the streets and downtown there is something more than rumors to this," Mr. Sinclair declared. "Now the time has come for the Pre-- mier to say whether he has, had any knowledge of such contributions and what steps he has taken." ¥orguson's Reply. "I would like to kilow from the Prime} Minister," Mr. Sinclair continued, "if | he has written Mr. Starr to refuse any' such contributions. and to return any: contributions to the donors. Also if he has taken any action since this mat-- ter first became of public interest in the }'ress toward the end of last week. And would also like to know if the Attor-- ney--Generail has any knowledge of any letter sent out, and whether any action has been taken to discourage donors and seoe that money is returned to them. '"I'm greatiy indebted to my honorable friend for bringing this to the attenticon of the House," said Mr. Ferguson, open-- ing his reply. "This Government has been extremely jealous of its good repu-- tation, which has been well earned, and which has been accorded as such by a large majority of the Province. b p v arvy.-- +3 7P