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|\ --F. J. McArthur took exception to the j ! remarks of T. V. Slack (Progressive,} | Dufferin) regardingy the number of| | ""panhandlers" in downtown Toronto. | Mr. McArthur maintaince that the' 'economic conditions always involved a i decrease in work in the winter time. | He reviewed at length the value of good roads in the attracting of tourists to this Province, and expressed the thought that the Dominion authorities should certainly aid in extensions. He had particular criticism for the Federal Government declaring that it offered only "excuses" instead of con-- tributing to Provincial highway build-- ing enterprises. 8 T. J. Mahony (Conservativ South Wentworth), in his opening remarks when he continued the Budget debate, spoke emphatically in favor of the Gov-- ernment's Hydro policy, and in this connection he culogized Hon. John R. Cooke. Hydro Commissioner. Then he continued to speak on the general road building situation in the Province, and the problems involved. In this regard he said: "Roads do cost rural municipalities more than they should." The Budget debate in the Ontario Legislature was advanced yesterday by eleven speakers. Of these, seven were Conservative members, and as evidencs of the Tory strength in the House three Conservatives spoke in succession with-- out the interjection of an Opposition member. OoPPOSITION SILENT _« AS 3 CONSERVATIVES TALK IN SUCCESSION Those who took part in the debats were, in speaking order: T. J. Mahony (Conservative, South Wentworth), D. M. Ross (Progressive, North Oxford), W. G. Martin (Conservative, Brant-- ford), T. P. Murray (Liberal, South Renfrew), T. H. Bell (Conservative, Bellwoods--Toronto), T. A. Blakelock (Liberal, Halton), J. F. Strickland (Con-- servative, Peterboro' City), W. J. Mac-- Kay (Liberal, South Bruce), F. J. Mc-- Arthur (Conservative, Northumberland), F. D. Laughton (Conservative, North Middlesex) and H. J. Davis (Conserva-- tive, East Elgin). Much Cross--Fire. Mr. Laughton spoke of the Weed Act and the Corn--Borer Act, and then re-- ferred to live stock and apples. Upholds Hydro Policy. As usual, the speakers from the Gov-- ernment side rapped the Opposition, and the Opposition, in turn, fired ver-- bal volleys at the Government. Seven Out of Eleven Par-- ticipants in Thursday's Legislature Debate Arc T ories -- "Panhandling" Complaints Answered HIGH TRIBUTE PAID TO PRIME MINIST ER The debate continued throughout the afternoon and night. W. E. N. Sinclair, Liberal Leader, adjourned it at 11i.15 p.m., to be continued on Tuesday. F. D. Laughton submitted that the Ferguson Government won the confi-- dence of the electorate. . mendous applause from his fellow--Tory benches. He said that Premier Fergu-- son was the most outstanding statesman in Canada. He also voiced a eulogy of Hon. John R. Cooke, Hydro Commissioner, and the Government's Hydro policy. Mr. McArthur, concluding his address, expressed an opinion that won him tre-- Charges Patronage. D. M. Ross (Progressive, North Ox-- ford), claimed that there was no place in which patronage was carried "to greater extremes" than in all depart-- ments of the Ferguson Government. Mr. Ross bitterly attacked the Gov-- ernment's action in appointing "a good Conservative worker" to the job of is-- suer of motor licenses for Oxford Coun-- ty, when a number of returned men were available for the position, and one, in fact, a veteran with one leg, and son of a widow who had given her whole family to the service of King and country, had been approved of, and recommended by--the local branch of the Legion. Conservative organization was more to | blame than Queen's Park, but it did| seem a pity, to him, that a man's serv-l ice on behalf of his country, could be | shoved aside "so lightly," for the sake' of party politics. Rev. W. G. Martin (Conservative, | Brantford), expressed the belief that | Provincial Treasurer Monteith's Budget | & EVY SECVACER PE P SDOTRUMERICC OS Ao®ents| speech should be broadcast the length and breadth of the country. He said. the optimistic note in the speech would do much to alleviate the depression that . existed in some sections of the country. Burden of Taxation. T. P. Murray, in his opening re-- marks, stated: "The previous speakers have referred to so many things that it is impossible for me to remember what has been said." Going on with his address, he maintained that people of the Province were struggling under a burden of taxation. Mr. Murray spoke 2t length on the "wolf" question. He observed that his county had had many sreep killed. but naively remarked that it had been de-- cided that wolves had done the damage, for if it had been dogs the damage would have to be paid. Thomas H. Bell (Conservative, Bell-- woods) dealt with the question A im-- migra' on and ~~'onization, Cclaiming that Northern Ontario "would not have been worth a ton for growing \ wheat" if the Government had not lgiven aid through ar agricultural re-- search program that was more and more "This systsm," said he, "should be | entirely done away with in this Prov-- ince. It might cost a little extra monty, i but I feel any action the Attorney-- General might take in this way would be justified." , being extended, and which was, in the speaker's opinion, to carry great things |to the farmer in fuiure. \ __T. A. Blakelock (Liberal, Halton) made a strong plea for the taking over !by the Government of the municipali-- ties' 20 per cent. contribution to Pro-- vincial highways. _ With many mu-- | nicipalities "fairly struggling to get ! along, it was only fair," he said, "that | they be relieved of this burden of tax-- | ation." \ Opposes Fee System. Mr. Blakelock felt that the brokers' situation would "take cz:~ of itself." J. F. Strickland -- (Conservative, Peterboro' City) paid tribute to the work of Attornsy--General Price, stat-- ing tha, no one could have done any more in connection with the recent brokerage situation than Colonsl Price had done. * Mr. Blakelock also advocated the abolition of the fes system among Magistrates. Many Ma~' strates, he said, migh, easily b> influenced to get convictions rather than lose their fees. W. J. MacKay (Liberal, South Bruce) advanced the claim that the Ferguson Government had lost the confidence Of the rural districts. i '""'l'-hfé'rfé- is a feeling among the mu-- nicipalities," he stated, "that too muchn attention is being concentrated on this Toronto." a C Ross said that, possibly the local More Equable Rate. Speaking of the Hydro policy of the Government,. Mr. MacKay said that, while he would not favor a flat rate charge, he would advocate "a more equable rate" than now enjoyed by the rural consumers. F Liberal Leader Sinclair adjourned the debate. It will be resumed fdnd wound up on Tuesday next. [ That there was foul play in the deaths of William Stringer and John , Billings, Ontario forest rangers in Haliburton, four years ago; that the sit-- uation was never cleared up, and that the Government should investigate it 'thoroughly, was the thought expressed 'last night in the Ontario Legislature by Thomas P. Murray (Liberal, South Renfrew). POSSIBLE FOUL PLAY IN DOUBLE DEATHS, MEMBER DECLARES It was also believed, he added, that the Government should have sent an officer in to the district in disguise to investigate. Both of these men, said he, were sol-- diers of the Empire who had come to an untimely death. Surely the matter should be investigated. One in particular had an outstanding record. Referring to the deaths, Mr. Murray declared that a number of people had thought that there was foul play. Stringer and Billings were belicved burned to death in a shack in Halibur-- ton County some time between Jan. 8 and 20, 1926. An arrest was made in connection with the case. Thomas P. Murray Asks for Investigation Into Hali-- burton Case TRAGEDY OF YEAR 1926