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Solid Tory Vote, But Opposition Splits Forces mer Liberal Leader), S. C. Tweed _ (Liberal, North Waterloo), William Newman (Liberal, Victoria, North), D. M. Ross (Progressive, Oxford North), W. G. Medd (Progressive, Huron } South). and Farquhar Oliver (U.FP.A . Grey South). Those Absent. _ _Absent from the House at the time 'ox the vote were: R. A. Baxter (Lib-- _ eral, Oxford South), Arthur Ellis (Conservative, Ottawa South), C. A. Seguin (Conservative, Russell), F. J. McArthur (Conservative, Northum-- berland), Howard Fralecigh (Con-- servative, Lambton EHast), George Oakley (Conservative, Toronto--River-- dale), J. C. Wilson (Conservative, London South). The Legislature has an official membership of 112, but there are six vacancies, As the Speaker does not vote, this reduces the number voting to 105. An Exciting Vote. Each Opposition vote for the Gov-- ernment measure brought wild ac-- claim from Conserwative ranks, and the scene at division time was one of tumultuous excitement. Barlier in the day a Conservative caucus had seen the Government party whipped into line for unanimous sup-- port of the beer bill. Liberals and Progressives each held caucuses as well, and that of the Liberal group was reported to have been stormy They emerged with the knowledge that there would be a wide break in party ranks when the vote came, but still in doubt as to how many members would support the Government. The division climaxed a long day of debate on the issue, capped late to-- night by Premier Henry's declaration that the Government was willing to McQuibban and Sinclair Are Against Bill, But Nixon Is in Favor Attorney--General Asserts "*We Stand or Fall" SEVERAL --ABSENTEES Second reading of the Gov-- ernment's beer bill was car-- ried on division of the Legis-- lature late last night by a vote of 89 to 9. Voting with the solid Conservative ma-- jority were eight Liberals, three Progressives and the Laborite member. There were no defections from Government ranks on the measure which would en-- able the sale of beer and wine by the glass. Opposition Bolters. Those on the Oppcsition side who voted for the measure were: Dr. L. J. Simpson (Liberal, Simcoe Centre). Hon. Harry C. Nixon -- (Progressivye Leader), D. J. Taylor (Progressive, North Grey), T. A. Blakelock (Lib-- eral, Talton), T. K. Stack (Progres-- sive, Dufferin), T. P. Murray (Liberal, Renfrew South), W. J. Mackay (Lib-- eral, Bruce South), D. M. Campbeli (Liberal, Kent East), N. O. Hipel (Liberal, Watcrlco South), D. Pau! Munro (Liberal, Wellington South), and Earl Hutchinson (Labor, Kep-- ora). The nine voting against the bill were: Dr. George A. McQuibban (Lib-- eral l-guse Leader), C. A. Robertson (Member for Huron North, and Lib-- cral Whip), W. J. Bragg (Liber»! Durham), W. E. N. Sinclair, K« (Member for South Ontario and for-- on New Act take its responsibility for the measure and the election was the proper test-- The speech of Attorney--Generai Price led off yesterday's long discus-- sion of the session's most important measure. While two outstanding pro-- hibitionists, Rev. A. J. Irwin and Ben Spence, sat in the crowded gallery, Colonel Price castigred them by: name for their activities against what he regarded as the cause of temper-- ance. In closing, he definitely staked the Government's hope of re--electfon on the success of the bill. "We stand or fall on this act," he sold the House. Before Premier Henry arose as the last speaker of the night, Dr. George A. McQuibban, Liberal House Leader, had made his position clear. In aA brief speech, he recalled the gradual progress of beer--by--the--glass move-- ment from the Conservative back-- benches to the "seat next the Premier himself," and he regarded <the present measure as "just a strategic move" on the Government's part. The Prime Minister, he stated, had promised that there would be no political meddling with the liquor issue, and on this statemen: messages had come to the House from all paris of the Province last year to support the Premier on his temperance stand. L _ 'The Oppos.tion Leader saw no great demand for any change in the law. Plenty of liquor was available at prées-- ent t> those who wanted it. But he realized that the Administration had reached a political crisis, and had to find some major issue to attempt to carry the next campaign through to success. His stand, said Dr. McQuibban, was that the matter should be left to the private member. Every group in the House had the right to express its political independence. For himself, personally, he was opposing the bill because of the Government's attempt rggain to introduce the liquor problem into the political life of Ontario. Temperance Progress. "I won't take second place to anyl one in this Province in the cause of temperance," the Premier declared, as| he summed up the debate. Tracing| briefly the history of liquor legisla--| tion, he testified that there had been| real and permanent progress during| the Conservaiive regimes before| the war. Any one who is reasonable, | he claimed, would admit that things went too far in the steps taken after the war, and in 1926 the poople tuned from it, as they have turned in the| United States during the last year. | Fosars of 1926 and 1927 were not ; well founded, the Prime Minister said, and the Administration -- in power in those years had been over-- whelmingly endorsed very largely on its administration of the Liquor COn-l trol Act. | ESwitching to the current legislation ' Premier Henry referred with pride to trie Rockefeller Report, which held that Ontario legislation could be con-- sidered a goal toward which to move. "Local cption," he pointed out, "as it was maintained in 1916 is still in force," mandates which existed prior to the passing of the Ontario Tem-- perance Act remaining intact. We have respected that in the location of stores and warechouses, he said, and will still respect it. Ewitching to the current legislation the Premier declared that the Prov-- ince was not going to abandon the control of liquor and that under the proposed measure hotel operators would be vendors under the board. "My record as a man.of temper-- ance thought and temperance prin-- ciples is enough justification for the statement that as long as I am Prime Minister the Liquor Control Board will control." The Premier agreed with Mr. Tweed's contention that there was an abuse of drinking of hard liquor in hotel rooms, but contended that this was not the time to deal with it. "It has been pointed out that you cannot legislate a people into so-- briety," he remarked, and suggested that the consumption of beer in diningrooms would tend to reduce hotel room drinking. "It is not the opening of the flood gates to a flood of beer," he stoutly maintained. MaxC\n 28 Critical of Nixon. The Prime Minister twitted the Op-- position, referring in particular to the absence of Hon. Harry Nixon, whom he nominated as first lisutenant of Mitchell Hepburn, in view of Dr. Mc-- ~uibban's attitude. "He's not usually ) silent," the Premier commented, ri¢ding that Mr. Nixon usually claim-- 5d his rights, both as a lHsutenant and as a lcador of a group. The Progres-- sive group received additional criti-- ci<sm for their continued silence. Notinge a sug:rsstion that the mat-- tor be loft to a vote of the people, the Fremier declared: "We are leaving it to a voie of the peop'e in a gen-- eral election." A proper attitude, he insisted, when Government responsi-- bility was involved. Declaring his readincss to assume the responsibil'ty for legislation which will discourage the conmsumption of hard liquor, the Prim>: Minister promised forward progress year by year and amendment of the law to fit conditions. Other sp:akers of the day were W. E. N. Sinclair, K.C., former Lib:ral Iezdzr, who cpposed the Opposition "acqu.escence" statement and an-- ncunc:d his intention of voting against the measure in the intorests of his constituents; William Morrison (Conszsrvative, Hami'lion East); S. C. Twe:d (Liberal, Waterlco, North); Hon. James Lyons -- (Conservat.ve, here, with wide--open sale, just as Hon. E. C. Drury told them up at Crown Hill about the drunks in To: ronto's streets." Returning to the Dominion's ban on liquor shipments to the United States, Coloncl Price noted that there had been no move by Washington for reciprocal action, now that the situ-- ation was reversed. He warned the House that there was "more alcohol boing run through the Province to-- day than ever before, and those people are selling it in competition with the Liquor Control Board. It's highly profitable for them to dispense it at $3 or $4 a gallon. We have to prot----t ourgslves on the south, east and west. In the United Statss they will have steadily more opportunity to move liquor into Ontario,. | _ | more than any country in the world. And we had men like Ben Spence +ryving to tell the people of the United "Across the border, liquor is being sold at every pop shop and soda fountain. We have to exercise more control than ever, to give the work-- ingman, the traveller and the tourist the cpportunity to have a cheap glass of beor. but have it under the proper regulatiors and control. We don't intend to throw things wide open: this Government is pledged to tem-- perance, scbriecty and control. We are not afraid to fg:m.\late an honest policy and go to the people on it." Demands for Cheap Beer. Colonel Price stated the Govern-- ment's intention to meet the demands for cheap beer of "the great stretch 24. td 2t cmacnd ~Adiiialscints C vl ESmE of Northarn Ontario and the great laboring class, who have had som* complaint, it is true, and one which we hope to satisfty." || | _ Another motive for the change was the extension of home--brewing. While there were 350,000 liquor permits held, there had been granted from Ottawa 175,000 home--brew licenses in Ontario, over which the Government had ro control. It had been said that the wha4t a tauw'kl4, Ia~t mwa es yaYy