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MUNRO MAINTANS > COMMITTEE REPORTS Declines to Accept Macaulay Advice That He Retract "My accusations woere substantiated in the main," declared D. Paul Munro (Liboral, Wellington South), in the Legislature yesterday, in refusing to retract his charges concerning irregu-- larities in Eigin County roadwork. Th demand for retraction had come a moment before from Hon. Leopold Macaulay, Minister of Hi:ghways. The report of the Publics Accounts Committee, which investigated the Liberal charges, was tablod in the House by Hon. W. D. Black, Chair-- man. At a committee meeting earlier in the day, it had been egreed that the report should consist only of the evidence, exhibits and list of wit-- nesses, with no findings on the case. In comment on the investigation, Mr, Macaulay told the House that the rccusations had been 'heraideod by the Lberal press throughout the Prov-- ince." Mr. Munro, he continued, nad made the charges on his responsibility as a member. At the conclusion of the probe, Mr. Macaulay had suggested to "last opportunity to do the decent thing in this House." Mr. Munro said he had made his statements concerring highway work "gquite advisedy" and, in the same manner as that of any member saying anything from the floor of the House, on his responsibility as a member. The investigation had disclosed irregular-- ties, such as payment for truck hire as team--time, and a long list of pur-- chases and services which ware wrong-- ly entered on the pay--shects, the ag-- Mr. Munro that "the honorable and fair thing to do was retract." The charges, said the Minister, related to something that had happened four years previously, and had subsequently been discovered and corrected long before by" the department. _ _ _ _ grmte amounting to somsething like 3,400.. If nothing further had been disclosed, it was shown that the rec-- ords were not, as certified, actually true and correct. When the depart-- mental investigator had gone to Walk-- er originally, ho had been told only of the Pife matter, but subsequently the Minister of Highways had frankly ad-- Macaulay's Comment. Th whole affair, in Mr. Macaulay's opinion, amounted only to "village tittle--tattle from Talbotville," and the only revelation had been that a road foreman, rather than wait for months to pay small accounts, had entered them on the pay--sheet. Also, he had charged up as team--time what was really truck--rental, But the matter nad been "disinterred by the Board of Strategy" to discredit the Conservative ioi Agrenanyile Go, aid Di a a 2, %a i. Sandaas nad "been fair in 1t report of committee proceedings. . Board of Strategy Rapped. * Mr. Munro had been used unfairly by the Board of Strategy, the Min-- S:Swr continued, in their effort to gain "political kudos" from the incident. Now, when all the facts had been re-- vealed, he was giving Mr. Munro his mitted other sides--of the case. ---- --.-- PADDING CH A RGES VIRTUALLY UPHELD The Liberal member doubted that the bookkeeping methods on the Elgin County highway would be followed by many people. There was no fraud nor dishonesty, it had been stated before the investigation by the Prime Min-- ister.. Mr. Munro brought the matter to the House's attention because it was impossible, without. special. direction, for the Public Accounts Committee to cartry its inquiry back past the end of the last fiscal year, "I have not the slightest regret for having brought up this matter," said Mr. Munro. Whether the methods of bookkeep-- ing, said Mr. Munro, might open the way to fraud and dishonecsty, and whether there-- actually was, was a matter to be decided at the bar of public opinian and by the members of the House. ."I do not think it quite honest to chanze these things up as team--time," he asserted. He was glad to hear there had been some rectifica. tion of the mothods, but the fact was that it had been disclosed that a fore-- man, acting as:an employer, had em-- ployed himsel{f, and his truck in the names of his sons and of other people. "Does not that raise a serious ques-- tion: is it right for him to certify this as true amd correct? Was it fraudu-- lent or dishonest, or was it not? The inquiry wes justified, the accusations were fair." "I'm quite willing to leave it to the bar of public opinion,." agreed Mr. Macaulay. * In closing, Mr. Munro said that the evidence had bsen fairly obtained, "amd may I say my accusations were substantiated in the main." Maych z258 which others are involved, both fi-- nancially and otherwise." In answer to the clause asking "Is this Anglin the party who failed to file nomina-- tion papers as Opposition candidate for Addington in 1926 after having campaigned for some time," the Chairman of the Hydro Commission purchased an electric distribution system and lines and equipment in Sydenham from Mr. Anglin, but to the question of price repeated the Hydro > formula, "The Commission considers it would be a breach of con-- fidence to give data on matters in whish athers are involved. both fi-- supplying cloth to those on relief to the extont of $235,916, of which the Dominion refunded half. Another Opposition question asked about the relationship between Frank Anglin and the Hydro. Mr. Cooke answoered that the Commission had answer. Hon. W. G. Martin reported that no reductions or cancellations, other than statutory, had been made in mothers' allowances during the last fiscal year. Cancellations had num-- bored 87, oratotal amount of $47,584. To a query asking if any connection existed between the Central Supplyl Warehouse and the Provincial Gov--| ernment, Hon. Dr. J. M. Robb answered in the negative, The ware-- house has obtained from the Provin-- cial Government the business of to check up on the vendors. Nine gasoline vendors were in arrears in the payment of taxes to the Gov-- ernment, Mr. Macaulay stated, ond the amount of arrears totalled $33,-- 905.95. The Minister pointed out the contrast between this and the huge sum collected. Names and salaries of the inspectors appointcd under the Public Commer-- clal Vehicle Act were listed in an-- other answer, the latter ranging from $2,196 to $1,200 a year. Mr. Macau-- lay reported that 201 prosecutions had been conducted since the begin-- ning of 1932, and 163 convictions ob-- tained. Twelve cases of prosecutions for infractions of the restrictions on A sum of $32,249.99 accounted for the total cost of advertising the heat-- ers in 1933. The Chairman of the Hydro Com-- mission said that the increase in power consumption amounted to about one horsepower per heater, and that the cost of installation would be paid by the increase in consump-- tion of power in less than one year from the date of installation. Another of the Government's ans-- wers to Opposition questions disclosed the extent of gasoline tax arrears and was associated by Hon. Leopold Macaulay, Minister of Highways, with the introduction . of the bill designed BONDS ABSORBED IN OTHER LOANS was in 1933, Mr. Cooke stated that the estimated cost for the 11,732 flat----rate heaters which were in-- stalled was $258,104, and for booster heaters, $15.330, but appended a note declaring that expenditure to Dec. 31, 1933, had been only $192,294.22. Cooke Gives Figures on Installing Water Heaters heaters (not fre:), Hon. J. R. Cooke, Chairm#an of the Hydro Commission. stated. In answer to the clause of the query asking what the total cost to the Commission of this installation heaters were aired in an answer to another Liberal question. The cost to Hydro of instailing a water heater in an average home is $22 for flat rate heaters, and $10.50 for booster "All bonds maturing in each of the fiscal years ending Oct. 31, 1931, 1932 and 1933, were absorbed in other loans except the portion provided by" the Hydro--Electric Power Commission in Accordance with the Debt Retirement Plan," Premier Henry stated in the Legislature yesterday in answer to a question from N. O. Hipel (Liberal, Waterloo South). The answer was one of a series of twelve with which the Government halved the Opposition queries still standing on the order Installation costs accruing to Hydro for the recently introduced water-- of service were cited in the 99