The Ontario Scrapbook Hansard

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 30 Mar 1934, p. 4

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The pre--election session of the On-- tario lfigislature closed -- yesterday afternoon with a minimum of ei.-- thusiasm. Final and formal proroga-- tion ceremoniscs will be held Tuesdiay afternoon, but all business was clear-- led from the order paper when the | House rose at 6 p.m. yvesterday. Order papers werse thrown from the gallery as the Speaker announced rising of the House until noxt week, but the gensral feeling was one of relief rather than celebration. W. E. N. Sinclait, K.C., (Liberal, Ontario South), and Mr. Nixon. au-- thor of the amendment, made re-- peated protests, while the House was in committee, against the clauses of the bill simply authorizing returning 'ffice:s to appoint enumerators for ich polling subdivision. Both held it the section would give the Gov-- ment candidates undue advantage, Progressive Leader declaring, exculpating the Government such intent, that, '"it has the rks of an clection racket." Government made two conces-- Opposition objections voiced "lier session. By ons amend-- the bill, the residential re-- in rural sections was raised The Government addiiions to the Election Act and the Voters' List Act were carried through third reading only after the Opposition forced a 67-- 18 division along rigid party lines on an amendment requiring that the enumerators, who make up the draft of the first voting lists, should be ap-- pointed in equal numbers from names submitted by each official Government and Oppcsition candidate and work in pairs to compile the list of voters. _ &\haegmthe motion of W. G. Medd ( sive, Huron South) for temperance education in the schools was rejected; Hon J.. R. Cooke, Hydro Chairman, meade an'important state-- ment cn Commission salaries. and Premier Henry announced that the separate schools' share in taxes would be determined by the highes}t courts. Final Division. "I haven't said much in this ses-- slon, but when the time comes for the people to go to the polls they should have a chance," Mr. Sinclair declared. The member for Ontario South indi-- cated how easily enumerators might omit the names of voters, and contend-- ed that it was impossible for enuntera-- tors to make up a list as satisfactory as the assessment list. Final sittings were marked by a single division, that on Hon. Harry Nixon's amondment to Attorney--Gen-- eral Price's Election Act. Prior to the vote, proccedings hbhad been the routine passing of bills, including the beer and wine legislation, through committee and third reading, and the discussion of l..kggre Board financing mcqlgth.fied by ral House Leader ibban's report on examination of the bceard's accounts. "I notice the Premier and Attor-- ney--General are smiling," he remark-- be smiling after the election and think they have put it over the Grits ON STROKE OF SIX HOUSE GONCLUDES Only Formal Prorogation on Tuesday Next Remains ELECTION ACT CRITICS to sixty days, a return to the rule prevailing before the 1933 enactments. 'The other amendment offered after the barrage of Opposition objections authorized the enumerators to use the first and third sections of the munici-- pal lists as reference. PRE--VOTE SESSION $% clausss should have been stricken off when the qusostion was turned into a House ord>r, explained that the policy of the Government had always held that announcement of the amount of liquor sales of individual stores was not in the public interest. "The Gov-- ernment takes full responsibility for not answoring that part of the ques-- tion," he said. details of an Opposition question ask-- ing about gross sales and cost of ad-- ministration of individual liquor stores. The qusestion, which was asked dur-- ing the 1933 session, had beoen finally placed in the form of a House return, and Mr. Nixon's resolution stated "that, in the opinion of this House, Chicf Commissioner Stowart Mc-- Clenaghan and Commissioner J. M. McNamara of the Ontario Liquor Board should forthwith be dismissed from office for holding in contempt the authority of this House and in refusing to comply with th» order of this Assembly passed unanimosusily." Colonel Price, admitting that there . h'a.d be:nL an oversight and that the efai Price that "the Government takes full respons'bility for not an-- sworing that part of the question," Mr. Nixon withdrew his resolution domanding the resignation of th> members of the Liquor Board. Gross Sales Total. The Progressive Leadcor had based his motion on the refusal to answer details of an Onnasitinn MMACGEAY aale Eldotion _ "convevan "What's 1 "To mak ditions '"*You're not suggisting that any one vo'ed grave yards?" Mr. Nixon asked. "Oh, well--there was that years ago," the Attorney--Generai returned, and was roncommittal about present con-- Both members wuuged tha; the municipal assessmount lists shou'd bLbe utilized, but Russcll Ncosb.tt (Conserv-- ative, Bracondale), and W. A. Baird (Consorvative, High Park), protested because of Toront> conditions. Ths Attorney--Gonseral eiso meation=d th:e «lifffcultics encountered in 'Toronto and cther municipalitiecs where the municipal lists were less perfect. Hun. éreds of pseople, he said, had come to him from his riding at the time of the last election and complained that they were not on the lists. The Pre-l micr, he added, had just told him } that his mother, though now deceased | for twenty years, was still on the as-- j sessment roll. The system of enumer-- ators was in great part desgned to eliminat> namcs not properly includ. ed, Coloncl Price stated. | Crouucs '"'The thing has to be done so quickly. You have all the machinery, and the Opposition hasn't a chancs." he declared. It would certainly be fair, Repeating his suggestion for two enumerators in each subdivision at the close of the debate, he warned that otherwise any Opposition candi-- date might as well forget about try-- ing to educate the psople, for he would have to spend all his time checking the lists. Mr. Nixon coupled his criticism with a complaint, inspired by an-- other election ruling. he said, to have enumcrators named from a list prepared by the c:ndidates. Municipal Lists. Twice the member for Ontario South admitted that he was putting up a losing fight, but he insisted that, aside from any interest in party, the people should have a fair right to vote. Speaking later in the debate, he contended: "If any one wants to run as an Opposition candidate in the cities using the lists it will cost him $2,000." Is it fair, he asked, that Government candidates should have this advantage at Provincial expense? Assured by a Conservative member that the list would be good and prog; er, the member for Ontario Sou countered that he had been told that for tweniy years and knew that neith-- er party would pass up a chance to trim the cther. Anothcr ced whrin t on Act, ext eyances" to i was brought &'s the idea?' malea PRumnanid Fight. March 30 sc@cughnt on elections was vheon the clause of the ct, cxtending the word 3" to include an autono-- brought up in committes. ) idea?" Mr. Sinclair asked. hypocrites of us all?" The nmented, "I have so many t I'm not interested," be-- ction was carried. omise of Attorney--Gen-- Mr. Medd remarked that there were no regulations at present in the School Act for the adequate training of students and teachers in the im-- portant subject of temperance. He suggested that the Government, now prepared to extend facilitiee for drinking, should similarly extend a counteracting -- force. The -- pupiis should be taught to avoid the pit-- falls mentally, morally and physical-- ly, which attended indulgence in a}-- coholic beverages. Seconding, T. K. Slack (Progres-- sive, Dufferin) noted that Premier Henry had led a Sabbath school, and probably would be ready to direct the youth of the Province along the lines laid down in the motion. Wil-- liam _ Newman (Liberal, Victoria North) observed that there was no greater temptation open to the youth of today than that of alcoholic drinks. He also advocated a vigorous system of education. Adequate, Says Premier. Premier Henty considered the pres-- ent system entirely adequate for the purpose. The department recognized its responsibilities in the matter, and, however, other organizations might have fallen down,. would continue on the course laid out in the School Act, requiring that "sobriety'" be taught. There had been no shirking of re-- sponsibility in this direction, he said. Temperance education had been link-- ed by the department with an ath-- letic program, designed to improve the general well--being of youth. The department's staff of teachers could be relied on to see that temperance was properly taught. . C Welcoming the discussion provoked, Mr. Medd withdrew his resolution. wuvye rFariy comes back to the House and he (the Promier) is Leader of the Opposition--although, according to reports from East York, that is no certainty--he will receive more cour-- tesy," Mr. Nixon promised. Mr. Medd's resolution was that "the provision now mads by the De-- partment of Education for the tsach-- ing of temporance education in the serools of Ontario is entirely inads-- quate. and this House urges that a vigcrous and adequate program 0 temperance education in our schools shoutld be undertaken by the Govern-- ment." Premier's ccourtesy, roma while Governmont resoluti~ ca'lled, this Opposition mo But off to the last mini thr remmant of the grea '"At this late hour I will accept the Attorney--Gensral's explanation," the Progressive Leador answoered, "and take this to public oninion, where I will no doubt have a bettor reception. Before turning out; the Liquor Board we will have to first turn cut the Government," he addeod with a smile. To the Last Minute. Mr. Nixon did complain abcut the a dAAA GA the House Leader of according that is no rad cut the ;. that, id b>>n "Whean 1)

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