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s MS *Wite asked If Toronto's return | PDr. Roberts told them that the tax was designed to balance the Budget; that if the Bonnett Government had been as liberal to the Hepburn Admin-- istration as it was to the Henry Ad-- ministration, the levy might not have been so great. Refers to Highways System. Hon. T. A. Kidd, former Spsaker of 'the House, rose at 4 o'clock after a 20--minute speech by J. J. Glass ' (Liberal, Toronto). Mr. Kidd im-- | mediately launched an attack on the ' Minister of Mines and Mr. Glass. "The Minister of Mines has con-- vinced you (Mr. Glass) that this bill is necessary to clean up the debts of the Henry Government. You are both would 'be always the amount of tax the city collected in 1935,. or would it be on a sliding scale. The city, with its relief grant cut, needed the money. How many of the Opposition are actually opposed to the bill, Dr. A. D. Roberts of the Sault, questioned when he stspped into the fight for the Gov-- ernment at 9.47 pm. _ "I doubt if one member of the Op-- position will vote for the bill," ne said. The Conservative benches murmur-- wl in protest. . _ s . Millions of more do'llars had been loansd to nceedy farmers, but returns | were coming in steadily in the way of interest. Was that a C:bt on the lProvinee or an asset? ho asked. -- Government Grants. i _ Universitics, technical schools and hospitals throughout the Province |were in receipt of grants from the \ Government. Were these an asset? 'he asked. "These are things my honorable friend refuses to mention when he speaks of the debts piled "p.n He charged that the Liberal mem-- ber had been "instructed" what to say in his debate, and that to prolong his arguments he had picked up the Premier's Budget speech and read it Part of the debt left by the Henry Government was dus to the great high-- way system in the Province. Was this to be considered as a debt, he de-- _"You gave the same speech in this | House as you might to a ward meet-- , my' ne sall. > | | y | manded, or was it not an asset, inas-- much as taxes were rolling in for its upkeep and it provided the Province tation system? He quoiled The Glotbs on a state-- ment that Ontario had a net debt of $600,000,000, and dceclared the paper had said it was six times the debt of Quebec. But Quebec, ho maintained, had no highway system to compare with Ontario's, nor had it & Hydro system. "It is not this bill we need, it is a new Provincial Treasurer that we "There should be a committes or a Commission to look into unemploy-- ment and relief "Justice is not being done to the finances of this Province. "I think we are playing politics in relief and unemployment. We should have the facts before us before pro ceeding with this measure. I say t~ the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Nixon) that he is playing politics with this bill," Mr. Kidd said. Mr. Nixon--What do you mean-- politics? Politics, as I understand it. means the science of administration of government, That is certainly what wo are doing. Queries Liquor Profits. Mr. Kidd--This House and every private member should know the ex-- penditure in this Province before vot-- ing to collect another five millions. i am going to show you there have been inroads in the public treasury tha't should not have been made. He charged that during the last ses-- sion of the House Mr. Roebuck! had been making Hydro speeches over| the radio when he should have been in his seat in the Legislature listening to Mr. Henry. | Roebuck. Mr. Kidd--Anothor thing the people of this Province should know vour 44 and necessary transpor-- a treat," said Mr. Mr. Rosbuck declared he would an-- swer to the fulness of his knowledge, and stated emphatically that his for-- mer partner had never received a cent of Government business. Mr. Kidd--There's enough on the order paper now, and there will be more, Mr. Kidd--This bill (income tax) should have been put through in a special session in 1934. It should have been put through in 1935, but you were afraid to levy a tax during an election. Mr., Baird--Would the Attorney-- General say that his former partner has not received any Government busi-- ness? Mr. Nixon--May I ask my honor-- able friend is he to this bill? gothe voke For Mr. Baird--If I have the assurance of the Attorney--General, then, of course, I withdraw. Demands Proof. Mr. Baird then declared that he did not suggest that Mr. Croli had with-- drawn from his law firm in order that his partners might receive Govern-- ment business. HMHe added: "But ti» Minister knows that his partners are in receipt of Governmeont business." Mr. Kidd--I'll deal with that in good time. Lavtyers' Fees-- Mr. Croll--I want withdrawal or pro»f. Mr. Roebuck denied that such a thing had happened with his firm. It was necessary for him to leave the firm in order to take up his office in the Government. "What about Sliaght? You know what. he got out of it, and Mr. Mc-- Ruer. Is it playing fair to pay Arthur Slaght $6,6422" Mr. Roebuck--I ask was it fair to pay Mr. Tilley $50,0002 Mr. Kidd, after a moment, said: "HMHow many people could you pay with $6,0002" Mr. Kidd sat down within a few minutes, but his place was taken by W. A. Baird (Conservative, Toronto High Pairk), who created a bigger storm than the former Speaker of the House. Mr. Baird--Doss this Government know that iaw firms have broken up partnerships in Oorder to get Govern-- ment business? Mr. TSroll--No. Mr. Baird--Well, 1 do. Perhaps the Attorney--General will answor. What about his firm? Mr. Nixon--How many could you pay with $50,000> + Mr. Kidd -- You're paying this public money out to your friends. After ancther flurry the Speaker ruicg that the member for High Park should withdraw. Mr. Baird--I would be glad to withdraw to you, Mr. Spsaker, but I am loath to withdraw to some mem-- bors of this House. Thore was a storm of protest, directed by Hon. L. J. Simpson, Min-- istoer of Education, that such a state-- mont was unfair. Gallaries above the floor of the House at Queen's Park 'were less than a quarter filled during last night's ses-- sion of the Legislature. Early in the evening only a few dozen specta-- tors were seated on the long benches in the Ladies', Speaker's and Visi-- tors' galleries, which were usually crowdsd last spring,. No explanation for the failing public interest in poli-- tics was forthcoming. Febvuami 18 it PRICE HINTS OF AMBITIONS Offers Wager on Leader-- ship Chances Coloncl W. H. Price, former Attor-- ney--General in the Henry Adminis-- tration, last night gave plain intima-- tion that he's after the leadership of the Conservative Party. Or, if that is wrong, then he's cer-- tainly willing to bet a new hat that at least ons former Cabinct Minister will be "in the running" at the forth-- coming leadership convention of the Tory Party. Hon. L. J. Simpson, Minister of EFducation, started the matter by wagering that not a single one of the old Cabinet would be in the running when the convention was called to select a Leader. "At the next Liberal convention there will be all the delegates in the telephone book," Wilfrid Heighington (Conservative, Toronto St. David) told the House as the incident closed. Later in his own speech to the House the former Attorney--General said he would not spend his time an-- swering Ur. Simpson. "But T'll win the bet likely enough,." he said. Mr. Price immediately leaped to his fect. "Mr. Speaker," he said. "This may be a rather cheap retort, but I'll take him on." Leadership was raised again late in the evening when Colonel Price took the ficor on the income tax bill. He had not questioned, he said, the Liberal leadership potentialities--who might succeed Premier Hepburn if he retired, i "You're on," responded the Educa-- tion Minister. "*No one seems to know just who will succeed Mr. Hepburn," the former Attorney--General grinned, and he mentioned every member of the pres-- ent Cabinet as a possibility. MUNICIPALITIES TO GET REBATES, BILL PROVIDES Reimbursements Based on 1935 Income Tax Levy levied income taxes are to be reim-- bursed by the Province by the amount which they collected in municipal in-- come taxes during 1935, according to a bill introduced yesterday by Hon. David A. Croll. The Weifare Minister brought his bill in when the Provincial Legisla-- ture opened. It stipulates that the Treasurer of each municipality con-- cerned shall pay to the Treasurer of each School Board such parts of such sums as would equal amounts received by the School Boards from income tax revenue in 1935. It allows the Lieutenant--Governor-- in--Council to direct payment of any part of the income tax paid to the Province in any year, including 1936, to municipalities, This section would allow the Gov-- ernment, if it so decided, to pay to municipalities which have not paid income tax in the past a share in the revenue of the Provincial tax. The bill also provides for munici-- palities reimbursing individuals who have paid the income tax for the busi-- ness tax which they have also paid. Municipalities which heretofore have