The Ontario Scrapbook Hansard

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 4 Mar 1938, p. 2

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Takes Exception in Legisla-- ture to Editorial on Hydro Published in The Globe and Mail Maintaining that he was not ac-- customed to making incorrect statements in the Legislature or anywhere elsec, Opposition Leader Loopold Macaulay, yesterday, took exception to an editorial published in The Globe and Mail that had In that debate he had condemned the deception practiced by Premier Hepburn during the last election. in advocating a "Back to Niagara" policy, when new contracts with Beauharnols and the other Quebee companies were close at hand. He had, he said, quoted a Globe and Mail editorial, also condemning the Premier's deception in that connec tion. And then, said he, to be falr[ with the newspaper, he had pointed : out that it had not criticized the Prime Minister® for "execution" of the new contracts, but had heid them to be "fair and justified." The Globe and Mail's news columns, however, had reported him as de-- claring the newspaper had no: criticized Mr. Hepburn for "cancel-- lation of the original contracts." been built, he charged, on a mi= interpretation of what he had said with regard to certain aspects of the Hydro situation in his debate contribution of Tuesday. "I know," said Mr. Macaulay "that these comments of mine were asides, and not carried in the manuscript of my speech, and the press nmtay have not caught them correctly in the cross fire between the Prime Minister and myself, but I feel I am entitled to make my position known here--that I am not in the habit of making incor-- rect statements. Any newspaper is entitled to whatever opinions it likes, but to base such opinions 0n misinterpreted statements is some-- thing entirely different." Macaulay --Charges Misinterpretation March 4 HAVE NO RIGHT, MEMBER TOLD BY MACAULAY CHARGE CALLED UNFAIR J. A. Smith Speech Prepared With Officials' Aid, Says Opposition Chief Obtained Only Few Figqures, Commissioner Says to House Speaker Brief but sharp condemnation of Hydro employees who would at-- tempt to cast reflection on honor-- able members of the Ontario Legis-- lature was voiced yesterday by Op-- position Leader Macaulay during a skirmish with J. A. Smith, M.L.A,, Hydro Commissioner. The incident arose when Mr. Smith, making his maiden speech in the House--a speech entirely de-- voted to review of the various Hydro systems' operations -- con-- trasted the price per horsepower improvement during the four years of the Hepburn Ad-- ministration with the four previous years of Conservative Government, and accused Mr. Macaulay nf "obvious misrepresentation" of cer-- tain conditions in his debate ad-- dress of Tuesday. Denies Misrepresentation. "There was no misrepresentation of anything on my part," clicked the Opposition Leader. "The hon-- orable gentleman (Mr. Smith) has been reading from a well--prepared brief--prepared by some one down at Hydro--*" "Let me say," said Mr. Smith, "that L have been a member of the Hydro Commission only a few months, and I did prepare this speech in collaboration with some of the engineers--" * Queries Right to Reflect. "Just as I thought," clicked Mr. Macaulay. "What right have Hydro officials got to cast reflection on any member of the House?" "I instigated this particular bit," said Mr. Smith. "Jeffery, Jeffery," came cries from Conservative members behind him. A little later, obviously nettled by the Opposition criticism, Mr. Smith addressed the Speaker, say» ing: "Conscientiously and sincere-- ly, I say that, apart from consulting certain officials on figures that of necessity had to be included in my address, this speech is entirely of my own preparation." "It isn't unfair," retorted Mr. Macaulay. "It's true." "How do you know it's true?" the Premier threw back. "I know it's true," said Mr. Macaulay. "Oh, no, you didn't," cracked Mr. Macaulay. '"'That's unfair," objected Premier Hepburn.

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