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SQfi O-wbfi' & 3 have these sweeping powers to get anywhere, and my honorable friend knows it." Colonel Drew repeatedly pressed the Attorney--General to define the section and, as the debate was pro-- longed, the Premier asserted that "the whole collection service has « been held up during the four months since Chief Justice Rose granted an application for an j@junction to bar the Province from investigating the Kaufman estate." He challengod Colonel Drew to an election on the issue of the bill. "I will make my own election platform," replied the Conservative Leader. "I can get elected anyway, and 1 don't have to go outside of my own | riding either," jibed Mr. Hepburn. | Protecting Rich, Claim. The Premier, continued Colonel Drew, had said the Treasury had treated all alike in the prosecution | of tax claims. s "If there has been fraud, it was his duty to prosecute, and if he hasn't prosecuted he has been com-- pounding a felony in this Province," | he said. | _ "The Premier has dealt with fraud before. He dealt with a lot of relie} fraud people (a Lakeshore Relicf Workers' delegation) and had them arrested here. HMHe has prosecuted the little relief people and is pro-- tecting the millionaire." Mr. Hepburn claimed the policy of collecting the duties owing by an evader, plus heavy penalties, was gave him the power to order the be'u"lgr:.er:."i'a:ai:im?::)llsoonnellmlz)rl;::rr.l."as 1 examination of any person. understand it, the rich criminal "Would the Attorney--General be can buy his freedom." | prepared to adopt that section| ~ premier Hepburn cited a Toronto | then?" asked Colonel Drew. estate in which it was found $660,.-- "No, I don't believe it is wide | pop was owing. By the time penal-- enough," said Mr. Conant. ties were added, the Province col-- "Then you admit this section is | jected $1,500,000 odd. "I think the more powerful?" questioned th¢} people of the Province are better Conservative Leader. satisfied by that method. I think it L, M. Frost (Cons., Victoria) de--| is much better to deprive that man clared that the section might result| of his ill--gotten gains than to pui in the "blackmailing" of persons| him in jail," he said. | suspected of having concealed assets| Mr. Conant denied the legislation to avoid payment of succession duty. | was "vicious" as charged by Colonel Mr. Conant replied that the clause| Drew. He cited that it eliminated | -- would be used only in cases where|the Treasurer's right to determine fraud was suspected and that men |values. It exempted from duty 'in-- with a clear conscience would have | surance in the case of non--residents, | nothing to fear from it. even though the insurance was pay. The contentious clause was adopt--|Able in Ontario by an Ontario in-- ed after Colonel Drew had charged |SUrance company. It exempted gifts that "the contribution of the Attor.| Made over thirty years before the ney--General's Department in this idate of death. Exemption permitted time of emergency is | simply io [}n respect to aifte made to the Red ;':e:;: ;r::::gd::,i;l;; ..d epariment Canadian National Institute for the y %, Blind and to patriotic organizations. | Colonel Drew held that Section |It made penalties for non--disclo-- 28 barred access to the courts duUr-- | sure uniform. It dropped the powers ing an investigation. of a special investigator to summon "The need of this legislation arose |and enforce the attendance of wit-- out of the misdeeds of our prede~ |nesses and to compel them to give cessors," charged the Premier.|evidence and make production on "Had they done their duty, then it |oath. It liberalized the stop--over would not have been necessary." provision, and finally it reduced the The Premier further charged that, | maximum fine for various offenses unless. there was pressure upon Aa |from $50,000 to $10,000. possible tax evader, to answer and Colonel Drew insisted that under to produce «vidence, every effort |Section 25 the special investigator would be made to destroy the evi--| was given wider powers than those dence pending an investigation. granted to any court or commis-- "It is most difficult to obtain evi-- | sion, and he moved that Sub--section dence," he said. "But during the |7, Section 31 be struck out. The preliminary stages we have got to |motion was lost.