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G| "The Department of Health," said the Speech, "has rendered valuable services to the Dominion authorities in placing at their disposal all the facilities of the Provincial Labora-- tories, and in addition has examined for the armed services almost 100,-- 000 specimens. Gratifying progress has been made in the fight against tuberculosis, Last year the death rate dropped to 26.7 per . 100,000 population. This is a decrease of 24.5 per cent in the five years dur-- ing which the campaign had been actively under way." Tribute to Ontario's health pro-- gram was paid In the Speech from the Thronc, delivered by Hon. Albert Matthews, Licutenant--Gov-- ernor, at the Legislature's opening, yesterday. Over 500,000 more United States cars entered Ontario in 19941 than in 1940, and it is estimated on the basis employed by the Foreign Ex-- change Control Board that the value of the tourist business was somewhat in excess of $74,000,000. "It is worthy to note," the Speech said, "that 70 per cent of the entire Dominion traffic came to Ontario." At the outbreak of war, it was stated, 195,000 persons were receiv-- ing relief, compared with 32,000 in January of this year, with the cost to the municipalities being reduced from $263,000 per month to $75,000 and the cost to the Province from $616,000 to $245.000. "An improved position in munici-- pal finances is again reported,." the Speech stated. "The gross deben-- ture debt at the end of 1940 was $365,576,000, compared with $483,952,-- 000 in December, 1934. Of the original $108,224,000 in default or involved, $96,568,000 has now been refunded or dealt with on a per-- manent basis and $9,552,000 on an interim refunding basis, leaving only $2,134,000 to be dealt with." Non--resident fishing license reve-- nue to the Department of Game and Fisheries jumped to approximately $500,000, or $100,000 more than any previous year's return. The sale of non--resident hunting licenses also soared over the $100,000 mark. TOURISTS INCREASE las they qualifly under the act, the '\'otinz to be done by proxy. It is \ pointed out that this plan is really 'an elaboration and extension of a section applying only to mariners, |\ which was adopted in 1929. Reduce Residence Rule. ! The provisions of the General iEleclions Act and the Voters' Lists lAct have been followed for the most | part in framing the new legislation. | Part two of the act provides for the | taking of the vote of men on active service wherever they may be sta-- 'tioned outside of Ontario, as long Women as well as men are in-- cluded in the provisions. The votes of active service men and wo-- men will be compiled in such a man-- ner that the members can be de-- termined for any electoral district or for the Province. The two chief departures from the old act are the removal of the age limit of 21 years, and the reduction of the residence rule from one year to three months in Canada and from two months to thirty days in On-- tario. Premier Hepburn announced that speedy progress is being made in negotiations with the Federal Gov-- ernment to turn over Provincial corporation tax and personal income tax to the Dominion jurisdiction. Only teochnical details remain to be ironed out, said the Premier, and he expressed the hope that the House would shortly have before it a bill to ratify the agreement. Because of the absence in Ottawa of Aitorney--General Conant during the next two or three days, the Premier sought and obtained appro-- val for the soldiers' vote bill to come up for second reading today, in order that the Attorney--General may explain its provisions before departing for Ottawa, where he will confer with Dominion officials on the transfer of, taxing authority. Consideration of the Throne Speech will be given Friday. The Attornsy--General's bill will enable Ontario members of the armed forces to vote by proxy, and it provides that "active service voter" shall mean a member of the forcos who, immediately before en-- listing, was a resident of and domi-- ciled in Canada for at least three months, or who was ordinarily resi-- dent and domiciled in Ontario for at least thirty days. It further pro-- vides that all those who qualify may vote whether or not they have at-- tained the age of 21. Legislation to enable members of the armed forces to vote in the next Provincial election was introduced in the Legislature yesterday by At-- torney--General Conant. It was Bill No. 1 of the session, followed on the heels of the brief opening cere-- mony in which Lieutenant--Governor Albert Matthews read the Speech from the Throne. The speech con-- tained no indication of Government policy. Februw\_\ \2 Would Widen Franchise in Ontario for Those in Forces: Include Women AGE LIMIT DROPPED To Confer With Hisiey. Mr. Conant will be accompanied to Ottawa by C. R. Magone, K.C,, Eric Silk, K.C., both of his depart-- ment, and P. T. Clarke of the Trea-- sury Branch. It is anticipated that they will confer with Finance Minis-- ter Iisley and his aides on Friday and Saturday. With the consent of the House the Attorney--General today will in-- troduce amendments to the Elec-- tion and Voters' List Act, which are complementary to the measure ap-- plying to voters in the armed serv-- ices. He will also introduce an amend-- ment to the Summary Convictions Act to provide for the service of summons by mail for offenses under both Provincial and municipal juris-- diction. Only recently Mr. Conant made a survey among law enforcement offi-- cers to determine the value of the system as applied to traffic act cases. Reports to him showed that these officers were practically unani-- mous in their approval. The amendment arises from recommendations by the legislative committee enquiry into the adminis-- tration of justice. Acting on those recommendations the Attorney--Gen-- eral at the 1941 session sponsored legislation to provide for the service of summons by mail for offenses under the Highway Traffic Act.