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sns Ooemnemie -- Weever EL lack of farm machinery, he said. The last Opposition speaker in the Budget debate was G. C. Elgie (Prog, Con., Woodbine), who criticized the Government's record. The operations of the Old--Age Pensions Commission came under fire, Mr. Elgie declaring that many soldiers overseas had been compelled to assign more and more of their pay to maintain their aged parents who had been cut off by the commission. The far--reaching changes in eco-- nomic and social conditions made it necessary to have revision of exist-- ing acts, Mr. Gardhouse said. Study of the equalized assessment ques-- tion would undoubtedly bring good results. Mr. Gardhouse predicted a seri-- ous food shortage unless help was given the farmers. The labor prob-- lem was the most serious one facing the men on the land, he declared. Rivalling it in importance was the lack of farm machinery, he said. The last Opposition speaker in the e . ;. " _ uo. VA Appointment of a committee to deal with the problem of equalized assessments and possible revision of the Municipal Act and other statutes affecting municipalities, was urged on the Government yesterday by William Gardhouse (Lib., West York). He spoke in the Legislature Budget debate. ASSESSMENTS STUDY URGED Gardhouse Sees Need of Equalization Action CAUCUS AGAIN ||Juvenile Delinquency ON LABOR BILL 'Rise Blamed on Liquor When Premier Conant left the Liberal Party caucus at Queen's Park Monday night, it was with the understanding that the Govern-- ment's collective bargaining | bill would be brought down in the Legislature on Thursday. _ After the Premier's departure, however, former Provincial Secre-- tary Harry Nixon came out strongly for a caucus at which the completed bill could be examined by the mem-- bers before presentation to the House. Mr. Nixon was able to gain considerable support for his conten-- tion that the Liberals were entitled to see the bill before it was intro-- duced in the Legislature. The following day the Cabinet Ministers who-- remained at the caucus until it broke up, informed the Premier that the Government supporters _ insisted _ on another caucus before the bargaining bill came up for first reading. wodavy at 2 o'clock the Liberals Today at 2 o'clock the Liberals will again caucus the bill. Friday it will be introduced for first read-- ing in the Legislature. overseas had . sign more and | maintain their | i been cut oft! Col, Drew recalied that last time he had brought the matter up, Post-- master--General Mulock had said no instructions had been given to epen mail. "It is not done by officials of the Postoffice Departmeont, but hi secret agents operating under the "since last session a letter which I wrote, addressed to a well--known officer at Ottawa, was steamed open, in a very clumsy manner, and re-- turned to me," said Col. Drew. "I am the Leader of the Opposition and occupy an official position. I do not believe it proper for secret agents of any department to be steaming open letiers marked plain-- ly on the back, "Leader of the Oppo-- sition." Steaming open of mail of mem-- bers of the Ontario Legislature was protested again in the House yes-- terday by Opposition Leader George Drew, who registered a similar pro-- test last session. Mail Opening by Secret Agents Suggests 'Espionage': Drew Liquor as a main cause of in-- éreased juvenile delinquency and crime in general in Ontario under the present Provincial Administra-- tion was cited in the Legislature yesterday by G. H. Challies (Prog. Cons., Grenville--Dundas), former Provincial Secretary. He declared that it was the Government's re-- sponsibility and the Government should look after it. The juvenile delinqgnency age was lowering, he said, stating that in 1933 49 pericent of young prisoners in Ontario were under 25 years of age, whereas in 1938 this figure had increased by 50 per cent. "You can't increase the sale of booze from $30,000,000 to $100,000,000 without getting such results," he said, "and the breaking down of the home goes right back to this." He quoted Mr. Justice E. R. E. Chevrier's statement at Kingston on March 12: "How in the name of heaven do the younger generation hope to run this world when the standards of morals are lessening every day?" Convictions Up. All convictions, juvenile and adult, had increased from 13,509 in 1934 to 29926 in 1939, Mr. Challies said. Drunkenness had increased from 8,724 convictions in 1933 to 18,120 in 1939 and drunk driving from 498 in 1933 to 980 in 1938. Leader of the Opposition upy an official position. I believe it proper for secret of any department to be s open letters marked plain-- e back, "Leader of the Oppo-- Number of Prisoners Under 25 Years Increased by 50 Per Cent in Five Years, Says Challies APRIL '"There is an attempt to use methods intended for the protection of the State for political purposes, obtaining information not right for the person getting it to have., I want to register my objection against letters to members at Otta-- wa being opened in an underhand manner, not frankly opened and frankly marked opened by censor, but in a way to suggest espionage. That brings into disrepute a per-- fectly proper control." Department of Justice declared. "Yes, but there was no law ifi force under your Government," H. C. Nixon (Lib., Brantford), inter-- jected. "That's why you were put out." Cost of keeping prisoners had in-- creased from 90% cents in 1933 to $1.58 in 1938 and $1.40 in 1942, Mr. Challies said, an increase when the Government had promised reduction. As a further "sign of the times," Mr. Challies said alcoholic cases committed to mental institutions in Ontario were 22 in 1933 and 40 in 1938. } Law and Order Costs. Cost of administering law and order in Ontario had risen from $914,000 in 1933 to $1,565,000 in 1942. Mr. Challies charged, too, a steady debt growth in the Province from $188,000,000 in 1929 to $358,000,000 in 1934 and $506,000,000 in 1942, an in-- crease which, he said, was "a true yardstick of how the Province stands," and should give food for thought. Cost of administration had risen sharply in all 19 departments of Government except two minor ones, the Department of Insurance and the Department of the Provin-- clal Auditor. A Government pledged to cut it in half had increased it from $5,621,748.24 in 1933 to $8,142,-- }696.96 in 1941. To which Mr. Nixon replied: "How many millions did you cross--entry off?" Col. D: