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---------- _ March 223 in C "I take full responsibility for that $5|5|000 |n °n+ra C+s letter," the Deputy Highways Min-- & ister said. During the course of * his examination, Mr. Millar said al Iven c anus he did not personally contact the A. E. Wilson Co., but that an offi-- *A € cial of his department did so. D H b The witness said he was not pres-- u r' n g e p urn e g ' m e ent when a delegation representing the r&ajor .oiil companies waited a x upon the Minister of Highways, i The business interests controlled| |Hepburn Not Satisfied Doucett, to protest overgthe gepaMr:- 'by Joseph McManus of London, "I am not satisfied," said Mr. ment's step regarding bonding. He |close personal friend of Mitchell| |Hepburn. "I happen to know that could not recall whether he had a |F. Hepburn, received $515,000 worth :'}':'"-;I 1;["91'5 %f the kind sent to ;uotilsce:ttzent con\:ersattli'or. W;th Mr. | 3 c e McManus Company vwere circu-- concerning the conference. ,io: Crn"}aiflsbd"""go'he ;'::'.3e:ff |lated. 'They have not been tabled." "You say in the first paragraph of the Hepburn vern § T€--| | "We want to get ahead with this of this letter that you were in-- gime, Premier George A. Drew told| |investigation," said Premier Drew. structed by the Minister of High-- Public Accounts Committee of the. "We intend to show that McManus _ |ways," said Mr. Hepburn,. "What Legislature yesterday. The com--! |qid an average business of $1,100 Instructions did you receive from mittee was called to investigate the) |a week with the former Liberal the Minister of Highways regard-- ch.arge made.b.y Mr. Hepburn that) |Government." ing the letter? \Highways Minister George Ducett) | Mr. Blackwell moved amend-- "My instructions were that the 'Souzht to have the surety bonds) |ment that the proceedings con-- oil companies had to have a bond of gasoline tax collecting . ©Om--| |tinue, and Mr. Hepburn said that _ |and that it must be 80 per cent of |panies placed with a company with} |unger the cireumstances he was the maximum of one week's collec-- \which the Minister was formerly! |prepared to go on. He added: tion of tax," replied Mr. Millar. '1d?'nnf|ed. f . | |"Though I think I am under a Under further questioning Mr. | _ "MceManus did an average busi-- handicap." Millar said he acted on his own \ness of $1,100 a week during the'!' Chairman R. D. Arnott (Prog. responsibility in sending out the |years the H.?pburp Government was! |Cons., Hastings West) ruled that letter informing the companies that in . power, said the s P{'emler. neither the statement of the Pre-- arrangements had been made with |"'This is the fellow who didn't have, |mjer concerning the amount of the A. E. Wilson Co. He was en-- a feat_he'r: to fly with when YOU |pusiness done by the McManus in-- ldeavoring to carry out instructions came in," Mr. Drew said, speaking |;erests nor the statement of Mr. to see that the bonds were fur-- ;'J'"';"y to the Liberal HOUSS |Hrepburn as to the figures was ad-- nished, he said. eader. missable until proven. Was Not Instructed Nir. Heppurn proiested that INSi| A motion by Mr. Blackwell to "No instructions were received McManus Petroleum Co. of LOndON [nave Joseph McManus and Frank by you as to the type of transaction obtained $9,100 worth of business |Moore, manager of the McManus or as to the fi q» from his Government. | s to the firm to be approached? r s t R . | |Petroleum Company, called as wit-- asked Mr. Blackwell "That is not evidence, said nesses was adopted by the com-- "Absolu'tel none.n replied M Attorney--General Blackvxell. '\mittee. | Millar Y * epHnet i9. 'That is not accurate, remarked J. D. Millar, Deputy Minister of | There was another brief period the Premier. Highways, was the sole witness | of wrangling when Mr. Hepburn Argument Over Papers heard during the session. He was| |moved a motion that the committee ' An argument over whether an| Sstill on the witness stand when' |meeting be adjourned until all re-- |order of the House requesting the! the committee adjsurned, to re-- quired letters be tabled. tabling of all letters, corre;pond- sume at the call of the chair. "There is no reason for delay un-- ence and other documents with re-- During the proceedings Mr. Mil-- less the member for Elgin is un-- spect to the bonding of gasoline! jar said that a number of other |willing to go on," said Premier tax collecting companies, had been| major oil companies were sent the Drew. complied with, ensued between Mr.| same letter as was despatched to The motion was put to the com-- Hepburn, Premier Drew and mem--| the McManus Company. Except mittee and was lost on a show of bers of the Government. Mr. HeP--| for the amount of the bond in each hands. se ns burn maintained that all corre--! case, it was the same letter. During the examination of the spondence had not been tabled, and Under examination by the At-- Deputy Minister, it was disclosed he moved adjournment of the meet= 'torney--General, Mr. Millar said that |that to date no bonds had been ing until such papers were prO-- ('a letter was written to the Mc |Placed with the A. E. Wilson Co. | duced. Manus company after the election _ |Mr. Millar »~'d4 that the 10 major | "At the time the matter was 'of August 4, 1943, but before the _ COMPanie: citten to had not \raised in the House, it was pointed (Liberal Government resigned, ad-- availed |t) com: elves of the oppor-- out that the material already fur-- yising the company that there tunity tco p JCiPQte in the pro-- nished by the Minister of Highways (would have to be an increase in the _ 208€e4 &rovb ivsurance plan. covered the request made by the (surety bond from $15,000 to $60,000. member for Elgin," s:id t}}e PY€ sgent Several Companies f mier. "There can be only one at s reason for the member for Elgin ato}-va:oM:Mcz?us the l?"ly "l"t:'pe,}',j wanting a delay in these proceed-- ed MF eBl "fi 5]':'3 a 1etter. ings. _ He isn't prepared io face 1as"It went tgcawidmber of com the music." | s . i9 M a n es P panies which, in the opinion of the .'I'he M""Ster of Highways dealt: ' department, did not have sufficient with this matter in the most for { as A mal way in the House," said Mr. |COVerage for bonding," replied Mr. c M Miller. He went on to say, in re-- Blackwell. He dealt with each . o label them |SPOonse to another question, that item, and was careful to at the time the letter was sent, T exhibit A, exhibit B, and so on. B. McQuesten was Minister of He said it was the complete re-- 'H'ighways n $ j Sepament= " _ "f=s0" tot 84| ! "yir. Millar said that on April 6, Journment. 1944, he approved of a letter which informed the oil companies that ar-- P rangements had been made for blanket coverage with the A. E. Wilson Company, Lumsden Build-- ing, Toronto. This letter pointed out that psrticipation in this plan was optional ut where the group plan was not adopted, the insurance premium w®wsy be higher.