The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

& march 22. td anneenieiimapraueviene 3 6 # j _ City Plans Given tario Sanction Ontario S s Besides validating Toronto's con-- struction of 1,300 emergency houses in the past two years, the Ontario Legislature Private Bills Committee yesterday approved the city's bill giving wide powers to continue housing projects. The committee, however, extended these powers only until the end of 1948. The bill permits the city to enter into slum clearance and low--yrental housing, but stipu'ates that Toronto plans in this regard must have the j approval of the Municipal Affairs Department. Under the measure the city will * be enabled to erect houses, pur-- chase prefabricated houses, alter or repair present dwellings to help meet the housing shortage, and to lease or sell housing accommoda-- tion. Municipal _ Affairs Minister George Dunbar told the committee y he already had approved emergency housing measures so far taken by the city. Mayor Robert Saunders pointed out that it was not neces-- sary to include this approval in the | bill, but added that he did not ob-- ject to the "approval amendment" being included which dealt with slum clearance and low--rental hous-- ng projects. "Let It Go Ahead" Howard Sale (P.C., York South) urged that no obstruction should be placed in the way of the bill if it was going to ease the present emer-- geney. "If Toronto wants to go iah«*ad. let it go ahead," said Joseph Meinzinger _ (Lib.--Lab., _ Waterloo North). _ Mayor Saunders assured the committee there was "a terrible * housing shortage in Toronto," and ; added: "We must fire ahead on it." Me feared delays might cause loss of opportunities to acquire needed 'property. "I know we are riding rough--shod in some cases, but we have to do it," he said. Mr. Dunbar assured him: "Wo ; g are not going to put one stone in your way." In approving the bill, the com-- mittee overrode objections made ny Angus Dewar who said: "It is clear they _ have no -- definite plan. They only came up here <to get sauthority to exercise the powesr . * they already have taken upon themselves." Mr. Dewar represent-- ed the Toronto Property QOwners' Association. He objected in vain also to a clause permitting a $12.300 grant by the city to the 'Toron'ts Convention and Tourist Associa-- tion which he wanted reduced io $3,000. The grant will be for a five-- year period. Several clauses were deleted from + the bill before it was reported. They dealt with municipal elec-- tions--fixing of nomination -- day and appointment of election offi-- cers--and establishment of a re. serve fund to provide "works or projects exclusive of parks." Mr. 4 Dunbar said the former clause would be covered by other legisla-- tion.