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riday, Mareh mT EDUCATION PORTFOLIO RETAINED BY PREMIER TO REACH ‘OBJECTIVES’ « Ferguson Answers Query Regarding Appointment of Full-Time Minister, When House in Commit- tee of Supply Passes Nearly Two Million Dol- lars in Supplementary Estimates $5,000 EVERY YEAR FOR ENTERTAINMENT Premier Ferguson informed the Ontario Legislature yesterday that ne intended to retain the portfolio af Minister of Education for him- geif until such time as “certain ob- Yectives in the educational policy of the Province” had been reached. The House was in Committee uf Supply, engaged in passing nearly two million dollars in supplemen- tary estimates, when Hon. Harry Nixon, Progressive member for Brant County, inquired of the Prime Minister whether he proposed “to let another four years by without appointing a full-time Minister to the job.” Mr. Nixon was not in- clined to be critical of Mr. Ter- guson’s work 11 that capacity, but he just wondered if the latter had been able to give to “certain small details’ the close attention that a full-time Minister would have been able to furnish. “tf my honorable friend would name the details,” put in Mr. Fer- «uson, “I would be giad to brush up a bit.” Saves $8.000 a Year, A moment later he stated his at- titude in regard to the Education portfolio, adding pointedly that in shouldering the responsibilities © of this Cabinet post he was saving the Province $8,000 a year. “Kor,” he said. “I have never drawn a cent for my work in this connection, and I do not intend to.” In an hour's time yesterday te House passed supplementary esti- mates to the extent of $1,845,415, These were as follows: Prime Min- ister’s Department, $562,500; Legis- lation, $1,000: Attorney-General’s Department, $7,355; Insurance De- partment, $1,000; Education Depart- ment, $188,267; Northern Develop- ment Department, $1,500; Mines De- yartment, $19,552; Game and Fish- gries Department, $62,060; Labor epartment, $169,000; Provincial | se cghinee Department, $82,580; Provincial Secretary’s Department, 600.789; Agricultural Department, 92,209, and Miscellaneous, $57,600. tn the absence from the House of Hon. George &. Henry, Minister of ‘public Works and Highways. esti- ‘mates of his two departments, to- go talling $1,187,345, were held over until today. To Show Ontario's Wonders. In the estimates for the Prime} Minister's Department, provision was | made for a $5,000 expenditure on | “entertainment of distinguished visitors.” “Mr. Ferguson referred to) the visit to Toronto last summer of | the British Parliamentary party, and the effort the Government had made, to show these visitors some of the | wonders of Niagara and the Chip-| ova development: the Welland anal; the fruit district, and sec-| tions of industrial Toronto and | sort had It was the Government’s intention he added, to ‘ ae continue “entertatn- ments” in future. The $5,000 ap- propriation would be voted each year, With the exception of one or {wo cases, expenses of affairs of this ad been paid in the past by | the Ministers of his Cabinet—out ot | their own pockets. In ies future the} Province would pay for them, Teachers Unfitted. | a The estimates passed almost on<1 irely without dissent. Aurelien Be- | Janger, Liberal member for Russell, ! in speaking of grants to teachers, complained that French-speaking | teachers in some of the schools in. his section of the Province were un-! iitted for their positions Questions eoncerning a $30,000 \vote in aid of the Government’s fish and game propagation farm in North Victoria drew a comprehensive explanation from Hon, Charles McCrea, Minister of Mines and Fisheries, as to the work being accomplished in that re- spect. Hon. John 8S. Martin, Minis- ter of Agriculture, was also called! upon to explain certain minor ex- | penditures in his departmental esti- | mates, ; $15 Garnishee Exemption, | Three measures passed the House in Committee. Of these the chief was the amendment to the Wages Amendment Act, which evoked lengthy discussion at second reading recently. But it passed the com- mittee stage quickly, because the Government announced that it had been revised to meet the amend- ments suggested by Opposition mem- bers. These revisions, now part of the measure, make the exemption of wages for garnishee $15 instead of $25, and provides that there shall be no exemption for singie men without dependents, When the amendment to the As- signment of Book Debts Act was considered by committee, Attorney- Cieneral Price explained that it in- ereased registration fees from 25 cents up to $1, and was intended as a preliminary step for an adjust- ment of court officers’ salaries and | other ehanges. The measure was| earried, as was also the act to re- vise and consolidate the Mining Law} of Ontario, Exemption From Tax, Second reading was given io the omendment to the Provincial Land vax Act, and an act respecting stationary and hoisting engineers. Hion. Mr. Finlayson, Minister of} Lands and Forests, explained that the Land Tax Act amendment pro- vided exemption for church proper- ties in the payment of jand tax in unorganized districts, a provision which was omitted from the original act. | Shortly after the House opened, | Premier Ferguson introduced { | ' the | Toronto Radial Railways Act, which confirms the agreement under which radials running initio Toronto are transferred for operation from the Hydro to the city.