Ii i g h-w a Amendments

House Committee

Important Changes In Existing Law Discussed At Yesterday Afternoon’s Session.

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PAGE EIGHT

rm; CHARLOTTETOWli GUARDIAN

i The House met yesterday al- shflll flilyfliif‘ Operate upon or drive 5J5 p_m_ over the surface of any paved

Mr. Mustard presented petitions to amend the Crapaud Creamery Incorporation Act and to amend the Act to incorporate the Allister Memorial Presbyterian Church at Murray Harbor.

Hon. Mr. Prowse introduced W!‘ Itlons from the City Council of Charlottetown for bills to amend the Charlottetown lncorfmrflilvltln Act and to authorize the Issuuiil of dcbeiltures to the amount of $140,000 rol- unemployment r6118! md permanent, works projects.

Bills In accord with the petit- ions were reccivcd and read.

Hon. Mr. LePuge presented a bill to nluend an Act respecting‘ Fur Ftlfmlllg and Fill‘ Dculiligi ‘

Premier Campbell lntroduccdthe Bill of Sale Act.

'l‘hird Readlnl!

The following bills were read 8 third time and passed!

An Act to Incorpomw M°rfl5 Bernard and ComPBYlY Ummd (lion. Mr. A1160»)

The Constables and Fence View- ars Act iHrn. Mr. Dennis.)

Thi- Prohibition Act (Pfemif! Cunlpbclll.

Ari Ac". to amend the Insurance Act tPrFmiei‘ (Jampbeli).

On motion of Premier Campbell pm House Tf‘.\lllll(‘d committee rvulilllll. ‘Pith Ml‘. Jones in the (:11 l', of llil‘ RPSIHFI’ AN- “ “~15 to with amend-

rilPIlL.

Hon. Mr. Dennis thou!“ ‘"9" xvzis "a nigger In the woodpilfl somewhere" inasmuch as the Pho- tosrrnpilrrs Association were ask- lm: for this provision.

Mr. MacKimlon thought the Act should prohibit the artlvillfi! (‘I such persons altogether. _

Mr. LmPage referred t0 51811151‘ gbuscs in connection with the peddling of lightning rods-

Mr. Dennis sald this House 1mm time tn time had been asked to p355 legislation on behalf of the Pharmaceutical Association, the Medical Association, U16 108B} 0m‘ fossion. the nurses association-n

Volt-cs: "The Dairy AsSOClM-ivn-

Mr, Dennis: "We have not am-

. opportunity to know in thlfi case whether it, ls the lllglblw that Ls risking for this legislation. T1100

I

y Act In

highuzuy ally harrows, tractor, machine, or implement of any de- scription whose sharp or protrud- ing edges or surfaces are liable to cause damngc to thc surface of the pavement."

Mr. Jones objected that this would he hard on farmers, who had rights on the highway long before motor cars were introduced. The law in this instance should not be made loo drastic.

Mr. Wright supported the sco- tlnu. Mr. lifcPllce said this would

make ajarnlci: liable to a, fine ff lie crossed the road with his bin- dcr. This goes to slioiv that those puvcd higllivnys are going to be very unsatisfactory.

Mr. Ifughcs said there was nothing which put more pressure on n road than a sharpshod horse.

The flentral Guardian

CONFEDIIATION LIFE IN SUR- ANCI- 14-6798-7-12-313.

BOARD 0F TRADE-Quarter- ly meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, B o'clock. L-lbll.

AT GYRO -— Ml‘. W. R. Shaw, deputy minister of agriculture, was speaker at the weekly Gyro meet- ing last night. He gave an interest- ing address on adult education. Mr. R. B. Mctzlcr contributed several delightful vocal solos to the meet- ing program.

LOBSTER. PROBE BEOPENS TODAY-I'm: Royal Commlsson investigating illegal lobster and smelt fishing arrived at Alberton lust night to resume sittings this afternoon. also alt at Tlgnlsh, Oibeary. B01‘- den and possibly another sitting well be held In. Summersldc, bc- fore returning to New Brunswick for sessions at Bucwuche, Traca- die and possibly Moncton.

Probe Blast Blot In British Columbia

(CP. By Guardian's Special Wire) VICTORIA. April 12 -—‘ Commis-

sioner J. H. McMuTlln of Brit-Ell

Columbia. police, acting swiftly on

a reported plot to blow up bridges , and industrial plants in the Douk- hobor-populated Nelson, today ordered 26 placed strategically around t rest-E ened properties.

district around uards

The Commission will}

Premier

damage.

wa y.

PTCXTIIEI‘

would be much farmer to observe thc section.

maintained that crossing the road with a.

heavy machine would cause most

The section carried.

Ml". SilVlllf) did not think It hardship for a.

Mr. Jones: “Arc the Govemment tractors allowed to go down the mood with caterpillar wheels?”

Premier Campbell: “I don't thlnk

so. Mr. MrPhcc: "I saw them com-

ing iu the other day."

Mr. Jones: "Right on the high-

'l‘hcy will do more damage

than farm tractors or harrowa."

Pedestrian Traffic

Sec. 4 provides that pedestrians must keep "as close to the left hand side of the road as Is con- venfently possible.” -

Campbell stated that pedestrians no less than motorists had a duty with regard to high- way safety. He had observed that pedestrians for the most part. were not performing their duty of keep- lng to the left. This applied t0 villages especially. village he could name, they walk in the middle of the gape at a motorist until right up to them, then they us- ually go off in pairs on each side.

In a. certain

road and ' he is

plot. became kniwru

The original section requirlngped-

\_<-, one of the reasons that I am- opposcd to it."

“Fish and Game Act

Or, motion of Hon. Mr, A1101! thr- House went into commit-W! with Mr. Wright in the chair on on Act toamend the Peddlers A0!»-

scc. 1 fixes the date of the ter- mination of license. WW0" W55 ggyssq to without discussion.

Soc. 2 amends Soc. l0 0f the M‘ which prmiclcs for a license of

p301» n11 irunslent- and itiiW-Yflill- p1, ,.,,~,phr o Lffllllllfiilll. 111K181‘ U"! Al: nlng persons who have not rvr» ‘ in. the ’pl'OVll1CC fol" M {on t one year immediately P1405

m ,1». (ifllp mflthe issuing of lh! l= us». Th» anu-nrllnrent adds t0 definition: "or a. person rel‘!- yvsellting or selling or acting 8-! m, agent. for a mrson. firm 0! corporation having his or its head office. or plant xvhere the picturci are finlshcrl or partly finished lo- (‘Jlrrl ouisazde of this DIQVVWEF.

1pm, 31v. McInty-re cited a. por- ,,-,..i experience In which he hall imposed upon by P- Pifltil"? representing an outside

col r-rn.

‘l: Mustard: "It. seems to m0 qvnfp n, number of the mem- n.’ this Hnilsc have bccn dis- r.- fwd Wll-h their photographs."

lmu. Mr. Dennis urged that. the b1; m; [Lmpndcd to permit natives of the province to canvass for pm ‘rnltilrvs. ‘

Ml". Cox said these outside can- WI.’ "r. vvrr‘ pretty slick fellows h... h.» mum. think thc better ctr-z of moplc would have any- thznc to rlo with them.

Mr. Dennis mid the work could not be dom- in this province.

Hull. Mr Allen maintained the cnrvrnry. Tlp- work, he suJd, could br- tlrlnb hem very much better and m. very much lass c000.

Hr- wa: sumrisr-d that the Min- l-trr of Agriculture hurl the "aud- m-lt to silgtzcst. rt change that '1 lmw- thc r-flecf, of absolute- rlr-"trojving the section.

‘Hun. M'r. Dennis protested that '21 lunoity" was ilnilnparliamentary unrfl.

. lit-r smno fin-flier discussion, 9hr» bill was reported agreed to.

l .','

HIGHWAY ACT

On motion of Premier Campbell tho House went into committee with Mr. Baker In the chair on second reading of an Act to am- end the Highway Act.

Sec. 1 sec. 22 <5» of the Act by adding the provision that in the case of n motor vehicle equipped with a proper device for deflecting hcsdllghtma lighting device of not more than thirty-two mean spher- ical candle power may bc carried If the lamps of such devlcc are propcrlypre-focused for deflection.

Soc. 2 adds to Sec. 25 of the Act the following as subsection I0): "N0 person shall operate upon any paved highway any vehicle or loc- omotive equipped with lugs or oth- er contrlvanoea (except ordinary chains, when necessary) which project towards the pavement bc-

estrlans to vralk to the left is now amended by requiring them to keep to the left as far as reason- ably convenient.

Mr. Savllle saId the school teach- ers should be advised to Instruct the children to Walk closely on the left hand sidc.

Hon. Mr. Allen thought it would be advisable to send out an officer sumo evening and stop everyone travelling on the right-hand side of thc road.

Mr. ‘Hughes said it- was likely that till the members were motor- ists. But the pedestrians’ rights must be conrlrlered. 1t is very dif- ficult to Wiilk approaching a glar- ing headlight. He instancecl the traffic. at Souris Bcoch, where it was necessary for pedestrians to u-nik with the traffic. One must break the law or hc will not be able i0 walk. '

Premier Campbell said the point was that walking against the traf- fic vrus thc only safe course.

Mr. Mrlsaac asked if personson horseback WOYC Included in the new provision’? Premier Campbell: trians."

Mr. Mclsauc: "How can men on horscbnckczirry a light‘? Shouldn't they be oil thc loft-hand side of the road Lon?"

Prclnicr (Jampbcll: "Possibly?

All". Acorn said that wherever thc hlqllivny has bccn improved

"Just pedes-

walk on thc highway itself. lie suggumlcd that. thc Public Works luillistci: should imtrllct his engi- neers to take three, four or flva feet additional along where the highways are inlpiovvd and have ' thorn dressed up so that. the pub- hc (‘fllllfl hnvc n, snfc and conven- ient walk.

lion. Mr. ltlnlutvre said lulght ho possible In some places. but if Ihn department were obllg- crl to take four or five fret more than the standard 60 fact, and prepare this for rwdcstrlans all along lhr- highways, it would cost a grout. rlcul nf money. Ho agreed with the Prmnicrthut the only safe course was to have people wnlk against the traffic.

'l‘hr\. section carried.

Soc. 5 provides. as an amend- ment to Sec. 45 of the Act, that no person shnli operate a vehicle on the shoulder or a paved high- way except in case of urgent nec- essity or emergency."

On motion of Mr. Wrlght,lt was changed to cover only "a motor vehicle."

Bcc. 5 amends Sec. 9i) of the Act by adding thereto as subsection (a) the following:

"II an accident causing death or grievous bodily harm to any per- son occurs on any highway in the province. and the driver of a mot- or vchlcle Is, or has been since the first. day of May 1036, charged with manslaughter or criminal neglig- ence In respect thereof, the oper- ator's license of such driver shall forthwith be suspended by the Provincial Secretary, and shall not be restored, nor shall such driver be entitled to receive a new oper- ator's license, without an order

this '

yond the tire surface of the wheels} of such vehicle or locomotive; not

mom the court or mamtnh ha-

the last speaker. tlon, an amendment was proposcrl by adding to the section the words

The Commissioner ordered the‘ guards placed around Canadian

Pacific Railway brIdKBS and i" the

Consolidated Mining and Smeltulg

Company plants at 'I‘rail after he

received word of the plot to de-

stroy them from SerBEF-M c- C'-

Barber at Nelson.

McMillIin did not say how the

tom whom such charge l5 dispos- ed of."

Premier Campbell said it has been argued that there are ccr- tain circumstances iulder which a person might be found not. Slimy of criminal negligence. and at the some time should not be entitled to receive back his license for a. considerable time. To Provide 5°? that the present amendment 1S introduced, which will require the automatic cancellfni O1‘ suspending or the license of any one who is charged with manslaughter or cri- mlnal negligence In the case 0f 8- mofm- accident, and before he sols his license back he will not only havg to be acquitted of the charge but will also have to produce rm order from the court setting forth the opinion of the court that the man's license should be rcslbrfid to him.

Mr. Llnklatber said there should be a set time limit In such cases. to insure that. the motorist would not be able to get, his license back for at least, twelve months. Other-

wlsa thcro might be abuses under the section.

111317311101‘ suggested letting the

section pass this year, and flying It out. If’ It Is not satisfactory, It can be amended.

Mr. Linkletter: "And ‘keep 0n

kllllngl I think it should be made more seven."

Mr. Saville said there seemed to

be a tendency to class the PBYSO" in a motor accident as a, poten- tial criminal. "We must have some respect for the courts. If the court considers that a man is perfectly innocent, then he should have the right to get his license back."

Mr. MacKinnoi-l contended that

In every case of death 'or grievous bodily harm on the hlghwaysomc- body Is responsible. think it would be a reflection on thc coilrls 0o set a minimum time llmlt; perhaps it would be a justi- fiable reflection on the jury system as we find it today. At any rate, he thought it would be a. deter- rent if motorists were compelled by law to be careful.

He did nol.

Mr, Wright said there has been

a. feeling that the public Is not properly protected. juries send a man to the penitentiary for an accident for which he was not altogether responsible. Never- theless he may have bccn partly to blame. fence covering this, other manslaughter. thc public arc absolutely obllgcdio .-

Judges and

havrbcen very loath to

There should be an of- than Apart from his re-

qaonsibility, every one who has

been in a. serious motor accident has had n considerable shock which might wcli incapac- ltnte him from operating a. car for some

IKGYVUUS

time. Premier Campbell agreed with Al; his sugges-

‘No such order shall be effective

until the expiry of at least one year idler the laying of thc charge aforesaid."

Progress was then reported on

the bill.

On motion of Mr.COX. thc House resumed committee reading, with

Mr. Wright in the chair, of the Fish and Game Protection Act.

’I‘licre WES considerable discus- sion on the question of advertis- ing enclosed properties, and of the close season for hares- and rabbits.

Mr. Baker again raised the ques- tion of protecting Hungarian par- tridge. at least, for the present year, with a, close season.

Mr. Jones referred to the an- nouncement that the Minister of Agriculture was exchanging some Hungarian partridge for ring- necked pheasant. "I wonder," he said, "If the Mlnlslcr has any knowledge of ring-necked pheas- ant. These birds will go In among the hens and kill all the roosters.

They are a blooming nuisance, something like skunks." Mr. Dennis: "I feel that the

importation of ring-necked pheas- ant will be beneficial to the prov- ince.’

At 0 pm. progress was reported. and the House took recess until 0 o'clock, when the Budget speech. referred to elsewhere In today's Guardian, was delivered by Pre-

Campbell.

.1810!

$63,288 .

(Continued from X110 l)

ion of expenditures and the bal- ancing of our budget.

“On examination of the Public Accounts for the year 1905. an al- arming situation was dL ‘ “ that,- In a, single year the llabilltles of the province had been increased by $952,000. During the course of the present session the press has endeavored to lay that huge lu- crcase of liabilities to the charge of the Liberal Government. But U we remember, during the session of last year, the same section of the press analyzed that Increasaln the following manner, charging the outgoing MacMillan Govern- ment with $008,000 and the Incom- ' ing Liberal Government virltl10303r l 000. As I have already showed In this House, that $343,000 was more than accounted for by expenditur- es In the latter part of 1030 In connection with the completion of capital contracts which had been undertaken and commenced by the Outgoing Conservative Government. so that on their own showing and analysis The Guardian has estab- lished that the Liberal Govem- ment from August to December-of 1935 had at least a substantial surplus on ordinary account.

"I don't know that this Isa very impoflunt or pertinent conclusion because it‘ is always very difficult to divide the Public Accounts at any point in the fiscal year. But we have the fact remaining that there was a total increase in lla- hilltles during 1935 of $952,000. and still more alarming that. there was during the same year a deficit on ordinary uocount alone of $376,000, all of which on The Guardian's own showing was chargeable to the period of the outgoing Conservat- ive Government before the 15th day of August. So that, pledged as we were to a policy of reduction of expenditures, of balancing tho budget, we were faced during the session of 1936 with the difficult programme of overcoming that en- ormous deficit for a. single year of’ $376,000. We were all agreed that it was a very bold stroke Indeed. Mr. Speaker. whereby we at- tempted to estimate for the year 1930 for a deficit of only $70,000- a reduction in a. single year of the current deficit In the amount of $306,000. The press and even thc public were a. little sceptical auto the possibility of our achieving that objective. We realized It ourselves, that It was a difficult objective to set, and more difficult to achieve. It was easy enoughbo say on Paper that we were balan- cing our budget within $70,000. but we all agreed that It, was not so easy to achieve the mark we had set.

"Nu-earn y Increases"

“As we went on the admin!!- tratibn of the year's work we found that, we had even greater difficul- ties to meet than we had anticl- pated; that there were a. great many increases In necessary ex- penditure over which we can ox- ercise no control. In a single Item oi’ sinking fund alone there was a necessary Increase of $16,000. In the Item of Interest alone there was a. necessary Increase of $26,- 000; a ecessary Increase In lib- rary servloo of $6,000, COVQYIIIB I portion only of the year; a neces- sury increase of $2,500 for the services of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, an increaseJmsly say, which arose as a result of an agreement entered into by the outgoing Conservative" Govern- ment; an increase In direct relief of $6,000. Our friends the Con- servative Government during the election campaign said that if we were going to balance our budget we would have todo it by elimin- ating dlrect relief. Instead of that, Mr. Speaker. we found ourselves faced with a necessary unpre- ventable increase over the prev- ious your of $6,000; in old age pen- sions a necessary Increase of $21.- 000, of which the province's share was $5.250 Increase.

"To summarlzc, In looking over the year's administration, we found that there were uncontrol- lable increases totalling $61,750 over the expenditures of 1935.

"Having set ourselves the diffi- cult objective of reducing tho budget from $376,000 to $70,000 In n single year; having In tho face of that been met with uncontrol- lable increases in expenditure of $613750, it was with some consider- able satlsfactlon that when we ex- amined the Public Accou u: of the ordinary revenue and expenditures for 1936 wo found that we had not only achieved the objective which we hnd set up, but had reduced the deficit lo $24,660."

The Premier at this point read n commeudaiory article on the showing. as reported, from tho Montreal Star.

"It is quite true," he continued, "as tho editorial states that the task of rcrlucing expendlturas was not an easy one, and in that con- nection I think a great deal of crcrllt. perhaps the greatest credit, Is due to my hon. friend the lvLln- ister of Public Works, because It was In his department. principally, that the reductions had to be made. On one Item alone, of maintenance of highways. his os- timats was cut from an expendit- ure of $358,000 in 1930 to an ol- timaie of $200,000 In 1936. The press was sceptical and the public were sceptical. I don't know but that the mom-ber- of the Logfalat- urc were sceptical, because our friend the Minister had been, rightly or wrongly. liven the rap- utatlon of being somewhat extrav- agant. But. the Minister not only realized the objective which we had set for him, but ho reduced the expenditures on maintenance of highways from $860,000 In i035 t0 $187,000 In I030. And with the exception of a very dlfllcultsprlng season and a still more difficult autumn season, I think It Is un- cnntradlcted that. the roads of the

province during the summer seas- on were In u good shop: u they

Deficit

ever were in the history of bhe province.-

"The Minister fold us when we set this objective of $000,000 for .him that he was quite willing b0 do his part to carry It out, out uvery ‘ the Y * ‘ ‘ a would be running In and tinting this and that, new and Inordfmte and extravagant expenditure made. I don't, think that his prediction in that direction was carrled out, because my experience with the present member: of the Loglslau ura Is that they were just as anx- Ioua as the members of the Gov- ci ent to have the lflalrl of the country carried out with every reasonable economy. And I must, say to the cmdltof every one of the members alttlng around this House, that they have not ‘made during the past. year-and 1 know i-hfly will not make during the coming years-any o! those ox. travagant and fnordlxiata deman‘ for expenditure o! momys which have usually, or too often, charac- terized private members of the Legislature.

"Encoumccd by the showing which we made last, year and on our first examination of the Ao- counts for i030, the Government entered Into the optllnhtlc hope of achieving a completely balanced budget for 1037. But unfortun- ately, as the estimates of the var- ious departments were prepared,“ they were gone over, first by the "r9551"? debartment, 1n the acc- ond place by ‘the treasury board, and later by the members of this House in caucus. It was discovered that we were again faced with a large budget of uncontrollable In- creases of expenditure, almost eq- ual, if not greater, than the un. controllable Increases for the pm. vlous year.

I

“Emergency Estimate"

“During the late autumn and early winter saaso , tho jug-kw“; of the province. and especially the natural clay surfaced highways. through excessive rains. followed by frost and thaws, and" subso- quent fruezlnga. had got Into a very bad condition Indeed, prac- tically lmpulabla In l, greet many 0am. And so. Mr. Speaker, the Government was obliged to ask for an emergency estimate of 820.000 in order simply to repair the ravages thus occasioned. In Pilrtlcula: tn the dirt rolda.

“Our sinking fund, again, was an iuwontrolla/ble Increase of $8,- 000. Old age pensions. an Increase 0! 022.000. of which our provincial share will be $5.500.

"You will remember that during the eloctfo campaign we pledged ourselves loretum tothe fisher- men. farmers and other users of stationary enviuea the full rebate on the goallne tax. During last session we were unable 0o ace our way clear to do this, but we fool that It II only just. that at, the present session provision should be made to this effect. The funda- mental prlnclple behind the impo- sition of the gasoline tax In that those who use the hfghwuys should contribute toward their construct- Ion and upkeep. The fisherman does not do so. The tanner with his tractor or stationary engine does not do so. ‘Therefore we sea no reason why they should con- tribute to this tax. Therefore we shall have during the present year an additional uncontrollable In- crease In gasoline rebate of 87,000.

"On interest there In another In- crease of $9.000, which Is uncon- trollable. On libraries there is an increase from $6.000 to $14,000, or a net increase of $8,000. 0n adult education. $2.000. On Royal Can- adian Mounted Police. $2,000: tho second Increase due to the agree- ment entered Into by tho outgoing Conservative Government. In the Donal-Imam. of Public Health ur- vfoes. an Increase of $8.500. That is not strictly speaking an Increase of expenditure, but It moans an increase owing to the loss which we have sustained In the expiry of the grant received in provious years from the Insurance compan- ies In connection with our De- partment of Public Health.

A $03,288 Deflclf.

“So we are faced at present with the outlook of uncontrollable increases of expenditure for the current year, totalling $70,000. Wltl-rthat fact. In view, the tren- ury department. the treasury board and the members of the Legislat- ure In caucus hava very carefully scrutinized the estimates of expan- dlture and revenue. and the boat estimate which we feel justlfied In making Is a total of ordinary 0x- pendlturo for the current your of $1,000,104, and of revenue for the some period of $1,700,010. leaving an sstlma‘ ‘ deficit for the your 1087 of $03.30!.

"We could easily adopt/l mom optimistic attitude and any thatwa were going to balance our budget this very year. But we preferred to do as we dId In 1000, place the facts fairly and squarely before the Legislature and If possible achieve a batter showing at, the and of the yaar than we undertook to do at the present acaalon.

“I do not intend to weary mem- bers of the House with a detailed analysis of the expenditures. The details will become apparent on a consideration of the estimates In committee of the whole. 1 will leave even the outline of the de- partmental expenditures to be dealt with by the hauls of the various departments.

Dept ol Justice

"Possibly I rnllht spend a very short time In dealing with the es- tlmatu of’ the administration of justice: not. so much perhaps asto tho details of the amount: ox- pended, which an more or lou constant and uncontrollable In this department, but. rather to details of the manner In which time ex- penditures are being carried out

"I have montlonad already m -¢

increased expenditure for the maintenance of the Royal Canad- ian Mounted Police, In explanat- Iou o!» that I may any that under the original 1033 agreement, the annual cost to the province was to be $15,000. The llreement, was amended In 1084 by a provlslun for additional men for the provin- cial aervIce. and the other side of the agreement was that the prov- Jnofl contribution towards their maintenance should be increased

from $15,000 to $20,000 a year.

That Increase, as I said, was made by the lab Conservative Govern- ment, but It did not come Info ef- fect. until June. 1030. The result was that we were obliged to pro- V1110 $3.500 of the Increase last year to cover the latter halt of the YEN‘. and the balance of the $2,500 Increase comes In this year. Bo that. during the present year the coat of the RoyolCanadlan Mount- ed Police-unless we can obtain some amendment of the agree- ment. will he £20,000 Instead of $15,000 In 1034 and I935.

Commend: B. C. M. P.

“In view of the services which the Mounted Police render to the province, I don't really think that this charge is excessive. Their provincial services may be divided roughly Into three classes. First, the cnforcement of the crlmlnyfl code, which Is legislation of the

on Parliament, but Its en_ foroement In each province is the liability of the department of jus- tice of that province. Under the jurisdiction of the Attorney 64m- oral. the Mounted Police enforce the criminal code In the province with the exception of the Olty of Charlottetown and the town of Summerside. The other part of their work is In enforcing provin- cial statutes. and of these statutes those which occupy the most of their time and attention are the Highway Traffic Act. and the Pro- hibition Act.

"I think In mentioning this mut- ter that I should any something about the cooperation and the ser- vlcal which the Mounted Police have rendered, not only to this Government but to all govern- ments of this province, in carry- Ing out systematic ‘and thorough enforcement both of the provin- cial statutes and o! the criminal code. Without detracting from any- lhlfll’ I might say rcgnrdfng um services or efficiency of any in. dlvldual member of the force, I feel It fitting to express my ap- Pfeclfluclll. and the appreciation of the Government. for the untiring and efficient service which has been rendered the Government. by Inwector Frlppa, as head of thc Mounted Police In this province.

“The Highway Traffic Act and If: administration, as Inspector 771M!’ 160000 Shows, Indicates a. constant vigilance on the part of the Police. 1t Is often said that the police should patrol the high- ways, particularly the paved high- ways. But if the truth were known there la a. systematic and almost constant patrol maintained, espec- ially on the paved highway be- tween Charlottetown, Summerside and Borden. This is very ncccs- aary, and during the coming seas- on lt Is the Intention to Increase the constancy and efficiency of that patrol, because the paved highway seems to offer an in- creased temptation to those who are Inclined to drive faster than Ia ante.

"There has been throughout the province a general Impression that there was a great and growing in- crease In the number of accidents on the highway. Now It Is quite true that there are a great many accidents on the highway; It I: doubly fosfcttablo that a consid- erable number of these accidents have resulted In fatal or serious 11111111’ lo human beings. But a study of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police report shows that the general suspicion of Increase of accidents Ia unfounded, because In I000 there were only 180 re- ported accidents, against 225 re- ported accfdents In 1985. -

“There have been a large num- bar o! convictions under the Highway Traffic Act. many of them for first offense, which in ‘them’- selvel are not very serious, but thc police go on thc assumption and on the theory that It is better to nip these minor infractions in the bud rather than to waft until they grow Into greater and more dun- geroiu offences.

Drunken Driving

“I am very sorry to have to re- port that In the province during the year there were 41 convictions for Intoxicated drlvlng. Every one of these persons was glven a Jail sentence, as is provided by thc criminal code. In addition to the jail sentence, every one of those Individuals had his license cancell- ed foraperlod of at least one year and In some cases for a. longer period. And I may further state that not, a single one 0f those 4i licenses was reinstated within the time for which It was cancelled. But 41 convictions for intoxicated driving in a year are boo many. And I will take the responsibility of making this statement, that ll’ there ls no Improvement In this situation. some bright morning of- fender: will wake up and find that their licenses will be cancelladnot. for a period of one year, but for a perIod of two or three years, or avon for their lifetime.

"In this connection I mllht re- mind the House of the amendment to the Highway ‘Traffic Act which was Introduced and and In com- mittee this afternoon. to the effect that when than was a fatal accl- dent m tho highway, or when there I: on accident causing grievous bod- Ily harm, than any person who Is chm-god with manslaughter or criminal nolllllnoe In ‘connection with such an accident will have hls license automatically suspended and such license will not. be restor- ed until the offender obtains a oer- tlflcabo from flu Court, ordering the nmm of hll been». m all these cues, the ‘government Is en- denvoi-‘ng and 1| determined to give the greatest possible -protectlon to tve public. both In motorists, to

both In lflllndlflfl fllIOW-‘aslu l calmgomnzgondm

i‘

against rm use: which my be occasioned by reckless or Intoxlcat- ed drivers. l

Prohibition

As I said, the other provincial statute which takes up a. good deal of the time of the police and o!

ltho Department of Justice la the Prohibition Act. The Mounted Po- lice have been very active In this matter during the year 1900. with the result that 273 cmvfctfona were recorded, and during recent months there were 22 suspensions of the right to Issue prescriptions on the part of physicians and dentists. The attitude of thll government to- wards discussion on the Prohibition Act, either In this House or else- where, has been one of silence. The government has felt that the less said about the Issue the better, be- cause any argument which we might put forth. one way or the other, would be only apt to stir up agitation and contention. We felt that the proper attltudo to take was to make an honest effort to enforce the Act to the boat, p95- able degree, and to 55 mt about 1t. y m"

“I "Bret. however, that our silence In this direction has been muslnterpreted. The matter of an. forcing an Act such as the Pro- hibition Act has become lncreas- 1118b’ difficult. One of’ the Increases l" (""10" W has been calmed by the m“ "wt umiiar legal-tam has been abandoned In every other pro- ""168 of Canada. In the United Stills-s of America. and possibly In “W? other part of the world. So that under any circumstances It is pretty difficult for a provlnge of 88.000 or 90,000 people in set a. moral standard, enforced by legjg- lation, which is at variance wlth_ In advance of-tha moral standard. soc al standard. of the wholg o! the refit of the world.

In administering this Act the irovemment ls confronted, as usual by the actions-the machinations, I rnluht say,--of the bootleggora and nher law breakers. ‘This I5 the lgggt serious opposition we have to cope wltn We have been continually nltacked on the left by advocates “Y file "Peal of the Prohibition Act, ‘while we have been with equal cont nulty attacked on the right by m" Dolftical opponents and by thc press. Worst of all, we have been, ii’ not continuously, then from “m, w‘ time. knffed In m, back, u 1 m‘ EM P110 it. by o, great numbn- f "udwibtedly Well intentloned

cmprrancc workers who have been "il-“Wi by the Dfllpuznnda of poll- llrfflll! and agitators, Into gdgpfln‘ {in attitude of suspwqn Ind a“ HISL towards the government: and ills was undoubtedly the mo” <1“. icult of nll the opposition, and 91 all the obstacles which the govern- ment had to contend with in m. forclnB this act. The situation would have become Intolerabb had It not been for the sound judg- mgnt Glad sincere cooperation o; Te con nulng committee of the

‘mperance Federat on.

WW Mf-hvut 30in: ma» the

ltlllmllfl or demerlt", of the Prohibi- ,.°“ Mf- 1 muv simply state um he government has maintain” this Act on the statute books, and In enforcement, in spite of all d“. lcultics, in spite "W; B" quarters. And during the com n8 Year we assure the public M 9"?" GPHIW" efforts to provfde a PFOPQI" and adcounto 511101139- ment o! this legislation.

'W° T001110. Mr. Speaker, that conditions are still far from ratls- ‘MIDI? 1n this direction, but 1 think members of the B01159 and t e public will feel encouraged by he report of Inioector Iivfppa, who I feel is somewhat In an lndopon- dent situation In this oonnggflgn because he has served under two administrations and under two System-I, both under Corrorvatfves and Liberals; both under Cflmmjs. slon and under Government en- forcement; and his statement In ill: reportls to this effect: It Is be. lleved that, the traffic in illicit liquor 1s becoming 1.55s,

I have taken the trouble to u. certain the views of every mambo; °f u"! l-BBL-lature on temperance matters. not only on the matter of Prohibition. but on the deeper and broader principle of true temper- lmcc: find as a. result of the trouble that I took In that direction I con. fldenllv declare my belief that Elem never sat In this Leglglatum

rty men who by reason of their own personal convictions. by reason a! the sense of responsibility which “icy feel to the constituents whom

WY Tepfcseut. by reason above all of their own personal conduct and example~l say I don't believe that them ever sat In this House thirty" men who are better entitled to be entrusted with the cause of true temperance in this province.

‘This however is not sufficient.

It Is necessary that the govgm- merit and the Legislature should have the unequlvocabla support of all true advocatel of temperance in thLs Province. Even then the prob. 1cm will be difficult. But-I quoto asaln from the report, o! FIIPDS who from his experience Is m"? alive to the sltuatIon-‘wfth- out more sincere support from m; batter class of cltfuna, the do. gree of ruccess with which m; Act Is enforced om flavor be in. creased.’

"In order to zecure thL; more "m"! lillmort from the better clan of citizens which I; so ob- Vlllil-ily TIBW-‘filfy 1'0: the enforce- ment of this law or any other law, the lovemmenl; purpoles to em- bark on a progrlmme of education along the Inc; of temperance. I don't think that temperance Ia tho only branch or law observance or

fol-cement which requires a, pro- Brammo of this kind. Buch a pro- nrammo ha: been repeatedly urged "non us by the Courts and by oth- ors In connection with the motor vchlclo traffic; u“ “my of tho hllllwlyl: and the proposal is that our special adult programme will Include not only matter: pertain- lnl to temperance and tho enforce- ment of Prohibition. but all law observance. with particular stress on highway traffic safety. The de- tails of this programme: have not yet been arranged but will be made known at a later date."