~nv 21- .1931 Zllegeci Covernm ent Surplus . 'I‘lii-‘. (t||A_R_i.<r|'ri:'r<lwN (IIIARDIAN fihown .To Be Concoted For gPurely_I_’_oli.."cal Purposes Lea Government's Misleading Statements In Public Accounts, Its Inacticn In Agricultural Department, Extravagance In Public Works And Non-Enforce- ment Of Prohibition Law Are Scored By Mr. A. F. I Arsenault In The Budget Debate. speaking in the Budget debate in we Proylngigl Iogisleture on April g1, Mr. A. F. Arsenault, Third Dis- trict as prince, congratulated the speaker (Hon. Mr. Stewart) 1190i! the honour tendered to him in his appointment, and expressed the be- yief that he would discharge his duties with credit to himself and to the House. Mr. Arsenault continued: 1 also wish to join with the other members in extending to the hon. member from Egmont Bil’ my 51h‘. w-e sympathy in the great loss he has sustained. I am sorry t0 BB0 the former Speaker (Him- Mr- M0- Doneid) i; still absent through ill- ness, but hope that he will soon be restored to his wanted health. I have listened with a. great deal o1 interest to the senior member from Summerside (Hon. Dr- M80" Neill). He attempted i» "roe-iii" the senior member from Charlottetown (Dr. MacMillan) and I am afraid they, he displayed some animosity m- e long-felt revenge in his heart ior what the Doctor said about him test yehr- It seems, Mr. Speaker, that our Liberal friends have spent most of their time so far in this debate in gbuslng the Conservative press. They have not succeeded in de- (ending the actions of theirGovern- merit. They are on the defensive this year, as in former years, and it is up a; them to convince not only the Patriot but the people of this Province that they have discharg- ed their duties, that they have car- rled out their promises made to the electors in 1927. The senior member from Summerslde went out of his way to talk about kangaroos and such animals. I would not care to say aloud the thoughts that were present in my mind duriflE his speech; ‘but might 1 be permitted. to give him the advice he has given to others; namely, that he get his tonsils examined. (1-81181115019- SELF STYLED BEFORMERS It is the duty of the opposition to review the acts oi this adminis- tration from the time they assum- ed oiiice in 1027. It might be well to paint for you, m. Speaker, a. picture of these gentlemen as they appeared to the people of this Pro- vince when they entered that cam- paign. We recall that before the formulation ’ of their platform they held caucus meetings and 00' tempted to agree on a certain plat- form. They thought seriously 01' adopting Government Control, lizhii wines and beer, or Prohibition, and finally the Hon. Mr. Saunders, sit- ting on the fence with all these armaments before him and tryim! i" that position to keep his ear to the ground, formulated a platform, and in that ridiculous physical position he evolved his campaign. Written pledges were asked of his candi- dates, and the senior member from Summersid lained that had people known in his District that he had signed this pledge they would not look at him at.the next election. Such a regulation was made that men ofiering for election on behalf of the Liberal party had to pledge themselves as dictated to them by the Temperance Alliance. We see now what happened. The old politicians who had been in this Chamber for years, were cast aside. We see no more of those flsures that had for years supported the Liberal party; but we ilnd ourselves in the midst of men, a large major- li-y 0f whom are in tho political field for the first time; men who were obscure, or at least who were not known by their constituents to have taken a drink. They arrived With prayer beads and Bibles to leach the rest of us how to behave. These gentlemen, during the cem- btliefl- breached that if tho conser- vatives were élected, bar-roams would be opened and tho interests ‘ oi’ the Province would be cold to the brewers and the distiilers. Their "iml-‘tliln was effective; they "ilhicned the women, and, with 0w assistance of ‘other electors they Iucceeded in winning tho election. Elvin! obtained power under such auspices, these gentlemen. Pildiiwlly new to political life. certain class '0! people, undertook the responsible business of legislat- ing for the Province. What was to be expected? What we expected, Mr. Speaker, we have r dived. I would depict for you the first Act of this Government, when they launched that extravagant scheme of road ntachines, and when the "big” Minister of Public Works or- dered by telepho $100,000 of road machinery without authority from this House. That was the first tran- saction. Others have followed. and the result of this regime of extra- vagance in every department, has been an increase in the debt of the Province of over three quarters of a million dollars-practically double our increase of debt during the four years that we were in power. CAMOUFLA GED PROPAGANDA The Guardian newspaper has been abused for‘ publishing certain statements in the press regarding the Public Accounts. Moreover, the hon. member from Rustico has cir- culaied a pamphlet, signed by him- self as chairman of the Public Ac- counts Committee; and may I tell you, that I, a member oi the Pub- lic A 11$ Committee; was not present at the meeting at which that evidence purports to have been taken; neither was my hon. colleague from Souris (Mr. Mc- Lean). We had due notice, of course, but we objected to attend- ing ior the simple reason that we had not received all the reports, a-l- though they wcre due long beiore the first meeting oi the Public Accounts Committee. We had not received the report of the Depart- ment oi Public Works, a very Im- portant report, and consequently we were waiting for that to be ls- sued. It was o. very improper proced- ure on the part of the hon. mem- ber from Rustico to circulate to the members of this House the report of an examination. carried on by himself and his co-membe r. of the Liberal party in that committee. I have attended many meetings of the Public Account: Committee in the past, and I have yet to hear of any‘ examination by the Govern- ment menrbers to convince the Government members of their own Public Accounts. In effect, they went there and demanded of their own Auditor the tllk of convinc- ing them that than reports were correct. They have ' made long speeches about the Provincial Aud- itor - - - that he was a man 8801050 whom no blame could be attached; that he had been our official under the Mathieson Government. and so forth. we all realize that. But he B the same Auditor that followed the improper request of Premier Bell in 1923, when he demanded that the expenditures and receipts of the Arsenault Government be added up to a certain time and a line drawn and a balance struck, in or- der to show a "deficit" oi $354,000 against the Conservative Govern- ment for the purpose oi carryifl8 l by-election in Kim's Coimty- 1'16 was requested to do" that, and he did it. The books, of course. 01h b6 made to show almost anything. if you arrange tlrenr in that way. eluonasr" sour-buses r recall in ma. in this 110""- when the Public Accounts were tabled, that the Bell Government h“ g, yer-y urge surplus. What hap- pened‘) Those Public Accounts were immediately recalled by the officials, within an hour or 0W0 after we saw them. Why? Decal!“ the surplus was too llfle Mr. B611 had instructed his Auditor to W0‘ duce to this House e "modest sur- plus," and those figures were re- called and we were issued-with l second edition oi the Public Ac- counts which would be more 1n keeping with the Premier's "mod- esty." The reason for this we learn- ed later. It seems that a dolfllmih of War veterans were alkinl 1°? i grant, and Mr. Bell told them he could not grant their Mlle“ 0°‘ cause the Government could not stood there was e. large surplus- "Oh," he said, “that was an error." They looked in the Accounts. 98 given in the second edition, and saw that the "surplus" had 8105011’ decreased! (T ‘ t). The same thing happened cvfly year under Liberal rule. The fir“ year they were not quite 5° 0°10- They only omitted one item in the sinking fund. The second year they _omitted two items, and the ihhd year they omitted thrBB- 0i 00""- ihe. Public Accounts do not show the real deflclt. Do you lmllille that the Government, with Ilwll I recorder it has had in the inst three years, would like to show a deficit? They will resort to evfl’! means to show at least a "modest" surplus. That has been the Bell P01‘ icy ,and it is me Lel Government policy; to lllDI l. small "surplus" and yet show large increases in the public debt. Resuming the debate on ‘ruesdey aitemoon. Mr. Arsenflillt said: 1 was mentioning this peculiar document which was circulated ih balance to go in the ordinary re- ceipts, u in former years. But no; m]; yggg they put the total re- celpic in the revenue column Ind did not charge up the amount re- quired for sinking fund. We find that the amount requir- ed to be taken out for sinking fund. highway debentures (vise 19) was $21,250 If they were I0!!!‘ to in- clude that amount in their . account they should charge. still!!! that the appropriated airrkllll film! and they failed to do that last year. IMPBOPER. ACCOUNTING Toke the gasoline tax receipts. The total amount is accounted for in the revenue column, and there is nothing to show that they have taken from that source of revenue an amount sufficient to provide ior the sinking fund, as provided by statute. We remember that in 1927 they funded the gasoline tax rc- ceipts and borrowed $100,000 ior the purpose of buying these heavy load machines, and those bonds would mature in ten years; so that they would be due in 1087. Unless this Government withdraws from those receipts a sum sufficient to place in the sinking funds, they are not giving us l. proper account- ing, for the reason that every year those machines are depreciating really more than is represented by the sinking fund, $8.500; and I maintain that that, at least, is n. real expenditure which should be taken out of the gasoline revenue this House and placed on the desk oi every member. It is signed by the chairman. oi the Public Ac- counts Committee. snd the intro- duction purports to be a messed"? to the Legislative Assembly. I was going to read it, but perhaps that would necessitate the members standing, as when they receive a. message from the lieutenant-Gov- ernorl However, it is headed: "In- vestigation into Public Accounts." I have yet to hear of any similar procedure having taken place und- and charged to the expenditure column. In other words, there is $21,250 which they should have taken out oi ordinary revenue and placed in sinking funds for highway deben- tures, and another sum ‘of 88,500 which they should have taken out ofgasolinc tax e ceipts and placed in the sinking funds ‘for road ma- chinery bonds. They have failed to do so, and therefore the Accounts do not show that expenditure of 829.750. er any Government 1h the past. Our friends opposite seem to have doubted that the Accounts were correct, and they held that inves- tigation to satisfy themselves and u; distill.“ propaganda among the people oi the Province on the eve oi an election. CONFUSING THE PEOPLE If you follow the qustions and answers throughout, you will find that the Provincial Auditor is just explaining his method, admitted ‘by him to be a new method intro- duced last year. ‘rheohsnge was made, he claims, in order to make the accounts "clearer." And the net result oi his efforts apparently, has been to confuse all the members on the Liberal side of the House, ior they have had to hold an "in- vestigatiun‘ to find out whether the accounts were correct. Not only that, but he has confused all the people in the Province who will go to the trouble of looking into the Accounts. To my mind it is a wrung time. to introduce a new method, Just in the last year of their regime. My hon. friends not only thought it necessary to ille_ Pro- vincial Auditor, but they examined his assistant, Mr. Massey. In some places it is stated that Mr. Massey was examined, not as assitant aud- itor but as an expert, and I believe that the figures as disclosed in the Public Accounts have even confus- ed this gentlema ; for in one place when he is asked, "Ix it correctly stated on the other side?" he dues not answer yea or no, as one would expect him to do: lie says: “Mr. Anderson can explain that." So Ir it any wonder that we have had this year so much trouble over these Public Accounts. . On page ‘I, part 1, the Public Ac- counts show the total ordinary ex- penditure to be $1,383,806.04; and on the other side, on page 6, they show revenue in which we find two items, motor - vehicle receipts, 0145.095 and gasoline tax receipts. $141,050.80. We- know that during the time of the Bell Government, the auto fees were earmarked for the purpose of providingJnking fumh and interest on debentures for" highway improvnmen . ‘Thero- fore I take it that the first duty of this Government, after the moneys came in under that form of tex- ation, woo to provide for those two expenditures. That was the proper action; and they should show those amounts, taken from those funds, in-tbe expenditure colhum oi the make revenue and 11901141"!!! “Mcodoeeruiulhlnurere meetneyioldhimtbflyilflfi‘ Pubiicmounmaodcnlyallowthe If you take that amount and add it to the $18,515 appropriation for ordinary sinking fund, you will have a total oi about $49,000. Take their alleged surplus from that and you will have s, real deficit of $32,- 000. Even the Premier, while making his Budget speech, agreed to what I have Just stated. I-ie said they had made such showing that not- withstanding the fact that his pre- decessor in ofllce had budgeted for a. deficit oi $38,000, he could say that he had come within 05,000 oi that amount. PREMIER LEA: 55,000 below that. received $141,000. You see there mother large increase. Moreover. for the past two years this Gov- ernment, instead of “Lg the ctr.- tute labor performed on our roads. collected the cash from the farm- ers and fishermen, and from that source they received some $29,000 a year. These extra revenues, over and above the limited revenues we were getting while In oflico, sm- ourrted to over $300,000 a your; and they have spent than: all. They have received in their four years “ a million and a half dollar-s more revenue than we ‘did in our term of oflice, and they spent it all. They did worse than that. They went behind, notwithstanding these increased revenues, to the extent, not oi $413,000, the amount of in- creased liabilities during our re- gime, but oi t750.000.~prsotically double that amount. This, Mr. Speaker, will show to the people of this Province that at least this Gov- ernment has been very extravagant, that it has rpcnt lavishly in the different departments without giv- ing any better service to the Pro- viuce. ROBBING PETER. TO PAY PAUL They have even refused to ac- cept the revenues from the Liquor Commission, b _se in their great moral rectltude they said that such revenue, deprived from such an un- righteous source, should not be handled at all. But they allowed those revenues to be wasted on an army of officials, running all over this country and doing very little work. It is ridiculous that in a small Province of less than 90,000 people we should require a Provincial Po- lice Force and an army of Prohi- bition officials, spending lavishly the money of which we are in so much need. Is it to be wondered at that the people are asking, why this conscientiousness? To a good many it appears silly that because these revenues are made in our vendors’ stores-they amounted to $126,000 last year I believe-they should not be expended in the in- terests of the Province. Why should not this Province receive the mon- ey, when we are in need of money? Why give it away to those officials? Why have such a. number of them, from the special Magistrate down to the traffic cops ? It may appear on the face of it that they are try- ing to do something, but I think that very much better enforcement o! the prohibition and traffic laws could be obtained if you got the services of a few eflicient officials and dismised the rest. At times it looks more like a pic- nic, when you see all those oflicers of- the law gathered together, and not really attending to the traffic lens as they did under our regime We had a few in each County equipped with motor vehicles, and 0111‘ Pimple were afraid to speed. B110 ibiifly. if you so around the COimi-ry and meet cars going at an excessive rate of speed, you will often ask in vain "Where are the traffic cans?" Also in the admin- istration of the Prohibition law, llige sums are wasted and the ser- IVIR. ARSENAULT: Sc that he is admitting a deficit of $82,000 now. PREMIER LEA: Not necessarily. 1 said on his estimate. OPPOSITION MEMBERS: Oh, oh l IVIR. ARSENAULT: The people are not so much interested in what the yearly deficits are, but they watch very closely the increase of debt occasioned by any Govern- ment. If the Government increases the debt largely, and cannot defend its actions in doing so, the people will charge that Government with inefliclency. It might be said that the Stewart Government increased the liabilities of the Province. We grant that we did so, during our four years, to the extent of $413,- 000; but we showed that we did not have as much money to spend as this present administration has had. Only in the last year of_ our term did we have an increase in revenue from the Dominion Gov- er ‘, in railway taxation for two years, amounting to $60,000. That. year we showed I real sur- plus of $22,000, and had we con- tinued to manage the affairs of this Province I feel that we would have made a much better showing than the present ulminht " . SPENDING MOB! MONEY Beside: this increased subsidy of $125,000 a year and $40,000 a year from railway taxation, this admin- istration had very much increased revenues from the automobile fees. I recall during the inst yen- oi the] Bell Government that those fees‘ amounted to about 000,000 or 004,- 000 a year, while lest year they ran up to crumb-practically double what we received when we were in office. I recall that in the second year of our regime our receipts from gasoline tax were only be- tween $37,000 Ind $90,000 a. yearn. vice is very inefficient. LIBERAL PROMISES Mr. Arsenault then took up the Plltform of the Lea Government. beginning with the first plank, which read: "At the Iaierprovlnclai Con- foren .. to be assembled this hi] we will if returned to power exert our utmost endeavour to pres; our claims for increased subsidy, and on obtaining increased sub- sldy a downward revision of tax- ailon.” After reviewing the failure of the Government to secure any s4. lustment of our subsidy claims, Mr. Arsennuit continued: The Premier was very wroth be- cause the Guardian had attempted to show that there was some stu- Pldity on the part of the Liberal Government in 102i, when they went to Ottawa in connection with the Dalton Senator-lam. He said there never was any cash ogr made to him, but that a certain 011101111 was mentioned, or rather they flaked him: "What have you sot in mind ? Well now, Mr. Spegk- H‘. I‘ think we on this side of the friend had in mind. Knowing the 5300B! of the Liberal Government in connection with the Dalton 5llllwrlum from its very begin. nine. knowing that in isle, in this "Y! I ilislature, Mr. Bell and his "M" than in Opposition voted lflinlt the War and Health Tax m‘ ' lh “' e of a "l" 0! 07.000 to equip the Dalton Slnltorilun. We know from their Ill! llliechec in the louse and illrlur the comma um ure neu Government and its supporter; war-g 011N801! to the operation of that institution. They criticised its emc- lliih. lk admirrlstraton; and when theIsder-al Government tookit fllrllowlrrneasuretlreywere wnilclutyuartilicoovo-amcnttlll-hvvunlcmireroeeeihes l the cost of that institution was fak- eu oif their hands, and Premier Bell often so stated. We could not afford, be said, to operate the Dal- ton Sauaio It is true that the Federal Gov- ernment enlarged the building to such an extent that it was useless as a provincial sanatorium; but the fear of the Bell administration was that if the Federal Govern- ment would tear down the addi- tions and restore the institution w its first dimensions, then the p30- ple of the Province would want the Liberal Government to rate it, and" this their history showed they were not willing lo do. They were opposed to It and they would go a long way to see that it was not re- stored in the condition that it was before the Federal Government took it over. Their attitude and their actions showed that very clearly. DISMANTLED SANATORIUM What was the purpose of that conference in 1927 9 Had the Bell Government been anxious to have that institution restored to such di- mesions that they could operate it, they would have llari engineers to speeches of the hon. member from] Rustlco and other members were directed against the Opposition for no other reason than that we had too many professional men. The)‘ had a. couple oi lawyers in the Gov- eminent when they took Office. but those gentlemen were elevatrd, to the Judiciary. You will agree? that at all times, when this House’ asked legal questions of the leader 0f the Opposition, as to whether a bill was constitutional, or whether a clause was properly drafted. he was always willing and anxious to assist. I-le showed his appreciation of his duty as a representative by helping in putting through Govern- ment legislation, and many of the acts that have been amended in committee and passed have been made at least sensible, due to the help and assistance rendered by the leader oi the Opposition. I know that some of the members opposite appreciate the attitude taken by our leader; but there are other: who do not, and who have consult- ed three lawyers on a certain point and have taken the opinion of the majority-which, of course, agreed with the opinion expressed by the leader of the Opposition. view the building and estimate the approximate cost. But no. No questions were asked of any con- tractor or builder. The-y went to Ottawa and when it was suggested that the Province might have a claim for compensation, naturally the question was asked: “What have you in mind‘! What do you think it would cost to put ii back in the condition in which it was?" And they had nothing to say. They didn't know whether it would cost $50,000 or $75,000, or $100,000. Is It IIIy wonder the Federal Govern- ment paid no attention to the Bell Government afterwards. They showed that they were bound to see the Dalton Sanatorium closed, and closed forever. They left it at that- Thcy never followed up this claim. Instead, they dismantled the buildius. returned it to hon. Mr. Dalton, and then the very structure on which our claim for compensa- tion was founded disappeared, and We have since. received nothing. The people of this Province know that the Bell administration were ilsainst that institution. In fact. they were very indifferent i0 any movemen tending to ‘ pub- lid health. 111811‘ voles In the 11011513 show it, and it was only after the Stewart Government was placed in Office that B Drosiamlne for the benefit oi’ public health was ante-led House can surmise what my hon. . upon and carried out. Today, of course, my hon. friends are con- tinuing the programme that we si-arifid- The Women's Institutes have been of great assistance to the Government in this connecting, In fact a. great interest has been taken by the ladies ever since they attained the right to vote, and pub- lic pressure has compelled this Government to do something tor Public health. S0 much was this the case that- a. couple of years ago public sentiment was so strong that a campaign for a new Sanaiorlum was started, and we have today a splendid institution, of which this Province might well be proud, Bu; the credit is due, not to this Gov- ernment but to the people, 1i; 15 true that the Government made e substantial grant towards the erec- STIRRDVG CLASS PREJUDXCE Now there has been some 5112895- tion ill this House that we have a Farmer Premier. That is going t0 be my hon. friend's slogan, I suppose, PAGE Tz-izlz stltuency in this Province, a co stituency fifty you: in the Libe‘ fold. (Applause). AGRICULTUR E It would not do for us to we over the Department of Agricw- ure. The Premier is also he that department; he holds ‘wo portfolios and is drawing the sal- aries oi both. In so doing he should pay considerable attention to this department, and I. believe he does. But I think his efforts have been lessened by the fact the duties of Premiership assumed‘ by him have been so onerous. We; find in the report of the Denali: ment of Agriculture as tabled a chapter devoted to the birds of the Province. He told us a couple 0C years ago that we had 200 different F; may exert on the lives of men. It is a very beautiful paragraph, and I think the people of the Province would do well to read that chapter. It concludes; “Old friends are they who greet him as in the days oi chzldhood to bring tidings of good cheer. This it is ever, years roll on,‘ youth passes. the home and woods of our childhood disappear, the head becomes frosted by the snows of time. the friends of youth pass away. but with each returning Spring iheold familiar bird songs of our childhood come during the coming election cam- paign. It is, oi course. an honour ‘ior any man to be Premier. We like to see men climb up and be- come leaders in society, and possib- ly Premiers; but I do not think it is right to suggest to the people that they elect this or that Gov- ernment because they have a man at its head who belongs to a cer- tain class. We want to keep clear of class legislation in this Province, which has given rise elsewhere to so much strife, discord and dis- order. I know that our people will not listen to any such slogan. In fact, if I am to judge them in ac- cordance with their actions in the past, they resent on every occas- ion any such suggestion. That ac- counts, in some measure at least, for the failure of the Progressive party in this Province—the "Far- mers’ party.” We have the rem- nant in this House, in the person of the hon. member from the Fourth District (Hon. Mr. Wright). It promised my hon. friend at one time to be a great thing; it offered a strongallurement, and he fell for it. I remember that in the cam- back to us still unchanged by the passing years." w‘ rwnrlo Quo- ~ .7. sure the Premier would wish to ace wings grow upon him so that he could fly away from the responsi- bility of meeting the electors. But nevertheless he will have to face them. riculiure the Premier promised to Institutes. has been done. be a. splendid thing, because I am afraid those Farmers’ are being neglected. This Govern- ment does not pay the same atten- tion to them as we did in our time. In last year's report of the Agri- cultural Department complaint was ' I believe it would was going behind, that the farmers were selling their mature cows and were going out of the dairy indus- try. To my mind this condition was caused by the action of the Liberal Government at Ottawa in allowing New Zealand and Austral- ian butter to enter Canada prac- paign of 1921 he was on every plat- form in Prince County, speaking on behalf of the Progressives. I have heard him say that both the Liberals and the Conservatives were all wrong; they were influenced by outside elements, harmful to the public interest; and he predicted that the Progressives would come into the political field pure and free from all influence from out- side. The peopie must have doubted his words. I-le preached to deaf ears; his was a voice crying in the wilderness; and my good friend had to go beck to the fold of the Liberal party because he saw that he would get nowhere. I believe if this Government starts out preach- ing that it is a Farmers‘ Govern-- ment, the people will give them the lame hearing that they gave to my hon. friend from the Fourth tion of the building, but the move.- ment was initiated by our people and not by the Government. It is Srfliifylng to note that our people We" l0 senerous and self-sacrific- ins. and that they over-subscribed the amount that was asked of them. Surely, when they did that well, the Premier has no right w 54y that the campaign was affected be~ cause of the newspaper criticism that was made against the actions of the Bell Government, and of himself as a member oi that Gov~ "W080i. 1h feBflrd to the unfort- "11000 0381i’ of the Dalton Sana- torium. INACTIVE AND “ZASTEFUL The actions of the present Gov- ernment throughout its regime, which is now about at an end, have been simply to collect taxes, w take advantage of the additional revenue from automobile and gaso- “90 i" "Willi-S. and let the people subscribe for public institutions such as the Sanatorium, if they want these institutions. "we will do nothing toward; pressing om- ‘himl ‘t oil-l"; it is easy for us“ because we have unlimited credit,‘ io sell bonds and debent -es and: "m" "u Mmfliil! pay for ouri ilnrxoved roads and the cost cll ' rhelf - ___ this Govs. '- lrn bee-n their attitude. As we have no Attorney General in the House it is perhaps unfair to deal with that Department. which at other sessions has occu. pied quite an amount of time in the debates. I do not think it ever hap- limcd before, that the Government h“! no Attorney General in the House. But is it any wonder ii I re- call that on mlny occasions the r District. (Applause). 2ND PRINCE BY-ELECTION Mr. Arsenault then referred to the results of the by-election in the Second District of Prince, which had been a Liberal stronghold since Confederation, and in which Mr. Sharp scored a. decisive victory for the Conservative party. The by- election, he continued. was a sur-l prise to a good many of us. We, knew this Government had tailed: we heard many complaints, but we had no idea that the discontent and disapproval of the electors tically free of duty. It is claimed that today a. good many merchants in this Province are still selling this New Zealand butter, that they have it in cold storage and the ef- fect oi this butter in reducing the price will be felt for a considerable time to come. kinds of birds; but this year he has“ a very nice article on page 24, uni" the uplifting influence that birds ' .-........e.......i i * -- made that the live-stock business " That is very beautiful; and I am l‘ In the first plank in his platform f regarding the Department of Ag- g appoint a. supervisor of Farmers‘, w? I do not think that-K I Institutes g '. I i I 4 i .e..<....“-e»--v.e-. ;;_,__., _,,,.,..,...a-..-. We find that during this regime l- the cattle of the Province were tested. You will recall that Mr. J. H. Myers, M. P., while Minister of Agriculture in the Stewart Gov- ernment, introduced e scheme for having the Province made a disease free area. Petitions were circulat- ecl, a general organization was con- ducted, and the scheme material< ied. It cost the Stewart Govern- ment a considerable amount of money, but it has surprised our people to discover that the re-ex- amination or reiesting of cattle, carried out two years ago under the present -administration, cost more than the expenditure incurr: J.-.~....-.................-...-... “newt-n. a ed by the Stewart Government in' ‘f organizing the campaign. circulat- ing petitions, having the cattle tested and paying the inspectors‘ transportation to every section of the Province. PUBLICITY AT TORONTO i , l l I am afraid we do not advertise --' sufficiently the fact that we in ills - Province are a disease free 0W0- This Government, I believe. has not advertised the products oi tho . ~ - " ht. was so universal and so general on mm‘ as exwnwely as mo! mm the Liberal side as it proved to be in the Second District. So evident was thk to the Government that i can that a Couple of ymrs no ' ' l .tE ‘ ‘ the two other seats remaining open the mm‘ member from Hus c0 1n iact I understand they failed in a good many instances. We re- h in the Province, namely. Charlot- i Prmeeded m T°r°nw t0 “mind t e I tetown and Cardigan, are still open. Canadian No attempt ivas made to have those districts duly represented in this} $1400‘ and “hm Woducts House. Yet dining the campaign in Second District the Premier insist- ed that he needed an Attorney General to carry on the affairs oi the House. I thought my hon. friend was s plucky man. Yet he seems to have taken "cold feet" after the defeat of his candid to in Second Prince. He knew what was coming to him; at least he surmised. So he did not avail himself oi the opportunity of filling those vacancies in the other constituencies. The strength of zhis Government has only been test:d once; and s wood test it was. PREMIER LEA: 'I‘wice. MR. ARSENAULT: That was at the very befnning. They didn't know you people then. (Laughter). But it was tested once and tested well in the strongest Liberal con- Naiional Exhibition. That exhibition cost this Province of our farms svere exhibited? The hon. member himself admitted in this House that he had taken no Island potatoes with him, but _ that New Brunswick potatoes were exhibited 1 instead. lie thought they were ' superior to ours at that time 0! m9 year, the 15th of August. Now Mr. Speaker, we should never allow that lo happen again. We are call- ed "Spud Island" because we err-i tainly can grow potatocs. lllnrket reports from every large centre in Canada and the United States, wherever our potatoes are sold“ bear that statement out. We receive higher prices than any other Pro-I should be there. '(Continued on page 10 Q vince in Canada. We have r. great _ ‘. -w “He-me.- :1‘ 1: i u! eq product, and when potatoes are displayed anywhere in Cam. w Prince Edward Island llotaioeo-a