Ontario Community Newspapers

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 11 Mar 1920, p. 2

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l, The delegates to the Provincial IProhibition Conference were unnod ;Yesterday when they presented their ,requests to Premier E. C. Drury and ihis Ministers at tho Parliament lBuildings. They see): legislative measures and the overcom!ng " nil legal dittltrulties to make Ontario "bone dry." "We desire to enforce the o. T. A. so that there will be no reaction." tsaid Premier Drury in his reply to the speakers of the delegation. "'That line is not (-lcar .vet. One tom. perance organization asks for 'r.rt- ferendum; you ask for Icgirilation. We are, as anxious as you to make prohibition eftlcient. We will move toward that end as quickly as we can, but we will also move with de- liberation." _ . av,.. EDeputation Gets ' l Promise From Govt. The Premier stated also that the Government would consult with tho committee of the. Ontario Alliance regarding ways and means of over- coming the legal difficulties of mak- ing the act efficient. Under present conditions the act could not be com- pletely effective and the Govern- ment would have to seek the me- thod to make it effective. .. With Premier Drury were Hon. w. E. Raney, Hon. Mann1ng Do- herty, Hon. Beniah Bowman, Hon. F. C. Riggs and Hon. H. C. Nixon. Charles E. Steele, President of the Ontario branch of the Domininn Al- liance, introduced the speakers of the delegation, who inaluded Mrs. May Thornley of London, representing the W. C. T. 1'.: Rev. W. E. Pes- cott of London, and Rev. Ben Spence of the Alliance. Are In Accord. The requests made by the delega- tion, which was 250 strong, follow: "Representing the Provincial Prohibition Convention now in seem sion at Massey Hall, We desire to extend to you, Mr. Premier, andi your Government, our sincerest good l wishes, and congratulate the Pro-; Vince of Ontario upon having in.'; charge of public affairs a group ofi men so evidently desirous of pro-l, mating the highest good of the' whole people. l "It is a matter of peculiar grati- ttcation that the policy of the Gov- ernment is in such complete accord with our own, and that We alike seek to give effect to the will of the people as expressed in the referen- dum, and to enact and enforce such prohibitory legislation as lies in the power of the Province. "Believing the Government to be " sincere as ourselves in the de- sire that any legislation should have a firm footing, and as anxious as' ourselves that in whatever action is. taken there should be a minimum' of friction and a maximum of etti- ciency. we have carefully consider- ed the present situation, which we frankly admit is perplexing alike to the Government and the prohibition forces, but It is our judgment that the Dominion Act, commonly known as Bill 26, is so surrounded with difficulties and doubts as to make its use at the present time inadvis- able. "We have, however, empowered our Executive to deal with any changed situation which may arise if these disabilities are remov- ed, and to seek their removal by appropriate legislation. l "We would again call the atten- ltion of your Government to the a memorandum presented by our Ex- lecutive. and would confirm the re- 5 quests at that time made. i "We appreciate and sympathize 'with the difficulties raised by the iletter of the Attorney-General in lreply to the delegation. and are. I anxious, as he is, that the value of Ithe Ontario Temperance Act shall l not be in any way jeopardized. l Clear Up oMncutty. . "We would respectfully suggest. however, that there may be certain amendments made to the Ontario Temperance Act regarding whinh these doubts would not arise. and Would earnestly request that it be made the most effective legal arm possible for tho. suppression of the evils of intomperance within the Province of Ontario. "We would further suggest that your Government seriously consider the taking of action that will help to clear up the constitutional dim- ~dlity' whiéii tra so often proved to be a barrier, preventing the enact- ment of prohibitory legislation. "We recognize that it is neces- sary that legislation ho secured from the Dominion Parliament, and de- sire to inform you of our intention to immediately press at. Ottawa for tho enactment of advanced meatr- urea." an. Mr. Spence said that he wnntod to be sure of his grnund be- tore going ahead. "It is not so munh further voting as further law we want," he said. "We do not want the oxpenso of nnnthor veto until "*0 an, surc- of tlto FIND." Ile said WP are sure or tm- mp... that tho comtnittor' of tht would like to consult am utttirultics with tho Gown He pninted out that the, votod under bone-dry C and that vote on tits' r" munv "want " maintonum Delegates Become Anxious Over Difference of Views Rev J, W. iIihbert. Essex, raised the issue immediately after the opening exercises. "I think," he said. "there are one or two things outstanding in connection with this convention, and the first is that, In some way or another. the breach that has come between the temper- ance forces of this Province ought to be healed. We should let the whole of the program, excepting the evening sessions, go if need be, in order that we should present a solid front in the Province of Ontario." t' tltat It!" I'liillUl III _._'w_" - the limit of I'rovirwial at'tiou. If neorssary to get at the legal as- ports-t. he favored a test vase. The requests, ho said, were passed at the convention without a dissenting voice. "I am absolutely in the dark," he went on, "although I know that there has been considerable con- versation and meetings of the. com- mittee. I submit, sir, that this con- vention should be seized with the whole situation. and that the whole information should be laid before us, so that we can go back to our "onstitueneles and either give a reason for the breach or be able to state that the breach is impossible to overcome." Mr. Hibbort said he was prepared to move that the representatives of the Referendum Committee attend and state their case. "'ould Do No Good. "1 believe we ought to know." he, devlarod. "It was a sad thing to ttors' when I heard the Premier thistsi morning say that they were acting, "q judges betweatan two diff'rwvn! tcnt-' pm'anr-o bodies in this l'rovi.rua." If it would (1:) any growl, I'Q:~;])U:;.:. w! (".\:zi'.m.m "r','tusslis. thr. memlwm of, the lixecmivt: would be only too; willing to do as had been suggested b Mr. Hibbert. It was the intention, a: tha. owning tnetttntr-to luv; M .l often proved, to Cleaver present the details leading up to the conference of yesterday, and the results of the (-ont'erom-n, As to putting it before 0pm conven- tion. he did not think that any gmd could come of "opening up for gun- eral debate some little diforMn-yx of policy which exist hetwoun Hume organizations and the hour" of what was at least at that timo, as: we un- derstand it, the Referendum Com- mittee." Delegate J. J. Haylock, Chatham. backed up the suggestion of Mr. Ilibbert. and asked what the dole» gates were to report whom they re- turned home. He did not know one single thing about the situation, he said. After Mr. Hihbort han domandcd to know why it wan that the I'm- terendum Committee were reprv- sentlng themselves as the official prohibition people of tho Province, he agreed to accept. the suggestion to wait for the report of the Busi- ness Committee. Pulplts Open to "Wetm" J. H. Turner of those in Hanan county. Mr. Turner expressed the pride of his county in having as re- presentative in the legislature a prohibitionist Premier. J. Stirreu spoke for Lambton, and others for North Ontario. welland, Kiwhem-r. Simone. Ottawa, Rainy River and Belleville. Then the meeting was: thrown open for fiv's-tttinute addresses from county representatives, and a dozen men gave brief accounts of the con- dition ot prohibition sentiment m their respective localities. Mr. Hughson Johnsmn, Windsor, said the differences of opinion in the temperance movement did not greatly concern the penplv of Wind- 301'; they were willing and anxinus to inaugurate the last drive which would make Ontario bane dry. He spoke of the difficulties. of the Hur- der City in connection with prohibi- tion, and startled the audience with the declaration that (won some ot the pulpits of that city were open to Liberty ipaquers. "ee" From itec. is. W. Currie the dole- gates heard of the condition of af- fairs in Frontenac county, aha from tl

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