Ontario Community Newspapers

Ontario Scrapbook Hansard, 29 Feb 1928, p. 3

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Premier G. Howard Férguson gave this information to the Legislature yes-- terday in response to the appeal for "further direction from the House" which was launched last Friday by the Privileges and Elections Commit-- tee, when its members were deadlocked over the issue before them for settle-- ment. But Speeches and Actions in Committee Already Have Lent Political Color to Inquiry, Premier As-- serts, and He Declares Judicial Finding Will Be More Acceptable weeks, has been taken out of the hands of the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the Legislature, and will be turned over to a tribunal from the Su-- preme Court Bench--Hon. Mr. Justice James McGee and Hon. Mr. Justice Frank E. Hodgins. A Royal Commission will be is-- sued immediately vesting these Judges with full authority to conduct the inquiry, Announcement to House. SAYS BALLOT BOX 7O BE PROTECTED Investigation of the 19 "wan-- dering ballots" from the last Provincial election in the Elec-- coral District &f South Ottawa, which has been so much in the public eye for the past two Premier _ Ferguson _ An-- nounces to Legislature T hat Justices Magee and Hodgins of _ Supreme Court Will Hold Judicial Investigation Into Events Revealed in Speech of Liberal Leader COMMITTEE'S WORK IS HALTED AND INQUIRY IS TRANSFERRED TO TWO ROYAL COMMISSIONERS Probe Ballot Mystery High Court Judges to \'\_} Q.A"r\e In reviewing the "ballots case" in the House yesterday, Mr. Ferguson expressed the belief that Mr. Sinclair's stand in the matter--the tonor of certain of his utterances, and his allowing certain newspapers to photograph the ballots for purposes of reproduction--had lent a politicel or party coloring to the situation which had not made for ju-- dicial treatment of the matter. The mental attitude of certain sections of the committee, not to speal; of that of the general public, had become agi-- tated and high strung, and he no longer thought that the committee could bring in a report that would prove accentable. "I think," said Mr. Ferguson, "in the general public interest we want to maintain the highest possible standard of morality in the public life of this Erovince. We are desirous of purging the air of any suspicion of impropriety or irrogularities whatscover in connec-- tion with this matter. The Government has given the mattor very serious con-- sideration, and we have reached the con-- clusion that the Privileges and Elections Committee shall no longer carry on the Premier Ferguson announced in the Legislature yesterday that the inquiry into the Ottawa ballots, started by the Committee on Privileges and Elections, would be transferred to a Royal Commission. The Com-- missioners will be Hon. James Magee and Hon. Frank E. Hodgins, members of the Supreme Court of Ontario, Appellate Division. HON. JAMES MAGEE T O STUDY BALLELEOT PUZZLILE D fullest eco--opor, order to get to which ho thon: ous as 1t Iool:> tection of th sacred. and no done to presom nrot""t it acai t 2744 i0 Benen: ) hear all 27 be ral HON. FRANK E. HODGINS 'ction of Ballot add40Ci m t i may PY 11 111 t1 1t against suspicion commissioners, he 3 ; lhat Judges should be asked 1 evidence, so that a finding 'turned which will be agree-- e rencral public, and so that extreme critics of the Gov-- vill not have the opportunity that the Government is hid-- aing or is shiclding anything o nctions of a committes in lay have a majority of meimn--

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