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I Hon-Arthur Meighen because of their apparent Conservatism down to sharpr criticism of the Hydro's purchases of, 1 large blocks of power, even after the. 1929 stock-market crash, when it was recognized, he said, that the country [would have to go slow on expenditures for a long time. ', Standing on the common ground , general public belief that more light should be turned on Hydro than now obtains, the Liberal House Leader and Hon. H. C. Nixon carried warm battle to the Government and its iiiitiiii,? day attitude. Mr. Sinclair ranged his attack from a demand for an enforced retirement from the Hydro Commis- sion SS. Alfred Maguire and Right a" _ .... 'IRAI.J|._M n, - - Mr. Sinclair's amendment. Coming, after a restrained but rcdoubtable speech, had the effect of forcstalling the proposed Nixon amendment on the Aird-Beauhamois matter, but, never- theless. won from the Progressive Leader, and his followers their endor- sation and support. ficiency of the Commission under which Mr. Justice Middleton was new acting; demanded from the Govern- ment 8. new Commission of three Judges, with adequate counsel, and moved a want of confidence amend- ment condemning the Henry Admin- istration for failure to refer the $125,- 000 AirdrBeauharnois payment. to the present probe, along with no less than seven power contracts into which the Hydro has entered within the last five years. Has Mr. Nixon's Support. 1 Deploring Insufficiency of Commission, Oppo- sition House Leader Presents Want-of-Con- fidence Motion for Fail- ure of Government to Refer Aird Payment to Inquiry William E. N. Sinclair. K.C., their Leader. made that perfectly plain to a crowded legislature, yesterday att- ernoon, when, in continuing the Ad- No "t,wo-reterence" Royal Commis- sion inquiry on Hydro is going to satisfy the elected Liberal members of the Ontario Legislature. MAGUIRE, MEIGHEN UNDER CRITICISM Nixon Supports Liberal Thrugt; To Be 5io "Fishing Expedition," Defiant Premier Tells House Objection Is Raised to Partyism on H y d r o Board and Retirement of Two Members De- m a n d e d--"Innocent and Unsuspecting" Mr. Cooke Also ls Target debate. he deplored the insuf- He urged also that the Government bills be presented as early as pos- sible, so that it might be possible for the members to study them for some days. "Only in case of grave neces- sity should Government bills be in- troduced late in the session," he said, recalling that last session forty-one bills were introduced in the last eight days. which, he said, did not allow the members time to give them pro- per_St?nttideration., _ _ 7 - - Sinclair said. urging the retirement: from the Hydro Commissinn of Right Hon. Senator Mpighsn. "I would say he Should resign, and in his place there should be an outstanding non- partisan man to inspire confidence in Hydro and get away from the political slant." "I hardly think them will be an election this year; I hardly think the Government is in the suicide class. But I do think a wise thing for the Government would be for it to tell you straight that there will be no election this troublous year." said Mr. Sinclair. in his speech. He recalled that he had urged economy, of which today there is so much talk, under Premiers Whitney, Drury, Ptr- guson and Henry, and had "been held at ridicule at all times." Both Leaders were also bold in their condemnation of the failure to include the $125,000 Aird payment in the references, with Mr. Nixon particularly outspoken in this con- nectlon. "If Aird," said Mr. Nixon, "put it Hall over' Sweezey (as the Premier 'says he did) to the tune of $i25,000, what must he have done to my honorable friend, the innocent and unsuspecting farmer (Hon. J. R. Cooke, Hydro Chairman) from the hard scrabble of North Hastings, when the tune was only $50,000{ (Madawaska payment)? If Aird; gave satisfactory service for value ro- ceivcd in the one case why shouldn't' we assume that he did so in the other? The two are so closely iii) ordinated that I do not, see why thef Commissioner should exclude the} one in dealing with the other." 2 Mr. Sinclair Speaks. I I vauu 11 form," that 1 now 1 Dower, .17l.l1i.t1ctu.tttpg?.lttt..t.tg.tt.gtMil', Mr..- ernment in appointing the present Middleton Commission". That the appointment had been sprung, al- most on the eve of the Legislature opening, so as to render sub judice in the House the matters referred for inquiry, was their contention. That $125,000 Payment. you]. lol' Instance, is now being de- livered to the Commission in excess of requirements. and sold back for a {motion of the cost; that millions of dollars have been paid by the Hydro for alleged assets that are in reality "worse than scraps or Junk"----; be cleared up this session if the House has to sit until midsummer. Both Leaders were forcibly critical of the methods employed by the Gov- ernment in appointinnr thn mam-d Mr. Nixon varied his assault from contention that if John Aird Jr. swore falsely before the Beauharnols Com- mittee the Attorney-tkd/Ai of On- tario had a "very definite duty to per- form." to the compelling reminder that the 1mtxmtradioted allegations now sweeping the country -- that Rowen for instance, is now helm: de- Clean.. Feb, 17, up Demanded "Aird says he told chczey he could help him get; the Hydro contract." he went on. "How could he do so with- out, instructions from Hydro as to price, tte.? If Aird's story is true, he must have been employed and in- vetructed by Hydro, and therefore Hy- fro is involved. If Aird constituted himself an agent for Hydro, then he would have to take back his report to (ki/if/i, for confirmation, and again Hydro would be involved. So, Hydro '---atwording to Aird's evidence-holds .the secret of the truth or falsity of 'the Aird claims. The Government will not allow an investigation. so the Aird-Hydro arrangement must re- main in the dark for the present, if there was such an arrangement. The Aird statements stand tmeomaborated imiess Hydro comes to his aid. If 'tvera comes to his aid, it becomes in- szi'plviili. and an investigation is war- rant. In '3' l "The evidence of Sweezey has been gthken as correct in all other political .contributions, and the only exception was in the Aird case," he went on. {mung that it was shown that Sweezey had made political contribu- tions, and the committee had adopt- ed his evidence as true. Aird, he. .continued. admitted he got $125,000, -,saying it was commission on the Hy- dn, contract. He cauld not. Mr. Sin- pltrir averred, be working for Hydro gunless employed by it. Situation Analyzed. "This makes a pretty militant Con- servative line-up for the Hydro Com- mission," he declared. "I suggest that Mr. Meighen should resign from the Commission - although not in any personal way-as r he will have to be at, Ottawa four or five months in the year, and, if he can be away that length ot time, there is no need for three Commis- sioners. If he can have four or tive months away from the Commission, 'what is the need of having some one I else on the Commission? It looks as if an honorarium were being paid 'pyhere there is no work to be done." .l.liiiiiil,ii"i to Mr. Maguire. l Hydro Ccmmi.csioner Maguire was 'challengcd by the Liberal Leader to p"oduce one of the briefs to which the (Mr. Maguire) made reference in his kipeech some days ago. and added that ')tl1t Commissioner had admitted his gerror in his charges regarding the gLiberal attitude at the last session by yiailing to make any reply. - i:,') ' "John Aird Jr. Says that he got the $125,000 not as a political contribu- tion. but as commission on a Hydro comm," Mr. Sinclair said. "rf it; 'was so, who sent, Mr. Aird to nego- tiate the deal?" Mr. Sinclair read the evidence of both Mr. Sweezey and Mr. Clrifrith, both of whom pstated that the money was paid to Mini as a political _eontributrion. Mr. Sinclair said that Conservatism was apparently creeping in the Hydro Commission, and the only impression which the public could form was that it was a Conservative Commission. He stated that the Chairman cf the Commission is a, member of the Gov- ernment. who "takcs his place with the rest of them in political fights"; that "Alfred Maguire says he is no longer a Liberal, and apparently shows it,"; and that, Right; Hon. Arthur Meighen is "now Lead: I' of the Con- servative Party in the Senate, and of necessity must, be in the political battle." He said, further. of Senator Meighen that "if he docsn't tight political battles every day he loses his Job." "Conservatism Creeping In."