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The Prime Minister's resolution, authorizing the investigation, de-- fining its scope, and naming the committee personnel under the chairmanship of Attorney--General Conant, was adopted with but scat-- | tered dissent from the Opposition | benches, but only after Hon. Leo-- pold Macaulay's amendment, pro-- | viding a place for Mr. Roebuck on | the inquiry body, had been over-- | whelmingly defeated. Bitterness Boils Over. The long--reported bitterness be-- tween the Prime Minister and his former Attorney--General and chief Hydro adviser boiled well over as the latter argued that any Hydro investigating committee without his presence thereon was little more than a "joke," and Mr. Hepburn labelled the contention, and the further Roebuck argument that the | Power Authority allegations should be investigated, as sheer "bunkum and villification," and possibly | "more St. Lawrence propaganda." without you on it, was a joke," the | Premier shot back. "And if that' isn't reflecting on the members of | :h? committee, I don't know what | t is. | Mr. Roebuck, submitted the Pre.| mier, could not possibly sit on the | committee and at the same time be in a position to pass on his ow n actions. _The principle was all wrong. It was not in line with British practice. "I have yet to recall an occasion when a man has sat as a judge of his own adminisiration record. It Is highly improper," claimed Pre. mier Hepburn, "and unusual and 1 don't think there is any precedent | for such a thing." | "I didn't question the integrity of any member of the committee," said Mr. Roebuck. "And the hon-- orable the Prime Minister must not put such statements in my mouth " "You said that the committee, In formally objecting to having been left off the committee, Mr Roebuck declared that there were three different views on the Hydro question; first, that taken by the Government before the reconstitu-- tion of the Hydro Commission; sec-- ond, that taken by the Government after that reconstitution; and third, that taken by the Opposition. His own view, he said, coincided with that taken by the Government be-- fore the Hydro Commission had been reorganized. Any committee to investigate the situation, on which he did not appear, was a "joke," and the general public, he felt. would agree to that. Words Exchanged. "I am not surprised to hear my honorable friend challenge the in-- tegrity of this committee," said Mr. Hepburn, in reply. Premier Hepburn and his follow-- ers refused yesterday in the Legis-- lature to add former Hydro Com-- missioner Roebuck's name to the special House committee investigat-- ing Hydro contracts of present and past, or to consider the recent charges of the New York State Power Authority as sufficiently im-- portant to bring them within the scope of the probe. Inquiry a Joke Without Him, Says Roebuck -- N.Y. State Authority's Charges Ignored BITTERNESS FL'ARES Hepburn Refuses to 'Add Former Minister to Committee and Move Voted Down in House At this juncture, Mr. Roebuck in-- troduced the subject of the recent report of the New York State Power Authority, suggesting that the com-- mittee resolution be left stand until copies of the report could reach the House, and members could decide whether the charges it contained should be also reviewed in the in-- vestigation. They were "exceedingly serious charges," he maintained, iIimplywing that private power inter-- ests were in league to thwart the St, Lawrence development and to make Ontario and the State of New York entirely dependent for future power on private interests' produc-- tlion and supply. . __ . _ _ A. H. Acres (Cons., Carleton) felt that not only Mr. Roebuck, but his one--time Hydro associate, Hon. T. B,. McQuesten, both should be named to the committee, in order that they could be examined at any time by other committee members. Held Highly Improper. "If he (Mr. Roebuck) wants to amend the motion that his name be added to the committee, I would be agreeable," he said. Colonel Fraser Hunter (Lib., St. Patrick) agreed with the position taken by the Prime Minister. "You can't have a member of the commit-- tee judge and jury and prisoner--at-- the--bar, all in one." recommended four from his party to make up the committee of twelve. Attorney--General Conant called the _ committee "a semi--judicial body," and held that it would be "highly improper'" and '"impossible" to give Mr. Roebuck a place on it. "It is useless," said he, "to say that this Power Authority body is of no importance. Its power and purpose and direction are the same as the Hydro Commission's, aside from its achievements. The charges they have made are too grave to overlook. I think they should be taken into consideration by your committee at the same time they are examining the contracts. As for my stand with regard to the committee itself, let me say that I am not one to seek position. When [ spoke, as I have just done, I spoke not for myself, but in the interests of the general public." Called Bunkum. He pointed out that when the question of the personnel was men-- tioned, the Premier indicated that he desired (two Liberals to each Mr. Macaulay emphasized at that point, "I made the suggestion that the honorable member from Beli-- woods be added to the committee the last day the matter was under discussion in the House and it was not made in any derogatory way, I have no objection to adding his name to the committee." ks y & 0 _0 CTEMETEAIVECy ATITIOUKEE, U Labor, said that he was associated early in the Hydro work with Sir Adam Beck and that its cause was dear to his heart. He was confident, he said, that the public would be tatisfied with the findings of the committee named by the Premier. He regretted, too, the attitude taken by Mr. Roebuck. Macaulay Agreeable. "I have heard my honorable friend use worse language than that," snapped the Premier, and continued, saying that Mr. Roebuck was using an argument based on a report that came from an organi-- zration of which no one knew the management or its status. "The bunkum that has emanated from my honorable friend," snapped Premier Hepburn, '"is possibly just some more St. Lawrence prop-- aganda." "Point of order." shouted Mr. Roebuck, rising to his feet. "Bunk-- um is not an expression common to the deliberations and procedure of this honorable House. And I don't like it." onservative, and on that basis he }'{-on. M.! ry:_Manride. Minister of March 2 3 He pointed out that there had reached the Government's ears re-- cently word that the Village of Michipicoten had taken formal ac-- tion toward secession, and that upon investigation it was found that the movement was backed by only three persons. Investigation might reveal something of the same con-- dition regarding the New York State Power Authority's report, and y " C iA VY CE AXULUCTOLICSY '"My honorable friend (Mr. Roe. buck) can go in and make another nine--hour speech if he wants 1to," he added. '"'The Govornment has no inten-- tion of naming any member for the committes whase own administra-- tion may be under investigation," said Mr. Hepburn. 7 j Puiint uc brotviatvintay Aimiiiaks <ct s & 12 4s\ he emphasized that the resolution, as far as he was concerned, would stand as it was. "Oh yes you do," said Mr. Hep-- burn. "Oh, I don't know," said Mr. Macaulay. "The present Attorney--General," said Mr. Macaulay, "is in no better position than the former Attorney-- General. He gave you advice on how to proceed in the recent con-- tracts settlement, and yet he is sit-- ting as chairman of the committee that is being appointed." y + "You agreed to Mr. Hepourn said. "Yes," said Mr. Macaulay, "and now I'm trying to get you to agree to let the member for Bellwoods (Mr. Roebuck) be added." Later, M". Macaulay proposed his amendment covering Mr. Roebuck's inclusion. "It's not acceptable," said the Premier, and the vote fol-- lowed. Mr. Hepburn. a \ not zgoing to do it," declared the committee,"