The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Legislature Legali Probe Iinto Diff £ y C Amendment -- Adopted * "Take the case of Toronto," con-- Promuses M e m b es tinued the Hydro vice--chairman. "At the preesnt time, Toronto is paying Reporf on R e s U 'fs in the neighborhood of $22.50 for s power and if the flat rate were to Development of the St. Lawrenc®e _ pe established, it would increase | River as a poweor project by the the cost of power to Toronto by Etate of New York and the Prov-- approximately $1.15 per horsepower. ince of Ontario. was predicted in '"'The flat rate for Hydro would | the Lnglflmurr.lafl night by W. I be one of the finest things we| Houck, vice--chairman of the Ontario could adopt in order to drive indus--| Hydro _ Commission. . Mr. Houck iry from this Province," declared gkpoke in reply, to _ a_ resolution MY. Houck. : eponsored by Col. T. L. Kennedy Advocating a flat rate for Hydro Prog. Con., Peel) asking for a flat in all parts of the Province, Col. T.' wrate for hydro. y L. Kennedy reviewed the . history An amendment submitted by ,\I.r. of hydro in his own Toronto Town-- Houck, to lhr-'ot"fe(-l that the (hx:apo ship where hydro came in at $4 H,\'d_ro Commxsupn take steps to in-- per month, in 1909. | vestigate the dl[f.oxmu'f" in power "The farmers damned hydro with costs in the Province with a view fierce hatred," he said, "because' to ad)us:.mont. was 'adopiod'h;. ine hydro had come through their farm House. 'The amendment also de-- land, whether shale or fruit land, clared that a report would be 'm:mP put up their standards and allowed , to the Lp;"gl.a",m'. on the ,"f'."'"'f of the farmer only $30 for a 30--year the commission's inquiry. The l\nn'- mortgage on the land used, then nedy motion was thus automati-- wanted them to sign up for power. oally defeated with acceptance of the amendment. Rates Differ, "I am firmly of the opinion, an« In those days the farmers said it is my own idea, that the tim« they wouldn't trust Hydro, said Col. will come when the State of New Konnedy. "Later farmers had been York and the Province of Ontario persuaded to take power on a me-- will develop the St. Lawrence as a tre rate and even in two buildings power project," said Mr. Houck. "I on his own farm, the rates differed. believe woe will discard the thought "So the {armers put up their own that four Governments must be con-- Hne after his appeal to Sir Adam cerned in the development. It is my Beck for a more even rate had re-- view that we shall have to turn to sulted in further displeasure among ;his source almost before we realize them. t. "So we dug our own postholes "Ontario stands ready to assume and put up our own wire at $1,400 bhoer share of the responsibility for a mile while the Hydro paid £2,000," this tremendous undertaking." con-- he said. "Rates were evened up, timued the Hydro vice--chairman. "At always against the desire of the the present time the St. Lawrence Hydro. gd@evelopment is still a political foot-- Col. Kennedy maintained that ball." what his township had done, any Coupled with Mr. Houck's St. one could do. Lawrence views was his statement Opposition Leader Drow declared # reduction in power costs was in Mr. Houck's amendment that the the of{fing through a proposed amal-- Hydro Commission inquire into dif-- gamation of the Niagara and the ferences in power costs an effort to Eastern and Georgian Bay systems. put the Opposition's uniform rates Districts now paving more than the resolution into cold storage and average for their power would re-- avoid discussion. He castigated the ecsive a worthwhile reduction in Government for delay in calling the their bills in the event the amalga-- main resolution which meant its mation came to pass, he said. defeat. The "unique" amendment, Cites Flat Rate Dangers., he said, was moved by the vice-- Mr. Houck cited some of the chief ch'avlr.man and addressed 10_. his come-- j mission and had the effect of tell-- gisadvantages and dangers of a flat in= himself he did not know how , Hydro rate in Ontario. When Hydro & is own Sob was first started some 30 years ago to do his own job. there were about 30 municipalities Rees No Cost Rise. which signed contracts with the There was nothing in equalizing Provincial Commission to buy power power rates that would raise the on a cost basis. Today there were eost, to anvy municipality by one cop-- 293 cost customers buying power. er, Col. Drew said. A power trans-- "Would these municipalities tear rnission grid had been built up here up their contracts and ask us to as in countries which had brought have all costs pooled?" asked Mr. about uniform rates. ; Houck. '"The term 'repudiation' has Although a resolution could not aften been referred to on the floor be passed in the dying hours of the of this House. Certainly if we ad-- aeents here to a flat rate business it would | be nothing more or less than re--| pudiation as far as these contracts with the various municipalities are eoncerned." |