which 14. 1941__ rut usnnrsos enter

(continued from PIC! l3)

up“; o! their assumed 900ml‘ ‘m... while on the same ground we receive only 45c. What justice 1g more in this? It is little Won- der ma; s11 these Provinces have closed me year with large sur- pluses while we have our usual deficit, to add to our enormous “ti... No. a-onr Share of the Fishery Award.

we have a claim in justice and equuy to our proportion of four snd a half millions of dollars hem y; Csnsds. The damages had arisen to us before Confed- eration. The award was paid after Confederation _and thus the money went into Canada's hands, They claim to hold as trustees for the Provinces affect- “; m4 s sum supposed lo repre- gent the net interest is distribut- ,d in bounties. But the lion's share is secured by Nova Scotla

our share has long been plac- ,d at one million dollars. and if we obtained this share it would enable us to double the fishing bounties now paid and leave a Large amount to be applied to jmprovcmentl.

-Th15, tlrenuis the position in “high the opposing local parties “and respecting this Island's claims against Canada.

The Liberal delegates had the opportunity at the conference of 190a to have presented qur rlnims in full.

They utterly failed to d» so.

ma,“ they agreed to make the settlement final and unalter- lbrlrae ma] government and their followers in the House ratified the ruinous bargain.

so far as the Liberal Govern- ment at Ottawa snd the Local Libcml Government are concern- ed these terms are “final and unalterable."

But this is where the people of this Province have a voice. The doors at Ottawa are closed against the present local govern- ment by their own'act; they are closed against the people of this Province. if they ratify the sov- nrnmellt’! act at the coming elec- tion. '

If on the other hand. they re- fuse to do so by turning them out o! power, the Province can go forward, supported by s united people, and force the recognition of our claims.

Our claims are so clear and strong that when properly pre- sented they cannot be resisted. Remember that our present gov- ernment has never properly pre- sented these claims. They have no sympathy with them. Look back on the record of the past four years and judge of their seal."

In 1005 a joint resolution of this- House was passed setting forth this Island's grievances respect- ing Winter Communication snd urging the construction of the mnnel. The Opposition gave the Government every assistance in preparing and passing the me- morial. The government sent four of its members to carry it to Ottawa. We had to pay them I440 for the trip-and that la the only thing we have on record in respect thereto. They never rc- ported to the country what they had done. nor where they had gone.‘ Last session. when the cor- rslpondence was asked for, the answer Ins that there was none.

Again in the session of 1900. a resolution of’ the House was pas- sed ordering the government to draw the attention ofthe Gov- ernor-Gcneral-in-Council to the resolution of 1005.

Last seaaion Mr. Moi-son asked what action had been taken on the Resolution of 190d and he received the reply never been presented.

Mr. Prowse asked for s copy of the correspondence between the government of this Province and tho Government of Canada re- specting the estsblimment of an experimental farm. and he re- ceived the answer. “There is no correspondence to be tabled at present. It is not in the public interest." ~

Mr. Prowse asked for a return of all correspondence to date in relation to the Hillsboro Bridge. He was answered, “There is no correspondence." Yct the govern- ment of Canada had charged two years interest when the bridge had only been regularly opened for traffic for one year.

Mr. PYaser asked for a return showing all the correspondence between the governments respect- ing the claim of this Province to s share l the lilshbry Award. The anlw r of the Premier was "Iihere is no correspondence."

Personally, I asked respecting‘ the unanimous Resolution of the House. passed in 1907. for the preparation of all the Island's claims against Canada. The sna- wcr was that the resolution was not completed.

Wc asked the Cum issioner ofl Alflcultura for a statemmt of the immigrants who had coma to the Island through the instru- mcntality of our agent in Britain snd for a copy of all his corre- lilondence. The swer was that no correspondent! had taken lilsce. One immigrant had come snd gone. The government hsd not known his name nor what hld become of him. _

It ‘is thus with ill our inter- ests. The present government either cannot or will not advo- cate our clef-Ins.

Alrlcllltslrd

A new department of Agricul- ture was established by the

present Government. It never Wls given a fair_ chance. The Commissioner of Agriculture

should have been a man of ex- perience snd of ‘special knoyledgo,

his subject. This has not been the case. Good men holding subordinate positions in the serv- ice have not been wanting snd VI have some excellent men

that. it. had‘

still. but until w. place at the head of this departmept a man of special fitness failure will con- tinue to mark it for its own. There is no more important matter under the control o! this department than the Stock Farm. It had rendered a splendid ser- vice to this Island and might have been developed into great- cr value still but it has been des- troyed, possibly

beyond repair, through the negligence and in- competence of the successive

Commissioners of Agriculture. Be- fore their unfortunate advent it was a thriving and beneficial in- stitution. Look at the records for the proof.

In 1&0 this is the report. “The stock is healthy and in tine con- ditlon." (Signed) Pieter rvrcuutt. chairman, Peter Sinclair, Anthony McLaughlin.

In i901 the report read: "The stock is in fine condition." (Sign- ed) Berri. Rogers. Chairman.

Experimental work was carried on wit: oromis of valuable re- suits. Model orchards were set out ut considerable expense. It was hoped that the department would render valuable assistance in organizing and aiding the dairy industry. None of our hopes have been realized.

The first Commissions: of Ag-|

rhlllture as his first official act of anymonsequence broke the law by importing cattle without inspection.

The buildings on the farm were growing old and required atten- tion. Of this he was duly warn- ed in the House but without avail and an employee of the depart- ment reported in i904; "The stables are cold. poorly lighted and ventilated, entailing an in- creased amount of feed and viti-

nled conditions in the animals. The roofs require to be re- shingled and the floors are in

need of repairs." ,,

imported wtithout inspection and disease-breeding conditions fost- ered, tuberculosis seized upon the herd. Concealment was practis- ed to an extent that was little less than criminal and many a progressive farmer in this Island purchased the diseased stock to the injury or ruin ‘pf his herd. Long before the general expos- ure came it was known by the department that the herd had be- come diseased. The reports show only that it was being “weeded out" which in plain English meant that on many a night the cattle. sickened unto death, were taken out and slaughtered. and buried in the dark while those not so far advanced in disease were sold for food to the innocent public. Professor Ready said in 1905. "That until the oversight of the orchards is given to a competent man, the orchards can serve no useful purpose and because of their neglected condition will be an injury rather than s help." Step by ste'p we‘ have moved backward until today the Stock Farm is regarded as a danger to the country rather than a bene- fitt. The experimental efforts have been given up snd no one can say that in the field of co- operative dairying this depart- ment has rendered any appreci- able aid. -

The educational system of this Island must be brought into sc-

cord with its main business- agriculture. No man was ever endowed’ with such mental RlfN

that he might not find full ex- pression for them in the field of agriculture and subjects bearing upon it. In our public schools we profess to teach agriculture but it is s shad-n. The text book is obsolete and deals with condi- tions that may exist in England but do not apply here.

We must next consider what our rights are from Canada in respect to agriculture. Experi- mental Farms have been estab- lished in the various Provinces of the Dominion. except in P. E. Island. at an immense cost in which we share. Their experi- ments are of little or no value to us because applied to soil and climate conditions different from our qvn. We need the experi- ments to be made here and in conditions that will be of actual value. It is easy to show that in the Royalty of Charlottetown the rich old heavily manured lands can produce certain results but that is not all we especially wish to know. What we do wish to know is how we can take our cxhnustcd lands. our "back fields" and with the moans at our com- mand greatly increase their pro- duction. science ca-n help us ad that is the help we want.

Public Works

This service £135 been growing from bad to wor e for many years. This year the work upon roads was delayed until _ summer was over snd now in the face of an election, activity in spending money on work that is too late. is to be seen on ev- ory hand. ~

We‘ believe that the people da- sire to sec the direct result of their taxes and that under the system proposed we will get far better results than heretofore and that waste will be reduced to the minimum.

The methods that prevailed in the cases of large expenditures made on Vernon River Bridge and other works showed incom- petence of the grossest kind: Money ls paid away without any check. contracts are let to fav- criteo- without competition; the lowest tender is passed over without lny‘ cause; tribute is lev- ied upon contractors for elec- tion purposes. In short, there are in this department instances of all the abuses of‘ moribund government.

Education-School Books This is a grievance of long

standing affecting many "people. The publishers of school books

have not been slow to take s4- vantage of the weaknesses of Governments and government of- ficers and have made their con- tracts exceedingly profitable to themselves and possibly to oth- ers at the expense of the people who have to pay theprlco. The Whitney government in Ontario first took up the case on be-

half of the people. They appointg

ed a compet t commission to enquire into the whole matter. With startling results they found that the prices charged were ex- horbitsnt and the quality of the goods "inferior. The result was a new contract under which 'a set of books which formerly cost $1.15 is now purchased for 40c. It has been said that these books

were old books which the pubiish-

ers had on hand and would have to sell at any price. This is not true. They are new books which are being printed and bound under the new contract.

If the some scale of decrease in prices were obtained by us as at Ontario.

Book 3 costing 35c would be bought for 7c.

Book 2 costlnl, 80c would bought for 9c.

Book 8 costing 85c would bought for 10c.

Boo 4 costing 45c would bought for 15c. -

l And a like reduction for all other text books. Ontario has a series of its own and has sup- plied the plates to the publish- ers. If we would require a spe- cial series for this Province we would require to make allowance on this ground but if we would continue as in the past to adopt text books in use 1n the other

be be

If

Provinces then there is no res-l

son why we should not obtain n reduction equal to that o! Ont- ario. '

' New Brunswick has taken the matter up under Premier Hosea

~ Th9 931190180 MPPsflBd- C8101! and already has made arrange-

ments whereby 40 per cent of the ,cost of the school books issued and the price of school supplies greatly reduced. What would such s reduction mean to us?

. Last year the enrollment of pupils in our public schools was 'l9,000. The average cost of books ‘for each pupil is generally plac- led at n00 which would total $38,000, 40 per cent saved on this would equal $15,200 per annum. 1ft is well worth while.

Government Unsympnthetlo

‘The Government is not in sym- pathy with the movement for cheaper school books. In 190"! l introduced a resolution asking that a committee be appointed by the House to take the matter up. On the request of the Prom- ier and relying upon hcls promise, given in the House. to have the grievance removed at once 1 withdrew the resolution. The onLv action taken was the publication of s report by the Superintend- ent of Education justifying the frequent change of text books and their price. It was nothing more

or less than a brief’ prepared on|

behalf of the school book pub- lfshers to show we are not used any worse than the Yukon, Jam- aica, and some of the Canadian Provinces.

| In the last session I again in- ‘tmduced the resolution which is in the following words: Whereas the frequent changing of our text books authorised for use in the Public Schools and the excessive prices charged for the same im- pose a heavy burden upon the parents and guardians of the children of this Provinco-"Be it theredore resolved that a com- mittee be appointed to enquire into the matter and to select suitable text books for use in the public schools of this Province and to recommend such action as appears best in order to secure such books at reasonable prices and to prevent unnesessnry chan- ges for the future."

‘Ihe Government adopted the

whole preamble of this resolu--

tion. thus admitting all the griev- ances and substituted for the res- olution the following:-

"Be it therefore resolved that this House quthorize the Gov- ernment to appoint s Commis- sion ,to examine into and report upon the whole question of edu- cation in this Province including the most suitable _school books for use in the public schools and the best means of obtaining the same.

We claimed at the time that this was but a means to dodge the question and so it has prov- cd. The spring is gone. the sum- mer is ended. the harvest is past, and still there is no commission and still the parents are paying irihlto to t-he monopolists in Toronto who fatten on the plun- der- wrung from them and from lane children of this Province.

- The average salaries of teach-

ers of every class has fallen great-. az-ly under this Government. Ouri

inducements to teachers to re- main in the profession have grown fewer and less. In supple- ments and bonuses they have been reduced by $10,000 per sn- num. In the practical subjects such as agriculture and nature study there has been a decrease, while in classical subjects the increase is very large. We are steadily growing less practical. f There is no profession in which .a special training. is more essen- tial than in ‘ aching. This was recognised many years ago when s normal school was established. Its subsequent amaksmstion with P. W. Collage practically put it out of existence. In this re- spect we have much lost ground to regain.

l ~ Reform Of Election laws

Vole by balloL-Thls system

has been discussed for centuries‘

and has been adopted generally as the one throush which tho greatest liberty exists and public sentiment finds most accurate‘ expression.

This government in i001. find- ing a number of election petitions

bei

___tjl-iEH CHARLOTTETOWN ' GUARDIAN

filed against its members and followers. proceeded to legislate the petitions out of existence.

Security had been given as the lsw required by the petitioners. The law of 1901 required $600.00 in cash to be put up in addition. This blocked all the petitions ex- cept one in which the petitioner

succeeded. , Another enactment of this Government tending downward

provides that a member cannot be unsested for corrupt practises of_ his agents unless they were so many as to affect the result of the election. In the past ses- sion many amendments to bring the lalw up to the standard of Canada and the other Pmvlncu were proposed by the Opposition but voted down by the Liberal majority.

gThey passed a law requiring a deposit of $700.00 to be made be- fore action could be taken against a member for violation of the In- dependence of Parliament. They voted clown an amendment to provide for the punishment of attempts to commit corrupt prac- tises. Every change de in ‘recent years in our Elec ion Laws has been to make them more lax and the road of the wrong doer easier.

P105 Accounts

Since i891 the Legislative As-'

sembly has lost all control over the public expenditure: In all $316,000 have 'Jc€n spent without iconstltutional authority. An Audi- tor. clothed with proper powers

would have made this outrage im-l

‘possible. Every payment should be scrutinized by this officer and no money paid until appropriated. The lax and inaccurate methods of this office were exemplified ‘last year in the falsification of [the debt balance for the year. In the interests of the Prov- ince a thorough investigation must be made of all the Public "Accounts. The Public Accounts Committee was strangled last ,year by the incompetence of the lchainnan and the interference of _the Premier with the witnesses. It was the worst cxhibiiion ltyranny since the days of lsponsible government. The Public Accounts for the year ending 30th Sept. 100'! show- ling a total expenditure of 0361.-

Y9-

15884. and receipts of 335037909. Ho

and a deficit of $10,679.85. _ But this balance is arrived at by falsely crediting in the re- ceipts the sum of $35,000 which [was not received until two months after the year closed. Taking the accounts as they stand with this correction the apparent defi- _clt would be $45.6'l9.85. But this [leaves unpaid a liability on un- ~finished Contracts of 343304-94 ‘and also for interest accrued on ‘loans $11,004.33 making in all the gum of coooocm without taking into aooount the other deferred payments which would bring the total up to an enormous sum. Row much it amounts to cannot be computed. - The Premier refused to give a statement of the necessary fig- ures in the House and would not

permit his officer to give evi- dence on it before the Public Accounts Committee. The fin-I

iancial position o! this Island-is

the worst in its history. ‘Ihe ex-

penditure hss increased by 01w.- per annum and the interest

dtarge alone will make s. deficit $40,000 per snnum.

Economy must be practised rigidly pending the successful prosecution of our claims against Canada. We should have enough

build up every service and

get along in comfort without re- sorting to direct taxation. ‘ The country has borne with the rifle of this party for i'l years. . During that period the world outside has not been standing lstill. Canada. west of the’ Marl- fime Provinces. has advanced Wlvith long strides. The Provinces by the sea have not moved for- ward with the rest and our little Island has fared worst of all.

Drained Of Resources

, We have been drained of our men snd our resources to build up the Western Country and in

the end have seen it given away. We have borne the burden

,without sharing in the benefit. i Yearly there is being drained away at least one million dol- lars. with no return. and“ our young men are following the money.

When has this Local Govern- ment been heard to raise its voice, or known to move its hands. to obtain justice from . Canada?

What of the Fishery Award? We were promised arbitration; a case stated; then friendly con- sideration; now nothing.

Not one single claim has been presented to Canada during all .these years except for damages

for non-fulfilment of the‘ terms _of Union and that was sold out ifor 20 per cent of its value. Now

by the subsidies agreement they ‘have closed the door against lthemselves. to present any further ,claims. They have obtained they say $100,000 of subsidies. Is this true? No. They have sacrificed one claim for a subsidy of 09°.-

of-

Mossthly School Reports

NOTBE ‘DAME HONOR ROLL

ACADEM Y

Grade X-Mabel Watts; Eleanor Hynes; Mildred Fardy ,

Gracie 1X.—Mary Cwighatr; Jus- tine Nealis; Janet Mc-Calium. a l