Meantime, Mr. Premier Martin had been carrying many Bills through the Legislature and making speeches in different parts of the Province. At Estevan on Mar. 12 he made a strong impression and the local Mercury declared that "the Premier bears the stamp of the leader of men; and a brain which can shape thoughts as fast as his tongue can utter them must indeed be big enough and active enough to grasp all the problems that are likely to confront the people of Saskatchewan." There were two Legislative Sessions in 1917 with the Election between. The 6th Session of the 3rd Legislature was opened on Jan. 25 by Lieut.-Governor R. S. Lake, with a Speech from the Throne which expressed regret at the illhealth which had compelled the Hon. Walter Scott to resign the Premiership after 11 years of able service, and referred to the change in the Governor-Generalship; declared that in the great War-struggle Canada had striven to the full extent of her powers to bear her part and that "throughout the whole British Empire, as well as among the Allied nations, there is a grim determination to carry on the contest until victory is positively assured for the permanent establishment and maintenance of those ideals and principles which in the first instance induced the Allies to resort to arms"; approved the National Service proposals of the Federal Government, described the peace-time settlement of the soldier as a vital problem and hoped for an arrangement by which many would settle on Saskatchewan Crown lands; stated that the Patriotic Tax levy on the municipalities had met, on the whole, with a hearty response$815,000 received and $185,000 still due; regretted the crop losses of 1916 from rust and hail which ran into millions and made a reorganization of municipal Hail Insurance necessary; mentioned the holding back of the 1913 law as to Farm Loans at low rates because of the high values of money and promised a new measure dealing with the problem; intimated measures improving the Workmen's Compensation Act; enacted some of the reforms urged by the Better Schools movement and put into law the decision of the Liquor Referendum; expressed satisfaction as to the Royal Commission Reports and stated that "as a result of these investigations, no Member of my Government has been found guilty of any improper conduct, but on the contrary the effect of the inquiries has been to vindicate the honour and integrity of every Minister of the Crown." Robert Menzies Mitchell, M.D., member of the House since 1908, was elected Speaker and certain resignations resulting from the above Commissions and the issues involved were announcedE. H. Devline, J. A. Sheppard and H. C. Pierce. The election of Mr. Martin for Regina was intimated and the new Premier accordingly took his seat. The Address was moved by W. H. Paulson and G. A. Scott-the latter declaring that while it was necessary for Saskatchewan to send men to the War, the paramount duty of its people was to raise grain for the Allies and troops; he also regretted that 11,000 teachers had been in the Provincial schools during the past 10 years with only a maximum of 4,500 at any one time. The Address was unanimously passed on Jan. 30 after Mr. Martin had made his first speech as Premier and W. B. Willoughby, Opposition WILLIAM DOUW LIGHTHALL, K.C., F.R.S.C., Two PROMINENT CANADIAN AUTHORS Leader, had claimed that Hon. A. P. McNab had not been cleared by the Brown-Elwood report and that Gerhard Ens and J. F. Bole should not be continued in the public service. The 1st division of the Session was on the Government's proposal to relieve Rev. M. L. Leitch of technical disqualification for having, in ignorance of the law, received $160 for certain road-work while sitting in the Legislature. The vote was 30 to 3 in his favour with Mr. Willoughby, F. C. Tate and other Oppositionists in the affirmative. Incidents of the Session included a statement by the Premier in reply to questions (Feb. 2) that information had reached his Department (Education) of the use of reading books in the Ruthenian language and instructions had at once been issued as to this being contrary to the law and involving a forfeiture of the school-grant; the refusal by the House (33 to 6 on Feb. 8) of an elaborate return asked for by Wm. Davidson and D. J. Wylie dealing with the Telephone system; the passage, after debate, on Feb. 8-11 of a Government motion expressing the thanks of the House to Judges Brown and Elwood for executing their Commission and adopting those portions of the Report in which the finding was unanimous while regretting that such was not the case in three of the matters submitted; the unanimous passage of a Resolution, moved by Mr. Premier Martin and Hon. Ŵ. F. A. Turgeon, Attorney-General, that C. H. Cawthorpe, member for Biggar, "having been found guilty by the Brown-Elwood Royal Commission of having accepted a bribe to influence him in his conduct concerning a matter under consideration by this House, contrary to the provisions of the Legislative Assembly Act, be expelled from this House; and that his Seat in this House be, and is hereby, declared vacant"; the Opposition proposal on Feb. 12 that a rebate of all Provincial duties and taxes be made on Soldiers' estates and the Government acceptance of this, together with the addition of administration fees for immediate relatives or dependants; the statement by Hon. W. R. Motherwell on Feb. 13 that in 1912-16 a total of 542 students had attended the Agricultural College at Saskatoon and in 1909-16 the students attending the University (including the above) were 2,089. On Feb. 14 the Opposition, through Messrs. Wylie and Bradshaw moved an expression of regret at war conditions having compelled the Dominion Government to ask the Provincial Government to take over the duties of the Royal North West Mounted Police and urged that "immediately upon the conclusion of peace, the Dominion Government be requested to allow the R.N.W.M.P. to resume the full powers and duties heretofore carried on by them." A Government amendment to this was carried by 28 to 5 expressing the same regret but changing the latter terms to "the hope that upon the conclusion of peace the Government of Saskatchewan will, if it should then be deemed advisable in the interests of the administration of justice, approach the Dominion Government with a view to renewing the agreement between the two Governments which has been suspended." Both parties were now preparing for an Election and on Feb. 16 Messrs. Willoughby and Bradshaw moved for legislation along lines intended to give the absent soldier a maxi mum of voting power. The Resolution (1) is given below, and the Government amendment (2) outlined the policy which was approved by 28 to 3 and afterwards enacted into law: Opposition Proposal:-That in the opinion of this House provision should be made at the present Session that any British subject, whether male or female, of the age of 21 years or upwards, serving as a soldier, chaplain, surgeon or nurse, or in any other capacity in the Expeditionary Forces of Canada, or in any corps attached thereto; or in any such like service in the Imperial Army of His Majesty, absent from Canada at the time of the next General Election for this Assembly, who, within six months immediately preceding the date when he or she was appointed or enlisted in such forces, or joined such corps or service, has been resident in any Electoral Division in Saskatchewan for a period of not less than 30 days, shall be entitled to a vote at the next General Election for this Assembly, notwithstanding such absence from Canada, and that suitable provision should be made for the taking of the votes of such persons. Government Policy:-This House is of the opinion that provision should be made at the present Session whereby all persons who at the time of the next General Election for this Assembly are serving in any capacity in the Expeditionary Forces of Canada or in any Branch of His Majesty's Imperial Forces in Great Britain, France or Belgium, and who for a period of at least three months immediately prior to the date when each such person joined or became attached in any way to any of the said forces were residents in Saskatchewan, shall be entitled to vote at the next General Election for this Assembly. And further this House is of the opinion that provision should be made to provide the aforesaid members of the Expeditionary Forces of Canada with representation in this House and that one or more seats be provided in this House for Members to be elected by the members of the said Forces exclusively. On Feb. 22 a Resolution passed unanimously urging the Government to continue to press upon Ottawa the necessity of transferring to the Province control of its Public Lands; the religious and educational diversities of the Province were shown by the incorporation of the Mennonite Union Waisenamt, Ruthenian Sisters of Immaculate Conception, and Les Religieuses de Jesus-Marie; a unanimous motion (Mar. 2) renewed past declarations in favour of a Federal transfer to the Province of control over its School endowment Funds; the Opposition proposal of Mar. 2 that "the entire Public Telephone Service of the Province be placed under Government management and control, and to this end that all telephone systems not now owned by the Government be acquired on an equitable basis" was defeated by a party vote of 28 to 5; the Opposition desired that any rules and regulations under the Act giving representation to the Overseas Forces should be under jurisdiction of the House and not the Governor-in-Council, but this was defeated by 33 to 6; in the matter of restricting the Wetmore Commission's inquiries as moved by Messrs. Turgeon and J. A. Calder on Mar. 9, the Opposition expressed dissent (Lieut.-Col. J. E. Bradshaw having returned on leave) by 24 to 6. The Government's Bill to prohibit the keeping of liquor within the Province for export was countered by a Resolution proposed by Mr. Willoughby and F. C. Tate (Feb. 28) which declared that "this House approves the immediate passing of a law making it illegal to consume or have for consumption as a beverage in the Province any intoxicating liquor save for medicinal purposes, subject to strict regulation," and was defeated by 30 to 6. |