THE PROVINCE OF MANITOBA The 1927 The Sixth and final Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly of Manitoba opened at Winnipeg, Feb. 2, 1927, by his Honour, Theodore Arthur Burrows-sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor, Oct. 24, 1926 and was prorogued Apr. 9, 1927. Of the 146 Bills introduced during that period 125 were passed into law. Of these 68 were of a general nature, 47 were municipal Bills and 10 were private Bills. The Speech from the Throne, after making complimentary reference to the appointment of Right Honourable Viscount Willingdon, as Governor-General, took note of steady improvement in the economic condition of Manitoba; of the "outstandingly abundant" crop of 1926; and of progress in the dairying and livestock industry. Gratifying success attending the work of the Industrial Development Board of Manitoba was noted. Announcement was made of a Government plan for the agricultural development of the Province, including settlement of unused lands. A plan was announced to appoint a commission to inquire into methods and systems of European countries, whose products competed with those of Manitoba in British Markets. Another projected inquiry mentioned was one into the causes of seasonal unemployment in Manitoba. After failure of all negotiations for the transfer of Manitoba's natural resources, it was announced that the Manitoba Government had suggested to the Dominion Government that the whole question be remitted for arbitration to some tribunal to be mutually agreed upon. In the meantime, a plan was to be brought before the Legislature for the promotion and development of the mineral and other resources of the Province, in co-operation with the Dominion Government. Grounds were found for "increasingly confident expectation" concerning the future of the mineralized areas of the Province. Legislation was forecast for the reduction of taxation; for amendment to the liquor laws and the taking of a referendum on the same question; and for an amendment to the Legislative Assembly Act. Proposed Acts relating to plant pests and to mining regulations were also mentioned. The Address in reply to the Speech from the Throne was moved by John Muirhead, Norfolk, and seconded by I. B. Griffiths, Russell. Speaking to the Address on Feb. 9, the Premier, the Hon. John Bracken, amplified the information given in the Speech from the NOTE.-For List of Members of Executive Council of Manitoba, and also Deputy Heads see page 429. Throne in several particulars. He announced the prospective appointment of Prof. R. C. Wallace, of the University of Manitoba, on a part time basis, to direct work in connection with mining. The Government also planned, he said, to establish a central agricultural development board, to lay out a plan of assisted land settlement. Part of the plan was to keep people off land that could not be properly farmed. Liquor Legislation. Principal interest of the Session was centred around various Bills applying to the sale of liquor, and more particularly to the sale of beer. There were two aspects to the beer question, the desire of the Government to tighten up existing legislation for the control of the sale of beer; and a demand on the part of a portion of the public for increased facilities for the purchase of beer. Already existing legislation allowed the sale of beer, in case lots only, by the Manitoba Liquor Control Board, or direct by brewers to permit-holders. Provision was made for delivery direct to the residence of the individual purchaser. Delivery of purchase elsewhere was forbidden, except in special cases, as was the case with other liquors. Only with beer was sale outside of the system of Government stores allowed. During the Winter various veterans' organizations in Winnipeg promoted a campaign. for legalizing increased facilities for the sale of beer, their especial desire being to obtain sanction for such sale by the glass in their own clubs. A Bill was drawn up which would permit sale of beer by the glass on licensed premises, and to extend largely opportunities for purchase otherwise, by the bottle or in lots of less than a case. A campaign was undertaken to secure signatures to a petition in favour of this Bill, and shortly before the Legislature met, the petition, said to contain 120,000 names, was presented to the Government. This resulted in the Government's decision, announced in the Speech from the Throne, to take a plebiscite on the question of modifying laws affecting the sale of beer. Premier Bracken, on Mar. 8, 1927, moved for appointment of a Select Committee to frame the questions concerning the sale of beer to be submitted in the proposed Plebiscite Bill. He submitted a draft Bill for the Committee to work on, but declared his desire to consult the whole House on the question, and not to deal with the matter as a Government measure. The Committee he proposed was representative of all parties, but both Hon. T. C. Norris, Liberal leader, and Major F. G. Taylor, K.C., Conservative leader, declined to serve on the Committee, declaring that the Government must take the responsibility of framing their legislation. Labour and Independent members were willing to assist, and the final composition of the Committee, as appointed Mar. 19, was as follows: Premier Bracken; Attorney-General R. W. Craig, K.c.; D. L. Campbell (U.F.M., Lakeside); N. A. Hyrhozuk (U.F.M., Ethelbert); John Muirhead (U.F.M., Norfolk); J. K. Downes (Ind., Winnipeg); John Queen (Lab., Winnipeg); D. A. Ross (Ind., St. Clements). The Committee reached a unanimous report on a series of questions to be put to the electorate, and these were introduced into a Bill given first reading on Mar. 28, the day they reported. The questions proposed were criticized, both in the Legislature and in the press, as being ambiguous, in consequence of which Premier Bracken, before the Bill was finally passed, suggested changes in their form, which were adopted. As passed, the Bill provided for a ballot to be taken on a date to be fixed by Order-in-Council, on the following questions: 1. Extension of Sale of Beer. Do you favour any extension of the present facilities for the sale of beer? 2. If a majority answer "Yes" to Question No. 1, which do you prefer? (a) Beer by the Glass-Meaning thereby the sale of beer by the glass under Government regulation in licensed premises without a bar, for consumption on the premises; such premises to be licensed by the Liquor Commission, the licences to be subject to cancellation by the Commission upon any infraction of the law or of the regulations governing same; or (b) Beer by the Bottle-Meaning thereby the sale of beer in sealed containers by the Liquor Commission in Government stores, for consumption in permanent or temporary residence; such sale to be under the cash and carry system and to provide for quantities as small as one bottle. 3. Sale by Brewers-Are you in favour of abolishing the right of the brewers to sell beer direct to permit holders? Premier Bracken announced in the House on Apr. 7 that should the voters decide in favour of the cash and carry system of sale of beer from Government liquor stores it would also be applied in the sale of other liquors. The principle of taking a plebiscite was opposed by the Conservative party in the House, and on Mar. 30, Major F. G. Taylor, Conservative leader, moved a six months' hoist of the Plebiscite Bill, which was lost by 31 to 7. C. A. Tanner, Labour member for East Kildonan, sponsored in the House the Bill asked for in the petition in favour of increased facilities for the sale of beer. On Mar. 8, N. V. Bachynsky, Fisher, exposed in the House the fact that many palpable forgeries were included in certain sections of the petition. This led to an examination of other parts of the petition, and to the arrest on Mar. 9 of one, and later, of two other canvassers, who had had charge of obtaining signatures to the petition. Charges of forgery and perjury were laid. On Mar. 10 a Committee of the House was appointed to investigate both the petition in question and also a counter petition which had been presented by opponents of the Bill. Some excitement was caused the following morning when it was discovered that over night a large number of petition books had been stolen from the custody of the Clerk of the House, and secreted in the Library, where they were found. Reporting on Mar. 29, the Committee found that while 138 petition books in favour of the Beer Bill were grossly irregular, the remaining 715 books were apparently fairly regular. They reported that |