Legislative Assembly

Robert A. Grindlay: I don’t think you can e t people in an open Convention to get up and say, “No, we don't agree with this." ere might be one or two — if he

had a couple of drinks in him — at a public meeting, but you won’t find that at a Teacher’s Convention.

Honourable Gordon L. Bennett: Are you implying that none protested. is that what on are telling me?

Robert A. Grindlay: The protest was from the Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation and the protest was to a large extent brought about by the fact that the Federation had expected prior consultation with you before an announcement was

made. Honourable Gordon L. Bennett: Would you tell the House that not one teacher

protested at the open forum.

Robert A. Grindlay: I wasn’t there, and I am certainly prepared to accept your statement. But that is probably the reason for it. I don’t think that makes my remarks

in this connection at all invalid. Honourable Gordon L. Bennett: Give us the other side of it.

Robert A. Grindlay: Now the industry, and one articular industry which I shall not mention by name occupied the attention of the ouse for two or three of the Sessions. But I want to draw the attention of the House to a natural resource which exists in the Second District of Prince, and that is the peat bog deposit at the Black Banks. This deposit contains hundreds of thousands of tons of peat and is owned by Is- land people. Those people need money to develop that resource and I understand they approached the Government for financial assistance. The Government is aware of the fact that assistance was refused. I believe that the development of this particular re- source would certainly add to the economy of that part of the Island. It would give em- ployment and it would encourage local people, local people I repeat, to consider the setting up of small industries here. Therefore, I hope and trust that the Government

will give this matter a second thought too.

This being Centennial Year I think you, Mr. Speaker, and other members of the Legislature will be interested to know that a contribution is bein made to Prince Edward Island history. Mr. Basil Greenhill, who was secretary to t 9 High Commis- sioner for the United Kingdom in Ottawa, and is now director of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, has been working for two years on a book linking the Yeo family, in particular, and others in the Port Hill—Green Park area, with their forebears in Bideford, England. In compiling this book he has obtained a good deal of factual information both on the Island here and in England, and has produced a very worthwhile contribution covering the shipbuilding industry, and pioneers of shipbuild- ing in Prince County. This book is going to press this month in Toronto and in London, England. It will be available, I think, in the fall of this year. Another very worthwhile contribution to our Island literature and to our Island history — particularly early

history.

This is our Centennial Year, Mr. Speaker, our hundredth birthday, so it is a time for us to celebrate, it is time for us to give thanks to gracious God, who has endowed this land with enormous natural resurces to enable us to attain a standard of living comparable to any in the world. We have a reason to be happy, we have reason to re- joice. It is also a time to reflect that we have been handed a heritage from men and women in the past hundred years who have worked, toiled, strained, not in the environ- ment that exists today, but they have wrenched from the wilderness the wealth of the land for us. I think it is time this year in particular to make sure in our hearts that we

shall be worthy of that heritage. Honourable Robert E. Campbell (First Prince) — Minister Without Portfolio

Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to congratulate you in your high office knowing you for a good many years, and as you are my colleague from the First District of Prince, you come from a good district. I want now to congratulate you, Sir, on your very high office. I would also like at this time to congratulate the Mover and the Seconder that spoke on the S ech from the Throne. They did a wonderful job. Now I was hoping that the Leader 0 the Oprsition would be in his seat so he would be there to check me on anything that I wou say wrong. I very seldom make any statements that are wrong, so if I do, I know that you fellows will check me. Something else I would like to say before I start speaking is that I am a very quiet fellow over here and

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