Friday, April 14, 1937

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ads for the Fathers of Confederation in this Province. But another item here is the cost of the operation of this great building. I feel that we cannot put a great amount of money in it because we are one of the smallest and poorest Provinces in Canada. But under any conditions, we must keep this building in operation if at all possible.

Mr. Speaker, the salary scale for the Civil Servants, now this is of great im- portance. They may be earning a little more than other people in the Province but still again they are supposed to be highly qualified people. men and women both, of highly qualified people. Just the other day, I noticed an add in the Guardian for a, some kind of a milk processing foreman or other and the salary was, I think, the sal- ary was only three t ousand two hundred and some dollars. I’m not just sure of this because I did not take any figures down, I do not write any speeches. But I am just kind of trying to go over this in an orderly manner. Having some experience in the milk-processing business in the years gone by, quite some years ago, twenty-nine years since I have been a qualified cheese maker and at that time of course wages were very low but I think to-day for a position of this kind, what it was called for, I am not just sure what it was. But it was some milk-processing of some kind, probably some of you people can enlighten me . . .

Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald: Just recently? Preston D. MacLure: Just recently, probably last week. Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald: It was an inspector.

Preston D. MacLure: Ins ector was it. Well now I think this is one of the reas- ons that this Civil Service sho d be brought up to date, (Applause) because for this reason, I don’t think you can get a qualified man for this. Because twenty-nine years ago the wages were very low, but I got the opportunity to become a qualified cheesemaker at that time, and it is no easy job. Anyone around will tell you that; all the farmers here know what it is to handle milk in warm weather or to have anything to do with it; is a great amount of work.

Now, the next is borrowing facilities for Provinces, Municipalities, School Dist- ricts. NOW, I have quite a 'bit to do with a municipality and having had to do some borrowing, having something to do with the borrowing for the Municipality in the past, it is quite a chore at times to get good borrowing facilities. We have been very fortunate in the past of having been able to borrow from the Municipality Loan, but this may be cut off in the future and I think any help towards borrowing help to control the borrowing for Provinces, Muicipalities and School Districts is a great ad- vantage to them.

The next is the Election Act. Now in the Election Act. we probably have some irre latities, we had quite a few in the past election, quite a few lrre larities. Some of em are due to people not just understanding that quite right I t ink. I wouldn’t like to say that they are trying to be dishonest, but they 'ust don’t understand the Act, fully. Any improvement in this will be a great help an I am fully in agreement with the voting age being lowered to eighteen years. This is one great advantage that the you people have to-day over the people in our day, when they have better school- ing faci ties, take greater interest in the Government of Canada and the Province in which they live, so I think to-day this is one of the steps forward in the Election Act.

Now, the next is not quite so bright ARDA. Some Member: Who is he?

Preston D. MacLure: Well he is not a very smart book, I will guarantee you that, because he’s been very lazy since the election. Because during the election cam- paign over the television and radio, and the papers were full of “Put ARDA to Work for the Famers." Well now, in the last nine months he hasn't done much for the farmers, he’s been very . . .

Honourable Alexander B. Campbell: Half a million dollars worth!

Preston D. MacLure: Well, now half a million dollars, this wasn't the talk at election time, Mr. Speaker, this wasn’t the talk at election time. Mr. Speaker, it was millions of dollars. Look what would be put in right away, no waiti at all; this would be the next day after the Government took office that ARDA wou d pour millions of

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