PARTY FUNDS

Evening Star, Issue 21718, 12 May 1934, Page 13

PARTY FUNDS

CANADIAN MANUFACTURER'S ALLEGATIONS EVIDENCE BEFORE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright OTTAWA. May 10. Mr Walter M. Stewart, president of the W. C. M‘Donald Tobacco Company, of Montreal, informed the Parliamentary Mass Buying Committee that the M‘Donald Company was asked to donate money to the Conservative campaign fund in the 1930 Federal election. Naming Mr Ward Bitfield, of Montreal, whom he described as a man close to the present Prime Minister, as the solicitor, Stewart said he was left with the impression that the contribution would be interpreted as meaning that he wanted the Excise duties on cigarettes reduced. It was inferred, ho said, that other manufacturers had contributed, but he refused to do so. He said at least one of his competitors had advance information when the Excise tax was to be reduced from six dollark to four in 1932, and stopped manufacturing cigarettes in anticipation. He said this was a packet factory at Hamilton, Ontario, a subsidiary of the Imperial Tobacco Company.

Mr Stewart, at the start of his evidence, wanted to call three unnamed members of tho Government and ask them questions. When told by the Minister for Trade and Commerce (Mr H. H. Stevens, chairman of the committee) that the task of the committee was to investigate the tobacco industry, Stewart replied; “What I am trying to talk about is buying the Government.” Two or three times he wanted 'to direct questions to Cabinet Ministers on how his competitors could have obtained tho tip on Excise reduction, but the committee took D 0 formal recognition.