CANADIAN TOPICS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 July 1924, Page 16

CANADIAN TOPICS.

DEFENCE UNITS. ABOLITION OF HANGING . VANCOUVER, May 7. Willie the present Administration of the Dominion of Canada ha s been averse to expenditure of the ‘ public money upon national defence, it now transpiles that the Canadian Government plans to establish a permanent air force very soon. This step will be taken as a result of the recent Imperial Conference in London, where it was decided that Canada must assume a definite share of the air defences of the British Empire, as the body of the Camu dian people intensely desire, although their Government have voted against such expenditure in the past, much to the disgust of the patriotic nation as a whole.

It is stated that the Canadian Department of National Defence has decided to station air squadrons at Vancouver British Columbia, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia’ Long Branch, near Toronto, has been selected as the central aeroplane depot and station. Other permanent stations will be established a s necessity demands. Australians and New Zealanders are already aware that Canada has maintained Government air forces heretofore, but these planes were used ehieflv for domestic purposes rather than for national defence, as such aeroplanes have been utilised in surveying new country, protecting fisheries, forest protection, enforcing'the Customs, and for photographic work. " Heretofore Canada has expended but 1.45 dollars per capita, annually on national defence, against 15 dollars per capita in the United States and 18 dol. lars in Great- Britain. Canadians are greatly interested in the report that the British Government ha.s agreed te heavily subsidise the proposed airship service between England and Australia, which would reduce the travelling time to about ten days.

In dealing with murders, Canada will continue to demand “a life for a life.” By a vote of 92 to 29, Parliament defeated, on second reading, the Irvine (Labour) Bill to amend the criminal code by substituting life imprisonment for the present supreme penalty of death. The vote came at the end of seven hours of debate and cut straight across party lines. For the Bill there were arrayed most of the Progressive-Labour group, and many of the Liberals, including Hon. T. A. 'Crerar, former Minister for Agriculture, Robert Forke, Liberal leader,, and Miss Maephail voted with the mover.

The Conservative Opposition solidly opposed the proposed amendment of the o V> and c *!' ew su PP°rt therein from 22 Progressives and the greater bulk of the Government followers

From the spiritual, moral, and ethical points of view, the discussion of the Irvine Bill was on a level vastly above that of the average Parliamentary debate. Levity varelv intruded; crudeness, never. The. sanctity of human life was the compelling thought actuating alike those who pleaded the cause of reform and those who demanded retention of the legal safeguards now afforded to human life in Canada. The outstanding feature of the debate was the sharp difference of opinion between the two members of the Government responsible for the maintenance in the Dominion of law and order —the Minister of Justice and the Solicitor-General. Hon. Ernest Lapointe, Minister of Justice, admitting that by ‘‘temperament and instinct” he favoured the sentiment of the Bill, declared that ‘‘from a high sense of duty as a Minister” he could not support it. “If-1 could convince myself.” he said, “that life imprisonment would be an effective substitute for capital punishment in Canada, and would afford the Canadian people the same degree of protection, it would be my duty to suggest it. But because I clo not believe it would I can only oppose the Bill.” j ei

Directly, opposed wa.g the argument of the Hon E. J. Murray, SolicitorGeneral, whose record as a criminal lawyer is widely known in Canada. Mr. MoMurrav asserted that yeejs ago he bad formed the opinion that capital punishment was not a deterrent. Long practical experience had convinced him*" moreover, that many innocent men had oaid the supreme penaltv in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. The House showed great interest in the eloquent support gfeen 'to the ino Bill bv Hon. Ooorgo P. Gnibam, Minister of Railways, and Hon. T A* Crerar.

Radical revision of the Canadian Customs tariff has been made by Hon. J. A. Robb. Acting-Minister of Finance in the Mackenzie Government, and on implements of production for the farming, dabying,■ mining and lumbering industries, the tariff has been reducecrpraetically one-half. The Canadian market is ieall\ thrown to the machinery manufacturers of the United States, as the remaining duties are not sufficient to constitute a barrier.

The Government has definite!v turned to a low tariff fiscal policy ‘and an almost certain result vvill be realignment of the political parties of Canada Protectionist Liberals behind the Mini lstrv '.rill be unable to support its present course, and in all probability will cast their lot with the Conservatives

On the other hand, the .Progressive party nil] likely merge definitely with the low tariff Liberals. Mackenzie King will he leader of an Anti-Pro-tectionist party, composed of part of the present Libera] party and 95 per relit of the Progressives.' I lie tariff reduction js made in direct response to the demand of the Progresses Tn compensation to Canadian manufacturers affected by the tariff cut, tho SfiiGs Tax h<vs boon r<?inov<?tl from ■various lines and reduced by about a half on others. It is lowered from 6 per cent to 5 all around. This cut applies to imported as well as domestic goods.

No such radical change in fiscal policy has been _made in the dominion since the Taft-Fieldiug reciprocity agreement ■ '.' bieh cost the (Government of Sir Wilfrid Laurjer its life.

The Conservative partv. forming the smallest grout) in the House of Commons now, has been elated with the budget, welcoming the- issue as bringing low protection and low tariff. In the course of the three years of operation of the Quebec- Liquor Law which ended on April 30, liquor valued at 65,000,000 dollars was sold in the province under Government control, and profits exceeding 12,000.000 dollars were realised. This included 4.000,000 dollars surplus expected to be an. uounced h.v the Liquor Commission later for the past year’s operation. There has been a big decrease in the sale of high percentage liquors—Scotch, brandies, fins, and ryes. However, aii ’increase of 600 to 700 per cent, is’expected in sale of wines when all the statistics have been tabulated. Liquor stores have increased in numbers 67 to 80 in 1923-24. hut this include* sevotn’ where wines aleno are sold. This in accordance with the noliev adopted of trying to increase the sale of wines and to reduce the demand for

higher alcoholic liquors. No increase was reported in the sale of beer. Tt was said that the stock of illicit liquors was now meagre. When abuses are reported, it is generally found to he liquor coming from the Commission’s stores. Moonshine liquors used to any extent now in the Province of Quebec. —Auckland Star Correspondent.