Mr. SHEARD:

Has the department any

information regarding two suicides which took place among the returned men in the Westminster hospital, London, Ontario? I am not prepared to say that these cases ever did occur, but I am told that one man, Garnet Ellis, who was formerly an engineer in the gaol farm, Toronto, cut his throat, as did another man, although they were both under observation at the time. Has the minister any knowledge of these cases, or has he heard anything about them?

Mr. SHEARD:

It will be a long time.

Mr. SHEARD:

Yes. As this is in my

riding perhaps I might foe permitted to say a word about it. The government and the city collectively constructed the breakwater and the city did the filling in behind. That is how the thing started. The city then went on filling in and improving the land and they spent a lot of money; the government did not spend any money at all on this. The money was taken out of the pockets of the taxpayers of the city-money that was wasted. Why. even the tops of a farm were brought down to make a top dressing for a Parkdale boulevard and bathing ground, and when they got it finished it was inhabited principally by Jews. The Jews occupied it and even put a sign up, something to this effect, "After the war we gave you Palestine; for Heaven's sake let us have Sunmyside." The city found itself in possession of a large acreage of ground but it had not the power either to lease or to sell it or to establish any permanent improvement. All that this bill contemplates and all it asks is to validate the city in the power to lease this property made by the filling in of the land behind the breakwater, and to establish thereon amusements suitable to a sumlmer resort; and to loan money to any corporation or company that might operate there. That is all there is to it. Not a dollar of government money has gone into the park to which this bill relates. We simiply ask that the old act .foe so amended that the city shall have that power; otherwise the place will remain a grass plot. They cannot get anyone to occupy it because they cannot give a lease long enough to make it worth while for people to construct any merry-go-rounds or amusement buildings that are required to make the thing a going concern. There is no harm whatever in the bill; there is no liability on the part of the government, although there is a considerable liability on the part of the local taxpayers. I ask that the bill be passed. The council have agreed on the matter; and although the original bill which my hon. friend brought down was a very serious one they have modified it now, having come to a satisfactory decision among themselves. I think they have produced a bill which is absolutely innocent and as reasonable as we could hope the present council of the city of Toronto could draw up having regard to the taxpayers. Hon. gentlemen need have no hesitation about passing the bill; and the trepidation of my hon. friend (Mr. Power) is, I was going to say, altogether sectional.

Toronto Harbour Commissioners

Mr. SHEARD:

They all do, but I do not know whether the chairman gets anything or not. But he is here; you can ask him.

Mr. SHEARD:

I was not in the House

then.