Haughton Lennox
Conservative (1867-1942)
Mr. LENNOX.
I wish to call the attention of the Minister of Railways to an item in the Evening 'Citizen' of yesterday in connection with level crossings. The minister will recall that on January 25 an order was made for information to be brought down to the House concerning the number of accidents at level crossings, and on subsequent occasions I inquired of the minister about it and I think I had virtually his promise that the return would be facilitated and brought down at the earliest possible moment in order that this question might be discussed. It has not yet been brought down but I see that the information has been given to the press before it has been given to this House. While it is very desirable that the press should have knowledge of these matters, the first to be acquainted with them should be the members of this House. The article in the ' Citizen ' would indicate that the information contained in it had been in the possession of
the Railway Board all the time. It says so in fact, and so I suggest to the minister that it is hardly treating us fairly not to bring this return down and present the information to the House before it goes to the public. This is in a sense a repetition because a little while ago we had it in the press that the minister was taking certain action and that correspondence had passed between the minister and the Chairman of the Railway Board. I requested the minister to bring down the information he had, but the minister thought it was not wise to do so. I hope this return will be brought down to-day as I wish to discuss this question at the earliest possible moment.