: THE HERALD, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1868. “meee ~ in which the appropriation bill comes before us, Tt comes up perhaps the last day of the session when committees of this fouse are engaged about various other matters, aud it is expected that it will be passed iu a fow hours, I have keown items to be in that bill which 1 would vote against, and I would almost risk the loss of the bill rather than pass them without a stroug remon- strance, As the Council is now elective as well as the Tlouse of As- sembly, we are responsible as well as that Body for legislation, (Mr. Palmer ~~Hear) and we should have some con- trol of the appropriation, The items should come up in separate resolutions, aud be reviewed bere, so that we might kuow what is in the bill before it comes before us, instead of having the whole appropriations sent up in one bill at the end of the Session when many of the /Members have gone home, Hon, Mr. Watken remarked that he did not know how the Conntil could be held responsible for what it had no eon- trol over, Hlon. Mr. Gorvon: Though I do not approve of changing the seale of duties year after year, yet L regret tha: the Government did not think proper to tnke the duty off flour and meal, for it is likely to be a very hard summer on many of the people. I remember that last session his honor from Prinee County (Mr. Lord) joined with me in trying to get the duty taken off flour, though we did not accomplish much, There is nothing to which the people are so wuch opposed as taxing their bread. Give them cheap bread and cheap education, and they will be prosperous aud happy. Though I do not approve of changing the tariff every year, as it bas a teudency to destroy that stability which is the foundation of success in busivess, yet I would like to see the duty taken off flour and meal, aud some change made in the differeatial duties on spirituous liquors; but 1 suppose it is little use for us to agi- tate any alteration in those respects, IIon, Mr. McDonatp; The objection urged agaiast the duty on flour last year was on the ground that it was creating a differential duty, for while it was admitted free when it came direct from Canada, there was a duty imposed when it came through the United States. But your honors will remember that we passed an act last year to admit flour and meal free when it came through American Territory. It is true that there isa duty of 1s, 6d. per barrel contiaued on flour aud meal which is not the production of the colo- nies, but I suppose your honors are aware that from that source last year the sum of £1410 was raised, and you are also aware that the expenditure this year will be very large. And when there is no change made in the tariff, we thought we could scarcely afford to do with the amount of revenue derived from that source, If that duty had been taken off it would have been ne- cossary to make other changes which perhaps would not be approved of by yourhonors. It will depend very much on the state of trade whether a change in the tariff will be necessary next year or not. If trade is not prosperous, and if there is not a good revenue this year, itis most likely that whoever holds the reins of government next year will find it necessary to make very material changes. Hon. Mr. Lorn: If there isto be a change I hope it will be to reduce the taxes, but it is hardly worth while to dis- cuss this matter now, os we cannot make any alteration. It the duty is raised on any article L hope it will be ou spiri- tuous liquors, for if there is an article imported on which we can afford to pay aheavy duty, it is ardent spirits. There is no compulsiou in the use of it, and 1 believe we can do jast as well without tasting it ag with it, but if we must have something of that kind to drink we should pay, for it. I would like to see the duty taken off flour and other bread- stuffs, for there will be a large quantity required this summer, and of course the cheaper they are the better, for the poor man, IIon. Mr. Gorvon: There are two very urgent reasons why the duty should be taken off breadstuffs. It is certain that the approaching summer will be a hard one, and we see by late accounts from the corn growing States that there is a falling off of 35,000,000 bushels and consequently the price may be ex- pected tobe high. The second reason is that this system of taxing breadstufts is contrary to the principles of com- mercial policy which Her Majesty's Government is using all its influence ‘to induce the colonies to adopt. Ilou. Mr. Batpensron : I do not think there is much fault to be found with the scale of duties, neither do I see any great objection to tie duty of 1s, Gd. per barrel on American flour, for there is not much flour comes from the United States, I would like to encourage home manu- facture, and I would say, if we must have liquor, let us give the preference to the home manufactured article. I do not think itis a proper time to enter into a discussion on the privileges of the Council, though IT value them as much as any person. I consider that we have gained a point hy making the Council elective, Formerly the members of this House were merely the nominees of the happy to say thatthe greater ruling party, and that was not a desir- those who were chosen by | able state of things. Therefore, I do not ve seats here at present ;| think, like his honor from Bay Fortune, of ly | (Mr. Dingwell), that all is lost, for we €Continwed from flret page.) trol would have heen given to it over the revenue and expenditure, But till the people think proper to extend to this, house some little control over the revenue and appropriation bills, and it can only be done by an Act of the Legislature, it would be very littl: use for us to raise our voices against any particular items in them. Hoo. Mr. MacDoxatp: His honor refers to the difference in the rate of duty upow imported and home manufactured whiskey ; but it should bo remembered that distillers here have to pay a license duty of £25, and when that,is taken into account, the difference is not so great as would, at first sight, appear. As to the other point, I quite agree with him that we have very little control over the revesue bill, but the great difieulty is, how ia this House to get greater privil- eges than it has at present? ‘The ques tion was tried time after time before it became an elective Body, and the only results were nopleasant diflerences be- tween the Council and ITouse of Assem- bly ; besides, the privileges of the former | were rather curtailed than extended by the agitation of the question. The House of Assembly is very teuncions of its pri- vileges, und if it does not choose to relax them and grant more. privileges to this Council, Tdo not see that we have any remedy. I do not think that body would consent to anything that would have a tendency to narrow down the privileges it has ‘aways claimed, Hou, Mr. Watker: Why did not his hovor, the member for Charlottetown, contend for more privileges for this louse at the time the elective Council bill was being passed? That was the time to have secured greater privileges, but the opportunity was lost, and vow we cannot: obtain them without having an act passed lor the purpose, which I think would not be very easily done, Hoo, Mr. Patwen: No doubt it would have been very well if it could have been done at the time the Elective Council Bill was carried, but we know very well that privileges of that kind cannot be all obtained at once. We were very glad at that time to get the great principle of an elective Council carried, and perhaps it would have endangered the fate of that bill if we had iutroduced into it pri- vileges much beyond what, as a nomin- ative brauch, we had previously enjoyed. But having once obtained the elective principle, it then became us to sce that we had those privileges which, constitu- tionally, ought to belong to an elective branch, aud we had a far better oppor- tunity of agitating for that change when we had become an elective body. A great boon was supposed to be obtained when the Elective Council Bill was carried, but I do not see that the people have de- rived a single solitary advantage {rom it, while the members have to earn their ‘seats at as much expense as the mem- bers of the House of Assembly, and I believe far more. Ido not think, how- ever, that there is mach use in us agita- ting the question here now, but at the first clection after the bill was passed, I was anxious that it should be brought to the hustings—that the people should be informed, and the matter explained to them—but I met no encouragement. I was solitary and alone on that point, I believe the time will soon come when the people will feel the necessity of ex- tending greater privileges to this Liouso. Otherwise they will see that they have not gained anything by the principle of an elective Council. There might be a very proper law passed to have money grants come up simply, or proper- ly classified, so as to give us some con- trol over them ; but what is our position now? The Appropriation Bill may come up with two or three items which we consider obnoxious to the public— forced, perhaps, by a combination of arty iulerests—and what is our remedy? e may ask for a conference, and that may be granted, as a matter of courtesy, or we may reject the bill in toto. Then it will be said that the whole responsi- bility of the loss of the Dill rests at the door of the Council, which threw it ont. Therefore, we connot exercise any con- trol over the Appropriation Bill, without that onus being thrown upon ns ; but it is in the power of the people to place no man in either barnch of the Legislature unless he pledges himself to support such ‘a reasonable alteration as would allow ‘the Council to be, in deed and in spirit, what it was supposed it would be when the great concession of the elective prin- ciple was made. Hon. Mr. Dixtwer.: I was not an advocate forthe alteration in the con- ‘stitution of the Council, and it has ‘turned out just as I expected, for this Flonse is more expensive to the counry, j and it is not of any more service; but ; ‘still I agree with his honor who has just ' “r that some reasonable change ‘shou ‘branch of the Legislature being made think, however, that ‘any change th Se place till there is . some greater disagreement thau there has been here for the last few years. We are elected ~ Ma people—not an elnas of people cither-