y

+ - r

nll

e f ¥ : 3 2 Z {

eer we wee.

they had too muel of it, and became so surcharged with respectability, that it scattered them aad broke their party inw fragments, and if some of these who Were forced away have béen drawn into the Liberal ranks, it is because they have found, not too much respeetabiliry, but sufficient to enable them to,perceive that the best | joterests of the country cap he promoted by the party with which they pow stand connected. The hon. | member (Mr. B.) said that during the first four years the Conservatives were ig power, they bad enacted so awany good measures, that there was comparatively very | litcle ter thew ta do afterwards. But where are those great measures? 1 is true they passed the 10 Years’ Purchase Bui—a Bill so oearly obsolete, that I hard. ly know where tw fod it. But where are their other measures? ~ Hop. Mr. BcAvcay.—That is not in the Speech,

Home MreHowran —There was not anything in the Speech about the Law ot Losolvency, and yet the bon. , member, the leader yi the Upposition, introduced the martér inté “detd'e, and when they introduce mattert net Counected with the subject before the House, thry wiust expect s reply. For eight years the Conserva- | tives did nothing caicplated to b.wegt the country, ead the people bed to fell back upon the Laberals. The people who put the late party into power nine years ago, had unbounded confidence in them, and geve them « power which the Liberals never had, That party, Sir, exercised the power of votiug away large sums of monvey und contracting la:ge debts, without arkiug the consent of this House; and in doing #0 abused and wisused their power, and the people turned | them out of office. Lut, oh! the present 1s a compasite | perty. Well, if we are made up of different parties, and can agree among ourselves, and succesefully carry On she business.of the country, L say, Sir. it ie to oure: edit. jt is an eyidwnee of our earne-t desire to do all that we can for the good of the couutvy. But | ask ean you fiud any two of dhe members of the late Government who beid the same opinion upon any important measure? = 1 think, Sir, that any (Government that has bed their public acts let‘alone as we!) as this one bas, need not be atraid of sheit position, 1: bad been stated that there was po necessity for the Loup, because the country was pow io @ flourishing state. ‘his, 1 am sorry to say, is not the ease. The country wus never im a worse condition than at preseot, and po bou members in this House are better | aware of suis than are the hon. the Leader of the Oppo- |

sitian and the hon. member for Charlotteiown. Let any | han. member who has doubts on this point examive the | setarus from the Commissioners’ Courts for the Recovery | of Sina!! Debts and they will-oon beremoved. Whenthe | hon. the ieader of the Opposition spoke of the gentle- | anav in Fragce who recommended tbat commerce should |

|

'

| /

)

| ; j } ;

be left to regulate itself, be but repeated un advice Worthy-the attention of al! governmeuts. But our d fi- culty arose from. the fect that the Conservative Governwent did. pot let trade alone, and, by their meddling, injured the commerce of the country. They asked an overtasked couutry to bear an additional | byrdep of £30,000. One Bank bas Leen unable to | declare @ dividend. on account of the smount of pro- aesied ‘paper in their hands. When the lace Govern. ment bought the Cuvard Kstate, they, by their arrange- quents jor the payment of it, threw obstucies in the way of the trade of this Colony, that, to a considerable ex- | tent, damed up the channels of our commerce. [ donot | say that they iotended to do so, but still it is uone the less trué.— When last year I saw a petition before this House praying for a fresh issue of Treasury votes, and the res- pectable names that were appeuded toit, | felt that some- thing was wrong, acd that if a Loan could be obtaimed | on resgonable terms, that it would benefit the Colony. With respect to the £9000 whieh bad beep demanded | for the ma'ntenance of the troops, my bon. and learned | friend, the Attorney General, bas oot taken all the credit to himself in ibis matter; but I believe we may justly regurd this remission as one of the good resulis of | the hou. member’s mission to Kogland, and 1 aw quite confident that if the present party bad been in power in 1865, the troops would not have been called for. The late Government brought the troops bere with their eyes | open, as they were aware that wien troops were required to quell a local! disturbance, payment would be demand- | ed, for Mr. Cardwell, in bis despatch to the Adwinis- | trator of the Gover: ment, of the 28:d August, 1865, | says: ** L have already expressed my opinion that to | spatotain the supremacy of the Law, is the first duty of | the local Government ; and I readily admit, thatin the | present emergency, 2od in tke absence of any regular | wilitary force, po Other course was open to you than the oue you adopted. But Her Majesty's Goverument } |

!

must adhere, in this ‘nstance, to the priveiples on which they have elsewhere hitherto acted. And I therefore wish to impress upon you, that civil dis'urbances should be met by an effuctive civil force, and that ber Majesty’s troops cannot be placed at the disposal of the Colonial | Goverowent at the expense of this coystry, for the pur- | pose of supplying the want of a Colonia! Police,’ Here | we see, the Government had been distinetly told, that if they had no ¢ffective civil force to pyt down disturbances, and that if troops were :equired for that purpore, that Her Majésty’s could vot be placed at the disposal of the Gover ywent of this igiand, to supply thedyty of a Colouial | Police, ot the expense of the Howe Governyent. The despateh further says: “ Whether the presence ot a military foree is required for the suppression of riots be: ween different factions of the population, or to aid the civil power in the due exeontion of the law, the same | principle spplies, and the expose of the transport of | Syeb force from # neighboring (Garrisov, aod also ‘he cost Of their maintenance in the Gy'ony to which their presence é required. inust be defraya d by that Colony, and exunot become «u charge on the imperial Ex- cheqner."’ Witte these plain statement, trom the Co- ionial Minister, they kuew when the troops wre sent for to qaell a local disturtapce, that the deman,! for their pay, cost of trauaport, and msivtenauce whi), in this Colony, would have to be met by this couptry. Avd | say, Sir, when they bro » thea here they done go «Ub their eyes open. They kuew that they would be ca}, ed upon to pay the bill afterwards demanded. | do yot sec any ground for Suding fault with the Government for not introducing the subject of a Bankrupt Law into the Speech ; but since the subject has been intruduced inio this debate, and i! the hou. member, ihe Lender of the Opposition, fecls such an interest in this matter, why dues he not bring in such bill hfaself? he has always beew an evewy to progress that he has not done so belore, aud tails todo so now? Whew that hom. member was ov tbe Uoumitiee. appointed to ite port ou the propriety of bringing in # bill on Deeimal Currency, he asked to bave the Committee dis- eoaryed. aad to be excused fiom reporting, avd now oe sariuks from bringing iu a measure on this importact | qacatiou. [t was expecied thar the committee appointed to eonsider this subject |ast year, would have been pre- pared 10 have reported, and when they have failed to do #0, is the Government now to be blamed for not men tiaping the subject in His Wxceilency’s Speeeh? If the committees will tring forward a reasonable meusure, | shuli be bappy to give it my support. The want of such s Law bes deprived this country of the active | services of some of her best commercial men; and | | think it is not expecting 100 much to be looking for such @ Boil from an bow. member of twenty-tive years Ftanding as u lawyer od a member of ths Louse, Wath: respect to the Lose Bill, and the resuits of the Attowmay General's mission to England, | think it will compare favourably with those of the late Government to Broml aud Canada, It is creditable to the Goyern- ment that it bas worked through the diflicuities of the past year so successtully nud so well. Can the late (rovecnment shew any good results from their tanoys expedition to Brazil? What have we for all tne money spent in that delegation ¢ Why nothiug, Sir, bur some Jetters freia their delegate, which, | admit, were writien |

} | | | |

‘

With considerable abtiity, buc which have uot been pro- duetiveot aay benefit to this Island. Not so with the reotultaof the bou. Attorney General's mission to Kugland, fur We can point. with pleasure aud with pride, to the able and satistactory menner in which the duties with | which he wus charged, were performed. The opposiuoy | said that the Loay Bill would not peseive the Koyal al- | lowamée. Well, Sir. we wavted to test this, and also to ascertain if « loan could be obtained in Kngland by this | colony. We have done 0. and the resuit is highly | creditable to the Goverpment, and to +b: country, aud | wheo laid betore this House, will, { thiuk, be approved | of. Bat, Sir, bad the tate Government succeeded in | their plans, where would we be u-day # Why isto Cou- | federation. and not inthe proud position which we now eceupy. We might have seen in the position that Nuva Scotia is now placed jp. ‘his is one of the ressons why this Government etande so high in the estimation of the people. Phey know doat on thia important question they-canstrust us. Phe how. member has svid thut there we Mo political mauliness in this Government. Bat, S):,

get my sanction in the ste it Dow ts.

stigmatise the Leader of the Governments.

grammar.

the parliamentary rules? When a resolution bus passed, no wewber has-a right to bring it up again.

has found fauit need not be alarmed. be ie a good authority in gramoar.

sach strict attention to the grammar, is apt to be warped in bis judgment, and lose the principal idea the yprawmatical consiragtion was wrong, I only asked him to put ic right. House, bis opinion is autkority m all cases, when there is | enything wrong.

wrong. he mast be shor tsighted. ability, and is a good member of society, he seems a Jittle obtuse in this matter. were brought fourth, before there was a grammar.

the want of sense in the payagraph, to which I refer.

eta pane

where was the political manliness of the late Govern- ment. Lo i860) Coufederation was a question then broughe 10 their notiee by the highest wuthority. Did they come down with @ Measure apon the subject, or a decisive expression of opinion ?

to carry it if they could, Hon. Mr. Whelan was a Gonfederate, and doubtless thought that his influence would secure a few votes in

favour of the measure from this side of the House, and |

thus by obtaining a vote here and another there, they boped to succeed in forcing the meesure upon this country. But this question, [ may state, will nor be entertiined by any hon. member from the oue end of our partY to the other —The hon, the Leader of the Uppo- sition, in referring to Education, made quite a civeuit ; bat, lawyer like, took care 66 express no opinion vt his own, L am surprised though that he never before made the discovery that be so strongly sympathised with the Catholics.

Hon. Leaver oF TH8 Opvposition.—I rise, Sir, to a point of order. I will vot allow that bon member to misrepresent me thus. | did not refer to Catholics ouly, but I spoke of sectarian grants to different sects of Protestants as weil as to Loman Catholies,

Hon, Mc. Howtan —True, that ts what L know, but the hon. the Leader of the Opposition knows vary well that sectarian grants, in this country, just Means a Pro- Why bad the hon. member yu thought of ths when he was in power. Lt will not do for the hon. member to say, oh! | only spoke of grauts to differeut sects, for nove knew better than the

‘

testaut and a Catholic vote.

hon. member, the Leader of the Opposition, that such |

references Were always syooulmous with a Catholic and a

Protestant vote. Tis is the real state of the case, anc

I will leave the lea:ned and bon. meniber to take eitber | He imagined, I suppose, that this |

born of the diieaima, would be a sore spot with the present Government. KR. Goxpon, Reporter.

Hon. Mr. McAvuzay.—I do net intend to offer many remarke. loathsome disease called cacocthes loguendz. But I will ask the hon. member, who bas just sat down, a question which will be @ test of his qualification for his office. What is the constitutional the Govervor’s Speech, or the Speech from the throne? If be iw not able to answer. [ shall inform him.

Hon. Mr. How.an.—The Speech fureshadows that which will take place during the Session.

Hon. Mr. Latkp —That which the hon member for Tignish (Mr. Howlan) bas stated ts the true principle. Leave commerce alone and it will regulate itself. But the lute Government did not do so when they purchased the Cunard Estate, By withdrawing all the money from the country, commercial wen must suffer, Certainly we

did not suffer a8 mueh us many anticipated, when the |

purchase was made. It appears that the hon. member fur Charlottetown is offended with the composite Govern-

ment, and says that nu good thing ean emanate from such |

a Government. ugree upon every point. op:nion. existed, the nembers of which could agree upon all points. The late Government was to @ certain extent composite.

No two persons can be found who can Each individual

There were wany differences of opinion among its mem- | A Government, in which there exist differences of |

bers opinion, 1s better qualified to fulfil the wishes of the country of the remarks of the Opposition They sneer at the Government, by asking whether a Bill is to be brought in, to enable the people to build two chimpeys in a school house where there is only one. Why do they not suggest amendments? they have full liberty to do sv. ‘The hon. member tor Georgetown, true to the instincts of his party, says that the Government should come down boldly and defiantly, without fear or favor. The Government bave no tear in the matter.

Hon. Mr. Doxcan —What have the Government come to? ment? All they can get abroad for their bonds is ninety on for @ bundred, The payments of the Cunard

Jstate have all been met; and other estates may be pur- |

chased in the same way, and by the samemeans. I have been more astonished at the Attorney General's statement than at that of the Finance Minister. that they ean get a Loan from abroad. Last year they said that the Loan would do everything. What would the Government have done with the money if they had ob tained the Loan? The hon. Mr. Laird, too, thinks that the Loun would do wonders They do not intend to inter- fere with commerce by buying any more estates.

“ Resolved, That thia House go into Committee of the whole, to take inte consideration the Dratt Address in answer tu His Excellency’s Speech.”

The Speaker then took the the Chair and reported progress. House adjourned.

[. Oxennam, Reporter.

Afternoon Session.

House in Committee on the draft Address in answer to |

His Excelleney’s Speech.

Hon. Mr. Kelly in the Chair.

The tirst paragraph was agreed to without amendment.

The second paragraph was then read.

Hon. Leaves or THe GoveRNMENT.—I must congratu- late this side of the House, that the Opposition has not brought out much fire on these paragraphs The Hon.

the Leader of the Opposition thinks there ought to be a |

good deal more in the Address but the best speech is often the shortest. It is easy for him to lay down what the Government ought to do. The part which seems to attract the Opposition is the Loan Bill. It seews that we are not to obtain a Loan from abruad. Although the other Colonies go abroad for movey, here, the feeling seems to be in favor of getting the muney ip our own Colony. At the time Mr. Hensley went to England there was a restraint upon the Banks, in consequence of the purchase of the Cunard Estate. money withdrawn from the Banks at that time, but they have now recovered from the pressure. The monetary affsire of this Colony seemed to require

to remove the difficulties that then existed.

we easily got clear of these difficulties. need nut eay that there was then no need of the Loan, but as we have tided over the difaculty, the Government

thought it as well to jet the Bill lay over fora time. I |

believe, when it is required, this Colonywill obtain a loan as fairly ue any of the Colonies. [f the first Loan Bull, which was proposed sevoral years ago, had been obtain ed, we could bave bought the Landa from the Proprietors, cheaper than at the present time . but the Loan eould not then be obtained. Since that time. pro; gat rshave raed the price uf their Lands. low, and others high.

Estate, were called upon tojpay more than the Land Pur- pciaee Act required. Last Seseion was a very short one

anu did yet Say that there was a very large return. But I

b lieve it Was clearly shown at the time of purchasing,

Jw it because = ghat the instalments would more than pay the cost and | Ic was pever intended by the Government to

charges. dexand more than would pay these. The Government is prepared to re dress the grievances of the people on the Estate: and in a ‘owing the opinion of the Crown Law Officers t# be man * “Ublic. show that they are prepared to

do so. We expects ! the Opposition to pick a hole in the |

Acdrese, but they eo 4 Dot do it more mildly than they

have done. I believe uo Serious objections to the para- |

by wwill be offered. grap : Hon. Mr McAugay. «\8 20ne of the members on this side uf the Uouse wem to oer any remarks, I wish to direct your ai tention togn ex.“ ordinary expression which ie clouded in such obseuce wora,*s 88 completely to hide its meaning. This ex sression isto be | undin this paragraph,

and is like a piusaud a mings whie h destroy one another.

It should read thus—* We beg respex ‘fully to reciprocate

the pleasure your Risce ‘lency expresses, 12 meeting us here, . . ‘i ” si

at the commencemert of adother Sess nl Ie will not

A little forther

on, we find the following :—**' And ta assur *

if we have, are they incompetent to give advice? This paragraph is @ memorial of their inabiiity. 2} do not T have Sat with him in frieodship, in his own bouse J shall Jet it pass

Hon. Arroryey Generan.

T wish the hog. member

(Mr. MeAulay) to correct the constracti i of the sentence. |

Hon. Mr. MecAvray. I do not find fault with the |

Hon. Mr. Hensuey. the hon. member meant. fon.» Mr. McAvtay.

I really did not anterstand what |

Does the bon. gent):*man know |

Hor. Arrorney Genegat. The hon. gentlenran who | 1 respeet tim, as |

A person who pays

As he said Ag he is the grammarian of the | [wish fim to put it right.

MeAvuay. if he cannot see where it »} Although he has good |

Hon. Mr.

The best writings in the word, | Jt is

| Mr. Pa wee 1 am susprised that the Government |

have not given us some ideg of their policy. A number of their members were sené to the House. with the expec- tation that something woald -be done by them, which would eauble the tenants to become freeholders. that no more efforts are to he inade till the loan is secured, © General's Report on a new line of road leading fron Many of the teniutry are (ghoring under great diffeulties, Murray River Bridge to Montague Bridge.

I hear

No! nothing of the kind. Vhey had men in that party who were determined | ‘They knew also that the |

J assure you that [ am not afficted with that |

intention of what is called | > |

has his own | { do not fear to say, that no Government ever |

Education is coming in for a considerable share |

Is there not money here in plenty, waiting tor invest- |

There is no proof |

There was a large amount of

& Loan | Tire | instalmmcuts paid for the Ounurd Batate weie targe, bue |

The Opposition |

Some tracts ot land were sold | The tenantry on the Selkirk |

‘be Land Commissioner's returns from the Estate |

your Exeel- lency that our assistance, &c.’’ Have we any G /¥eroment? |

e

—~ - .

———t

on aceawt of the prevent leasehold systeu I have the honor to represent people whe pay reat ; but they are | bound to have tres Jand or leave the county. [ under- stand from the Government supporters, that coercive measures are tu be introduced. [tis anfair br those mem- bers of the Government, who promised coer#Ve measures, | to let these promises remain a dead letter. Che Hon. Mr. Laird bas told us that the Conservatives itterfered with the trade of the Colony, when they purchagd the Cusard Estate. Did the Merchants depend on the lreasury to | carry on their business? | certainly approve of any law | which will improve the condition of the tenuntry, by | making them freeholders Hon. Mr. Henperson.—The allusion to the tenantry, | in this paragraph, must not be allowed D pass without remirk, It the tactics of sume politicians are examined, | we Shall find that promises are ome thing ard performances another. I must give this House to understand that L um | not merely picturing now. A tenant whom | met, asked | me bow it was that Miss Sulivan went anaccom panied to Lot 16. How was it that she was allowed te go, with no one | but her private attendants? She examined some of the | soil, and suid, that people who were settled on such land deserved to starve, if they did not obtain a livelihood from it. Lt was understood that the present Government when put in power, would do what the Conservatives had failed |} to do. It was natural that the their disappointment that no one wecom panied Miss | |} Sulivan. Anotber ask what is the use of talking to us about buying our land, when we have not ten shillings | worth of provisionsin our houses. ‘The Government does nothing in the wy of giving the people free land; they | are quite dead upon the subject. [t 1s no wonder that the people feel that they area foot ball for wll parties L heard the Leader of the Government say, that if this Loan hed been obtauineu in olden times, the Land Ques | tion would have been settled, and the talents of oar statesmen employed in developing the resources of the country. Does the hon Leader of the Gorernment be- lieve what he has affirmed? [do nos believeit. Instead of having the Land Question setiled, we are told that the negotiations now going on with the Imperial Govern- meut, may accomplish that object. A statement ma le by the hon. member for Tignwh, must not be allowed to | pass unnotived. This was, tiat when the ra | |} wenteent to tlalifax for the troops, they were well aware, | that they would be required to pay all expenses; not | only the expense of transportation, bat their daly pay Ihe hon. wember affirmed that he eouldprove this to be the case, from the despatches between the late Govern- ment aud the Colonial Minister. iisitatement is un- | justifiable. Why was the despatch f tie Colonial | Minister so ambiguously couched, that tley could not tell } what it meant; whether it was the payof the troops or | the expenses ot their transportation U der the circum- stances, they had to risk this, and diree their attention | to the maintenance of Jaw and order,in the Colony. | They acted as firmly, under the circumstances, as the | present Government would have done. Several bon. | members of the Government were sent tcthis House, by | the Tenant Leaguers. They promised tht more should be done towards a settlement of the LandQuestion, than | bud been done by the Conservatives ; butwhen they had served their own ends, the tenantry wep forgotten. | shall not enter any farther into the gubjed.

peo} le should express

late Gove

Hon. Leaver or THE GovyernMEeNT —TheLenant League, | I believe, originated.in the distriet of vhich the hon. member for Murray Harbor isthe represenutive. [tarose | in the Conservative ranks, and was no dubt caused by the disappointment of the peoole, in the nun-fulfilmenc | of the promises of the late Government. Ic was one of those unfortunate schemes that went a little too far. It is considered, that if the people bad been better advised by their representatives, all trouble would have been prevent-

ed, and the troops would not have been required. A

little more Getermination on the part of the late Govern- | ment would bave prevented the unahppy disturbances | which afterwards arose. The Conservative party got into |

power by making rash promises to the people, and by | raising & great deal of religious excitement. What did i

they do, when they had the government in their bands? They have certainly purchased some Estates; but [ have | | yet to learn that the country has been much benefited by | them. If the first proposed Joan bad been obtained, all | | the land in the Island might now be freehold. The pro- | prietors would then have been glad tosell their lands, and the Government could have purchased them at a low | | price. At the lastelsctions, the people were sick and tired | of the Conservative Government, which had crippled | the Education Act, and disappointed their expectations. | | In cutting off a part of the teacher's sulary, and laying a | part of the burden oc the people, they thought they were | | Improving the Kdueaiion Act. The present Government | are accused of making great promises to the people, but | I can assure the hon. mewbers of the Opposition, that | made no promises further than the amendment of the | jaws relating to Education. J believed that the Revenue | was quite sufficient to pay the teachers’ salaries in fall, and as fur as this was concerned, we acted in good faith. | The late Government was not tarown out, on account of | the great promises made by thie Libera! party. Thia is | an unfounded accusation. ‘They beld w wil they could | do so no longer. |

I. Oxeniam, Reporter. | SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE OF ASSEMBLY. |

HOUSE |

Moxnmy, March 16. | Hon. Attorney General presented the vetition of divers settlers on the Selkirk Estate, setting foth that said pe- titioners have all become purchasers frou the Government of the Colony of their locations on sau Selkirk Estate, and that many of them had regularly paid up their accruing instalments of the amounts charsed them for the freehold of their farms, and praying thatthe Government | | do cause an account of the said Estatesto be made up, with the view of releasing said petitiones from the pay- ; ment of any further sum than was necessiry to repay the | Government for the capital advanced tor the purchase of said Estate froin the late Proprietor theref, together witn all lawful charges respecting said f'state. Ordered, that said petition, together wth the report of | the Law Officers of the Crown which scompanied it, be | Jaid on the table. Hon. Atty. General, pursuant to notie, also introduced } a Billi to amend and explain the Land Purchase Act. Received and read } The object of the said Bill was to amend the Act only in its relation to Estates purchased under its provisions, which bad or might hereatter prove self-sustaining. The bill provides that when it shall appear from the books | kept in the office of Cowmissiouer of Public Lands, that | any estate purchased by the Government under the Land | Purchase Act bas proved self-sustainiog, it shall be the | | duty of the said Commissioner to give notice in writing | | thereof to the Government, who shall by such means as | shall appear most proper and effectual, cause a tall ip- Vestigation to bs made into the matter, and an accurate | | statement of the position of the Estate to oe drawn up; fand if it shal] appear that the Esrate in question has | proved self-sustaining, the t,eutepant Governor in Council shall issue an order ty egid Commissioner of Public Lands | requiring him not to egact any furber payments from those occupants of the Estate who have patd up their full Proportion or share of the sum required ty ma ke the said Estate sel f-sustainipg. The Commissioner of s’ubtic | Lands shall still eontinue aud proceed to collect from | | those occupants who shall not bave oaid up their ful] share j} until they shall have paid their proportion. When the | } Government shall have been fully rembursed and sua- | | tained in regard to the purchase of such Estate, it shall | | be lawful for them to order the return to such occu pants | | #8 may have paid the same, any sum they may have paid | in excese of thefr own due share or proportion necessary | | to make the Ketate self-sustaining. The provisions of | | the bill extend to all Estates already purchased, as well | as to those which may hereafter be bought by the Gov- | ernment of the Colony. | Ordered, that said bill be read a secondtime to-morrow. | Hon. Attorney General then introdaced a Bill to repeal | the Act now in force relating to Interest, which was | received and read. He (Ion. A ttorney General) remarked | that the laws regulating the rate of interest had of late | years been materially relaxed in their relation to loans | upon all other securities, excepting lands, tenements, &c. | | He could see no reason why the distinction between the | rates of interest allowed to be taken upon landed securi- | | ties and that tolerated in other branches of trade, should be kept up. In Engiand, the Australian Colonies, and | | in Canada, no such distinction existed. A similar bill to that now submitted bad passed the House in previous years, but was rejected by the Upper Branch of the | Legislature. Le beheved that now, however, the measure would receive the sanction of that honorable body. It wis desirable to remove every restriction from the law reiting to rates of interest, in order to induce as much as possible the inflax of capital into the Colony. Money was a Much a matter of trade as any other commodity, and it was high time that the various restrictions bitherto placed upon it were abolisned.

The bill provides that no more than 6 per cent interest be regovered in any Court of Law, on any account or contract, unless it shall appear that any different rate was agreed to, in writing, between the parties concerned ; and that the bill shall not prejudice the right, or alter the liabilities, of any party in respect to any transactions entered into previously to the passing of the measure | under consideration

Ordered, that agid bill be read a second time to- | morrow.

Hon. Atty. General gave notice that to-morrow he would move for supply.

|

j | | | |

AFTERNOON SESSION.

Hoo. Col. Secretary presented the Report of the Com- | missioners for the encouragement vf Agriculture and | Lose! Industry, relating to the Industrial Exhibition | heid at averlottetown jn October Jast. Meceived and | read. Orderea to be laid on the table,

Hon. Col. Secretary also presented the Surveyor

| Statute.

| expenditure £73,962, Los.

| &c., £2,208 2s ld.; Lunatic Asylum, £1,617

| also a decrease in the quantity of Spirits im- |

| after five o'clock,

|. but also advance the general interest of the

| survey of those wilderness lands, in farms or

| forth a discussion. He

Mr. Howat introduced a bili to amend the Law relating to the Miliua and Volunteer forces of the Colony. The ebject of said bill is to alter the ume for attending dil, by exempting from attending or performing Militia daty or training al! persons liable to perform such duty, excepting trom the Ist to the 25th day of July, and trom the Ist of December to the Ist of April, in each year. Provided always, that in case of war, invasion or insarrection, all such persons shall be lable to perform Militia duty wt any period

» year. P iy Atty. General introduced a Bill to amend the laws establishing _ the salaries payable to the Attorney and Solicitor Gen- eral. The object of the Bill is to so explain and amend the law as to prevent any person | buolding either of the othives above named, | recovering trom the Goverpment on aby | account whatever, apy greater amount than | the salary allowed hia or them under the

| j }

lion. Atty General presented the Report of the Committee of the Executive Couneil appointed to enquire 1nty the purchase, y results of esle, &e., of the Selkirk Estate. Said Report states that the Estute in question the Government £9,918 Os 9d, that it was priced to realize

classification,

Cust

€21 890 7s 8d, including 20 per cent, on the arrears of rent. Subsequeutiy i Was again

pric od to realize £15,145 2s G1 independently

of the returns realizable trom 2U,00U acres of

Wilderness land unlet by the former pro- prietor. That on dlst January, 1867, the sum paid by the purchasers into the hands of the Commissoner amounted to £11,889 17s l0d. Lat the Commissioner of Publie Lands is of Opinion that at the presence tiine money enough has been paid in to make the Selkirk | Estate and that the settlers | have been overcharged That offeer there- fore thinks, instead of the ten separate instalments being exacted, that the seventh instalment will be ample and sufficient tu Cover the outlay foc the purchase, interest, and working expenses of the Kstate, and that those purchasers Who Lave paid over the seventh instalment siould bave the overplus returned to them.

The said Report goes on to state that the | object of the bill was accomplisted when the seventh instalment was paid up, and endorses the opinion of the Land Commissioner in recommending that not more than the sey- enth iastalment be exacted from such pur- chasers; and that those who have paid beyond that amount, shall lave the same refunded them. The Report also recommends that more liberal terms be offered to intending settlers on Wilderness Jand, held by the Government, than have hitherto been grant- ed, so as to ensure the setthement and cultivation of said lands,

House adjourned.

sell-sustaibiog,

Tvespay, March 17.

On motion of the Hon. Col. Secretary, a supply was granted to Her Majesty.

Hon. Col. Secretary awiSO pre sented the Pub- he Accounts, as Classili d Dy the Auditors, tor the year ending January Jlst, LROS.

Ordered, Accounts be referred to the special Comunittee appointed to e€xamiuc

that said

and report thereon.

The said Accounts show that the receipts of the pust were £78,025 18s. $d., and the lid. The amount paid for public Mducation for the past year was £15,737 10s. Ild.; Road service, including the salaries of Commissioners, £13,475 8s. 2d.; Military Department, includi t of oa Mail service, In

year

\

ny transpoi

Tro pS, £3.763 3s. 2d. land | and } reign, £6,636 zs. mo Lighthouses, j

2,175 7s. 5d.; Buoys and Beacons, £247 6s. i.: Jails, £1,232 3s. 8d.; Crown Prosections, 19s.; Public Lands, £1,073 10s. 6d.; Agriculture, £933 17s. 11d.; Impost and Excise Department, £1,524 16s. 1d.; Legislation, £3, 620 7s. 5d.;

Public Printing, £1537 ‘is. 3d ; Paupers, £1,014 10s.; Deputation to England to procure Loan, £332? 3a ld.; and Elections, £x55 5a. 2d.

The Impost Accounts shew ot 42,113 iDS.5 retined Ss Brown Sugar, 2,254 cwt.; Molasses, gallons: and Kerosene, 9,196

a falling off nm Tea tho

isar, 27,966 lbs; 28,495 gations 5 aud ported, and an increase in Home Manufactured | Whiskey.

House adjourned.

Wepxespay, March 18.

Mr. P. Sinclair introduced a bill to amend the Act relating to the due observance ef the | Lord's Day. In explaining the object of the bill, he (Mr. Sinclair) observed that the Law, as it now stood, permitt. dthe sale of fresh fish before the hours of nine o'clock, forenoon, and on the Sab-

necessary to

\

in the aiternoen, therefore amend as to prevent the selling or vending

bath. It the Act, so of fresh fish ofany description atany hour on the | Lord’s Day, as provided by the bill then re- | Ccelve d and read.

Ordered to be read a second time to-mor- row,

was

Hon. Mr. Howlan introduced a bill to an. | courage the settlement and cultivation of the public Wilderness Lands of the Island. The

obiect of is to faci and cultivation of the Wilderness lands on the

Estates purchased by the Goy

said bill tate the settleme; t ernment, by sel] ing the same on advantaveous terms to persons \ lesirous of settling fon. Mr. — . . Howlan on introducing the bill explained its is . ; : provisi nS, ana said {hat if was desirable to

on said land

lancs.

nlace within the reach of the yeomanry of the country, those lands now laying waste, by offer- hem on such terms as micht be an induce.

ing t ment and prove advantageous, both to the settler and the Government. In many parts of the eoun- | trv farms of 100 acres of land had heen divided | and subdivided into small portions for the pur- pose of affording means of support, however in- | adequate, to lifferent members of families. If in- ducements were held out to parties thus situated, they would sell them small holdings and eulti vate farms; others, in addition to their smal! holdings would purchase woodlands, and thereby not only improve their own condition,