:

17)

TILE 4

EXAMINER.

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tS

existed a desire that the Bible should not only be read but| commented on. His reason for saying so, was the assertion that they should adopt Dr. Stowe's system, of which the reading and commenting on the Scriptures formed a part. | That might do in a sehwol exclusively Protestant; but although Dr. Stowe’s system, properly so called, was in force | in Dublin, and the several other places referred to by the | Hon. Attorney General, it was impossible to carry out that | particular part of it. Lt would be ridiculous to attempt to | do so in Ireland ; yet the mechanical department, that is the form and routine of secular education, which was justly en- | titled to be styled the system, had been adopted, and had | worked satisfactorily, as was evidenced by the high authorities | cited by the Hon. Attorney General. It was nething but an | awful fallacy ‘to say that the compulsory reading of the Scriptures was part of the system.

The Biil was thea committed and agreed to, wi-hout amendment.

The Post Office Bill was read a second time.

The Secret Bill of Sales Bill was read a third time and |

passed.

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. Farivar, March 20. ‘ AFTERNOON SITTING. SOUTH WEST RIVER BRIDGE, NEW LONDON.

Mr. Laird presented to the House the report of the committee on this subject, which was adopted, and 1s as follows :—

«* Your committee to whom were referred last session the petition of divers inhabitants of New London and adjacent | settlements, praying a grant, in aid of individual subscriptions, to erect a Bridge over the South West River, New London, and which committee, by order of the House of Assembly, were directed to enquire into and report cn the same this session— have to submit as follows :—

‘* That your committee examined both the places recommend- ed by the petitioners as proper sites to build a bridge across | said river, and found the upper one, called McLeod's Ferry, to | be the most suitable, if a bridge could be built there ; but your | committee consider that as a very large amount would be} required for the work, they cannot recommend it to be proceeded with at present ; and in order to afford the travelling public the convenience they require, your committee recommend that a emall sum be granted to assist in keeping an additional Ferry at the place commonly known as Coles’s Ferry, in accordance | with the prayer of a petition presented to the House this Session.”

EDUCATION BILL.

On motion of the Hon. Col. Secretary, the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the Bill to continue and amend the Free Education law, Mr. Perry in the chair.

GRORGETOWN SCHOOLS.

Mr. MACDONALD said he had presented a petition, referred to that committee, from the schoo! Trustees and other inbabitants of Georgetown, setting forth that the Teacher of the first or lowest class in Georgetown receives only £55 per annum, and the Teacher of the second or highest £70, and praying that they may be pleaced on the same footing, as ‘l'eachers of the same classes in Charlottetowne He thought it was but reasonable, when they possessed the same qualifications, that they should receive the same amount of sslary as the Teachers in Charlottetown. [t had been said that the inhabi- tants of Georgetown paid but little school tax ; but he had) been looking over the account for 1856, by which he saw that |

the whole amount received for schools and ‘Teachers in | Georgetown for that period was £60 and the amount of tax) paid was £100 ; while in Charlottetown for the same peried the | amount paid tothe Teachers, including those of the Academy | and Normal] Schoo!, was £970, and the tax paid for the same

time was only about £300, showing that the inhabitants of

Charlottetown received £670 for education more than they paid

for school tax. He thought, then, that there could be no) objection to putting the schools of Georgetown on the same) footing as those of Charlottetown. He then moved the following

amendment to the Act :—

* From and after the passing of this Act, the Teacher for the | tine being of the District School in Georgetown, shal! if of | the second or highest class and qualified as required by the fifth | section of the said herein recited Act of fifteenth Victoria, chapter thirteen, receiwe and be paid the sum of eighty pounds per annuin, and if of the first or lowest class and qualified as required by the said Sth section of the said recited Act, such ‘Teacher shall receive and be paid the sum of seventy pounds per annum in lieu of the salary heretofore by law paid to such | Teacher.’’

Hon. COL. SECRETARY said, that question had been so well discussed when the salaries of ‘l'eachers were fixed on the first introduction of the Free Education Act, that he thought it useless to go over the discussion again; but he had been informed that when the salaries of Teachers in other parts of the Island had been raised, that of the Teacher for Georgetown had not beenincreased. He had no vbjections to raise it in the same proportion as the salaries of other (eachers throughout the country had beea increased, which he thought the fairest way to do it.

Mr. MACINTOSH did not see why the Teachers of the sime class should not be placed on the same footing in Georgetown as in Charlottetown. Regarding the expense, they knew that in all new countries it was not so easy to live in a sinall town ay in one mereased in wealth He considered that it was not fair at all that there should be a difference between the salaries of ‘Teachers in Georgetown and those in Charlottetown; he would support the motion that they bé placed on the same footing, which indeed ought to have been the case from the first introduction of the act.

Hon. COL. TREASURER said, as regarded Georgetown, it would be well to give its Teacher a larger salary ; but there were towns in Prince County nearly as large as Georgetown, as S:, Eleanor’s, Summerside, and Townsende’ Corner ; and if those places had not been allowed an increase to the salaries of their Teachers, neither should Georgetown. It was well known that a Teacher might I've more cheaply in Georgetown than in Charlottetown; and if he wished to obtain a piece of land he could purchase it for much less in the former town. He was well aware the members for Georgetown had succeeded very well in obtaining large grants for that City, as it might be called ; but a8 the inhabitants of that town were so wealthy they might very well subscribe a little additional to keep a email school in Georgetown.

Mr.'T. HEATH HAVILAND said, according tothe argument of the Hon. Col. Treasury, that wealth was to bea test whether ‘Teachers should be paid out of the public purse or not, if he wouid carry out his theory, the Teachers of Charlottetown should not receive a single farthing from the pub.ic purse. If in Charlottetown they had so much wealth, why should they not subscribe for the salaries of their Teachess also? He thought the argument was the other way ; small towns should receive more im proportion to their wealth than large ones. Markets were not so regular in Georgetown as in Charlottetown, and prices were in many cases higher. Atall events it was not equitable that Teachers equally well qualified should not be poid so muchas in Coarlottetown. If taxation was regarded a+ a claim, Georgetown had a direct claim, because it had been clearly proved by statistics, which were stubborn things, that Geo getown contributed more towards the public schools, in proportion to what it received, than Charlottetown did. He did not appeal to the House for the increase, as awPact of,

charity, but he claimed it as aright, that the schoois in the two places be placed upon the same footing.

Hon, COL. TREASURER, in reference to the taxes’

' those building: ; but when the mem

not obtamed its proper share of it.

Hon. Mr. MOONBY suid they need not be arguing so long about it. Georgetown was the second tc moreover it was coming todo a great business, for they he that the rafters of the Court House had been broken down. He really thought they ought to grant a lithe addi Georgetown, merely to sympathise with them, if only for the name of the thing. ;

Hon. Mr. MON T'GOMBRY thought if Georgetown had claims for an increase of salary to its Teachers, that Princetown had also such claims. tt is well known that the inhabitants of Princetown Royalty had been deprived of those privileges which they formerly enjoyed respecting education, yet they still con- tinued to pay the same taxes. They paid much more taxes than the inhabitants of the District Schools, For those reasons, he thought if there was an increase made to the salaries of Teachers in Georgetown, there should also be an increase in Princetown. Further, he thought that neither Prince County nor Kings received a fair share of public money for their Teachers. ‘There was a large proportion given to Charlottetown, and it was necessary that such should be the case; but he thought there should be a little more given tothe other two Counties, at least that there should be one good school in each of those Counties.

Hon. Mr. WIGHTMAN said, they were all aware that the large sum appropriated to Education was absorbing the revenue. But he referred to the remark made by the Hon, Col. ‘Treasurer, who said there were three towns in Prince County nearly as large as Georgetown; they might be towns in name, but not in reality. He did not see why they should make that difference which then existed between the salaries of Teachers in Charlotte- town and Georgetown. The expense for the maintenance of the Teacher was as great in the one as inthe other ; therefore he thought the inhabitants of Georgetown were entit led to the privilege of having their Teachers placed on the sane footing as ‘Teachers in Charlottetown. Look at the large sum, drawn from Georgetown ; did it not go into Charlottetown, and was not a large amount of the revenue applied to the various public buildings in Charlottetown? They were paying enough for bers from Georgetown asked for a small addition to the salaries of the Teachers of that town, the members living in Charlottetown raised opposition to their request.

‘Mr. COOPER thought if ‘Teachers in Georgetown had the same qualifications as those in Charlottetown, they ought to receive the same ammount of salary. Application had been made to him by inhabitants of Souris for his support in obtaining an extra grant to tae T'eacher there ; but he had discouraged them, yet with the understanding that he would support such a grant if the salarv ef the Teachers of Georgetown should be increased. Souris was increasing more than Georgetown both in population and trade; and a greater number of children attended school than at Georgetown.

Hon. Mr. LORD thought hon. members were commencing at the wrong end of the subject; they ought to show, in the first place, where the money was to come from, befure they

ard

proposed an increase of salaries to Teachers, ‘They had already

appropriated a large sum, about £13,000, for Education, which was certainly a sufficient expenditure for it. Besides, they knew very well what was the state of the revenue, and that they were exceeding it, and spending more money than they had at command. If hon. members would show how that sum was to be raised, he would gladly grant the proposed increase, and also raise the salaries of all Teachers throughout the Island. It was a just cause of complaint that the salaries of Teachers were too low. In meeting Teachers in the country, the first question asked by them was, do you think we can live on £50 a year and pay our own boarding ?® But in present circumstances, he thought it better to allow the salaries of Teachers to remain as they were. Let the inhabitants of Georgetown lay a little additional tax on their land, if they wished to increase the salaries of their Teachers. Any Teacher had just as good a right to come forward and ask for an addition to his salary as the Teachers of Georgetown. If, however, their salaries had not been raised, when those of other Teachers were increased, they might be augmented now ; but the iacrease not to exceed the amount added to the other Teachers salaries

n.

Hon. COL. SECRETARY said the salary of the Teacher of Georgetown was at present £70. and if Latin was taught, there was 10s. additional for each scholar so instructed ; if amounting to twenty, that would be a salary of £80, which was very wel! for Georgetown. It was no use to say that Teachers could not live as cheaply in Georgetown as in Charlottetown. Ile saw that the amended Education Act allowed £5 additional to the country schools ; but Georgetown not being amongst these, was excluded from that increase [read an extract from the Act.] He thought if the Act were amended so as to give £5 additional to the Teachers in Georgetown, it would do very well.

Mr. MACINTOSH was as far from being satisfied in the matter as at the beginning of the discussion. It made no differ- ence what duties any Teacher discharged ; if a Teacher taught the same branches in Georgetown as in Charlottetown, why was he not entitled to the same amount of salary ? He was at the same expense for his boarding as one in Charlottetown. Ifa district in the country had sufficient ambition to employ a second class ‘Teacher, he ought to receive the same amourt of salary as was paid to one of the same class in Charlottetown. He did not at all see the justice of the present system, that one class ina community should be better paid than the saine Class in another community.

Hon. Mr. WIGHTMAN aaid they only asked to have their Teachers placed on the same scale of salary as those in Charlottetown. The first class Teacher in Georgetown received only £55, while those of the same class in Charlottetown received £75. Georgetown was the second capital in the Island, and entitled to be placed on the same footing in reference to the salaries of its Teachers as Charlottetown ; and not only that, but there was more drawn from Georgetown for the maintenance of Teachers than from any other part of the Island, whilst there was only one Teacher in it receiving a salary from the revenue of the Colony ; and therefore a little addition ought to be made to that salary.

Mr. LAIRD thought they ought to go half way, and grant an increase of £10 or £15 to the salaries in question.

A few additional remarks were offered on the subject, and Mr. Macdonald’s amendment was lost, only four voting in favor of it.

it was then agreed that £5 be added to the salaries of the Teachers of Georgetown.

[This decision was subsequently reversed].

BIBLE QUESTION.

The petitions referred to this committee relating to the introduction of the Holy Scriptures into the public schools, were then taken up in order to be considered.

Hon. Mr. WIGHTMAN.—Mr. Chairman, one of those petitions, especially the one | now hold in my hand, was given to me to lay before this House, which | did, and expected it would be taken up when the Free Education Act came before the House for consideration. It contains the siguatures of a great number of persons, about 850, who together with (hose who have signed another petition of a similar nature which I presented, are the principal part of my constituents. There has been much excitement in the country with regard to this question. The country was led to believe, when the Education Act was renewed again, that the reading of the Scriptures in the public schools was to be prohibited, which of course we, as Protestants in this country, would not feel inclined to submit

collected for schools at Georgetown, thought that the eum to. For my own part, | desire to see the Scripiures used in all expended in collecting the taxes amounted to within £5 of the | public schools, especially Protestant ones; and if it is the whole sum paid fur Teachers there. It was also known that | desire of Catholics that their version of the Scriptures be also taxes were collected in country districts, and he considered | used, I have no objection to it. The Board of Education G vorgetown a country district and nothing more ; but much of | passed a resolution some time ago, which, had it been exten- the taxes collected there were on account of the harbor being | sively published in the country, would no doubt have prevented open several months longer in the year than most other places, | 80 many petitions coming before the House ; for it almost meets Even admiting that Georgetown paid bighly towards the the views of my constituents, It goes so far as to say that it is Education Act, yet other districts also paid much towards it, /not the intention of the Board to prohibit the reading of the avd se might clains additional grants for education. He, Bible, but says they will permit it where desired. This however, did not biame the inembers for Georgetown for asking | resolution, Mr, Chairman, so far as it goes, appears to me to go an increase to the Teachers’ salary; but he would blame the | fully as far as the Education Act formerly did ; but how far it other members if they would not ask for an increase tov, whieh | may be necessary to embody such a resolution as this in the he would like to see if the revenue would allow it. Act, [ am not aware. I presume as it is from the Board of Mr. MACDONALD wondered very much that when the hon. | Education, it may answer the same purpose ; for it appears from member way so anxious for the increase of the salaries of this petition, which L presume was prepared in Charlottetown, Fewhers in bus distict, that he did not include them when be! that the petitioners only wish that the Scriptures be read in

i i

'

schools by parents and guardians who desire it. _Now, 11 does not appear that it is the intention of the House of Assembly to make any alteration Whatever in the Edvextion Act ; therefore, we have not that reason to cou-plain, which it was expected we would bave. ‘The Act merely leaves the question as it was 5 therefure we have no reason to ask for any change tn it. But ‘es | said before, some of my constituents insisted on me that the Bible should be intreduced into all our schools, whether

moved that the salaries of Teachers in Charlottetown should be increased. ‘The inhabitants of Georgetown had contribuied a very large amount tow ards the Free Kxducation Act, and had also pard a large sum into the Treasury from the sule of crown -_ ito that town, which, according tothe Royal instructions, shonld | pave been expended in the place where It was collected, instead of going into the general revenue of the Island ; but the money had been paid into the general revenue, and Georgetown had

ywn ia the Island ;| measure.

|

iditional sum to| used, Generally tn my pa Catholics and Protestants, t

Protestant or Catholic: yet as far as | myself am concerned, f have no disposition to distract the community by any compulsory 1, however, say if there 18 a Veacher willing - attend to the reading of the Seriptures, and if itis the wish

of the parents to have them used 1m school, they should be rt of the country, Where there are

he New ‘Testament 1s used in the

schools, without any objection being made to it, so far as | know,

: sirous to have the by the Catholics, who appeet is ne i yore Ls ouhes Scriptures read in school as the Fro , cinamdine more fully into the subject untl I hear further rem subi ssion. omen ve ALMER.—I was in hopes when the hon. member rose to speak on this question, that we would have enunciated by him the views of the Government a8 to what action they intend to take on this matter relating to the petitions. Probably they may have something in view which will meet the wishes of all parties on the subject; and [ shall, as far as | am concerned, keep any observations that I have to make on the subject till I hear what the views of the Govern- ment are on the subject, in answer to those petitions that have

ne in.

"ie. COL. SECRETARY.—I do not know what the hon. and learned member for Charlottetown means by saying, he hoped the Government would be prepared to introduce some- thing to meet the views of all parties on this subject? I can only say, the Government have not had a petition presented to them either from one party or another on the subject, yet they have seen some reports of speeches made at the Protestant convention ; therefore [do not see why the Government should be prepared to meet the views of all parties. [| have not received a petition from any party relating to this question, | contend that to cortinue the Act as it is, will give general antisfaction. ‘I'he petitions say if it is the intention of the House to alter the Act &c. But what has been said by 9 number of persons who have raised an agitation, has affected the people, so that it appears to be the dread of the petitioners that the House of Assembly are going to introduce a clause into the Act to exclude the Scriptures from the schools. That is the sum and substance of the prayer of all the petitions. Now, it is not the intention of the House of Assembly ror of the Govern- ment to exclude the Bible from the schools, but to leave the question to the parents and ‘Trustees ; and I believe that is the most equitable way it can be arranged, as I do not think it is advisable to legislate on the tnatter. ‘The returns that have been sent in from the schools show that the Scriptures are not used in a very large number of them. No less than 4000 children receive instruction in schools where the Bible may be read ; and many of those schools in which it is not read are purely Protestants schools. In one of those schools with 68 children in attendance, and not one Catholic, and that school receiving support from the Glebe land fund too by the order of the Bishop of the Church of England, the Scriptures are not read, and no prayer used in it. There is a prayer actually ordered by the Board of Education, and even in this Protestant school, they do not make use of it. In another school where there are 44 Protestant children, and only 2 Catholic ones, no Scriptures are read. In anotherschool where there are 42 Protestant children, and not one Catholic, (here are no scriptures read. [The hon. member read several other extracts from the returns which he held in his hand showing that in some schools where the majority of children were Catholic, the Scriptures were read &c., and then continued]. Now, it appears to me it is much better to leave the majter as it is; the people can please themselves with reference to religious instruction ip school ; but to take any legislative action in reference to this matter, would not be advisable. I think the Education Act was working to the satisfaction of all parties until this agitation got up a few months ago. All that 1s complained of now by those who have petitioned on the subject is, that no change should be made in the Act, and they are perfectly satisfied that it should remain as it was; and when that is the case, I think it much better to let the Act continue as it was, and leave the management of the schools in reference to the books to be read to the Board of Education. I have made some calculations in reference to the number of schools in which the Scriptures are read ; and there are 92 schools where they are read, and 146 where they are not read, the greater portion of the latter being Protestant schools, where they may have the Bible to-morrow, if they choose. 1 dare say this agitation wi)] cause the Scrip- tures to be read in all the Protestant schools. ‘The petitions have been got up by a company of gentlemen who, in their zeal for the Scriptures, think, | dare say, it would be for the benefit of all if the Scriptures were read in school, not perhaps looking so far into the matter as the members of this House, but looking to their own congregations. I hope hon. members will see that the best way to allay the existing excitement is, to allow the reading of the Scriptures in school to reinain as it was.

Hon. T. H. HAVILAND.—The chief cause of alarm has arisen, I believe, from what the Board of Education did in the exclusion of the Scriptures from the Norma! School; and the District schools are also subject to their supervision. In the Normal! School, the Scriptures were excluded by the Board of Education ; yet I believe an order has been made since that they may be used in that Institution. A Board which makes an order to-day may rescind it to-morrow. They have also authority in all the District schools to do the same, if they please ; but my opinion is that they should not have it in their power to do so much ;-rthat where the Scriptures are required to be read or taught, the ‘I'rustees of those schools should be allowed that privilege, without reference to the Board of

Education. I now move a clause in amendment to the Act, as

follows :—

‘© Whereas the fifty-first section of the said recited Act requires that all Books to be used in the several schools throughout the Island be prescribed, amongst other things, by the School Visitor and Board of Education, under the penalty of every school being deprived of the Government allowance authorized by the said Act, unless the Books so prescribed be adopted by such school. And whereas it is deemed meet and expedient that the Holy Scriptures should not be excluded from any of the public schools of this Island, and that the said Board of Education or School Visitor should not be authorized to make or prescribe any Rule or Regulation by which the said Holy Scriptures shall or may be excluded from the said schools. Be it therefore enacted, that the Holy Scriptures shall be permitted to be read daily, and shall and may be read daily, in the Central Academy, the Normal School, and in all other the public schools of this Istand deriving Government aid, wherein the parents or guardians of the children who may be in attendance in said schools respectively, slial] consider the holy scriptures to be a necessary part of daily instruction for their children in such schools, anything in the said Act, or any other Act of the Legislature now in force, to the contrary notwithstanding.”

That will meet the views of all parties, and infringe on the liberties of none.

Hon. COL TREASURER.—The clause introduced by the hon. member will not meet my views, nor the views of my constituents ; but if it did meet their views, [ would not agree to heve the Scriptures excluded from the schools, nor would I agree to have a clause of that kind introduced. [ am not opposed to the reading of the Scriptures in any of the schools in the Island, but | am opposed to anything compulsory in the matter. Hon. members in Charlottetown are not acquainted with the state of the District schools throughout the Island. | speak of my own district, and when I do so, | speak of others too throughaut the Island; and I think about one half of the children in my district are Roman Catholics. It has been sa:d by a great many, that Catholics are opposed to the reading of the Scriptures in school, and that their Clergy are opposed to it. This [totally deny. I happened to be educated in France, and was about two years in a Jesuit College ; yet | was not called upon to follow out the religious views of those who attend that College. I own it is a rule that books taken there be examined, in order to prevent the introduction of books without being inspected by the President of the College. | delivered up my books, which were returned to me ina few weeks, and I was told that he had no objections to my reading those books. While | was obliged to attend the chapel con- nected with the College, | had my own books to read ; so that | do not believe that the Catholic Clergy are opposed to the reading of the Scriptures in schools, yet they bave their own. If the compulsory use of the Scriptures in schools be made the law of the land, 1 have no doubt that Catholic children will

the Island wil! be deprived of the privilege of having their ‘children educated. This is one of the effects that would result from making the reading of the Seriptures compulsory in all ‘the schools in the Island. I know thata great deal of agitation | has been created on this subject ; but if we are to believe the | reports of published speeches,as having been delivered by certain parties, I think the christian rel'gion has not been the one which they have selected for themselves, For my own part, I shed! ast support the amendment that has been sub:nitted by the bon, member, (Hon. T. H, Haviland).

(To be continued.)

withdraw from them, ond thus nearly one balf of the people of

BOARD OF WORKS BILL. Ix tue House or Asseuuty, 6th April, 1857.

A Bill to provide for the establishment of a Board of Works.

_Ordered, That the further consideration of the above recited Bill be postponed until the next Session, and that the Bill be printed once in the Examiner, Islander, Protector and Adver- tiser, newspapers. JOHN MeNEILL, C. H. A.

HEREAS it is deemed expedient to provide for the

more eflicient management and superintendance

of all Lighthouses, Bridges, Wharfs, and other Publie

Works and Buildings in this Island, by the establishment of

a Board of Works, as hereinafter mentioned. Be it thero-

fore enacted by the Lieutenant- Governor, Council and Assembly, as follows :—

I. The Colonial Secretary of this Island for the time being, and four other persons to be appointed by the Lienten- ant Governor or other Administrator of the Government for the time being, in Council, and to hold office during pleasure, shall constitute a Board for the superintendance and manage- ment of the Colonial Building, Government House, the several Jails and Court Houses in this Island, Lighthouses, Buoys, Beacons, Roads, Wharfs, Bridges, and all other Public Works and Buildings belonging to the Government of this Island, and shall be called “ The Board of Works.”

II. The Board shall appoint a Clerk, at a salary not ex- ceeding pounds per annum, who shail hold office during the pleasure of the Board.

III. The erection, laying out and repair of Lighthouses, Jails, Roads, Bridges, Wharfs, and otlftr Public Works and Buildings ; the laying down and erection of Buoys and Beacons, and the purchase of oil and other materials and things for the use of Lighthouses and Jails, shall in all cases, when practicable, be offered to public competition after having been duly advertised.

IV. The Lieutenant Governor or other Administrator of the Government for the time being, in Council, shall and may appoint an Engineer, to visit from time to time the Light- houses, Buoys and Beacons, Jails, Roads, Bridges, Wharfs, and other Public Works and Buildings in this Island; and such Engineer shall receive a salary not exceeding pounds a-year, and shall be under the general direction of the Board; and shall furnish at least once in every year, for the information of the Legislature, a report of the condition of such Lighthouses, Buoys”and Beacons, Jails, Roads, Bridges, Wharfsand other Public Works and Buildings, and offer suggestions for the improvement thereof.

V. The Board shall be repaid any travelling expenses th may incur in the performance of their duties; and Member of the Board, not holding any departmental office, shall be entitled to receive the sum of _ per day, for every day’s attendance at the sittings of the Board.

VII. The account of all expenditure made and incurred by the Board under aiacetian of this Act, shall be kept by the Clerk of the Board, and the amount neces- sary for that purpose shall be drawn by warrant on the Treasury of the Island, in the usual manner, on the certificate of the Chairman of the Board, to be appointed as hereinafter mentioned ; and all such accounts shall be annually presented to the House of Assembly, and audited at the same time as other public accounts.

VIII. The Lieutenant Governor or other Administrator of the Government for the time being, in Council, shall appoint a Member of the Board to be Chairman ; and in the absenee of such Chairman, the Board may elect a temporary Chairman in his stead.

IX. Not less than three Members of the Board shall form a quorum, for the transaction of business; and the Chairman of the Board for the time being shall have a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes on any matter before the Board.

X. The Engineer to be appointed under this Act shall not, under a penalty of pounds, either directly or ia- directly tender for, take or accept, or derive any profit, benefit or advantage, from any public contract, building or work whatsoever, which may come or be under his superin- tendance or control.

XI. This Act shall continue and be in force for the space of years from the passing thereof, and from thence to the end of the then next Session of the General Assembly, and no longer.

—- —

ee.

Correspondence.

To tne Eprtor or tue Examiner. My pean Sir;

I perceive that Mr. Heard, in his letter to the editor of the Islander, states, “the public will judge not only of the plaza of Messrs. Barker & Co., who, I understand, were consulted before the above answer was given,” (namely, my answer to Mr. Heard's most extraordinary request.) I beg to assure him that Mr. Barker never saw my answer, unless he should have so soon contracted the bad habit of deriving his information from the pages of the Islander. Aud I would remind him, in reference to the last paragraph of his communication, that provided he discloses nothing but the truth, he need have no apprehension about an action for libel, as the present state of » the law, should any action be commenced, will allow of his putting the truth in evidence, with perfect impunity to him- self. Mr, Heard states, in his letter, that “ Mr. Barker declared at bis lecture that the Hon. Mr. W. was all that was excellent during their late voyage across the Atlantic,” and that that circumstance brought to his recollection the statements made by Mr. Barker at Pictou, respecting Mr. W.’s conduct; and that he, Mr. Heard, was" induced to mention the fact to several of his friends, &c. 1 would now ask this gentleman did not he and his friends circulate the report in question during the sale of the wrecked goods, long previous to the lecture ? 1 may remark, in conclusion, that as Mr. Heard has given occasion for my again appearing in your columns, | may be permitted to express the hope that those who do read the Islander will give full consideration to the exceedingly modest application made by Mr. Heard to me, that I should suffer him to publish statements reflecting on my character, which he himself believed to be of a libellous and defamatory. nature. Mr. Heard’s friends must be delighted to perceive that, whatever virtues he may want, discretion, said to be the better part of valour, is not among the number, especially a in this case the absence of it might involve important pecuniary considerations.

I remain, very truly yours,

J. WARBURTON.

Charlottetown, April 20, 1857.

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