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ee y Vol. ALY. COLONIAL LEGISLATURE,

~TRUISLATIVE COUNC.L.

Sarcrpay, April 23.

On motion of the Hon. Mr. Dingwell, the Rill to facilitate the proceedings in the Court of Chancery, in caves where the defendants, or any of them, shall be absent from the Island, was read a third time and passed.

Hon. Mr. Yeo moved that the Bill for the regulation ef the oyster fisheries be now read the third time.

Ilion. Mr. Anderson moved, in amendment, seconded by the [fou. Mr. Boer, that the said Bill be not now read a third time, but that the same be ayain referred to a Commit- tee of the whole House, for the purpose of striking out the words, “the formation of new beds,” in the preamble of the Bill Agreed to.

The Hon. Mr. MeDonald then moved, se- couded by the Hon. Mr. Yeo, that it also be an instruction to the said committee, to fur- ther amend the suid Bill by striking out the words, “in bis possession,” in the second section of the said Bill.

The House divided on Mr. McDonald's mo-

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Contents —Hon. Mr McDonald.

Non-Coantents—Hon. Messrs. Henderson, Beer, Geff, Ramsay, Melaren, Anderson, Yeo, Lord, Walker, and Dingwell.

The Bill was then recommitted, and the preamble amended, by striking out the words above named.

On motion of the Hon. Mr. Tenderson, the Bill to authorize the establishment of certaih additional Small Debt Courts in this Islaad was read a third time, and the question be- ing put, * whether this Bill shall pass?" the House divided on the motion :—

Clontents,—Ton Messrs. Beer, Henderson, Ramsay, MeLaren, Anderson, Yeo, Lord, Walker, and Dingwell

Noa- "mte utls,-—— Hon. Messrs. Me Donald and Goff.

So it was resolved in the affirmative.

Ou motion of the Hon. Mr. Ramsay, the Bill to further amend the Laws relating to Education, and to explain and amend the Act for the establishwent of the Prinee of Wales’ Wollege, was read the third time and passed.

The Lill in addition to the Act to require clergymen and others authorized to solemnize marriages to return certificates thereof to the Surrogate of this (sland, and to require cler- gymen to keep 3 record of baptisms, was read a second time, passed threugh commit- tee, and agree 1 t) without any amendment.

The Bill to alter and amend the Act for facilitating the partition of lands held by per- suns a8 joint tefauts, eo-pareeners, or tenants in common, was re-committed, and reported ayreed to.

A Bill was broaght from the House of As- sembly, by the Tlou. Col. See , to incorporate the P> KE. Island Steam Navigation Company. —Read the first time.

llon. Attorney General presented a Bill “to alter the Act for the trial of actions in a summary way, and to make certain provisions for the trial of appeals from inferior courts to the Supreme Court of Judieature.”

On presenting this Bill, his honor remark- ed that it had been often found, in cases of appeal, that the court was placed in difeulty when the facts were disputed and contradic- tory evidence adduced. It had been sugzest- ed, that it would be better to eall in a jury to decide such case~, and the object of this Bill wax to give the Court power to do so.

Adjourned till Monday next, at 11 o'clock.

Monpay, April 25.

Ou motion of the Hon. Mr MeDonald, the Bill to incorporate the Prince Edward Island Steam Navigation t‘ompany was read a second time. The said Bill was then committed to a committee of the whole Hoase, and report- ed * agreed to without any amendment.”

Ou motion of the Hou. Mr. Dingwell, the Bil! in addition to the Act to require clergy- men and others authorize] to solemuize mar- riages to return certifiewtes thereof to the Surrogate of the [slaud, aul to require clergy- men to keep a record of Waptisms, was read the third time and passed.

On motion of the Hon. Mr. MeDonald, the Bill to incorporate the Prinee Edward Island Steam Navigatiou Company was read a third time and passed

On motion of the Hon. Mr. Beer, the Bill to alter and amend the Act for facilitating the partition of | unds held by persous as joint tenants, eo-parecners, OF tenants In Collmon was read the third time and passed.

BILL FOR SETTLING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LANDLORD AND TENANT.

Hon. Arrorvey Gexerat, on rising to move the second reading of the Bill intituled “Au Act for settling differences between landlord and tenant, and to enable tenants on certain towuships to purchase the fee-simple of their farms,” said,—The prineipal object of this Bill is to provide that the tenantry on the various towuships owned by those pro- prietors who su!mitted to the Land Commis- sion, and signed the reference to the commis- sioners, shall be enabled to purchase their farms at the rate fixed by the”, Bill, fifteen years’ purchase ; and at the same time to enact that all arrears of rent dae on those townships prior to the year 1858 should be forgiven ; and 2!so that all bends, judgments, &e., given for rent due previous to that time

be cancelled, except in about a dozen eases. These are the main and principal features of the Bill. Its provisions must be fally known to your honors, for they have been fully canvassed and discussed in the other end of thix building, aud I therefore it unnecessary to take up much of your onors’ time in explaining the details of the Bill. It gives the tenant the right to pur- chase at the rate which I have named, and it eaves it open for him to avail himself of this advantage or not as he may think proper or find himself able ; but it renders it compulsory on the proprietor to sell whea the tenant shall offer him that price. A period of ten years is allowed, during which that right shall be open to the tenants. At any time within that period the tenant can tender the amount, fifeen years’ purchase, and demand a deed in fee-simple of his farm. This, I think, wili a benefit t) the tenants,—at all events, casting off the back rent uo to 1858 will be a relief to a great many. This measure is one Which, I hope snd trust, will be acceptable to & large portion of the tenantry of this colony, and ene which, I also hope, will prove very beneficial to them. It would, no doubt, be more generally acceptable to the tenautry,

JAMES ANDEKSON, Cashier. Caarlottetown, June ©, 1864, lus

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and, I may add, more agreeable to the Legis. lature, if they could have ventured to fix the amount of the purcasé money at a lower rate; but, from all that is known and experienced, and from what we find is the determination of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, there does not appear to be any prospect that the British Government would sanction any compulsogy measure, such as this is, where the purchase money was fixed at a lower rate than that in the Bill,—fifteen years’ purchase. We have reason to believe that this Bill will meet with the approbation of the Colonial Minister. His Excelleney the Lieutenant Governor has indicated his opinion to his Government, that a measure of this kind would be one such as would meet the sane- tion of the Luperial Government, and such as they would venture to give their assent to; but we could not fix the price at a lower rate with any prospect of the measure becoming law, knowing the formidable opposition it would meet with from the landlords. Under these circumstances, there appears no alter- native but to pass the Bill in these terms. To defer the measure with any vague pros- pect of passing a bill which would be more favorable to the tenautry, would, I think, be foolish, and would disappoint the hopes of a number of persons who are anxious to see some final legislation upon this qu-stion. It would be deferring it to an indefinite period ; and it appears to we to be the soundest and best policy to adopt this measure, seeing that we have some h pes that it is one that Her Majesty's Government will consider reason- able, and which will meet their approbation and be earried into law. There will still be a number of estates, the tenants on which cannot avail themselves of the advantages which this Bill will offer, inasmuch as the proprietors of those estates did not consent to the Land Commission, nor agree to abide by the commissioners’ decision; but the Legislature can only look forward to as early a period as may be found practicable to adopt measures, either by a loan or otherwise, to meet the condition of those classes. At pre- sent, we cannot venture to do so, as we have a demand of upwards of £18,000 upon as for a debt which was incurred im the purchase of the Worrell Mstate, which was an unfortunate purchase, and has not turned out successfully. The Debentures must be redeemed in the course of a few months, and we have no way to redeem them but to authorize the issue of new debentures. They must also be issued at a higher rate of interest, so as to meet a sale. This will entail a heavy debt on the colony; and perhaps it would net be wise te incur any further debt this year, by issuing any more debentures for the purchase of pro- prietors’ lands. There may be a difference of opinion on this point, and [ may say that T would be gratified if we could venture to lend the tenants such a sam of money, or a portion of it. for the purchase of the lands of those proprietors to whom the provisions of this Bull de not extend, as would prove an in- ducement to such proprietors to sell their lands also. However, that is a measure which may yet be passed, if not this year at a future session; but so far, I think, those who desire the well-being of the colony would do well to give their support to this Bill. It enforces nothing upon the tenantry ; it is mere- ly an offer which they may accept or not as they think proper. If they please to wait till Wwe can get a more compulsory measure car- ried into law, they must only do so; but at preseut, while we lave reason to believe that this Bill will not meet any objection on the part of the proprietors, more especially when they see that it is one which Her Majesty's Government can approve of, [ think it would be wrong to let the opportunity slip, and not seize the present measure and pass it iuto law.

Hon. Mr. Lorp: T do not think it would look well, your honors, to let this Bill pass without expressing our opinions upon it. His honor the Attorney General thought it was almost useless or unnecessary to explain the nature of the Bill, as people were already so well acquainted with it; but we have a right, and the peuple will expect us, to express our opinions on this subject. His honor the At- torney (reneral thinks it will be a great bene- fit to the tenants; but doctors will differ, and sv will we. I presume that a large propor- tion of the tenants will be injured by it, and for these reasons: it fixes a very high price upon the land, and it does away with the working of the Land-purchase Bill. It is only here and there that a tenant can embrace the opportunity of purchasing under this Bill, as the price fixed upon the [and is so high. We kuow the Bill anderwent a great deal of discussion in the other end of the building, and at last it passed with a small majority. Now, his honor has stated, but I do not know what he rests his argument upon, that this Bill will be a benefit to the tenantry. If we take up the newspapers, we see that meetings have beeu held from one ead of the country to the other; and just look at the resolutions passed at those meetings : they are all oppos- ed to this measure,—the people say positively they will not have it. How ean it be a popu- lar measure? What benefit will it be to the people? His honor thinks it will be favor- ably received by the Colonial Minister: but I think that is very doubtful. If the terms he offered himself would not be accepted by the (Government, I am very doubtful if His Grace will receive this measure very graciously. think he will give it the eold shoulder. We have been told that the delegates have done a great deal of good; but if they have, it is yet to be seen. Ido not kuow, Mr. Presi- dept, that it is worth my while to say any- thing more. I am prepared to oppose the Bill. His honor the Attoracy General antiel- pates that we will oppose it, and thinks we will not be the friends of the eountry if we will oppose it; but I oppose it because [ think it wil] not be a benefit to the country. Even the whole of the back rents up to 1808 will not be given up. There are ten or twelve eases, it is said, in which judgments have been given, that are to be excepted; bat I expect we will see a fine list of them. I have been told that there are a great number of bonds avd judgments given to secure rent due prior to 1858. Some of those bonds and jadgments are against persous who were ac- tive in politics at the last election. Those are the men who will suffer. With these few remarks I will sit down. This question has heen sv often discussed, that itis worn thread- bare; but we must have a little sport on the Land Question every session. It is useful at elections, and mast be kept alive. Hon. Me. Bean: [did intend, your honors,

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to let this Bill go into committee before speaking upon it; but | would observe, in auswer to his honor who has just addressed you, that I do not see how it will place the tenants in a worse position. I think it will be a benefit to them. It contemplates giving up a large amount of arrears of rent to the tenants, and also gives them the privilege of purchasing the fee-simple of their farms by paying fifteen times the amount of the annual rent. These are steps in the right direction; but I am bound as an honest man to say, that if the measure now before your honors is all that the Goverument intend to bring forward this session for the settlement of the great question of the day, it falls very far short of what is required, and very far short of what the Government and their supporters ought to do, and have it in their power to do, in behalf of the tenantry. I freely coufess, your honors, that [ have been deceived. I was led to believe, from conversation with mem- bers of the Legislature, and from the letter of the delegates to His Grace the Duke of New- castle, dated 13th October, 1863, that it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill to assist the tenant in becoming a free- holder, by advancing him either one half or two thirds of the amount of his purchase- money. As yet, your honors, there is no such Bill introduced, and I am free to admit that without a Bill of that nature to assist the working of the measure now before you, it will be of little service, further than the amount of arrears of rent it remits, inasmuch as it requires the purchase money to be paid down in one sum by the tenant who agrees to purchase. I am doubtful whether more than five tenants in every hundred could or would avail themselves of such terms. Had the Government introduced a measure to assist the tenant in purchasing his farm to the amount of one half er two-thirds of the cost of it, then, under such circumstances, the fifteen years’ purchase would be a loan to him well worthy of his acceptance, and which every tenant who could, by any extra exer- tion of his own, collect together the amount required to be paid down, ought, for his own good, to avail himself of. ‘The measure to which | allude would work very beneficially to the tenant without bemg any loss to the Government. Suppose a farm about to be purchased to contain 100 acres, and the price to be paid £83 7s 6d., the sum advanced to the tenant to be £55, and that sum to be re- turned to the Government in a period of eleven years in instalments of £5 each, with interest, the effect and positive result would be, that the tenant would actually get his land at 4s. 6d. per aere less than fifteen years’ purchase, or about 12s. 6d per acre. This may appear ineredible to some of your honors, but | pledge myself to prove it. The seeret lies just here: the tenant, on making his pur- chase, ceases to pay rent, but pays interest instead. The average yearly amount of in- terest he would be required to pay instead of rent, while paying back the amount advanced by the Government, would be £3 10s. 1d., while, if he did not purchase, he would have to pay £5 lls. 2d. per year rent, —so that

during the eleven years there would be a saving of £22 11s, Lid., or a little over 4s.

Gd. per acre. IT will illustrate my observa- tions by the following calculations: price of farm, £83 7s. 6d.; tenant advances £28 7s. 6d.; Government £55. Then the farm is purchased, the deed obtained, and the Goy- ernment to hold it as security till the advance should be repaid. Suppose it to be paid back as folluws ;

, inall, £3 6

First yr., £5, with int. on £55, £3 6 0 Seeond, do., do. a. a. ok 8 0 0 Third do., do, Oo” 2 4. de 2. 2 Fourth, do., do. aes: a. 2 es Fifth, | do, | do. 35,22, de 7 2 0 Sixth, de, do, 0, 116, do. 616 0 Seventh, do., do, $3;, 10, qi 6100 Eighth, do, do, , ble 4) sdeii o Gii4r@ Ninth, do., do. 1a, O18, do. 518 0 Tenth, do., deo, ~~, ©@.42..: oe 532 0 Eleveuth, do, do, ae i ee ee £71160

Deduct the eleven years’ rezt, which the

temutit Would have to pray if he did not purchase, £at 2 13 13 2

Add to this the ameunt advanced by the tetait, —_ ss =

Interest on do. 3is. ld. per year for eleven yours, iS il Total cost of farm over rent, £wW1ls 7

Thus your honors will perceive that the average interest on the Government advance would be 36s, per year, and the interest on the tenants’ advance would be 54s. 1d. per year, which would nmiake £3 10s. Id. instead of £5 11s. 2d. per year rent. In other words, if the tenant does not purchase his farm, he has to pay in the eleven years £61 2s. 10d. rent; but if he did purchase, by paying £50 lds. 7d. over that amount, as I have before indicated, in the cleven years, he would be- come a frecholder at about twelve shillings per aere. And here I would observe that in this calculation I charge, in the price the tenant would have to pay for the land, £18 14s. which he actually would not pay,—that is, the eleven years’ interest on the amount the tenant would advance when he would agree to purchase ; so that all the cost that would actually come out of the tenant's pocket, over and above his eleven years’ rent, would be less than 9s. per acre. But as the tenant would advance that sum when he would agree to purchase, it would be nothing but right to charge the cost of the farm with the interest until all would be paid. [ do net mean to say, your honors, that it is absolutely neees- sary for the Government to advanee two- thirds of the purehase money. Even one half would amazingly help many hundreds of the tenants to obtain the fee-simple of their farms, who—without assistance—must remain as they are. I would stake my reputation as a business man that it would be the very best investment for the benefit of the country at large that could possibly be made. Supposing the Government were only to advance one half of the purchase-money, or say £40 on a good improved farm of 100 acres, and that to the amount of £10,000 a-year, for five, six, or even ten years; what wonld be the proba- ble result? Bat before | answer that ques- tion I would ask, is there any danger of the debentures being at a discount if they were not taken by the proprietors? TIT should say

not. I believe that if debentures to the amount of £10,000 were now thrown into the market, bearing interest at six per cent , and redeemable in ten years, the coinpetition for them would be so keen that if they were sold at auction they would command a premium ; and no doubt many of the proprietors would be glad to take them as a goo} and safe in- vestment. Under the operativa of such a

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measure some hundreds of those who are now tenants would every year become freeholders ; and in three or four years the proprietors would begin to see that it would not pay to keep up expensive agencies on the Island. The balance of their lands would then be of- fered to the local Government at moderate prices, and the poorer class of tenants would be in a better position to participate in the general benefit. The tenants also of the non- consenting proprietors would petition and re- moustrate to be placed on the same footing as the other tenants, and the proprietors, one after another, would give way, until the whole tenantry of the Island would have the oppor- tunity of purchasing their farms, either from the proprietors or from the local Government. Do your honors suppose there is any reason to fear that the Government advance or in- stalments would not be paid back? I confess I have no fear on that ground, as the advance would only be given to those who were able to pay down one-third or one half of the pur- chase money of their farms. Under the operation of such an Act as [ am now advo- cating, I have no doubt but the advance made by the Government would be paid back by thousands befure the debentures became due. Many a tenant would pay the whole advance in half the time allowed, in order to save the interest. In the meantime every estate that could be purchased, under the land purchase Act, at a price that would pay to sell out to the tenants, would undoubtedly be laid hold of; and thus, between the joint operation of the three Acts, in ten years’ time there would be precious few tenants remaining in Prince Edward Island. It may be argued, in oppo- sition to this, that this would be legislating for the more immediate benefit of the better class of tenants, and that the claims of the poor should be of paramount importance. In reply, [ would say that it is impossible to legislate upon the land question, with any chance of success, so as to meet the case of the poor man at first, or otherwise than in an indirect way. True, the release from an ac- cumulation of arrears of rent will be some relief to many a poor man; but as a general measure, the Bill now before your honors, accompanied or followed by one such as I have indicated, would, in the first place, bene- fit only the well-to-do class of the tenantry, but I am certain that the effect would very soon be greatly to the advantage and relief of the poorer class of the tenantry. Not one of your honors would more gladly support any messure to give the required and imme- diate relief to the poor man than I would myself; and J trast that [ shall not be charg- ed with egotism when I say that from my business trausactious with a large number of the tenantry, | have as much knowledge of their circumstances as any of your honors. [ also know that their patience is well nigh ex- hausted ; and it is no wonder, for the conduct of some of the proprietors has had a tendency to exasperate the people. They have broken faith with their tenauts; and is it any wonder that the tenants are now all in a ferment ? The proprietors agreed to abide by the result of the land commission, but when they thought that its effect would be more in favor of the tenants than themselves, they took an objec- tien to the award, which, as the Duke of Neweastle observed, * they might have waived; hence all the uproar throughout the country, and the result will, I fear, be anything but beneficial to the tenantry, The Clovernment have it now in their power to do the tenantry a very essential service; in fact they have a golden opportunity, which — if they allow to pass unimproved — will, I fear, result in consequences disastrous alike to themselves and the country at large. I know that a considerable number of the members of the legislature, in each end of this building, are strongly in favor of the introduction of such a measure as I have spoken of; but I am sorry to find that there are a few who are either timid or doubtful of its effect, and consequent- ly its introduction is delayed. I would sup- port such a measure, even if T knew that the final result would be a loss to the treasury of from £10,000 to £20,009, or as much as we will sink by the purchase of the Worrell Es- tate, as it would be more than counterbal- anced by the general good that would result to the tenantry at large, by undermining and getting rid of the leasehold or rent-paying system; but { have no fear of any loss, or at most only a trifling one, which the country would cheerfully sustain. I will not oppose the Bill before your honors, for it is, as I be- fore stated, a step in the right direction; but I cannot help expressing my disappointment at the non-introduction of a measure to aid and assist the operation of the Bill uow be- fore us. By the delay, the Government are, in my humble opinion, though not inten- tionally, guiity of political suicide. IT may be told that it will be introduced at the next session, and I have no doubt but it will be in- troduced then ; but the present opportunity is thrown away, and another year, with amazing- ly increased agitation, is unnecessarily allow- ed to elapse. But what guaranty is there that the present Government will have tlie opportunity of bringing it forward at another session? I am perfectly satisfied in my own mind that, in the possible event of a change of Government, the present opposition would not hesitate one moment in preparing and in- troducing such a measure, and doing their best to carry it through ; but I have not that confidence im the way in which it would be worked if they should succeed. T would fear the return of a similar state of things to that which existed in 1857 and 1858, when trea- sury warrants and debentures were at from ten to fifteen per cent. discount. When schoolmasters, road contractors, and in fact all public servants had to submit, in many instances, to a loss of nearly one quarter of their earnings. I would say to the Govern- ment, ** the time to make hay is when the sun shines.” A more convenient season than the present may never occur. But possibly, your honors, I have been premature in making these remarks. It may be that such a mea- sure as | have alluded to is in course of pre- paration ; if so, I will hail it with pleasure. Hon. Mr. Dinawetu: | hardly know what the long speech of his honor who hae jast sat down amounts to. He condemns the Goveru- ment fer not introducing some other measure. I wish to say something ov this subject, bat I will not occupy much of your honor’s time, for if { ennnot speak to the point, I will not speak at all. Ie the first place, f would remark, that I was surprised at his honor the Attorney Gen- eral, for itis uaual for him to make a good speech ; aud if he had a good siiject, he could make as good a speech as any menaber in this building: bat as he had an anpopular saiject, be had jast to confine himecell to a tow points.

| ea oe =" 7 + more favorable measuse was likely to meet the

I do not wish to accuse the Goverument of dis- honesty iv introducing this measure ; but [ con- tend that we are not representing the wishes of the people; we are going in direvt opposition to the principle of —— governinent,—for if We take into cousideration the meetings whick have been held throughout the country, and the resolutions which have been passed at those meetings and sent to the press, js it not self- evident that we are not representing the people outside? It is trae we were sent here by the people, but we were not returved here tu put such a price upon their lands. It was partly on the religious question and partly on the Gom- missiouers’ award that the present Government Were returned.

The people did not antborize them ts offer a price fur their laud; bat they have held meet- ings throughout the country and said the Gov- erumeut must not offer such a price for ‘it. This Bill contemplates giving a far greater price than the people are willing to give, as shown b the resulutions passed at their meetings; a should there not be an appeal fo the people to know what they would be willing to give before such a Bill as this would be introduced? I know the Government depends on this question ; and if they capnot make a settlement of it they should ackuowledge that they have failed, and they should resign. That is my opinion, though I do not wish the Goverument to Zu at the present time; but [ do say, that they should vot legislate coftrary to the will of the people, The people have no power over this House at the present time any further than Chey can pe- titiou, and there is no other power over ua. ‘The Crown canuot dissolve this House, and the only means the people have of making them- seives heard is by petition. Wecan force what they do not sauction, but is that to be tolerated ? I do not stand here to oppose le measure, but au uureasonable oney—one which is being forced upou the people,—and therefore I caunot sanction it, T see this Bill gives ap the fishery reserves, and L ask what right have we to surrender to the proprietors the rights of the poor fishermen? It is no matter how poor or how few they are, their rights shoald be pro- tected ; and they will be protected if they peti- tiou the Imperial Government. Those grants to the fishermen were free and unconditioual. They had ve quitrents te pay, and their right to those reserves bas never been forfeited! It may be asked where are the fishermen; But there are, at least, as many fishermen as there are proprictors ; and is vot the poor man’s right to his five pounds as sacred to him as the rich man’s is to his thousauds! And when I look around me and see the marks of many years on the heads or your honors, I cannet think that you will consent to take away the poor man's right, aud place it in the hands of the grasping proprietors. Surely your honors, who are seut here to legislate fur and do justice to all classes, cannot du so. If a poor tian should attempt to exercise any right upon what was not his own, he would be dragged into court; and why should sach indulgence be given to the proprie- tors? Why should tsey be allowed to exercise ownership over what is uet theirown? 1 might express uy senuments in stronger terms, but I willnot. Now, in regard to the fifteen years’ purchase; it has been said that it would be a favor to te teuauts, bat I mast be allowed to express a differcat opinion on that subject. It may beuctit a few iudividuals, a man, for iu- stance, Who has a superior farm, and the pro- prictor of which asks tweuty or twenty-five shillings an acre for it; bat L say the poorer class of men shoald be eur principal consider- ation, Those who can pay fifteen years’ pur- chase, and their back-rent, are not 80 much in need of oar legislation. This Bill will have the effeet of raising the price of laud whieh can now be bought for less than fifteen shillings an acre ; for a great deal of the land in the couutry is not worth that mach, and in this way the poor man will be injured. The Bill, thea, while it will be a little bemefis to the rich man, will be a de- cided injury to the poorer classes. It is, there- fore, a step iu the wrong direction, in my opin- ion. It is said that it would be a great faver to the tenauts to Lave the back rent forgiven up to 1253. Now, Lask, when the proprietors have been forgiten se mueh,—when so mach indul- gence has been shown to them and so little to the tenauts,—should not they be relieved of all their rent op to the present time! If your honors are going to pass an Act, should it be one to benefit the proprietors,—to give up to them the fishery reserves aud the quitrents! No; I hope your henors will net consent to this. I know the effect of a Goverument measure upon this House. 1 know that if it were not for that, it would not pass. ( Question, guestion !)

Hon. Mr Gorr: It is not right to insinuate that there is a pressure upon avy members of this Llouse, to prevent them from young as they think proper.

Hon. Mr. Dixewett: I think IT should know what is right as wel! as any of your bonors; and | believe Lean make such allusions as long as | do not mentiva names.

flon the Presipent : No, itis unparliamentary tu impute motives to any member of the House, or to any party.

Hon. Mr. Dixewert: I have no written speech, but [ eaid that the influence of the Go- vernment would be the means of passing the Bill; and 1 would ask, is that saying anything agéiost une man more than another. Ie Honor the Attorney General said the Fishery Reserve Question had always been a difficult question, and perbays it Las ; but if there is anything that will be the means of losing this Bill, it will be confirming those reserves to the proprietors, for the Duke of Newcastle is not the man tw take away a right from any clase of people.

lun. Mr. Yeo: it this Bull will not do any good it certainly will not du any harm, It strikes off che back rents to 1858, and that will be a great boon to the country ; and italso gives the right to purchase for filteen times the annual rent at any time within ten years. Talk aboat the fisnerg reserves! That question bas been agi- tated lur the lust twenty-five years, and what is the result of 10? Whats benefit has it been to the

fishermen? And what is the use of offering re- sistance to the propricturs? We eanoot fix the ae of a merchant’s yoods; we may refuse to

uy, and thutis ull we can do, As suun as this

Bill passes, those teoants who car buy will do so, and the Inndlords will sell at a lower prise when all the best of their tenants are gone. There are some tenants who would sot buy their farms at any price, and if we should buy them for them they would want us to stuck them. This Biil ws the best thing the Government can do tor the tenents. I um sorry that nothing better can be done ; but it will be some benefit. Lowna geod deal of laud myself, and I would sell some of it at a lower price, but | do aut suy that every one would du the sume.

Hou. Mr. Gory : it is said that the proprietors have ovt goud titles to the lands which they claim. { believe they haye, and the Commissioners declared that their titles could not nuw be dis- turbed. If so, it is not to be expected that we could dictate terms to them, or say they should sell their land for so mach, for it is well known that nothing ean interfere with the rights of pro- perty. And even if their tithes were not strietly legal, yet, if the Luperisl Guecrawent will not allow them to be interfered with, how ure we going to pass compulsory measeres tu compel the proprietors to make ecuneessions to their tenants? { look upon this Bill as one of the best measures ever parposed in the colony, fort expect it will becowe law. Tt will be biundiag upon the proprietors, bat it will not be binding upon the teuants. It will secure the remission of arrears of rent to the awoant of £40 000 ur 150 - 000, and which can be recovered trom every wan who owee any, a3 long ay there is a hoy! ou his premises or u stuck of corn or bay ty lovy

| be abolished :

ee

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New

Series.---No, 7 27,

upon. It isa debt hanging over the heads of the tenants, which damps Stee energiez, and pre- Vents them, in many cuses, from disposing of their farms when they wish todo sv. | contend that this will be a great advantage. And as re- guards the purchase money, the tors have cousented to a reduction of one fourth, which I think will be a great beon to the tenants, and of we rejected it we would be highly ceneurable. The Bull dues not fix the price of land ; it only compels the proprietors to take fifteen years’ purchase in place of twenty wineh they formerly asked. I do not, therefore, see why we should object to the Bull, for the Government only inter- fered sv far as to induce the pro to make a reduction in the price of their land, and

leaves the tenant tree to purehase at that ptice or not, as they may thin . As re-

gords the fishing reserves, | think ie nivel be a

great grievance to have them thrown ¢ to the

public. vee reght would I have to the front of my farm if it were made public ?

Would it pot be be better uaa mao lolaee,

few pounds than to have the front of his tarm

thrown oj «ea, and perhaps a fisherman's hut

built in his garden or orchard. A Bill to autho-~

Tize the Government to assist the tenantedt 7 er

chasing their jarms bas been spoken of, and it it

thought that “2 S Bill could be made to work

to advantage. ell, itis the tive of the

House of Assembly to bring is coal Suhesa