awa: ¢

eee one on — we TE ed Sores BD Bs. — or . ry J \ CPBRECH ITT PACIFIC RAILMN F. - DOWN, yr \ ve { . ' 6 _ » tsidia ‘ f he QF uaninier Tw ’ Vehe n the Gover \ FEW weeks we laid before our ~~ : ve ° eee oe oe re | ; t t opening of t readers copy of a minute of Couneil, ¢ ‘ } ry f rn lo ‘ e : .'s ie . Keb. 14. 1876 a ue sion the “hard times.’’ Our sym-j| passed by the Dominion Cabinet, in which eriottetown. Feb. e 1866, ie he follow rds Jude Yr : . : : . Let ! em, t folowing Word ot ( sell ath et Dominion Government in $750,000 was offered as un inde munity to Rrady } delivering sentence on a a? ce : on sd . t ; it RRA ! oa 7 —o . . this respect is too deep for words The! British Columbia on account of the fail- —_— ho had committed a capital erime I , > vie me nan Who nad mim La cay | Piliiewtas te the ure of the Dominion to carry out the ‘ {4 \ VIS y 4 iy ” + } ] } rev iver on his " , . : +S . P 7 it me when | had a reve SPEECH terms of settlement in the matter of the \ | al iment on yerson } } mplieab! r go . : 2 . on ° — pet may eo Honorable ( ren ¢ a Pacific Railway. lo-day we publish , a tl i Shan . f ’ o.8 o% 4 . i the absence of real | ‘ ‘ f10U8 British Columbia's reply to that minute. ; ” ' \ t oo it cnet neo as eel, lees ie es GUT | ; : sug seman Arse a ee we of [ft the statements made in the reply are shes Cor cts on the/t no. tt provokes a disputations and bell} you together to attend to the business 1 . , : : ’ ‘ t 3 of ment the count \ ~ince vou iast assembled it rthy of eredit, the conduct of the Dos ’ 0 \ r me aan has been my happiness to visit the Mtotaer’ thin) Government has certainly not ' a Country. and to have had the opportumity . : ' lit ’ whil th I f calling public attention to nh consistent, imgenuous or honest; te j rty 1 i ie Liere Oo MALLS) } : ” : W the remarkable »rogress of the D era non snd no one can rise from a perusal of the fe req und of giving expression to the feeling 0! , . . ys b t.e 8 urs s/ and of giving expre ¢ Wee Maleate nly without feeling that British Colum- me v,W attachment to the person ol Her Majesty - i.’ \ VA and the interests of the Empire which ant- | bia has been hardly used and is fully just- - mm °- ‘ } } . ° . . o,® mate the Canaaian speeci. l in a¢sin appealing to the British | tt i PRVER AND BAD WATER. Phe great depression which has prevailed Ph 5 : - throughout the neighboring countries for trovernment In a matter of such para— , , ; } = ; 5° rely ae ” ” aa y 2 , : at 4 resident oF WIDE \ rie more than a vear ago the | several years, and which bas more recently yy ount importance, the people of this , ‘ Deni T rey oT - . sa It in the Ol ‘ld, cnusipg a geneyv : ; Py of Pastoral Theology | ,. ; . , | been felt in the Old World, ca 2s le ; aya} 9s.3 | Lown Commissioners of Lewes, Eugland, | a) business stagnation, has extended to /rovince — although far distant from ’ ‘sf @ { ira ated : : ; Ye usin agna : [ > uf ' tJ complained of the ravages which typhoid | Canada and has seriously affected our trade. those specially aggrieved—must of course Penden ~ S t tiiness ’ oo ¢ the . 1 > re sason to be, oo r , Wi N. am fever was committing upon them. So bad At the = ee be es 1 rvest; and (cel deeply interested. We therefore make | ‘ f 4) P 7 ™ ” grateful for the abundan harvest; ¢ 7 an | ) Sle} sa OT COIS FPOVINe . 5 snninge # : he, Hens! —_—" was tt that (iovernment Inspector was | while | deeply regret the suffering which | n» 2pology for publishing the somewhat } ‘ d slevy of Char i ‘ae . : : / : : artieonilar | 1 . t Jud Hensle; nt to them. After examining into its | exists among certain classé a. in — yo lengthy reply in full :— I>. pet S I the CALL as believe »y ertheless, that the ‘ . . i . . we By his carnestu ~ | eause, he recommended that water be ob at b hk f a i t ntinue to enjoy “PY of a Report of a Committee of the uy .a ‘ vre : of our pe > co e toe , . ‘ k in whicl engaged, by his|, 4, on hte was hen siti C1 = h i ; rit ‘ Honorable the Executive Council, ap- vor ] ehh yas mes ’ o ' ned tro: } w souree. S Wi ut-|iae ( ra "eS ‘ a “Ospe r . 7 ae tain nan ‘ ¥ t 7 — ee L rey . pt pe y akin proved by his Excellency the Lieutenant iry attainments, and his geutie man cordincly done. New sanitary arrange- am happy to e 8 ile - congra ” € Governor, on the 4th of January, 1875. , ' rou ¢ »fact that the great railway un- ; ibe . 7 rs. he won the respect of all who knew a nee ea ee eee ee you on the fact that the great rail any Che committee of Council have had } 5 ; ments were ai Hac ‘ dertaking, connecting the Lower Province j fis early decease will be deeply ee : ; ; : before them the Minute of the Honorable ' early a i Pr’? | been that not a single case of fever was | of Canada with the Maritime Provinces, a : See ¢ ae ! ’ i : “alae vy s the Privy Council of Canada, of the 29th by a large cirele ¢ t t . ] ; 1 ' . provided for by th» Aet of 1S867,is approachs ‘ waa ; : . rep rted iuripge the last six months, ) . . ° OT MS pt mi er, 187 , with its covering de- ; r this city , : . ‘ ingcompletion, arly in the coming sum» |.) *h of the 10th of November last, rela- | ; During the past fall, and the present win- | mer the snzall nd imine (| dU Secaggyer Stone ; - line not in operation vw t i } tive to the construction of the Canada | VON EFO f ter, fever In its variuos types,” has been iné not In operation will be opened, when Pacitic Railway el ape nit the connection with other systems of rails | ~°~ o— : pre nt in Charlottetown ; and many | way wili be formed, soas to enable passe n Phe general features of the above Minute | ) W bye ~ » yy . . . 7 : r . ar eH SS aimeiieania persons have fallen victims to it. A dis- | gers and traffic to pass over continuous lines , 8" Such that this government found no : acs of Chappel | cinou; { chemist 1 pronounced water | Of Paiiway from Ualifax or St. John to the difficulty in coming to a decision upon it, ‘ =, ‘ ‘ ait ist iil i i ’ C4 ‘ S ’ e ? : j . so « . , Melk ‘ a Lt yl a ‘ : extrenle Western railw Lys of Ontario To avoid possible prejudice il delays a reply ae btalned from the wells of Charlottetown | The opening of the Prince Edward Island “@5 promptly sent, * unhesitatingly but re- : ngs i ninal proepepst- . ‘ : spec »? sclining . . } ‘ a oe unfit for the common daily uses of human | ilway during the past year marks an epoch ‘pecttully’ declining the proposals, and Sat habits after a suag corner |}; otal dee iitelateee tolls . | in the history of that Island, and cannot put “ssenting generally from the views con~ In ; ot ; eres, aba Our physiclans teil us plain exert a beneticial influence on the p ople tained in the Minute. it being considered ’ ry ’ i ‘ eg naoieuce ’ ° oa i - . . ht Y . a wn § *y; that the sickness which so genera)ly | and add to their material prospects. preferable, in a matter of such importance, ; . . } - , = . d dreary winter days prevat in great part, due to the use | Every effort has been made to obtain an | &° J®ave for a further communication such - i t = . ] Tvs ’ i i e ‘ ie ~“ ¢ z . * ‘ i “ F > 1 doubtiess, be cheeked to a certain ex. |p... . P baie early settlement of the claims of Canada Comments as the details of the Minute ' f this bad water. We do hope that our ! for compensation for the use of her fisheries might seem to fairly challenge. t & thie ‘ nt sé neces t ie supre > ’ , ° . e.¢ » FS “ i ‘ . . oo" : § CRS CUPCCMC | Oiew FF: thers will give citizens the means | by the United States, as provided by the lhe committee have now to remark that We are ft sed to see that t f d va P .,| freaty of Washington. Her Majesty's Gove | the Minute, at the outset, refers to Mr. ees would preserve the oF Saws Veer «OE Rew Sum ernment, in the early part of last summer, Edgar's letter, and gives a brief but inaccu- ; } , without unnecessary delay. at the instigation of my advisers, appoint- rate statement of its proposals, It omits ks mi! at all hazards, is giving [oka ed the Briuish Commissioners, but | regret to mention the offer of the Dominion voy. | t stern determiuation to adminis- BRITISH PARLIAMENT to have to state that the United States | ernment to immediately construct the | { sor rt. We trust ceases | Government lave not yetappointed a Coms telegraph line in beyond the province ; and inishment « ne sort. e trust a4 : ‘ : vi : 2 : THOUSANDS. we are informed. lined the missioner, and that consequently no pro~ | in the next p.ace it incorrectly states that t steps will soon be taken to render ? ? gress has been made. that government proposed to build ‘a rails

} ° . ’ ndemned criminals hard

in faree

bor ™

ng more than a selen

-_ =

TWO LESSONS

Min. HvusNtrinGron is not a hero after His diatribe against Ultramontanes tells Mr. Power, of Halifax, meant hing. His purpose was merely to ses

the defeat of Mr. White in Argen This he accomplished; and pow weakening his Government— . ing | pie at the hands of I t ( ] 3 Mr Laird rais strong feel inst grants to ! schools ia this Island , went to Ottawa, strained

t the peoy f th

. vest the privilege of educatiag their

n 1OMID nal schools i ‘ S00 ithe t humble pie or zoe N west. When will our rn that “‘ honesty is the best

ae . MR. HODGSON'S LECTURI

Ve regret that we are unable to furnish

re rs with a f the Rev. G

WW. Hodgsoa’slectu n the “ Loyalists ;”’ r ntained many practical lessons. rl turer dealt chiefly with the prin- ipies unt of thich the *’ Loya ists ffered—prineizles which, he said, had I bly vindicated by the civil war

the United States ile, however, yuched upon the persistant efforts, the sacrifice, the losses in person and reperty, the indignities an: niiscations which the ‘ Loy lists ' were subjected, —bhecause they were true to principle. In (‘anada—where the bones of thousands of them lie buried—the application of their ples would, the lecturer argued, be

ficial in putting out of sight sectional-

ind provincislism; in keeping the ndard politi morality high, and spirit of loyalty and towards the Domi nand Empire warm. The leetun waa not perfect that it contained no well-laid applause.traps. The applause—

f whieh there were several hearty rounds

s ecture

emed to disturb the lecturer. The]

was, however, able, eloquent, and practical

_*-.

CIVIC, DIFFICULTIES

LIKE a the rest of us, our City Vathers are in financial difficulties; and ike the rest of us, they think they

a right to relief from the Local (,overnment At a te meeting of the

‘ ’ City

Mr. Murphy advocated the propriety i ipplying to the Local Government fora City to liquidate its

Conr Cc i

enable the

in to present indebtedness. It was evident from statemen in the press and therwise reporte:(—that the (iovernment

had lent to the City l'anks a large amount eash. And as the City would ultimately Le fally prepared to refund any amount orrowed, he considered it—the City—en- titled to the favor Such loan could met either by Lebenture or some new or-

ler initiated by the Government Mr. Millner would second the proposal mm particular]: because the impression !

exists that the Government has been dea!

“oO

de

re with toe City

! that the City laim the attention of the Govern-

: f i unfau

‘ ‘ ir. Currie iss ts

has a

right toe

ment in this matter, because of the large ets possesse n various descripti ms of property. Mr. Harris w nxiOus to see the most igid economy practised regarding the ( ity

s fully avare that so many extraordinary items occur betimes. that it impossible to be forewarned in such

matters. Witness the Small Pox expen-

expenditure,

liture which amounted to $2,600, in con- equence Of the disease being introduced Citizens .vemselves for their streets,

by one unfortunate have to tax rounds and bridges, and contribute besides to the general evenuie, Over SSH). A

remarkable argument in our favor that at

person.

the time of receiving our Charter we were

streets through which the (Jueen passed on her way to the Parliament building on Monday last: and En

Majesty has

the loyal people ot

ugain—after fourteen years

of mourning and reserve-

to open Parliament in person, Her I ]

! have given etlect to the Supreme and Exchequer Court Act of last session by is- suing the proclamations and by appo.nting

| the Judges and officers of the Court.

gland are doubtless delighted that Her |

condescended |

Majesty's speech was, however, read by |

Lord Cairns. The points touched upon

1]

| gaged my attention,

'

by Her Majesty were,- “The relations of England with foreign yuntries continue of a cordial character rhe § in, not yel having been able to t] surre n, England bas not s om th rts made by othe rove S$ to bring about a pa alion Eng s ed to purchase the Kk} { su Cana and 1 3 () ’ Parliament being grant China has i ndly spirit the sentat s vy England in regard » Mare I r, and itis] ( that } > t 4 | id- The | cpresses thanks | Wales plion by 1 Indian r! se pursued by England n end > y wilhin her own Ss makes it important that th S s elsew n harmon i ft $s g i Bills regulating th | it ounal fa for t United Kingdom, for the imend it the mercnant shipping laws, and pt 1 management and primary i ar I nis :.

_~oe +

AN EWFKOL NDLANDER’S CLAIM.

Mr. Shea, of Newfoundland, lately had an interview with the Premier, respecting his claims against the Dominion Govern- ment sonstruction of the Intercolonial the ot Newfoundland

bad failed and men were suffering. At the

’ early

Railway, fisheries

It appears that at the time of the |

|

| penses.

‘same time it was dificult to obtain labor- ers to work on the Intercolonial. Mr. Shea happened at the moment to be 10 Ottawa, and Sir John Macdonald, then Pre miler, request d Mr, Shea to induce the laborers on the island to accept work | on the Intercolonial Railway. Mr. Shea |

} |

thinkiug the proposition good, engaged a large number of men on the island to work on the road, and sdvanced them money necessary to pay their expenses to |

the works. At the same time he gave their families an advance to enable them to sub- the These arrangements

sist till such time as the work of be

men ime productive, m ide

Intercolonial

wel at the request of, and through

The

men cugaged by Mr, Shea were sent to

the Commissioners.

work for Mr. Elliott, who subsequently

failed ; and, as the agreement was between Mr. Shea and the Commissioners—that his adyanees should be made ecod by a percentage on the men’s earnings, and Mr. Shea never received the amount so stopped, if it was stopped by Elliott. Mr. shea claims thas the Dominion Gov. erpment should make good the loss In

Sir John A. Maedonald has

written a letter to Mr. Shea, in which he

the mecrntime

knowledges the justness of the claims, and says if the late Government had last~ Mr. Mae- kenzie has promised a Committee to in—

1

ite th

ed it would have been settled.

claim.

stig 7 —_ +

THE POETS AND THE GRITS.

Che Ottawa Times publishes the foliow- URITS BEWAR ia@ hae MacDonald ble Gi bam Blake has often led, lak selsall tae your ped—

Hide yer heads wi’ shame

Yer Government has lost its po er, Yer Isaders, ane an’ a’, feel dour, I vin, this dav and hour,

vl Ww tame,

Ye Grits, yer actions cl in, Do nothing that yer foes could ban

} se€iy SC

For Langevin is just the man foturn ye heels ower head, hnock we)! together a’ yer planks,

Oil well yer shafts, ver pulleys, cra aks

nly authorised to raise and expend about . year; now we are a large eommuniy our wants increasing, and our means limi- ted in consequence of our powers being estricted by the Legislature, and unable

esiy) «

even to raise « loan in proportion to the value of our secumulated property. Mr urphy raoved, seconded by Mr.

Millner, that the Council do resolve itself nto aCommiittec of the whole to wait en the

frovernment 1 the purpose of asking either a loan or a grant of the Legislature | to enable the City to reheve itself of its p ent indebtedness

There is much fore in thes urguments. We are pleased to learn that an an pees ment has been inade by which, it is pro bable, the City will obtain relief

‘ . —S~ <<. ee The Toronto

both independent journals, but favoring the Reform party rati

‘alion and the Toronto Sun er than the Opposition, admits a’ rea!

ment. eT)

10 against the Govern ilinistry have lost strength, ’ +The e been condemned, as they

presage and popularity very rapidly frovernment |

deserve to be. ‘Support is sliding away frow the Government and hopes of the ¢ Mp- |

position begin to rise,”

Or Langevin will wi’ his pranks, Bamboozle ye instead

or wha amang ye disua feel

That Langevin can mak’ ye squeal ;

An’ from yer prood height mak’ ve reel, Noo that he’s got a seat,

Ye Grits tak’ care o’ what ye do,

Yet slips will a’ bekent the noo,

For Langevin will mak’ ye rv,

fhe day and hour ye meet Private note by author—‘* No allusian ta on

Mr.Jimuel Brigs is credited with the fols

lowing sarcastic lines anent Mr. MceKenzie’s speech at North Renfrew

i de bane

‘ ‘ 4hii tue oid sp Cu He made so long ago, For cheek and voice would fail him,

And self possession go ; or broken plejiges came in mind With each remembered phrase, le cannot speak of « purity Asin the bybone ‘lays

lle cannot ke the old speech,

Its words would make him blush, erowd would interrupt bim With * Cauchon ” and nsealed Grits would give the lie

Yo each familiar word, e cannot make the old speech, {i would be too absurd.”

n

pay

| contemporary, the Summerside Progress has |

| crimegand

| of insolvent Sanks.

A bill to siraplify and amend the law res lating to Common Carriers will be submit- ted for your consideration.

A bill will be brought before you cons taining provision for affording greater secus rity to policy holders in life assurance com. panies,

The want of reliable and systematized in. formation relating to the several classes of the importance of collecting classifications of criminal statistics have on

A bill will be intro. What is most essential

for

duce to provide In this direction,

You will be asked to make provision for the commencement of the work of cons solidating the statute law.

Phe Acts relating to the enfranchise~ ment of the Indians and the management of Indian affairs have been fully considered, and steps have been taken to ascertuin the views of the Indians themselves. A mea- sure on this subject will be submitted for your approval,

A measure will be introduced to provide for the better administration of the estates

) House of Ci

rhe accounts of the pastand the estimate of the next financial year will be laid before you: the estimates have been framed with every possible economy consistent with the public interests I regret that the depres» in trade, to which I have alluded, has seriously affected the revenue. It will be necessary, in view of this circumstance, to curtail the expenditures in the several branches of the public service.

GenhicwMen 6} WHOIS

sion

Honorable Gentlemen of the Se

a

ie men of the House of

JINOIUS

Correspondence, reports,and other papers |

regarding the construction of the Pacific Railway, will be laid before you.

During the recess a deputation from the Government of Manitoba visited Ottawa to invite the attention of the Government of the Dominion to the circumstances of that Province. They represented that the ins come of the Province was insufficient to provide for its ordinary Governmental exs be papers on this subject will be laid before you, and certain propositions will be submitted for your consideration,

lhe Legislature of Manitoba has in the meantime adopted some measures to res juce the expenditure of the Province.

I invite your earnest attention to the several subjects mentioned and to the general business which will come before you, and | trust that your deliberations may be guided by wisdom and moderation

RAvogra. rue leaven of Reform is working. Our

an article on Reform in the Legislature. We quote The governmental machinery of this

part of its influence by Confederation should now, in justice to tie country, and

| conformably to the laws of politica! econo<

my, be reduced materially in several of its branches. For the business to be now transacted, it is altogether too extensive

machinery for the performance of so little work is, to apply the simile of a contempo~

tocrushanegg. The expenses of legis-

| lation are, if auything, but a fraction lower

than when we entered the Union, although there is not half the work to be done now that there formerly was. The machinery of government is as extended as is neces- sary to carry on the most eXtensive legis» lation, and yet we have the public service

and the roads and bridges of the country

now bestowed on them.

“ Big Push ;” |

By lopping off the superfluous parts of | the machinery, of course a few pretty ora-

ters would be deprived of good opportuni- | airng their eloquenca; but then the |

| ties for impetus which the business of the country | would receive from reduction , countervail that, | having little to do and neglecting even that | little, the time of the house frittered away by wrangling about nothing. reported debates would lead one to believe | that the chief object of honorable repre- sentatives is to roll up volumninous L’arlia- mentary Reporter instead of placing on the

a a

ls

Other provinces of the Dominion are con-~

Legislative Councils, and otherwise pruning down their useless incumbrances and ex- penditures ; and, if they are doing so, much

are a small country, the useless expendi-

the Dominion. to be supporting a cumbersome governs ment, winle all branches of the public service are in a backward state. It is every- thing but good policy to be keeping up such eXtensive governmental machinery | while the country is crying out for a better | system of road-making, a more beneficial

educational law, and the means wherewith | to procure more railway accommodation.

‘lo those two parts of the public service all other considerations must yield, and to carry them out so as to benefit the country, money will be required, and one of the ef- 'ficacious ways of procuring that money is to curtail the present useless expenditure. To have a bridge much broader than the stream is useless.”

Our Summerside contemporary also de- votes two columns to the practical suggess _ tions of Messrs. Weeks, Nelson,and Haslam: | respecting the improvement of our roads

-eom +

Tae Raitway Fexce.—The /atriot uns derstands that the Government have deci- ded to build the Railway fence themselves. | The tenders were in their opinion so high that those in authority concluded they could build it more cheaply under their ‘own superintendence then by contract,

Island having been shorn of the greater : & |

and too cumbersome. To use such elaborate |

rary, very much like using 4 trip- hammer |} | spect to the question raised by my honor- |

}

Education has gone to the dogs entirely, | diture of §

should | Members of the Louse |

Phe |

statute book salutary aud practical laws. |

sidering the advisability of abolishing their |

more ought this Colony, for, although we |

tures are vaster than in any other province of | This Colony can ill afford |

way’ from E=quimalt to Nanaimo. Mr. Edgar's letter, it will be found, ex-

presses the inability of the Dominion to |

construct the Pacific Railway within the the time stipulated. It therefore proposes that it this time limit for the completion of the whole line be surrendered, the Domini- on willimmediately commence that portion which ties between Esquimalt and Nanaimo, Che language of the letter is that ‘they’ (the Dominion Government) ‘ propose to

commence construction from Esquimalt to |

Nanaimo immediately, and to push that portion of the railway on to completion with tho utmost vigour, and in the sliurtest practicable time.’

rhis extract conveys but one meaning, Viz. :—that the line between E-quimalt and Nanaima was reyarded by the present, as it was by the past, Canadian Ministry, a8 a ‘portion of’ the main line.

[t now appears from the published cor- respondence forwarded ty the Dominion Government to England, that in their Minute of the 1Sth August, 1874, they dis- avowed Mr. [dgar’s offer, inasmuch as they

alleged (what is repeated in their present | Minute) that the Esquimalt line ‘does not | ”

form a portion of’ the main line; that ‘it

was tO benefit local interests, and was pro; |

posed as compensation for the disappoint- ment experienced by the delay in constructing the railway across the continent.’

Of these changed views, and certainly uns expected statements, this Government had no intimation until some time after the pub-

lication of the correspondence by the Can- | During the negotiations |

adian Parliament this correspondence was not communicated

to this government, Gtherwise exception | would have been taken at the time to seves |

ral portions of it, which are very objection- able.

The statement that the work in question was proposed as ‘compensation’ is a mani- | fest error for no such proposal was ever

made or hinted at, as will appear by refer- ence to Mr. Edgar's letters. It is also, to a certain extent, inconsistent with the subs sequent request made by the Dorainion Gor~ ernment to this Province on the 25th March,

1875, for a conveyance (which was granted)

of a belt of land along the line between

Esquimalt and Nanaimo similar in extent to |

that prescribed by the Terms of Union for the Pacific railway, ‘and subject otherwise

to all the conditions contained inthe 1!th |

section of the said Terms.’—[Appx. A. ]

The Dominion Government were not en~ titled to the land, except under the ‘ Terms of Union. Their agreement with Lord Carnarvon gave them no new claim to it, if the line was not to form part of the Pacific railway.

It is further alleged in the Minute under consideration that ‘the sanction of Parlias ment to the construction of the proposed railway between Esquimalt and Nanaimo

| was’ (that is when Lord Carnarvon’s settle- ment of 15874 was made), ‘necessarily a condition precedent to its commencement ;’ while on the other hand, the Premier, in his place in the Commons said, on the 5th

mended by Lord Carnarvon, and which we have accepted, are simply these -—That, ins stead of one anda half millions, we pro- | pose to expend two millions a year within | the Provinces of British Columbia, and we

| through the Provinces and downward to the point indicated by the year 1800, being an extenision time of nine years. With re-

able friend from South Bruce, | may say that I have nothing to ask from Parliament, We have no authority to obtain, but merely to‘communicate to Parliament this decision, and rely upon the House supporting us in

accepting the Terms.’ —[ //ansurd, page 511.]

The next point in the Minute is that the

is but poorly and indifferently pertormed, | agreement for an annual railway expen-

$2,900,000 in the Province, and | for the completion of the line from the

are sorely in need of better care than is! Pacific to Lake Superior by 1890, “ must ”’

| be contingent upon and subject to the con- (ditions of the resolution passed by the Commons in |87], contemporaneously with the Terms of Union, and subsequently en- acted and re-enacted in the Pacitic Railway Acts of 1872-1874, respectively. The re- solution, as quoted in the Minute, reads : ‘The aid to be given to secure tle accom- plishment of the undertaking should con-~ si-t of such liberal grants of land, and such subsidy in money, cr other aid, not increas< ing the then eXistipg taxation, as the Par- liament of Canada should thereafter deter- mine.” It is to be remarked that the following important part of the resolution has not been given to this quotation, viz :— | *That the railway should be constructed and worked by private enterprise and not by the Dominion Government.’’ The Goy- | ernment seems to have overlooked the fact that the above conditions were so materi-

| cally abandoned. The rate of taxation was then increased, and, by the Railway Act of 1874, the construction of the railway | was placed in the hands of the Government instead of being entrusted to private ente:-~ prise. been binding on this Province, no such modifications of it as those indicated could have been of any eftect as regards this Province, until the consent of its Legisla- ture had been ot tained thereto. But Pritish Columbia, in fact, was never even

; attempted, and before

Government; for the purpose of providing ' ' moans for fulfilling the railway agreement |

With British Columbia ; and should the Act,

ke the resolution, fail in its object, some other measure must necessarily be devised for the above pury

With re pect to the cash bonus, > 790,000,

be olfered sanction of Par

to be (provided the

lament be obtained) ‘as compen ation for | the delay which may take place in the con- | struction of the Pacific railway,’ itis evident

that future delays of a very grave character | are seriousiy contemplated, otherwise such | an offer wouJd never have been made, b fore | even construction in the Province has been | the expiration of the | first year of the fifteen given for the comple-

tion of the railway hencs to Lake Superior

Under these circumstances this offer can only , be regarded as a proposed indemnity for a ontemplated indefinite postponement of the onstruction of the work. The agreements

| for the annual railway expenditure and for |

| tees, and an abandonment by British Colum-

| test against

The

| miniou Government, have not been touched

unavoidable |

of March, 1875, after reading this settle> | |} ment io the House:—‘The terms recom- |

propose to finish the railway connection !

if we asked for the Imperial guarantee while

| On the 10th of February, 1875, the Canadian

completion of the line within a are the only guarantees given that the rail way will be constructed this century, An acceptance of this proposed bonus would be equivalent to a surrender of these guaran-

fixed time |

bia for all time to come of her right to pro- all future delays, however pro- tracted. The amount otfered represents the average cost of only about twenty miles of railway, and is little more than one-third of one year’s promised expenditure in the Pro- vinee,

other portions of Lord Carnarvon’s settlement, which declare that the waggou road and telegraph line should be construct. ed immediately, “ as suggested by” the Do-

upon in the Minute. The waggon road has not been commenced, though twelve months | have elapsed since it was promised, and | though its immediate construction as a fore- runner of railway work was strenuously ta- upon by the Dominion Government. rhe immediate erection of the telegraph line was, for the same reason, also declared to be indispensable= but work on this line, though | begun last spring, has been abandoned in- detinitely. The proposal to construct it form. }ed a very material element in the consider- | ation of British Columbia’s appeal to Engs land, as the heavy eost of the undertaking was Weighed against the elaims advanced by the Province.. “The facts and incidents which forced the | Provincial Government to appeal in 1874 to the Imperial Government need not be re- peated. After nearly six months spentin ne. voliations, proposals were submitted by Lor Carnarvon to the Dominion Government fo) | theirappreval. ‘To these proposals they gave their deliberate and unreserved assent on the !Sth December, 1874. In their minute of that date, they stated that the proposals could be accepted * without involving a vio | jation of the spirit ofany pariiamentary reso-

lution or the letter of any enactment,” and that ‘the conclusion at which his Lordship | has arrived, upholds, as he remarks, in the | main and subject only to some modification | of detail, the policy adopted by this Govern- ment on this most embarrassing question.” They, therefore, “ respectfully request that your Excellency will be pleased ri iy assure his Lordship that every effort will be made to secure the realization of what is expected.”

Thus apparently ended a most unpleasant as well as unprotitable and irritating dispute which had lasted for about eighteen months, and which resulted in a most carefully con- | sidered settiement—a settlement that, in the opinion of the Domision Government, upheld their own railway policy and violated neither the spirit nor the letter of any parliamentary provision, Notwithstanding these facts, and ihe strong assurance given that “ every ef- fort’? would be made to redeem their pledges, the Dominion Government, only nine months afterwards (as appears by their Minute of the 20th September last), virtually decided to ignore these engagements. The construction ' of the Isiand section of railway is to be uban- doned. ‘The agreements to immediately con- struct the waggon road and telegraph line have aJready been violated, and no assur- ince whatever remains that they will ever | e constructed. The stipulations—most im- | portant of all—for an annual raiiway expen- diture in the Province, and for the comple- tion of the railway within a fixed time, are now held by the Dominion Government to be contingent upon conditions which, though incidentally referred to in their first and last lespatches to Lord Carnarvon, were never | offered for his Lordship’s consideration ; nor was it contended that they should control any settlement that might be made. In jus- tice to all parties, the Dominion Government should have placed their whole case before Lord Carnarvon, and not have reserved this point focontention and for sudden an- | nouncement nearly twelve months after the date of what was supposed and intended to be a final settlement of all differences upon railway matters. If the contention referred to were conceded, the settlement would vir- tually be reduced to a nullity, as the Minis- try of the day would be free to use the bulk and indeed all, of their available revenue for general public purposes, and thus leave litile cr nothing for the railway project.

The delay in the transmission of the Min- ute of Canada now under consideration deserves notice. It was passed on the 20th September last, and was detained at Ottawa until the 10th of November—some seven weeks ‘‘ owing,” as alleged by ihe Under | Secretary of State, ‘to the fact of the

officer whose duty it was to furnish a copy ' of the Order in Council to the Department | for transmission having inadver- tently ommitted to do so.”’ To the Dominion Government this detention proved most op- portune By a singular coincidence they were during this period engaged in negotiat- ng a heavy joan in England, $7,250,000 of | which itis publicly reported, they succeeded last October in borrowing on the Imperial guarantee, in Which the Proviaee is specially interested, as it was mainly given to aid in the construction of the Pacitic Railway. Owing to the detention alluded to, the Pro- vincial Government were not afforded an op- portunity of protesting in the proper quarter, against the guarantee being used under ex- isting circumstances. With respect to that guarantee, the importance and value of a good understanding with British Coiumbia upon railway matters has been and is well understood by the Dominion Government,