Cw be Gram A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF POLITICS, LITERATURE AND NEWS. Ye ner. spWARD WHELAN] ——_— Vou. V- IIE Colonial Legislature. HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY. Tuurspay, March 20. | The House was occupied in Committee a considerable part sihis day in discussing the principles of the Bill sent down » the Legislative Council to prevent fraud by secret Bills Male of personal chattels—which have been noticed at some | agth in the report of the Legislative Council proceedings greference to the said Bill,and published in these columns. fion. Mr. Palmer introduced a Bill to regulate the public qating by tender, The Bill was read a first time. ‘The Bill to alter and amend the Act to incorporate the (herigttetown Gas Light Company was read a second time | -wamitted to a Committee of the whole House and agreed o therein with some amendments. Ordered to be engrossed oder the title of “an Act to ineredse the stock of the Char- nttetown Gas Light Company.” House adjourned until Saturday next. en ~<a 289 Saturpay, March 22. | nturns for the past year. Mr. Clark presented a petition from inhabitants of Lot | }8 and others, praying for the opening of a road to connect | the Fermoy aud Irishtown settlements, by running on the line | jividing Jands of George Ramsay and William McKenzie. Referred to the special Committee for opening new roads. Mr. Clark read ia his place « petition of certain inhabitants of St. Eleanor’s, praying that an Act may be passed to render | the Legislative Conucil elective; but the Hon. Speaker | jeclined to receive the petition, on the ground that it was a! printed one, and contrary to parliamentary practice to entertain such. Hou. Mr. Whelan presented a petition from inhabitants | of King’s County, praying for the passing of an Act to| mgulate the use of streams of water between mills on the) game stream, aud the overfl Wing of water by reason of mille | dams. The petition was referred to the following special | Cawnrittee to report thereon by Bill or otherwise :— Messrs. | Whelan, Dingwell, Wightman, Lord, Cooper, Laird, and the | Ucl. Secretary. i | | } | i easideration of Ways sand Means (Revenue Bill.) Hon. Vol. Treasurer in the chair. FALSE STATEMENTS OF THE ISLANDER. Some unimportant discussions occarred on several matters | tonuected with the Revenue laws, when— The blon. Mr. LORD stated that he observed that the Editor | of the Islander has stated that the Col my is greatly in debt. | Sow, Sir, [ should like to know how he got the information? scertain gentleman going about the rooms, and all I can say they acted very improper. He asked some explanations as to | the statements in the Islander, for according tw the old fellow} who edited it, the Colony was ruined. Hon. ‘COL. SECRETARY.—Mr. Chairman, the hon. mem- | ver, in alluding to the statements which have appeared in the Islander, with reference to the financial state of the Colony, | has asked for some explanation. Well, Sir, 1 do not wonder | st his being surprised at the strange statements put forth ,| though by this time one would suppose that nothing appearing | in tuat paper would astonish any one. Iis wonder as to the | suree from which the editog obtained his information, is much | more natural. How could he obtain it save from the Committee | ou Pablie Accounts? Before going into detail on the assertions | in the Islander, I must observe that the House may be called | upon to take action if its official printer should be found guilty | of falsifying public documents, for the purpose of deceiving | the people. The very fact of the situation being held by the proprietor of the Islander, would have the effect of obtaining eredenece to statements, however false, and however maliciously imerted. I find, Sir, that I am charged with having received £15 for a visit of inspection to Mill River Bridge. Now, Sir, I defy the editor of the Islander or any other man to put his | finger on a single item in the accounts, to shew that [ ever | teezived one single farthing for such service. 1 made three or four visits to the bridge, but all at my own expense, and never wade any charge for them. There was a claim made for an agount exeeeding the contract, and when the Government telused to pay any thing beyond the sum specified in the égtreement, the matter was referred to arbitration, and the contractors were awarded this amount. So much for the truth of that assertion. Hon. Mr. LONGWORTH.—Mr. Chairman, we are in Com- mittee of Ways and Means, and it certainly appears to me that it is out of order to discuss articles appearing in newspapers. Hon. COL. SECRETARY.—lIt is quite proper, Mr. Chair- man, the hon. member, Mr. Lord, haying called attention to the statements in this paper. The next item is, £130 to the Clerk of the Council, over his stated allowance of £120. Now, Sir, the Government have nothing to do with that, the Council Whatever the officer alluded to receives, 1 believe he earns. | Nett we have £20 to the Assistant Clerk of the Legislative Council, and £10 to the Assistant Clerk of the Executive. ell, Sir, | contend that-those amounts are very moderate for the work performed. The article continues with £100 to the Road Correspondent, being £60 more than was paid by the ancien regime. Now, Sir, under the old system, the Road Cor- meena office was united with that of Provincial Secretary, tnd it was proved here last year that it was absolutely neces- tary to separate them ; and hon. members generally concurred | Mm the propriety of appointing a Road Correspondent, who should also be Assistant Clerk to the Councils. The Tory party, when they last held the reins of office, decided on the ‘ppointment of an Assistant Clerk to the Councils, and also t he should receive £100 a year. This shews conclusively, is far as they are concerned, that the present Government is wot liable to the charge of extravagance in respect to this office, here especially when it is borne in mind that the officer unites this own person the functions of Assistant Clerk of the Youneil and those of Road Corrrespondent. Formerly not More than £2000 annually passed through the Road Corres- CHARLOTTE TOW The House then went into Committee of the whole on the | \ ae ’ here, it was necessary that some effective protection should be Ifthe Chairman of the Committee on Pablic Accounts did his | duty, he would not allow him to examine them. I have seen} gont because a bill for the amount of the Patriotic Fund yote &, that if his friends allowed him to examine the accounts, | ! ay pay what they please from their contingent fund ; amet pondent’s hands; now that officer disburses some £9000 or £10,000 ; and it was found impossible that his duties could be indexing the laws; in this item there is no change from, Pevious years, £100 to Mr. Daly, junior, as Private Secre- tary. That vote, Sir, was generally adopted by this House. | e hext charge is, £75 instead of £50 to the Superintendant of blie Works, and £22 10s. for travelling charges to the same | 'r. Now, Sir, the duties of that officer have much in-| ‘Teased, and besides that, the Superintendant now furnishes | 48 Without charging fur them, as has furmerly been the case. | Put the lie contained in the next item will shew the spirit and | Se wes wee aes was paid for a pole and flag on the building. No doubt the Sir, was a legacy left us by the old Government, and about £400 went for furniture, which had to be obtained, the former not having been replaced since Sir Alexander's time. Then £300 for land near Government House. Hon. members all know why that was expended, as the propriety of the purchase ; was generally admitted by both sides of the House last session. £26 2s. Gd., additional to the amount provided by statute, for completing the census returns. That statement is false. It is for making an abstract of the returns. Mr. Cundall performed refers to the pay of the Queen's Printer. As that eentleman is not in his place, i shall content myself by passing it over, and allow him to make his own observations. Then follows, £100 to Sir Alexander Bannerman for dissolving the iate House of Assembly. Sir, the writer of this knew, when he penned it, that he was penning a gross falschood. Even, were it true, benefit from the dissolution. We all know that it was voted Stark. The matter will be found, as the writer well knows, in the debates of last session, when it was well discyssed. on agricultural chemistry. Now, Mr. Chairman, it has been found that the great number of schools has occupied so fully that gentleman’s time, that he cannot pay the proper visits of inspection if he has to deliver those lectures. £300 for Com- missioner of Crown Lands. Well, Sir, at that he is not better, and I doubt if as well, paid as certain land agents who have made fortunes from the properties entrusted to their manage- ment. £250 salary to the Surveyor General. Now, Mr. Chairman, without following the writer through the tissue of ies accompanying this item in his paper, I may say that I believe that the principle of fixed a is a good one; bat [ can assure the writer, of what he probably was well aware, that no fees are received by that officer for the many plans he | has to furnish, and for each of which the fee is five s lillings. this goes into the Treasury, and consequently is an offset to the amount of the salary, so far as the public chest is concerned. The next is, £37 2d. for travellivg to Lot 11, to crack a bottle of wine with my friend, the Hon. Col. Treasurer. Well, Sir, do not know how many bottles were used, but I hope that they had a good time of it. We have next, £475 12s. 10d. cost of the so called ** Ragged Regiment.”? Well, Sir, as the gallant Major is present, he might give us any information we might require ; but [ may briefly state that £1000 was placed at the disposal of the Government, by the House last session, to provide a force ; and the Rent Roll Tax Bill haying passed provided in case of any serious disturbance ; and the troops were sent to us by the British Government, which afterwards, at the instigation of the very party which make these charees, disallowed the Bill. The next item is £269 Ile. lld.. Land- waiters’ fees. As to the comments on this and the sympathy the writer expresses for Messrs. McKinnon and LePage, I can tell him that these officers received more than any others on the Island. Now we have £9 10s. for an alleged pleasure trip of the Hon. Col. Treasurer to Halifax, to purchase a bill of ex- change. Well, Sir, I hope he had a pleasant trip, but he was could not be obtained here. £24 10s. 24d. law costs incurred by asnatcher road overseer. Sir, it is frequently the duty of every Government to protect officers acting honestly in their official capacities, according to the circumstances of the particular ease, Which, in this instanee, fully justified the action adopted by the Government. I have now gone through the several items, and must call the attention ef the Committee to the observations which follow :— ** And what shall we say about His Excellency signing war- rants for payments which he knows to be unlawful? Just this, that Goyernor Daly, in public honesty and decency, is no better than his Snatcher councillors, that he has obtained nearly £214) of public plunder for his ‘ comforts,’ and that his ser- vants may do with the balance of the revenue as they list. That neither Mr. Daly nor any other Governor cares a straw if the top of our highest hill was forty fathoms under water, if the Island serve him for a stepping stone to a better office, »and he safely floated off in another ark.”’ Now, Mr. Chairman, I ask any member of this Committee where is the proof that His Excellency ever received one penny of what is here termed ** public plunder?’’ The charge is so glaringly absurd that it is hardly worth while to brand it asa gross and most malicious falsehood. If the writer supposed that he can induce the people of the Island to believe that the Geyernor is pockcting the public money, he has made a great mistake. Even His Exceilency’s fees are paid into the ‘Trea- sury. Such vile slanders reflect discredit on the party which supports a paper capable of making such statements against any person holding the situation of His Excellency. As to myself, 1 have become so case-hardened to what appears in the Islander respecting myself, that I care nothing about it. Tam glad to have had an opportunity of reviewing those statements, more Sweetness as they appear in a paper which officially publishes the debates of the House. The natural inference from their pubiieation in this journal would be, to many minds, that they are correct. They were intended, as all the original articles ef the Islander are, to injure the Liberal party, but misrepresentation always defeats its own objects. Hion. Mr. LORD.—Mr. Chairman, I merely wished to elicit discussion, and { must say that it is most unfair that state- ments of this nature should go abroad to the public before tie Committee have reported, and before the members of the Government and of this House have had an opportunity of seeing the accounts. They certainly were entitled to have a sight of them before they found their wey into print. I am much surprised. It is very certain that there has been im- proper conduct somewhere. Hon. members may laugh, but I can tell the Chairman and members of the Committee of Public Accounts, that this matter reflects no credit on them. Mr. McDONALD.—Mr. Chairman, as I have been alluded to by the hon. member, as being Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts, I can tell him, that I have been unfairly charged. I haye held no communication, with reference to | those accounts, with any but members of the Committee. I cannot, of course, be responsible for the conduct of others. After a short time, the Hon. Mr. Whelan was in his place, when the Hon. Mr. LORD asked an explanation of the amount alleged by the Islander as haying been received by him. It amounted to £1035 7s. 8d., including more than £100 for stationery. It seemed a very large item, and it was but right that the public should have every information, as the charge appeared in one of the public prints. : Mr. WHELAN.—I am much obliged to my hon. friend for calling my attention to the observations which haye appeared | Performed in the Seeretary’s office. Next we have £10 for in the Islander with respect to myself. I need not state, I’ residences, and wou'd be an inducemevt to them to continue; Mr. McDONALD thought the present system, by which think, that so far as I am personally concerned, the misrepre- sentations of the r alluded to never give me the slightest annoyance—indeed if I have any feeling at all about such a small matter, it is, that I should much rather be censured and belied than praised by such a print. But as | understand that the Hon. Col. Secretary has refated the calumnies contained in the last No. of the Islander, with the exception of the para- graph relating to the Queen’s Printer’s accounts, which he left for me, I will content myself by stating briefly but emphatically Chis is trae Liberty, when Free-born Mlen, having to advise the Public, man speak free.——evrivrmes. N, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1856. Te Serr <= oS ae | anght l know, may be as useful a political agent as the other. | the subject of the public printing will, as I perceive by the ) £946 for the Colonial Building, of which we are told £14 | Order Book, shortly come before the House, I will take an opportunity, perhaps, when that subject comes up for discussion, | gentleman from New London, who penned this article, was} to enter somewhat into detail as to the actual cost to the astonished to see the flag of England waving over the building. Phe next item is £1516 10s. 64d. for Government House. That, is ; arid aL of its public printing. It appears that I am charged with having received last year over a thousand pounds for the service alluded to; but that is wholly untrue. The whole | . ; . ’ . )amount Of the Queen’s Printer’s accounts for last year was | £832 los. 1 need not inform the Committee that that amount doves not go into the pocket of the Queen’s Printer, in the same | way as the salary of a public officer, but is subject to very heavy deductions for labour, paper, printing materials, and a hundred other expenses. The Queen’s Printer has nothing ‘more for his services than the profit which he can make on the | work turned out of his office, in the same manner as a mer- ) the former duty; Mr. MeNeill the latter. The next matter | chant might make profit on a bale of goods for which he had | paid a heavy price in the Colonial or kuglish market. There }is no doubt that the sum mentioned by the Islander, as being | the cost of the public printing last year, meludes the charges | for printing the Journals of the two branches of the Legislature ; | but as those journals are contract works, and can be taken by ‘any printer who will do them at the lowest price, it is exceed- | it would be money well spent, as the country has derived great | ingly unfair and untrue to state that they form part of the }emoluments of the Queen’s Printer. But, Sir, there is another {to reimburse Sir Alexander meney he had advanced to Mr. | statement in the paragraph relating to myself, which isa very novel one. It is this, that I received £100 for supplying the Government with stationery last year. Now, Sir, [never had Mr. Clark, in his place, preseuted the usual Custom House | £00 to Mr. Stark, School Visitor, for not delivering lectures stationery to sell, and I defy any one to prove that 1 have ever yet made a charge against the Government for stationery to the value of one sixpence. But if the very ingenious person who supplied the editor of the Jslander with his curious statistics, would take the trouble to examine the detailed pab- lic accounts, he would find that a very large proportion of the demand for stationery was incurred by the Tory party while in power under the name of the Holl and Palmer Government, and probably the person who gave the information to the Islander was a member of that Government himself, The Committee haying risen, the Chairman reported the following resolution, as agreed to in Committee, and it was adopted by the House. ** Resolved, that the several rates and duties imposed and levied under the Act 18th Vic., cap. 25, be continued and amended for one year, from and after the first day of May next.” Messrs. Clark, Warburton and Wightman were appointed a Copnuittee to prepare and bring im a Bul pursuant to the fore- going resolution. The Bill to inereass the Stock of the Charlottetown Gas Light Company was read a third tiie and passed. The House then adjourned. —_- —-— £00 GQ Monpay, March 24. The Bill to incorporate the trustees of St. David's Church at Georgetown was read a second time, cominitted to a Committee of the whole ITouse, and agreed to therein without amendment. Ordered to be engrossed. The Hon. Col. Treasurer, from the Committee appointed therefor, presented a Ball for raising a revenue, which was read a first time. In the afternoon sitting the ITen. Col. Secretary presented by messag® from His Bxecellency the Lieut. Governor the first report of the Royal Courmissioners of the Patriotic Fund to the Qucen; and a'soa despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, relating to certain Acts of the last Session of the Provincial Legislature, subsiitied for Her Majesty’s confirma- tion. The Bill for raising a Revenue was then read a second time— committed toa committee of the whole Llouse, and progress reported thereon. [The discussions on this Bill, in the course of its progress through Committee, had principally reference to the establish- ment of Bonded Warehouses, first in Charlottetown and secondly in those other considerable ports of the Island where the Governor and Council might deem a bonded warehouse necessary. Considerable debate also occurred on the proposition warehouses, the length of credit to be given on bonds. The provisions of ihe Lill relating to boaded warehouses were ultimately agreed to.] Mr. FH. Haviland, by leave, presented a Bill for barring estates tail, which was read a first time. House adjourned. ilies Tuzspay, March 25. Mr. Munro presented a petition from inhabitants of Lot 50, setting forth that petitioners are tenants residing on those parts of said Township known as fishery reserves, and praying for the adoption of measures to secure them the undisturbed use and occupation of such reserves, wutil required for the purposes for which they were originally intended. Referred to a Special Committee to report thereon by Bill or otherwise. The Act to facilitate the performance of the duties of Justices of the Peace, &e., was read a third time and passed. Mr. Douse, from the special Committee appointed therefor, presented a Bill to alier and amend the Act incorporating the Minister and Elders of St. John’s Church, Belfast, which was read a first time, and referred to the Private Bill Com- mittee. The Bill for barring Estates Tail was read a second time, committed to a Committee of the whole House, and progress reported thereon. The Private Bill Committee having reported on the St. John’s Church Bill, it was read a second time, committed to a Committee of the whole House, and progress thereon reported. The Bill for raising a revenue was again committed to a Committee of the whole House, and progress reported, Yonferences were then held with the Legislative Council on the Licence Act. The Hon. Col. Secretary, from the Committee appointed to report by Bill or otherwise on the expediency of making a provision for Schoolmasters under the Free Education Act, when obliged from continued sickness or old age to discontinue teaching, presented to the House the report of the said Com- mittee, which report being again read, was agreed to as follows :— “Your Committee appointed to report on the expediency to lessen, in convection with the establishment of bonded | conn Sp eeridetedeanerandiennteaes spennerenanane ee geen eT [EDITOR axp PUBLISHER. No. 4l. aa The Legislative Council sent down an Act which they had passed, relating to the Indians of tais Island, which was read a first time. The Bill to incorporate the Trustees of St. David's Church, Georgetown, was read a third time and passed. The Legislative Council sent down, agreed to, with one amendment, the Lill intituled ‘an Act to facilitate the per- furmance of the duties of Justices of the Peace in this Island, with respect to persons charged with indictable offences.” The amendment was agreed to, and the Bill sent back to the Council. House adjourned. BONDED WAREHOUSES. In the afternoon sittir.g the House resumed the consideration of the Revenue Bill, when the subject of the establishment of Bonded Warehouses came on fer discussion. Onur Reporter was nut present during the whole of the debate, but when he took his seat— The Hon. Mr. PALMER was expressing his opinion in favor of Bonded Warehouses. He considered that the meaus to be adopted to remedy the inconvenience at present experienced should be discretionary with the Goveryment. The absence of such warchouses had long becn a reproach to the large mercantile community of Charlottetown, As had been observed by the Hon. Col. Secretary, parties selling on com- mission had the opportunity of turning their money twice before they need pay the duties ; and it was but false economy to make the cost au objection to so great an improvement. Hon. Mr. LONGWORTH considered that the Warehouse would probably be a source of revenue, as the only current expense would be the salary of the keeper; whose duty it would be to receive the rents. Great benefits had been found to result from such places of deposit in Halifax and other places, and such would probably be the case here, where only seven-eighths of the duty were allowed on goods exported. This he considered a hardship. The Hon. the SPEAKER said, that the real question was whether it was desirable to shorien the period of credit at prescnt allowed to importers. Though in fayour of the Ware- house system, he would not abbreviate the present term of credit. True, that the practice ia other countries was different, but money was more abundant in them than with us. Our present credit was not too long. We allowed twelve months without, and three months with interest, making fifteen mouths in all, Hon. COL. SECRETARY thought nine months without and three with interest sufficient on all sums over £100. The present extended credit might operate unfairly to sureties, He considered that it would be better to give three, six and nine months credit on all sums under £100, Hon. Mr. WIGHTMAN considered the time at present allowed was well adapted to the circumstances of the country. A person importing goods to the value of £1000 is frequently unable to realize a sale and profit on those goods within twelve months. True, that there were numerous warehouses in Halifax, but these were rendered necessary by the fact of Halifax being a great depot for West India produce, intended for exportation. The case was different here, where all the importations were intended for home consumption, He was in favour of establishing warchouses, as the system would enable an importer to go round and make bargains for the sale of his goods. There would be an additional expense, but he thought that the sooner we had warehouses the better. Mr. H. HAVILAND could not consider the Government entitled to the appellation of a happy family. The Hon, Mr. Lord, whom he might consider as an honorary member, was opposed to Warehouses. The Hon. Colonial Secretary was favourable to Warchouses and short credits, while the Hen. Mr. Wightman was in favour of Warehouses and long credits. Had we had Bonded Warehouses years ago, we would have been in a much more prosperons condition now. -The Island would have been a depot for the supply of the: small traders in the ports in the Gulf, who now draw their supplies from Halifax, and who would find this a more convenient resort than the distant port of Halifax. He was surprised at this being an open question. The leader of the Government should have called his supporters together and got their opivions, instead of coming to the House for votes from among the ranks of his own supporters, the opposition and the “ loose-fish.” Hon, COL, SECRETARY said that the Hon. Mr. Wightman had commenced by arguing as though he were opposed to the introduction of the Warehouse system. No manon the Island was betier able to pay for his importations than that gentleman. Warehouses would give us a large proportion of the Canadian trade, as it would diminish the ‘risk of the long voyage from Halifax to Canada. The pro- 'duce of the fisheries and Jumber were sent to Halifax and the | West Indies, and the returns were made in the West India produce shipped to Halifax, beeause that place had Bonded Warehouses. At present Canada received a large portion of its supplies via Portland. The Warehouse system would ‘save a large amount of money and encourage the trade of the Island, Under the present system, at the opening of the navigation, it may be reported that prices of West India pro- | luce are rising in Halifax, and are likely to rise; the | consequence is, that orders to a large extent are given, a glut ensues, and the importer may be ruined. Such contingencies ‘would be to a certain degree prevented by the establishment of Warehoases. Mr. YEO saw no benefit from Warehouses. He had never listened to greater nonsense than had been urged in favour of them. ‘The only good would arise to the man who ‘should be paid for looking after them, Could not 2 man buy ‘goods and deposit them in his cellar? The circumstances of Halifax and St. John were different from those of the Island, a ere we could not lay in a stock of goods from November to | May. ea? Mr. WIGHTMAN was surprised at the opposition of } ‘ ‘the hon. member. The Hon. Col. Secretary had mistaken of making provision for sick or aged teachers appointed under | his meaning. He had not argued against Warehouses, but the Free Education Act, have to report—that they are of merely intended to shew that the benefits to be derived here opinion if a provision could be made it would tend to encou- ‘would not equal those enjoyed in Halifax, from the different rage teachers to greater exertions to provide permanent | nature of the business carried on by individual merchants. | teaching in the Island. an importer of goods, the duties on which amount to £10, | “Your Committee are not aware of any method whereby | received the same credit as he who imporied property liable _to provide retiring allowances for teachers, other than by! to £49 duty, required alteration. ‘their paying a smal! annual sum, say one or two pounds, into} Mr, CLARIX was surprised that hon, members should not the Treasury, for a certain number of years, previous to the! recoguize the necessity of shorten'ng the present period of ‘individual waking application for such retirement, and then ered. A man may be perfectly good for the smount of by producing a certificate of incapacity to teach, from the duties at the time he executes the bond, but in fifteen months Board of Education, to the Government, he or she should may be ruined. It was hard for the Collector to know a tention of the writer—he says £10 was paid to the Superin-| as my command of language will allow, that there is not one |}. entitled to receive a sum not exceeding twenty pounds per man’s position. He was in favour of dong away with £10 a nt for the plan of a new market house, because he was a’ “ful political agent, Now, it so happens, that it was not | _ to Mr. Barnard at all, but, on the contrary, to one of the | Pporters of the Tory party, JIr. Henry Smith, who, for' single sentence referring to me in the observations alluded to, which is other than an absolute falsehood or perversion of facts. what means the writer obtained possession of the figures which are so strangely misapplied, I know not; but as ‘annum; but as the Hree Education Act will expire next year. bonds, as merchants import just enough 3 age - — ‘your Committee recommend that the further consideration of come to £10, in order to get the credit. te would reduce ‘the subject be deferred uutil the next session.” | the time from twelve to vine months. le ie gaan PE anata em "