Hon. Mr. ROBITAILLE asked if this provision applied to coasters. of every 20 contestations which had taken every one that the vessel which came place there had been an indiscriminate most frequently into port must leave summoning of witnesses without any the largest number of sailors at the knowledge whether these witnesses could Hospital. throw light on the subject. If his sugges tions were adopted it would prove what was called "fishing for evidence," for it would make petitioners more careful what witnesses they summoned, if they knew they would have to pay the expenses of the people investigated. His (Mr. BOWELL'S) desire was to make the law against bribery and corruption at elections just as stringent as he possibly could. The Bill was reported as amended and the report was concurred in. DISTRESSED MARINERS' FUND, The Bill to amend the Act respecting the treatment of sick and distressed mariners was read a second time and referred to Committee of the Whole-Mr. DYMOND in the chair. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL regretted that his suggestions with reference to this Bill had not been adopted by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries. The whole of his objection turned on the fact that sailing vessels were required to pay only twice a year whilst steamers were required to pay three times. He saw no reason why the hon. the Minister of Marine and Fisheries should discriminate against the latter class of vessels. He knew the argument of the hon. gentleman was that steamers came oftener into port, and brought more sick and distressed sailors than sailing vessels; now, his (Mr. MITCHELL'S) experience was to the contrary. The voyages of steamers were shorter than those of sailing vessels, and consequently the sailors had not time to get sick, and were not liable to become sick from the use of salt meat and want of vegetables as were the sailors on sailing vessels. If the hon. member was determined to persist in this measure he would suggest that an exception should be made in the class of vessels trading along the coast of the Provinces. That would to a certain extent meet his objections. pro Hon. Mr. SMITH said that after having considered this matter thoroughly, it did not seem to him that he could with priety adopt the suggestions of the hon. member for Northumberland. He (Mr. SMITH) did not consider it was an injustice to steamers to require them to pay three times a year. It must be apparent to Mir. Bowell. Hon. Mr. SMITH said vessels under 100 tons were exempted. Hon. Mr. ROBITAILLE said that coasters did not send sailors to the Hospitals. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL explained that coasting vessels on the St. Lawrence when they happened to have sick sailors on board sent them as a rule, to their homes, and they did not become a tax on the public in the same way as foreign sailors did. The Committee rose and reported the Bill without amendment. It being six o'clock the SPEAKER left the chair. PRIVATE AND LOCAL BILLS. The following private and local Bills were read the third time and passed : To amend the Act passed by the Parliament of the late Province of Canada, entitled "An Act to Incorporate the Montreal Board of Trade." To amend the Act incorporating the Board of Trade of the Town of Levis. To amend the Act incorporating the Western Insurance Company, and other Acts affecting the same, and to extend the powers of the said Company. To amend the several Acts incorporating and relating to the Richelieu Company, and to change its corporate name. To amend the Act incorporating the Canadian Navigation Company. To incorporate the European and American Express and Agency Company. To incorporate the Anglo-French Steamship Company. The following Bills were read the second time and referred to the Committee on Railways, Canals and Telegraphs: To incorporate the Quebee and Lake Huron District Railway. Respecting the Huron and Ontario Ship Canal Company. Mr. MACLENNAN moved that the House go into Committee on the Bill for the relief of HENRY WILLIAM PETERSON. The motion was carried on division. Burpe (Sunbury), Macdougall (Elgin), McCraney, McGregor, McQuade, Metcalfe, Mills, Monteith, YEAS: Messieurs Appleby, Kirk, Archibald, Laird, Bain, Landerkin, Bertram, Blackburn, Cameron (Cardwell), Carmichael, Norris, Church, Oliver, Cockburn, Paterson, Coffin, Pettes, Cook, Pickard, Cunningham, Rochester, Davies, Roscoe, Dawson, Ross (Durham), DeCosmos, Ross (Middlesex), DeVeber, Ross (Prince Edward), Dymond, Rymal, Ferris, Sinclair, Fleming, Skinner, Flesher, Smith (Peel), Galbraith, Snider, Gibson, Stirton, Gillmor, Trow, Gordon, Vail, Goudge, Greenway, Hagar, Haggart, Horton, Wallace (Albert), White, Wilkes, Wright (Pontiac), Yeo, Young-81. Hurteau, Jetté, Jones (Halifax), Jones (Leeds), Ladamme, Lajoie, Lanthier, McDonald(Cape Breton), MacDonnell (Inverness), Macmillan, McIntyre, Caron, Casgrain, Cauchon, Cheval, Cimon, McIsaac, Colby, Masson, Mitchell, Montplaisir, Mousseau, Pelletier, Perry, Pinsonneault, Thompson (Cariboo), Wright (Ottawa)—-61 The Bill was read the third time and passed. REPORTS. On motion of Hon. Mr. FOURNIER the report of the Committee of Whole on certain proposed resolutions respecting salaries proposed to be paid to the Chief Justice and Judges mentioned in the Bill (No. 31) to establish a Supreme Court and a Court of Exchequer for the Dominion of Canada, was received, read a first and second time and concurred in. On motion of hon. Mr. SMITH (Westmoreland) the report of the Committee of Whole on resolutions with respect to the powers and authorities of the Trinity House of Quebec was received, read a first and second times and concurred in. SUITS AGAINST THE CROWN. Mr. IRVING moved the second reading of the Bill (No. 13) An Act to provide for the institution of suits against the Crown by petition of right and respecting procedure in Crown suits. He said as he observed that it had been announced in the Senate that the Government had assented to the adoption of this Bill, he would now explain, but very briefly, its objects. There was no procedure in the Dominion whereby the Crown could be impleaded; and in England the only way, until within recent years, by which the Crown could be impleaded, was by petition of right and the fiat of authority thus given by the Crown had to be under the hand of the Sovereign, advised in the responsibility of the Secretary of State. There was no analogous machinery in Canada whereby such rights could be given. In England some fourteen years ago a Bill similar in substance to this, and from which in fact this was copied, was introduced into and passed by the Imperial Parliament, whereby a petition might be sent to the Mr. Maclennan. ? Crown and be referred to the Home Sec-| County Court Judges the power of trying retary, whereby the Crown may be im- persons charged with offences that could pleaded, the consent of the Crown being be tried by the General Sessions of the obtained in the same way by which the Peace where the person so charged consubject could be impleaded. All that had sented to be tried without Jury. Chapter worked with very great satisfaction for 112 of the Consolidated Statutes of Upper fourteen years in England, and had been Canada gave the power to the Chairman adopted in Ontario for three or four years, of the General Sessions of the Peace to as well as in the Province of British reserve any question of law that he might Columbia. He had now introduced this see fit, for the consideration of one of the Bill under the impression that it was de- Superior Courts. Now, he was only asking sirable in the interests of the country, as by this Bill that the same power shall be we were about to give out an extraor- granted to the Judges of County Courts dinary number of contracts, and as the so that if any question of law should arise business between the Crown and the on which they desired to take the opinion subject would extend to considerable pro- of the court, they could do so by reserving portions, there would be constant claims it. This would be a very great convenience by subjects against the Crown, and we to the person tried, as well as satisfactory should be putting such claimants in a to the Judge himself, because if any quesbetter position, as under this Bill they tions of law arose it could only be brought would have a legal standing in the courts to the court above at present by proceedwhich they do not now possess. ing in error, which was very expensive. All that this Bill asked for was to give to County Court Judges the same power under this Statute that they had as Chairmen of the General Session of the Peace. Bill read the second time. On motion of Hon. Mr. CAMERON (Cardwell), the Bill to amend the law relating to bills of exchange and promisory notes, was read a second time and referred to Committee of the Whole (Mr. PALMER in the chair), reported and read a third time and passed." PROTECTION TO LIFE ON WHARVES. Mr. COOK moved the second reading of Bill to provide means of escape for persons falling into the water in the vicinity of wharves and docks. Mr. KILLAM objected to the bill as being out of order, Since it proposed to deal with a question affecting commerce it should have originated in Committee of the Whole. Mr. SPEAKER ruled the Bill out of order. It imposed a penalty and should have originated in Committee of the Whole House. SUMMARY TRIALS. Mr. MACDOUGALL (Elgin) moved the second reading of Bill to amend the Act for the more speedy trial in certain cases, of persons charged with felonies and misdemeanors in the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. He said the object of this Bill was simply to give Judges of the County Courts in Ontario the power to reserve questions at law under the Statute 32 and 33 Victoria. There was a Statute in force in Ontario and Quebec that gave to Mr. Irving. The Bill was read a second time and referred to Committee of the Whole.Mr. SCATCHERD in the chair. The Bill was reported: third reading to-morrow. INTEREST AND USURY LAWS IN NEW On the motion of Mr. PALMER, the Bill relating to interest and usury in the Province of New Brunswick was read a second time, and referred to the Committee on Banking and Commerce. DOMINION NOTE CIRCULATION. On the order being called for resuming the adjourned debate on the motion of Mr. WILKES for the appointment of a Select Committee on the subject of the Dominion note circulation, Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said he would suggest to the hon. member that it was too late in the session to appoint a Special Committee to consider an important subject of that kind; and while he (Mr. MACKENZIE) regretted that he had not obtained a committee at an earlier day, it was quite evident that it would be undesirable to enter on an investigation of that question at this late period of the session. He suggested that the hon. member should allow the order to be discharged. Mr. WILKES quite concurred in the remarks of the hon. the First Minister that it was too late to have a committee to consider a question of this character; and therefore he asked the House to allow the order to be discharged. Order discharged accordingly. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SENATE. On the order for the House to again go into Committee on the resolutions respecting the mode of constituting the Senate, Mr. MILLS moved that the order should be discharged.-Carried. CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS. Hon. Mr. CAMERON (Cardwell) moved that the order for the second reading of the Bill to amend the Acts respect ing controverted elections be discharged. -Carried. PROHIBITORY LIQUOR LAW. On the House resuming consideration of the motion of Mr. Ross (Middlesex) for a Committee of the Whole to consider a series of resolutions on the subject of a prohibitory liquor law, and the motion of the hon. member for Lisgar in amendment thereto, Mr. OLIVER moved in amendment to the amendment as follows: That all the words after 'that' in the amendment be struck out, and the following be substituted :'That this House do forthwith resolve itself into Committee of the Whole to consider the means best calculated to diminish the evils of intemperance." The amendment to the amendment was carried. The House then went into Committee of the Whole.-Mr. GOUDGE in the chair, Mr. ROSS moved that having regard to the beneficial effects arising from a prohibitory liquor law in the States of the American Union in which the same was fully carried out, the House is of opinion that the most effectual remedy of the evils of intemperance is to prohibit the manufacture, importation and sale of intoxicating liquors. Hon. Mr. CAMERON (Cardwell) said the most effectual means of accomplishing prohibition would be to do away with drinking altogether. Hon. Mr. Mackenzie. Mr. ROSS said if Parliament would prohibit the manufacture, importation and sale of intoxicating liquors he was quite willing, so far as he was concerned, that other people should use it if they could get it. Hon, Mr. HOLTON thought that as this measure was scarcely expected to come up to-night the Committee should report progress and ask leave to sit again. Mr. BOWELL said that if it was the desire of the hon. member for Middlesex to give effect to his resolution something should be added to it. The mere affirming of the principle without any intention of going further seemed to be playing with a very serious question. In order to give effect to the principle laid down it would be desirable to adopt another motion to the effect that the Government should take up the question, and at a future time submit a measure to the House. therefore moved that the following be added to the resolution :-"And that it is the duty of the Government to prepare a measure at as early a day as possible to carry the principles of prohibition into effect." He Hon. Mr. HOLTON said he would now make the motion he had thrown out as a suggestion a little while ago, and for the same reason then given--the action of the hon. member for North Hastings. He would move that the Committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again, Seconded by Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD. Carried on division. SUPPRESSION OF GAMING HOUSES, Mr. MOSS moved the second reading of the Bill for suppressing Gaming Houses and the Keepers thereof. He said he had already fully explained the objects of the Bill. It had been found by experience that although the authorities were well aware that gambling was being practiced in certain houses, the means which the law at present gave them of entering those houses and obtaining the requisite evidence for the punishment of the persons concerned in the offence were entirely inadequate. He accordingly proposed to give to the authorities powers which had been given in England under similar circumstances, and had been found exceedingly beneficial in their practical operation. It was notorious that although the authorities were perfectly well aware Mr. Mɔss. The tendency of occupants of such houses In fact, legis Mr. WRIGHT (Pontiac) asked if this Bill referred to pool selling. Mr. MOSS said that matter had been suggested to him since he had been here. Unfortunately he was not sufficiently familiar with the art of pool selling to know what would be the proper means of preventing its continuance. He hoped at a future session to be able to deal with that offence also. The Bill was read a second time and referred to Committee of the Whole—Mr. MACDONNELL (Iverness) in the chair, The Bill was reported. The third reading was postponed until to-morrow, Mr. SPEAKER desiring to consider whether it was not out of order since |