consideration was given to that point, | leave well alone, and get along as well as they could under the Constitution which had worked so well, notwithstanding the hard times and bad Government, without instilling ideas of change into the public mind. hoped his hon friend (Mr. Blain) would withdraw his motion. and the difficulty was overcome by accepting one Province as a pivot Province, the number of whose members should remain unaltered, while the number representing the other Provinces should increase or decrease as their population increased or decreased in proportion to the population of the pivot Province. He agreed with his hon. friend on the other side of the House, that this motion was premature; that no necessity existed for a great constitutional change such as the resolution of his hon. friend from West York (Mr. Blain) involved. He thought it was very dangerous, in a new country like this, with a comparatively new Constitution, which was still almost on its trial, to introduce changes until they were called for in the public interest. The introduction of changes which the public interest did not call for would tend to shatter that constitution, however good it might be in itself. He (Mr. Mitchell) looked back with satisfaction to the fact that he had something to do with the framing of that Constitution, which was a credit to its framers and was based on sound policy. A principle of right and wrong ran through the whole of it; but the adoption of the change proposed by his hon. friend would have the effect of placing all the smaller Provinces of the Dominion at the mercy of Ontario, and they knew what sort of treatment they would get from that Province. He did not mean that the people of Ontario themselves would ill-treat the smaller Provinces; but he did say that the latter did not receive fair treatment from the gentlemen who now represented the majority of the Province of Ontario in this House. this motion were adopted the members from the Province of Ontario could out-vote the whole of the members from the Maritime Provinces, and change the Constitution as they pleased, and could take away the rights of those Provinces. He believed in letting well alone, and was opposed to experimenting in the manner suggested. The Premier had said that the object of the resolution was to evoke discussion. He (Mr. Mitchell) deprecated the discussion of abstract questions of this kind. Let them If He that MR. BUNSTER said he did not desire to see the motion withdrawn. The out lying Provinces had an agreement with the Dominion which the Province of Ontario could not change by any resolution of this House, and if the hon. member for West York (Mr. Blain) saw fit to press his resolution, he hoped that he would press it now, so that the question might be at once settled. If the people of this Dominion desired to change the Constitution so as to deceive the smaller Provinces, the sooner they knew it the better, and the sooner they came down to business the better. Probably other Provinces might place their protest before the Imperial Government, with a view to withdrawing from this confederacy, as it had been stated by some hon. members they would sooner see some of the outlying Provinces go out of, than remain in, the Dominion. That had been stated in relation to British Columbia. He believed that British Columbia was today a unit in favour of going out of the Dominion, unless the agreement which had been entered into by this. Dominion was carried out. They had resources in their own Province that would carry them through; they had mineral resources in the way of quartz which superseded all questions about railroads or questions about Governments, just as the gold excitement when it broke out in Australia had done. At that time there had been great excitement in reference to the Government not doing what was correct, in the same way as there was in British Columbia a few months ago. That feeling was now dead in British Columbia, where they were turning their attention to their own natural resources. They would demand from the Government the fulfilment of pledges it had made to the Pacific Province; and he would ask the Government what the great Dominion of Canada would be without British Col umbia? That Province had shown the largest amount of revenue per head of any Province in the Dominion; and, if this motion was meant for British Columbia in any way, in reference to its having more representatives in Parliament than its population would call for, he, for one, would say that the people of that Province cared so little about it, that the sooner it was out of the Dominion the better. MR. BLAIN said there was not the slightest necessity for any feeling being raised upon this motion, which guarded the rights of all the Provinces as they existed at present. It expressly stated that the principle of representation by population should be adhered to, and he therefore did not think it at all necessary to refer to the argument of the hon. member for Northumberland (Mr. Mitchell). He hoped the hon. member for Terrebonne (Mr. Masson) would understand that he (Mr. Blain) had in no sense referred to Lower Canada for the purpose of making it appear that that Province was not increasing as fast as it might be expected to increase. In order that the hon. gentleman might understand what was the intention of the House of Assembly at the time the resolutions were adopted, and when this particular rule was fixed upon, he would refer him to the debates on the subject, and the speech of the right hon. member for Kingston (Sir John A. Macdonald), who stated that Quebec was selected as a pivot Province distinctly because of the permanent character of its population. The whole argument proceeded on that supposition, that the Province of Quebec would not increase relatively in population, in proportion to the whole Dominion. That was the reason upon which that particular pivot was adopted. But everything round about that pivot seemed to be in motion. Every ten years they were obliged to move the bourdary lines of every constituency in the Dominion, except those in the Province of Quebec. There was a practical difficulty in this matter, namely, that they would be sending too many members to this House. He by no means agreed with the statement | that it would be very long before the number of members in this House would be substantially increased. He considered it a real danger. They ought not to increase the number they now had; and there was no one who understood the difficulty of dealing with such a question but would agree that, when they got a certain number of members into the House, they could not reduce that number. The tendency of all legislative bodies was to increase the number of their members instead of reducing it. This House was entirely too large. There was no necessity for the number of members. in this House to do the business of this country. He did not suppose that on the face of the earth there was another four millions of people who had half the legislative machinery which we had in this country, and, as a rule, the larger the number in a legislative body, the less efficient that body was. If, instead of 206 members. they had 100, the work would be done a great deal better, and in half the time. He was quite satisfied, under the circumstances, to withdraw the motion; but this was a positive difficulty which stood in their way, and he thought the Imperial Statute would have to be altered before the next census was taken, or the Government might not be able to allow more than one member for British Columbia. MR. MACKENZIE said that in his previous remarks he had taken the census of Lower Canada for a previous decade, instead of the census of 1871. In 1861, the population was 1,110,000, and in 1871, 1,191,000, an increase of over 80,000. over 80,000. The number represented by each member, therefore, was something over 17,000 under the one, and nearly 19,000 under the other. Mr. BLANCHET said he supposed the hon. gentleman (Mr. Blain) did not wish to apply representation by popu lation to the constitution of the Senate. Motion, with leave of the House, withdrawn. DEATH OF MILITIA VETERANS. voluntarily established municipal institutions there, somewhat similar to those existing in the Province of Ontario. Those municipalities, however, had no legal existence; and he proposed by this Bill to provide for the establishment of township municipalities. The Bill conferred upon them powers somewhat similar MR. SPEAKER read the Message, to those exercised by the Municipal and it is as follows: "DUFFERIN. "Gentlemen of the House of Commons: "I thank you for your Address in answer to the Speech, with which I opened the Session, and I rely upon your promised attention to the measures that may be submitted to you. "GOVERNMENT HOUSE, "OTTAWA, 22nd February, 1878." IMPERIAL EXTRADITION ACT OF 1870. MESSAGE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY. MR. MACKENZIE delivered another Message from His Excellency the Governor-General. MR. SPEAKER read the Message, and it is as follows: "DUFFERIN. "The Governor-General transmits to the House of Commons copy of a Despatch from Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, having reference to the Joint Address of the Senate and House of Com mons of the 16th April, last, praying that legislation be had to cause the operation of the Imperial Extradition Act of 1870 to cease in Canada. “GOVERNMENT HOUSE, “Ottawa, 22nd February, 1878." RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES. STATEMENT. MR. CARTWRIGHT laid before the House, Statement of the Receipts and Expenditure (Consolidated Fund) from the 1st of July, 1877, to the 10th of February, 1878, inclusive. KEEWATIN MUNICIPALITIES BILL. FIRST READING. MR. MILLS introduced Bill (No. 23) To establish Township Municipalities Councils in the Provinces of Ontario and Manitoba; and also provided for the appointment of assessors, for the uniform assessment of property, for the election of councillors, and for the division of the settlement into school sections, with the power to appoint trustees and employ teachers, and impose taxes for building schoolhouses and for other school purposes. It also authorized the LieutenantGovernor in Council to extend the provisions of the Act to other portions of the district as soon as they might become settled. Bill read the first time. INSOLVENT ACT AMENDMENT BILL. (Mr. Bourassa.) FIRST READING. MR. BOURASSA introduced Bill (No. 24) To amend the Insolvent Act of 1875, and the several Acts in amendment thereof. Bill read the first time. SUPPLY THE BUDGET. MR. CARTWRIGHT: Mr. Speaker. It is now almost five years since from my place as a private member of this House, I took occasion to point to the then House of Commons in the most emphatic language I could command, the inevitable consequences which must necessarily ensue from the adop tion of certain proposals at that time submitted for the consideration of Parlia ment. It is nearly four years since, as Minister of Finance, it became my unpleasant duty to point out to the House the grave financial difficulties which, in we of the inflation, and of the extreme my judgment, beset our position; and the necessity of submitting to considerably increased taxation, if we desired to provide for the liabilities we had incurred. Unhappily grave as were the forebodings I then expressed the re-action which actually took place has decidedly surpassed the extent upon which I had calculated. It is not often, in the commercial history of any country, that we are called upon to chronicle so great a reduction, not merely in the total volume of our trade, but also in the revenue derived therefrom, as we have seen within the last two or three years. Making allowance for the admission of Prince Edward Island into the Union, the total volume of the trade and commerce of Canada has in that short interval been reduced by very nearly $50,000,000, while the revenue derived from Customs alone shows a decrease in that period of something like $3,000,000, the actual figures in round numbers being that our Trade and Commerce collectively has been reduced from $218,000,000 to $168,000,000, while the duties derived from Customs alone have fallen off from $15,351,000 to $12,546,000. Neither would this Neither would this reduction, enormous as it doubtless is, fairly represent the whole measure of inflation which occurred at that time, or the subsequent reaction. In a country like ours, which is steadily growing in population, and in which a large area of fertile soil is constantly being brought under cultures produced in this country, has tivation, we may fairly calculate, in any ordinary year, that a considerable increase, provided there has, as I have said, been no unreasonable inflation, would always be made by the natural force of circumstances to the general volume of our trade; and, therefore, if the House wish really to measure the extremity of the inflation, or the consequent severity of the reaction, they must add to the $50,000,000 which have been absolutely and definitely ascertained to have been lost, also a very considerable percentage, probably varying from $30,000,000 to $40,000,000, at least, for the natural growth which may be said to have been absorbed or anticipated, which last comparison is only valuable, as affording an index of the extreme character considerably decreased, it is not at all probable that it has decreased in more than equal ratio to the diminished consumption of foreign manufactures. Now, it is not my purpose at present to dwell on the great length of time that this depression has prevailed, nor to waste any unnecessary words in descanting on the unavoidable misfortunes which have exasperated the natural reaction that has ensued. What I desire especially to point out at the present moment, is that the strain on our resources has of necessity been exceedingly great, and that, indeed, it could not have been otherwise, because these misfortunes-these commercial disasters-have not only visited us, but have also visited very heavily those nations who have always been our best customers, and with | $812,000; being, I may remark, about whom, both then and now, the great $71,000 less than the sum which was bulk of our commercial transactions expended for that purpose in the year have taken place. It is, however, 1173-4, and representing simply the very satisfactory to find that at last regular statutory increase which, the tide seems to have turned in some under the ordinary operation of law, degree, and to be able to inform the would have been made to the expendiHouse that the results of the receipts ture of 1872-3. On the item for supfrom revenue, during the last seven erannuation, the House will see that months, are very decidedly in excess the charge is $104,000 as against of those for the same period of the $101,000. Now, Sir, I may state, as preceding year. On the 10th day some questions seem to have arisen as February instant, I find that our to the mode in which that Act was receipts from all quarters amounted to administered, that the total increased $13,434,235, as against receipts to the amount during that year was $12,005, corresponding period of last year of against which are to be set off reduc$12,494,279; that is to say, Mr. tions by death to the extent of $11,711. Speaker, that the augmentation in The increased receipts on account of these seven months, reached the sum that fund, as the House will see by of nearly $1,000,000. Now, although a comparison with the previous year it is true, that a certain proportion of was $2,414, and the net addition to our this may perhaps be attributed to the annual expenditure, barely $294, withnecessity of replacing the mass of goods out taking into account the fact that that were unhappily destroyed in several of those superannuations were the great fire that desolated the city caused by the abolition of offices by of St. John, I am glad to be able to tell | which a considerable saving was the House that the increase from that effected to the country. Under the source is not by any means the largest head of Immigration the House will part of the increase I have mentioned; observe that a considerable amount but that every Province, without ex- has been paid out in the shape ception, I believe, shows a large and of loans to the Mennonites and Icecheering increase, and as the ques- landic settlers, which, I have every tion has been raised as to the increase reason to believe, will be returned to being largely due to this merely acci- us at a comparatively early dental cause, I think it is not unrea- day. This expenditure amounted, sonable to point out to the House that in all, to $79,000, and the the very remarkable character of the sum expended in suppressing a present winter has most assuredly violent outbreak of small-pox in diminished, to a considerable extent, the Icelandic settlement, $21,000. the consumption, and, consequently, Under the head of railway expendithe revenue we might otherwise have ture, the sum of $90,000 more than was secured; and that in all probability the estimated for has been expended. But, $200,000, or thereabouts, which might on the other hand, I am happy to be have been derived from the misfor- able to state that the receipts show an tunes that I have alluded to, are bal- equal augmentation, being very nearly anced, and, I dare say, more than $90,000 more than was expected. Of balanced, by the diminution of con- course, the House will know that estisumption arising from that cause. mates cannot always be exact in regard Proceeding now, Mr. Speaker, to the to such matters; if the traffic inconsideration of the general statement creases, the expenditure must necesfor the year which expired on the first sarily be expected to increase also. of July, 1877, it will be my duty, be- The House may further observe that, fore making any general observations, under the head of sinking fund, a certo invite the attention of the House to tain cross entry has been struck out certain special items, particularly in on both sides of the account. It has the list known as the ordinary expen- been held to be desirable, in the pubditure. The House will observe that lic interest, to devote the whole sinkfor that year our total expenditure for ing fund to the purchase of the securicivil Government reached the sum of ties known as the four per cents., a nd |