member for Peterborough had gone a little too far, and it was anything but creditable to the hon. gentleman to stir this matter up again. Mr. CHARLTON said said he had imputed no dishonesty to the hon. member for South Norfolk, but the position in which the case now stood reminded him very much of the boy when he went to see the elephant. He was very anxious to "see the menagerie," and he got his father's consent. He got up very early in the morning, would wait for no breakfast, and instead put a piece of gingerbread in his pocket. On arriving at the menagerie he saw the elephant, and going up close to inspect him, the animal quietly put out his trunk and took the gingerbread from the boy's pocket. The boy was astonished. There was the trunk on one end and there was the tail on the other. "Confound you" said our young friend, "if I knew which end of you was your head I would hit it." So it was with the accounts of the hon. gentleman from South Norfolk. He could not tell head was. which end of his financial elephant the The fairest way to treat this question was, perhaps, to say that these accounts got so hopelessly muddled that they could not be straightened up, and that they furnished an evidence of wretched book-keeping rather than of dishonesty. The motion was then carried. SEIZURE OF NETS BY INDIANS. Mr. COOK moved an Address to His Excellency the Governor General for copies of documents relating to the forcible seizure and detention of nets and fish belonging to British fishermen. by Indians residing on the shore and Islands of Georgian Bay, and all correspondence resulting therefrom. The motion was carried. HALIFAX STATION-IRON ROOF. Mr. CARON, in the absence of Mr. Domville, moved an Address to His Excellency the Governor General for a copy of the contract for the iron roof of the Station House to be erected at Halifax, together with tenders for the same. The motion was carried. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON. Mr. JONES (Halifax) moved an Address to His Excellency the Governor General for copies of all correspondence between the Government of the Dominion and the Government of the United States respecting the alleged violation of the Treaty of Washington. In making the motion, he said that last year he called the attention of the House to what was admitted by all hon. members who took a part in the discussion was a gross violation of the Treaty of Washington, with regard to the duty which the American Government had placed upon packages containing certain kinds of fish. The Government then promised to draw the attention of the Washington authorities to the subject; and he now moved for the correspondence in order to ascertain in what position the question stood at the present time. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said the cause of the correspondence was that a vessel attempted to land a cargo of, he thought, canned lobsters at Philadelphia, and duty was charged upon the cans. If the owner of the vessel had paid the duties under protest, it would have left the Government in a better position to deal with the difficulty than they were in as it happened; but instead of that, the owner withdrew his invoice and left it open to the United States authorities to allege that the lobsters were cured in oil, and therefore subject to duty. The pretence that they were able to charge duty on the packages was another branch of the subject. For this they excused themselves by quoting an Act of Congress passed since the ratification of the Treaty. They seemed to attach more importance to their own law than to treaty obligations, whereas their statutes expressly gave precedence to treaty provisions. It seemed to be all but impossible to procure an enlightened carrying out of the Treaty of Washington by the Americans. The papers would show how the various difficulties arose, as well as the fact that had the Treaty been worded differently with respect to canals we might have had a better hold upon them. A disposition had been manifested to give as little as the 30th article, we had this express possible and take as much as they provision :— could. This must be attended to in future negotiations, so that no obligation could be avoided. Mr. JONES (Halifax)-Will the United States Government levy this duty in future? The Government of the United States may suspend the right of carrying, granted in favour of the subjects of Her Britannic Majesty under this article, in case the Dominion of Canada should at any time deprive the citizens of the United States of the use of the canals of the said Dominion, on terms of equality with the inhabitants of the said Dominion. No matter what the United States Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE-I am not in a position to say exactly, but I think it would be better that our people should act as if they had no right to levy it, and if it is insisted upon, appeal to their own Government for pro-giving us the use of their canals con tection. Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD said the First Minister was right as to the effect of withdrawing the cans, which left no question to be submitted to the American authorities. The suggestion of the Premier was the right one. He believed the Canadian Government would be quite justifiable in pressing the matter before the Supreme Court of the United States. Treaty obligations were considered by all countries paramount to their own laws, and were the question tried before the Supreme Court of the States-a tribunal which was above suspicion-he had no doubt it would be so decided. The wording of the Washington Treaty in regard to the use of the canals, was the same as in the original Reciprocity Treaty. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said the wording of the 30th clause of the first mentioned Treaty, when used in connection with the wording of the 27th, placed us at a disadvantage. The 27th provided that the Government of Her Britannic Majesty undertook to urge upon the Government of the Dominion to secure the use of the Welland, St. Lawrence and other canals in the Dominion, to the citizens of the United States on terms of equality with the inhabitants of the Dominion; while the Government of the United States engaged that the subjects of Her Majesty should enjoy the use of the St. Clair Flats Canal, and further engaged to urge upon the State Governments to secure to Her Majesty's subjects the use of the State Canals connected with the navigation of the lakes or rivers traversed by or contiguous to the boundary line. On the other hand, in might do, they were not subject to any different States anything further than penalty or bound to represent to the tiguous to the boundary line. Under the provisions of the Treaty American vessels now came up the Hudson, the Champlain, Chambly and Ottawa Canals, and could be seen loading at our wharves in this city every day, while our vessels were compelled to unload at Whitehall when carrying freights for the same destination. The authorities of the State of New York, when applied to for the use of their canals, very promptly and liberally informed the Government that there was no restriction in their State Law which would prevent Canadians using their canals, and they also offered to pass any measure which might be considered necessary in order to give us that advantage. But the Federal Authorities, who at first shielded themselves behind the State Authorities, immediately upon this decision being arrived at, found that their Customs Laws— which they placed ahead of their Treaty obligations-prevented any of our vessels passing the first port on American territory, where they had to unload. At first, when, remonstrated with, they denied that any of our vessels had been prohibited from going freighted through the first port, and when the Government of the State of New York replied that no such hind. rance had been imposed by them, the Canadian Government were asked for evidence. That was furnished, and it was then that it was discovered that their Fedral Laws did not allow vessels of a foreign power to pass the first port without un loading. Subsequently they found a law upon their own Statutes which permitted this to be done; but it had never been allowed, and it was not likely to be. LINE. Mr. JONES (Halifax) asked if the ESQUIMALT AND NANAIMO Treaty granted them the use of our rivers? If not, we had the matter in in our own hands. Hon. Mr. BLAKE said when we granted the use of the canals, he thought we must also grant the intervening space. It was only the parts above the canals there could be any doubt about. Mr. MILLS said the question really seemed to him to be whether any other canal than that which belonged to the State of Michigan was meant. He thought more than that was intended. In reply to Mr. Jones, Hon Mr. MACKENZIE said he was inclined to think a number of entries of canned fish had been made, since the cargo to which he had referred in an earlier portion of the discussion, upon which no doubt the duties had been paid under protest, but the information had not yet reached the Government in an official way. The motion was then carried. ST. VINCENT DE PAUL PENITENTIARY. Mr. OUIMET moved for an Order of the House for copies of all official correspondence and of all instructions. issued in relation to the completion or finishing of the buildings and outbuildings of the Penitentiary of St. Vincent de Paul (Quebec), and in relation to the building of a house for the keepers and employees of the said Penitentiary; also a statement showing the amount expended for repairs on the residence of the Warden of the said Penitentiary-the whole from the establishment of the said Penitentiary to 1st January, 1876. The motion was agreed to. HARBOUR ON LAKE ERIE. Mr. STEPHENSON moved an address to His Excellency the Governor General, for copies of all Reports of Engineers, plans and correspondence in possession of the Government relating to the construction of a Harbour at some point on Lake Erie between Rond Eau Point and the Village of Clearville, in the County of Kent. The motion was carried. TELEGRAP H Mr. BUNSTER moved for an address to His Excellency the Governor General for all correspondence between the Government of British Columbia and the Dominion Government respecting the construction of a Telegraph Line from Esquimalt to Nanaimo; also all Orders in Council or correspondence with any other officer or person respecting the same. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said he was not aware that there was any correspondence on the subject. If there was any, it would be brought down. Mr. DEWDNEY said he was under the impression that application had been made for the construction of the line. He believed such a line would be in the interest not only of that section of the country, but of the whole Dominion, for the existing cable, which was laid in a very unfavourable part of the channel cost, $9,000 or $10,000 last year. A much more favourable route could be found between Nanaimo and Burrard Inlet. The motion was carried. THE APPLE BARREL. Mr. OLIVER moved that the House go into Committee of the Whole to consider the following resolutions : 1. A barrel of apples or other fruit shall, from and after the first day of July, 1876, be held to mean a barrel of the following dimensions, that is to say: teen inches, diameter at midlength of the stave twenty inches, length between other dimensions as will give a capacity the heads twenty-six inches, or of such of not less than twenty-five gallons. Diameter at each head seven 2. Every bargain for the sale and purchase of apples or other fruit by the barrel shall be for barrels of the above dimensions. 3. Any person who shall use for packing apples or other fruit, for sale, barrels of less dimensions or capacity than are herein stated, shall be guilty of an offence, and shall for the first offence incur a penalty of five dollars for every barrel so used, and a penalty of double the amount for every subsequent offence. 4. All such forfeitures and penalties | take steps to have the Dominion lands shall be imposed and appropriated in of the Island sold, and that the the same manner as forfeitures and Government instruct their agent in penalties are recoverable and appro- the Province to dispose of them to priated under the Weights and intending settlers and purchasers with Measures Act of 1873. the utmost facility. He said the resolution required no explanation. He had been petitioned by those of his constituents interested in this matter to make the amendment in question to the law last year, but it was then too late to think of it. The reso-. lution would compel those selling apples to use a uniform size of barrel. the Acting Minister of Inland Revenue. The amendment had the sanction of Mr. GOUDGE said there was 2 Statute of Nova Scotia regulating the size of the barrel in that Province, with which this might conflict. Hon. Mr. TUPPER also urged the same objection, which he claimed was worthy of great consideration in view of the importance of the apple trade in Nova Scotia. The resolutions were then agreed to in Committee, and a Bill founded upon them introduced and read the first time. THE POSTMASTER OF BLOOMSBURY. Mr. WALLACE (Norfolk) moved for an Order of the House for all corpondence with the Postmaster General or with the Department, in reference to charges preferred against the Postmaster at Bloomsbury, in the County of Norfolk; also for the evidence taken by the Inspector who investigated the charges, together with his report thereon. He said the investigation in question had revealed sufficient to justify the dismissal of the Postmaster, yet he was still continued in office. The motion was carried. Mr. BUNSTER moved :---That owing to the location survey having been made on Vancouver's Island, B.C., for the railroad from Esquimalt to Nanaimo, the Government are enabled to select their lands according to the Carnarvon terms, which have been agreed to on the part of this Government and the Government of British Columbia, it is very desirable that the Dominion Government should at once previous Sessions, and he found the following facts to bear out the position he took when formerly attacked: At this period of the Session in 1868 there 49 returns brought down; in 1869, 33 returns; in 1870, 26 returns ; in 1871, 46 returns; in 1872, 44 returns; in 1873, 45 returns; in 1874, 41 returns; in 1875, 49 returns, and in 1876 (the present Session), 52, being three more than the highest number that had ever been brought down in the same time. Some of the returns this year were very voluminous, too. The highest number previously granted was in 1874, when 104 were allowed, and 41 brought down up to the same time. The House adjourned at Five minutes past Twelve o'clock p.m. HOUSE OF COMMONS. TUESDAY, April 4, 1876. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Three o'clock. MONTREAL HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE introduced a Bill respecting the Harbour Commissioners of Montreal. He said the Bill of last Session was amended in the Senate only a day before the prorogation, and it was to remove doubts as to that amendment that this Bill was introduced. The Bill was read the first time. CUSTOMS IN MANITOBA. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE introduced a Bill to amend the Act relating to customs in Manitoba. He explained that its object was to empower the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, under certain circumstances, to issue licenses to persons carrying liquors into or out of the North-West Territories. The Bill was read the first time. THE DESJARDINS CANAL. Hon. Mr. BLAKE introduced a Bill respecting the Desjardins Canal. He said the charter of the company which constructed this work would soon expire, and by its terms, the canal would then become the property of the people. This Bill was to empower the Governor in Council to deal with the work as was thought best. The Bill was read the first time THE NORTHERN RAILWAY. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE introduced a Bill to amend the Act of last Session respecting the Northern Railway Company. He explained that it was simply to extend the time in which they should furnish the amount specified in the Act of last year. RAILWAY STATISTICS. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE introduced a Bill to amend the Railway Statistics Act. He explained that it was to enable the Government more effectively to carry out the Act of last Session. RAIL WAY LANDS IN THE NORTH-WEST. Hon. Mr. Laird moved for a Committee of the Whole for to-morrow to consider the following Resolution: "That it is expedient to make special provision respecting Dominion Lands withdrawn from the general provisions of the Dominion Lands Acts, as to sale and settlement, for purposes connected with the Canadian Pacific Railway, and to provide that two-thirds of all cash received for such Lands shall be carried to a special fund for such purposes as aforesaid, to be dealt with in such manner as may be deemed expedient by the Governor in Council." Carried. ORDER OF BUSINESS. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE moved, that for the remainder of the Session Government Measures shall have precedence of all other business after Routine Proceedings.----Carried. THE INDIAN LAWS. The House resumed consideration of the Bill entitled "An Act to amend and consolidate the laws respecting Indians," in Committee of the Whole, Mr. Young in the Chair. Clause 86. Whenever any Indian man, or unmar ried woman, of the full age of twentyone years, obtains the consent of the Band of which he or she is a member to become enfranchised, and whenever such Indian has been assigned by the Band a suitable allotment of land for that purpose, the local Agent shall report such action of the Band, and the name of the applicant to the Superintendent-General; whereupon the said Superintendent, if satisfied that the |