line had anything to do with that of a deep-water terminus? He could see no connection between them. It would be much better to choose the latter at Ballast Wharf, where land was cheap, than in a thickly settled part of the city. He did not wish to obtain any confidential communications; but the House should be informed of the estimate of the probable cost of the work. The people of St. John could not comprehend why this should not be given, as they were confident that the Government had been misled with regard to this matter. If the location of the terminus at Rankin's wharf, including the price of the property, would cost less than at Ballast wharf,as was represented, then he would admit that he knew nothing of the subject. He hoped that the matter was not finally settled, as the change of terminus in the future would involve enormous expenditure. Mr. KILLAM stated that many who did not live in St. John thought that if the city did the proper thing it should give the right of way to Ballast Wharf, and not leave it to arbitration. Mr. PALMER—It did do it; and besides offered to give a large piece of land at Ballast wharf. Mr. KILLAM-No! no! Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE They asked $100,000 for the land at Ballast Wharf. Mr. KILLAM held that the city demanded an exorbitant price for this property. This was in part the reason. why work had been stopped. He hoped that the Government would not proceed in this regard until the city took a proper view of the subject. He admitted that a bridge at Navy Island would do injury to the city, as the har bour was small and the current rapid. The city was seeking to make money at the expense of the Dominion. Mr. McLEOD said there was considerable diversity of opinion as to where the deep-water terminus should be. It occurred to him, looking at the question from its various stand points, that if the river were dredged above the falls and the terminus were placed where they were crossing the river, that such an arrangement would suit the city of St. John best. Mr. PALMER wished to state that when the Government found they required more property for this work, the city authorities said they would give all the land they offered at first and allow Government arbitrators to value the additional property they required. He wondered if the town of Yarmouth made so liberal an offer? Mr. KILLAM-The town gave all the land required for the right of way. The motion was carried. HUDSON AND JAMES BAYS EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. Mr. SCHULTZ moved for an Address to His Excellency the Governor General for a statement showing imports during the fiscal year 1874-5 into the North-West Territories through ports on the Hudson and James Bays together with exports from the same; names of, and renumeration paid to persons employed by the Government at the said ports, together with the instructions furnished them by the Government, and reports made by them to the Customs Department. He said that he wished to direct attention attention to this to this matter because he could learn nothing from the public accounts of last year, except that a Mr. Fortesque is a sub-Collector of the Government with a remuneration of $200 per year. Now, there is a person of this name who is an officer of the Hudson Bay Company, at York Factory, in Hudson Bay, but he (Mr. Schultz) scarcely thought it possible that the Government should place itself at the mercy of any large importer of dutiable goods by employing one of the employés of the importer to collect the duties and make the returns. In this particular case the imports and the exports are large, and yet the trade and navigation returns do not give that exact information which the motion seeks. It seems quite clear that the Government interests in these regions are great enough to warrant the employment of a special Revenue Officer. There is in these Bays themselves and on their shores the possibility of a great trade for Canada. From very credible sources he (Mr. Schultz) learned that at Paint Mr. SCHULTZ thanked the Hon. Minister of Customs for the promise that all the information would be brought down. But he also desired to know why the Government employed an employé of the importer to collect their duties? was Hon. Mr. BURPEE said this It a very exceptional case. was impossible to get people there to act as Custom House Officers unless they took some responsible man on the spot. The Government found that this service had been done for many years by one of the agents of the Hudson Bay Company there, and they had not seen their way clear to get any one else to take the position for the small salary they paid. They could not pay a large salary, as the revenue collected was very small. The motion was carried. Hills and on Paint Islands, in James | books of the district. He had also to Bay, there is a vein of magnetic iron state that every safeguard possible had ore, which when examined by a a been placed on the collection of the practical English miner in 1865 was revenue by the Department. pronounced to be one of the largest and most valuable veins of that mineral in existence. Graphite or plumbago in a very pure state is also found at the same place. Galena is very abundant along the east coast, and a quantity sent to England was found when essayed to contain 80 per cent. of lead and 8 per cent. of silver. Coal is also said to exist near the Little Whale River, and the Esquimaux report iron mines on the mainland near Hudson Straits. All this mineral wealth is especially valuable because found on the shores and near the excellent harbours to be found in these bays. There is also a very large fishing interest in these regions. Immense numbers of white porpoise or arctic whales annually visit the Hudson and James Bays, where they enter the rivers, and could in these rivers as well as on the shores of the Bay be properly fished. The Hudson Bay Company, who carried on business in two of these rivers captured 7,749 of these fish, which yielded 768 tons of oil worth upwards of £27,000 stg. in the London market. Porpoise skins are also a valuable article of trade, a very superior sort of leather being made from them. On the islands of the bay, seals are to be found in great numbers, as well as the walrus and the polar bear. Salmon are abundant in the rivers, which drain the range known as the South Belshaves, and cod-fish are also abundant about Hudson Strait. In view of the importance of the trade possible in these regions, he (Mr. Schultz) hoped that the Government would give all information in their power, and that they would take into consideration the anomaly of appointing the employee of the principal importers to take charge of the very important direct and indirect interests of Government in this region. Hon. Mr. BURPEE said they would bring down all the information they had on the subject in the Department, and in the office at Sault St. Marie, where all the returns were made. The Collector at the Sault visited the district once a year and made an examination of all the entries, manifests and CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY. Mr. BUNSTER moved for the Reports of 1874 and 1875 of the engineer in charge of the British Columbia section of the Western Division of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He said that it was agreed at the inception of this work that the survey should be completed in two years. Since then over five years had elapsed, and very little was known by the people of the country as to what had been done upon that survey, which ought to have been completed long ago. showed how expeditiously the Central Pacific Railroad Company had conducted their surveys in that part of the country, and condemned the Government for not proceeding more rapidly with the survey. He Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said he must ask the hon. gentleman not to press his motion. The report of Mr. Sandford Fleming, of 1874, was all that could be made public in regard to these surveys. The reports of Mr. Smith made to Mr. Fleming he could not promise to bring down, as they consisted to a great extent of confidential letters, and would not be proper documents to publish in the shape sent down. If the hon. gentleman desired any specific information on the subject he had no objection to give it, but he did object to the motion in the way it was put. Mr. DECOSMOS thought the report of the engineer of the Western Division should be placed before the House prior to the discussion of this subject. Mr. THOMPSON (Cariboo) considered it important that these reports should be laid before the House. The Government had promised that the utmost diligence should be used in the forwarding of these surveys, and it was necessary they should have the reports before them in order to ascertain if the promise of the House had been carried out. The Session of 1876 had arrived and they had no more definite information as to the surveys than they had in 1874, and if they were to judge of the future from the past years and years untold would roll by before they would arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to the route to be adopted. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said he hoped the hon. gentleman would withdraw his motion. All the information up to 30th June was in the Public Works Report. If subsequent information would be produced in the chief engineers report which he has in preparation. Mr. BUNSTER said he reluctantly consented to withdraw the motion, hoping, however, that the Hon. Premier would give all the information he could as fast as possible, The motion was withdrawn. GOVERNMENT DEPOSITS IN BANKS. Mr. BOWELL moved for an Address to His Excellency the Governor General for a statement of all moneys lying at the credit of the Dominion in any bank, or in the hands of any financial agent, or other person with whom such moneys are deposited in Canada or elsewhere, said statement to show :-1st. The amount to the credit of the Dominion in each Bank on the last day of each month from December, 1873, to December, 1875, inclusive. 2nd. The amounts drawing interest at the close of each month in the different Banks and the rate and the amounts on demand not drawing interest. 3rd. The amounts on deposit in the hands of Canadian banks, financial agents or other persons in England or elsewhere other than in the Dominion, and the rate of interest, if any, received upon said deposits. He said the information sought for by this motion had, to a very great extent, been furnished by the returns which had been laid on the table since his motion had been put upon the notice paper. Still, in lookthe Finance Minister's ing over statements and comparing them returns in the with the official he found such Gazette, large discrepancies between the two that he thought it was well to call the attention of the House and the country to the facts, more particularly when he remembered that in a discussion which had recently taken place, the Finance Minister stated that the large amounts which were lying on demand in the Banks were not necessarily drawing no interest. On looking over the returns furnished by the Auditor General, however, he (Mr. Bowell) found that none of this money lying on demand in the banks drew interest. He thought some arrangement should be made with the Banks so as to secure some interest upon demand deposits, as was done with private individuals when they had running accounts and large deposits to their credit. When the Finance Minister made the statement to the House that deposits on demand were not necessarily without interest, no doubt he did so with the object of conveying to the country the impression that portions of these sums did draw interest. That was the inference drawn from it by himself and others, which the facts did not warrant. The amounts lying in the different banks, on demand, and bearing no interest, in 1874-5, Now, it seemed to him, some system might be adopted by which interest on these large amounts might be saved to the country, instead of, as was now done, lending it in the Banks therby enabling them to encourage speculation by increasing their discounts largely, and sharing the profits among the stockholders at the expense of the people. The effect of this system was exemplified when the Finance Minister issued his circular informing the Banks that it would be necessary for them to pay the sums which they had lying at the credit of the Dominion. Ex pecting to have to pay these large amounts they were obliged to restrict their banking accommodation to the people of the country, and the result was almost a panic. The House had been informed by the hon. member for Montreal West that the effect of the issuing of this circular had on the country, was of a very serious character-that had the money demanded been paid at the time, it would not only have injured some of the weak Banks, but in all probability might have driven them to the wall. It had also been stated that the Government, and more particularly the Finance Minister, deserved very great credit for not putting his order in force and inforcing payment of that money, thus enabling the Banks to go on and continue their discounting without interfering with the business of the country. He was also given great credit for having gone to England and borrowed money instead of demanding from the Banks that which really belonged to the public-in other words, that he deserved praise for using the credit of Canada to borrow money while they had sufficient for all their requirements but allowed it to remain in the hands of private bankers for the benefit of their stockholders. He (Mr. Bowell) believed he could show that this money had been distributed largely among those Banks which were able to bring At Interest. $ 50,000 497,027 50,000 494,725 539,888 236,983 539,888 129,513 434,888 24,891 288,888 255,206 The Merchants Bank, with a paid up capital of $7,146,000 had only the following deposits: March, $291,361; and April $300,468. | During these months, January, February, March and April, there were no interest-bearing deposits in this Bank to the credit of the Government. In May, however, $238,906 was on deposit on demand, and $192,765 drawing interest; the deposits for June he was unable to find owing to the fact that the statement was not contained in the Gazette. The table continued as follows: 547,527 669,194 March... 377,128 He found in addition, from the returns moved for in the Senate during the last Session of Parliament, that there were at the credit of this Bank in England during the month of April the sum of $243,333.33, but he did not know whether it bore interest or not, as the returns did not show it, and of course he had no other means of obtaining the information. Taking the amounts deposited in England, and at interest and demand in Canada, the total deposit to the credit of the Dominion in the Ontario Bank at that time reached the figure of $1,267,137.04, proving the truth of what he had said a short time previously that the deposits for that month in the Ontario Bank were almost equal to 50 per cent. of the whole paid-up capital upon which to speculate at the expense of the people of the Dominion. Whether the country held any security for so large a sum he did not know, nor did the country, for such information had not been vouchsafed. In May, the Bank held on the part of the Government, $359,331 on demand, and $669,194 $669,194 at interest; and in June, $389,666 on demand, and $669,194 at interest. In July, however, these deposits were changed, for we find that the noninterest bearing deposits were increased from $389,666 to $611,302, while the interest bearing account was reduced from $669,194 to $206,666, showing that the Government had either placed on deposit from funds then at their disposal, a very large sum to the credit of the non-bearing interest account, and had used a considerable amount which was bearing inte:est; or had drawn from the interest bearing deposits over $300,000 and added it to the non-bearing interest account. He trusted the Finance Minister would explain why this large sum was carried from the interest to the non-interest bearing account. To the non-initiated, who formed their conclusions from the returns published in the Gazette, these figures presented a most extraordinary spectacle. In August of the same year, the nonbearing interest deposits amounted to $500,456, and the interest account to $208,391. In September, $598,084 on demand, and $209,591 at interest. In October the former was $597,752, while the interest-bearing deposits had been altogether withdrawn. In November, the noninterest interest bearing deposits were $583,427 and the interest bearing. account was a blank. In December $428,686 were deposited bearing no interest, while $100,000 bore interest; proving that whether that whether the President of this Institution was so or not, the Bank was certainly a favourite with the Government for some reason or other. Either it afforded better facilities for doing business than any other Bank and was considered more solvent; or what is more likely these large deposits were given to the Bank in recognition of political services rendered by its President, the Hon. John Simpson. This was not all. When he compared these figures with the official returns sent down by Mr. Langton, the Auditor General, and laid before the House, he discovered that the figures of one or the other were totally unreliable, for in fact no one taking both statements into consideration could come to any correct conclusion whatever. The discrepancy between the two was of the most extraordinary character, extending to hundreds of thousands. He would, however, only refer to the interest-bearing accounts |