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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1903-6-11, Page 6B!8?RUV� Gamey Commissioners' Report Pre- sented to Legislature, A Toronto despatch says: The Adding of the commissioners in the Gamey case was read before the House on Thareday afternoon. It is as follows: • As to the demeanor and credibility of the witnesses generally, the coni miissioners woluld report that most of them seemed to be desirous to tell the truth. Of the more import- ant witnesses the commissioners were impressed by the evidence of Dr. Arthur. Dr. Struthers, and Mrr. . J. F. Boyd. Frank Sullivan and Mr. Ganey were two of the chief actors in the variety of transactions under inves- tigation, and their evidence is con- tradictory and irreeoncilabie at most if not all important points. Both, by their own confessio;u, prac- ticed systematic duplicity and pur- sued tortuous courses of dealing with self-serving interests Mulch in 'view. Implicit reliance should not be placed upon their uncorroborated! statements in material points, and where these statements conflict with those of independent or disinterested witnesses the latter should be pre- ferred. "CAN'T YOU FORGET?" Whatever comment may be made upon the expression attributed to the Provincial Secretary by Ms-. Hammond, when recalled, it seems to the commissioners unwarrantable to assign to it such exaggerated import as to overshadow tho whole body of substantial evidence in fa- vor of the Minister and against the member. The testimony of H{am- anond was on a comparatively min- or branch of the enquiry, that is, relative to the Globe interview, which, apart from the payment of money as to its price does not loom largely in the investigation, and the statements of Hammond are not in conflict with those of the Provincial Secretary, save as regards some va- riation in details which happen very commonly in evidence of different speakers. n'szilel GLOBE'S INTERVIEW. Zt was a proper thing ,to _take stops to advertise publicly the change in the political attitude of Mr. Gamey, and had greater pre- science been nouchsafed, the pub- licity would likely have been nipre advantageous if made earlier. Looked at in the largo, Mr. Gamey's version is, that his pur- a:hase originated with Frank Sulli- van and the Provincial Secretary, that he was taken to the Minister's office, whom he did not know, that the letter ho was to sign was all ready, and put before him for sig- nature, and the information volun- teered by the Minister that the pro- test would be withdrawn, all the patronage given to him, and unstat- ed valuable consideration paid when he signed, but as the money was not ready, the bargain anti sale were not then consummated. Mr. Aylesworth's evidence alone, at which it was not disputed verity attached, suffices to show that this version is misleading and untrue. GAMEY NOT CREDIBLE. The conduct and memory of Mr. Gamey, as to these bribe monies, de- tract from his credibility, at a mo- snentefus point in his life, and within a few months of the concurrence, rie is uncertain as to the day when and the person from whom the $3,- SOO came. Having conferred with prominent men in his party (as he says) and arranged his methods, he employs his share, $1,500, in busi- ness, as if it were a legitimate tran- saction. He makes no mention in ins statement to the House of how he came into possession of $1,200, part of the moiety, said to be re- ceived by Sullivan and of which, ho says, $900 was paid into the Cros- sin business. But, when this is dis- severed by search in the Crossin books, the two pages containing en- tries for the 10tH and 11th Septem- ber disappear, not by the hands of Mr. Crossin-and Mr. Gamey is, the only other who had access to them. Then follows the procuring of the deposit slip from the bank by Mr. Gamey and its disappearance. Then the explanation given to the reporters at Buffalo, with a view to publication, that this $900 was col- lected during the su.ubrner in Mani- toulin Island; and the final state- ment under oath, that it was part of a loan of $1,200 from Frank Sul- livan. »'IDN'T GET IT FROM STRATTON The evidence on the -other side pre - elegies the conclusion that this $8,- p00 was received by Mr. Gamey fro}n the Provincial Secretary on or about the llth of September, and, if that be so, its true source is not yet disclosed. TEM $500. 'And, again,as to the $500 said to be received on the 29th January. !Though Mr. McGregor cones ex- pressly to assist 1VTr. Gamey at this stage of the enterprise, and does'a0- g silt in correcting the Globe inter- 'A view, arid though he and Mr. Mc - 'Gregor meet that same night and 'discuss the matter, yet the money is not exhibited or mentioned. It is not shown to anyone, but carried about continuously in Mr. Gam:ey'sf ppocli:ot until prdduced in the I]ouse. And then, when Xs. Gamey was fiat- s 1 ally preparing for m�akisag his state- .went, arid planning to procure all. 'possible corroboration from Sulli- van, in the hearing of three hidden witnesses add though the $500 was ;bhen actually in his pocket (as he says), he does not' make the slight» n lest teleran° en allusion to it at alio r Crossin factory on the night before the House met. From these omissions the inference is most persuasive that no bribe or money was received from the Pro- vincial Secretary on the 29th Jan- uary, but that the money was after- wards acquired, and. if that be so, then the local source of this money is not yet disclosed. This much more be said about "Where tho money camp from," that Mr. Gamey declined to make any statement under oath to the commissioners about the "Deposit slips and those things," ostensibly on the ground that criminal action was being contemplated in that re- gard. But he said further that ho "Cannot understand how it is rele- vant to his case." Vie MISSING PAGES. 'Without pressing against him the maxim "oannia presuniuntur contra spoliatorem,," and though the de- spoiling was done pendente lite et sddento curia, it is very reasonable to believe that if the missing pages of the Crossin book could be seen they would disclose or give a true whereby would be discovered the genesis of the $900, and of the $1, 500, both coming, as Mr. G*,ni y now swears, from one and the same source. Itis explanation of the particular source is not so worthy of credence as if the books had been left unmu- tilated. PLAYED A DOUBLE PART. It is di'ffic'ult to frame any con- sistent account of Mr. Gamey's ca- reer as member, for it was through- out inconsistent, as he played a double part. But this much ap- pears in the evidence. His politics was Manitoulin, with Gamey as member, on the side of any Govern - molt in power, to the end that he might serve his constituency, and also sccn.re shares in the various deals supposed possible by not over- scrupulous Hien. First was formed the Jones -Gamey combination, with a view of acquiring "franchises." But, as Mr. Gamey's friend, Frank Sullivan, by his braggard style and pretended access to the Minister (page 1,323), fostered the belief that he had more influence, the uncle was superseded, and the Sullivan - Gamey combination began. At the first move, support was assiured ter the Ross Government by tlxe letter of the 10th Septentiber, and on the same day Mr. Gamey takes part in the Consern•atirve caucus at Toronto. THE NORTH PERTH AFFAIR. Then rumors got abroad of his de- fection from, party lines, and he modified his manner of support by the amended letter of 27th October, so that while acting as occasion re- quired in the interests of the Con- servatives, ho engages to support the Government when the Douse meets, if 3(r. Ross has a reasooable majority. Accordingly, in January, 1903, he takes part in the North Perth campaign for the Conserva- tives, but is embittered because he was belittled by the action of the Conservative leader. He repairs to the Provincial Sec- retary and begins discussing ap- pointments, but, being confronted with his conduct in North Perth, he declares his willingness to advertise publicly his real and true position. This was after the Government ma- jority had increased to five. The Globe interview is published at the end of January, wherein his politi- cal affiliation is still further redu.e- ed below the standard of support. promised in the Letter of the 27th October, and' only extends to sup- port "in • all matters he is satisfied with." Nevertheless, this publica- tion brings trouble around his head from the Conservatives, and his resignation begins to be talked of. But Mr. Gamey is' just as unwil- ling to resign at this crisis as he was after the protest. Dr. Struth- ers then advised him, as a friend, knowing more of the man an.d his candidature than a stranger, to re- sign and run as an independent, but the answer then and always was the "espouse," and the risks and chences. involved in another contest. Yet, the member is growing in disfavor with both parties, he is getting to be regarded as a double -minded ntan, with all that that suggests. A DISAPPOINTED MAN. Ile surveys the situation. The glowing prospects pictured by Frank Sullivan have failed to become fact's. The prestige of directing Govern- mental patronage appears to be meager and illusive. Ho learns that the Government; anticipating his resignation, are planning to put Mr. McMillan, the Socialist candidate, in the field• And then, it may be, comes the patriotic plan of deliverance by let- ting it leak out that money was at the bottom of his apparent dis- loyalty. The people supposed he had of a timber . concession, and Dr. rthur and Dr. Struthers told him that people would' say he had been bought. Let him accept and profit by the belief, or rather the assump- tion of his mercenary defection, but by . a desperate effort turn it into success by- depicting his career as et forth in the statement for the louse. SIZING GAMEY UP. The temptation appears chiefly • to be the expectation, if he could get corroboration of his story, that ho would beeome Minister of Mines in a ew 4.drnliiistratioxr. ;Whether or not. this is a correct appraisal of the member's erratic course will depend upon theestimate that may be made of this report, with its appendices of exhibits and evidence, Mr. Gamey had no personal inter- course with any member of tho Ministry except the Provincial Sec- retary. With two or three of the others he had some Oficial corres- pondence, but with the rest not even that. With regard to the added charge of conspiracy, the Commissioners aro of the opinion, that as a matter of law, there is no evidence whatever to sustain it, as against the mem- bers of the Government and the other persons charged. And, according to the methods of an ordinary trial, they would bo discharged from the said accusation by the presiding judicial officer. CHARGES DISPROVED. This being so, the matter of the original charge alone remains, and as to the Provincial Secretary, there is the testimony that has been com- mented upon. In our opinion the corrupt charges stand disproved by a great body_ of evidence, which appears to be more accurate and credible than that adduced in sup- port thereof. Tho $1,200 mentioned hereinbefore has not been paid into the hands of the Cominissicners by Mr. Gamey. Tho Commissioners have impounded two sums of money, $500 in cash produced by Mr. Gamey in the IIbuso and $1',500 represented by his marked check of the 3rd April,. 1903. These suns have been lodged in the hands of the accountant of the Supreme Court, and the Commis- sioners advise that the amounts be carried in to a separate account, to be paid out upon the joint order of the Chancellor of Ontario and the Chief. Justice of the King's Bench for the time being, upon its being made satisfactorily to appear that any claimant has legitimate title thereto, FIERCE FIRE + AT OTTAWA A Four Hundred. Thousand Dollar Blaze. An Ottawa despatch says Resi- dents of the Ottawa district aro driven almost to panic by the suc- cessive fires which are spreading ruin in all directions. For days, al- most weeks, the air has been thick with smoke from fires in the sur- rounding country. Wednesday 80 houses were burned and 800 people rendered homeless in Hull. Thursday morning at 6.45 fire broke out in Sparks street, one block west of Bank street, in David- son & Thackray's planing mill, sash and door factory. Tho building and piles were as dry as tinder and no- thing could save the property from total• destruction. With it went stores along Sparks street occupied by Mortimer & Co., lithographers and printers; 11. J. Smith & Co., clothing manufacturers; P. Stewart, painter; and J. R. McEtvan, harness - maker. The Two Mocks' tailoring establishment, at the Bank street corner, was saved, but the flames leaped Queen street and ate their way through as far as Albert. The following were burned out in Queen street : Mrs. A. Edwards, boarding-house keeper; W. B. Ed- wards, expressman; John Mason, Bryson & Graham's upholstering shop, brick houses owned by W. J. Kidd, J. Collins, C. Baker, Ter- rance O'Neill, M. .1. McEvoy, and Grey's express. Boarding-houses• oc- cupied by Mrs. J. Birch, Mrs. J. 0. Boyle, Mrs. Archibald Cameron, and Mrs. Stinson were partially destroy- ed in Albert street. There was no wind blowing, but the current of air created by the fire carried burning boards and other inflammable material quite a dis- tance. Thaekray's will has been burned. out a couple of times -before. It employed 150 hands. R. J. Smith employed 100, and Mortimer 75. Tho loss is generally placed at from $300,000 to $400,000. • TO KEEP OCTOPUS Roumanian Minister Opposed to Standard Oil Company. A Dudharest, Roumania, despatch says: At a meeting of the Liberal supporters of the Government on W dnesday Premier Stourciza and Finance Minister Costinesco " sneke strongly against allowing Americans Who, they said, "have ren'dcred themselves unpopular here," to se- cure a foothold in the Roumanian oil fields, aixd urged patriotic Rou- manians to refrain from treating with the American experts. The Ministers also agree that an abund- aure of British and Continental cap- ital is available to develop the Roumanian fields. 4' ATTER SUNKEN TREASURE. The treasures that lie at the bot- tom of the sea are now more easily obtainable by the invention of. an instrument known as the hydro- scope. This contrivance is shortly to be put into operation in order to find the lost, fleet of Xerxes, which' has reclined on the sea's bed undis- turbed for about 2,300 years. Search is also to be made for the ship chartered by Pompey to carry Ro- man art treasures to Athens and wrecked in the archipelago 1,950 years ago. STRA2dGE MOSLEM CUSTOM:, All true Moslems when eating must begin with salt, and finish with vinegar. If they begin with salt they will escape the contagion of seventy diseases. If they finish with vinegar their worldly prosper- ity will continue to increase. The host is in etiquette bound to be the first to start eating and the last to leave eff.The priests recite certain passages of the Coran before and after. lunch and dinner, and also be- fore drinking water at ' any' hour of the day. • THE MARKETS Prices of Grain, Cattle, etc iu Z rade Centres. Toronto, June 0. -Wheat -- The market is quiet, with the tone firm. No. 2 sold at 724 to 780 middle freights, No, 2 red winter and white quoted at 73c oast, and No. 2 spring at '204c middle ; No. 2 goose at 654c on Midland. Manitoba wheat is lirm. No, 1 hard quoted at 84c Goderich, and No. 1 Northern at Sac Goderieh. No. 1 hard, OOe grinding in transit, lake and rail, and No. 1 Northern, 89c. Oatsr-The market is steady ; No. 2 white •quoted at 304-c high freight, and at 31e middle freight. No. 1 quoted at 82c east. Barley -Trade is quiet, with No. 8 extra quoted at 410 middle freight, and No; 3 at 424c. 'Rye -Tho market is steady at 52e outside for No. 2. Peas -Trade dull, with No. 2 white quoted at 64c high freight. Buckwheat -Nothing doing, with prices nominal at 38 to 890 outside. Corn -Market is very dull. Cana- dian feed corn quoted at 40c west, and at 45e here. No. 3 American yellow quoted at 54* to 55c on ,track, Toronto ; and No, 8 mixed at 54c Toronto. Flour -Ninety per cent. patents quoted to -day at $2.72 middle freights, in buyers' sacks for export. Straight rollers of special brands for domestic trade quoted at $3.25 to $3.40 in bbls. Manitoba flour steady ; No. 1 patents, $4.10 to $4.2.0 and strong bakers', $3.85 to 83.95 in bags, Toronto. Millfeed-Bran is firm at $17 here. At outside points bran is quoted at $16 and shorts at $17. Manitoba bran in sacks, $19, and shorts at $21 here. COUNTRY PRODUCE. Beans -Trade is quiet, with offer- ings small. Primo white are worth $1.65 to $1.75 per bush. Uy -The market is quiet, with -car lots of No. 1 timothy at $9.50 to $10, and mixed at $8 to $8.50. Straw -The market is quiet at $5.50 to $6 per ton for car lots on track. Hops -Trade dull, with prices nominal at 18 to 20c. Potatoes -Car lots are firm at $1.115 per bag, and small lots at $1.25 to $1.30. Poultry -Spring chickens aro quot- ed at 90e to $1 per pair, and old hens at 10c per lb. THE DAIRY MARKETS. Butter -The receipts of butter are good, and the demand fair for choice qualities. Prices are unchanged. Wo quote :-Choice Ib. rolls, 15 to 16c; fresh dairy tubs, uniform color, 1'5e; second grades, rolls and tubs, 12 to 13•Ac; creamery prints, 20 to 21c ; solids, 18 to 184c. Eggs -Market continuos steady, selling single cases 13 to 134c per dozen. Cheese -The market is dull at 114 to 114c per lb. HOG PRODUCTS. Dressed hogs unchanged. Cured meats are unchanged, with a good demand. We quote :-Bacon, clear, 104 to 104c, in tons and case lots. Pork -Mess, $21 to $21.50; do., short cut, $22.50 to $23. Smoked meats ---Hams, 13 to 184c; rolls, 11,c; shoulders, 104c; backs, 14 to 144c; breakfast bacon, 134 to 14c. Lard -The demand is unchanged. We quote :-Tierces, 104c; tubs, 104o pails, 11c; compound, 8 to 94c. BUSINESS AT MONTREAL. ' Montreal, Juno 9. -Grain -No. 1 Manitoba hard wheat, 79c; No. 1 Northern, 774e, Fol t William; peas, 63c high freights, 73c here; rye, 52c east, 784e afloat , here; buckwheat, 40..to 464e; oats, No. 2; 864c afloat, 88e in store; flaxseed, $1.15 on track here • • corn, American, 52c - for No. 2 afloat ; feed barley, 48c; No. 2 barley, 51c. Flour. -Manitoba patents, $4.10 to $4.20; seconds, $3.80 to $4; strong bakers', $3.40; Ontario straight rollers, $3.45 to $8•G0; in bags, $1.674 to $1.75 ; patents, $3.70 to $4. Rolled oats - Millers' prices, $1.85 in bags, and $8.85 per bbl. Feed -Manitoba bran, $18 to $19; shorts, $20 to $21, bags included; Ontario bran in bulk, $18 to $18.50+ shorts in bulk, $19.50 to $20; middlings, $21, Provisions -Heavy Canadian short cut pork, $24 ; short cut backs, $21.50; light short cut, $28; com- pound refined lard, 84 to 9c; pure Canadian lard, 10.E to 11c; finest lard, 11 to 1140; hams, 18.4 to 1440 bacon, 14 to 15c; fresh killed abat- toir hogs, $8.75. Eggs -Now laid,, 124 to 13c; No. 2, 104e, Butter - Township creamery, grass, 184 to 184c ; fodder,- 1.74 to 18c; 'Western dairy, 1640. Cheese -Ontario, 104c; townships, 10ic. •. Honey - White:•: clover, in sections, 12c per section; in 10 -Ib tins, 8c. UNITED . STATES MARKFYT,S. Minneapolis, June 0. -Wheat -Cash 794c; July, '774 to 79c; September, 714c; on track, No. 1 hard, 804c; No, 1 Northern, 794c; No. 2 North- ern, 784c; No. 8 Northern, '77 to 78c. Milwaukee, June 9, -Wheat -Firm; No. 1 Northern, 884 to 85c; July, 754 to 754e. Rye -Firm ; No, 1, 53 to 584c. Barley --Dull; No, 2, 57c; sample, 40 to 584e. Corn- July, ornJuly, 474e. Buffalo, June 9. -Flour - Steady. Wheat -Spring unsettled ; Ne. 1 hard, 854c; No, 1 Northern, 88Ic, Winter steady; No. 2 white, 844e ; No. 2 red, 814e. Corn -Strong; No. 8 yellow, 514e; No. 2 corn, 504. to 510. Oats -Unsettled., No. 3 white 89c 1 o, 2 infixed 8f3c,' Canal' freights -Steady., 1 CATTLE. AtAlualr. Toronto, June 9. -Owing to the lightness of the offerings of good butchers' cattle, their prince ad- vanced Si to 10e per cwt. to -day. The situation in sheep was weak, there being a large supply here, and the market was about 25 per cent. lower. Dulness was about the only new feature in exporters' to report. Sell- ers had diillcuity in disposing of the stock on their bands, and buy- ers were iudilTeront, as the Chicago market was 'lower again, and they could and were obtaining the major portion of their export cattle there- from. Owing to the scarcity and high price of butchers', a good many that would ordinarily have sold as •shippers' woro bought up for the local butcher trade. The quality of .cattle tixat came forward was not as good as before, there being a lot of rough and un- finished heifers, steers, and cows amongst them. Farmers surely aro making a mistake to send in poorly finished cattle when good butchers are so much wanted, and it mani- festly pays them thoroughly to fat- ten up their , product before market- ing it. The following was the range of quotations Eccporters' cattle- Per 100 lbs, Extra to choice... ... ...$4.75 $5.00 Bulls 3.7$ 4.10 Medium to light,.. 4,70 4.75' Butchers' - Picked lots... ,'• 4.30 5.00 Good loads... 4.05 4.85 Medium.,....... 4.50 4.65 Pair 4.25 4,5.0 Cows 3.'115 4,25 Feeders, light...... „•, 4.00 4.50 Feeders, short -keeps, 4.50 4.90 Stockers..- ... 8.00 4.00 Sheep - Export ewes... , 3.ti i 4.00 do, bucks... 3.00 3.50 Spring lambs, each... 2.50 4.50 Calves, per cwt:..., 4.50 6.00 Hogs - Sows... 4.00 4.50 Stags............ 2.00 3.00 Selects, 160 to 200 lbs 6.00 0.00 Thick fats... 5.75 0.00 Lights 5.7,5 0.00 THREE WERE DROWNED.' lil.ri.7s Sudden. End to a Sunday School Excursion. A Hannibal, Mo., despatch says: Three children were drowned here on Wednesday by the collision of the steamer Flying Eagle, towing a barge filled with Sunday School ex- cursionists, against a pier of Han- nibal bridge. About 250 children from the Park Methodist Church Sunday School at Hannibal had boarded the barge, and a number were on the steamer. The exour- sion left for Quincy to afford the Children a view of the swollen Mis- sissippi. As the boat swung out in- to the river tho swift current bore it straight against the stone pier of the bridge with a crash. The steamer did not sink immediately, and terror-stricken children and ac- companying adults climbed up the pier to the bridge. Before all could reach :=safety the barge was veered around by the current, and, swing- ing loose from tbo pier, floated down stream. In the sudden swing- ing of the •oarge three children were thrown into the water and drowned. Carried by surging waters at a rapid rate, the barge, with its screaming children, floated down the river, but a fleet of rowboats put out and all left on board were rescued. FOR USE OF TROOPS Action for $18,000 Entered Against Montreal. A Montreal despatch says: Col. Gordon, district officer cornhnanding No. 5 Military District, on Wed- nesday, through his atitoxneys, en- tered an action for $18,860.05. against the City of Montreal. This is the amount claimed for the ser- vice of the soldiers called out to maintain older on the docks during the recent 'longshoremen's • strike. The City of Montreal having failed to furnish the money for the pay- mmnt of the troops, the 'district offi- cer commanding has taken action. The city claims that as the Gov- ernment exercises full authority over all property controlled by tho Har- bor Commissioners, the Government should pay the troops for their ser- vices and maintenance during the the time of the strike. The city will therefore call the G overmnent into the ease. . WASHERWOMEN'S UNION People of St. Paul Asked for In- crease ,in Wages. A St. Paul despatch, says: The washerwomen have formed a union. Their first demand is an increase in wages fr;onx $1.3,5 a day to $1.50. The women. include those who are employed throughout the St. An- thony Hill district. Many of the domestic servants of St. Anthony Hill are unionized, and refuse to do washing, hence the washerwomen have it in their power to enforce the housekeepers of "Sweildom Town" to either put up the cash or wear soiled silk stockings. The washer- women have served notice that they will hold to the union scale, add that 110 washi,ng will be clone unless the increase is paid., WASTOO TOO SENSITI'E. Naval Cadet Suicided Because Sea- man Struck 14.im. A Kiel despatch says: A seaman of the German 'navy, named Andreas Mosserschmidt, was condemned by a naval court-martial on Wednesday to 18 months' imprisonment for striking Ensign von Abel during the night of May 2 at Kiel. The case has been widely comananted upon be - Cause of von Abel's suicide after he found he was unable to idea llYthe Man' \vhe assd 1ted . him'and per - THE HOUSE OF OQ ONS Notes of Proceedings in the Can. adieu Paz;liaaxient., CIVIL SERVANTS' DEBTS. Mr, Lucas' bill to amend the. Act providing for the garnishment of the salaries of civil servants, after receiving its second reading was sent to the Legal Committee. In ex- plaining its purpose, Mr. Lucas stated that it placed outside civil servants on the same footing in the matter of garnishment its the mem- bers of the inside branch of the ser- vice now occupy. Mr. .Gross (Welland) warmly sup- ported the bill. Civil servants should be made to pay their debts like other people. }Io thought,the Gove-raunent might, with advantge, adopt a rule in force on railways of dismissing any employe who had been twice garnisheed. The Attorney-Gcnez3al said that while the principle cf the bill was sound, it would require very cum- brous machinery to put it in opera- tion. TO, PROTECT MORTGAGEES. Mr. Lucas, in moving the second reading of his bill to amend the Mortga;;e Act, said that it was in- tended to prevent loan companies charging ' a bonus on real estate mortgages paid after the expiry of five years. This meant ' •placing a mortgage on the same footing as a promissory note. Tho bill was also intended to prevent a mortgagor, contracting himself out of the bone - fit of the statute, ' Mr. Gibson opposed the bill on the ground that the latter portion was a direct interference with the liberty of the subject. So long as a mortgagee understood the conditions of the contract made there was no reason why the Legislature should interpose to nullify the bargain. Mr. Gibson did not disapprove of the first portion of the measure. Tho bill was sent to the Legal Committee. THE PATENT ACT. The Hon. Sydney Fisher introduc- ed his bill to amend the Patent Act. In explaining this bill Mr. Fisher said that it was necessitated by a decision of the Supreme Court, de- limiting the powers of the Deputy Commissioner of Patents as to the granting of extensions of time under patents. Ilis bill proposed to give the Deputy Conunissioner the neces- sary powers in this respect, and also to make an important change in the duration of Canadian patents. Under the present system whenever patents were granted for similar purposes in Canada and foreign countries, the Canadian patent would expire simul- taneously with the expiration of the foreign patent. This same law had prevailed in England and the United States, but had been abrogated, and it had been thought that Canadian patents should be made equally in- dependent of the duration of foreign patents. Then it was also possible to patent articles which could ngt for many years be manufactured in Canada, and it seemed an injustice that such patents should become void through non use. The bill pro- posed to apply the British license system to this class of patents. It was also proposed that in certain cases the bill should be retroactive at the discretion .• of tho Department. LAND GRANTS TO RAILWAYS. Sir Wm. Mulock informed Mr. Scott that the Canadian Northern Railway Company had applied for 582,528 acres of land in the North- west, earned on account of the con- struction of its line ; 6,400,000 acres might yet be earned by the company constructing the line to Hudson's Bay. The Red Deer Valley Railway and Cool Company was voted 6,400• acres per mile for 55 miles of rail- way. The question whether this company had until July lst next to build the railway and earn the land grant•in now under the consideration of the Department of Justice. A tract of land, part of which is unsurveyed, and which is estimated to contain an area of 322,500 acres, and being the tract originally set apart by order -in -Council for the land subsidy to the Red Deer Vai.ley Railway and Coal Company, is held reserved. TO MEASURE GRAIN. Three bills were introduced by Mr. Bernier. One is to amend the Weights and Measures Act, and per- mits the use of postal scales up to four pounds, without departmental inspection. Parties using there for other purposes will be subject to the penalties of the Act. An important clause affecting the West, says that the charge for the threshing of grain may, until a suitable scale or meas- uring apparatus then afor,that may bo verified, is provided and approved by the 0 ovornor-in-Council. be de- termined by any device which rec- ords automatically or otherwise the number of discharges made. Another bill is to amend the • In- land Revenue Act. • It provides that inland revenue duties shall be pay- able hereafter on the first day of the ntontlu instead of the sixth day. A bill to amend the Electric Light Inspection Act • provlcies that in the• case of an offence under the Act by a corporation, penalties may be re- coverable. Service may be made on the Mayor or chief officer of the corporation. BEST ON RECORD. Hon. J. A. Smart, Deputy Min- ister of the Interior, gave the Agri- cultural Committee figures which show that immigration for the fiscal year, which will close ` on June 80, will be the largest in the history of Canada. He estimates that the to- tal number will be 120,000. For the 11 months ending on Sunday last the total ianrrrigration was 104,- 716, made tpp as follows: From the United Kingdom, 36,670; from the ontinent of Europe, 81,429; from o United States, 37,617, This is uble last year's figures. The fig - es for May were: British, 10,188'; ropean, 8,254; United States, 6,- 0;..total, 24,492. This is ninth o largest month the dopartzuedrt lever had, 0 th do ur Hu 10 th soually avenge;lfimselL. iN 'ORMAeTION WIAN'111?1D. Mr, Leonard will enquire in thel license whether a circular was issued from Kingston Penitentiary, date May 1, with reference to the output of Wader twine this year. He will! ask, further, inhetiher the circular was translated into Fronch ankh wixo- - ther'it was sent into parishes of• Q1l.obec, or in what way the fermer t- of Quebec wore made aware of the - terms under 'Melon, they could buys binder twine at Kingston. Mr. Robinson (Elgin) will enquire who is responsible for the collection of the accounts due by members of Parliament for printing, advertising,,. etc., and why so Many arroarages' aro allowed to stand from year tea year. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY,. Doings of Qur Law Makers Toronto. CONMEE BILL. At the meeting' of the Municipal? Committee of tlxe Legislature the bill of Mk. Downey to repeal the Conmee• section of the Municipal Act was: considered, and by a vcito of 21 to. 6 was defeated. Mr. Downey ex- plained that his bill would remedy a great injustice. It repealed the• Conmee clauses of the Municipal .n Act which provided that a nuxnicielLe parity wishing to go into lighting on its own account must first make azi offer to the existing company for its• plant, and in the event of a dis- agreement as to the price to bo paid arbitrators were to be appoint- ed. This arbitration feature wase wrong and harmful to the munici- palities, and in many cases the terms of the company had been ac- cepted by the municipality rather - than go to arbitration, which was a very expensive proceeding. Tho, Conmee clause practically, therefore, had the effect of making the munici- palities accept whatever the com- pany liked to ask for their plant. In Guelph, for instance, the city had offered for the electric light and gas plant $120,000. Later this was. raised to $140,000, but the com- pany demanded $155,000, and as thee people wanted their own plant the - city paid that amount, which was: exorbitant, rather than go to arbi- tration and a possible expensive lawsuit. SPEED OF AUTOS. The Legislature deckled to restrict. the speed of automobiles in cities, towns, and incorporated villages to - ten miles an hour. The Municipal Committee anxentled Mr. Preston's: bill for the regulation of these ve- hicles so as to provide that seven mules an hour be the limit. Ih the - House Mr. Preston was successful, in Committee of the Whole, in hav- ing the original provision inserted.. EXPORT OF NATURAL GA•S. . Dr. Jessop, in stoning for a rotur4 stoning of copies of the regulations respect- ing the exportation of natural gas, complained that the wells of On- tario, particularly in Essex county, were being depleted, and the peoplo of the United States were able to secure gas for both heating and il- luminating purposes at a tnuch low- er rate than those in Ontario. It. was time the exportation of natural gas was entirley prohibited, and he wished to find out exactly what reg- ulations there were in force. Y - TWO MILLIONS LOST. 20,000 Poor Neapolitans Lose• Their Property. A despatch from Naples says fire broke out at nine o'clock on. Tuesday night in the Monte di Pieta, a public loan office or pawn shop, that is conducted by the State. The building, which- was an old one, burned furiously throughout the. night, and on Wednesday morning only the walls remained. During the night a strong body of troops had difficulty in restraining the crowd, composed of the poorest Neapolitans, • who assembled in the hope of being able to save their pawned belong- ings. It is estimated that fully 20, - GOO persons had property pledged at the Monte di Pieta. An adjacent building, containing State archives, was at one time threatened. Two navy pumps were asked for, and went to aid the city firemen. While they were being rushed through a street that was half blocked by Te- - - pair works, Marquis di Sarmiento, who was helping the marines, was caught between the engines and al- most iustantly crushed to death. A ladder on which were six firemen broke, and all the men were injured_ One of them has since died. Tho nuns in a neighboring convent were - imperiled, but they made no at- tempt to flee. Firemen broke in the barred door, and found them pray- ing. They were led to a safe place overlooking the fire, and there they prayed through the night. Almost the whole population of the city spent the night in the streets watch-. ing tho•fire. The Bank of Naples an- nounces that the holders of pawn be gracl.ually reixninirsed. The newspapers place the loss at $2, tickets 200,000will. CHILD BURNED TO DEATH. House Caught Piro While Mother Was Away. A despatch from Guelph says :-A two-year-old ' Mldaughter of -s. Re- becca. Harris, a colored woman, re- siding ou Elizabeth street, was burned to death on Wednesday after- noon. Tho mother, who goes out working, left the child in care of lits hrother, aged nine years, fore!-•-fety Thurs. While she was away the lad left the infant alone in the house. During his absence the house took fire: .and was completely destroyed. Thchild was burned almost beyond reeognitlon.