Loading...
The Clinton New Era, 1890-03-28, Page 4r .•s --r prt aVF tIo ux*otL• Dry goods+—SV. L. Oulu Otte. Tea, --.t}0 ,Swallow. Orockcryn--Oeoper do Logan. Girls caps --JT cheats Bros. <4014 Display—Jho. Robertson. B ,,rit3g Goads—Jho. Wiseman. Mortgage Sale—Manning & Scott. TOW to let—I). JUAor. Glossaeare—Cooper& Logan. lllilinely opening—Beesley & Co. 1Jpdertalttng—Jos. Chidley. Winnipeg—W • Jackson. 2 Weeks— Detlor & Co. Tailoring—Estate J. Hodgens. , Shingles—J. Twiohell. • Sewing Machine—Cooper & Logan. ifintonfturgra FIIDAY, MARCH 28, .1898. The present might very appopriately ke termed "The steal age." We have reason to believe that the t coal elections will slut be held during f;J']hne, as stated by some of our cotem- pQx-aries, nor art they likely to be held ;, llefore,the,t time. Rev. Dr Sutherland has resigned the presidency of the Third Party "on ac- count of ' the important position he held in the Methodist Church, which required all hie time.'' There are 90,000 children of school age in Ontario who are not attending the Public Schools, as required by law. They should be compelled to attend, or 'the future will reap undesirable results from their idleness now. There seems to bc, just at the present time, an epidemic of crime, and the worst of it is that the crimes are of the most serious nature, three or four mur- ders having occurred within the Prc- vince during as many days. By a unaminious vote the Foreign Committee of the United States Con- gress, recommuds the appointment of a commission to consider free trade,with Canada, whenever this country,through P;, the • the Government, expressos a desire for such. The Simooe Reformer makes a good point, when, commenting on the state- ment of Rev. W. W. Carson that* the Methodist Church owns $10,000,000 worth of property in Canada, it says "It should be able to pay its own taxes." So it should. Sooner or later public sentiment in Canada will demand the entire abolition of the French as an official language, and the sooner the better. The Domin- ion Goverment should quit using it,and if the Lower Canadians don't like that, lel, them kion, for all the good it would do them. Canada's total trade for 1889 is put down at $199,000,000, and out of this sum $174,000,000 represents the inter- change with Great Britain and the ITnited States. So that our trade with foreign countries (the States excepted) .is comparatively nothing. Abolish the tariff and our trade with the States would jump up enormously. A Curnmiesiou is to be appointed by the Ontario Government to enquire in- to and report upon the question of pri- son labor. They can arrive at no other conclusion,if their enquiries are search- ing, than that it is best for the prison. ereand the community that they he mployed in some way or another. Alluding to lion. A. M. Ross' defence of the Treasury Department, the Globe says:—"Candid and fair critics would praise the care which he displayed. _fir. Ross' unaccepted challenge to the bpposition to point to a single error in the public accounts which the Auditor prepares — elves the new regime has been established --is the best evidence of the correctness of the accounts." NEWS NOTES. Finance. Critics Treasurer ROSS POhlts Out Their Blunders. Below is the full report of Hon. A. al . Ross' speech in the House last week, in reply to theEmpire's charge that the Provinioal A000unts were badly kept, and the Treasurer "incompetent and untrustworthy." It is such a complete vindication of Mr Roes' management tb at it requires no further explanation This may be,said Mr Ross, as good an opportunity as any other to give the ex- planation asked by the hoe. member for north Grey, when before in Com- mittee of Supply, as to how -the credit balauce of Drainage Assessment Fund in the statement of open accounts or ledger balances of 1887 of $190,684 36 had disappeared in same statement in the accounts of 1888, and had become a debit balance•of $243,928 22, making a difference o1L over $400,000. When the heti. gentleman asked the question I told him that the change was fit con- nection with the correction of the in- correct method of dealing with these drainage accounts by Mr Harris, the late accountant, which I had brought to the attention of the House in 1887, and again in 1888, when I informed the House the corrections had been made. I told him I had no doubt the corrected balances were correct, but that these corrections involved no such difference as the sum mentioned by him, upwards of $400,000; that at the moment I could not give him the actual figures or ent- ries, but would get the information and give it to him afterwards. I will OIVE HIM THE INFOIttIATION NOW. The hon. e,entleman will see that while the state nent of open accounts, or led- ger balances, in 1887, contains a credit balance of $190,684.36, it also onl the other side shows a debit balance under the head -Surveys and Drainage of Swamp Lands, $366,581.44," an account opened it) 1870, to which sums paid for drainage under the Carling Act were charged. When payments of assess• menta on account of this expenditure were made by municipalities, Mr Har- ris credited these to another account headed "Drainage Assessments," and to that account Mr Harris, as explain- ed by me in 1877, carried the total pay- ments, although part of them should be credited to interest. If these credits to drainage assessments had been proper- ly made, the difference between these two accounts would have shown the amount still due to the Province. Cer- tain adjusting entries were necessary to do this, and these adjusting entries were made as follows;—"Drainage As- sessment Fund" was charged with the amount standing at the debit cf sur- veys and drainage of swamp lands. It was also charged with the proportion of receipts representing interest impro- perly credited to capital, and with re- ductions on loans made by Order in Council, $81,373.21, as distinctly shown in the public accounts of 1888— State- ments Nola—and these entries, togeth- er with the credit for reecipts of 1888, $15,041.52, make the balance of $242,- 2 28.77, as shown in the statement of open accounts, and that STATEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. (Cheers). Now, let me notice the un- truthful way in which what took place and what was said in regard to this is reported in The Empire newspaper, a newspaper that is acquiring an unsav- ory,reputation for untruthfulness in its political references. Let us see what this paper says of this incident, and it is the editorial columns—in those -jam illative Notes— every•line of which bears evidence by i unfairness and incorre tness the r 4 , of the hand that penned them:- -- Rev. T. W. Jeffery is dangerously ill at the parsonage, 386 Berkeley street, Toronto, his condition being so critical that his physicians have forbidden him to see anyone in order to ensure rdbsolate quite for their patient. A Mr Simpson, his wife, daughter and sister-in-law were driving home on the Gatineau river on Sunday from church, when the horses and sleigh went through the ice. Tho daughter, 9 years old, was drowned. settle their Qwn differences in their eel. -duty. The Vrovilio al, Auditor is an of. tieismbei'arehe as called upon todefend fleet of this 1#ause, appointed by the himself from tihese;eQutradtetory attacks because Mr Clarke goes on to say:— " Thero is not, there cannot be, any question of Interest couueeted with the pips ern of annui- ties. In a loan you buy reeler, paying so 'suet) per cent. Per annum for its u.e. t'udar tltu nu- aulty etbemo you sell n•ny. accepting the beet cash offer that Is mode for the amount you eovenaut to dtilver. In the ot.e naso yvc pay Interest, In the •.cher you huts „u more to do with the uture.t on the a,tuuttythan you have to do with the httcreot on the uatloual debt of Euglaud. The bon. member for Grey says "the annuities include interest, the iuteres" being the larger portion of the amount., The hon. member for Torouto says;— "There is act, there cannot be, any question of interest connected with the payment of annuities." The hon. member for Grey objects to the way the payments have been credit- ed because the interest and principal have not been kept separatel; The hon. member for Toronto must contend that the account has been kept and the payments credited correctly; because, according to him, there is no iuterest at all, but all is'principal. Am I correct in saving that the hon. member for Toronto thinks this annu- ity account kept correctly as it appears? Mr Clarke—Yes. Then he does not agree with the member fur Grey, who says it is a blun- der. But to -proceed with the examivatiou of this article, continued the Treasurer. It goes 021 to say:— Confronted with this further spceuaen, Mr Ross stammered out an admission that it was evidentlya blunder in the method of keeping the accounts, but he had never noticed it. As to whether it was a blunder or not the hon. member for Grey and the hon, member for Toronto are at issue, but to say that I admitted I had never noticed it is again distinctly untrue. I told the hon. gentleman that I had noticed, some days before he referred to it, that the balance of that account did not show what was the present val- ue of the annuities, and had drawn the attention of Mt Cameron, the Assistant Treasurer, to it. IF HE DOUBTS MY WORD on that point he can refer to Mr Cam- eron or to my friend the hon. Commis- sioner of Crown Lands beside me, to whom I also spoke of it some days be- fore the hon. gentleman referred to it. Mr Cameron said Mr Ilarris had kept the account in that way, and he had continued it, as Mr Harris had opeaed it, without thinking the matter out as to whether it was the most correct way to keep it or not. The article proceeds to make an unfair and malicious at- tack upon the Provincial Auditor, who is not an officer of this House, appoint- ed directly by the House. I considered I was in duty bound to defend the Aud- itor when he was unfairly attacked, but my defence of him is again untruth- fully stated in this article. I am re- presented as follows:— Mr Ross made the extraordinary statement. in trying to excuse the blundering, that the Pro- vincial Auditor could not be expected to verify the accounts. and that his signature to then[ did not 'necessarily imply that they were correct. It was pointed out by the Opposition on that occ csiou that with reference to the Drainage As- sessment Account, while for the year 1886 the fund was placed at 8166,880 on the credit side of the account, and in 1887 at$190,684 on the same side, in the public accounts of the next year, while the only transaction it) connection with the fund had beon a receipt of815,041,tl.ebalance has suddenly lumped over to the debit side of the account and was sett down at 8242,228, thus making a difference in the one 'year of over 8432 - 000, while the transactions had only amountod to 815 000. Such a startling discrepancy was ad- mitted by the Treasurer never to have been notic- ed by him, and when his attention was called to it hisoxcuse was that it was "only bookkeeping," although he could not give any explanation of it. Now Mr Chairman, continued the hon. Treasurer, the statement that "such a startling discrepancy was ad- mitted by the Treasurer -never to have been noticed by -him" is, in tee most important feature, a deliberate untruth. I never admitted that there was a dis- crepancy at all. (Cheers.) The dis- crepancy existed only in the brain of the hon. member for Gtrey, who was at- tempting to discuss a matter that either he had not examined into—as he ought to have known before charging it as an error—or that he did not understand. (Cheers.) It is also as distinctly un- true that when my attention was called to it my excuse was "that it was only bookkeeping," although I could not give any explanation of it. No mention of bookkeeping was made by me in any reference to this item. I say this state- ment is a fabrication; and I don't care whether it was written in the editorial chair of The Empire office or at a mem- ber's desk in this chamber, it is totally untrue. Mr Creighton—That is a strong state- ment, in the presence of those who beard you. Ilon. Mr Rose—It is not stronger than the occasion calls for. (Applause.) I did refer in the discussion as to the item of annuities that it was a mere matter of bookkeeping, not affecting to the extent of a dollar either the recepts or expenditure of the Province, but no reference to "bookkeeping" or bookkeep• ing errors was made in regard to this item of drainage debentures, and the statements in this article, I repeat, ARE DISTINCTLY UNTRUE. MayorStockridge,of ColoradoSprings, Col., a prominent prohibitionist, had his residence burned two months ago. On Wednesday night he was renomi- nated for the civic chair, and next morning he was again burned out, the loss boing $11,000 in each instance. Mr John Cowan, of L1lcKillop, receiv- ed word on Wednesday acquainting him of the death of his brother, Mr Walter Cowan, of Iowa, and formely a resident of McKillop. Mr Cowan was 55 years of age, and left McKillop about 15 years ago. Ile first settled in Illinois and afterwards removed to Iowa, whore `he took up a large tract of land. Tho following are the Commission• ere appointed to represent the Presby- tery of Huron at the next meeting of the General Assembly: Dr, Ure and Messrs McLean, Acheson, and McMill- an, minidters, and Moors Sutherland, Bissett, Scott, •(Seaforth) and Pollock, olden. The foll6ering are the amounts contributed for Missions by the several pastoral charges in the Presbytery of Huron for the year 1889: Goderich,$455 Seaforth, $1,393; Clinton, $500; Blyth, $486; Thames Road &c., $589; Hensall, $478; Egmondvillo, $117; Kippen cgs, 8179; Union Church, ilrucefield, 8368; Bayfield lload &e., $147; Hallett &c., $222; Exeter, $1071 Manchester Ric., $109; Grand Bend Ms, 9120. posse and ,reprovable y it and under its direction. That is tbeposition of the Nrovinoiaditor since the Audit Aot of 1886. 1 hon. member for Grey is, therefore, as ooh responeible for the public accounts ae I am, but -I am pre- pared to accept in full all responsibility that either directly or indirectly can at- tach to me it connection with the pub- lic accounts since I have been Treasurer. It cannot have escaped the notice of the Melee that during the last two years hon. gentlemen opposite have been more bitterly personal 18 THEIR ATTACICS UPON MYSELF as Treasurer in oonuection with the public accounts , than they were with any of my predecessors, or even more so than during the first few years of my own incumbency of the office, and one is naturally inclined to ask if there is any reason for it. Has there been during my incumbency any such num- erous errors, inaccuracies or mistakes in the public accounts, for which I am Either directly or indirectly responsible, as to warrant the charge that it has be- come notorious that the statements year by year presented by the Treasurer are "utterly untrustworthy?" I have been in office six years. Cau they mention six errors or inaccuracies it) the public accounts occurring during those six years that 1 am responsible for ? Can they meution six that any one in the Treasury Department is responsible for? Can they mention six errors in those si:: years occurring at all? Can they mention four ? Can they mention four? If theyknow of any I wish them to state them now so that I can meet them. (Loudapplause.) The Empire article refers to the dis- crepancy of $14,000 in the bank bal. ances reported by me to the House in 1888. Every one of those errors occur- red before I became Treasurer. My only connection with them was that as soon as it came to my knowledge that there had, since 1869, existed a discre- pancy between the balances in the bank and the balances shown in the public accounts I immediately instituted an examination to have these discrepancies investigated and adjusted, and I did get them set right land adjusted, and 1 should have thought that hon. gentle- men opposite, if they had been candid and fair, might have given me a little credit for determining to have these matters set right. These discrepancies commenced in 1869 ander the Treasur- er in the Government of Sandfield Mao- donald. In the public accounts of 1869, certified as correct under the signature of "E. B. Wood, Treasurer," a certain amount was shown as the receipts from Crown lands. That amount was incor- rect by the sum'of $118, as shown by this investigation and by the Auditor's report presented to this House, and the balance as certified by Mr Wood was therefore incorrect. In -1871, also, an- other discrepancy of $100 occurred in the bank balance as between the public accounts and the balance as in the banks, and these errors continued un- discovered during the years 1869-70-71, in which the Sandfield Macdonald Gov- ernment were in power, and until the investigation ordered by me in 1885. It would be in order, according to the rule of criticism pursued by hon. gentle- men opposite, to denounce Hon. E. B. Wood as incompetent,as guilty of "gross blunders," and his accounts as"untrnst- worthy." 1 don't cha e Mr Wood with anything of the kind.Fe was not the Mr HE DID NOT KEEP THE ROOKS. Now, I made no such sweeping asser- tion. What I did say, and I repeat it here again, is that in the preparation of these accounts in the few weeks between the closing of the financial year, on 31st December, and the session, four or five clerks and assistants in the Auditor's Department were employed almost day and night; that the Auditor himself could not personally, with his own hand or eye, examine and check every figure in these accounts, or every entry made during the whole year by a staff of a dozen clerks in the Treasury Depart- ment; that he must to a large extent depend upon the statements presented to him and certified as correct and checked by his subordinates. To say that the Auditor shall personally him- self,with his own hand,check every en- try, and himself verify every figure, is to say he can do the work that twelve men are employed to do. Every one wh$ knows anything about accounts of Large concerns or corporations knows that what I say is correct; but that is a very different theory from the sweep- ing assertion that is put in my mouth when I am made to say "that the Au- ditor's official signature really meant nothing, but was an empty farce." Now as regards the particular items that drew forth this CONDEMNATION OF THE AUDIT:R. I have already shown that one of them was a blunder of the hon. member for Grey himself, and xas no blunder of the Auditor. And now as to the other. Statement No. 2 is a statement of the debit balances appearing as open ac- counts in the ledger; that is, accounts that are not closed every year by trans- fer to consolidated fund. That state- ment is made up by the Accountant inthe Treasury Department and the Auditor checks it with the ledger, and if he finds these balances correctly set down he certified that statement correct. The Auditor did check those balances, ho did find them correct as they appeared in the ledger, and he properly certified to the statement. The auditor is not, therefore, chargeable with certifying to a wrong statement. The article states that "the amount owing" by the Pro- vince on these annuities was set down in 1887 at $896,912, in 1888 at $844,- 712 and 1889 at $792,512. Now, the balance of the account in the statement did not "set down the amount, owing by the Province," nor did it profess to do so, nor did it profess to show the present value. It merely, as the account was opened and kept by Mr Harris, professed to - show the amount which had been received by the Province on the sale of the annuities, less the sums that had since been paid on them, both principal and interest, and it correctly showed that. My own opinion is that the account should be kept differently, but there is room for differencelof opin- ion as to several ways in which it might be kept. The hon. member for Toronto says Then the article proceeds to deal with a reference which was made to the item id the same statement of ledger balances nnder the head "Annuities," the credit balance of that account in the ledger being given as $792,512. The article Bays:—"Failing to get an, explanation of this extraordinary blunder, another sample of his bookkeeping, was then pointed ont'to him in connection with the annuities. Now, in the first place, this "extraordinary blunder' is seen to be no blunder at all, at least no blund• er on the part of the Treasurer or of any one connected with his Department but only a blunder of the member for North Grey. But the article says;— "These annuities includes interest as well as repayment of principal, and in terest being the larger portion of the amount." Now here is amatter in die puts between the hon- member for Grey and the senior member for Toronto(Mr H. E. Clark), which I should like to hear these hon. gentlemen argue out. I find a letter published in The Mail of the 5th instant over the signature of H. E. Clarke, in which these annuities are discussed. Mr Clarke says: — win y nu permit me to sae in answer to your clitoral of this morning on Provincial tlmntco' that you have failed tnicateh the point In the controversy between the Treasurer and his reit les on the question nt annuities? Now the controversy is shifted into a controversy between the hon. mem ber for Toronto, and the hon -mem -s her for Grey, and the Troaenrer think it might he ss well for his arnica to He did not personally make out. the ac. counts. Ile depended upon the accur- acy of the accountant. The account- ant was inaccurate, and, as events have proved,not to be relied upon. It was the same accountant then that has been responsible for all the inaccuracies Treasurers have since, and succeeding been misled by hint Mr Wood :as was misled. The only difference as to re- sponsibility between lllr E. B Wood and succeeding Treasurers is that he appointed the incompetent accountant, and they continued him in office where they found him. And the difference between my position and that of all my predecessors is that I discovered his in- competency and dismissed him. In regard to the drainage debentures also it was this same official, appointed by the Sandfield Macdonald Government, who adopted the incorrect system of keeping these accounts under the Carl- ing Act. I discovered the erroneous system and corrected it. Now, is there anything in my dealing with these ac- counts or the discovery and correction of the errors that should warrant the personal bitterness that some hon. members on that side of the house have imparted into their criticisms of the ac- counts and my Department, and the malicious misrepresentation in their chief organ, such as I have noticed ? My qualifications as an accountant and financial officer are my business capital, upon which I am dependent for my livelihood. Should the fond though de- lusive hopes of hon. gentlemen be real- ised at the coming election, I should be obliged to put these qualifications to use for a means of living—(applause)—and I object to my character in that respect being traduced BY SUCH RAREFADED MISREPRESENTATIONS. IT IS CORRECT AS IT 18. Some might prefer that it might be kept by leaving the account on the cred- it side to show from time to time the total amount of annuities sold, without oharging to that •account any payments and to open another account to which might be charged all the payments made in redemption. Others again might wish the account kept so as to show the present value of the annuities outstanding at any date. Thee° are matters of opinion on which account- ants might differ, but the Auditor has no right to dictate to the Treasury Department in that matter. Now there is a general charge in this article which 1 wish to refer to. In this same article occurs the following sweep- ing charge ageing t myself:— A couple of years ago It was discovered that the public accounts were in n muddle and the bal- ance wrong by over $14,000,whilo It was admitt, tl that the fact had been known, but the Auditor had year after year certified a tales balance to the House and country. indeed it has become notorious that the statements year by year pre- sented by thoTreasurerare uttorlyuntrnstwnrthy, and that no member who has time to devote to it can start to investigate without rowing upon the most extranrdinaryblenders. I could reply that the Treasurer has no responsibility for the public accounts or their accuracy. By the statutory de- claration of this House they aro prepar- e 1 and submitted for transmission to this House by the Provincial Auditor, and the Provincial Treasurer has not the `eight, any more than any member of this House, to dictate to or instruct the Anditnr in the performance of that They. trusted to the Acconntaf t being uoaurate and 410100. It w&Y not brought to their notice that he was otherwise, else they would have done 08 1 diad—remove him. Since those matters were corrected I affirm with out fear of successful contradiction that the public accounts are as correct as any public accounts of any other Gov- ernment on this Continent. I ohallenge hon. gentlemen to point out these gross blundere that they speak of. I challenge them to point out the proofs of the , atter untrustworthiness whieh they I charge, and I do this in defence, not of myself or of my departmental officers, 1 but in defence of the Provincial Auditor who is responsible for them; and I say 1 what I have said before in this House, that considering the short and hurried time from the closing of the year until the accounts are—presented, the pre- paration of the accounts and their sub- stantial aocuraoy reflect the highest credit on the Auditor and his able as- sistants. Mr Ross resumed his seat amid loud applause. Farewell sphr to Mr Geo. E. Pay. A large number of persons assembled at the Commercial Hotel on Thursday evening last to do honor to Mr Geo. E. Pay, prior to his going to St. Cathar- ines. The supper was given by the Fire Brigade, of which Mr Pay has beon Chief for some time and was got up it) first class style by the affable proprietor of the Commercial Hotel. Mr Will Jackson occupied the chair and Reeve MoMurchie the vice -chair. The usual loyal toasts were drank, after which Mr Pay was presented with the follow- ing address :— To George E. Pay, Chief of Eire Clinton Fire Department:= Dear Sir;— It is with feelings of no ordinary regret that we contemplate the severance of your connection with our Brigade and your departure from our Towtt. We all recog- nize as an established principle, that exper ience and long association and acquaintance with a position and the faithful and effici- ent discharge of the duties incident to the position, give strengh to and confidence in any organization. We shall long remem- ber with admiration how you have with courage and promtitude led us in many a struggle with the fiery element, in the de- fence of the property and interests of the citizens ; we shall long profit by your counsels and directions in the conduct of the ordinary affairs of the Brigade, and shall cherieh kindly memories of our friend ly association for the last eleven years dur- ing which you haye held the office over us as Chief. We cannot allow this opportun. sty to pass without, as citizens, bearing tes- timony to your general course, whilst you have lived amongst 05, of integrity, en- ergy, public spirit and good fellowship in the public affairs of the town, and in business and social life. Our best wishes for your future prosperity and happiness follow you to whatever place your lot may lead you. Signed on behalf of the Clinton Fire Bri- gade. JOHN SCRUTON, Captain Jos- RIDER, Secetary. Mr Pay feelingly responded, expres- sing his deep regret at severing the ties that had so long bound him to the people of this place, and the assurance that he would ever remember the kind- ness with which he had been treated while a resident of this town. The following letter of regret was read from Mayor Doherty:— Me CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN, It was my wish to be with you to night to do honor to Mr Pay, a gentleman that I have always ressoledand esteemed most highly Y and regret that he is 'about to depart from our town- We all recognize the great inter- est he has always taken in the welfare of Clinton. For years he has been foremost, in the Fire Department, School Board and in getting the road into Colborne and in every possible way has tried, and with much suc- cess, to further the interests of Clinton. Re- garding my indisposition and consequent inability to be present, I adopt the words of the poet Burns:— Farewell, dear friend! may guid luck bit you And 'mangher favorites admit you, if e're detraction shore to smit you. May nano believe him ! And ony dell that think to get you, Good Lord deceive hint Yours, very trulyy, W. DOHEIITY, Mayor. Clinton, March 20, 1890. To the toasts of "The Army • and Navy"—Messrs. Combe & Rance, re- plied ; Educational Interests were hon- ored by a speech from Mr John Irwin ; the Merchantile Interests received at- tention from the hands of Messrs. W. Coats, T. Jackson, sr., R. Logan. N. Robson, H. R. Walker and R. Irwin ; Mr W. S. Swaffield spoke on behalf of the Manufacturing interests. Reeve McMurohie, D. B. Kennedy and J. Beacom spoke to the toasts of our Mun- icipal interests, while the ladies were looked after by W. J. Paisley, J. Bea• com. Messrs Carling; Trick, Watson, Helyar and T. Jackson, sr.,, gave songs, H. R. Walker, a recitation, and Cap- tain Scruton, and Lieuts. Ross and Ryder responded on behalf of the Clin• ton Fire Brigade. Mr Pay left for St. Catharines on Saturday, and his family will follow in a couple of weeks. As to the administrative acts of my- self or the Government, they are pro- perly open to the freest criticism and attack ; that every man lin public life expects. But what I do object to is that these attacks are made personal ; that the readers of this paper are told that I am incompetent ; that the public accounts, the Treasurer's accounts, are represented as being full of "blunders" and "utterly untrustworthy," and I am held up as the one who is responsible for these allegsdlblunders—which do;not exist but in the writer's own diseased imagination, Now, Mr Speaker, again I ask, What is the cause of all this animosity recently exhibited ? I have already shown that the only serious errors that have been shown to have been in the public accounts occurred long before I had any connection with the Government,and commenced under the administration of Sandfield Mao- donald. By the investigation of the experts employed by me, and by the investigation of the Public Aocounte Committee, two officers were shown to be principally responsible for them. I dismissed those officers, and, being political friends of hon. gentlemen op- posite, I apparently have incurred their severe displeasure, and this is the rea- son of their bitterness. (Cheers.) The hon. member for Dundee spoke the other day of what he called the conduit pipe "from the Treasury De- partment to members on this aide of the House," and it has been suggested that the displeasure of hon. gentlemen at the removal of these officers is ag- gravated because it cute the conduit pipe batsmen the Treasury Department and the Opposition. I don't say that any such connection existed. I will do the hon. leader of the Opposition the justice to say that I think he would not use any such pipe. It may be that some of his followers are not so eernp- nloue, but the fact is patent that since the removal of the late Accountant of the Treasury Department the attacks upon myself have been much more vir- ulent, personal and bitter. Now, Mr Speaker, I have shown that so far as any errors in the Public Acconnts in past years are concerned I am not res- ponsible for them, and I attach no blame to the Treasurers who preceded me. OLD OUT W. COOPED & CO. have bought the Stock and Business of Chris. Dickson at a Wonderful Low Price. The business will be carried on in the old stand for a few weeks. ECORD MAKING STOCK ECORD BREAKING PRICES A AT The stock is too large for us to move, and to reduce it we are making Big Cuts on all lines of BOOKS, STATIONERY, FANCY GOODS, WALL PAPER, &c., &c. Now is the time to buy your sprillg stock. You can save a sight of money at our our stores. Will you W. COOPER & Co CLINTON Beck, gravel S. R. $7.95; Moses Me - Brien inspecting gravelling $2.50; H. 1 Girvin job on W. B. 25c; Wm Thomp- son, atone hammer, 75c. Council ad- jburned to meet on May 27 as a court of Revision.—R. K. MILLER, Clerk. Ti ckersmith. NOTES.—One day last week Her- bert Watters shot a fine hawk, which measured four feet three inches from tip to tip of wings—who can beat it? Mitis Rebecca Townsend, who was visiting at the hub la$t week, has re- turned. Mies Jennie Robb, of Clin- ton, spent Sunday last with her friends in Tuckersmith. On Friday even- ing, March 28th, the Rev. Mr Simp- aou, of Brucefield, will give a lecture in Turner's church, the subject being "Trifles." Mrs Wiltse, mother of Mr A. D. Wiltse, of the Loudon Road, died yesterday, funeral on Saturday afternoon. West WaWanosh. Council met March 15th. Members all present excepting the Deputy -reeve After confirming the minutes of the former meeting the treasurer's state- ment for February was read showing talance and receipts of $262.14 and ex- penditure $122.40. Communications from the township solicitor re Rose suit were read and placed on file. A communcaition from H. Morrison re drain on cons 12 and 13 was read. Moved by Mr Bailie seconded by Mr Gibson, that this communication lie over until next meeting and that in the uncertain illness Todd and Loch• hart ascertain if the portion of work assigned to the township is properly done. Carried. A petition signed by Jas Young and 49 other ratepayers asked for a grant towards the support of Mrs Stinton a widow with 5 small children in deststute circumstances. $20 was placed in the hand@ of Messrs Young and Caldwell to be expended in behalf of Mrs Stinton. Messrs Young and Caldwell also presented a petition Signed by 76 ratepayers asking the council to form another polling Sub- division having the polling place in Auburn. The petition was favorably received and left over for further con- sideration. Moved by the reeve, sec. by Mr Bailie that the auditor's report be reconsidered, carried. Moved by Mr Bailie seconded by Mr Todd that having discovered an error in the statement of liabilities the reports be submitted to the auditors for correc- tion. Carried. Moved by Mr Gibson seconded by Mr Todd, that the reeve, clerk and Messrs Todd, Gibson and Bailie compose the Board of Health for 1890. Carried. Dr. Gordon was reappointed medical adviser to the Board of Health. The reeve reported that the members of council has met in Dungannon on Feb 22nd in accor- dance with an arrangement with Ash- field council to arrange court -room ac- commodation, but the Ashfield council having failed to keep their appoint- ment no action was taken. The clerk was requested to inform Judge Doyle of the action taken by the Board. The following were appointed poundkeepers: Hugh Moreland, W. ,Jackson P. Mc. Cann, Jon. Clark, T. Alexander, E. Haines, J. Campbell, A. Cameron; fence viewers: .1 Plunkett, A. McCabe, JaeSmith, .1. McLean, W. Dunkeld, A. Pentland, G. Smyth, J. Thompson, .1. Cameron, J. B. Ruthesford jr., J. 1. Gordon, R. Murray. Poundkeepers were appointed, these will be notified. The following checks were issued. Jae Young, charity for Mrs Stinton, 820; T. Stother, 23 yds gravel $1.61; Jos. News Notes Aroullti The County. The Choicest Stealings from our County Exchanges. The Seaforth show will be held on the 30th September and lst of October. A daughter of Mr James Lawrence , of MaKillop, is suffering front inflam- mation of her lungs. Mr John Dorrance, son of Wm. Dor- ranee, of Seaforth, died sudden ly: at - Calgary, Alberta, on the 19th inst. Mr William Kempton, of Amberly, has invented a patent bag filler with which one man can do two men's work. A. Dunlop correspondent writes;— Our former townsman, Robert Bean, fort by death last week his youngest child, two years old, after an illness of some time. Four hotels were burned in East Huron during the past year, one each at d'orrie, Cranbrook, Kinburn and Ethel. The Cranbrook one has been replaced and the one at Ethel will be re -built. Mr John Gilmour, of the 3rd conces- sion of Stanley, has a very fine flock of Shropshiredown ewes and they are do- ing very well for him. This year so far three of them have presented him with three lambs each, and this is the third year in succession for one of these ewes to have three lambs. Bailiff Campbell,of Blyth, and his assistant for the time being, Mr Ed. Haggitt, had quite an exciting time making a seizure on Tuesday, at a cer- tain farm in Hullett, near Blyth. Ned received some severe handling, while a pitch -fork was planed to the breast of the bailiff. They succeeded, however. in getting the articles claimed, and a little later on Constable Davis finished up the work by seizing some moro art - idles. Cid The Jackson Brothers in Morris, last week cut an elm tree into logs and hauled them to Calder'ssaw mill. The tree grew on the farm of Mr Alex. Mc- Call, on the 7th concession, and was quite a monster. Its height was 66 feet front the stump to the lowest limbs, and it ,contained 7,282 feet, long meas- ure. The butt end of the first log was 21 feet in oircumference, a diameter of over 6feet R inches, and at a height of 1 62 feet the stick was 4 feet 9 inches in diameter. -0iexv Aduert#Oeuxeu10. Tenders For Caretaker Sealed tenders for thep osition of caretakl or of the Rattonbur street Methodlet chm ch will be received by the'undersigued up to the 21st of April next. Duties to commence on the 1st day of May, 1890. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Partiou- 'I,ars as to duties can be obtained on applies tion, J. C. STEVENSON, Chappel Steward - COMFORTABLE HOl;SE TO RENT. — V That comfortable bonne on Isaac street, south, at present occupied by Mrs Archi- bald, ie offered to rent. It contains S bed- rooms and closets upstairs, and good ac- eommodati0n down, with atone cellar, and hard and soft water. Rent rcasnnahle, Ar- pl to MRS. McCORViE or to DONALD JiINOR. LIVERY. The undersigned have bought out the Liv- ery business lately owned by R. Beattie and desire to inform the public that they will carry on the same in the old premises, Next COMMERCIAL Hotel. Several new and good driving horses, and the most stylish carrages have been added to the business, and will be hired at reasonable prices. Satisfaction guaranteed. R. REYNOLDS & SON. MORTGAGE, SALE —OF— REAL ESTATE. Cutler Bud by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain mortgage made by John Johnston, teamster, and Eliza Jane ,Johnson, his wife, to Edward Taylor Dar nell, the undersigned are authorized to for sale the following property in the t of Clinton, being composed of part of number 377 in the said town of Clinton, com- mencing on Albert Street, at a point six four feet six inches north of the south-east attgle of said lot; thence north 'along the limit of the saki lot, 18 feet six inches, to the `north-east angle of the said lot ; thence due west 132 feet, to the north-west angle of the said lot; thence due south 18 feet 6 inches tee west boundary of said lot, and from thence due east 132 feet to place of beginn- ing, containing by admeasurement 2376 square feet more or less, enbject to a right of way twelve fent in width across the west- erly limit of part of said lot, and, together with a right of way 12 feet wide along the westerly limit of the adjoining lot No. 378, extending to Princess Street, which right of way has been reserved for the time beimg for the use of owners of said two lots 377 and 378, which mortgaged premises are now iit the occupation of the said mortgagor, and are favorably situate in the business kart of Al- -ben Street. For further informat.on apply to the undersigned. MANNING & SCOTT, Solicitors for Vendor. Clinton, March 20th, 1890. lad -SEALED TENDERS for purchase of above Lands will be received by the under- signed up to and inclusive of the 25111 DAY OF APRIL next, Terms and conditions made known upon application to them. Clinton, March 20111 1890. MANNING R SCOTT, 4i Solicitors for Vendor. WINNIPEG and the North West Through tickets to Winnipeg and all points west via C. P. R. Coupon tio(t- eta issued and baggage checked through W. JACKSON, G. T. R. AGENT. GO WEST cp•• RTo MANITOBA, NORTR IIJJ Wi7ST or BRITISH ('OLUMBiA. Buy y, nr tickets and get full information from the authorized agent. COOPER & 00'S BOOK STORE —NOW AGENT FOR--- CLINTON, r