IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) ^ .**>^ 1.0 I.I Hi §23. 12.5 [if «* m S IAS |2jO 11-25 i 1.4 1.6 ^. /, ^ ^ #/>^ « / CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. D D Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur Coloured maps/ Cartes gAographiques en couleur L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a AtA possible de se procurer. Certains dAfauts susceptibles de nuire i la quality de la reproduction sont notAs ci-dessous. D D Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Coloured plates/ Planches en couleur Th< poi of 1 filn Th< cor on apr Thi filn ins Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6coior6es, tachet^es ou piqu6es Tight binding (may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin)/ Reiiure serr6 (peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de ia marge int6rieure) D n Show through/ Transparence Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es Ma in < upi bol foil D Additionat comments/ Commentaires suppldmentaires Bibliographic Notes / Notes bibliographiques D D Only edition available/ Seuie Edition disponible Bound with other material/ Reii6 avec d'autres documents D D Pagination incorrect/ Erreurs de pagination Pages missing/ Des pages manquent n Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque D IVIaps missing/ Des cartes gdographiques manquent D Plates missing/ Des planches manquent D Additional comments/ Commentaires suppl6mentaires The images appearing here are the beet quality poesible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in iteeping with the filming contract specifications. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^(meaning CONTINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetA de Texemplaire fllmA. et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la der- nitre image de cheque microfiche, selon le ces: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols y signifie "FIN". The original copy was borrowed from, and filmed with, the kind consent of the following institution: Library of the Public Archives of Canada IVIaps or plates too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grAce k la g^nArositt de i'ttebiissement prAteur suivant : La bibiiothique des Archives publlques du Canada Les csrtes ou les planches trop grandee pour Atre reproduites en un seul cliche sont filmtes A partir de I'angle supArieure gauche, de gauche A droite et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images ntcessaire. Le diegramme suivant iilustre la mithode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 8 6 [jmrMTJ THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. # t f i7n (?7) In view of the fact that the electors of the Province will shortly be called upon to select representatives in the Quebec Legislature for the ensuing five yeare, the following information derived from official sources and all of which can be readily verified by reference to the Blue Books, has been compiled for the guidance of voters and to assist them in determining how their votes should be cast. ^'vcy/ THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. In connection with Provincial concerns it is, perhaps, even more than in Federal mattera, of the highest and last importance that the financial aspect of affairs should be correctly underatood. Especially is this the case in the Province of Quebec, where the opponents of the Government have not sorvipled to create the impression —among those who have probably neither the time nor the inclination to investigate for themselves — that the j)ro- vince is and has for long been upon the brink of ruin and con- sequent utter demoralization. A few figures- -and those of an official character — put as plainly end simply as possible, will, doubtless, be sufficient to dispel this idea from the minds of honest and straightforwai-d people, who are not blinded by prejudice, or who have not been so completely lost in the spirit of partizanship as to be unable to appreciate a plain and un- varnished statement of facts. It may be premised that, though the situation has been complicated by the disloyal deliverances of those \/ith whom, unfortunately, party advancement is the first consideration, it is by no means alarming. Indeed it is par- ticularly HOPBFUL AND ENOOUBAQINU. The policy of the different Consei-vative administrations that, since Confederation, have mainly directed the provincial desti- nies, has been one of progress and development, to secure which they have not hesitated to impose sacrifices upon the people which have been cheerfully borne under the conviction that the present generation owed a duty to posterity, the consequences of neglecting which could not fail to be most regrettable. On the other hand, the Opposition appear, according to their deliver- ances, to have been influenced by those narrow considerations contained in that frequently invoked, but unpatriotic inquiry of what has posterity done for me ? Had such influences prevailed, where would have been the material advancement that has already been made, and of whose daily march the world at large is the admiring witness ? The provincial railway policy has been mentioned frequently as a grave ground of offending. But wherein lies the offence ? Is it because an ex- tensive system of railway facilities has been afforded that has given to almost every portion of the province a more or less direct means of communication with the great centres of trade and commerce, and is yet being augmented in a manner that is destined to render it much more efficient and effective ? It has been their railways that have constituted the importance of the majority of modern nations, that have promoted their commerce and secured and ensured their wealth and prosperity. Great Britain and the United States are among the mo.st notable examples that could be named. Would their people, or even the opponents of the present provincial Government, be content to go back to the times as they existed befoi*e the advent of the steam engine and the telegra])h ? Nevertheless, the logical con- clusion to be arrived at from the attitude of the men who lead the Liberal party of this Province is that they belong to this class of Eeactionnaires. Since the inauguration of >■ THB PROVINCIAL RAILWAY POLICY, 1384 miles of railway have been constructed by the Province, or have rejbived aid to the extent of 116,658,210.38 from the Provin- cial Treasury. This, with special grants for agricultural purposes, colonisation, public instruction, charitable institutions, and erec- tion of public buildings in Quebec, brought up the public in- debtedness, 30th June, 1885, to $20,590,075.72, made up as follows : — LlABILITIBB. Consolidated debt $18,283,853 34 Temporary loans and deposits 637,730 46 Balanco due on account of North Shore Railroad 86,697 49 To these must be added — Balance of subsidies granted to railways, but not yet due. 1,256,013 65 " " estimated cost of Parliamentary buildings.... 185,000 00 Quebec Court-house 154,700 00 Teachers' Pension Fund 87,071 79 Total $20,590,075 72 But on the other side the account the Province has Assets. Selling price of North Shore Railroad $7,600,000 00 Capitalised subsidies for the North Shore Railroad, 47 Vic.,cap.8 2,394,000 00 Debt of old Province of Canada, 47 Vic., cap. 4 2,549,213 61 Amount due by the Province of Ontario and the City of Montreal for the Hull bridge and extension of the North Shore Railroad to the Barracks 273,106 96 Special deposits 1,000,000 00 Money in bank 265,481 56 Cost of the Jacques Cartier Normal School, Montreal, to be repaid by the sale of property at Montreal 138,348 02 Debentures to be issued on account of Quebec Court-house 50,000 00 ArreaiB of interest due by Dominion of Canada. .• 53,618 67 Total $14,323,858 82 Deducting Assets, 30th June, 1885 $14,323,858 82 from Liabilities, " " 20,590,075 72 We have total debt, 30th June, 1885 $6,266,216 90 Thus the solb obligation that the ittOViNCE has oon- TBAGTED, IN ORDER TO SUBSIDIZE AND PROMOTE A VAST SYSTEM OF RAILWAYS WHICH, WITHOUT THIS AID, WOULD NEVER HAVE BHIf 1TNDIRTAKIN, AND IN ADDITION TO IRKOT TUK NI0E88ART PUBLIC BUILDINGS AT THK CAPITAL, HAS BKKN $6,266,216 90. Those who will be disposed to dispute the wisdom of this policy will, it is certain, be bat few in number, while those who do so cannot expect to be regarded as other than non-progressive, and as considering the question from a standpoint other than that of the public interest. The advantages that our Provincial railway uystem has secured to us are already recognized to have been immense, and the voice of the people upon the question pure and simple could not fail to be in flavour of it. It is proper just here to ascertain in what position the provinc^j stands in so far as its provisions to meet the ANNUAL INTSRKST OHAROXS upon this public debt of $20,590,075.72. The annual interest payable to the Government on the purchase price of the Provin- cial Bailways amounts to $374,532.82. In 1884 the Federal Parliament granted two special subsidies to the Quebec Provin- cial Bailways, the interest upon which was alone to be paid. This interest amounts to $187,310.68, to which must be added $80,078.60 interest upon different investments and deposits, in all, $641,922.10. Thus more than two-thirds of the annual interest charge ($923,042.98 in 1884-5) which the province has to meet, is provided for, leaving a balance of $281,120.88 other- wise to be met. This, in fact, constitutes all that has annually to be paid in return for the railway and other improvements that the wisdom of the Ck>nservative Government has given the province. The railway situation being thus clearly explained, it is proper to consider how the province stands in the light of ordinary RSVENUI AND EXPBNDITURS, remarking that, as has been shown, a sum of $281,120.88 of interest— an extraordinary expenditure — has to be provided for out of the ordinary revenue. In 1884-85 the annual statement was as follows : — 7 Ordinary Recoipta $2,962,806 00 Ordinary Expenditure 2,937,856 00 Showing a tnrplus of $ 24,950 00 But in 1884-6, $49,716.64 were paid on account of the loan contracted in France, the publio debt .being consequently dimin- ished by that amount. It is true that the actual outlay of the Province for the year reached $3, 155,652. 70 ; but this sura in- cluded the expenditures made on account of the new Parliament Buildings and the Quebec Court-house, which were clearly not chargeable to rovonuo, and wore therefore not contained in the figures of oi-dinary expenditure above-mentioned. In 1867-68, the first year after Confederation, THE EXPENSES OF THE PROVINCE amounted to $1,183,238; but then there was no interest to pay, the Province not having inaugurated those enterprises and im- provements which have proved to be so beneficial. A comparison of the two years' expenditures shows 1884-5 $2,937,856 1867-8 1,193,238 DiflFerenco $1,754,618 From this augmentation in 1884-85, if we deduct $980,118, the amount annually payable on interest account and sinking fund, we have as the excess of the ordinary expenditure in 1884-9 over that of 1867-8, a sum of $774,508. On the other hand, in 1884-5 grants to charitable institutions were $172,805.33 greater than in 1867-8; administration of jus- tice shows an advance of $81,944.88; colonisation, an excess of $70,329 ; public instruction, of $72,279 . 73 ; agriculture, of $22,794 62 ; while the other services have been proportionately augmen- ted and increased in accordance with the public requirements, and as justified by the larger amount of [ordinary revenue, which in 1867-8 was only $1,386,837.29 as against $2,962,806.99 in 1884. The Federal Government omitted to pay part of the interest on the Railway Grant for the yeai- ending 30th June, 1885, amounting to $53,618.67, which, if it had been paid, would have 8 I lit 1^ I' increased the sarplas on the year's transaotionH by that amount. The sum was paid over in the succeeding fiscal year, and it gives an increase of ordinary revenue of $l,t]36,819.70, while, as has before been shown, the augmentation of ordinary •expenses last year only amounted to $774,508; $980,110 being char- geable as interest upon the public debt, contracted for the construc- tion of railways and other public improvements. It has already been shown that $641,922.10 of the annual interest on the debt — $980,110.20 — were covered by the interest paid to Government by the purchasers of the North Shoi*e Kail way, by tl interest paid by the Federal Groverament by way of annual railw . y subsidy nnd by the interest received by the Pi-ovince for special deposits. We thus discover that although, in addition to its increaseil ordinary •expenses, the Province has to make provision out of oitiinary revenue for $338,188.10 interest on loans and sinking fund, the sole ditference between ordinary income and ordinary expendi- ture, plus this $338,188,10 fur interest, is $118,^99. And who will sat that tuk benefits derived from tuis policy have not been worth annually a far qrkathr amount than this paltry sum, which, under the policy of thx gotsrnmbnt, will qraduauly be extinguished in ths bamm way as the difference between the two accounts has been gradually reduced? compare this kxhibit with THAT MADS BY THE JOLT. GOVERNMENT ON 30tI1 JuNE, 1879, WHXN THERE WAS, ACCORDINQ TO THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF Mr. DrOLET, THE PROVINCLAL AUDITOR, A DEFICIT OF $672,811. ^4. MORSOVER, DURING THE TWENTY MONTHS OF ADMINISTRA- TION OF Mr. Jolt and his friends, who pledged themselves TO reform and economise, OVER A MiLLION DOLLARS OF DE- FICITS BETWEEN ORDINARY REVENUE AND ORDINARY EXPENDITURE WBSX ADDED TO THE PUBLIC DEBT. It is by its acts — its fulfilment oi its promises and pledges — that the Boss Government expects to be judged ; and it is, there- fore, only an act of Justice towards it that the inquiiy be made— "what WERE THE ENGAGEMENTS OF THE ROSS ADMINISTRATION, AND WHAT HAS IT SUCCEEDED IN ACCOMPLISHING?" In general terms, the latter inquiry has been answered in the foregoing statements; but it may be added that, while the strictest economy has been exercised, there has been no projudio- ing of the public service, which has boen conducted quite as efficiently as, if not more efficiently than, ever before. Economy, however well it may be understood and appreciated, is not unfVe- quently interpreted and carried out in a sense the reverse of its signification ; for it is no economy to practice a system border- ing on beggarliness, under whose operation, indeed, tho public interests are made to suffer. That can only be termed true economy which serves the Province in the best possible manner, and with the least possible amount of expenditure. In submit- ting, during the session of 1883-4, its estimates for the fiscal year 1884-5, THE ROSS QOVKRNMENT ANNOUNCED ITS EXPECTATION TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE EXPENSES BY SOMETHING LIKE $200,000. What it sncceoded in accomplishing will be apparent from the following table — Ordinary expenses of the public service in 1883-4 . «• * " " 1884-5. $3,121,196 03 2,937,856 95 Reduction $183,339 08 There ran, therefore, be no question either as to the sincerity of the administration or of its detennination end ability to carry out all its promises and undertakings; It has already aooom- PLISHED WHAT IT UNDERTOOK TO DO. THE $3,600,000 LOAN. Upon the subject of the $3,500,000 loan, aiithoriaed to the extent of $3,000,000 by the Legislature in 1882, the Liberals have endeavoured wilfully and seriously to misrepresent the Oonservative Party. Their contention has been that the loan was authorised, although the sale of the Provincial roads had been effected, in order to put an end to the necessity of making further loans, whereas the claim of the Government was that if the road were sold, the Province would not be compelled to con- tract a loan io pay for its construction and other purposes. ^'"■''^ 10 According to the Bill authorising the $3,000,000 loan, it was effected in order to pay— Ist. The floating debt of the Province. 2nd. The claims resulting from the construction of the North Shore Railway. 3rd. The subsidies to other railways. 4th. The works upon the Depai'tmental Buildings and Houses of Parliament. Now, the Legislature, having authorised these expenditures, several years previously, could hardly have refused the Govern- ment the means of procuring the money necessary to meet the obligations that it had compelled it to contract. That money was employ^ in a strictly legal manner for the purposes con- templated. The amount obtained by the loan was $3,479,533.33, and was utilised as follows — Quebec Central Railway deposit f 354,652 00 Repayment of temporary loans obtained SOth June, 1882, under chap. 18, 45 Vic 600,000 00 North Shore Railway 904,786 33 Subsidies to railways under cap. 18, 46 Vic 609,705 80 On account Departmental Buildings and new Parliament House 233,164 23 Total amount paid $2,602,308 45 Balance of loan of 1882-3 $ 877,224 88 This balance was deposited in bank on the 30th June, 1885, at 5 per cent., pending its emploj'-ment conformably to the law. It 18 THUS EVIDENT THAT THE PRODUCT OP THE LOAN WAS EMPLOYED IN A STRICTLY LEGAL MANNER, AND APPLIED STRICTLY TO THB OBJECTS CONTEMPLATED BY THE LAW OP 1882. TWO GOVERNMENTS CONTBAS'"ED. By way of illustration of the respective methods and practices of the Liberals and Conservatives when in office, a comparison might just here be very properly drawn between the Ross and Joly Governments. The responsibility of tl?*^ latter for the finan- 11 cial administration of ISTS-TO cannot be questioned, while Mr. Boss and his friends are none the less entitled to be called In question for the administration of 1884-85. Mr. Joly's economy was of such a character as induced him to limit the grant to agricultural purposes to $84,007 in 1878-79, while Mr, Boss granted $71,473, or $7,386 more. The farmei's of the Province will readily appreciate which of the two was the best disjwsed to their particular interest, upon which so much of, in fact almost all, the practical development of the Province depends. In 1878- 79, the Liberals only expended $38,000 for colonization, while the Conservatives expended $80,000 for the purpose in 1884-85, and $175,000 for 1885-86, with $155,000 promised for 1886-87, or $410,000 in three years. In 1878-79, the Joly Government only contributed $271,229 for charitable institutions, includiiy; lunatic asylums, while the Boss Administration subsidised them to the extent of $298,061, or an increase of $26,832. Unquestionably, THE ^S8 Government has a greater claim upon the elec- tors UNDER these SPECIAL ITEMS THAN THE LIBERAL PaUTY can POSSIBLY HAVE, WHO SHOWED, WHEN THEY WERE IN OFFICE, * THAT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THEM TO BE WORTHY OP MUCH SPECIAL CONSIDERATION, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE OBJECTS WITH ATTENTION TO WHICH THE PROVINCE WAS CONSTITUTIONALLY CHARGED, EXFSimiTUBS. The following is a comparison of the expenditure on account of the principal branches of the public sei'vice : — 1879. 1885. Justice $399,790 $356,646 Police .. 14,450 14,090 Reformatories 57,000 55,000 Public Instruction. 371,722 360,358 Immigration 14,800 9,868 Crown Lands 162,753 135,508 Totals $1,010,515 $931,470 In these six principal items of expenditure it will be observed that the Boss Governmeiii has effected an economy of close upon 12 ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS annually, as compared with the amount the Liberal Government spent in 1879, under conditions that ought to have been much more favorable for the application of a policy of retx-enchment. Another test of the economy of the present Administration is afforded by the Civil List, in other words, the number of officials employed in the several departments of Government. The fol- lowing is a list of the number of officials in the service in the year 1879-80, during nearly one-half of which the Liberal party was in office, and in the last fiscal year for which we have the accounts. It may be added that since the publication of the Public Accounts for the latter period, a further reduction in the staff has been effected : — NUMBER OP EMPLOYEES. '- ' 1880. 1885. Legislative Council 14 10 Legislative Assembly 38 81 Law Clerks 4 4 Lieut-Governor's Office 4 3 Executive Council 5 3 Provincial Secretary 11 8 Provincial Registrar 4 3 Crown Law Department 4 4 Treasury Department 15 19 Oown Lands Department 28 36 Agriculture and Public Works 14 17 Public Instruction 12 12 ^ , 153 149 That is as conclusive an answer as can be had to the accusation that the conduct of the Government in recent times has not been marlced by a close regard to economy, proving, as the record does, that in spite of the enlargement of the business of the province, the growth of population, and an increase of work upon the Administration, it has been found possible to efficiently conduct public affairs with a numerically smaller staff of officials than was deemed necessary in 1880. 13 The Liberal Eecord. The Liberal party appeals to the Electorate for support in the pending contest, largely on the pretension that, if returned to power, the finances of the province will be more prudently and more economically managed. There is no better test of the sincerity and validity of this claim than that drawn from expe- rience of these people in office, an experience which Mr. Mercier and his friends would willingly have the public forget. The claims advanced by the Opposition at this time were, with equal emphasis, put forth in the general election of 18*78, and when the party, having succeeded in securing office, faced the Legislature, the Liberal Treasurer, the late Hon. Mr. Bachand, undertook to carry on the Government, proceed with contemplated public works, and meet the interest and charges upon the public debt, with a sum of $2,314,041. In his budget speech he was very emphatic upon this point, saying : — " The present Government " engages to fulfil all the obligations of the Province, legitimately " "ontracted, without injury to the public service, by the adoption " o. . policy of economy and retrenchment well applied, and " without recourse to direct taxation." He proceeded to show in what manner and to what extent, and to what branches of the pub- lic service this policy was to be applied, and he concluded his state- ment by the declaration that he anticipated that the financial year closing the 30th of June, 18*79, would show all the obligations of the Province honestly met, the public enterprises faithfully carried out, and a surplus in the Treasui-y of $17,495. He also " pledged " his word that the expenditure of the various branches of the " public service would not exceed the amount estimated by him." He unhappily was not spared to see the results of the year's administration; but when the figures came down, it turned out that the actual expenditure for the same service reached the sum of $2,685,340, a larger sum than has ever been spent in one year on ordinary expenditure in the Province of Quebec, and no less than $3*71,299 in excess of the revenue. Then looking at the statements submitted by Mr. Langelier, what do we find ? In order to conceal the utter failure to make ends meet, we have a sum — i I' 14 an o'loeptional item which, in the course of the debate which fol- lowed the budget speech, the Treasurer himself admitted could not be claimed as ordinary revenue — of half a million, obtained from the Dominion Go\i^rnraent, on account of a claim arising out of the unsettled a '^ets and liabilities of the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec respectively, classed as an ordinary receipt. "We had the balance on hand at the commencement of the year, amount- ing to $227,622, treated in the same way. And we have another item of $79,515 claimed as a receipt, because it was held that in 1872 it had been improperly paid out of the Consolidated Fund, to the Eichelieu, Drummond & Arthabaska Eailway, and, as a mere piece of book-keeping, that fund was not credited with it, the sum being charged jigainst the Consolidated Eailway Fund. And, then on the other side, we had thd interest and sinking fund of the public debt charged to capital account. Correcting these gross errors — this discreditable system of cooking public accounts — we have the following as a result of the first year's administra- tion of Mr. Joly and his colleagues: — Rbcbipts $2,832,078 Less : Dominion Government $500,000 Balance on hand at commencement of year 227,622 Book-keeping item 79,515 807,137 Ordinary receipts $2,024,941 Paymbntb 1,958,243 Add: Interest Public Debt 727,097 $2,685,340 Beflcit A 9 \ 26 was for construction expenses incurred before the sale; $288,738. 42 was repaid to the Government, S93,'78'7 . 84 being yet collect- able. All these payments were perpeotlt regular, and there is not the- least thing with which to reproach the Government.' THE QAT.E DEFALCATION. i-;i Among other want-of-confidence motions submitted last Ses- sion, is one by Mr. Girouard, of Drummond and Arthabaska, relating to the aflfair known as " the Gale defalcation." This motion, being put to the vote, was rejected on a division by 42 to 14. It is alleged that the sum of $51,527.32 was abstracted from the public Treasury without any of the officials of the Crown Lands Department, or any members of the Government, being aware of it. / " >' • This assertion is false, and in direct contradiction op THE proofs obtained BY THE PuBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE WHICH HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH MAKING AN INQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES. During the autumn of 1885, an error was discovered in the account books of the Department of Crown Lands, but the books had been so manipulated by the defaulting accountant, that it was impossible to discover where the defalcation occurred. As for the amount then supposed to be short, it was reduced in the first place by $4,000 returned by Gale to the Department during December last; then by $554.86 refunded by the broker who had conducted Gale's speculations; and, finally, by $7,533.73, which bad no right to be regarded as included in the $51,000, thus reducing the real deficit in the books of the Crown Lands Department to $39,438.73. Those facts were known by all •the members who voted in favour of Mr. Girouard's motion, for on the 8th June preceding, a report of the sub-committee was pre- sented to the Public Accounts Committee, and in this report appeared the following paragraph: — , " That the amount of the defalcations of the late Mr. Gale, 2t "amonnting to $61,52Y.32, were reduced to a loss to the Pro- evince of 839,438.72, on account of a sum of $12,088.59 which * was recovered by the Government. That this defalcation was " the result of financial speculations made by Mr. Gale during a "period of about three years." This report of the sub-committee was endorsed by Me88i*8. Stephens, Cameron, Whyte and Boyer. The pretension that this defalcation should have been men- tioned in the speech from the Throne is too absurd to be refuted. The same may be said of the statement that its details should have been given in the report of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and in that of the Provincial Auditor. What the Grovernment sought was to secure all that was pos- sible of the moneys which had been taken, and, had it done as Ml*. Girouard's motion suggested, it would have forfeited every chance it might have had of doing so. In reply to the reflection, that it was owing to the negligence of the Commissioner of Cj'own Lands and of the Government that the defaulter was able to escape from justice, it is sufficient to say that when Mr. Gale made his confession to the Commis- sioner of Crown Lands, on 30th December, 1885, he was in a very precarious state of health, so much so that on the 2nd Janu- ary following, Dr. Eowan, one of the first physicians in Quebec, forwarded to the Commissioner a certificate setting forth that his patient was seriously ill, and that he entertained no hope of his recovery. This Dr. Eowan testified to upon oath before the Committee, saying that his sickness was incurable, and that it would have been an act of inhumanity to cause his aiTCst, the certain consequence of which would have been his death, by which no one would have been benefitted. As for the departure of Mr. Gale for Philadelphia, it was owing to no fault of the officers of the Department, who never relaxed their vigilance. On the 11th of March last, the Commissioner learned of his flight, on the 22nd the family received news of his death, and on the 29th he was buried. It was rumoured that Gale was not dead; out the proof submitted to the Committee soon con- clusively disposed of these malicious and groundless statements. 28 The deficit existing in the accounts of the Department is shown in the Public Accounts under the heading, " Amount to be ac- " counted for by the Crown Lands Department." It could n L be mentioned in any other waj'^, seeing that at this time the investiga- tion by the Commissioner of Ciown Lands was going on, and that it was then impossible to state the exact sum to which the defal- cation would amount. It really is $39,438 . 73, and not 851,5:{7 . 32. The moment the House was seized of the question, the Govern- ment gave as full and explicit explanations as possible, and the report of the Public Accounts Committee, with respect to the matter, is most complete and conclusive. As for the blame which is sought to be laid upon the Commis- sioner of Crown Lands and the entire Government with respect to this most unfortunate affair, the best refutation that can be offered is contained in the' conclusions of the report submitted for adoption by the Liberal members of the Committee of Public Accounts, which conclusions form part of the general report sub- mitted by the Committee, and which reads as follows : — " That no blame is in any way to bo attached to the Honor- " able the Commissioner of the Crown Lands, in connection " with this transaction, who from the moment the defalcation " was brought to his notice in the latter part of December, 1885, " took every possible means in his power to protect the interests " of the Province." It was proved before the Committee of Public Accounts, by the incontestable testimony of several of the most prominent citizens of Quebec, that Galo had always maintained a blameless reputation, that he enjoyed the public confidence and esteem, and that the news of his defalcations took every one by surprise. And this testimony was corroborated by three former Commis- sioners of Crown Lands — Hon. Messrs. Malhiot, Garneau and Marchand. These gentlemen also confirmed the testimony of the Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands, establishing that the system of book-keeping followed in the Crown Lands Depart- ment, during the thre« last years, was absolutely the same as had been in use during their administration of the affairs of the De- partment. ^ J mi i m L'-i':'' 29 THE SH£RBROOKE COURT-HOUSE. Among the many causes of complaint against the Government which the Opposition have ingeniously invented, and, with con- siderable audacity, have laid against them, is that $31,079.71 have been improperly expended for the construction and repair of the Sherbrooke Prison and Court-house, the district having nothing to its credit in the Building and Jury Fund. How far this statement is correct may be judged from the following recital of facts. Since July, 1867, the District of St. Francis, of which Sher- brooke is the chef lieu, has paid into the Building and Jury Fund no less than $33,500 . 00. Moreover, in addition to this, there has been received by the Province a sui'plus of $20,250.00 from the district over and above the sum required to pay the officers of the Court. This sum could therefore be very properly trans- ferred to the Building and Jury Fund. Moreover, after all, if the expenses entailed in the District of St. Francis have been great, the revenue which it has contributed has also been large. St. Francis is one of the old judicial districts of the Province, and the old prison was in ruins and unfitted to accommodate or retain prisoners. The construction of a new gaol was begun before Confederation, but it was only completed subsequent to 1867, and its cost is included in the amount above-mentioned. In other districts, the Government* had expended considei-able sums of money for the repair of court-houses and prisons, as well as in the District of St. Francis, the amounts being proportioned to absolute lequirements, and as recommended by the Engineeer of the Public Works Department and the Inspector of Prisons, being chai-ged to the Building and Jury Fund of the respective districts, and voted by the Legislature from year to year. Between 1867 and June 30th, 1885, there were expended in the construction and repair of court-houses and prisons in the respec- tive dittiicts the following amounts: — Arthabaska, $8,072.99; Beauce, $12,929.82; Bedford, $18,040.34; Bonaventure, $18,546. 04; Gasp^. $21,533.95; Iberville, $15,606.50; Kamouraska, $14, 167.75; Montmagny, $10,686.81; Montreal, $245,161.39; Ot- 80 tawa, $18,259.15; Quebec, $29G,G53 . 37 ; Rimouski, $9,154.94; St. Hyacinthe, $11,419.10; Tenebonne, $18,524.31; i'rois- Rividres, $21,027.00, and the District of St. Fiaiicis, $31,079.71. When we consider that, in 1867, the new prison at Sherbrooke was ouly partly bailt, and that the walls and the out-buildings had still to be put up, this amount of $31,079.71 will not appear to be excessive, particularly in view of the position of the prison and the importance of the district. SEGARDINa THIS ilATTEE PEOM THB POINT OP VIEW OP TIIE PUBLIC REQUIREMENTS, THE IMPORTAKCE OF THE DISTRICT AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BuiLDINO AND JURY tUND, WILL A5T HONEST MAN PRETEND THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONO IN CONNECTION WITH THIS MATTER? SHERBROOKE AND THE MUNICIPAL LOAN FUND. Ml*. Mercier, leader of the Opposition, during the session, offer- ed a motion of non-confidence in the Government on account of the settlement made with Sherbrooke as to the amount due by that city to the Municipal Loan Fund, and in his usual irrespon- sible manner made a totally incorrect representation of the facts. In substance, he made out that, by the settlement with Sher- brooke, the Province had sustained a loss of $96,507.14, and that, because the Ti-easurer desired to ingi-atiate himself with his con- stituents. The FOLLOWING IS THE TRUE STATE OP THE CASE. Sherbrooke borrowed $80,000, loss a discount of $1,000 allowed by a preceding Treasurer upon debentures sold, thus reducing the loan to $79,000. To this must be added, under the law of 1880, interest for twelve years, equal to $47,400 making in all $126,400. From this must bo deducted $77,259.41 repaid by Sherbi-ooke anterior to 1880, and in addition $31,671.64 paid sub- sequently, or in all $108,931.05, leaving an apparent balance of $17,468.95 still due under the law of 1830, and not a balance of $96,587.14 as represented by Mr. Mercier. In the settlement of claims under the Municipal Loan Fund, 31 id, the Province beiag the creditor, the Government has made it a rule to take into consideration the amount repaid previous to 1880, and the manner in which the proceeds of the loan had been ex- pended, to ascertain whether or not the Province at large, which was the creditor, had bene^tted directly or indirectly thereby or if the money had been applied to purely local objects only. Where the money had been expended on public objects from which the Province had benefitted, credit has been given for at least a portion of the loan, where the money had been applied to purely local objects, the Government has been more exacting, in every case, however, taking into consideration the debtors' means of paying as well as the amount of local taxation actually in force. Lingwick owed $13,051, under the law of 1880, for a road to Winslow, then in process of colonization, which had no other means of communication. The Government on this account, through Hon. Mr. Wurtele, accepted $5,000 in settlement. The city of Quebec owed $59,065 expended upon wharves in the St. Charles River, and the Government, preceding the present one, accepted $37,000 in settlement. bt. Johns, having sustained serious losses by tiro, obtained a discount, on what it had received. Sherbrooke had borrowed $80,000 less a discount of $1,000, and had paid up to 1st July, 1868 (twelve years from date of the loan), $49,657.55 ; since that date, $27^601.86 ; total, $77,259.41. Before the passing of the Act of 1880, it had thus paid all the original amount, less $1,741. It asked that $47,400, equal to twelve years' interest, be deducted from the amount paid during the early years upon the amount of the loan, and that it be (credited with the balance thus deducted with interest, which would almost completely wipe out the debt ; or rather that it be charged the twelve years of interest and that it be credited with interest upon its payments since the date of those payments which, with those payments would extinguish the entire debt, considci ing that eome of those payments were made twenty-tive years ago. In 1837-38 the Government built a bridge over the liiver St. Prancis which was on the highway from the Townships to Quebec, w 32 then the principal cattle market in the Province, this being the only bridge between the St. Lawrence and the principal point on the River St. Francis. The bridge was carried away by a flood in 1864 and 1865. Application having been made to the Sand- field Macdonald-Dorion Administration for its reconstruction ; the Government replied that it had no more Municipal Loan Fund debentui-es to advance for that purpose. However, if the municipal authorities were prepared to rebuild the bridge, the Government were disposed to deduct frojn the amount due by the town, on account of the Municipal Loan Fund, the cost of that bridge. An idea will be formed of the importance of that one bridge, when it is stated that there are now eight or nine bridges over the St. Francis, and the municipal authorities rebuilt the bridge at a cost of about $17,000. It has therefore been thought just and reasonable to credit the city with a part of that amount in reduction of the Provincial claim against Sherbrooke. Th'j taxation at Sherbrooke is already very high (about 2 per cent, on the full value of the town property) higher, perhaps, than in any other part of the Province. Having taken all these matters into serious considemtion the Government considered it to be only just to accept in settlement of the debt of Sherbrooke the sum of $31,671.84, instead of $50,740.59, or rather of $49,740.59, according to the Act of 1880. A vote of the Legislative Assembly of 39 to 15 showed that the action of the Government was sustained after a full explanation of all the facts of the case. It was shown in evidence that the pretensions of Mr. Mercier and of his Opposition friends were completely false and without foundation, being actuated by the sole object of deceiving the people. As for the towns of St. Johns and Levis, both represented by adversaries of the Gt)vernment, they were settled with without difficulty, after an understanding with the representatives of the localities and an enquiry into the special circumstances, by allowing them certain discounts; and these gentlemen declared themselves suti.stied with the settlement made with their consti- tuents. 8d INSPECTION OF COLONIZATION WORKS. Elsewhere, reference will have been found to the illiberal policy of the Liberal administration of Mr. Joly, in connection with colonization, that gentleman having reduced the amount ex- pended for this object — so important in a gradually dovwloping country like our own — to the insignificant sum of $38,000, while the Government of the Hon. Mi-. Ross augmented it to $175,000. Last session the Liberals endeavored to pass a vote of censure upon the Government because it had employed an Inspector of Colonization "Works. Did they d sire to have tho^e undertakings carried out at haphazard, and in such a manner as might best suit the pecuniary interests of the contractors, as in notable instances had been the case with several undertakings while the Liberals were in power ? Apparently they were willing to allow colonization roads to build themselves, or be built in any direc- tion and in such a manner as might suit the wishes of a few locally interested parties, thereby involving the fruitless expen- diture of thousands of dollars that might have been prevented by an officer receiving a few hundred dollars salary, whose business was to visit the locality and satisfy himself as to all matters in connection with such works. This service could not be per- formed by the officers of the Department at the seat of govern- ment, and, moreover, would be likely to involve expenses much more heavy than the salary of an inspector. In fact, xe >y jd THE POLICY INDICATED BY THE OPPOSITION IN THIS PARTICULAR CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS OF A PENNY-WISE AND POUND-FOOLISH CHARACTER, since it could not fail to be attended with extravagant expendi- tures and the obtainment of utterly usebss or at least imper- fectly constructed works. LUNATIC ASYLUMS. A very remarkable position has been assumed by the Opposi- tion with respect to the law introduced by the Government com- pelling municipalities to pay half the cost of the maintenance in 3 Iir the Asylam of lunatics fh>in their looalitieH, when they themselves had no means of doing so, and had no relatives bound to support them, or who were too poor to do so. It may be premised that the primary object of this law was not so much to saddle the municipalities with the cost of tlieir lunatics, as to prevent abuses which, occurring within their limits, such municipalities were the best able to check and prevent. For instance, it is notorious that, before the adoption of this law, it was the custom of well to do— even of rich — families to rid themselves of the trouble and expense of such of their relatives as were unfortu- nately either lunatics or idiots, by procuring their admission to the lunatic asylums at the public cost. Now this caused abuses of an exceef!ii',>^ly grave character, as it filled the institutions with harmless idiots, who, being no cause of trouble to others than their family, should have been cared for by them rather than by the public. The common instincts of humanity should have been sufficient for their tender treatment at home ; but so long as the public could be made to support them, the chief desire was to be relieved of expense and annoyance. This was not only a manifest injustice to the body of taxpayers, but constituted an abuse of the most serious character, against whose perpetration, the Administration was comparatively powerless until the law to which the Opposition object was brought into operation. Under it, the municipality in which the unfortunate patient resides, is made a paii^y tc the case and naturally its authorities and resident taxpayers satisfy themselves as to the facts of the case before they consent to be saddled with the maintenance of the patient. In the first place they determine whether or not it is necessary to remove the person to the Asylum, and secondly, they, as in the best position to know, decide for themselves whether the relatives are in a position to bear the cost of his mainenance, or if it is a case the pecuniary responsibility of which it is for them to assume. The provisions of this law are based alike on the principles of humanity and justice, and strange, indeed, is it that the Liberals should take the position which they do with res- pect to it. Is it just, it may be asked, that a burden which should be borne by the family, when they are in a position to assume it^ shoiild be tiluown upon the public, and are not the local a^- dft thorities, from their knowledge of the facts and the sorroandingA, the best qualified to deoide this; the more so when the fact of a portion of the erpepse having to be borne by them is likely to render them the moi-e vigilant and the less disposed to be actuated in their decision by considerations ol fear or of favour. In connection with this measui*e, to which, during last session, the Liberals took such strong exception, it is worth while to comment upon the inconsistency that has marked their course. In 1880 they called for a vote upon if. In 1883 and 1884, when brought up for amendment, it was allowed to pass "on division;" while in 1885, in order to make a record, thoy took a vote upon the third reading, wishing to strike out the clauses imposing upon municipalities the duty of contributing one-half the cost of the maintenance of lunatics. Their course in this connection can only be explained by the desire — not to vindicate a principle, but to catch votes at the com- ing elections, since there cannot be a question that the object OF THE MEASURE WAS TO DEAL WITH THE QUESTION EFFEOTIVELT AND IN A SPIRIT OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE. THE DAITSEBEAU MATTER. It will be readily apparent to those who have paid any atten tion to the subject that the Dansereau matter is a question for. which the Government of Mr. Mousseau, not that of Mr. Boss was responsible, that Administration having comriissioned Mr. Dansereau to purchase books for the Parliamentary Library, giving him a credit of $15,000 for the pui-pose. The Boss Gov- ernment, so soon as it came into office, demanded from Mr. Dansereau a statement of accounts, which, having been received, experts were appointed to compare the books with the invoices. They reported that, on the whole, the prices charged for the books were reasonable. Latterly, however, charges have been made of double invoices, but even if this be the case, the present Government cannot be blamed, since it has always held Mr. Dansereau to a strict account of his stewardship, and will compel him to acquit himself of his entire obligations to the full extent which law and justic demand. It may be surmised chat, oon- r 'W 36 sidering the position ho linB taken in tho matter and the feeling ho entertains towurds Mr. DannoroHU, iv Mr. Mkrcieb had INFORMATION OF ANY CRIMINAL IRREUL'LARITY, SUCH AS HAH BEEN BROADLY HINTED AT, UE SURELY WOULD NOT^AVE HESITATED TO PLACE IN THE HANDS OF THE AUTHORITIES 8UCU INFORMATION AS WOULD HAVE LED TO THE VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF TUl PUBLIC. MB. CHABLEBOIS* CLAIMS. Considerable clamoui* having been raised in connection with the contract with Mr. Clmrlebois for the consstruction of tho Parliamentary Buildings at Quobot, and Mr. Morcier having de- clai'ed in his place in tho House that the late All*. Mousseau had in etl'ect sold the contract, a long and exhaustive inquiry was entered upon by Commission appointed by the Legislative Assembly, from which it resulted that there was no proof of Mr. Mercior's state- ments. The testimony, indeed, went to show that, on the conti'ary, everything possible had been done in the interest of the public. Moreover, the Commission fully inquied into the allegations made by the leader of tho Opposition in ivgai-d to the arrange- ments made with the contractor for furnishing and preparing temporally sessional accommodation in the then uncompleted building, and emphatically declared that neither Mr. Mousseau nor the Koss Government had unduly favoured the contJ'actor. Neither of these reports, when submitted to the House, WERE ATTACKED BY Mr. MeRCIER, WHO APPEARED TO PREFER APPEALING TO THE PEOPLE, WHO WERE NOT POSTED AS TO THE PACTS, AND UPON WHOM HE HAS SOUGHT TO IMPOSE BY THE AID OF HIS VOLUBILITY AND EXTREME ASSERTIVENESS. Upon a variety of minor matters the OpiX)sition has exhausted its energies and ingenuity in the attempt to trump up charges, but these, like those which have been enumerated, have fallen with the weight of their own inconsequence and the lack of the p' ™8 by which they should— to be successful — have been sup- p.