1 DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. 

 ISCIPLES OF CHRIST. The General 

 ventions of the Disciples of Christ the Gen- 

 eral Christian Missionary Convention, the Chris- 

 tian Foreign Missionary Convention, and the 

 Woman's Christian Board of Missions met at 

 Des Moines, Iowa, in October. The contribu- 

 tions to the funds of the Foreign Missionary 

 Society for the year amounted to $63,109, or 

 $5,820 more than in the previous year. The re- 

 port showed that the expenses of managing the 

 work were less than 6 per cent, of the gross re- 

 ceipts. Mr. 0. A. Bartholomew presided over the 

 meeting of the General Christian Missionary 

 Convention, and Mr. D. R. Ewing was chosen 

 president for the coming year. Delegates were 

 appointed to represent the convention in the 

 Interstate American Sabbath Union of Minne- 

 sota, Iowa, North and South Dakota, and Kan- 

 sas, and others to represent it in the National 

 American Sabbath Union, provided the basis of 

 the Union were so amended as to read : " The 

 object of this Union shall be to preserve the 

 Lord's Day as a day of rest divinely appointed, 

 by holding public meetings, circulating litera- 

 ture, securing execution of laws, obtaining new 

 laws, and maintaining a law-abiding and Lord's- 

 Dav-keeping sentiment." The total resources 

 for the year of the Christian Woman's Board of 

 Missions had been $53,114, and its expenditures 

 $43.931. The year's receipts for the Church Ex- 

 tension fund had been upward of $15.000. The 

 secretary of the society had dedicated thirty- 

 two churches, toward the cost of which he had 

 raised more than $65,000. A committee was 

 appointed to call a National Convention of the 

 Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor 

 of the Disciples of Christ. 



DOMINION OF CANADA. Parliament. 

 The fourth session of the Sixth Parliament 

 opened on Jan. 16, 1880. The Governor-Gen- 

 eral, Lord Stanley, of Preston, read the follow- 

 ing speech from the throne : 



Honorable Gentlemen of the Senate : Gentlemen of 

 the House of Commons : 'in calling you together again 

 for the consideration of public affairs, I may fairly 

 congratulate you on a continuance of the progress and 

 prosperity of the country. During the recess I visited 

 Manitoba and the Northwest Territories and British 

 Columbia, and everywhere I found myself received 

 with the loyalty and good will which. I have learned 

 to be characteristic of Canada. A comparison of my 

 own observations with those of my predecessors shows 

 clearly the great progress which has marked this part 

 of the Dominion in the settlement of the country and 

 in the development of its great agricultural capabili- 

 ties, of its mineral wealth, and of its other natural 

 resources. 



In consequence of the repeated seizures, by cruisers 

 of the United States navy, of Canadian vessels, while 

 employed in the capture of seals in that part of the 

 northern Pacific Ocean known as Behring Sea, my 

 Government has strongly represented to Her Majes- 

 ty's ministers the necessity of protecting our ship- 

 ping while engaged in their lawful calling, as well as 

 of guarding against the assumption by any nation of 

 exclusive proprietary rights in those waters. I feel 

 confident that those representations have had due 

 weight, and I hope to be enabled during the present 

 session to assure you that all differences on this 

 question are in the course of satisfactory adjustment. 



Having observed the close attention which has re- 

 cently been given by the imperial authorities, and on 

 the Continent of Europe, to the improvement in the 

 methods of catching, curing, and packing fish, I 

 deemed it expedient to cause a commission to be sent 



' VOL. xxx. 17 A 



DOMINION OF CANADA. 257 



to Scotland and Holland to examine and report upon 

 this subject during the fishing season. The report of 

 the delegates will be laid before you ; it will, I am 

 sure, give our fishermen most valuable information 

 and instruction as to the best means of improving and 

 developing this important industry. 



My ministers have carefully considered the difficul- 

 ties which surround the administration of the rights 

 of the Dominion in its foreshores, harbors, lakes, and 

 rivers, and a measure will be submitted to you 

 for removing uncertainty as to the respective rights 

 of the Dominion and of the provinces, and for pre- 

 venting confusion in the titles thereto. 



The report of the Royal Commission on Labor, 

 which was laid before you during the last session, 

 has been distributed throughout the country. I have 

 reason to believe that the information which it con- 

 tains will be found eminently useful in suggesting 

 improvements in the administration of the laws which 

 affect the working classes. Measures tor the amend- 

 ments of these laws, so far as they come within the 

 jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada, will be sub- 

 mitted for your consideration. 



The early termination of the acts of incorporation 

 of the principal banking institutions of the Dominion 

 necessitates a review of our present system of banking 

 and an adjustment of the terms under which the char- 

 ters of these corporations should be renewed. Your 

 attention will be drawn to this important subject. 



Certain amendments to the acts relating to the 

 Northwest Territories, calculated to facilitate the ad- 

 ministration of affairs in that region, as also a bill 

 further to promote the efficiency of the Northwest 

 mounted police, will be submitted for your consider- 

 ation. 



Measures will be laid before you relating to bills of 

 exchange and promissory notes, to improve the laws 

 respecting patents of invention and discovery, to 

 amend the Adulteration act, and the law respecting 

 the Inland Eevenue, to amend also the act respecting 

 the Geological and Natural History Survey of Can- 

 ada, and to provide for the better organization of the 

 national printing establishment. 



Gentlemen of the House of Commons : The accounts 

 for the past year will be laid before you. It will be 

 found that the estimates of revenue have been real- 

 ized, and that, after having fully provided for the 

 various public services of the country, a substantial 

 surplus will remain. The estimates for next year 

 have been framed with a due regard to the require- 

 ments of the public service. 



Honorable Gentlemen of the Senate : Gentlemen of 

 the House of Commons : I commit these weighty mat- 

 ters, and all others which may come before you, to 

 your earnest consideration. And I rely upon your 

 wisdom and prudence to deal with, them in the man- 

 ner which, under divine Providence, may prove 

 most conducive to the happiness and prosperity of 

 Canada. 



The Budget. The Finance Minister, Mr. 

 Foster, delivered his budget speech on March 27. 

 The revenue for the financial year ending June 

 30, 1889, was shown to be $38,782,870, and the 

 expenditure $36,917,834. The revenue from cus- 

 toms was 7-g- per cent, higher than in the preced- 

 ing year, and from excise 13f per cent higher. 

 The expenditure on capital account was $8,783,- 

 126, divided as follows: Railways and canals, 

 $3,682,774; public works, $575,408; Dominion 

 lands, $130,684; Northwest rebellion, $31,448; 

 redemption of debt, $3,516,091 ; railway subsi- 

 dies, $846,721. The net debt, July 1, 1889, was 

 $237,530,041, showing a net addition for the year 

 of $2,998,683. The increase during the preced- 

 ing year was $7.217,000. For the current year 

 the minister estimated the revenue at $39,200,- 

 000, and the expenditure at $36,500,000. Glanc- 

 ing at the history of the Dominion since confed- 



