NOVA SCOTIA. 1'UoVIXCK OF. 



541 



1896 for 32. Prairie fires, though still exten 

 have nut apparently been so serious in re.su! 1 

 during 1895. although the luxurious growth of hay 

 jintl grass may vet prove disastrous in many dis- 

 tricts. The mounted-police force has rendered very 

 great service in endeavoring to reduce Mich dam- 

 to a minimum, and the report received from 

 Commissioner llerchmer furnishes information with 

 reference to the prairies fires and the localities in 

 which they have taken place. A machine, for ex- 

 tinguishing these fires is Wing tested." 



Politics and (Government. The executive or 

 ministry of the Territories consists of F. W. G. Haul- 

 tain, the Premier, and Hillyard .Mitchell, J. II. 

 l;. ss, and J. K. Xeff. On Sept. 30. !*!.>. Mr. Haul- 

 tain introduced a measure in the Legislature to 

 amend the school system in the direction of simpli- 

 fication, which was carried after a prolonged dis- 

 cussion. On Oct. 8 a committee was appointed to 

 draft a memorial to the Dominion Government, ask- 

 ing for better financial terms and an increased sub- 

 sidy from the Federal power, and for a clearer defi- 

 nition of the relations existing between the local 

 and Dominion authorities. It was carried unani- 

 mously, though the debate that followed upon the 

 framing of the memorial itself showed much dissat- 

 isfaction with existing conditions and indicated 

 that the nominal rights of self-government pos- 

 i by the Territories were in reality very greatly 

 restricted in practice. In dealing with the pro- 

 , railway through the mountains connecting 

 the Canadian Pacific Railway and the territories 

 with the gold-mining country of the Kootenay in 

 British Columbia, the following resolution was 

 unanimously carried : 



" That the House takes the liberty to draw the 

 attention of the Federal Government to the im- 

 perative necessity for immediate construction of 

 the Crow's Xest Railway. 



" That unless this is done the trade of the Koote- 

 nay district may be permanently deflected into 

 American channels. 



" That the Crow's Xest pass contains large areas 

 of bituminous and cannel coals of a coking quality. 



"That with these valuable coals the erection of 

 smelters and refineries may be expected to follow. 



" That the existence of' this railway will at least 

 permit these Territories to compete with eastern 

 Washington in the supply of the necessarily large 

 amount of food products required in the mining 

 regions of southeastern British Columbia. 



Finance. Premier Haultain introduced his 

 budget on Oct. 20.1896. The expenditure had been 

 kept within the revenue, but only by economizing in 

 directions that really required expenditure, which 

 he believed called loudly for Dominion help. The 

 estimates of expenditure for 1896-'9? included 

 15,500 for salaries of members of the Legislature, 

 *l'i.808 for the construction and improvement of 

 bridges, $164,000 for schools and education, $7,500 

 for printing, etc., **.:<>(} for hospitals, $7,000 for 

 liquor-license service, and $4,834 for improvements 

 to public works. The estimated revenue included 

 the Dominion grant of $242.879, and amounted to 

 $400,000. which about covered the expected expendi- 

 ture. These figures seem small in comparison with 

 the extent of territory, but the total population is 

 not more than 100,000". 



XOVA SCOTIA, PROVINCE OF. Govern- 

 ment and Legislation. Owing to the change in 

 the Canadian ministry during 1896 many of the 

 Liberal leaders in the" provinces left for a wider 

 sphere of work in the Dominion Cabinet. Among 

 them was W. S. Fielding, who for many years had 

 been Premier of Xova Scotia. The local ministry 

 was therefore reconstituted as follows on July 20 : 

 Premier and Provincial Secretary, George H. Mur- 



ray : Attorney-General. J. W. 



.-ioiier df Works and Mini-. ('. K. Church; mem- 

 ber- without oilier. William Roche. T. .],,!; 

 A. II. Corneau. A. MrGillivray. T. K. Black. Mean- 

 while the Legislature had been called together -n 

 .Ian. !. when the speech read by the Lieutenant 

 nior contained the following"] ; 



" Although the year just clo.-ed has not been one 

 of marked prosperity, there ha- been a fair <i. 

 of progress in our province. It is to b, 

 that our fishing industry in some quarters failed 

 to yield satisfactory returns. Mining operations 

 were carried on with considerable vigor, but. owing 

 to a limited demand for our coal, the ontpu: 

 somewhat less than that of the previous year. 

 Happily the labors of the husbandmen, the Ian 

 class of our people, were rewarded by an abundant 

 harvest. I have observed with much satisfaction 

 the organization of the Provincial Farmers' Asso- 

 ciation, under an act passed at your la>t session. 



" I am happy to be able to report the vigorous 

 prosecution of work on the new line of railway 

 from Yarmouth eastward. In the case of the other 

 railway enterprises which have recently received 

 encouragement under our legislation, no substan- 

 tial progress has been made. 



" The continued good work of the Victoria Gen- 

 eral Hospital is a source of much satisfaction to all 

 who are interested in the treatment of the sick. 

 I have noticed with pleasure several movements for 

 extending the hospital accommodation of the prov- 

 ince by the establishment of local institutions. I 

 invite you to consider the advisability of giving 

 these local hospitals some recognition and assist- 

 ance." 



The house adjourned on Feb. 15 after passing 

 many bills, among which were the following : 



To incorporate the Midland Railway Company. 



To amend the law respecting public instruction. 



To incorporate the Canadian Atlantic Cold 

 Storage Company. 



To incorporate the Canso and Louisburg Rail- 

 way Company. 



Respecting the adoption of children. 



To incorporate the Atlantic and Inland Railway 

 Company of Xova Scotia. 



To encourage the establishment of local hos- 

 pitals. 



To incorporate the Home Fire and Marine In- 

 surance Company. 



To amend chap, ii of the act of 1895 entitled 

 " An Act respecting the sale of intoxicating liq- 

 uors." 



To provide a subsidy to the Xova Scotia Steel 

 Company. 



To prevent the spread of diseases affecting fruit 

 trees. 



To incorporate the Halifax and Guysborough 

 Railway Company. 



To amend and consolidate the acts for the 

 preservation of game. 



To provide for an annual provincial exhibition. 



Finances. The estimated revenue for the year 

 ending Sept. 30, 1896. was as follows : Dominion 

 subsidy and allowances. $432.M1 : royalty for mines, 

 $275.000; Crown lands, $21,000 ; Hospital for In- 

 sane, $50,000; succession duTie-. s::o.000 : postal 

 subsidy, $14,500 ; miscellaneous, $23,153 : total. 

 $846.4i34. 



The estimated expenditure was as follows : Agri- 

 culture, $19.000: education, $244.000: legislation. 

 $48.000 ; public works and mines, $34,000 : public 

 charities. $121.000: public printing. $10.000 : steam- 

 boats, etc.. $38.581: roads and bridges. $100. ' 

 debenture interest. interest. $11.500; 



W. and A. Railway. $14.500 : miscellaneous. $">.V 

 516; salaries, $22,450: total. s;<45.911. 



