644 



NOVA SCOTIA. 





for the wants of the country, and the Domin- 

 ion Parliament has added 50 to 55 per cent, to 

 the 15 per cent, and appropriated the whole 

 to its own purposes. The memorial declares 

 that additional revenue is an absolute neces- 

 sity for Nova Scotia, and that the people will 

 not submit to direct taxation while they believe 

 that if justice were done to the province it 

 would have sufficient revenue for its local 

 wants. Complaint is made of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment appropriating to the general purposes 

 of the Dominion the amount received from the 

 United States under the fishery award. Final- 

 ly, the memorial demands that, as the taxation 

 of the country has increased 50 per cent, since 

 confederation, the provincial subsidy should be 

 increased in the same proportion. 



On Feb. 24 Mr. Fraser introduced the fol- 

 lowing resolution in the Assembly : 



Whereas, The financial and commercial condition 

 of Nova Scotia is in a very unsatisfactory state : where- 

 as, it is evident that the terms of the British North 

 America Act, combined with the Canadian tariff and 

 fiscal laws, are the principal causes contributing to 

 this unsatisfactory state of the finances and trade of 

 the province ; whereas, there is no prospect that, while 

 the province remains upon the present terms or union 

 as a member of the Canadian Federation, anv improve- 

 ment in the foregoing respect is at all possible ; where- 

 as, it seems evident that the interests of the people 

 of the several maritime provinces, now incorporated 

 with Canada, are in most respects identical ; therefore, 



Resolved, That this branch of the Legislature of 

 Nova Scotia is of the opinion, and hereby declares the 

 belief, that the interests of the people or Nova Scotia, 

 New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island would be 

 advanced by withdrawing from the Canadian Federa- 

 tion and uniting undergone government; and it is 

 further 



Resolved, That, if the governments of New Bruns- 

 wick and Prince Edward Island and the people there- 

 of be found unwilling to withdraw from the Canadian 

 Confederation for the purpose of forming^ a union of 

 the maritime provinces, then tbis Assembly deems it 

 absolutely necessary that Nova Scotia, in order that 

 its railways and other public works and services 'may 

 be extended and maintained as the requirements of 

 the people need tbem, its industries and properties 

 protected, its commerce invigorated and expanded, 

 and its financial interests placed upon a sound basis, 

 the same as was the case previous to confederation, 

 should withdraw from the union and return to the 

 status of a province of Great Britain, with full control 

 over all fiscal laws and tariif regulations within the 

 province, such as prevailed before 1867 ; and further 



Resolved, That the government of Nova Scotia will, 

 after the prorogation of the Legislature, take prelimi- 

 nary action for the purpose of facilitating tbe wish of 

 the Assembly by entering into negotiations with the 

 governments of New Brunswick and Prince Edward 

 Island, in order that tbe Legislature of Nova Scotia 

 may be fully advised during its next session, and be 

 thereby enabled to place this vital and important ques- 

 tion before the people at the approaching elections for 

 decision at the polls. 



On a subsequent day Mr. Fielding, the Pre- 

 mier, while approving most of the arguments 



in favor of the repeal movement, asked his 

 supporters to defer passing the resolution until 

 a settlement of the ''better-terms" question 

 pending at Ottawa. He moved in amend- 

 ment " that all the words after l whereas ' be 

 omitted, and the following be inserted in place 

 thereof": 



Previous to the union of the provinces, the province 

 of Nova Scotia was in a most healthy financial condi- 

 tion. Whereas strong objections were taken at the 

 time of the union to the financial terms thereof relat- 

 ing to the province of Nova Scotia, as being wholly 

 inadequate to meet the requirements of the various 

 services left under the management of the Provincial 

 Parliament ; and whereas, after seventeen years under 

 the union, successive governments have 'found that 

 the objections which were urged against the terms of 

 the union at first apply with greater force now than in 

 tbe first year of the union, and the feeling of discon- 

 tent, with regard to the financial arrangement, is now 

 more general and more deeply fixed than ever before ; 

 and whereas, these facts have been brought to the 

 notice of his Excellency the Governor-General and the 

 Federal ministry by an address unanimously passed 

 by the Legislative Council and tbe House of Assem- 

 bly, and also by the representations of a delegation 

 from the provincial government without satisfactory 

 results up to this time-; therefore, 



Resolved, Tbat, if tbe Government and Parliament 

 of Canada fail to make provision during the present 

 session to place the province of Nova Scotia in a bet- 

 ter financial position in the union, this house affirms 

 that it will be necessary to consider the advisability 

 of taking steps to secure a severance of the political 

 connection between the province and the Dominion 

 of Canada. 



Both the main motion and the amendment 

 were opposed by the Opposition. The latter 

 was carried. The Dominion Parliament did 

 not deal with the question of the Nova Scotia 

 subsidies at this session. 



The Franchise. A bill to extend the franchise 

 was passed. Under the old law the qualifica- 

 tion required was assessment upon real estate 

 to the value of $150, or on real and personal 

 or personal property alone to the amount of 

 $300. The bill extends the franchise to the 

 sons of all persons assessed as far as the amount 

 assessed will give each the required property 

 qualification. An amendment to extend the 

 franchise to unmarried women with the same 

 property qualification as men, was defeated by 

 a majority of one vote. 



Fisheries. The Nova Scotia fishermen held 

 meeting, and passed a resolution requesting th 

 Dominion Government and Parliament to take 

 steps to secure a reciprocity treaty with tl 

 United States, and, in tbe event of such a prop- 

 osition not being entertained by the Govern- 

 ment at Washington, that the revenues 

 Canada be pledged, and the assistance of Eng- 

 land asked, to such an extent as may be nec( 

 sary to protect the resident fishermen in their 

 rights within the three-mile limit. 



