674 



ONTARIO. 



mained in the province 22,277, against 27,119 

 in 1883, while 58,489 went to the United States. 

 The nationalities of the settlers in the province 

 were as follow: English, 11,526; Irish, 3,781 ; 

 Scotch, 2,623; German, 1,718; Scandinavian, 

 259; Swiss, 30; Icelanders, 71; Americans, 

 964 ; other nationalities, 1,814. 



Farmers' Institutes. During the winter of 

 1884-'85 the Farmers' Institutes inaugurated by 

 the Provincial Government were well attended. 

 The farmers met for the discussion of practi- 

 cal questions in connection with farming, and 

 were addressed by lecturers employed by the 

 Provincial Government. 



Ton-ens Land System. The Ontario Legislature 

 made this year a very cautious trial of the ad- 

 mirable system of land transfer originated in 

 Australia by Sir Robert Torrens (recently de- 

 ceased), and now in operation in all the Aus- 

 tralian colonies, Tasmania, New Zealand, and 

 British Columbia. As an experiment, the Legis- 

 lature decided to apply the system for the pres- 

 ent only to the city of Toronto and the county 

 of York. The Premier, in introducing his bill 

 to simplify the transfer of land, said its pur- 

 pose was to make the transfer of land as sim- 

 ple as the transfer of bank-stock, and the title 

 of the holder as free from danger or difficulty 

 as ordinarily the title of the holder of bank- 

 stock is to the shares he holds. The act pro- 

 vides for the establishment of a land registry 

 under the control of an officer to be known as 

 the Master of Titles. All land transactions may 

 be registered. A title may be registered as 

 absolute or possessory. If an absolute title is 

 required, the applicant will not be registered as 

 the owner of the fee simple unless the title is 

 approved by the Master of Titles. The first 

 registration of a person as owner of any land 

 with an absolute title will vest in that person 

 an estate in fee simple in the land, subject to 

 any incumbrances entered on the register. It 

 a possessory title is required, the applicant will 

 be registered as owner of the fee simple on 

 giving such evidence of title as may be pre- 

 scribed. The registration of any person as first 

 registered owner of land, with a possessory 

 title only, will not affect the enforcement of any 

 estate, right, or interest adverse to or in dero- 

 gation of the title, either subsisting or capable 

 of rising at the time of registration. Should it 

 appear to the Master of Titles that an absolute 

 title to land sought to be registered can only 

 be established for a limited period or subject 

 to reservations, he may, on the application of 

 the person applying to be registered as owner, 

 except from the effect of registration any es- 

 tate, right, or interest arising before a specified 

 date, or arising under a special instrument, or 

 otherwise particularly described in the register. 

 A title granted under such conditions is to be 

 called a qualified title. The Master of Titles 

 must give to the first registered owner a " land 

 certificate," and this certificate must say wheth- 

 er the title of the owner is " absolute," " quali- 

 fied," or " possessory." An insurance fund is 



created to indemnify persons that suffer loss 

 through misdescription, omission, or other er- 

 ror in any certificate of title or in any entry 

 on the register. The fund is provided by 

 levying a tax of a quarter of one per cent, on 

 the value of the land on the first certificate of 

 title being granted, in addition to registration 

 fees. Any question as to the liability of the 

 fund for compensation is to be determined by 

 the Master of Titles. 



Extension of the Franchise. A franchise act 

 was passed by the Provincial Legislature. 

 Formerly the franchise was exercised by 

 owners, occupants, or tenants of real estate 

 assessed upon a value of $400 in cities or $300 

 in incorporated villages or townships, and per- 

 sons in the enjoyment of a taxed income of 

 $400. The new act reduces the real-estate 

 qualification to a yearly value, not necessarily 

 assessed, of $200 in cities and towns, and $100 

 in incorporated villages and townships. The 

 income qualification is reduced to $300, and 

 the proviso that it shall be taxed income is 

 abolished. People can only vote now in the 

 district in which they are actually resident. 

 Landholders' sons are also enfranchised. 



Redistribution of Seats* An important redis- 

 tribution act was also passed. The Opposition 

 claim that it is a "gerrymander" pure and 

 simple. The Government claim that the prin- 

 ciples upon which the act was based were: 

 1. Not to increase the membership of the 

 House except for the representation of the 

 new territory acquired by the settlement of 

 the disputed boundary claim. 2. Not to break 

 down boundaries unnecessarily. 3. Not to 

 divide townships. 4. To move in the direc- 

 tion of equalization. 



Niagara Falls Restoration. For many years 

 past the condition of Niagara Falls on the Ca- 

 nadian side, as on the American side, has been 

 most unsatisfactory. The action of the State 

 of New York in opening a national park on 

 the American side this year made the neg- 

 lect of the authorities on the Canadian side 

 more conspicuous than ever. The Ontario 

 Government was not disposed to emulate the 

 New York Government ; but a company being 

 organized to undertake the work of restora- 

 tion, the Government promised its support, 

 and a bill was introduced to incorporate the 

 Niagara Falls Restoration Company. The 

 company proposed to acquire the strip of land 

 along the bank of the river, from a point about 

 500 yards above the Burning Spring to a point 

 about 700 yards below the Clifton House, and 

 from the water's edge to the brow of the up- 

 per plateau beyond the river-bank, and to in- 

 clude the Cedar and Clark Hill Islands. ' 

 was to be made into a park, to be thrown open 

 to the public free forever. A light electric 

 railway was to be constructed near the water s 

 edge, to convey visitors to the rapids, and f 

 low tariff of charges for this and similar serv 

 ices was prescribed. The names of the pro 

 moters were a guarantee that the affair was a 



