ONTARIO. 



OREGON. 



645 



The exports of home produce and manufact- 

 ure for the same period were as follow : 



Legislation. The sixth Legislature of the 

 province met for its first session on Feb. 10, 

 1887, the Mowatt Government (Liberal) being 

 supported by a majority of about 22. The 

 Hon. Jacob Baxter, member for Haldimand, 

 was elected Speaker. The following resolution 

 was adopted by the Legislative Assembly : 



That in tlie opinion of this House it is unjust to 

 other classes of the community who are taxed on their 

 incomes that the salaries of officials holding office un- 

 der the Government of Canada should be exempt from 

 municipal taxation, and this House regrets that the 

 Dominion Parliament, in the exercise of its jurisdic- 

 tion under the B. N. A. Act, has not passed any act 

 placing, or purporting to place, such salaries on the 

 same footing in that respect as this Legislature has 

 placed the salaries of officials holding office under the 

 Provincial Government. 



An act was passed to amend the provincial 

 law of libel (Revised Statutes of Ontario, Ch. 

 56, Sec. 4). The act provides that no action 

 for libel shall lie, unless the plaintiff has given 

 the defendant written notice complaining of 

 the libel ; and damages are restricted to actual 

 damages, provided the article complained of is 

 published in good faith ; if there is reasonable 

 erround for believing it was for the public bene- 

 fit; if it did not involve a criminal charge; if 

 the publication took place in mistake or mis- 

 apprehension of facts, and if a full and fair re- 

 tractation is made within three days after the 

 receipt of the plaintiff's notice, in as conspicu- 

 ous a place and type as the article complained 

 of. The provisions of this act are not to apply 

 to a libel against any candidate for public office 

 in the province, unless the retractation is made 

 five days before the election. Reports of pub- 

 lic meetings are privileged, and also reports of 

 proceedings in courts of justice, unless defend- 

 ant has refused to publish a reasonable letter 

 of explanation by plaintiff. Defendants may, 

 under certain circumstances, demand security 

 for costs, and unless otherwise directed by a 

 judge, a libel suit must be entered in the county 

 wherein the chief office of the newspaper or 

 the residence of the plaintiff is situated. 



An act was passed exempting from seizure, 

 under any writ in respect of which the province 

 has legislative authority, the bedding and wear- 

 ing-apparel of the debtor and his family. Also 

 furniture specified, not exceeding in value $150 ; 

 fuel and provisions for the family for thirty 

 days, not exceeding $40 in value; one cow, 

 six sheep, four hogs, and twelve hens, not ex- 

 ceeding $75 in value; food therefor for thirty 

 days, and one dog. Also the tools, chattels, 

 or implements used in the debtor's occupation, 



to the value of $100 ; and bees to the extent of 

 fifteen hives. 



Acts were also passed appointing commis- 

 sioners for the " Queen Victoria Niagara Falls 

 Park," etc., extending the provisions of the 

 Land Titles Act (Torrens System) to any 

 county, city, or town, if adopted by the mu- 

 nicipal council thereof; and providing for the 

 federation of the University of Toronto and 

 University College with other universities and 

 colleges in the province. 



OREGON. State Government. The following 

 were the State officers during the year : Gov- 

 ernor, Sylvester Pennoyer ; Secretary of State, 

 Auditor, and Lieutenant-Governor ex officio, 

 George W. McBride ; Treasurer, George W. 

 Webb ; Superintendent of Public Instruction, 

 E. B. McElroy ; Chief -Justice of the Supreme 

 Court, William P. Lord ; Associate Justices, 

 William W. Thayer and R. 8. Strahan. Ex- 

 cept the Governor and Justice Strahan these 

 officers are all Republicans. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature was in 

 session through January and February. It 

 passed an act redistricting the State for its 

 own members, an act creating a railroad com- 

 mission of two members, with power to inves- 

 tigate and regulate the management of rail- 

 roads and to enforce the laws relating to 

 them, and resolutions proposing three consti- 

 tutional amendments to be voted upon in No- 

 vember. These amendments, which were first 

 proposed at the session of 1885, are given be- 

 low with the vote thereon. The appropria- 

 tions include $30,000 for finishing and furnish- 

 ing the State Capitol, $55,550 for additions and 

 repairs at the Insane Asylum, $150,000 for 

 current expenses of the asylum, and $89,480 

 for general expenses of the State Prison. A 

 compulsory school bill was vetoed by the Gov- 

 ernor. Other acts were as follow : 



Authorizing county courts to build armories in cit- 

 ies of over 10,000 inhabitants and to provide for the 

 use thereof. 



Requiring publication of reports of county finances. 



Settling the title to, and the method of sale- of, 

 swamp and overflowed lands held by the State. 



Denning the duties of directors of school-districts 

 and of district clerks. 



Providing for the appointment of a State Fish Com- 

 mission to preserve and propagate salmon and other 

 food-fishes. 



Kefunding to the counties taxes paid by them on 

 account of a tax on mortgages assessed by the State, 

 which tax has been declared illegal. 



To prevent frauds in obtaining registration of cat- 

 tle and other animals, and to puuisli giving false pedi- 

 grees. 



To protect live-stock and to compel railroads to pay 

 for stock killed or injured on any unfenced railroad 

 track. 



Providing a method of procedure for ascertaining 

 and establishing disputed boundary -lines. 



Authorizing county courts to construct county 

 roads. 



Defining vagrancy and providing a punishment 

 therefor. 



Creating the office of recorder of conveyances in the 

 counties of Linn, Manon, Washington, and Yamhill. 



Declaring that the irreducible school fund <>f the 

 State shall consist of proceeds from the sale of the 



