YUKON, TERRITORY OF. 



787 



$54,098 from timber dues; $482,099 from customs. 

 The total, including various miscellaneous items, 

 was $1,753,370. 



Reforms. On Aug. 14 the Earl and Countess 

 of Minto arrived at Dawson City on a vice-regal 

 tour. A voluminous memorial, presented to his 

 Excellency by the Citizens' Committee, set forth 

 at length the position and troubles of the popula- 

 tion and their requirements 

 and complaints against the 

 Government. The summary 

 and conclusion of this docu- 

 ment were as follow: 



" Wherefore your peti- 

 tioners pray that your Ex- 

 cellency will take means to 

 bring before your advisers 

 and the Parliament of Can- 

 ada: 



" 1. The necessity for im- 

 mediately doing away with. 

 or at least greatly reducing, 

 the present royalty tax on 

 gold mined in the Yukon 

 Territory. 



" 2. The necessity of pre- 

 paring roads and bridges 

 and affording free means of 

 communication within the 

 Yukon Territory. 



" 3. The necessity of open- 

 ing for location to free 

 miners parts of the Yukon 

 Territory owned by the 

 Government which are fit 

 for placer mining. 



" 4. The necessity for re- 

 ducing the present fees for 

 free miners' certificates and 

 for recording and renewing 

 placer-mining claims. 



" 5. The necessity for al- 

 tering the hydraulic-mining 

 regulations so as to secure 

 for the free miner the right 

 to locate, record, and work 

 any ground which is fit for 

 placer mining, whether cov- 

 ered by a concession or not. 



" 6. The adoption and en- 

 forcement of such mining 

 regulations as will encour- 

 age to the utmost the pros- 

 pector first, the miner sec- 

 ond, and the investor third, 

 and throw open the country 

 for the fullest and freest de- 

 velopment. 



" 7. The necessity of grant- 

 ing representation to the 

 people of the Yukon by at 



least two members in the House of Commons 

 of Canada. 



" 8. A legislative council wholly elected by the 

 citizens of the Yukon Territory. 



" 9. The necessity of putting the liquor trade of 

 this territory under such regulations as to subject 

 it to the laws of trade and insure commercial 

 freedom. 



" 10. Establishment of proper courts and a court 

 of appeal in and for the Yukon Territory. 



" 11. The necessity of securing or establishing 

 a free British port of entry on the western coast 

 of America within reach of the head waters of 

 the Yukon river, in order to encourage the trade 

 and commerce between the Yukon Territory and 

 the other portions of the Dominion of Canada." 



Lord Minto answered : " As the constitutional 

 representative of her Majesty, you are well auan: 

 that I have no direct voice in the legislative affairs 

 of the Dominion; but I must say that I believe 

 I shall be able to make such suggestions as a 

 result of this visit that great good to the country 

 will accrue therefrom." The Dawson Board of 

 Trade, on July 17, had passed the following: 



PANNING ON THE ELDORADO. 



" Whereas, the Yukon Territory is without rep- 

 resentation in the House of Commons of Canada 

 and is administered by officials of the Government 

 of Canada; and whereas, the wishes and intercuts 

 of the people of the Yukon Territory are not rep- 

 resented in any parliamentary or legislative body 

 making laws or regulations for the governing of 

 the Yukon Territory : and whereas, the develop- 

 ment of the Yukon Territory is dependent upon 

 the development of the mining industry in said 

 territory, and the discovery of rich mining areas 

 converts what has hitherto been wasted and value- 

 less portions of this territory into great resources 

 of wealth, not only to this territory but the Do- 

 minion of Canada as a whole: and whereas, the 

 greatness of the resources of the Yukon Territory 



