\. I'KOVINCK OP. 



admi: f that important institution. Their 



you. 



way Company, with whom a 

 contract had been made for a n irrow-gauge rail- 

 way, have applied during the 

 in the terms of the contract whereby they could 

 const: ige railway and obtain the 



usual sub f $3,200 per m 



tract has acc -i eon entered into on that 



basfo, which will be *ubn 



procrreei has been made in the oonftmotfon f 



*d during the past year. The ..th. 

 companies which were either under conn.. 

 4ng to construct lines of railway in ditv 

 part* of the province have made no substantial 

 projrrras in the work of const met ion. 



..- diflicuity in disposing of the excessive 

 fruit crop during the past season has called >; 



-torage, which is 



becoming an im|Mirtant element in the agricultural 

 and li-iuni: industries of the country, is being 

 largely adopted in other countries, and is rec- 



.ragement from the Federal Government. 1 

 QtiOD to the subject, with a view of 

 ..d vantages of a sys- 

 n vitally important to its various industries. 



subject of land titles has been engaging 

 the attention of the governments of var 



r -.-me veara past. The desirability of hav- 

 ing land held by the most certain tenure and upon 

 easy terms of transfer has been recognized as a 

 matter of the greatest importance. A measure has 

 been prepared looking to the introduction of the 

 system of the r. . of land titles. 



tie subject of the probate court, which en- 

 gaged your attention at the last session of the 

 Legislature, will be again submitted to you in the 

 form of a measure looking to changes and reforms 

 in the administration of estates. 



Mong other measures to be submitted will be 

 amendment* in relation to the mining laws; a 

 i the act relating to succession duties, 

 whereby reciprocity is to be obtained with the Im- 

 perial Government" in resect to property of Nova 

 .mate in Great Britain, and of prop- 

 erty of the inhabitants of the I'nited Kingdom situ- 

 ate* in Nova Scotia; and a measure touching the 

 road and bridge sen 



During the session, on March 1. a joint address 

 of the Legislative Council and H-u-e of A embly 

 va Scotia to the Queen was passed amid much 

 iasm. 



The Legislature adjourned on March 1 after 

 using many measures, of which the following 

 were th-- m..-i important : 

 To am.-nd the judicature act. 

 To incorporate the Dominion Kastern Railway 



any. limited. 

 Respecting the magistracy. 



incorporate the Cape *Bret on Iron Company, 

 limited. 



.itable Savings' Loan and 

 Building A-^H-i;. 

 To amend the law respecting mines and mine 



;-. viii of the acts of 1896 entitled 

 prevent the spread of diseases affecting 

 fruit trees." 



porate the Touquoy Gold Mining Com- 

 . limited. 



the Maritime Young Men's Chris- 

 tian AsJWH'l.. 



To amend the game act of 1896. 



To incorpont , ,,tal Gold Mining and 



Development Company, li;; 



To revive and amend chap, r-xlii "f the a< 

 1889 entitled -An A. : t . orporate the 

 Scotia Mining and Prospecting Company, limited." 



To amend rporation act. lvr>. 



:ant iiiLT of aid toward provid- 

 ing cold storage for agricultural and . th.-r pr>d 



:ielid the 1 i. |Uor-lice!i-' act of 1895. 



limited. 



Mc.irporate the Dominion (iranitc Coin: 



limit 



ng the Golden Group Mining 



using boarding houses for in- 

 fants under twelve years of age, 



'I'-- amend an act to in. | he North 



mpaiiy. limited. 



To inc<,rporate the Cow Bay Cold Mining Coin- 

 nan v. limit. d. 



WWB held on Ap: i the 



government of Hon. (',. II. Murray was Mi-taincd 

 by an innnen-M' majority. Tin- Coner\ 



. \screalmost annihilated politically 

 only four being rdnnied to the provincial I 

 lature. The main \ nteil by the <j.p<.-i- 



t ion was the ch. ;ng up of 



debt, and annual deficits. This was largely denied, 

 and was certainly n< ; by the 



Finance-. i he province as an- 



noniK el. HO, 1896, were a> follow: C.mn- 



.".).81 ; county of Halifax. 



education, $i:{.I:-T.M : Dominion of Canada pro- 

 vincial debt account. sl.o:,i;.l ;:.-.> 1 ; edueation. 

 county loan, $18.777 : Hospital f. r In-am dm- by 



municipalities, $18,721.87 ; due by priva 1 

 $6.385.73; due counties, old Hi-counts. > 

 department of mines, royalty, etc.. jfcsiJ.H'J 7. '.'M : bal- 

 ance of sinking fund in National Provincial liank 



.an.l, $sr,.7( ; total, s i .:;:54,056. 

 The liabilities were as follow : 



Provincial dptx'ntures payable in Halifax $2,043,500 00 



Provincial debentures payable in 



London 200.000 



Leas canceled by sinking fund 4,000 



Special loans : 



In Kntrland... 

 In Halifax... 



'.I.VJ.MV; IV, 



( 40.000) $194,668 8 



Banks in Halifax 

 Total. . . 



118379 



*:{.-i:j'.'.M-.' 7] 



The province is also liable on a guarantee of in- 

 on 50,000 sterling debentures of the Wind- 

 sor and Annapoli- Uailw. 



The provincial treasurer's statement of th- 

 penditureof thepn-'. to reveini.' for 



the year ending Sept. :> iows : 



Wind-or and Annapoli- Railway, xl I.''. 1 1 ..'": com- 

 mutation r.ad tax. (iuv-ltoro, $250: Mil 

 Society, $2.896.19: salaries, $22,1 

 li-ts. $l(rj.- private bills. | 



game licenses, $880. apartments, $17,011.- 



48; Crown lands, $l,816.4f: public char. 

 721. 7!i; leuMslative library. ^l.'.Ml^.TO; mi-cella: 

 $22,401.08 ; le-islat ive expenses, $-10.466.88 ;Hi 

 tation of horses, $5,159.72 ; sinking fund. $4.n> 

 i It ure. $20,011.07; school of agricul 



duties. $:JO; interest. s?1.1.f> 



packets and ferries. x:',r,.s.-,i.:;<i : debenture inter- 

 est, $124,484^4; criminal prosecutions. $G..*i ! 



:, land-. > medical college, $800; 



public printing, $8,777.67; mines, $16,81o>" : pn.- 

 vincial en .Hice. *1 1.'^M.IO ; edu-ation, 



$248,808.64; road grant, $91^32.16; total, * 



The following was the revenue for tin- 

 rir,d: Fees, mines. $l.- .$276.602.90; Wind- 



sor and Annapolis Kail way, $12,401.09; commutation 



