518 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES. 



NOVA SCOTIA. 



of cereals and other farm products suitable to the 

 local conditions of each district. 



"As a result of negotiations between my Govern- 

 ment and the Minister of the Interior a bill was in- 

 troduced and passed at the last session of the Fed- 

 eral Government, delegating the administration of 

 the Northwest irrigation act to the Commissioner 

 of Public Works. As a practical result of this legis- 

 lation the procedure for obtaining and recording 

 water rights under the provisions of the irrigation 

 law has been largely simplified and rendered very 

 much less expensive. As a further result of this 

 legislation the procedure for the formation of irri- 

 gation districts under the local ordinance can be 

 made comparatively simple and inexpensive, and a 

 measure having that end in view will be submitted 

 for your approval." 



The time of the session was mainly taken up in 

 discussion rather than in practical legislation. The 

 address was unanimously agreed to on Aug. 22. It 

 was decided that the consolidated ordinances were 

 to be printed in English only. Much bitter feeling 

 was expressed over the assumption of the Yukon 

 district government by the Dominion authorities 

 and its complete severance from the Territories. 

 This was particularly observable in the debate over 

 Mr. Bulyeu's mission to the Yukon and his dispute 

 with Major Walsh over their respective jurisdiction 

 in liquor-license matters. Mr. Haultain even threat- 

 ened to have the Dominion commissioner im- 

 peached. On the other hand, it was pointed out 

 with considerable truth by Ontario papers that the 

 Northwest Territories had no actual jurisdiction, 

 could establish no ccmmunication with the coun- 

 try, could do nothing to maintain authority in it, 

 and certainly ought not to have intervened in set- 

 tling an important question of public policy for a 

 country that was about to have a government of its 

 own. Proceedings of that sort do not rest upon any 

 very excellent ethical basis, and it could scarcely 

 be regarded as a very friendly act on the part of the 

 Northwest Government toward the Federal Gov- 

 ernment to issue a large number of permits to sell 

 liquor in a country where disorder and mayhap 

 riot were liable to take place, for the suppression of 

 which the Northwest Government could not be held 

 responsible. 



On Sept. 13, 1898, Mr. Haultain introduced his 

 estimates for the year ending Aug. 31, showing a 

 total revenue of $542,772, of which $372,510 had 

 been already appropriated, with supplementary ex- 

 penses which he placed at $163,975. The appoint- 

 ment of a deputy commissioner of agriculture was 

 also announced. A redistribution bill was passed, 

 rearranging constituencies, and late in September 

 the House was prorogued. On Oct. 13 Lieut.-Gov. 

 A. E. Forget, who had succeeded Mr. Cameron upon 

 the death of the latter a few weeks earlier, dissolved 

 the Assembly, and Mr. Haultain appealed to the 

 people. The result on Nov. 8 was an overpowering 

 victory for the Government. Only 4 or 5 Opposi- 

 tion members were elected, and even the leader, Dr. 

 Brett, was defeated. 



Miscellaneous. The following figures illustrate 

 the subjects upon which money was expended by 

 ordinance during the sixteen months ending Dec. 

 31, 1898: Civil government, $0,325; legislation, 

 elections, etc., $46,150; public works, $65,611 ; edu- 

 cation, $26,850 ; agriculture, $9,485 ; hospitals, etc., 

 $3.200; Yukon $6,000. 



During the year wide prosperity prevailed 

 throughout the Territories, and the crop's were excel- 

 lent, while cattle and other products of the ranches 

 increased in numbers and value. Many immigrants 

 from the border States settled in parts of the coun- 

 try, while a large contingent of Galicians was 

 brought in by the Dominion Department of the In- 



terior about 765 heads of families. Irrigation was 

 largely encouraged. At the date of the last annual 

 report of the Interior Department there were about 

 157 ditches in operation in the Territories, supplying 

 water sufficient to irrigate 65,000 acres. The num- 

 ber of constructed ditches increased during the past 

 year to 174, having a carrying capacity sufficient to 

 irrigate 76,000 acres. The experimental stage of 

 irrigation in the Territories may now be said to be 

 passed, as the irrigated areas are so widely settled 

 throughout the arid portion of the country, and the 

 returns from these areas have been uniformly sat- 

 isfactory during the past three seasons. 



NOVA SCOTIA, an eastern province of the Do- 

 minion of Canada; area, 20,907 square miles; popu- 

 lation, 1891, 450,396. Capital, Halifax. 



Government and Politics. The ministry of 

 the Hon. G. H. Murray maintained its position dur- 

 ing the year without much difficulty, and polities 

 were quiet. Sir Charles Tupper, leader of the Do- 

 minion Conservatives, paid a visit to the province 

 in September, and addressed several meetings in 

 Halifax, and his constituency of Cape Breton chiefly. 

 He was warmly welcomed and banqueted, and made 

 some powerful speeches. The first session of the 

 ninth Legislature was opened by Lieut.-Gov. M. B. 

 Daly, on Jan. 27, 1898, with a speech from the 

 throne, in which he said : 



" During the year the people in the eastern coun- 

 ties were honored by an official visit from his Ex- 

 cellency the Governor General and the Countess of 

 Aberdeen, who in their former visits to Nova Scotia 

 had not been able to see that section of the prov- 

 ince. The warm interest manifested by their Ex- 

 cellencies in everything connected with the indus- 

 trial and social life of the country through which 

 they passed was highly appreciated by the people, 

 who accorded them the loyal and cordial welcome 

 which was due to their personal worth and their 

 exalted position. 



" It is gratifying to know that there was a gen- 

 eral improvement in the condition of trade-in the 

 Dominion during the past year. This improvement 

 was most marked in the central and western prov- 

 inces; but the maritime provinces have felt the 

 betterment to some extent. In most of the great 

 branches of industry in which our people are en- 

 gaged there has been a firm degree of activity, and 

 the prospect for the new year is very encouraging. 



"You will be pleased to learn that the mining 

 enterprises which form so large a factor in the Imsi- 

 ness of our province were very successfully prose- 

 cuted during the year. The output of coal was 

 larger than in any previous year of our history, ami 

 the outlook for further development in this indus- 

 try is most promising. Not less gratifying is the 

 increase tc be noted in gold mining. In other parts 

 of the Dominion important discoveries have been 

 made which have created world-wide interest, bin; 

 in Nova Scotia gold mining is pursued as an old- 

 established industry which has yielded rich return? 

 to many who have prosecuted it under favorable 

 conditions, and whicn now offers a legitimate field 

 for the investment of capital when accompanied br 

 skill and prudence. 



The provincial exhibition held at Halifax in the 

 autumn was remarkably successful, both as in- 

 spects the character of the exhibits and the at- 

 tendance of visitors. The land acquired and the 

 buildings erected for the exhibition were well adapt- 

 ed for their purpose, and with the experience of la.-t 

 year to assist them the commissioners in charge 

 will, it is confidently believed, be able to carry 01 

 their work in such a manner as to fully realize the 

 expectations on which the exhibition legislation 

 was passed. 



"The importance of encouraging the pursuit of 



