QUEBEC. 



591 





Lieut.-Gov. Sir L. A. Jett6 with a speech from the 

 throne, of which the following are the significant 

 passages: 



" Colonization is admitted to be of the greatest 

 importance in connection with the development 

 of this province. Although there is manifest 

 unanimity in public opinion on this point, it is 

 none the less true that there is extreme diversity 

 as to the methods to be followed to attain the 

 end that all have in view. A bill will accord- 

 ingly be submitted to you for the appointment 

 of a commission whose duty it will be (1) To 

 make a careful study of the existing law, and 

 to seek the means of improving it. (2) To exam- 

 ine and report upon such new projects or systems 

 as may be submitted to it. (3) Finally, to con- 

 sider all questions relating to colonization and 

 the granting and settlement of the public lands, 

 without losing sight of the slender resources of 

 the province and the interests of the lumber in- 

 dustry. 



" The negotiations opened some time ago with 

 the Dominion Government to secure the recogni- 

 tion of our rights to the fisheries in the territorial 

 waters of the province have been continued. My 

 Government has further submitted to the fed- 

 eral authorities two important claims connected 

 with this question of the fisheries one for the 

 reimbursement to the province of the amounts 

 collected since 1867 for fishing licenses and per- 

 mits, the other for its share of the indemnity paid 

 by the United States for the privilege granted 

 the citizens of that country by the Washington 

 treaty to fish along our shores. 



" The various reforms effected in the past few 

 years in our educational system have produced 

 satisfactory results. The free distribution of 

 school-books and maps has been well received by 

 the people of the province. I have much satisfac- 

 tion in informing you that a great many school 

 municipalities and educational establishments 

 have availed themselves of the offer made by my 

 Government, and that over 100,000 copies of Mon 

 Premier Livre have already been distributed. 



" The aid granted to municipal councils for 

 the improvement of roads has awakened the at- 

 tention of the rural population to this important 

 question, and I am pleased to state that there is 

 marked progress in the making and maintenance 

 of highways. 



" My Government continues to encourage the 

 advancement of agriculture and of dairy-produce, 

 by. providing for the improvement of stock breed- 

 ing, by granting premiums for cheese factories, 

 and by diffusing the necessary technical knowl- 

 edge through the medium of special publications 

 and special lectures." 



The address in reply was passed without divi- 

 sion. There was some brief and courteous criti- 

 cism by Mr. Mynn, the Opposition leader, and 

 remarks by the Premier in which he drew atten- 

 tion to the important new country just opening 

 up for development. East of the Saguenay, he 

 said, there are water-powers and supplies of wood 

 sufficient for an almost infinite production of 

 pulp and paper. Most people had but a very 

 imperfect idea of the proportions of the rivers 

 that watered this vast territory. Thus, the Man- 

 icougan, whose great falls had been measured 

 and computed last year, was more considerable 

 than the St. Maurice, both as regards length and 

 volume of water. Its first falls were capable of 

 producing 100,000 horse-power, and ten miles 

 higher were other falls still more extensive. 

 These falls were near both to the sea and to a 

 port that was equally accessible in winter and 

 summer, and were in the vicinity of practically 



inexhaustible spruce forests. The Premier spoke 

 also of the Betsiamitz, the Moisie, and the St. 

 John of the north shore, and of the large enter- 

 prise recently established by the Messrs. Clarke, 

 of New York and Toronto, on the Ste.-Margue- 

 rite. 



The legislation of the session was not as im- 

 portant as were the acts presented and refused 

 by the House or the Government. A measure 

 proposing to abolish provincial appeals to the 

 Judicial Committee of the imperial Privy Coun- 

 cil, except in certain cases arising out of the 

 interpretations of federal jurisdiction, was widely 

 discussed, and finally fell for want of support. 

 The following were the chief measures passed dur- 

 ing the session, which was prorogued on March 

 26 after a non-confidence motion had been de- 

 feated by 39 to 3 : 



To amend the law respecting holidays. 



Respecting the Protestant hospital for the in- 

 sane. 



To amend the joint-stock companies' incorpo- 

 ration act. 



To amend the Quebec license law. 



To amend the education act. 



To authorize the organization of a commission 

 to assist in the advancement of the colonization 

 and in the development of forest industries. 



To amend the Quebec game laws. 



To amend the Quebec mining law. 



To amend Article 1834 of the Civil Code re- 

 specting the registration of marriage contracts. 



To authorize municipal councils to prohibit the 

 sale of intoxicating liquors. 



To incorporate the Metabetchouan Pulp Com- 

 pany. 



To incorporate the Beauharnois Light, Heat, 

 and Power Company. 



Respecting the agricultural syndicates. 



To amend the law granting exemption from 

 taxation to commercial travelers. 



To amend the law respecting civil engineers. 



To amend the law respecting dentists. 



To amend the law -respecting mutual fire in- 

 surance companies. 



To incorporate the Power, Pulp and Paper 

 Company of North America. 



To incorporate the St. Lawrence and Megantic 

 Railway Company. 



To incorporate the Agricultural and Industrial 

 Exhibition Company of St. Johns, Province of 

 Quebec. 



Respecting butter and cheese exchanges. 



Finances. The Treasurer, H. T. Duffy, deliv- 

 ered his financial statement in the Assembly on 

 March 12. The ordinary receipts for the year 

 ending June 30, 1901, were given as $4,563.432, 

 and the expenditures as $4,516,257, leaving a 

 surplus of $47,174. The receipts from all sources, 

 including trust funds and sales of inscribed stock, 

 were $4,816.218, and the expenditures, including 

 railway subsidies, Quebec Bridge, trust funds, 

 and redemption of debt, were $4.756.002, a sur- 

 plus of $60,215. The chief increase in ordinary 

 receipts over what had been estimated were in 

 lands, mines, and fisheries, which returned * 

 003 more than had been expected; in licenses, 

 which netted $11,968 of an increase; in direct 

 taxes on commercial corporations, which showed 

 an increase of $31,157; and in the maintenance 

 of the insane, which contributed $21,338- more. 

 The payments in excess of estimates for the year 

 included $41.701 upon legislation; $83.410 upon 

 justice; $15,529 upon public instruction; $24,067 

 upon agriculture; $55,390 upon colonization and 

 mines; and $48,763 upon services; a total of 

 $273,472. The first payment on account of the 



