56G REPORT— 1900. 



priest receives an allowance of 225 dollars from the Canadian Govern- 

 ment for his services in this connection. 



Five chiefs (one head chief and four second or sub-chiefs) manage the 

 public affairs of the Huron community under the supervision of the 

 Department of Indian Affairs. These chiefs in council frame regulations 

 for the maintenance of order, the repression of intemperance and pro- 

 fligacy, the care of public health, the construction and repairs of school 

 houses and other public buildings, the locating of land on the reserve, 

 &c. They are elective, and their term of office is for three years. 



The above system of government is not the traditional one of the 

 Hurons. It was introduced in recent years by the Canadian Government 

 under the provisions of the Indian Act.' In former years the Hurons 

 elected six chiefs or more : one grand chief, one second chief, two council 

 chiefs, and two chiefs of the warriors. These chiefs were elected for life. 

 If we go still further back, to the seventeenth century, we see that the 

 ancient Hurons had many chiefs ; war chiefs and chiefs entrusted with 

 various administrative functions ; and all were to a certain extent 

 hereditary and to a certain extent elective.^ 



At the present time the head chief of the Hurons of Lorette (elected 

 quite recently) is Frangois Gros-Louis. Maurice Bastien, Gaspard Picard, 

 Maurice Tsioui are three of the sub-chiefs. 



The Hurons of Lorette are under the tutelage of the State. Their 

 landed property is held in trust for them by the Department of Indian 

 Aff"airs. The latter also has the management of the revenue derived 

 from part of these lands, and out of which expenses of a public character 

 are to be paid. The Department is kept informed, and generally acts 

 through an agent, who resides on the reservation— Mr. A. 0. Bastien, an 

 intelligent and educated Huron. 



There has been of late years much dissatisfaction and strife in the 

 Huron community over the management of public affairs. A party, con- 

 sisting chiefly of a large number of the Tsiouis, think they have not had 

 their proper share of tha funds. They find fault with the chiefs, the 

 agent, and the Department as well. They refuse to attend meetings, 

 to take part in elections, and are intent on electing chiefs of their own. 



A remarkable fact is that the Hurons as a whole show no desire of 

 being enfranchised. Even the malcontents scorn the idea. Under 

 present conditions the Government meets all expenses in connection with 

 church and school and other matters. Practically they have no taxes to 

 pay, not even roads to maintain, the way-leave over the reserve being 

 granted to residents of neighbouring parishes on condition that they 

 take charge of the road. Enfranchisement, they say, would only add to 

 their burdens and render them more liable to be swindled out of their 

 property by the more unscrupulous of their white neighbours. 



Before concluding, it will be of interest to make a rapid review of the 

 influences which, acting on the primitive Huron type, brought it to its 

 present stage of social transformation. These influences may be classed 

 under three heads : (1) Early trade relations with the French and 

 preaching of the Gospel ; (2) physical features of the country about and 

 back of Quebec ; (3) close neighbourhood and competition of the white 

 settlers. 



^ Revised Statutes of Canada, cap. 43, sects. 75 and 76. 



- Brebeuf, Jesuit Relntion.i, Thwaites's edition, vol. x, pp. 231, 233 ; Parkman, 

 Jesvits in North Amci-ica, Introduction, p. lii. 



