Mr. RYAN desired to correct the state ment of the member for Stanstead as to the views of the merchants of Montreal. He quoted from a letter to show that amendment not repeal was desired.

Mr. HOLMES had come to the conclusion that it was not in the interest of the Dominion that there should be a bankruptcy law, or any mode which enabled the debtors to defraud creditors. As the law now existed many innocent farmers were ruined by simply becoming security for business men who afterwards became bankrupt. The law should be repealed.

Hon. Sir GEO. E. CARTIER in rising to state the views of the Government on the question, congratulated the member for Stanstead on the way in which he had supported his measure. Too great importance was attached to the existence or non-existence of an insolvent law. That law was a temporary one, and one ground of opposition taken to the measure for repeal by the Government last year was that the law ought to have a fair trial, but the House had decided against them. That ground was stronger now, and he thought the feeling against the law had been somewhat exaggerated by the member for Stanstead. The law would expire next year. There were only some 100 insolvents yearly, and it was therefore neither just nor right that the law should be repealed in its last year, for Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Bruns wick had no other law on the subject, and very great inconvenience would ensue to them. He appealed to the members for Lower Canada that they should be considerate towards the other Provinces in the matter. The law was only beginning to be understood, and the obvious course was to let the matter rest, and the Act could then expire in its natural course. Another reason for this course was that they were on the eve of a genéral elec. tion, in which this matter would have great weight with the electors. He had never been a warm advocate of a bankruptcy law, but one who like him had come in contact with business men must have found that there must necessarily be some bankrupt law. A great amount of business was done on credit, and cons sequently there was speculation, and per haps recklessness, and there must be some

Hon. Mr. HOLTON could not allow a vote to be taken without explaining his action. Last year he voted for the measure of the member for Stanstead, because he believed the commercial community to be averse to the continuance of the Insolvent Law, but he now believed that the matured opinion was, that the law should not be abruptly repealed but amended, and he should therefore support its continuance.

Hon. Mr. HUNTINGTON voted last year against the repeal of the Law, be. cause he believed there was no sufficient opinion on the question, but he now be lieved the universal opinion of the rural districts was in favor of repeal, and he thought the matter affected them as much as it did the merchants. He believed there was a necessity for a bankruptcy law, but that it should not be permanent. He gave instances in which great wrong had resulted to the rural population. For these and other reasons he should vote for the repeal of the law.

Mr. HAGAR said he should support the repeal.

A division was then taken on Mr. Bellerose's motion to adjourn the debate, and resulted as follows: Yeas, 55; Nays, 80.

YEAS.-Messrs. Anglin, Archambault, Bellerose, Benoit, Blanchet, Bown, Brousseau, Burpee, Cameron [Inverness], Cameron [Peel], Campbell, Carmichael, Cartier [Sir George E.], Chauveau, Cimon, Coffin, Costigan, Dobbie,__Dugas, Ferris, Gaudet, Gendron, Gibbs, Holton. Hurdon, Irvine, Jones (Halifax], Jones [Leeds & Grenville], Killam, Lacerte," Langevin, Lawson, McDonald [Antigonish], McDonald [Lunenburg], McDonald [Middlesex], Moffat, Morris, Nelson, Pearson, Pickard, Power, Ray, Robitaille, Ross [Champlain], Ross [Victoria, N S.], Ryan (Montreal West], Smith Westmoreland], Stephenson, Thompson (Caribool, Tilley, Tourangeau, Tupper, Wallace [Albert], Wallace [Vancouver Island], and Willson.-55.

NAYS-Messrs. Barthe, Béchard, Bertrand, Blake, Bod well, Bourassa, Bowell, Bowman, Brown, Ca meron,[Huron] Caron, Cayley, Cheval, Colby, Coupal, Delorme [St. Hyacinthe, Drew, Ferguson, Fournier, Gaucher, Geoffrion, Godin, Grant, Grover, Hagar, Heath, Holmes, Hutchison, Jackson, Joly, Keeler, Kempt, Kirkpatrick, Langi is, Lapum, Little, Mackenzie, Magill, Masson, (Sulanges], McCallum, McKonkey, McDougall (Ren

Legislature informing me that there exists considerable agitation on the subject; and it is therefore very advisable that the question should be arranged as soon as practicable. The Province is young yet, but has immense capabilities for progress, and it no doubt will fill an important place in the future among the members of the Confederation. It is, therefore, very necessary that every care should be taken to remove all causes of dissatisfaction in the Province, especially with respect to the public lands. The people of Mani toba do not yet thoroughly understand all the laws and regulations with respect to the question, but they are loyal and honest. When an engagement has been solemnly entered into, they believe it ought to be carried out as soon as possible; and therefore they are very anxious on the subject of the division of the land grant made some time ago. It is for the interest of the Government and of the whole Confederation to deal with this question as expeditiously as possible. No portion of the people of the Dominion are more attached to the institutions which they now enjoy; and I hope to be able to return to them with the knowledge that their just claims have been granted by the Government. With these remarks I ask permission to inquireWhether the Government have adopted

measures:

1st. For putting an end to the existing difficulties and confusion in the Province of Manitoba on the subject of the public lands.

2nd. For the division, as soon as possible of the 1,400,000 acres of land appro priated for the half-breed residents of Manitoba among those who have a right thereto, and if not, what measure the Government intend to adopt for the purpose of putting an end to these difficulties ?

Hon. Mr. AIKINS-In respect to the first question, I may say that the Government have adopted measures for allaying any discontent that may at present exist in the Province. It is well understood that the half-breed lands could not be selected until the surveys were sufficiently far advanced. During the past year some twenty surveyors were sent into the Province, and the work has been very energetically prosecuted, as the map I shall now lay on the table will clearly show. These surveys are now sufficiently far advanced to enable a selection of the lands to be made. The Lieutenant Governor has been communicated with, and asked to make the selection. The rights of existing settlers are to be respected

certain sections are to be retained in cer. tain townships for the Hudson's Bay Company-also a certain section for school purposes. The wood lands are also to be divided so that a portion will be retained for the use of immigrants. With reference to the second question, I may reply that until the rear line of the settlements was fixed, the allotment could not be made. Instructions have been given by the department to complete this rear line as soon as possible, and it is expected that by the fall patents will be issued to at least one half of the half-breeds. I may also add that the services of some fifty surveyors have been obtained-some of them have already gone-to hasten the surveys of the Province.

INLAND FISHERIES,

Hon Mr. FLINT asked the Government when it is their intention to take steps to protect the Salmon and other fish in the lakes and streams in the rear part of the County of Frontenac, United Counties of Lennox and Addington, County of Hast. ings and Peterborough, from destruction, caused by parties employed in taking them with spears and nets contrary to the Fishery Act, and if so, whether that action will be immediate ?

My reason for making this enquiry, he said, is that our rivers and lakes are well stocked with salmon and salmon trout which are, every spring and fall, taken by spears and nets in large quantities by foreigners who come from the other side of the line. I have been credibly informed that one hundred tons were taken dur ing last fall to the United States from one place. Representations have been made on the subject to the Fishery Department, but the Fishery Agent has not yet receiv ed instructions to deal with the matter, and consequently I am constrained to make this enquiry at the present time, when there is urgent need that some steps should be taken to prevent these en. croachments by foreigners.

Hon. Mr. MITCHELL-I may state in answer to the hon. gentleman that the Government are very anxious to protect the inland fisheries, and have done their best to accomplish the object they have in view. No doubt these encroachments are very extensive, but it is very difficult for the Department, with the small sum of money and staff at their disposal, to protect effectually all the waters of so extensive an area as that watered by the St. Lawrence and great lakes. One of the great difficulties that the Department have to contend against is the want of co-operation on

the part of the settlers and farmers who live in the vicinity of the lakes and streams; and until they do their duty it is almost impossible for the small staff of public officers to give anything like effective protection to all the waters of the Dominion.

Hon. Mr. FLINT-The gentleman to whom I referred is Mr. Wilkins, of Belle ville, who was sent to examine into this matter, and he is still awaiting instructions ever since he made his report. So far as I am concerned I am desirous of doing all in my power to assist the Government in protecting our inland fisheries.

Hon. Mr. MITCHELL explained that he understood that the difficulty in the case of the gentleman alluded to was that the Government found it necessary to limit the staff to a certain sum of money for travelling expenses. That gentleman had more than once exceeded the limit, and he was not now in a position to move in the matter unless he travelled without pay.

Hon. Mr. SKEAD-This subject is very important, and 1 am glad attention has been called to it by the hon. gentleman opposite. Whilst I am willing to accord due credit for what has been done by the Department, I must say that they are derelict if they do not ask for a large sum to protect the fisheries in question. I have known large quantities of fish taken by spear and nets in the fall, and through the winter, in the direction of the Ottawa River-not by the foreigners spoken of, but by people from the Canadian side of Lake Ontario. I believe the Government ought to have a Fishery Inspector in every county.

POSTAL FACILITIES.

Hon, Mr. SANBORN asked the Govern. ment whether any arrangement has been proposed, or is intended to be proposed by the Government of the Dominion to the Government of the United States whereby articles of a bulky nature, such as are carried by parcel post or book post. may be transmitted from one country to the other at a uniform and cheap rate by mail? His attention, he said, had been called to the question by the fact of many persons being anxious to get seeds from dealers in the United States. At present, the expense was great, as much as the value of the package itself. He also asked leave to add to his question an enquiry whether the money order system could not be carried out between Canada and the United States.

Hon. Mr. CAMPBELL replied that no arrangement was likely to be made in the

face of the Customs difficulties, which appear insurmountable. As respects the Money Order system, the Government were anxious to see it established, but they found it was not likely to be attained whilst the United States adhered to their present currency.

MESSAGE

A Message was received from the Commons with the Bill respecting Larcency of Stamps, and malicious injuries to proper. ty. The House adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

FRIDAY, 26th April, 1872. The SPEAKER took the Chair at 3 p. m.

A number of petitions were read and received,

Mr. ANGUS MORRISON presented a petition praying for an Act to incorporate the Interoceanic Railway of Canada. It was signed by the honorables Messrs. McMaster, McPherson, and 94 others.

Dr. BOWN presented the 3rd Report of Committee on Standing Orders.

Hon. Mr. ABBOTT moved for leave to introduced a Bill to amend the Act incor

porating the Canada Central Railroad Company.

Hon. Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD submitted correspondence between Dominion Government and Governor Archibald of Manitoba in relation to the Fenian

raid.

Mr. SHANLY introduced a Bill to amend the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Railway Act.

Mr. MORRISON introduced a Bill to in corporate the Pacific Junction Railway Company.

Hon. Mr. MORRIS introduced a Bill to amend an Act intituled Widows and Orphans Fund.

Hon. Mr. IRVINE introduced a Bill toamalgamate the Grand Trunk and Monreal and Champlain Railway Co.

Hon. Mr. LANGEVIN submitted the Report of the Minister of Public Works on British Columbia.

Mr. MORRISON introduced a Bill to confirm the lease by the Northern Railway of the Northern Extension Company's ailroad.

Mr. HARRISON introduced a Bill to amend the law relative to advertisements concerning stolen goods.

Hon. Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD gave notice of the introduction of a Bill to give