many persons said that it could not be worked at all from the pressure that would be brought on the Government of the day by their political supporters and others who had been accustomed to the old system. But by degrees it was approaching perfection and we now found that the majority of persons who came into the public service were young men who had qualified themselves for it and who looked forward to it as a career and a profession, and who felt that, if they were diligent and faithful in the performance of their duties, there was a certainty that before they arrived at middle age they would hold a respectable position in society. It was in fact a career worthy of a young man of respectability and education. It was true the rules were not carried out liter ally. Sometimes the pressure was so great that the Government might commit a breach of the provisions, but they were exceptional cases. He could say positively that since the present Act had been in operation a very great improvement had taken place in the Civil Ser.. vice. The strictness of its provisions assisted members of Parliament in resist ing undue pressure from their supporters. When persons who from age or incapacity of any kind, had no right to expect an appointment applied to them they could. point to the Act and say that they would help them if they could, but that the law prevented it. In time he thought the Act would be carried out as fully and faithfully as it now is in England. The present proposition was merely to cure a defect in the Act The Government could bring in a stranger for an office requiring special attainments an Engineer for instance for the Public Works Department-but if a young man already in the Department as a Junior Clerk had qualified himself for the position, he was debarred by the wording of the Act from taking it. Hon. Mr: TILLEY explained that the complaints to which the member for Montreal Centre had referred had no reference to the Civil Service Act. Those complaints were from the outside officers who, unlike others in the Dominion, were paid so much per day, and they complained that they were not employed a sufficient number of days during the year to sustain them. He would say that after the 1st of May next, this would be remedied, they would have fixed salaries and the difficulty would be removed. As to the salaries of other officers at that place he admitted that some of them were too small. Hon Mr. MACKENZIE referring to the remarks of the Premier said, that the English system was entirely different from ours as it was based on the competitive principle, and while he was aware that there was a great difference of opinion on the subject, he was in favour of having it in troduced here. The proposition that was now made would enable the Ministry to act honestly and properly by the public servants, as he had no doubt they all did to the best of their ability (hear, hear and laughter), but it sometimes happened that people became Ministers who were not remarkable for their impartiality (hear, hear), and in such case he was afraid that some deserving officer would be overlook< ed. It was open to that objection, and he thought it desirable to have some check upon it, and the best check would be a competitive examination which would relieve the Government of a good deal of responsibility. Mr. WORKMAN considered the salaries of the Customs officers at Montreal far too small, scarcely above starving point, and he hoped they would be increased. The Minister of Customs had said that while the revenue had increased at that port the expenses had been considerably reduced; but he (Mr. Workman) did not believe in the cheese-paring policy of cutting down salaries. Hon. Mr. MACDOUGALL did not understand that the question of remuneration was raised by the resolution before the House; but if the subject were before the Committee, he would, after his experience of the difficulties public servants had to contend with on their small salaries, be inclined to recommend a rateable increase in the salaries not only of the ordinary public servants, but of those of the gentlemen on the Treasury benches (hear, hear). He considered that the resolution before the House was to give Ministers power to override the principle of the Act. It would practically remove the security which the employes now had, as promotions could be made over the heads of officers without taking into consideration length of service or ability, thereby destroying the right of employes to legitimate promotion when vacancies occurred. It would open the way to charges against members of the Government. Charges are already made, that there is a species of nepotism in the Government of this country, and instances could be named. It was unfortunate that such charges should have any foundation, but he believed they were common to most. Governments; even the pure Government of Ontario was, or would shortly be open to accusations of that kind [hear, hear] He [Mr. McDougall] was not inclined for one to destroy the force of the Act, which would be the result of the resolution be fore the House. A great improvement had taken place in the public service under the present law, but if the measure now under consideration passed, he thought it would destroy the value of that law. Hon. Mr. HOLTON expressed his sur prise at the regret of the hon. member for North Lanark, as to the inadequacy of remuneration to Ministers, and amusingly reviewed the conduct of that gentleman as an active member of the Clear Grit League, which made reduction of salaries its principal ground, and brought sufficient pressure on the Minister of Finance to cause the reduction of Ministers' salaries from £1,000 to £800, and similarly those of Judges. Hon. Mr. BLAKE had listened with surprise to the speech of the hon. mem. ber for North Lanark. He remembered reading a letter of that gentleman to his constituents not long ago, in which after discussing the subjects to be brought before Parliament, he spoke of a reorganization of the Ministry, but they had heard to day that the reor. ganization he was in favor of was such as would result in the increasing of Minis ter's salaries. The hon. gentleman had just told them that the Government recently formed in the Province of Ontario was open to charges or was likely soon to be so, they had therefore one gentleman who had pledged himself that if he had no charges at present he would endeavor ere long to make charges. He had heard with great pleasure the statement of the hon. gentleman, that during his experience in office not one of his relatives or connections had been appointed to the service, as he (Mr. Blake) had noticed several of the same name in public returns, but the Clan Macdougall was very large, which no doubt accounted for the name appearing so often. All knew what the work of the servants of the House was, and what salaries they received, and he thought they deserved some consideration. They were told that the Government had never violated that part of the law now under discussion, but as they found it difficult to keep themselves within it they asked for authority to change it. The leader of the Government told them that in several particulars the Civil Service Act had been violated, it therefore appeared that they desired to amend that part of the law which they had not violated, but where they had already found it convenient to break the law they asked no permission. the Hon. Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD said the difficulties he spoke about were not in the promotion of officers in the service but in the operation of appointing. As the law at present stood, a young man who had already taken a position in the service, no matter what his qualifications might be, could not be promoted to any office which might become vacant, although a person could be brought from outside and placed above him. It was an injustice to service as well as to the Government. He regretted the remarks of the hon. member for North Lanark, who spoke as if the Government of the day required a check to prevent impropriety on their part. If a majority of the people considered the Government of the day worthy to conduct the business of a great country like this, surely they ought to be en. trusted with the power asked for in the resolution before the House. Mr. R. A. HARRISON hoped the Govern. ment would avail themselves of the power in their hands to pension officers of the Civil Service who were inefficient from old age and other causes, and that after such had been thoroughly weeded out of the service, the salaries of those remaining would be revised. Unless the salaries given were such as would com mand the services of the particular talent required, good men would be drawn to other quarters, and the civil service would be filled with inferior material. AFTER RECESS. Hon. Mr. POPE presented the Census Returns. The debate on the resolution to authorize the promotion of third class or junior second class Clerks, to any other class or rank in the Civil Service was then re. sumed. Mr. R. HARRISON said the law, had been found to be a barrier between members and their constituents, and also between Ministers and members, and the Civil Ser vice had improved in consequence. If they desired to have efficient servants they must pay them well, to compete with mer chants, otherwise they certainly would not be able to retain their services. The cost of living and all necessaries of life had greatly increased during the past few years, but the salaries of officers of the Civil Service had not been comparatively increased, in addition to which they had been made to contribute to the superannuation fund, leaving them, in many [APRIL, 26, 1872.] cases, scarcely sufficient to subsist upon. He thought the Government of to-day could afford to be more liberal than in the olden times referred to in the afternoon debate. It the Government had not proposed any check he thought the motion might be objectionable as an old and efficient member of the Service might be passed over The by a junior and less efficient man. resolution proposed that a return should be laid before the House, within ten days after the meeting of each Session, showing each case of promotion under the amend ment under discussion, and he considered that that would be sufficient check against improper promotions. Mr. MILLS thought the check would have a good effect to a certain extent, but if the motion before the House should pass it would be giving the Government the same power as if no law regulating promotions was in force, and the importu nities of political friends would cause many improper appointments and promo. tions. said Mr. CARTWRIGHT suggested that the Act Mr. SCATCHERD did not think this was the proper time to increase the sala ries of the Civil Service, and did not think the country would support anything of the kind. He never knew any young man receiving $1000 or $1500 except those in the Civil Service and he was entirely op posed to the proposition. Mr. JONES (Leeds and Grenville) asked whether the pressure brought on Ministers to give appointments in the Civil Service was to obtain energetic and indus. trious young men, he believed it was quite the contrary. Was this an argument in favor of increasing salaries? Certainly not. He thought it was a great mistake to have an Act to regulate the Civil Service, and that the Ministry of the day should be entirely responsible in the matter,--and The Ministers had opposed the Civil Service Act when it had been introduced. ought to have full liberty in the matter. Hon. Mr. TILLEY said one hon. mem. ber had asked to know the names of the parties who were pressing the Government on the matter. There was no pressure, but the point was this that unless the Government were enabled to give to deserving men a better position than at present they would leave the service. He mentioned a case in his own Department in which a young man was discharging the duties of Assistant Accountant, but who under the present law could only receive $400 a year. This young man would have left the Service before now had he not asked him to remain until the present measure could pass. In order to prevent any abuse the Bill provided that all ins tances of the proposed promotion should be submitted to Parliament and with such a restriction no harm could result. Mr. FERGUSON was glad the Minister of Customs had spoken for he thought he had convinced the House that the Civil Service was not so desirable after all for many now there were thinking of leaving, and it would do away with the idea that He believed the Civil those in the Civil Service were not fit for anything else. Service was filled with able and competent young men, but if they could get better positions outside, he hoped the Government would not press for power to keep them, for there were equally competent men outside. He had never asked for an appointment for any friend, though he had He behad many applications, but had always advised them to do otherwise. lieved that the present Government was the best that could be had, and would be very sorry to see any change. The member for Bothwell had suggested to the Government that the measure was upne cessary, and that they might attain their | object by a small trick, merely to let any one who must be promoted resign his position, and in a few days he could be reappointed to a higher post. He did not think the Government asked anything that was wrong or unreasonable. Mr. HARRISON explained that what he had intended was not to have two men to do one man's work, but to have one good man and pay him well. Mr. RYAN agreed with the member for West Toronto. He thought there were too many men in the Civil Service, and hoped as vacancies occurred they would not be filled up. He referred to the superannuation measure, of which he ap proved and hoped it would be followed by a measure of insurance for the benefit of those who died without deriv. ing any good from the superannuation. He believed the Minister of Finance was connected with some Insurance Company, and if so he might perhaps insure the lives of the employees, as he believed the gentleman occupying the position of Treasurer of Ontario had set the example by insuring the inanimate property of the Local Government in a Company of which he was the President. Dr. GRANT-If the officers of the Civil Service were to do their work properly they should be paid properly. Gentlemen in commercial positions were much better paid, and he believed something ought to be done for the benefit of the gentlémen of the Civil Service, for under present circumstances from what he knew, with the large reduction for superannuation, he feared many would be starved out, and hoped therefore that some radical change would be brought about so as to improve their position. The resolution then passed through Committee, and a Bill was introduced, and read a first time. CANALS. Hon. Mr. LANGEVIN moved that on Tuesday the House should go into Committee to consider the resolutions of which he had given notice, in relation to the improvement and enlargement of the Dominion Canals. Carried. CANADA PACIFIC RAILWAY. Hon. Sir GEO. E. CARTIER moved for a Committee on Tuesday next to consider certain resolutions respecting the Canada Pacific Railway. Carried. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS moved that the House should go into Committee of the Whole on Tuesday next to consider the resolution declaring it expedient to indemnify the members of the Privy Council and all others concerned in the issue of a special warrant by His Excellency the Governor General for the advance of the sum of $100,000, to meet the expenditure on account of the expeditionary force ordered to the Province of Manitoba. Carried. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS moved that the House go into Committee of the Whole on Tuesday next to consider a resolution declaring it expedient to amend and consolidate, and to extend to the whole Dominion of Canada, the law respecting the inspection of certain staple articles of Canadian produce. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said the articles ought to be specified. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS was not desirous to press the matter for Tuesday. There was no intention to take the House by surprise; the intention was to go into Committee on the matter, to introduce a Bill, and then refer it to the Committee on Banking and Commerce. There would be full opportunity for discussion.-Carried. SUPPLY. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS moved that mittee to consider the supply to be grant on Monday the House should go into Com. ed to Her Majesty.-Carried. SECURITY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS. Hon. Sir J. A. MACDONALD moved the second reading of the Bill, An Act respecting the security to be given by Officers of Canada."-Carried. And the Bill passed through Committee. SAVINGS BANK ACT. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS moved the second reading of the Bill, "An Act to amend the Government Savings Bank Act, chapter 6 of the Statutes of 1871." He remarked that he had received a document from the Town Council of Cobourg as to that part of the measure relating to the Northumberland and Durham Savings Bank, stating that in those counties there was no incorporated charitable institution to which the surplus of the bank could be appropriated, and heartily approving of the measure that had been introduced. Hon. Mr. ANGLIN desired to direct attention to what he deemed a discrepancy. In the case of the St. John Bank the appropriation of the money was not to be subject to the approval of the Governor in Council, but only the apportionment of it, whereas in the other case the appropriation itself was to be subject to the Governor in Council. He desired to ask whether the distinction was intentional Act to amend the Act regulating the issue or not. of Dominion Notes." Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS said if there was any discrepancy it had merely arisen because in both cases the Government had acted exactly as recommended by the Trustees. The Govern ment had no desire to deal with the disposition of the money. The matter, however, could be discussed in Committee. Mr. BOWELL asked whether the Government were aware of the manner in which the money was to be appropriated in the case of the Northumberland and Durham Bank. He had heard that it was to be devoted to the purposes of a local railway. The House should weigh the matter well before it diverted money dedicated to charitable purposes, to local enterprise. Hon. Mr. HOLTON said that in the case of the Northumberland and Durham Bank the money was consecrated by law to a specific purpose and he did not think the Legislature ought to divert trust money widely from the object to which it had been consecrated. He hoped the Minister of Finance would be prepared in Committee with an amendment to limit the object to which the money should be devoted. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS said it would be well to reserve the discussion on the details of the Bill until they got into Committee. There would then be every opportunity for discussion. Mr. BOWELL said the matter was one of principle, not of detail. The principle was whether money belonging to charitable purposes should be appropriated to other and very different purposes, and he desired it to be distinctly understood that he did not assent to the principle. Hon. Mr. ANGLIN said he really doubt. ed very much the propriety of leaving the surplus at the disposal of the Trustees,as they in no way represented the depositors. Mr. MILLS asked whether the Minister of Justice had considered whether Parliament had really power to deal with this matter. He considered it was a question altogether for the Local Governments. Hon. Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD said now that his attention had been called to the point he would look into it. If, however, there was to be an amendment of the Savings Bank Act it could only be done by the Dominion Parliament. The Bill was then read a second time. DOMINION NOTES. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS moved the second reading of the Bill, entitled "An Hon. Mr. HOLTON said that on the previous occasion of discussing this matter the Minister of Finance has stated that the member for Lennox had lost sight of the deposits, but so far from this omission weakening the arguments of member for Lennox, it would have strengthened them. He then referred to the Banking returns of 1866, comparing them with those of 1872, and maintained that the remarks of the Minister of Fi nance were a very insufficient answer to the member for Lennox. He now desired to say a few words in reference to the merits of the measure, and its effects. He had been opposed to the whole system from its inception. He had held that it would result in the same difficulties and ruin that had attended similar experiments in other countries. Hitherto by the conservative character of the original act, they had been protected from the danger, but he felt the amend ment now proposed removed much of the check which surrounded the original measure. Under the present law all circulation over $9,000,000, had to be represented dollar for dollar in gold, and he found by a careful calculation of the effect of the change now proposed that without adding anything to the gold reserve, the Dominion note circulation would be increased by no less a sum than $7,348,000, and by adding $2,000,000, to the gold reserve, the circulation could be increased $10,000,000 and so on ad infinitum. He thought this proposition dangerous, and that it gave too much power to a Minister of Finance, and especially so in view of the large expenditure on which they were entering. He did not propose to divide the House, but he thought it his duty to point out what he believed to be the operation of the Bill, and the objections which occurred to him against its being received. Mr. YOUNG said when the Bill for the issue of Dominion notes was before the House, there was a strong feeling throughout the House and the country against it, and that in the earlier stages of that mea sure there seemed to be little probability of its passing, and he believed the main reason which induced the House to pass the measure was the statement of the Minister of Finance, that for any amount issued over $9,000,000 he would have to hold dollar for dollar in gold. The Act had gone into operation, and the Minister of Finance now asked that the check might be taken away, without the promise of which the original measure might not have, passed. It would be easily seen that |