brought down, and if the Government found they could accomplish anything in the matter, they would certainly do so. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said that whatever took place at Washington last year on this subject should be known to the House. He was sure that it could not have escaped the attention of our Commissioner. Mr. CARTWRIGHT moved the House into Committee of the Whole to consider the following resolutions : 1. Resolved, That this House regrets to learn that Her Majesty's advisers have seen fit to assume the responsibility of withdrawing the claims of the Dominion of Canada, against the United States, for compensation on account of injuries arising from the Fenian raids. 2 Resolved, That this House cannot but feel that the proposal to indemnify the people of Canada, whether directly or indirectly, at the ex. pense of the English taxpayer, for wrongs committed by subjects of a foreign State, is impolitic, both in itself and as tendinfi to produce just dissatisfaction in the Mother country, and furthermore that such a course of action is likely to operate as a direct incentive to renewed outrages, inasmuch as it is notorious that the above mentioned raids bave arisen rather from feelings of hostility to the Imperial Government as a whole, than from any special animositly to the inhabitants of this Dominion, 3. Resolved,-That taking into consideration the circumstances under which these inroads were committed this House is apprehensive that the refusal of the British Government to press these claims is calculated to encourage the people and Government of the United States, in the belief that the due discharge of their international obligations towards the Dominion of Canada is a matter of comparative indifference to Her Majesty's Imperial Cabinet. Hon. Sir JOHN A. MACDONALD asked that the motion might stand till Friday, when the Bill would be introduced and the whole matter would be before the House. Mr. CARTWRIGHT said that in consent ing to the suggestion, it was on the understanding only that if anything prevent ed his motion being dealt with on Friday, he should take the earliest opportunity afterwards of proceeding with it. DAILY MAIL IN JOLIETTE COUNTY. Mr. GODIN moved an address for copies of petitions, correspondence, &c., re lative to the establishment of daily mail service between certain places in the County of Jolietfe.-Carried. contracts relating to the improvement of the navigation of the Rivers Thames and Sydenham since 1867. He referred to discussions on the subject a few years since, when Government had held that small tributary streams were under control of the local Government, but Government afterwards divided the streams of the country into classes, one class being under control of the Dominion Gov ernment alone and another class 'consisting of streams, among which were the Thames and Sydenham, was to be im. proved on condition that certain sums were contributed by the Local Government. Obstacles had now formed in the rivers in question and he desired to ascertain the action of the Government. Hon. Mr. LANGEVIN said the mover had spoken of correspondence but had not mentioned it in his motion. Mr. MILLS had asked for what he wanted. Hon. Mr. LANGEVIN was not prepared to give an immediate answer in the matter, and desired the questions asked might be put on notice paper. He did not think the plans, &c., were in his Department. Mr. MILLS said the Government had had a money grant and expended it, and he could not understand how they could have done so without plans and specifications. Hon. Mr. BLAKE said the Gavernment had asked a vote, and if they had done the work there must be some plans and specifications. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE recollected that when the vote was taken he had asked how the money was to be expended, the amount being $2,400, and had been informed that the Local Government would give a similar amount, and the Dominion Government would then expend both sums. Mr. RUFUS STEPHENSON said that the Local Government having refused to undertake the work, application had been made to the Dominion Government, and the then Minister of Public Works consented to put a sum in the estimates proIvided a like amount was made up from some local source. That amount had been made up, and tenders were then advertised in Ontario, but no one would ungraph Company to the Standing Commit- dertake the work at the amount named. tee on Railways, Canals and Telegraphs.-ed to do as much as possible for the Mr. Brown, however, afterwards consent NOVA SCOTIA ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CO. Mr. CHIPMAN moved to refer the petition of the Nova Scotia Electric Tele Carried. RIVERS THAMES AND SYDENHAM. Mr. MILLS moved an address for copies of all plans, reports, specifications and amount granted, which was allowed to be done, but there were no papers other than those he himself had obtained from the Local Government. As to the Sydenham a vote had been obtained last year and the work was going on now. The member for Bothwell had stated that the ob struction in the Thames was as great as ever, thus conveying the idea that the money expended upon removing it had been expended to no purpose, and he had studiously avoided all mention of the fact established by recent survey made by Mr. Molesworth, under orders from Mr. McKellar, Commissioner of Public Works for Ontario, that the water on the bar at the mouth of the river was this year 2 feet 3 inches lower than during the period of navigation last year. To fortify this statement, he (Mr. Stephenson) had in his possession a copy of the survey made by Mr. Molesworth, and also that gentleman's report to the Commissioner of Public Works, both of which had been kindly supplied to him by Mr. McKellar on his personal application. With reference to the statement that Sydenham and Thames were under the jurisdiction of the Dominion Government, he (M. Stephenson) had contended all along that they were under that jurisdiction, and it would probably be remembered by the House that when the item of $2,400 had come up for consideration last year, the hon. member for Lambton had risen in his place, and questioned the propriety of voting it. That hon. gentleman presumed it had been put in the estimates, in order to satisfy the member for Kent, who was known, he said, to be a servile supporter of the administration; but while he did not question the neces. sity for the improvement at the mouth of the River Thames, he held that if Government made an appropriation in that instance there were a hundred other rivers in the country equally entitled to consideration. However, notwithstanding these statements of the hon. member for Lamb. ton, the appropriation had been made, and the wisdom of Government in making it was fully verified since by the great benefits that had accrued from this work of improvement (hear, hear). The motion was then carried. BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION. Mr. LAWSON moved an address for a return of the names of all persons who have been appointed by the Government of Canada as agents or other employee of the Bureau of Immigration since the 1st January, 1969, date of appointment, place where stationed, amount of salary or other remuneration paid each, and the instruc tions issued to such Agents or employees. -Carried. Hon. Mr. HOLTON moved address for correspondence respecting conduct of Iroquois chiefs at Caughnawaga. Carried. STEAM FIRE ENGINES. Mr. STEPHENSON moved address for statement of steam fire engines imported into the Dominion during the years 1870 and 1871. He said that manufactures of fire engines had been commenced in Canada, but Americans had used every effort to break down the Canadian manufacture, by bringing engines to Canada and selling them and offering them for sale at lower prices than those at which they could be obtained at the place of manufacture in the United States. More effectually to carry out their designs antagonistic to Canada these Americans had represented that parties purchasing engines from them would not be compelled to pay duty and that if they did pay it Government would allow them a drawback. Now, he disbelieved Government had acted so unfairly in the face of the tariff propositions they had made, and he thought it necessary in order that the truth might be known that these papers should be produced. Hon. Mr. TILLEY said he had no ob. jection to the motion, and the hon. gentle. man would find when the papers came down that they were entirely satisfactory. The motion then carried. CHAS. COTE Mr. FOURNIER moved an address for the correspondence relating to the nonpayment to Chas. Cote of the amount awarded to him by the official arbitrators. Carried. and that the House would sustain the view he had taken. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS said the the legislation on this subject was experimental, and he had never been able to say definitely whether the rate now paid on account of superannuation was the exact rate that should be paid,—but, if it should prove that 4 per cent was too high Government and Parliament would be quite ready to reduce it. He entirely dissented from the opinion that it was expedient to divert any portion of the fund to the relief of widows and orphans. It was not the business of the Legislature Committee of the Whole to consider the bers of the Civil Service had the same to provide a fund for that purpose. Memfollowing resolution : SUPERANNUATION. Mr. JOLY moved the House into a "That considering the Superannuation Fund is raised entirely out of the compulsory contribution taken from the salaries of public officers, it is just that the whole of the Fund should be consecrated to the use and benefit of the said office.s by applying it, first to their personal relief, according to law, and (if any surplus be left after payment of their superannuation allowances) to the relief of their widows and orphans." He thought he could satisfy the House that his motion was just and fair. He referred to the returns that had recently been laid before the House which showed that on the 31st March last there was a balance to the credit of the Superannua tion Fund of $50,630, while the amount required for the payments out of the Fund yearly was $42,000, leaving a large balance not required. As that fund had been raised by forced contributions from the salaries of public officers, it was only fair that those public officers should reap the benefit. The amount required for the payments would never exceed the amount he had named $42,000. He had taken the trouble to count the number of officers liable to contribute to the Superanuation Fund, and it amounted to 1392. It ap peared from the return before the House, that there were 133 officers superannuated or one in ten of the whole number. These however formed the arrears of a great number of years, and, therefore Government would never be called upon to superannuate so large a number again. He then referred to the estimates for the year ending June, 1863, which stated the sum to be appropriated on account of superannuation to be $41,300, leaving a balance of 8 or 9 thousand dollars, and confirming his statement that the expenditure would not increase. Under these circumstances he maintained that the proper way to dispose of the annual balance would be to pension widows and orphans of deceased public servants and he hoped the Government would not object to let the House deal with the matter, power to provide for their families by life insurance as any other class, and the object of the Superanuation Fund was to enable the Government to insist upon the retirement of any officer who might become incapable of discharging his duty, with a proper provision for his support. Individually he would have been exceed. ingly glad to have proposed to provide for superannuation without a reduction of salaries, but he considered it impossible to obtain the sanction of the House to a change in the Revenue on account of Superannuation. Mr. JOLY said his proposition was merely to apply the surplus to the advantage of those who had raised the fund. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS said he perfectly understood that, but if the amount collected was too great the proper mode of relief and that most acceptable to the public servants themselves would be to reduce the rate. He considered however that the proposition was premature, and hoped that after the House had discussed it, it would be withdrawn. Hon. Mr. HUTCHISON said a pension had been given to a person in his locality who had only been in the service 4 years and had never contributed to the fund. Hon. Sir F. HINCKS was quite sure the hon. gentleman was mistaken. Hon. Mr. HUTCHISON said he was not mistaken. The person had been put into the office when over 70 years of age, and was paid a salary to the end of June, while his pension began on the 7th June. He also referred to an appointment of an immigration agent, who, he stated, had · never encouraged a single immigrant. He attributed all this to the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, who, he said, had been sent down to oppose both himself and Mr. Anglin in their elections, but who had received a rebuke. He might come down again if he wished, but in that case he would receive a stern rebuke. He agreed with the member for Lotbiniere that the number of officers superannuated should never exceed one per cent. of the entire number, and that the widows and orphans ought to receive the benefit of any surplus, or failing that, the rate ought to be reduced. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS said the hon. gentleman had used very strong lan guage, practically imputing fraud to the Government. He had stated that Government had placed on the pension list a gentleman who had only been four years in office. The fact was that that gentleman had only been four years on salary, but for some fifteen or sixteen years previously he had been in the public service, but paid by fees. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE : Does the Finance Minister say that the Superannua tion Fund applies to gentlemen paid by fees? Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS said he was mistaken in saying fees, the gentleman was paid by commission, but the time of being pensioned was on salary. Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE said fees and commission were practically the same, and any one receiving them had no claim to superannuation. Hon. Sir FRANCIS HINCKS said when he had stated that the gentleman had not been paid after four years service, it was because from his own knowledge of the working of his Department he knew such a thing to be impossible. He had since learned that the person in question had been in the public service something like twenty years, but that formerly his emoluments had been derived from commissions, while at the time of superannuation he was on salary. Hon. Mr. ANGLIN denied thst the gentleman in question could be held to have been in the public service. He had mere ly been employed to superintend the building of light houses, for which service it was customary to pay commissions, but that in fact he was a shipbuilder. Hon. Sir GEO. E. CARTIER said taht Confederation provided that officers in the different Provinces employed in the discharge of duties connected with the Dominion should become officers of the Dominion, and their former services had to be taken into account in matters of pension. It being six o'clock, he moved, seconded by the Hon. Mr. MACKENZIE, the ad. journment of the House. Hon. Mr. HUTCHISON said if he had used any unparliamentary expressions he desired to withdraw them. After some objection by Hon. Mr. HOL. TON and Mr. BODWELL the House adjourned. SENATE. THURSDAY, 2nd May, 1872. The SPEAKER took the Chair at 3 o'clock, p.m. PRINTING. Hon. Mr. SANBORN asked that the order of the day, consideration of the second report of Printing Committee be discharged, as it only referred to a matter of arrangement between the Committee and their Clerk. EXPLANATION. Hon. Mr. LETELLIER DE ST. JUST asked an explanation from the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, respecting the superannuation of Mr. Harley, Lighthouse Inspector, New Brunswick. Hon. Mr. MITCHELL replied that he afforded him of giving an explanation rewas glad that the opportunity had been specting a matter which has been brought up elsewhere, with the object of reflecta public man. ing on his conduct as Briefly stated the charge was that he had placed an officer, of seventy years of age, in a public position during 1867, and had superannuated him last year in order to appoint his brother to the same office. Now, he would inform the House that prior to Confederation the practice of con in the several Provinces. In Nova Scotia ducting the Light-house service differed there was an Inspector; in Canada, it was conducted under direction of Trinity House; in New Brunswick, by Boards of Commissioners, one for the North Shore, and the other for the Southern or Bay of Fundy side. Those two Boards were composed generally of men who looked after the lights, and charged 10 per cent. commission on supplies furnished. In 1851 Mr. John Harley was on the Commission-here the hon. gentleman read from the New Brunswick Gazette Up to 1867 he held that position. At the time of his appointment he was a gentleman of large experience as a shipbuilder, and was held in great esteem wherever he was known. Subsequently, however, by the force of circumstances he was reduced to poverty, and remained so at the time of Confederation, when the light house ser vice was placed under charge of the Department of Marine and Fisheries. He (Mr. M.) after due deliberation came to the conclusion that the system in operation in Nova Scotia was the best to adopt-of | whether persons who had been in the having a paid inspector to inspect the public service for 30 or 40 years, receiving light houses, make the necessary report of only commission or fees, and subsequently the supplies, and assume a responsibility received a regular salary, were entitled to to the Government. He selected Mr. superannuation on the whole period, or Harley out of the three Commissioners as merely for that term when the best man to fill the position, on the they were salaried. Mr. Mitground that he had always been the chief chell read from the Superannuation Act in executive officer, and was in every way support of his view of the case, contendhighly qualified for the office. During his ing in particular, that under the 9th seclife time Mr. Harley had opposed the tion Mr. Harley was clearly entitled to party with which he (Mr. Mitchell) had come in; also from the regulations made always been associated, and supported subsequently in elucidation of that law. that with which Mr. Hutchison was con- The 9th section specially referred to per nected. He was a man of energy and ex- sons employed "in the outside service of ercised much influence in the district the said departments," and "to service in where he lived. But he (Mr. M.) felt that an established capacity in any of the pubhe would be wanting in his duty to the lic departments of the Government or public were he to take into consideration offices of the Legislatures of any of the anything except the ability of that gen Provinces." In the regulations established tleman to discharge the trust confided to for guidance in all cases under the him. When the appointment was offered law, the agents of the Department of to him, Mr. Harley confessed that his Marine and Fisheries, as well as inspectors living would depend on it for he was no of lighthouses, were specially mentioned. longer in affluent circumstances. Mr. The Treasury Board, he regretted to say, Harley received the appointment and did not come to altogether the same concontinued to discharge it up to 1870, clusion he had-they doubted whether when his health began to fail, for he such an officer should be ranked as having was afflicted with two serious com. had twenty years' service; of the four plaints, either of which made it years since 1867 of course there was no actually misery for him to travel to remote doubt whatever. They agreed, finally, to places, at all times and in all manner of give him ten years' service, and he was ways. Mr. Harley wished to resign, accordingly placed on the superannuation although his means of livelihood were at list at the small pittance of some $216 a stake; but, Mr. Mitchell persuaded him year. Yet he (Mr. Mitchell) had been acto remain for some time longer, with the cused before the country of having placed hope that his health would improve. He a man on the Superannuation Fund when held it for six months, but instead of be- he had no claim to such consideration. coming better, he got worse, even with all If a man in the position of Mr. Hanley the care he exercised. Again he reluct had no right to receive a retiring allow. antly tendered his resignation-here Mr. ance, then there was no use whatever in Mitchell read the letter of resignation. the Superannuation Act. As respects his Mr. Harley held the office, at his personal successor, it was true he was a relative solicitation, for some eight or nine months of his own, but he was known to be a longer, but when the spring came he man of respectability and influence, found he was incapacitated from discharg. and was able to teach that gening his duties-he was then 75 years of tleman who had 80 unwarrantedly age-and the result was that the Depart- made the accusation in question ment unwillingly consented to lose the He would not descend to the scurrility services of an able public officer. He then which had accompar ied the charge, but looked into the question, and came to the he would say that the house with which conclusion that Mr. Harley, had been over that gentleman was connected had had 19 years in the public employment, and the supplying of the light houses for 20 was entitled to superannuation on a 20 years and received just such prices as years' service. He represented the fact to they wished; and it was therefore not the Council in a report which he read to difficult to understand why he felt ag. the House. He read the Act to as apply. grieved that the means of continuing the ing not only to the inside, but the outside same state of things were no longer avail. services, and believed Mr Harley was en- able for him. Before sitting down, he titled to twenty-fiftieths of his salary which (Mr. M.) asked permission to refer to anwas at that time $1,200. The matter was other matter which was also to be brought referred, in accordance with the usual up elsewhere, and in connection with practice, to the Treasury Board, where which the hon member for Grandville (Mr. for the first time, the question was raised Letellier) had placed a notice on the table |