Committee on Petition of Municipal Council of

Niagara, re

ports.

Committee on

Marie Hono

rine Pinso

reports.

Mr. Cummings, from the Select Committee to which was referred the Petition of the Municipal Council of the District of Niagara, with power to report by Bill or otherwise, presented to the House a Bill to repeal the Act therein mentioned, authorizing the raising of a sum of money in the District of Niagara, for the purpose of relieving the said District from debt; which was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Thursday next.

Mr. Boutillier from the Select Committee to Petition of which was referred the Petition of Marie Honorine Pinsoneault, (dite St. Joseph,) and others, the Religineault, et al., ous Sisters of Charity of the Hôtel Dieu of the Parish of St. Hyacinthe, in the County of St. Hyacinthe, presented to the House the Report of the said Committee, which was again read at the Clerk's table, and agreed to by the House, and is as followeth :Your Committee having examined the Petition to them referred, are of opinion that the prayer therein contained be granted.

La Communauté des Filles de la Charité, Incorporation

Bill.

Home District Municipal Council.

Simcoe Regis try Office Bill.

Great Western Railroad Bills.

Address relaComtive to mutations.

Ordered, That Mr. Boutillier have leave to bring in a Bill to incorporate "La Communauté des Filles de la Charité," of the Parish of St. Hyacinthe, in the District of Montreal, for the care of infirm and sick persons, and for other purposes.

He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday next.

Ordered, That the Petition of the Municipal Council of the Home District be printed for the use of the Members of this House.

Ordered, That the Honourable Mr. Robinson have leave to bring in a Bill to provide for the removal of the Registry Office of the District of Simcoe from its present site to Barrie, the District Town.

He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Thursday next.

Ordered, That Mr. Cameron have leave to bring in a Bill to alter and amend the Charter of the Great Western Railroad Company.

He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday next.

Ordered, That Mr. Cameron have leave to bring in a Bill to incorporate a Company to extend the Great Western Railroad from Hamilton to Toronto.

He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday next.

On motion of Mr. Armstrong, seconded by Mr. Chabot,

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Excellency the Administrator of the Government, praying that he will be pleased to direct the proper officer to lay before this House, a Return of the number of Commutations which have taken place under the 8th Victoria, cap. 42, intituled "An Act the better to facilitate optional Commutation of the tenure of Lands "en roture in the Seigniories and Fiefs in Lower "Canada into that of franc alleu roturiers."

66

Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Excellency, the Administrator of the Government, by such Members of this House as are of the Honourable the Executive Council of this Province.

Commutations appointed.

Resolved, That a Select Committee, composed of Committee on Mr. Christie, the Honourable Mr. Moffatt, the subject of Honourable Mr. Aylwin, Mr. Leslie, Mr. Lantier, and Mr. Taché, be appointed to enquire into and report upon the expenses usually incurred in effecting Commutations of the tenure of Land held en Fief or à titre de cens of the Crown in Lower Canada into that of Free and Common Soccage, under the Imperial Act 3rd Geo. IV., ch. 119, and their legality, and whether such expenses have contributed to prevent commutations, or have proved an obstacle thereto, and to report upon the expedience of making provision by law for modifying those expenses or charges, with a view to facilitate the operations of the said Act, and to render commutations under it less expensive; with power to send for persons, papers, and records.

Resolved, That a Select Committee, composed of Committee on Mr. Cauchon, the Honourable Mr. Morin, Mr. causes of fires Christie, Mr. Solicitor-General Taschereau, and by Steam Engines, appointthe Honourable Mr. Aylwin, be appointed to ed. inquire into the causes of fires by steam engines on land or by water, within the limits of this Province, and into the most efficient means for preventing them for the future, to report thereon with all convenient speed; with power to send for persons, papers, and records.

Ordered, That the Honourable Mr. Attorney- Court of General' Draper, have leave to bring in a Bill Chancery. to remove certain doubts as to the jurisdiction conferred upon the Court of Chancery in Upper Canada, in matters relating to lunatics, idiots, and persons of unsound mind, and their estates, and to amend and extend the laws in force in Upper Canada, relating to lunatics, idiots, and persons of unsound mind, and their estates. He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Friday next.

On motion of Mr. Laurin, seconded by Mr. Chabot,

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented Quebec Turnto His Excellency, the Administrator of the pike Roads. Government, praying that he will be pleased to acquaint this House with the reasons why the Trustees of the Quebec Turnpike Roads have not caused the road from the Côte de Champigny, including the said Côte, to the bridge commonly called the "Red Bridge," or "Commissioner's Bridge," to be macadamized, in conformity with the Act of the 8th Victoria, cap. 55, and if the said Trustees have the intention of conforming themselves to the said law, and of macadamizing the said road in the course of the next summer. Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Excellency, the Administrator of the Government, by such Members of this House as are of the Honourable the Executive Council of this Province.

On motion of the Honourable Mr. AttorneyGeneral Draper, seconded by the Honourable Mr. Solicitor-General Sherwood,

Resolved, That this House do now resolve itself School Law, into a Committee of the whole House, on the (U. C.) School Law of Upper Canada.

The House accordingly resolved itself into the said Committee.

Plurality of Offices Bill.

Assessment

Mr. Christie took the Chair of the Committee, and after some time spent therein,

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair, and Mr. Christie reported that the Committee had come to a Resolution, which he was directed to submit to the House, whenever it shall be pleased to receive the same. Ordered, That the Report be received to-morrow. Ordered, That Mr. Christie have leave to bring in a Bill to prevent the undue accumulation and plurality of offices.

He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday, the seventh of April next.

Mr. Gowan, from the Committee of the whole Laws, (U. C.) House, to take into consideration the propriety of amending the Assessment Laws, in force in Upper Canada, reported, according to order, the Resolution of the said Committee, which Resolution was again read at the Clerk's table, and agreed to by the House, and is as followeth :

Member called

appear.

Magdalen Islands Bill.

Resolved, That it is expedient that a more equal
system of valuation of lands in Upper Canada,
for the purposes of Assessment, be adopted, and
that new provision of Law be made for the
purpose of obtaining such valuation, and to im-
pose and collect Rates and Assessments in that
part of this Province.

Ordered, That the Honourable Mr. Attorney
General Draper have leave to bring in a Bill to
regulate Assessments and the appointment of
Collectors and Assessors in Upper Canada.
He accordingly presented the said Bill to the
House, and the same was received and read for the
first time, and ordered to be read a second time on
Tuesday, the seventh of April next.

Mr. Bertrand, Member for the County of Rimouski, and did not having been called, according to order, did not appear. The Order of the Day for the second reading of the Bill relating to the Magdalen Islands, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and to enable the inhabitants, householders thereof, to establish a Municipal Council in the said Islands, being read,

District of Gaspé Marriage, &c. Bill.

Gaspé Municipalities Bill.

Gaspé Admini

tice Bill.

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a second time on Monday next.

The Order of the Day for the second reading of the Bill to make provision for the legal proof, and preservation thereof, of certain informal marriages had, anterior to a certain date therein mentioned, before Justices of the Peace and others in the Inferior District of Gaspé, as ratified by Act of the Legislature of Lower Canada, but whereof no Register or Records have been kept, and for recording the same, including certain births or baptisms and burials in the said District; being read,

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a second time on Monday next.

The Order of the Day for the second reading of the Bill relating to certain Municipalities in Gaspé not regularly established according to law, and to remedy the defect, and for other purposes, being

read,

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a second time on Monday next.

The Order of the Day for the second reading of stration of Jus- the Bill for the better administration of Justice in the General Sessions of the Peace for Gaspé, and to prevent charges upon the Treasury of the Province for unnecessarily summoning Jurors thereto; being

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a second time on Monday next.

tions Bill.

The Order of the Day for the second reading of Visitation of the Bill for the annual visitation of certain Institu- certain Institu tions in this Province, maintained in whole or in part at the public expense, and for causing reports of the state and condition thereof to be annually laid before the Legislature, and for preventing abuses therein, being read,

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a second time on Monday next.

mittee on the propriety of amending the Schedule to Upper Canada. The Order of the Day for the House in Com- District Courts the Act passed last Session, intituled "An Act to "amend, consolidate, and reduce into one Act the "several Laws now in force, establishing or regu"lating the practice of District Courts in the several "Districts of that part of this Province, formerly "Upper Canada," being read,

The House accordingly resolved itself into the said Committee,

after some time spent therein,

Mr. Boulton took the chair of the Committee, and

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair,

And Mr. Boulton reported that the Committee had come to a Resolution, which he was directed to submit to the House, whenever it shall be pleased to

receive the same.

Ordered, That the Report be received to-morrow.

The Order of the Day for the Second Reading of Dempsey's the Bill to authorize the Courts of Queen's Bench, Relief Bill. and of Chancery, in Upper Canada, in their discretion, to admit John W. Dempsey to practise as an Attorney and Solicitor therein, being read, The said Bill was read accordingly.

The Order of the Day for the Second Reading of Trafalgar Road the Bill to incorporate certain persons as the Tra- Bill. falgar, Esquesing, and Erin Road Company, being read,

Ordered, That the said Bill be read a second time on Thursday next.

Election.

tion a motion made on the twenty-fourth instant, The Order of the Day for taking into considera- Oxford viz:-" That the Select Committee appointed to try the merits of the Petition of the Honourable "Francis Hincks, of the City of Montreal, complain"ing of the undue Election and Return of Robert of Orford, having been unavoidably reduced to less "Riddell, Esquire, Sitting Member for the County "than nine Members, and having so continued for "the space of three sitting days, is dissolved," being read,

The House proceeded accordingly to take the said motions into consideration,

And the said motion being again read, and the question being put thereon, a division ensued, and the names being called for, they were taken down as

followeth :

YEAS.

Messieurs Boulton, Brooks, Cayley, Chalmers, Colvile, Cummings, Daly, Attorney General Draper, Ermatinger, Foster, Gowan, Hale, Hall, Jessup, Johnston, Macdonald of CORNWALL, Macdonell of DUNDAS, Meyers, Moffatt, Monro, Papineau, Petrie, Prince, Robinson, Sherwood of BROCKVILLE, Solicitor General Sherwood, Smith of FRONTENAC, Attorney General Smith, Stewart of BYTOWN, Stewart of PRESCOTT, Viger, Webster, and Woods.-(33.)

NAYS.

Messieurs Armstrong, Aylwin, Baldwin, Berthelot, Boutillier, Cameron, Cauchon, Chabot, Chauveau, Christie, Desaunier, De Witt, Dickson, Drummond,

Martis, 31° die Martii.

ANNO NONO, VICTORIE REGINE, 1846.

Petitions laid THE following Petitions were severally brought up and laid on the table:

on the table.

Standing Com

mittees.

Petitions referred: John Grubb, et al.

Rev. J. Shortt, et al.

By Mr. De Witt,-The Petition of the Right Reverend R. Gaulin, President of the Corporation of the College of L'Assomption.

By Mr. Macdonell of Dundas,-The Petition of the Reverend Henry Patton and others, members of the United Church of England and Ireland, in the Parish of Cornwall, in the Diocese of Toronto.

By Mr. Foster,-The Petition of Stephen S. Foster, Esquire, President, and others, the Directors of the Shefford Academy.

By Mr. Chalmers,-The Petition of John Marshall, senior, and others, of the County of Halton. By Mr. Williams,-The Petition of G. M. Boswell, Esquire, and others.

By Mr. Riddell,-The Petition of Colonel 4. Light and others, of Woodstock and other Towns, in the Districts of Brock and London.

By Mr. Monro,-The Petition of Joseph Tomlinson, Esquire, of Markham and other Townships, in the Home District.

By Mr. Lacoste,-The Petition of John Glen, Esquire, and others, Trustees of the Longueuil and Chambly Turnpike Road.

By Mr. Le Moine,-The Petition of William Hannah and others, of the Parish of Lachine.

By Mr. Watts,-The Petition of William Robins and others, of the County of Drummond.

By Mr. Laurin,-The Petition of Ambroise Sivigni and others, of the Parish of St. Ambroise de Tilly.

By the Honourable Mr. Aylwin,-The Petition of the Reverend Robert R. Burrage, of the City of Quebec; the Petition of H. Jessup, Esquire, and others, inhabitants of the City of Quebec; and the Petition of George O'Kill Stuart, Esquire, and others, landed proprietors of the District of Quebec.

By Mr. Stewart of Bytown,-The Petition of John Egan, Esquire, and others, inhabitants of the County of Ottawa, residing on the South Bank of the Ottawa.

On motion of the Honourable Mr. Attorney General Smith, seconded by Mr. Solicitor General Tasche

reau,

Resolved, That this House doth concur in the Report of the Select Committee appointed to prepare and report Lists of Members to compose the Six Standing Committees ordered by this House, on Thursday last.

Ordered, That the Petition of John Grubb and others, inhabitants of the Township of York and of the Gore of Toronto, be referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills.

Ordered, That the Petition of the Reverend Jonathan Shortt and others, members of the United Church of England and Ireland, in Port Hope, be referred to the Select Committee to which was referred the Petition of the Church Society of the Diocese of Toronto, and other references.

Ordered, That the Petition of William Lough and Wm. Lough, others, inhabitants of the County of Russell, be et al. referred to the Select Committee to which was referred the Petition of George Roe and others, of the County of Russell.

Ordered, That the Petition of William Rowe and W. Rowe, et al. others, of the Townships of Clarke and Hope, in the District of Newcastle, be referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills.

Ordered, That the Petition of Amable Bonchet and A. Bonchet, et al. others, inhabitants of the County of Champlain, be referred to the Select Committee to which was referred the Petition of Jean Marie Robitaille and others, of the Parish of L'Ancienne Lorette, and other references.

Ordered, That the Petition of M. F. Valois and M. F. Valeis, others, inhabitants and proprietors, of Lachine et al. and other places, be referred to the Select Committee to which was referred the Petition of E. Guy, Esquire, and others, residing on the Lower Lachine Road, and another reference.

Mr. Dickson, Chairman of the Select Committee Middlesex appointed to try the merits of the Petition of William Election. Notman, Esquire, of Dundas, in the Gore District, complaining of the undue Election and Return of Edward Ermatinger, Esquire, to represent the County of Middlesex in this present Parliament, reported the following Resolutions, which were again read at the Clerk's table, and agreed to by the House; viz:

:

1st. Resolved, That William H. Horton, of the Town of London, Esquire, George S. Tiffany, of the Town of Hamilton, Esquire, and Thomas D. Warren, of the Village of St. Thomas, Esquire, Commissioners appointed to take the evidence on the trial of the controverted Election for the County of Middlsser, have been guilty of neglect, in not making a Return to the Commission issued by order of the House, and to them directed in that behalf.

2d. Resolved, That the said Commissioners, Wm. H. Horton, George S. Tiffany, and Thomas D. Warren, Esquires, should be summoned to appear at the Bar of the House to answer such their neglect, and that they bear the charge of the Summons.

On motion of Mr. Dickson, seconded by Mr. Roblin, Ordered, That William H. Horton, of the Town of London, Esquire, George S. Tiffany, of the Town of Hamilton, Esquire, and Thomas D. Warren, of the Village of St. Thomas, Esquire, Commissioners appointed to take the evidence in the matter of the Contested Election for the County of Middlesex, having been guilty of neglect, in not returning the Commission issued by the order of the House, be summoned to appear at the Bar of this House, and that they bear the expense of the Summons.

On motion of Mr. Boulton, seconded by Mr. Dug

gan,

Ordered, That the Resolution of this House re- Petition of ferring the Petition of the Mayor, Aldermen, Mayor, &c., of Toronto, reand Commonalty of the City of Toronto, to a ferred. Select Committee, be rescinded, and that the said Petition be referred to the Standing Committee appointed to assist Mr. Speaker in the direction of the Library.

On motion of the Honourable Mr. Robinson, seconded by Mr. Merritt,

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to Trade and His Excellency, the Administrator of the Go- Commerce. vernment, praying that His Excellency will be

Notarial Profession Bill.

pleased to lay before this House, copies of all Despatches and Communications which have passed between the Imperial and Colonial Governments, on the subject of the Trade, Commerce, and Revenue of this Province, since the Despatch dated 26th September, 1844. Ordered, That the said Address be presented to His Excellency, the Administrator of the Government, by such Members of this House as are of the Honourable the Executive Council of this Province.

Mr. Chauveau, Chairman of the Select Committee appointed to try the merits of the Petition of the Honourable Francis Hincks, of the City of Montreal, complaining of the undue Election and Return of Robert Riddell, Esquire, Sitting Member for the County of Oxford, reported that the Committee met this day, at nine o'clock, A. M., pursuant to adjournment, but were unable to proceed to business, in consequence of the absence of Mr. Bertrand, a member of the Committee.

Ordered, That Mr. Bertrand, Member for the County of Rimouski, do attend in his place in this House to-morrow.

On motion of Mr. Stewart of Bytown, seconded by Mr. Smith of Frontenac,

Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Excellency, the Administrator of the Government, praying that he will be pleased to cause to be laid before this House a Statement in detail of the transactions in the Crown Timber Office in Bytown for the year 1845; exhibiting the number of rafts passed, owners' name, the amount of duty on each raft, the gross amount of revenue for the year, the names of the agent, clerks, and servants, and the salary to each, and any other expense connected with the office; also the amount paid by Government for surveys, and the amount paid by each individual lumberman for such services; the number of timber limits occupied or granted, the locality; the name of the party to whom granted, and the amount of deposit on each; together with the whole of the subject matter of the Commission of Enquiry appointed to investigate the affairs of the Crown Timber Office in Bytown, and the expense in detail of such Commis

Ordered, That Mr. Laurin have leave to bring in a Bill for the organization of the Notarial Profession in that part of this Province called Lower Canada.

He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Thursday, the ninth of April next.

Ordered, That the Honourable Mr. Attorney General Draper have leave to bring in a Bill to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to the Provincial Penitentiary.

He accordingly presented the said Bill to the House, and the same was received and read for the first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Friday next.

On motion of the Honourable Mr. Cayley, seconded by the Honourable Mr. Attorney General Smith,

Ordered, That the officers connected with the Bank state-
several chartered Banks and Insurance Offices ments.
of the Province, be respectively directed to lay
before this House the statement of the affairs
of the said Banks and Insurance Offices, as re-
quired by the Acts of Incorporation.

On motion of Mr. Macdonell of Dundas, seconded
Mr. Smith of Frontenac,

Resolved, That this House do now resolve itself Real Estate. into a Committee of the whole House, to take into consideration Resolutions for the repeal of so much of the Act of the Parliament of England, passed in the 32d year of the Reign of His Majesty, King Henry the Eighth, which imposes a penalty upon the grantor and grantee of land; and which declares, under certain circumstances therein mentioned, a title void, and also for the abrogation of any Usage or Custom of England, which goes to the extent of invalidating the title of a purchaser, when a third party may be in adverse possession at the time of passing such title, and substituting in lieu of such Statute Law, Usage, and Custom of England, an Act to be in force in Upper Canada, to enable Parties to dispose of Real Estate without the disability imposed by such Statute Law, Usage, and Custom of England, as aforesaid. The House accordingly resolved itself into the said Committee.

Mr. Seymour took the Chair of the Committee, and after some time spent therein,

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair,

And Mr. Seymour reported that the Committee had made some progress, and had directed him to move for leave to sit again..

Ordered, That the said Committee have leave to sit again on Monday next.

The Honourable Mr. Daly, one of Her Majesty's
Executive Council, laid before the House, by com-
mand of His Excellency, the Administrator of the
Government,

Copy of the Blue Book for 1844.
Also,

Blue Book.

Pursuant to the Provincial Act 4th William IV., Provincial chapter 37, the Annual Report of the Provincial Penitentiary. Penitentiary for 1845.

(For the said Report see Appendix G.) And also,

Assessment Rolls for Upper Canada, for 1845, Assessment transmitted pursuant to 59th George III., chapter 7. Rolls, (U. C.) (For the said Assessment Rolls see Appendix H.)

Mr. Christie from the Committee of the whole School Bill, House, on the School Law of Upper Canada, re- (U. C.) ported, according to Order, the Resolution of the said Committee, which Resolution was again read at the Clerk's table, and agreed to by the House, and is as followeth :

Resolved, That it is expedient that provision should be made by Law for the expense of establishing a Normal School, and for amending the Common School Laws of Upper Canada. Ordered, That the Honourable Mr. Attorney General Draper, have leave to bring in a Bill for the better establishment and maintenance of Common Schools in Upper Canada.