paid to the Province, was only a "confirmation of title." A measure passed the House but was rejected in the Council which proposed to change the name of the City of Three Rivers to Trois Rivieres and making the former designation illegal. The Opposition during the Session claimed in various Resolutions, defeated on party votes, that (1) the Butter and Cheese measure was too arbitrary in its powers and would place the factories under political influence; that (2) the limit of work for children in factories should be 55 instead of 58 hours a week; that (3) the Government had improperly ignored the Legislature in its new Pulp-wood and Forest policy; that (4) Bridge moneys were being used to establish toll roads, to subsidize private undertakings, and for electioneering purposes. The 1909 charges of Mr. Prévost against John Hall Kelly, M.L.A., were brought up by the latter on June 4 when he expressed regret that the Committee of Inquiry had not finished its work owing to the retirement of members and urged the appointment of a Special Commission of Judges. A motion to that effect was ruled out of order. One of the important pieces of constructive legislation in this year at Quebec was the creation of a Public Utilities Commission with large powers and possibilities of usefulness. It had control over all the great problems affecting the relations between corporations and municipalities and its jurisdiction covered all telegraph, telephone, street railway, power, heat and light companies and any other public utility corporation not under Federal charter. To quote the Montreal Star of Mch. 10: "It is questionable if ever before in the history of the Province an appointive body was given such unrestricted authority over matters of such vital daily importance to the great majority of its citizens." The term of office for the Commissioners was 10 years at $3,000 a year each; the head office was to be in Quebec with a branch office in Montreal; the members were announced on Mch. 4th as being Lieut.Colonel F. W. Hibbard, K.C., of Montreal (Chairman), Sir George Garneau of Quebec and Prof. Charles Laberge of the Montreal Polytechnic School. On Sept. 28 Colonel Hibbard stated that the merger of two great corporations could not take place without the Commission's sanction. At this time it undertook a special investigation into the causes of Street Railway accidents in Montreal and in its report ordered (1) that no further cars of the single truck pattern be placed in use; (2) that the number of such cars be reduced each year by 50; (3) that all cars 30 feet or more in length and of a specific tonnage, be equipped with air-brakes in addition to hand-brakes; (4) that cars on routes with severe grades be equipped in addition with emergency brakes; (5) that all cars be equipped with automatic mechanical dropwheel guards of Hudson and Bowning type or similar ones to be approved by the Commission. The Bye-elections of the year included Richmond where Mr. Mackenzie's re-election was by acclamation; in Gaspé where on Feb. 17th J. L. Perron, K.C. (Lib.), was elected by 713 majority over L. J. Gauthier, K.C. (Nationalist); Drummond where Hon. L. J. Allard (Lib.) was elected by 274 over N. Garceau who had Conservative and Nationalist support; Argenteuil where John Hay (Lib.) was elected by 79 majority over H. Slater; St. Johns where Marcellin Robert (Lib.) on Dec. 29th, and by 663 majority, defeated Henri Hèbert (Nat.) after a keen fight in which the Premier and his Ministers, the Opposition and Nationalist leaders, all took part. The alleged Empire entanglements of the Dominion Naval policy was made an issue by the latter and the English vote went largely Liberal in consequence. Incidents of the Year. Jan. 1. The number of new Joint-Stock Companies in the Province in the year ending June 30, 1909, is stated at 137 with $20,333,800 invested capital. For the calendar year 1908 the Receipts of Quebec Municipalities are stated as $1,529,540, the payments $1,233,228, the Assets $4,548,875, the Liabilities $2,221,896. The number of Agricultural Societies in 1908-9 is 78 with 2,015 members and of Farmers Clubs 635 with 58,847 members. The total of all their Receipts is $310,000. Jan. 10.-Le Devoir, the new Nationalist organ published by Henri Bourassa, makes its first appearance at Montreal with the following statement as to Quebec affairs: "In Provincial politics we will oppose the present Government, because we find therein all the bad tendencies which we wish to make disappear from public life heredity, carelessness, cowardice, degrading and narrow party spirit." Mch. 11.-It is stated that Olivar Asselin and Jules Fournier of Nationalist and Le Devoir affiliation are to sever connection with the latter. Mch. 16.-It is announced that the Revision of the Statutes-the first since 1888-is completed at an enormous cost of labour and will go into operation on Mch. 29th. Mch. 21.-A Government report describes insanity in the Province as increasing, the asylums as over-crowded, and the figures for 1908 as being 3,688. Another Report for 1908 states 5,716 as the infant mortality of the Province or 16.6 per cent. of the deaths of the year. Mch. 29.-The cost of the Legislative Council in 1909 is, officially, stated at $53,370. Mch. 31.-Rev. Father Bèrubé, of Vonda, Sask., tells the Montreal Standard that: "I will succeed in planting a little Province of Quebec in Saskatchewan, and others will do the same thing in Alberta; yet we will not tread on other people's toes, for we all live happily and harmoniously together on the Western plains." Apr. 13. Mr. Jean Prévost in the Legislature wants to know why 10,000 French-Canadians emigrated to the United States during the past year, states that Montreal will soon be over-run with Syrians and Italians with the loss in 20 years of the French majority in that City, and alleges that in the 18 older counties of the Province the population in 1871 was 329,828 and in 1901 304,880. May 29.-Thousands of people attend a religious and patriotic ceremony on Place d'Armes, Montreal, in honour of Dollard des Ormeaux and his companions who once saved the City from the Indians by the sacrifice of their lives. In November a Committee is appointed to erect a monument, with Prof. J. B. Lagace as President, and Emile Vaillancourt as Secretary. $6,000 is subscribed immediately. May 30.-In the Superior Court at Hull Judge L. N. Champagne declares the property owners along the Gatineau River as legal and rightful proprietors. By this judgment the Province is precluded from selling innumerable water-powers along such rivers to companies and others endeavouring to secure possession of these valuable assets. Sept. 6-9.-A Congress of French-speaking Fraternal and religious Societies is held at Manchester, New Hampshire, including many delegates from Quebec and the New England Brigade of FrancoAmerican Volunteers, the Young Men's French Catholic Association of New England, and the Society of Peter's Pence. Oct. 6. A banquet of 400 guests is given Mr. J. A. Tessier, M.L.A., at Three Rivers with Hon. Jacques Bureau, M.P., as Chairman and addresses fom Sir Lomer Gouin and Messrs. C. R. Devlin, L. A. Taschereau, J. E. Caron and other Provincial Ministers. Nov. 11.-In connection with an issue of bonds in London William Price of Price Bros. and Co., Ltd., states that they hold 6,000 square miles or 4,000,000 acres of timber limits with immense quantities of pulp-wood, 9 saw-mills, 1 pulp-mill-to which it was proposed to add another-three shingle mills and a rossing mill. Nov. 29.-Le Croix, an ultra-clerical organ, severely denounces Freemasonry, and declares that there are 60,000 of various Rites in Canada always carrying on a guerilla warfare against the Church. It should therefore be "the constant object of Catholic hostility." Dec. 31. During the year the following Government appointments are made: Member of Legislative Coun- Member of Legislative Coun- Achille Bergevin...... Quebec. Dr. Ernest Choquette. St. Hilaire. Police Magistrate of Quebec. Hon. Charles Langelier.Quebec. Sheriff of Montreal.... Secretary, Department Public Works of Dr. L. J. Lemieux, M.L.A.Montreal. .Rodolphe Desroches...Quebec. lative Assembly Financial Condition and Educational Interests of the Province The first Budget speech of Hon. P. S. G. Mackenzie, Provincial Treasurer, was delivered in the Legislature on Apl. 5, 1910. He described his policy as that of his predecessors from the time of Mr. Marchand, in helping Education, Agriculture, and Colonization while keeping within the revenue and slowly reducing the Public Debt. The ordinary Receipts for the year ending June 30, 1909, were $6,082,187, the ordinary Expenditures $5,441,880, the Surplus was $640,307. There was a special expenditure of $98,000 which left an actual surplus of $542,307. The estimate by his predecessor, Hon. W. A. Weir, was $396,442. Including receipts from Trust funds, Dominion special grant, etc., not included in ordinary revenue, the grand total was $8,858,740 with total expenditures-including $2,682,500 for redemption of Debt-of $8,700,952 or a total excess of all Receipts amounting to $157,788. As to Public Debt (funded) the total on June 30, 1908, was $28,554,024 and in 1909 $25,766,404. The Sinking Fund invested at the latter date was $1,070,188 while the unfunded Debt was $2,184,329 against which the Province held Assets of $4,009,184. The Treasurer estimated that the Receipts for the year ending June 30, 1910, would be $500,000 greater than Mr. Weir had expected and the Expenditures $300,000 more. He estimated a surplus of $400,000. For the year 1910-11 he estimated Receipts of $5,904,534 and Expenditures of $5,707,991. As to details in 1910 $25,000 more was given to rural roads and the total reached $245,000; $25,000 additional was spent on iron bridge construction, $10,000 more on the Dairy industry, $20,000 towards the construction of an Agricultural School at St. Anne (Pocatiére) and $10,000 for its maintenance. Education was given $154,100 more than in 1908. By June 30, 1909, the new Montreal Gaol had received $586,923 for construction, with $571,515 spent during the 9 months of 1909-10. It had been found necessary also to largely increase the salaries of Civil Servants and the Magistracy to enable them to meet the increased cost of living. On Aug. 22nd, following, Mr. Mackenzie announced the Receipts and Expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1910 with a Surplus of $945,147: During the Budget debate the Opposition critcism included the claim that moneys borrowed for the Montreal and Quebec Technical Schools were obtained by use of the Government name and were Provincial liabilities not recorded in the Public Accounts; that but for increased Dominion subsidies there would have been an obvious deficit; that the million dollars paid on the Montreal NOTA-This statement was subject to a few minor changes and additions. Gaol were not included in the Liabilities; that a new system of book-keeping was absolutely necessary. On Apl. 7, Mr. J. M. Tellier moved a Resolution, seconded by Mr. Bourassa, declaring that (1) the Government should reduce taxation, (2) should cease disposing of stone quarries on lands already conceded, (3) should not dispose of exclusive rights in taking ice from rivers, (4) should expend moneys only in accordance with the law, (5) should adopt an accurate system of book-keeping. It was rejected on the 13th by 50 to 13 votes. As illustrating the progressive force of taxation in Quebec it may be said that, according to official answers to various questions in the 1910 Session, the revenue from all kinds of Liquor Licenses and certain Hotel fees had increased from $431,023 in 1889 to $871,041 in 1909; that Commercial Corporation taxes had grown from $58,393 in 1888 to $653,341 in 1909; that Succession Duties had risen from $40,313 in 1892 to $634,445. The timber limits sold by the Government from 1867 to 1898 were $1,043,971 in value of proceeds; from 1898 to 1906 $2,201,593. The total expenditure on Colonization Roads, 1887-1909, was $2,875,036; the Departmental expenditure on Agriculture was $107,615 in 1887-88 and $286,026 in 1908-9; the cost of the Quebec and Lake St. John Railway to the Government (1874-1897) was $2,419,872. As to Education one of the incidents of the year was the retirement of Prof. J. W. Robertson, C.M.G., from the Principalship of the Macdonald College at Ste. Anne de Bellevue (Jan. 10). F. C. Harrison, D.Sc., was appointed acting Principal in his place. At this institution in October it was stated that Sir W. C. Macdonald had presented several new buildings, which were then under construction, for the use of the College. The attendance in 1910 was 395. The Gouin Government continued to make this subject a prominent one in declarations of policy. Speaking at Laval University, Quebec, on Feb. 5th the Premier described that institution as having in its charge the French thought, language and traditions of the Province and promised to aid its Polytechnic School under certain conditions. Speaking at a banquet tendered him by the citizens of Richmond (Nov. 10) Hon. P. S. G. Mackenzie pointed out that in 1902-3 the Municipal contributions to Education in Quebec were $3,274,074 and in 1908-9 $4,580,418, or an increase of 40 per cent.; that in the former year the Government contribution was $586,964 and in the latter $837,450, or an increase of 43 per cent.; and that this, in 1909-10, would probably reach a million dollars. Besides this five Normal Schools have since been established for the training of teachers. A school for higher commercial studies has been established in the city of Montreal, and two technical schools-one at Montreal and one in Quebec, are now nearing completion at great expense. While there has been a satisfactory increase in the salaries paid to teachers, yet the average salary paid is still abnormally small. In many communities they are not receiving as much as domestic servants. Our |