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it is intended, where there are duplicate specimens, to leave them in Montreal in custody of McGill University, where there are triplicates or still more nume

Hon. Mr. TRUDEL I think it has been shown that a certain portion of this museum has been formed by gifts from the citizens of Montreal. The Government should, as a matter of justice, in-rous specimens, they will be distributed quire into it, and ascertain what proportion of the museum has been given in that way, and they should contribute something, at least equal to the value of those gifts, towards maintaining a museum in Montreal.

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elsewhere. It could not have been the intention of the late Government or of any Administration to impair or destroy the national collection by allowing a part of it to remain in Montreal. The whole of it must come to Ottawa, except where there are duplicate specimens.

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Hon. Mr. RYAN I am ass tred that Mr. Selwyn never had such instructions.

"Hon. Mr. Scott said he had been making inquiries of the Minister of the Interior, and was informed that the building in Montreal was quite unfit for the purpose, that they had tons of specimens now boxed up which they were unable to exhibit, and they must either Hon. Sir ALEX CAMPBELL - I get a new building in Montreal or remove shall take care that he receives them, elsewhere. He was further informed that there would be no difficulty whatever in leav-and if the duplicate specimens are here ing a very respectable museum in Montreal, they shall be sent back. in consequence of having duplicates, and the hon. gentleman from Montreal would be gratified to that extent. A very considerable portion of the collection would remain in Montreal."

We know that the boxes sent to Ottawa contain duplicate specimens to supply all that will be required in Montreal. I simply rise for the purpose of pointing out that the then Secretary of State at the time that this Bill was before the House, made the statement that a very considerable portion of the collection would remain in Montreal.

Hon. Sir ALEX. CAMPBELL
I have already stated to the House that

ASSINIBOINE BRIDGE COMPANY'S BILL

THIRD READING.

Hon. Mr. VIDAL, from the Commitmittee on Standing Orders and Private Bills, reported Bill (27) "An Act to amend the Act 43 Vic., cap. 61, intituled An Act to incorporate the Assiniboine Bridge Company,' and to change the name of the said Company."

Hon. Mr. GIRARD moved the third reading of the Bill.

The motion was agreed to, and the Bill was read the third time and passed.

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Hon. Mr. ALLAN said if he had moved that the rule be suspended, and that his petition be read, it certainly would not be as regular a proceeding as to ask leave of the House to present the petition in order that it might be referred to the Committee on Standing Orders and Private Bills.

Hon. Mr. MILLER said the simple course for the hon. gentleman to pursue would be to give notice that on such and such a day he would move that the rule be suspended to allow the petition to be presented.

Hon. Mr. DICKEY contended that

some step should be taken before the petition could be brought before the House,

After some discussion,

Hon. Mr. ALLAN said he desired to

"An Act to incorporate the European, American and Canadian Cable Company (Limited)."

Hon. Mr. SCOTT said: This Bill was on the order paper yesterday for the third reading and on that occasion I moved an important amendment, which, in effect,

was to strike out the clause in the Bill which restricted the Company as to their tariff rates. That provision in the Bill had been introduced by the House after the Committee had reported it. As the hon. gentleman who moved that amendment was absent from his place it was suggested, and very properly I think, that the Bill should stand over until to-day. He is in his place to-day, and I now ask the House to strike out the clause. I went pretty fully into the reasons for asking it yesterday. They are these: we have incorporated several cable companies, and in none of their charters have we imposed such a restriction. On the contrary, when the general Act was before the House in 1875, the question came up, and the proposition to impose such a restriction was directly negatived. So far as the land lines are concerned, no maximum rate is established in their charters; nor is the Governor in Council empowered to fix a tariff of rates.

But apart from this, there is the strong objection that this Company, having no connection with land lines on this side of the Atlantic, would be handicapped by this restriction in competing, existing cable companies that have such connections. The Dominion Telegraph Company, at the time the Direct Cable Company was supposed to be an independent line, formed a union with it. The Montreal Telegraph Company acts altogether through the Western Union, The motion was agreed to, and the and has no line running east of Sackpetition was presented.

act in accordance with what appeared to be the general feeling of the House, and, therefore, moved that the 49th rule be suspended.

BILL INTRODUCED.

Bill (40) An Act to incorporate the Bay of Quinte Railway and Navigation. Co.-(Mr. Read.)

EUROPEAN NORTH AMERICAN AND
CANADIAN CABLE CO.'S BILL.

THIRD READING.

The Order of the day having been called for the third reading of Bill (F):

ville.

Hon. Mr. BOTSFORD - An important place.

Hon. Mr. SCOTT Yes, it is an important place where a Canadian line hands over its business to a foreign company. The Montreal Telegraph Company has a close connection with the Anglo-American, which is really the powerful line that controls all the Atlantic cables. This new Company, restricted in this way, would be placed at

European, N. American and [FEBRUARY 23, 1881.] Canadian Cable Co.'s Bill. 421

The answer being in the negative, I
found that there was a general feeling
expressed that there should be such a
clause introduced, and it was in accord-
ance with that feeling that I intro-
duced an amendment to one of the
clauses of the Bill, which was adopted
by the House, I think the hon. gen-
tleman himself, being the only member
dissenting. I introduced the amend-
ment because the hon. gentleman was an
assenting party in the first instance,
and the feeling of the House was
I had some

a disadvantage in competing for business | such a clause in the Bill as I proposed.
with the established companies. If we
were sure that the present rates would be
continued, there would be no objection
to the clause, but the Montreal and
Dominion Companies can at any time
change their rates, and can in many
ways discriminate in favor of the com-
panies with which they are connected.
Even within the older provinces of the
Dominion, the local rates are not uniform.
The rate up to certain points in Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick is 20 cents
for ten words, but to Prince Edward
Island it is 70 cents, and east of Sack-strongly in its favor.
ville, 30 cents, so that this clause is an
unfair restriction upon this new Com-
pany. I shall therefore move that the
Bill be not now read the third time,
but be referred back to Committee of
the Whole, to be amended by striking
out this clause.

delicacy about doing so before that, but
on the assurance of hon. gentlemen who
were promoting this Bill that not only
did they not object, but those who were
interested in it had no objection, I
moved the amendment. Now, hon.
gentlemen, it has been urged that this
amendment should not pass, because
the Company organizing under this Bill
has no land lines at present. But
neither had any other company that has
been incorporated by this House. Some
regret has been expressed that a clause
brief discussion as to the of this restrictive character was not

Hon. Mr. BOTSFORD- The shortest course, and the one followed in the House of Lords, would be to move the third reading of the Bill, and then

move the amendment.

After a procedure,

Hon. Mr. WARK moved the third reading of the Bill.

Hon. Mr. SCOTT moved that the Bill be not read the third time, but that it be referred back to Committee with instructions to strike out the clause fixing the tariff.

Hon. Mr. GIBBS. I regret that I was not present yesterday when this measure was up, and when, as I understand from the remarks of the exSecretary of State, the question was fully discussed.

introduced originally when Parliament
first began to give charters to cable com-
panies, and it was also stated by the
hon. gentleman from Amherst, with a
good deal of force, that the longer it
was delayed the more difficulty there
would be in introducing such a clause
into bills of this kind in this branch of
the Legislature. I therefore felt it was
my duty to introduce such a clause in
this Bill, and to press it upon the notice
of the House. While there may be
some force in the remark of the hon.
gentleman opposite (Mr. Scott) that this

is the first restriction of the kind that
has been placed on any company ask-

Hon. Mr. SCOTT - By myself only, ing for a charter, if this amendment is not by other gentlemen.

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accepted by the House it will virtually
apply to some, if not all, other companies
in this
way. The Dominion Tele-
graph Company has an arrangement
with the Direct Cable Company. Among
other things that arrangement provides
that the Direct Cable Company shall
transmit messages from one side of the
Atlantic to the other upon as low and
upon as favorable terms as any other
line doing business across the Atlantic.
The effect of this amendment will be to

1

cable messages, so far as this Company were restricted to the

York, and the rate can be fixed at any price the directors may choose to dietate. In view of that fact, I do think it would be extremely unfair to place this Company, so far as land rates are concerned, at such an extreme disadvantage. If the House choose, I have no objection to accept a propsition limiting the rate to the cost of the cable message, and the aessage through Great Britain and Ireland at 45 cents.

restrict that Company from charging a higher rate than is charged to-day, which is concerned, is the same as the maximum rate fixed present, rates. But what I do say is by the amendment in the charter to this that you are putting this Company Company. I cannot speak as to the entirely in the hands of the land lines. arrangements of other companies. The It is a different matter on the other Montreal Company may have nothing side of the Atlantic, where the British to do in making arrangements with the Government have control of the land Cable Companies. The lines in the lines, but on this side the land lines Maritime Provinces with which they are practically in the hands of the connect are all under the control of United States Companies. There is no the Western Union, and any arrange- doubt of that. The Western Union can ments that are made with the cable at this very moment dictate the terms companies are probably made by the on which messages can be carried Western Union. The Western Union through Canada. Parliament has no has its arrangements with the Anglo-power to interfere, and the Government American Company, and this new Cable has no power to interfere. The dictum company will have to make its own can go forth from the City of New arrangements with the land lines now existing, or do as the Direct United States Cable line did when it had to compete with the Anglo-American. If the introduction of this amendment restricts this Company to this charge, it does them no injustice either at the present moment or in the future, because they think it is a fair rate, and there will be such competition for traffic across the Atlantic that it is not likely to be any higher. In view of these facts I feel more disposed than ever to press upon the House the acceptance of the amendment to which it assented the other day. I think I may add that it is rather an unusual proceeding an amendment of this kind having been duly considered in committee, and having been concurred in by the House-that the House should be asked to reverse its decision without any sufficient reason being given for doing so. I think in the interests of the public this principle should be maintained. I do not want to do this Company any injustice; I would be very sorry to do anything that would prevent it from laying its cables, but they must find the same outlet for their difficulties as other companies have found in the past. If they cannot make their arrangements with existing land lines, they must construct new lines of their own.

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Hon. Mr. SCOTT When I was pressed on this point the other day I stated that I had no objection to the restriction as far as cable messages are concerned, nor would I now, if the

Hon. Mr. DICKEY I wish to point out to my hon. friend that he is inistaken when he says the whole lines of communication between the extreme east of Canada and the west are under the control of Americans. I am under the impression that the Dominion Telegraph Company has a line extending through Nova Scotia to the extreme end of Cape Breton, which is in no connected Western

Way

Union..

with the

Hon. Mr. SCOTT- I am credibly a very considerable informed that amount of that stock is held by Americans, and that practically the dividends in the Dominion are guaranteed by Jay Gould. If that is the fact that he has a controlling influence in that Company, and the Western Union has a control ling influence in the Montreal line, it bears out my argument.

Hon. Mr. GIBBS The hon. gentleman ontends that the land lines are practically in the hands of the Americans, and that they may raise the rates

to any price they please. Now, what do! we see on the other side? As soon as it was announced that a consolidation was to take place, the organization of a number of companies was immediately commenced all over the United States to go into opposition, and just as surely as the existing lines exact exorbitant or discriminating rates, you will find other companies organizing to take the business. The French Company whose cable is landed at Louisburg, on the shore of Nova Scotia, built a short land line from there to connect with the land system at Sydney, and its messages are forwarded on to their destination.

Hon. Mr. ARCHIBALD The Dominion line runs to Sydney, and that is

where the cable lands.

Hon. Mr. GIBBS

PETROLEUM INSPECTION RILL

IN COMMITTEE.

The House went into Committee of the Whole on Bill (L) "An Act to amend the Petroleum Inspection Act of 1880."

Hon. Mr. AIKINS said he judged yesterday when the House was in Committee on this Bill, that the feeling of hon. members was that the difference in the flash test between Canadian and American oils should be removed. He thought that was decidedly the feeling in this Chamber, but was anxious that the change should be made with safety. He understood from the officers of the Department that it could be made, for, after all, the great object they had in view was to protect those who were unable to protect themselves the public. There is no hing more dangerous for daily use than in erior oil possessing a great deal of inflammable gas. The officers of the department assured him that the change could be made with perfect safety, and under those amend-circumstances he proposed to make an amendment in that direction. He would therefore move that clause 1, with the sub-section be struck out, and that the following be substituted therefor.

This Company can do the same with our lines, or with its own lines. There is the same way open for them that there is for any other company.

A vote was then taken on the ment, which was rejected on the following division:

Almon,

CONTENTS:

Hon. Messrs.

Lewin,
McClelan (Hopewell),
McLelan (Londonderry)
McMaster,

Pelletier,

Baillargeon,

Botsford,

Chaffers,

Cormier,

Dever,

Reesor,

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CLAUSE A.

"The second section of the said Act is hereby repealed, and the following substituted :—

Except as herein otherwise provided petroleum shall not be sold or offered for sale for use in Canada for illuminating purposes."

"1. If at a lower temperature by ninetyfive degrees Fahrenheit's thermometer when tested by the pyrometer described in the schedule to this Act, which test for the purposes of this Act is to be deemed equal to a test at one hundred and fifteen degrees by instruments heretofore used under the Act hereby amended, it emits a vapor that will flash or

2. If it weighs more than eight pounds and two hundredths of a pound per gallon;

or

3. If it weighs less than seven pounds and seventy-five hundredths of a pound per gallon."

"The second clause being again read, it was disagreed to and the following substituled:

The amendment was agreed to.

Hon. Mr. AIKINS proposed other slight amendments, which were also agreed to.

Hon. Mr. DICKEY said before the Committee rose, he would like to call the

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