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'Third Parfiamen;;'IThird -- Session. Lrearsmarivs Assexerny, Friday, January 18. The Speaker took the chair at 3 o'clock. *.: PETITIONS, "The following petitions wore presented :-- By Mr. Dawson--Ot John Hogg and others, of Algoma, for the re--adjustinent of the re. presentation of the District of Algoma. 'By Mr. Bethune--Synod of Diocese of To-- ronto, for an Act to amend their Act of in-- corporation. Ey Mr. Scott--Toronto and Ottawa Rail-- way, for an Act to make valid certain by-- | laws granting aid to said railway, and for | other purposes. l _ By Mr.Scott-- Midland Railway Company, for an Act to authorize the redemption of mortgage bonds and for the issue of new bonds. By Mr. Scott--Town Council ot Poter-- borough, for an Act to make valid certain by--laws and for other purposes. By Mr. Pardee--Township Council of North Norwich, for an Act to amend the Act respecting the Port Dover and Lake Huron Railway. By Mr. Hodgins--City Conncil of St. Catharines, for an Act amenéing the Act authorizing them -- to construct water-- works. : By Mr. Cameron--Corporation ot city of Toronto, for making office of Aldermen ten-- able for three years by an annual retivrement of one representative from cach ward, and for making the Mayor clective by the Council. By Mr. Dawson--Wm. Murdock and others, for an Act authorizing the constrnc-- tion of ecmbankments in order to reclaim certain lands in Seugog Lake By Mr. O'Donoghue--Mrs. -- Caroline Sweetland, of Ottawa, for an Act to amend the Act respecting the estate of the late Nicholas Sparks. By Mr. Cameron--Frank Smith and others, of Toronto, that the Mercer estate be conveyed and confirmed to Andrew Mercer, Ir., and his heirs, By Mr. Sinclair--Henry Wright _ and others, of the counties of Wellington and (irey, to incorporate the Saugeen Valley LTailway Company. QONTARIO LEGISLATURE. By Mr. Flesher--John Hidd and others, ot the electoral district of Caldwell, that the Mercer ostate be given to Aundrew Mercer, 41. By Mr. ("Dondghue--Corporation of City of Ottawa, for the consolidation of the De-- benture Debt of the city. ' By Mr. Wilson--John Dobson and others, of Lindsay, for an Act to incorporate the Lindsay and Bobcaygcon Railway Com-- Iiy Mr. Ross--Municipal Council of the village of Wingham, county of Huron, for @n Act to convert the village into a town. By . Mr.. Williams--D. B. Ghisholm and others, to incorporate the Crown Assurance Uompany . By Mr. McGowan--Joseph Draper and others, for the construction of the Arthur Junction Rail way. By Mr. Williams--John Barry and others, of Hamilton, for an Act to incorporate the Equitable Fire Insurance Company of Ham. Petiiions in favour of the abolition ol tax exemplions were presented as follows :-- From the ratepayers of the city of Toronto ; from the ratepayers of Port Dalhousie ; from the ratepayers of the town of Bowmanville ; from the ratepayers of the village of Clin-- ton ; from the ratepayers of the township of West Wawanosh ; from the ratepayers of the city of Kingston ; from the ratepayers of the township of Stamford ; from the ratepayers of the town of Drummondville ; from the of the abolition of tax ratepayers of the village of Weston; from the Council of the village of Hespeler ; from the Council of the village of New Hamburgh ; from the ratepayers of the town of Chatham ; from the Council'of the township of Stafford ; from tile Council of the village of Blenheim ; fro; "{l'nev _ Council ot the township of Harwich ; from the Council of the town of Guelph ; from the Council of the township I L l 7 s w a%00 w ce soe of Glll(:lph; from the Council of the town of Paris; trom the Council of the town of Walkerton ; from the Council of the town.-- ship of Bruce; from the Council of the village of Paisley ; from the Council of the township of Arran ; from the Council of the town ot Stratford ; from the ratepayers Of the town of Peterboro'; from the ratepayetrs of the town of St. Mary's ; from the Council of the town of Oakville ; from the Council of the village of Georgetown ; from the rate-- payers of the township of Hamilton (North-- umberland county); from the Council of the village of Oshawa ; from the Council of the township of East Whitby ; trom the Council of the township of, Whitby; from the ratepayers of the town of Collingwood ; from the ratepayers of the village of Alton ; from the ratepayers of the town oi York-- ville; from the ratepayers of the town of Petrolia ; from the ratepayers of the town of Mcaford ; from the Council of the village of Newboro' ; from the ratepayers of the vil-- lage of Aurora ; from the ratepayers of the city of Belleville; from the Council of the town of Collingwood ; trom the Council of the village of Alliston ; from the Council of the united counties of Lennox and Adding-- ton ; from the Council of the village of Bath; from the Council of the village of Aurora ; from the Council of the township of North Gwillimbury ; from the ratepayers of the village of Rondcau; from the rate. payers of the village of Ayr ; from the rate-- payers of the village of Mespeler ; from the ratepayers of the village of Brighton. MESSAGE FROM HIS HONOUR. Mr. MOWAT presented to the House a message from His Honour the Licutenant-- Governor, Mr. SPEAKER read the message, in which His Honour thanked the House for the Address which they had presented to him in reply to the Spcech from the 'Throne. Mr. MOWAT moved the adoption of the report of the Tommittce on the subject of prayers for the House, . Mr. LA UDER asked for information as to how it was proposed to carry out the recom-- mendations of the Committec. Mr. MOWAT said that it was the opinion | of the Committee that the matter should be left in the hands of the Speaker, who would endeavour to act in such a mauner as would be agrecable to both sides of the House. The Committee considered that Mr. Speaker would more properly carry out their recommendation as to the inviting of clergymen than a Committee appointed for the purpose. | Mr. LA UDER could not see how the Speaker was going to carry out the wishes of the House unless he knew what the wishes of the House were. He (Mr. Lauder) did not think all denominations would be treated alike, but that the offering of prayers would be confined to ministers of one or two denominations, He thought that representative ministers of all the leading denominations should be invited to fulfil this duty; all denominations should be treated alike, Mr. MOWAT--I think everybody agrees to that. Mr. HODGINS thought the Speaker ghould read the prayers, as was done in the House of Commons at Ottawa. In the gchools, prayers were read by the teachers without the assistance of clergymen--(hear, bhear)--and in the universities the profes-- sors read prayers. -- The case was similar in the High Schools, _ As this was a matter concerning the domestic economy of the House, it would be better, he thought, that they should follow the practice adopted by the House of Commons at Ottawa and in other public institutions in the country, and that the prayers should be read by the Speaker. PRAYERS IN THE HOUSE.