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A o k E § h Nok | ONTARIO LEGISLATURE, on tmz ® * Third Parliament--Third | Session, gunmae mmensipomasmmmemen Lzroisoarive AssexBuy, Friday, Web. 8. The Speaker took the chair at 3 o'clock. Prayers were read by the Rev. Father Mc-- Cann. 'The House sat for a few moments with clused doors. PETITIONS,. Thefollowing potition were: presented:-- By Mr. Deacon--iFrom the County Coun-- cil of Renfrew, praying for certain amend-- ments to the Voters' Lists Act. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES. Mr. PARDEE presented the seventh re-- port of the Committee on Railways, which was adopted. Mr. FRASER presented the eighth report of the Comumittce on Private lills, which was adopied, BELLEVILLER DEAF ANDDUMB INNTI.| TUTE. | Mr. WILLS moved for an order of thc': House for a return in the matiter of the buildings, creections, drains, and other works l done or contracted for in connection with the Deaft and Dumb Institute at Belleville, for the year 1877, setting forth: 1. All ten-- ders tox said works, 2. All contracts en-- tered iito for the same. 3. All claims for extra work. 4. All amounts allowed on said claims for extra work: 5. All claims for extras allowed. 6. All claims for extras m course of adjustment. 7. What sums are vyet required for the completion of works so undertaken, _ He said there had been some lllird'ldt;l'.\'(:lll(hllg among the contractors, and it was only fair that these returns should be brought down, Mr. FRASE was glad this motion had been made, as it gave him an opportnrity to l contradict a rtmour which has {ound cm rency at Belleville to the effect that the con-- tract for this work had not been given to the lowest tenderer. Jle need bardly say to the House that so fac as he himself was concerned such a thing was not likely to take place. _ 'The only way he could account for the rumour was by atiributing iv to the hbabit of some tenderers of attempting to make other tenderers believe that they had tendered at a higher rate than was really the case. Me had made it an invariable practice of awarding a contract to the lowest tenderer, provided he was able to perform the work, and he had done that tu the present instance, There were cight tenderers for the wurk,, three of whom lived at Belleville. 'The lowest tenderer, Mr. Ford, was m.'('cptcd., lis tender was for $18,347, and the tenders / ascended to as high as $32,000. -- 'The steam heating work was done under a sepurate contract, -- 'The lowest tenderer was a firm with which Mr. Brown, of Belleville, a \ member of the House of Commons, was con-- neeted, and for that reason he &eclined to do | the work,.. Accordingly, the next dlowest | tender, made by a 'Joronto firm, was ac-- ! cepted. _ Me had no objection in laying the | information asked for before the House, The motion was carried, SETTLERS ON PFREE GRANWP LANDS. Mr. BELL moved for an order of the House for a return showing the number of actual settlers on free graunt lands, together with the amount of land occupied by cach settler, and also what amount of improve-- ments bhas been made on lands in the free grant district since they were first set apart, | and whether such lands are settled by emi-- grants or otherwise, or if nop wholly so, to . what extent. Mr, PARDEE said the Government was very desirous of giving the House all the information possible with reference to the | Crown Lands Department, but it was quite | | impossible to furnish what was asked for by l the motion, _ Much of the land being occu--| | pied by sqnatters, any return would only | show approximately the amount of land im | I proved. _ Such information would be im | perfect, and consequently misleading. What |