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J : : J&F'f'"':'" t ' Mr. BETIIUNE said that that one might prove the turning point. 'The spirit of the law was that the representation of the Pro-- vince should be complete, and every lawyor would admit that such was the case. He' | cited aun instance which had occurred in ' one of the New England Colonies, in which the Legislature was declared by Lord Mans-- field to be incomplete in the absence of five f members who had been returued by certain k constituencies newly created by the Crown, and whom the resl of the members had exciud-- ed, He was of opinion that the return day of | the writ meant just what it said, and that « ' the return was complete when the writ was received by the Clerk of the Crown in 4 . Chancery, HMe thought it quite right that the matter should have been qaiscussed, but Lo it was uot oue ot much practical conse-- & quence, because there was no machinery y | whereby the courts of justice could inquire into the legality of the laws passed after the 2nd February, even if the Legislature . should be detunct at that time. 'The limi-- | -- tation of time was of use, becauso no one | C s | would wish to sit there and take part in | midy) legislation that might afterwards be called I § in questioun, E | c Mr. MORRI3S, before addressing himself | & to the question, referred to the temark that | ./: the Attorney--General had made, that when | N' + +__ considering the question of the duration of | hk\ the Parliament betore the 17th of Septem. ] s ber, ho had no idea that the elections ' P would result as they had done. _ HMe 7 could quite believe that remark.(Hear, hear.) | They on that side of the House had been : 7 ~ taunted with importing Dominion politics | 5 into the discussions ot the House, but if J the Attorncy--General desired to oxclude n f them, he should not set a bad example by fls ? introducing them himself, One feature of % f the question had not been referred to during ' the discussion, viz., that the statute fixing -- the duration ofi the Parliament was not only a Contederation law, but it was also one & which had been deliberately adopted by this Parliament,. 'The arguments of the t Government led to the conclusion that the duration of the Parliament was four years | | f and a half, but such a conclusion, though $ : it might be convenient to his hon,. friends ) in tho Government, was entirely contrary 6 to the legislation that had been enacted. ' § He thougbt thg form _ adopted in C the wiit was not a mistake; the is, suing _ of _ the _ prdclaM&VMor®§® _ fSas m a necossary consequence uponh the ag writs, 'Theo writ for the election in Algoma 3 summoned the House together on the 2nd . of Eebruary, and he maiutained that that & fact showed the Government to have occu-- td R f picd a differcut position then than now, If '-i." M the proclamation proroguing the House had a l not bsen issucd before the ind of February the House would have met on that day. ' t Mr, FRASEHIR--Would it have been com-- \ o peteut for it to proceed witkh the despatch oi business ? Mr, MORRIS said it would certainly have C been compstent, and according to the argu-- * meont otthe hon, member for Stormount, it f would have been a de facto Assembly, But it was scarcely for a member of the Govern-- 2 ment to ask him what would have been the . consequence of a Governmental mistake, The second proclamalion which the Govern-- | mont bad issued upheld his contention that the Government considered at that time 6 that the House would be complete without * the representation of Algoms, His hon, . friend tue member tor Stormont had said that the legistation of a defunct Parliament could not be inquired into, but they had f alreamdy bad instances of Acts, prepared as caretully as the Algoma Act, being dis-- allowed, MHe also disagreed with him in ; his statement that the Uot'n-ts could not | | ed, the amount shou . disallow such .leggslatwu. Such was the the contingent fund, h state of things in 1'*"%_"'"": but the position | | own account of the . was diffcrent in Ontatio, It being almost Mr. Mercorru said six ot'_ch:;:krhe would not detain the HOU8C | | to tho Housy, _ _ any further, y | : "l"ho matter was then dropped, | _ _ Mr. Woon said | th { h aamvoriene ) | necessary to do so, | RETURNS, | occupying the posit Mr, HARDY presented several returns, | | of the Province mig lincluding those relating to railway ncci.i $800 or $900 for cor dents, and the annual report of the Council | Mr. Masrsoren saic of University College, Toronto. to was that the chm Mr. MOWAT moved the adjournment of | | shoula have been m » the House. y ledge of the House, Tue House adjourned at six o'clock. 'The Committee ac 4 sessep« gunmmememenssemeee o t i e in en