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Ad Mr. DEACON thought it did--not matter what had been done in former years ; if this officer was not necded he should be dispenansed with, Mrc. MEREDITH, in answer to Mr. Cur-- rie, pointed out that the employment of two oflicers in 1871 was exceptional, as it was nmnot charged in the Public Ac-- counts -- of 1i87% and 1873. Hoe noticed _ that -- the _ Attorney--General had not either denied or aftirmed tho state-- ment that the gentleman occupying the position of official secretary was also an articled cletk in & law oflice. Mr., MEREDITH thought this an un-- satisfactory explanation. e did not know what had been the necessity of emplojying an oflicial secretary, Mr. MOWAT said the explanation was that Lieut.--Governor Howland had tound it necessary on several occasions to employ privately additional help in his Depart. ment. 'This could not be allowed perma-- nentiy, and theretore a new ofticer had been appointed. He quoted from the estimates of the Ptovince of Quobec to show that two oflicers were employed in the Governor-- General's Department there, costing more than those in Ontario., Mr. MEREDITH stated that he had learned that the gentiemau occupying the position of official secretary was an articled clerk in a law office in the city, and thought if this was the case he could not well attend to his duties in the Government office, The Attorney--General had no right to justify this expenditure by that in the Province of Quebec. Mr. CURRIE quoted trom the Public Accounts of 1871 to prove that at that time theroe were two officers employed in this Department, at a total cost of $1,800. Mr. MOWAT said this was the first inti-- mation he had had of the matter, We could only say that he would look into it and inform the House as o its correctness or othecwise, Mr. HARDY said that the bhon. gentle-- man bhad not stated that this officer did not put in his time at the Government House. It was quite possible that ho, like many others in similar positions, was studying law in the time which he could spare after office hours. Mr. WOOD explained that the duty of the Private Becretary was to attend upon the Lieutenant--Governor and superintond the hospitalities of the Government House, and perform other services that are required of him,. The Oflicial Becretary was engaged in the answer of official cor-- respondence, and was expected tobq in readiness to undertake any* commissions entrusted to him by the Ligut.--Governor. Mr. MEREDITH said he had stated plainly that this officer was not only ar-- ticled, but also was spending his time in the law office to which he had reforred, Mr. FRASER desirod to know if the hon. gentleman wished the Executiveo to form themselves 'into what might be called a Bmelling Committeo to see that the offi-- cers in the Government House attended to their duties, and put in all their time at the Government office ; to subject the Govern-- ment House of Ontario to a supervision different from that of any other Govern-- ment House., -- If ho did ho was mistaken, for it was something which the Govern-- ment would not undertake, and if the gentle-- men opposite came into power they would Mr, MEREDITH desired to know what were the duties of the Privato Becretary and the Oflicial Bevretary of the Liecutenant. Governor, Mr. WOOD exnlainal tha¥r Hha Anlw a# , The following Bills were read a third time and passed :--. ts _ Mr, Wood--To authorize the issuing of serip for Bailway Grants in certain cases, Mr. Mowat--To exiend the right of taking Secutity of Guarantee Companries. Mr. Lauder--To incorporate the Grey and Walkerton Railway Company . SUPPLY, ' The House, on motion ot Mr. wWOodDP, went into Committee of Supply. On the item $3,350 for Lieut.--Governor's office, An Act to amend tho Mutual Fire Tu. surance Company Act. --Mt, Clatke (Norg. folicy, -- Clarke (Norfolk), PASSAGEK Oor BILLS wl t e omm mt Axs o i the positions of private secretary and offi. cial clerk, had often complained that the work was too much for one man to perform, and the House had been satisfied of this, and tnereforo the new appointment had been made. He (Mr. Mowat) would look into the matter, and gentiemen opposite knew that there were many opportunities out of Committee for cutting off the item Mr, MERRICK thought the item of ealary for the oflicial secrotary shouilid not pass until some information upon it had been furnished by the leader of the Govern-- ment. Mr, MOWAT said if this was a new ap-- pointment this contention would be a sound one, but it had existed since 1876, and the Housge had been quite satisfied concerning i:. Ml'.I Curtis, who had tormerly occupied ¥lale Snb ce barman ons tlermecl c Pm aoums t ue s ® m Mr, DEACON said this was not a ques-- tion of trusting or not trusting the Lieut.. Governor, but simply a matter of business. He understood that contingencies covered only those small accounts which could not be set forth with more particularity, ° The system of not keeping account of these matters was a bad one, and should be abolished . Mr. L&UDER drew the attention of the House to a rule oi the Government that accounts of money expended should be kept in the Departinents, and claimed that it was no reflection upon the Lieutenant-- Governor to eniorce the rules of the As-- sembly. Mr. WILLS spoke on behalf of the 0 sition, _ Heclaimed that the accountsl;lt:(l); mitted by Capt, Grant were not sufticiently detailed. # Mr, MOWAT said that this was not a new officer, for the payment of his saiary had been sanctioned year after year,. Mr. MEREDITH claimed that they were now pursuing & different policy from that which had obtained in former years, when the custom was to require vouchers for money paid in this department, 'The Gov. erument had appointed a new officer, and did not know whether be performed his duties or not. not wish to engage in it cither. With a gontleman ot the high standing and char-- acter of the Lieutenant--Governor it was not to be expected that any clerk or officer would be employed there that was not necessary, When he stated that ho wanted an additional clerk there was no reason | why he should not have one, or why the people should not trust that that officer was perg)uning his duties to the gatisiaction of the Lieutenant--Governor. Mr, LAUDER said the leader of the Op-- position did not require the Government to do anything indecent, but it was his duty to see to it when the peoples' money. was being voted away ithnz it should be applied to proper pur-- | | poses. 'There were other items in this luccount which should be looked into, as, | for instance, the item of $950 for contin-' | gencies for the Licutenant--Governor's oflice. He claimed that while the presenat | Goverument were in Opposition they were not slow in even ridiculing the Govern. ment House, and insisted upon having vouchers for even the most triiling expen-- diture, |__Mr. CURRIE was glad to see the gentle. men in the front ranks of the Opposition were becoming such careful guardians ot the people's money, They had not always manifested this feeling, as would be geen by the fact that this item to which they | look exception had been voted without . question for several years. However, they | expected to go to the country soon, and must make a show of economy. He thought, however, it was very much like a death--bed _ repentance . Mr, WOOD said that it had becen the opinion of the Government that it was well the Licutonant--Governor should pay his uwn accounts, and thereforo no return had been asked for money voted. Capt. Grant had been examined before the Public Ac-- counts Committee a few days before, aud had given an account of the amounts spent during the year upon coutingencies, and was propared to furnish tull particulars, but the hon. member for West Mastings, who was ¢examining him, had declared that he had no further questions to ask of him. The position simply was that the Province trusted the Licutenant--Governor with some $6G0 for the payment of the contingencies in his department, for this was about all that was generally spent,