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FOURTH PARLIAMENT--THIRD SESSION. Mr. Hawley--The petition of Allien Pringle and others, of Lennox, praying for certain amend-- ments to the law of evidence. THE ADDRESS. Mr, MSREDITH, on rosuming the debate on the Address, expressed his satisfaction with those por-- tions of the Speech froimm the Throne on which the Government could be expected to speak with some authority. HMe thought the Speech could fairly be taken as the election card ol( the Government on which to appeal to the people when next called upon to do so, and as such he was willing to go to the country with them. iHe denied that the Oppo sition was blind to the (avourable influence on the condition of the country exerted by the iate abun-- dant harvests, or that they ascmibed the whole of its present prosperity to the opcrations of the Na tonal Policy. still no sensible man would deny that the trade policy of the Dominion was calcu-- lated largely to advance the material interests of the country, He was glad that the Government in the Speech had boidiy taken the position of nos-- tility to that policy, and on this question he and his friends were ready at any time to meet them before the people,. On the question of the Oatario Boundary, he charged the Government with seek-- ing to disturb the harmonious relations oxisting between the diiferent Provinces, by refusing to submit o the action of the Dominion. He quoted from the B. N. A. Act, in which the limits of the Province of Ontario are declared to be the limits of the former Province of U pper Canads, and in no way, either by logislation or by arbitration, had anythinw been done by the Dominion Parhament during the last session, to alter those limits. The Opposition was prepared at all times to upnold the rights of the people of Ontario, but they wore not prepared to go with the Local Government in a mauter of this kind, in which they sought to throw the apple of discord into the camp and promote bad teeling between the diiferent Provinces and the Dominion, _ He charged the Government with responsibility for the present position of affairs re-- xtrdlnx this question, in failing to secure the raii-- lcation of the award by legislation, as stipulated in express terms on the agreement for an arbitra-- tion entered into by them. In 1874 the Ontario Gove.rn'ment passed an Act delegating to the Dominion Government the right to declare the northeriy and westerly boundaries of the Province, but they negleoted to see to it that their friends in Ottawa passed a similar measure, The action of the Dominion Government in refusing to bring down a _ measure ratifying _the award indicated that it had reserved to itself the right of ratification. Again. by the provisions of the Act its operation was suspended till it should be put in force by a proclamation of the Liouten-- ant--Governor. 'This being so. why did hon. gen-- t.lemgn issue that prociamation if they di«i'uot acquiesce in the riews of the Dominion Govern-- ment that it was competent to the Parliament of Canada to pass upon that award. He donied that the Ontario Government had taken any steps The Spoakter took the chair at three o'clock. PETITIONS. The following petitions were presented :-- "Yir. Robertson (Hastings)----The petition of Mary Ann Carroll e@ a@/., praying foran investigation niocertain family eclaims. Mr.Striker--The petition of the County Council of Pricce Eiwarl, praying for certain amend-- gn.:uls to the Act imposing a tax on dogs, respect-- ing the node of assessment ; &lso the petition of the Pown Council of Treaton, praying that an Act may be passed to extend the limits of the to wn. M:. Craighton--The petition of the County Counc': of Gurey, praying that no Act may pass to repeal ; ortain protective clauses in the Act of last session respocting the Toroato, Grey, and Bsuce Rail xay, and to contirm a certain agreement with the Grand Pruak Railway. _ l t 3 t Mr. Rovinson (Kont)---- The petition of the Coanty «Gounrell: of Kent, lprayiuz..- for certain amendments to the Manicipal Act respecting the granting of railway bonuses ; also from the same, pray ng that an Act may be passed to extend the tin:w of completing the Erie and Muron Railway ; als. from the Agricaltural Society of East and We Kent, praying that an Act may pass to con-- firm in themibe title to cortain lands ; also from the, jounty Coancil of Kent praying for certain amcndments to the Act imposing a tax on dogs, respeciing Uh 3 mode-- of assessment. |__| a Mr. Laxter--The petsio. of the County Counci of Haidimand, prayin;, that the annual grant to th Provincial Exhibition be discontinued. and the amount divided equally between the County Agri cultural Sho ws. i n i ptinty-- & Mr. Bell--The petition of W. B. McMurrich anad ot'}xen. of Toronto, praying that an Act may pass to incorporate the Toroanto, Hish Park, and West-- ern Tramway Compaay (limited). _ hC te _ Mr. Metcalie--The petition of the City Coun-- cil of Kingston, Knyinsx that an Act may pass to legalize certain by--laws. Mr. Morris--The petition of Wm. Anderson, and others, of Toronto, praying that an Aci may pass to incorporate thein under the name of "The in-- stitute of Accountants of Ontario." Mr. Laidlaw--The petition of the City Council of Guelph,praying thaut an Act may passauthorizing them to issue cortain debenmures. Mr. Laxter--The netoio. of the County Council _ Mr. Neelon--The petition of the St. Catharines and Niazara Central Raiilway. praying that an Act may pass to amenad their Act of incorpora-- tion. * Mr. Baskerville--Th potition of the City Coun-- cil of Oita wa, praying that an Act may pass to amend the Act incorporating the Ottawa City Passenger Rauilway Company. *A# ( Ee Ee o s e ds Mr. Gibson (lHamilton--The petition of the Township Council of Kast Luther, praying that an Act may vass to separate the township from the county of Wellington, and annex the same to the county of Dafferin. F . C 4 i. s ONTARIO LEGISLATURE. (By Our Oun Reporters.) io. uf the County Council hat the annualgrant to the be discontinued. and the Moxpay, Jan. 16. 1 question. _ Speaking of the parugraph in the ; speech roferrinz to the Mercer gqscheat case, Mr. )'cruu th deplored the allusion to the fact that the judgment of the Suprome Court was | not & unanimous one. Me hoved that the | Government's appeal to the Iimperiai Privy Council would result in th@e «pntention of the Province of Ontario being mu\?nmined. Me re-- | minded the Governiment that if they failed in their" arucal they would have toref and the moneyol the / Mercer estate aready expendod. _ In reference to | the minor matters referre 1 to in the Speech, he ex-- : greswl his pleasure at the announcement of the | overnment's intention to introduce a Bili re-- : spocting ditches and water--courses, and a Biil to secure safety at railway crossings--both of which were very imuch needed, As to the propased amendiment to the law of evidence he concursed in the bolief that persons labouring under cer-- tain disabilities should be relieved without fur-- ther delay. The law of libel, he supposed was for the reliei of the press, after the manuaer of le si--lation in Ensland. -- 'Tae large suam realized from the receat sale of timber lhimits was, he thought, a matter for congratulation. He re-- greited, however, that durin ; ias! session the hon. Comtmuissioner of Crown Lands did not think it proper to announce to the Hoa ac intended sale and receive the sazgrestions oi the meomgess re-- garding it, Hethought it an anomalous state of things that under constitutional wovernment the control of such an important and expensive induas-- try should be vested in the Executive, without be-- Ing subject to the direction of that House. He apprchended that no objectioncould be made to the proposed distribution of the fund to the various municipalities, With respect to the new Pavliament Buildin«&s it was gencrally reported that a very much larger sum would be needed for that pacpose than had been asked for, and he hoved the Government would not break faith with the House in appropriatinz a sum in excess of the vote. Me regretted that the Government had determined to proceed with the new buildings, biut in any case he folt sure that the House would sinted by e con-- esarding lont Gae ition but t eatitled s, and his e@»sneaker se would liture of {elt sure vork. He ave beenu loserving | starad hw