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FIFTH PARLIAMENT--FIRST SESSION. kevemesciichicentstemrsisogmermremmige i (By, Our Own Reporters.A Furspay, Feb. 5th. The Speaker took the chair at three o'clock. PETVITIONS. By the Attorney--General--Of the Connty | , Councii of Oxford, for amendments to the Muni-- cipal Act respecting the maintenance of bridges, By Mr, Ferris--Of the Yorkville LLoop Lime Railway Company,for an Act to extend the time | | for completion of the road. By Mr. Widdifieldad--Of John Robertson Miller of Goderich, for an Act toadmit bim to practis, as a solicitor in the Courts in Ontario, j By M:r. }l'chghlin----Of Division Grange, No. 39, Sons of Temperance, Bowmanville,for amend-- ments to the License Act respecting sate of liquor in shops. -- : Bix -- petitions _ from township _ munici-- palities for_ the adoption of the 'Tor-- rens system of land transfer * MAIL" MKSREPRESENTATIONS, Mr, MOWAT, on a queston of privilege, called attention to an editorial paragraph in Tuesday's Muil, which he read, as follows :-- * The rumour has been current for several days, ard not withount foundation, that Mr, Mowat has expressed his desire to retire from. the Cabinet. |° The matter has been under the consideration of his colleagues. ir. Pardee has been named as his successor." ** There are about as many misrepresentations in | it," said Mr. Mownat, **as there are sentences. ' i never expressed any desire to retire from the | Cabinet. _ (Loud cheers.) 1 have no such desire. i (Renewed cheers.) L have reason to_know | ' there never ow«so a time owhen I en-- ; joyed the confidence . of _ my colleagues | and the Liberal party in the House and out of | the House as I do at this present moment. (Re-- newed cheers) As long as I enjoy that confi-- ; deace I wili cont.nus to bold the position which | + 1 now occupy. (Hear, bear.) The paragraph | says the matter has been under the consideration of my colleagues, That is false, also. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Pardese is named as my suczessor, I hope Mr. Pardes will some day occupy the rusitinn 1 now hold, and that others of my col-- eagues will in turn occupy the position. At present, however, neither Nir. Pardee nor any person else has been named. (Hear, bear.) Eue rumour has been current for several days,' says the Aail. 1 never beard of this rumour. I can discover no person on this side of the House who | ' has heard of such a rumour, I have no doubt that no such rumour existed except in the mouths of those who stated it,. (Mear, hear.) The whole statement is utterly without a shadow of foundation." (Loud and prolonged cheers.) | DEBATE OX THE ADDRESS. 1 Mr. S. WHITE ncoused the Liberais of being I the cathers of the Gerrymander, and asserted i that the John--a--mander bad been undertaken solely with a view of providing tor additional members needed in the House of Commons, He next occupied a long time with campaign reminis-- cences, and afterward treated the Boundary | Award settiement without intruding one new idea. -- The Crooks Act he pronounced unconstitu-- tional, and in support of this doctrine quoted the decision in the case of MHodge v,. the (Queen, He referred to the veto power, which he proved the Dominion possessed. _ Mae cavilled at the Ministeria} changes, and met THE GrLopE's state-- mout of readimess to ineet charges against the Government by a whine that if there was this eagerness to sitt the matter, why did they not give some information on which the charges wight be made. . He believed there was reason | } to find fault with the Education Dapartment, | and repeated the complaint that someone already |{ in the Honse bad not been preferred before the , present incumbent. Referred to the amendment on going into Commiltee of upply, moved last session by Mr. Widdifield, with regard to keep: ing the expenditures within the recaipts, and asserted that this had not been done, but after> ward qualitied this by saying he thought it had not been done. Mr. BALFOUR contendad that events had pruve(l that a compact was entered into by which the leader of the Opposition abdicated his functions and the agreement for Dominiton help had been carried out. 1t had been asserted that Division _ Court clerks -- had _ workea -- for the Government, but as far as his riding I was concerneéd, a Division Court clerk was presi \ dent of the Conservative Association, one of the hardest workers and inost skilfal -- manipulator, He bad had salatied postmasters, salaried Do minion clerks leaving their offices for weeks and spending the time in his constituency, and dis-- tributing money wholesale amongst the electors. | Phere had been Custom House officers exercising | their influence, and the Inspector of Colonization | Companies had come and worked hard for bis op-- wmnent ; then there had been the Amnerstburs; &'.mtutllce, Kingsville Harbour, and the Col-- chester reef lighthouse dangled before the eyes of tue people tor weeks ; he had the Domimon Government using the customs of the country and the laws of the country to force certain parties to come out against him. To what infla-- ence did ho owe the Canada Southern Railway _