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DIVISION COURTS ACT. Mr. GIBSON presented a bill to amend the Division Courts Aot, which was read the first time. Mr, BALFOUR presented a bill to amend the Municipal Act, which was read the first NOTICES OF MOTION. Allr. Smith--Bill to amend the Municipal et. Mr, Leys (Toronto) --Bill for the better pro-- tection of insectiverous and other birds. Wingham, The Attorney--General--Bill respecting the Manitoulin Isiand. Mr. Phelfln--Bill to amend K. S. 0. cap. 72, respecting Police Magistrates. _ Mr. Nairn--Bill to amend the Assessment Act. Bill to amend the Ditches and Water Courses Act. :A xp Toroxro Burnex :--A sort of , against itself was the deputa-- 'ork County and Toronto representa-- t waited upon the Attorney--General erday afternoon,. . The extra cost thrown pn the city and the county by the trial of gal cases from outside places is felt as a vance by certain of the representatives of people in the county and possibly of the city. The attention of the Aldermen was attracted _ to the matter by -- members of the County Council, and a deputa-- tion -- wus formed -- hurriedly _ for . the 4 81"'90" of : discussing the matter with the overnment. -- From the county were ex-- Wardens Johnson, Richardson and Saunders, and from the city Ald. John McMillan, chair-- man of the Executive Committee ; Carlyle (St. Thomas'), Carlyle (St. Andrew's), Macdougall and Galbraith," They were introduced by g(r. Smitlil, of Ea:tk York}.I Mr, Jackson was the inc 8 er. e urged very strongl | rhm Kl}illup:t of imaking the city an{l w? bear the expense of so many extra cases from ontside. He suggested either that some system of check and mutual compensa. tion among the counties should be adopted, or Mr. Meredith--Address for copies of all Orders in 'Council or other regulations with regard to the timber dues passed since the 1st January, 1886. _ i4 Mr. Cruess--Inquiry of the Ministry-- Whether they intend to place in the estimates a sum of money to purchase grass soed for dis-- tribution or otherwise for the purpose of seeding the burnt lands in the Northern town-- ships. the injy county cases {ro: that the Qovernment should grant York and Toronto an extra sum for the administra-- | tion of justice. . Mr, Mowat thought that the | system suggested could hardly be carried in :IC House or made «satisfactory in opera-- tion if adopted.= As to an additional grant, he thought it would be unjust to add that to the burdens of the whole Pro-- vince. <The city manifuti{ benefited, _ as every county town benefited, by the holding xo courts of law within thoir bounds. lt :hhs be tl!ut the city got more benefit than (B,' Our Own Reporter.) February 3, 1%88. The Speakor took the chair at three o'clock. WINGHAM DEBENTURE DEBT. MEA 4 The House adjourned at 3. 30 o'clock. nq county in propertion to the share of the MUNICIPAL ACT. ¥ NOTES. guut more that $400,000 for the new Court-- ouse, so as to put up a building worthy of the city, it woulid be a good thing, * Oh," reaponded the Attorney --General, !* I have no doubt that if you ask tiem they will give you twice that," a remark which was naturally grestod with laughter. Ald. Macdougall ;Koke in much the same strain as Ald, Mc-- il!uu and the deputation withdrew. . Forg axp Acaixsr :--Among the petitions presented were :---- _ One by Mr. Ballantyne, against the proposed incorporation of Tavistock. One by Mr. Kerns, of Halton, against the detention of the insane in the common gaols. One by Mr. Miller, from the County Council of Addington, for a reduction in the number of potis jurors. And one by Mr. Harcourt, from the County Council of Haldimand, for the abolition of the grand jjury and reduction of the number of psotit jurors. Hormestzan Exeaurrrioxs :--Mr. Balfour pur-- poses to introduce a Homestead Exemptions Bill, (He would exempt from seizure for any form of indebtedness forty or fifty acres of a farin homestead and <perhaps village, town and city lots up to a certain value. In Michigan and in most of the Western States such laws are in operation. Some of the grounds taken in support of such legislation is that it keeps population within the country, operates against the reckless granting of loans and credit, ensures the farmer against total loss of his meaus of livelihood, and gives his family some fair measure of protection. 'The discussion on the bill is likely to be one of un-- usual interest. Tus Commssion BusixEss :--Mr. Meredith will ask for a return of all commissions of in. quiry issued during 1886 and 1887 ; the sub-- ject of inquiry in each case ; the names of the commissioners and their remuneration, and whether any of the commissioners held offices of employment in the public service of the Province. For Towxs :----Mr. Dack has a bill to amend the Municipal Act by which he proposes that in towns whose population is under 5,000, the nomination of Mayors, Reeves and Counciliors shall all take place at the same hour and at the same place. This will avoid the ¢expense and trouble of engaging rooms and of holding separate nominatiouns for Coun-- cillors in each ward. It will also save not & few aspirants for honors in the wards the trouble of hiring electors to be present at the ward nominations. _ Mr. Dack's bill should be encouraged to become an Act. NExr WaxEx:--There may be but a short sitting of the, House on Monday, but on Tues-- day hard fighting and the beginning of night aittings is expected. It is likely the firat im-- portant debate of the session will be on the vesolutions of the Inter--Provincial Conference, The consideration of this matter is likely to occupy three or four days, and possibly longer if Mr. Meredith's party show any strong dis. position to push the battle against the Govern. ment. Lossry Gossu':--Mlz editor of The T.andan _ Y Gosstr:--Mr. W m, Thompson, of The London Advertiser and a city dele. A Coroxtsation Ratcway:--A petition is | to be presented to the Assembly for favorable . sonsideration of the Nipissing and James Bay | railway project. This is intended to be : the extension northward of the North. | ern Pacific Junction road. 1t will run ' wholly through new territory, much of it | valuable timber aud agricualtural country. The l length of the road from North Bay to Moose j {'}ycterl ou James Bay, where there is a con. | sgiderable settlement, is 350 miles, which, it is contemplated, will be built in three sectiong, namely ;:--(1) From North Bay to Lake Temia-- caming, 81 miles ; (2) from this point to Lake Abbittibbe, 91 miles ; and (3) from this to the mouth of the river at James' Bay, about 178 miles, 'The cost of construction is estimated at about $19,000 a mile, N. P;--The bill to amend the Division TCourts: Act introduced by Mr. Gibson, of Hamilton, proposes to abolish the distinetion between large and small debts by aasimilatiug the practice of the Division Courts to the pro. cedure under the Judicature Act. Substan. tially hbe seeks to abolish imprisonment for debt. lt is a new N. P. and an improved N. P.--No Prison for honest debtors,. Mr. Gib. son has been pushing the measure for some years, and there are very many membere of the House that take his view of the subject. the Sanlt to run from Orillia or Gravenbhurst, via Parry Sound, to French River, west of the Muskoka Lakes, thence to the Sault This, they claim, is 25 miles shorter than any other route, and across a countrr over which a rail-- way can be built as cheaply as in auy part of the Province. They argus that it is very de-- cidedly the interest of Toronto and of Ontarie, in view of the great volume of traffic to come by the Sault, that the Grand Trunk's line should be built over the short and easy ro}'c they advocate. . _¢ Axotuze® Rainway Psaojeor:--Mr. William Beatty, of Parry Sound, assisted by Mr. Arm-- strong, member for the district, are working hard in the interests of the Parry Sound Col-- onisation 'railway. 'Their hope is to combine the Parry Sound project with the Grand Trunk systeim. They want the Grand Trunk line to A peruratios comprising Mr. P. R. Ran-- dail, Mayor ; Mr. 8. 8. Smith,ex--Mayor ; Mr. P, B. Ross, Mr, E. Peplow and Mr. R.C, Smith, of Port Hope, have had an interview with the Attorney--General with reference to the municipal loan fund debt. There are two colored messengers on duty, one from South Essex and one from Kent, Rev. Father Egan, of Port (,'olborne,' and Mr. W. M. German and Mr. 'F. F. Browp of Weliand, spent some time in the Chnmbe; after adjournment. * fow hours about the House and press gallery Mr. Aurele Pacaud, manager of 1 Progre;, and a brother of the member for North Essex visited the House during the day. f vention, spent g7