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f HE LEGISLATURE Government Majority 21 on the first Vote. COUNTY OFFICIALS' FEES. Discussion Upon Mr. Wood's (Hastings) Motion. Belt Line Agreement In Committee - The Undertaken' Bitt-Municipal Amend- "tqntq--Notqs. TORONTO, April 15. The present Provincial Parliament re- corded its first vote to-day. The question was one upon which the parties squarely di. vided, and tho result shows a Government majority of 21 in a House attended by 82 (Speaker included) out of 91 members. The debate on Mr. Wood's resolution in favor of abolishing tho fee system of re- "utrsertsting sheriffs, registrars and cer- tain other classes of public oiliciais, was taken part in by many members, so that the House eat late. it was after midnight when the vote was taken. Municipal Drainage Law. Tho Attornoy-uenotytl introduced a hill to amend the Municipal Drainage Laws. and in tuovingits tlrst reading ho 1Mctiy explained its object. There were many diwputcd cases " - , arising out of the ad- ' 41h' i. ministration of them (liiritr2, raw... and it had been 'lt' ' - - suggested that two 'N things might be don. = to mect tho circum- atom-es of the case. One " was that an additional aal ' it - - Md judge should be up -4\ , l KL' " 'N ' pointed for the purpose . I of trrlug the crises. and k" "I that provision should . be made for tho ap- pointmem: ot ajudge of tho llinh Court fl11lt, chilly changed with cases arising out ofth Municipal Act. This tho Government regard- rd as itiexpcdicnt. The alternative nugget-alien was that a salaried oiiiccr ahead he a; pointed a barrister of ten yrurrs'stattding mthnil the powers that arbitrators would have and that an oiileiul referee of tho court would haven-'0 that there might ho. no diillculty as in yards his decisions. Tho tirst reading was agreed to. Chancery Judges. Tho Attornoy-Gonoral introduced a hill to amend tho art relating to tho 1.'htynerT,r Divi- sion of the High Court. and theJudges thereof. it would ho remembered that when thcy ap- pointed an additional judge to the Chancery (foul-t it was considered iiecnv'ary by thejudm I themselves, and anyone familiar with the ex- isting system would know that since that time the renditions had changed vcr) much. forthe amount of work had enormously incl-cased. There were threejudges in the Chancery Divi. Mon. while in the other divisions there Were four. it wan propo-ed that one ot thoother judgoa should be detached to the Chancery itix Mon, but he would remain ajudge ot the High Court otill. lie had been spoken to on this subject by wine of tho judges of tho ilign Court themselves and ther were in favor of the changes proposed. I C, had also obtained the opinion ot Sir John Thompson on tho matter. The Prison Reform Commission. It was decided in the absence of Mr. Hudson that his motion on the East "outings election should stand over till tho following day. and then a bill for the incorporation or the "race. bridge & Trading Lake ltailwaf Company. which stood on the paper for the t iird reading was discharged. Mi. 'laney then moved that an "address to his Honor tho Lieutenant-Gov- ernor, praying that he will cause to be laid bo- lero this! mine all copies of tho counniasio issued with respect to prison reform, and 07 any instructions accompanying tho some or connected therewith. Alma return showing in detail all expenses Incurred or paid by tho Province in connection with the said commie. sion, giving dates; items and names." Tho Attorney-General intimated that it would not be possible to give the Information required at present. as the commission had not yet con. cluded its work. Mr. Clancy explained that all he desired was that tho partiiulara he asked tor should be promuted when the re rt ot thccommission was laid upon tho with?" the House. Upon this understanding the mo. tion was agreed to.