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WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 24. 1892 Resumption of the Debate Upon the Budget, _ ABLE REPLY iTO MBR, CLANCY, Mr. Balfour Delivers a Telling Speech. ONTARIO's SPLENDID POSITION SET. FORTH BY MR. WOOD AND OTHER SPEAKERS --NOTES OF THE LEGJISLATURKE. Toroxto, Feb. 23, 1892. In the Legislative Assembly this after-- noon among the petitions received were the * following :-- * Mr. Davis--Of 400 ratepayers of the County of York, for an amendment to the Municipal Act reducing the t#xes on farm | lands situated in towns and villages. Mr. Gilmour--Of the York County Coun-- cil, for an amendment to the local improve-- ment law to provide that Township Coun-- cils may assess the costs of roadmaking in a manner similar to that in which the cost of drains are assessed ; also of the same, re-- garding the discharge of firearms in public places. Mr. E. F. Clarke--Of the Corporation of the City of Toronto, regarding Ashbridge's Bay and other matters. Mr. Baxter--Of the Canada Southern Railway, that the bill to incorporate the Village of Victoria be not passed. There was also the usual batch of peti-- tions for a change in the liquor license law, and for the abolition of the contract system on public works, etc. The following bills were introduced and received a first reading :-- Mr. Clancy--To consolidate the debt of the Town of Chatham. Mr. Guthrie--'To amend the act respect-- ing the public burying ground of Guelph. Mr. Caldwell--Respecting the Kingston Light, Heat & Power Company. Mr, Snider--To amend the act respect-- ing the Mercantile Fire Insurance Com-- pany. Mr. Dryden--To consolidate the debt of Oshawa. i Mr. McKay (Oxtord)--Toamend the Gen-- eral Road Company's Act. _ Mr. Harcourt--Respecting the Village of Niagara Falls. & Mr. Waters--To amend the Assessment ct. Mr. Gibson (Hamilton) presented the fol-- lowing returns :--Report 1pon the common gaols, prisons and reformatories for 1891 ; report upon the hospitals for 1891 ; return regard.nfg' the fees received in the two regis-- try divisions of Toronto ; return showing the date of the certificate of the judges ap-- pointed to try the North Perth election pe-- tition, etc. THE BUDGET DEBATE. The debate on the budget was then re-- sumed by Mr. Balfour, and he proceeded at on@to a refutation of the arguments ad-- vanced by Mr. Clancy. That the budget had never been presented more ably, more eloquently, or more to the satisfaction of the House or of the country than by the hon. Treasurer he thought all would af{ree. (Applause.) The hon. member for Kent had made the statement that this Govern-- ment started with $4,000,000 and no debt, but the statement lost much of its force when they considered the course of the Op-- | s is >