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country, and that the only practicable method of reforeetry is by meansof a nursery, and then transplanting theyoungtrees. But this $Fould be an extremely expensive pro. cess. Mr. Hardy believed that their nreet~ est hope was in preserving the young pines which were.'too smell to cut and in protect- ing them from destruction and fire. There were other reasons which warranted 3 limit. ed expenditure. Them, lakes end streams abound in tish, and the district is else the home of game and deer. It was thought it might bowell to set apart this county as a refuge for all wild animals and 3 place where fish could not be caught by seine, or to my large extent, and to do both of these things it no great 00st to the country. Mi. MerrediU-m it proposed to with. Mr. Hardy said the scepo of the commis- sion was not so extensive and the park was not of such magnitude as Mr. Meredith', ex- pressions implied. Neither was the result which was expected to flow from the com- mission. The district which it was proposed no reserve was north of IGliburuni, south of the Msttawa River, west of the Ottawa and east of Parry Sound, embracing about tiiteen or twenty townships, more or less. In six, eight or ten of these was a number of small lakes, which are the fountain heads of several rivers flowing east and west. There is a great accumulation of water in these townships. They are practically un- settled and are considered unfit for a ricul- ture ' the pine is off them, the hardwood remains. It would be to the interest of the Province to establish such a reser- vation for several purposes. In the first place, a forest reservation would help to a rainfall. There is no doubt that the rainfall lessens es the forest is removed. The reservation will not involve any great cost or any considerable cost. The com. mission consists ot' Mr. Aubrey White, Assistant Commissioner of the Crown Lands Department l Mr. Archibald Blue, director of the Bureau of Mines l Mr. A. Kirkwood, chief clerk of the Crown Lands Depart- mant '. Mr. Dixon of Fenelon Falls, inspec- tor of surveys, and Mr. R. W. Phipps. superintendent of forests. Mr. Gibson of the Department of Mines is secretary. l The only person who will be remunerated _ for his services will be Mr. Dixon, the sur- .1 veyor. The object of the commission will l be first to investigate the character of the towuships and ascertain these best adapted for the purpose, having regard to the nature of the soil, etc., and then to tabulete and schedule the infor- mation for the benefit of the House. In the next place, the commission will as. certain by correspondence the mode, sys- tem and cost of maintaining such reservations as the Adirondack and the Yellowstone Parks. The commission will also investi- gate what may be done in the way of re- orestry. Mr. Hardy said that when this subject' was discussed some years ago,about the time he assumed office, he thought that it would not be a difficult process ' that the planting of some seed might be slitti- cient. But on inquiry he found that sow- ing seed was impracticable ; that there wouldbeno rcsult from scattering seed. The young trees Inust be grown in nurseries. Il r. Joly, who has devoted a great deal of attention to the matter, says that sowing seed is impracticable in this country" and that the only practicable Mr. Ross said that the practice in differ. ent counties varies. In some the cost is levied upon the whole municipality. In others it is levied sgeinst the school section. m did not think the matter was of suf- iieient importance to require en amendment to the school law. THE FOREST RESERVATION". Mr. Meredith moved for copies of the order in Council for the appointment of a commission as to the proposed forest reser- vation and park in the Nipissing District, of the commission issued in pursuance there. of, and the irtraetions to the commission- ers. He said he did not propose taunti- cipete the discussion which would arise later regarding the forests. But some more definite statement should be made re- garding the scope of the commission, the names of the commissioners. etc. 5,//C/a/2 ' r. ( "luau mu: ""ueternee, becnuse, while they we.c m thorough sympathy with the legislation, vt , measures were likely to weaken rtther than strengthen them " a 'new when 'hey introduced those mount-en. m the contrary, these law: had been ,pted wir., "u1etanee, because, while they Wecc IQ thorough sympathy with the legislation, st , measures were lilnlu on _ MB. mowu's REPLY. Mr. Mower said that the motion of the hon. member merely called for the produc- tion of certain papers, but he had gone much further that that. tti. had ma e a very warnily expressed attack for a gentle. man who had not and did not announce himself as in favor of prohibition. He was tremendously anxious that the Reform party should adopt as part of its platform the prohibition of the sale of intoxicants, while he did not himself adopt that plat- form. He thinks it would be a good thing for his party, that if we were to adopt this as an essential part of our policy he would have a better chance than during the past twent years, or than he is likely to have during the next twenty years. (Ap- plause and laughter.) In the Russell case it was held that the decision rested with the Dominion only, and while it might be said that the Province had power to con- fer this legislation, it was im ssible to decide until the matter came Cr,'),'; the Privy Council again. The hon. member had stated that the Government and the Reform party had boasted throughout the country that they were prohibitionists. This was not so. Some were in favor of prohibition and some Were not. They had never boasted of being a prohibition party, hut at the same time the were anxious to promote temperance by such legislation as the public sentiment of the Province would warrant. The hon. mem. ber had charged that they had administered the liquor laws for the purpose of strength- ening themselves with the country, and not for the purpose of promoting temperance. He denied this. The sole object which they had in view was the promotion of temper- ance, and this was the object contemplated by their legislation and administration. It was true that they might have gained some strength intense of the temperance laws enacted. bu' 10 such object had been in view when 'hey introduced those measures. ' ln the contrnrv Ohnnn I..- L, , . I Mr. 1hrdy---The, district was never open to settlement. A few straggling squatters l came in. The motion was t on adopted. l, A TEMPERASCE DISCUSSION. i, Mr. Meredith moved for an order of the 'I-Ionse for a return of copies of the case submitted for the opinion of the Court of Appeal " to the validity of the local option provisions of the Municipal Act, and of the opinions of the judges of the said court thereon, and of the judgment pronounced by the. court in the premises. In moving for this order Mr. Meredith imade an attack upon the Government in iregard to its position on the temperance question. He claimed that recent decisions showed that the power heretofore exercised by the Dominion belonged to the Province, that the Ontario Government was only playing with the temperance question, and that the legislation passed was merely to strengthen them in the country. They administered the law through their friends, i and they were chargeable to a great extent with the Scott Act being a failure. They were trying to hold the liquor interest, which was an 5 enormous power, in their hands, enabling g them to replenish a diminishing revenue by some 8400,000 per year. It they were sin- cere, and if the power rested in this Legis- lature to prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors, he would ask them to show their jsincerity by carrying out tho principles which they professed to have so much at 'heart. It this Legislature had powerto l confer upon municipalities prohibitory [ power then it must have power to act i directly, and he urged the Government to V take up this question of prohibition, which l they professed to be in favor of in the Do- i minion. His object in introducing the order was that he might have an opportu- Inity of bringing this question before the House. draw from settlement the kind in than township: , fit)