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the present Admini ed the Government creasing the expeni ed the Government with recklessly in-- creasing the expenditures. Mr. Marter also contended that the Government must have contemplated during the last session of the House the present pro-- posals for the increase of the revenue, and he considered that they had not acted fairly to the people or their re-- presentatives in withholding an an-- rouncement at that time. He did not criticize the bill itself, and his amend-- ment was defeated on division, the vote standing 27 to 27. A number of clauses of the bill were passed, further eonsideration being laid over at the re-- quest of the Attorney--General, who stated that several delegations desirea to wait upon the Government to--mor-- row in regard to some of the provis-- ions. Substantial progress was made in a number of other Government measures and private bills, and it now feems certain that the business of the session will be finished by Thursday next. pinctis ho otsw aults id c sls 3 0 &st 000 or less. -- Another amendment pro-- vided for the addition to the bill of a clause whereby the license fee .of tiverns and shops could be paid half-- yvearly. .A clause would likewisso be added under which, if the distiller o> brewer paid the maximum fee, he would not be called upon to make A return respecting his business. A fur-- ther amendment of some importance provided that in cities whoere the license Hon. Mr. Hardy announced that there was a possibility that the ousiness of the Legislature might be brought to a close on Thursday evening. Liquor License Bill. Hon. Mr. Hardy, in the absonce of Hon. Mr. Harcourt through indisposi~ tion, moved that the House go into cocmmittee on the bill relating to brew-- ers' and distillers' licenses. _ He ex~ plained that it was proposed to make a number of changes in the bili. De-- putations representing the small brew-- ers had waited upon the Goverrment and had made certain representations. In consequence, the Government had decided that it would be only just to restore the minimum fee of $250 on A R:'minea's whex"oA the Investment was $10,-- J Cns PW mss _ Pha® L The following bills were read a third time and passed :-- Respecting certain by--laws concern-- ing drainage in the Townships of Cale-- donia, Alfred and South Plantaganet-- Mr. Guibord. Respecting a certain by--law and agreement of the Town of Cornwall-- Mr. McLaughlin. Respecting the London Street Rail-- way Company--Mr. German. Respecting the incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Toronto--Mr. Pyne. To amend the prisons and asylums® inspection act--Mr. Davis. May Close on Thursday. R Third Readings. tion, and charg-- Mr. Marter, on the motion to go into committee, said that for many years they had been hearing from the Gov-- ernment of the splendid financia)l stand-- ing of the Province. Therefore,-- the present bills for adding to the revenues of the Province were a great surprise,. The Provincial Treasurer had in 1897 told the House that the Government of Ontario had for years been able to show a surplus and in that year had a surplus of between two and three mililons, and in 1898, con-- tinued ~Mr. Marter, the Provincial Treasurer had twitteg the Opposition with charging that the Province was on the verge of taxation. But one year later the revenue bills they were now discussing were brought down. If the Provincial Treasurer had the knowledge this year that such measures were re« quired, then he must have known of it in 1898, and that being the case he had done wrong in withholding such knowl-- edge from the House and coun-- try. He congidered that in view of the comparative smaliness of the ant!cipated shortage there was no necessity for the Government to take up the time of the House in discussing these revenue bills. To him it did not ~seem possible that so astute a Government should come to the House, if the facts were as renorted to be, an anticipated shortage of only $207,580. and asked for the passage of bills which amounted to direct taxation. One of the reasons gven for the Increase of taxation was that the cost of public institutions was growing. But what were the facts ? In 1892 the cost of -- those _ institutions was _ $818,-- 435. Last -- year the expenditure was -- $§15,744, or less by $2,691 than in 1892. It was impossible, there-- fore, for the Government to base the increase in taxation upon the cost of. public institutions. The increase in the sum voted for education had been cited as another reason for greater revenue. That need was not substantiated by the facts. In 1888 the sum spent on the public schools was $221,502. Last vear the expenditure amounted to $219,403, or a decrease of $2,166. The Gov-- ernment claimed that the different in-- stitutions brought under _ taxation were only too willing to pay; that their coffers were: overflowing, and they were glad to come to the Government's relief. Everybody knew, however, that since the revenue bill had been intro-- duced deputations had been waiting upon the Government at all hours of the day and night, and asking for re-- lieof. The only parties satisfied were the electric light companies, the tele-- phone _ companies, the | street rail-- way companies and other concerns who were pleased because the Govern-- ment were takin@ less from them than they should rightfully pay to the muni-- cipalities. There had been a large in-- crease in the cost of inspection since 1971 in education, and here, Mr. Mar-- ter contended, the people were not get-- py this bill no further duties shouid be imposed by the Councils of such cities ; in other words, they should etand where they are under the provi-- sions of the bill. No Reasons for Taxation. Mr. Marter's Address. 177