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s | improvement in the personnel"of Mun-' the proper enforcement of the factories icipal Treasurers, and I look for fur--| act in cities by appointing more in-- ther improvement now that there is a' spectors, and if so how many?" uniform system of municipal bookkeep-- Important Nickel Lands Sale. :};g %2;':"55';;1"%;2& ';;';":)';';ieg*': gfé:t An important transaction in mineral boon to municipalities in the way of lands was put through yesterday. Mr. keeping their accounts, and cases where D. O'Connor of Sudbury sold a sniall it is not appreciated are rare. As block of nickel lands on the shores of mentioned in my report for last year, I \ Lake Temagami to a company 0f New have prepared cash books for school |\ York capitalists, who, it is said, intend sections, public schools, high schools to develop at once and refine on this and eollegiate institutes. The price of side. The price is understood to be in the first named, the school section book, the neighborhood of $25,000 cash, with is $1, and the price of the latter $2.50. a conditional increase. Mr. OG'Connor | Where these books have been used they had already sold several claims in that \are very popular, and I would respect-- neighborhood to the Canadian Copper |\ fully suggest the desirability of the Company. Legislature making their use obliga-- J [ g raxy tory, as in the case of the Government Want Northern Railway. cash book for the nlunic'i%alities. Therel deputation from the Temagami is still a feeling in a good many quar-- ctfintr)'p will wait on the Government ters to have a body of sk'lllod avudit-- to--day to ask for a grant toward the ors to audit the accounts of municipal-- construction of a railway to that local-- ities grouped for.the punrpose, these of-- ity from North Bay or froimn Mattawa. ficials to be appointed by the Govern-- It is understood that the Toronto Board ment and paid by the municipalities of Trade will co--operate with the ée-- ?"f: T(;lktil?f 222'(';'0';"{')'}":}1:')'p';_::g':("'ilf; s h e jee ° & puiation,in making the reatits. | Municipal Auditor. This system would Loan Companies Interested. | do away with the present system of A number of representatives of toan | municipal auditing, and o be \'.;m'th_v | i $A i Cavier Y of consideration by the Government. It| companies will interview the Govern-- ho. nintnrMik hat twenty skilled aecount--| | paoa K 6. un e » ndments is claimed tha wenty skilled arcoun 'm(nt to.day mg.xrdh.xg hy * yirardde ants could do all the auditing roqunwll tn.tho loan companies act. .Represvnt- by the municipalities throughout the latlves oi e 1oan ('UlI]])flI'llt'? in' Tow 'Prm'hu-o at no more expense and much, |rento _ which recently -- amaigamated more efhiciently. Their work would, of| | will also see the Government in regard | course, be continuous throughout the 'to having the legislation recently ob-- i\'HU"' tained from the Dominion confirmed. E." % Wbtqnilel t eeiviieeie n eaaaideria s iaaivecs It is believed the Government will con-- | T e t oemant sent to the passage of bills ratifying the consolidation of the loan companies, but will refuse to recognize any powers of incorporation which may have been granted by the Dominion Parliament, on the ground that such powers are only vested in the Ontario Legislature. The Committee on Standing Orders held its first meeting at noon yesterday. Dr. McKay, South Oxford, was re-- elected Chairman, and the committee learned with pleasure that he had so far recovered from typhoid fever that he would likely be in the House to-- morrow. Munieipal Defalcations. Mr. J. B. Laing, Provincial Municipal Auditor, has completed an interesting report of the transactions of his de-- partment for 1899. The system of Government audit inaugurated by the |GO\'crnnu-nt is doubtless responsible in a great measure for the remarkable diminution in municipal -- defalcations. Three years ago these amounted to $100,000. In 1898 they dropped to $12,-- 000. and last year they amounted to $4,000. Mr. Laing offers the following comments, which are suggested by his personal experiences :--*"In some cases the position of 'Treasurer is filled by men well stricken in years who appear fully competent to perform their duties. There are cases, however, where men over. cighty years of age fill the office, who owe it to themselves, their family and the community to resign and give | younger men a chance. There are | | municipalities where the Treasurer is; far behird the times, who is kept in office out of consideration of old friend-l ship and family ties and influence. I' think this last year there has been an