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& & inted out doubling or trebling the penalty, but th'{ltxetheA ;:,:g;{o?eo!}emurp:nce. whomel the House thought differently, and ex-- 12(' opinion must. be considered by the perience proved his ideas to be incor-- 2 Government, recommended a three-- rect. Mr. Whitney appeared to be an years' system. Mr. Whitney objected inexperienced man in reference to the to the House accepting the ipse dixit of election law. It was not by putting on | the Inspector of Insurance. impracticable penalties that the law Hon. Mr. Harcourt protested against was improved. The Attorney--General tinkering with the insurance legislation | regarded the fine of $200 and six when it was not shown to be neces-- months' imprisonment as an absurd sary punbilshmen: {or mt:.lny of thte &mor(,i l;';lfl' A e Attorney-- erable wretches who accepted a dollar Ggrligrallroga.;"?aittt':agn"hlt: own argz- or two for their votes, and who prob-- ments he would move to reduce the life ably never even held one--twentieth of of the policies from four to three years. that amount in their own posses'slon. If insuranee companies wished to in-- Intimidation, on the other hand, was a sure for five years, why should they not! crime for which the penalty should, in be allowed to do so, seeing that they[ the Judge's discretion, be quite severe. he best judges of the conduct of' 'The two offences should not be placed were the P Uusiness in the same category. It was prepos-- c P ov;ln e ?fien' divided, when the terous that a man to whom a small| Thed ouds;; was Jleteatea by a vote amount, partly to help him and partly' '°c°'¢', $ 54 ainst. Mr. Conmee to influence his vote, be given should sls wih L Oa' ition & ' latand side by side with the man who voted with the Oppos * ; bought up votes wholesale. In some of * j | the recent prosecutions there had been Mr. Whitney's Election Bill. i cases of extreme hardship, because the % moved the second read-- | Judges had no room for discretion. lnlg':)tvxh!:ltl?etyo amend the election act. Mr. Whitney--That is an argument The bill requires deputy returning of-- agalns't the_ present law. ficers to be residents of the polling sub--: Mr.Gibson--Yes, I am arguing against division in which they are acting, pro-- the present law. Continuing. the At-- vides that the ballot papers must be torney--General said he did not think supplied by the Queen's Printer, abol-- | we could impose too severe punish-- ishes the numbered ballot, prohibits | ment upon those who deliberately .in-- certificates to agents to vote in polling ferfered with the working of the elec-- subdivisions other than their own, re-- tion machinery. He proposed that Mr. quires the returning officer to furnish a Whitney's bill and.'he one to be in-- certificate of the state of the poll at troduced by the Government be consid-- the close of the voting to each eandi-- ered together in committee, when the date or two electors, punishes with six House could chose between what was months' imprisonment at hard labor, in offered. addition to a fine of $200, persons gullty Polica Commissioners. of bribery or receiving bribes, or of un-- due influence, or of personation, pro-- Mr. Jessop's bill to add two Aldermen vides imprisonment for three months to the Board of Police Commissioners in for any man voting more than once, towns and cities, thus placing the con-- enables election Judges when corrupt trol of the board in the hands of the practices have been proven to direct municipal Council, was termed by the the Crown Attorney to prosecute and to Attorney--General a retrograde measure have associated with him a solicitor or which would convert the police force in counsel to be named by petitioners' each case into an electioneering body. counsel, provides imprisonment for six The present law was giving satisfaction months, in addition to a fine of $2,000, and should not be disturbed. upon persons guilty of destroying bal-- The motion for--second reading was lots. Mr. Whitney spoke in support of declared lost on division. his bill, and explained the leading feat-- ures. He said the Government also Police Magistrates. had a bill to amend the election law, r A a but there was no reason why the two Mr. Fox's b}ll to glf\'? m'l:nlclplal"Coun- measures should not be eonsidered to-- ells the power io fix the salaries of gether, If that were not done it would Police Magistrates also fell by the way-- Lbe because partisan motives influenced en trl:;flfi;I:(:.llsel.i'(':h(;el?nex::ltgg'td':rfdth?'t & $ $ men re-- the Government to a contrary course. sponsible duties should not be depend-- mt O C es l The Attorney--General's View. ' ;2,'3,.'{58_" municipat _ bodies for :thelr Hon. Mr. Gibson reminded the House y that the Government had a bill in pre-- Simplifying the Act. ; paration contemplating amendments to Mr. Graham's bill to simplify and the election law. As a result of the render more explicit the Conmee law, discussion on the two bills he believed under which municipalities are allowed | lthe law would be much improved. to take over electric light and gas ;Whlle t_l}cre were some points in Mr. plants, received a sgsecond reading. , Whitney's bill which the Government ' approved, there were many others | Permanent Pavements. | which they did not regard with favor. i |Mr. Whit:ey posed asgu purist irn in-- M.:]c:)el::':dbrl'fiadll?tgu:asvlfllvens tlo h{'; troducing a bill providing for heavier same position "ptowng in u:tge t': T. penalties for electoral corruption. The layin er t sid § [ Uk e matter. 0 | Attorney--General recalled that in his ying permanent sidewalks, | youth and inexperience he himself had Issue of Liquor Licenses. entered the House as a temperance legislator. (Opposition laughter.) He Mr. Lucas made his bill, permitting had thought it easy to secure the abso-- a voter in any municipality to object ; lute observance of the liauor law by to the issue of a license illegally, the|