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'The Last Session 2 .. _ >. s ;' Then Mr.Preston' hinted _that this might be the last session of the present Parliament. ; § _ Mr. Whitney--We have tyx__gg,-y'gdfi,s yet. In reply to the Hon. Mmfj;fi_dnchny,' Mr. Whitney made an explanation, and said their four years expired in Jann-- ary, 1909, or in March, 1909; if the time for the return of the writ were counted in. The House, he said, might not be called upon to meet for twelvre months after that. s * Mr. Preston--Then I have no reason to assume that an election is possible * Mr. Whitnuey--You have no.reason to assume either way. it, | Continuing, Mr. Preston: made use of the word _ "gerrymander" _ in _ réfer-- ring. to _ the proposed redistribu-- tion, and the Premier < expressed surprise _ that _ the 5 hon. member should have any such apprehensions. The member for Brant retorted that the Prime Minister would need to be sur-- prised if he went back over the work of his party at Ottawa. . 'Mr. Preston at-- gued that civic representation should: be below rural representation. _ A,eity member should represent 'more popula-- tion than a rural wmember. Anan-- alysis of the popular vote at lastigler= tion, he pointed out, shpwyed, thap thes Conservatives had obtained 220.000 #otes and the Liberals 213,000. <~This Liberal vote had only..been some 10,000 fewer than the Liberal yote in 1902, indicat-- ing that the Liberals were not so much behind after all, while a few -- driiting. votes had matcrially affected the |re The age limit in child labor Jegislation should be raised, he said, so that those children could remain: at» school:" until they were fourteen years of age: <The present distinction between high and public schools ought to be abolished, Mr. Preston thought, as well--as> theo fees. What is now known as the high school course should be more optional, and pupils from ten to twelve years of age should be allowed a vocational course. It had been suggested that the Domin-- ion Government assist . in . educational matters, but he hoped ; the _Province would never allow educational controi to go to the Federalauthorities. MWhat's the name of that Church ? (Laughter.) Mr. Hoyle--If my friend was familiar with the churches he would know. Proceeding, Mr, Hoyle said that Mr. Preston would not have adopted ihe line of argument he hbad but for the fact that he was going to retirs from the arena of Provincial politics. Turn-- ing to educational questions, Mr. Hoyle said that a bill would shortly be laid Mr. Hoyle (North Ontario). defended the three--fifths clause as being a .dis-- tinct advance in temperance reform as compared with the policy of the pre-- vious Government. -- The GCilovernment were in possession of resolution -- after resolution, passed by churches and other intitutions interested in the moral wel-- fare of the Province, approving of the Government's announced intention _ to enforce the liquor license' act. -- The principle of two--thirds: majority _ was recognized by the churches. <© it wwas recognized by the great Church to which he belonged. Mr. -- S. Clarke (Northumberlandy------ Frovince Will Control. Educational Matters. ~--Referring to educational. matters, Mr. Preston said that if it were the true intent of the schools to equip children for citizenship, surely it was important that the CGovernment should see to it that all children.. available were . at scaool as long as 'possible. From <ta-- tistics already quoted Mr. Preston show. ed that the majority of children prac-- tically left school at <the age of ten 'years, and in two--thirds of the Prov-- ince he said the truancy' law was a dead lettér, TWe Department of Edu-- eation, he argued, should take charge of the truancy law and perhaps appoint sr:)cial officers. For illiterate children above the present school age in cities there should be compulsory night schools . > sult. Hon. Mr. Whitney--lIt never will do Cy C 8. Clarke (Northumberland)-- the name of that Church 44 Col. Atkinson (North Norfolk), after the customary preliminaries, referred to the good roads problem, and, he said, the anly way better roads could be obtained was to encourage the municipalities in bui}ding them. At present the Provin-- cial grant was one--third of the cost, but ! he would not object if this were increased | to 'two--fifths, ~or even a half, if neces-- sary. ~In 'such an event he would not say that the Government were "stealing vlothes.""~ Coming to educational ques-- tions, Col. Atkinson mentioned the fact [th'at"t!m'rc' was a greater dearth of teachers in' Ontario at present than al-- | most ever béfore. _ He claimed the aboli-- | tion 'of 'the model schools was largely |--responsible for such a state of affairs. ? e thaight with regard to liconse mat-- ('fers'that the three--fifths clause was an | imposition in the name of the Province. | A comtnission had been appointed to in-- quire into prison labor matters, and he hoped 'that such an important matter would not be dropped after the elections, as was done with a report on the sweat-- ing system under the Government of the i late Sir John A. Macdonald. Col. At-- kinson ~took Mr. CGlamey to task over certain timber limits, showing that, ac-- cording to the Jatter's own statements, one square mile had been sold by the proesent Administration for $60,000 and twenty square miles for $£50,000. Touch-- l ing on license matters, the speaker men-- tioned an instance where liconse inspec-- tFors were engaged in tevising the vyoters' lists, and he asked if such conduct was keeping--lidense matters out of politics. [ The same 'thing, be claimed, was hap-- 1 pening all over the Province. _ Just be-- | fore concluding at 6 o'clock the speaker drew attention to the surplus of three millions as left by the late Liberal Ad-- ministration having dwindled to half a million. beTore The House which would provid» for continuation eclasses. _ The speech of Hon. Richard Harcourt was the most suggestive on the subject with which it dealt that he had ever heard. 'Ths former Minister of Education had over-- looked, however, that under the pres-- ent Government the grants in aid of technical education had increased a hundred per cent. _ He claimed that the Government had adopted a progress-- ive policy with regard to technical edu-- cation, especially in respect of agrieul. ture. In New Ontario during the past year 265 miles of new roads had been constructed, 949 miles of highway |re paired and a number of bridges con-- structed at a cost of $351,503. _ Public works bad also been carried out in that district costing $135,942, giving em-- ployment to nearly 10,000 men, and yet the member for the Soo said. nothing had.. been done. Mr. Hovyle claimed that Conservatives had originated the idea of the Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway and the running of the line by the Government. Ircrease Roads Grant. Mr. Pense (Kingston) introduced a bill to amend the municipal act. _ This bill proposes to make bread loaves of uniform weight, two and four pounds. The House adjourned at 6 o'clock,. Want Earlier Elections. The Executive of the Ontario Munici-- Some Second Readings,. The following bills 'worc read a sec-- ond 'time :--Respecting the Legislative Assembly ; to amend the public lands act; to preserve the forests from de-- struction by fire; to amend the forest reserves act; to amend the supplement-- ary revenue act; to amend the act re-- & Picton is desirous of following in the footsteps of Lindsay and (Gialt, and of establishing in connection with the col-- legiate institute in that town an agr-- eultural class. A deputation represent-- ing Picton waited on the Minister of Education, the Hon. Dr. Pyne, at the Parliament buildings yesterday and ask-- ed that the (Governinent should give assistance in carrying out the scheme, Dr. Pyne promised that the deputa-- tion's request wouldreceived considera-- tion. Pi 6 t« )n % ol le gi at 6 Inst it U te A ft (\ r A id Wation.waited upon Hon, J, W, anna, Provincial Secretary, yesterday in regard to a number of recommend-- dations to the municipal act. . The members of the committee proposed that the Legislature fix dates of municipal elections at a time so as not to inter-- fere with Christmas and other festivitios. A change in the present law is asked regarding the maintenance of persons in houses of industry, etc., and that cities be not forced to pay for their keep. _A uniform weight for loaves of bread is asked. Provision -- for the taxing _ of county property for local improvements is also asked.