The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

His Honor the lieutenant--(Governor entered with Sir James Whitney, and was accompanied by a number of of-- ficers of the garrison in military dress. His Honor was uniformed as a field otficer, discarding the customary civil service uniform. For nearly fifteen minutes Lieut.-- C€oal, Delamere, the Assistant Clerk of the House, enumerated the list of 16§ bills passed by the Legislature, to all of which his Honor gave his assent Others passed had previously secured the gubernatorial approval. He then read his valedictory from the throne as follows :-- Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly : Although this the first session of the twelfth Legislature of Ontario has not occupied a long period . of time, the number, the variety and the important character of the enact-- ments placed upon the statute book bear witness to the intelligence and the industry with which you have ap-- plied yourselves to the performance of your public duties. Recent events have made it again clear that constant watchfulness _ is necessary to prevent interference with the jurisdiction of this and the other Provinces through the medium of Fed-- eral legislation, and it is to be hoped that a permanent vunderstanding will be reached by means of which this danger may be removed. At the last session of the late Legis-- lature a carefully prepared basis for a scheme of law reform was adopted, and I am glad to notice that full con-- sideration of such scheme by you has resulted in the enactment of "an rct for the better administration of jus-- tice, to lessen the number of appeals and the cost of litigation, and for other purposes." I observe with satisfaction that a special committee of the Legislature will meet during the recess to inves-- tigate and report upon necessary amendments to an® changes in the assessment law of the Province. Further legislation has been found necessary to facilitate the work of the Hydro--electric -- Commission -- and enable the Government to supply elec-- trical energy through the commission at a minimum price to the public, while observing its obligations to in-- vestors. PROVINCIAL -- HOUSE CREATED NEW LAWV IN THREE MINUTES. Passed a Final Amending Bill Before Prorogation -- Closing Ceremonial and Address of the -- Licutenant-- Governor--Many Members Proesent. A number of the measures enacted during the present session have heen the result of the revision and con-- solidation of the statutes--a . work which will be found to be unusually thorough in its nature. seats busin« infore forme mons. Contrary to usual precedent, the Legislature transacted Provincial busi-- ness at its prorogation sitting yester-- day. The Government benches were well filled with members, while Messrs. T. R. Mayberry (South Oxford) and Valentine Stock (South Perth), the only Opposition -- representatives pre-- sent. had their ranks augmented by Chief Justice Meredith, Mr. Justice Teetzel, Mr. Justice Riddell and Presi-- dent Falconer, all of whom occupied members' benches to the left of Mr. Bpeaker. Hon. J. J. Foy presented a one--. clause bill as a statute law amend-- ment. providing _ that the measure vassed during the session relative to a technical change in the conduct of tax sales in Muskoka shall '"not apply to pending litigation or cases finally determined prior to the passing of thris act." The bill went through its three stages in exactly three minutes--one stage per minute. Mr. Hoyle presid-- ed momentarily while the measure was going cthrough Committee of the Whole. The SPBEDY LECISLATION, se gentlemen remained in their while the House held its short iss session, when they were re-- ed by. Hon. Robt. Sutherland. r Speaker of the House of Com-- WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1909. I thank you for the liberal appro-- priations you have made for the public service, which will be expended with a proper regard for economy and cff-- clency. In relieving you from the further performance of your duties, I desire to thank you for the great public service you have rendered, and to join with you in expressing the hope that the blessing of Almighty God will resi upon our country and our people. I observe with satisfaction that the supreme @ruthority of the Legislature to pass laws relating to the subjects assigned to it by the British North America act, which was attacked in recent litigation respecting the bed of Cobalt Lake, has been fully vindicat-- ed by the unanimous judgment of the highest court of the Province, and that ut the same time it was determined that the particular legislation which was the subject of the attack did not, as was contended, infringe upon the rights of the persons by whom the attack was made because the claim put forward by them was entirely without foundation. It also affords me pleasure ton be able to congratulate the Province on the satisfactory state of the public finances, which continue to show a substantial excess of revenue over ex-- penditure. The feature of the occaslon was the large attendance of members.-- There were 48 Government supporters, two members of the Opposition, and Mr. Allan Studholme, the Labor narty. In the absence of Hon. W. J. Hanna. the Provincial Secretary, who, with Hon. Messrs. Beck and Hendric, were the only Ministerial absentees, Hon. Dr. Pyne, Minister of Education, oif-- cially announced prorogation. The first session of the twelfth Ontarice Legislature thus became a matter of history. The 9th Field Battery, under com-- mand of Captain Brown, fired a salute of ten guns to mark the ar-- rival of his Honor at the Parliament buildings. The guard of honor was furnished by the Queen's Own Rifles and the escort by the Royal Canadian Dragoons. Lo w ol 0 ,0 o AmmeccUdec an act to provide for the transmission of electrical power to municipalities, to validate certain contracts entered into with the Hydro--electric Com-- mission of Ontario and for other,pur poses, respecting escheats and -- for. feitures; for expediting the decistion of constitutional and other Provincial questions; respecting high schools and collegiate institutes:; respecting aid to the Canadian Northern Railway Com-- pany; respecting public schools, and to provide for prompt punishment for personation at elections for the Leg-- islative Assembly. "--Among the other public + to which it is my privilege assent are : Bills respecting nancial year; to amend the an to amend an act passed in the year of his Majesty's reign -- C mWO ® Tss 27 & To other public measures is my privilege to give Bills respecting the f-- to amend the audit ret: t 6 sere m 2 t C900 e for the transmission wer to municipalities, ain contracts entered Hydro--electric Com-- _seventh intituled