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to munxe 1 SPP OPCICUON ZOwaTds its ¢xpense. The people on the other side of the strcet would be com-- Mr. Bert said he would like to mention one "little instance of the benefit the _ Parliament Buildings were to Toronto. The city was laying dow n a sewer which ran along Queen--strect in front of the Asylum for nearly three--quarters of a mile, and they hd been trying for months to get the Government to make an appropriation towards its expense. 'The Mr. Rortxsox | said that o intended by his motion. With r:g:.rdwts'an' & he thought the Provincial Buildings inm \ were of far s::oro benefit to it than an ( e they cost the people of Toronto. | If 'I'oroni'o :']xp these buildings a burden, Kingston, which w. healthy a city as any in the l'rovinco', would b'." to take them free of taxes and give the 1. ' which to build them, * land Mr. Harox said that the questions -- mep. tioned by Mr. Miller could _ be taken _ up as separate questions, and considered by the Com-- mittee. . But it was an entirely diferent proposition to recommend that the Government should bring down an appropriation from year to year for roads, bridges, &¢., not as a tax, but as a matter of pay: ment. After some discussion, Mr. Deacox said it appeared to him from what had been said by Mr. Hardy and My, HModgins that; Mr. Robinson's motion should be worded differ. ently. That gentleman had moved that the first slause which the Committee had taken up should stand, but if there was anything in the argnuments of the Provincial Secretary and Mr. MHodgins, the motion should rather be that it should stand if it was found that the British North America Act pre-- cluded their eonsidering it. twai,, 43 _ c3 °C L0At Tore was a great difference between the Provinces taxing Provincial property for P;o\fincial pprposes and the municipalities taxing Provincial ptoyg:-ty: Mr. Hovorys said it was one of the fAirst principles of Constitutional Government that we could appro-- priate our own money as we saw fit. The argument which was used in the case of the additional subsidy to Nova Scotia was that the Parliament of Canada could dispose of its own money as it pleased. Mr. Meszsortit thought this clause should be dis-- ussed on its merits, in fairmess to Toronto, which had only two representatives in the House against eighty--six . Mr. Miutrr® agreed with Mr. Meredith that every olass of exemptions should be considered on their merits, as otherwise the resolution they had passed might be . found troublesomo. For his own part, while he did not support the abso-- lute taxation of Government property, he thought | the House and the Government should consider such a caso as when the city of Toronto paved Welling-- ton or Front streets, or built a sewer along them which was of benciit to the House in a sanitary way. It was worthy of consideration whother the Province should no: bearta share ofa frontage tax for such purposes as those. He did not think the British North America Act would prevent a sum being put in the estimates annually, to be paid to the city, for these advantages. Mr. Mearpitu moved that the first clanse stand as one subject of enquiry by the Committec. _ Mr. MiunE® seconded the motion, Mr. Rozixsox said he was perfectly willing that the clause should be considered by the Committee. Mr. Harox thought that the question raised by Mr. Miller was not one for the consideration of the Committee, as it would amount to an instruction to the Government as to what they shonld ut in 41. Mr. Woon remarked that the question was not one which applied simply to the cities, There was one of the Government institutions in the township of London, costing about three--quarters of a million, and if it was taxed the Government would Pay a lurg; amount of the township taxes. Mr. Mriuuk® said he fully endorsed every word which had been said in the House by the leader of the Governinent as to the feeling in the rural muni-- cipalities on this subject. Still, he believed the Comnittee had power to consider the question and make recommendations to the House. Mr. Mezzortu said he protested against the course adopted _ by the leader of the Government in the House and by the last speaker. _ An unfair attempt was being made to induce the rural municipalities to do an injustice to Toronto by ap-- pealing to sectional prejudices , the Government as to what they should put in the estimates or bring down in their budget. Though it was within the province of the Committee to con-- sider the assessment law, he did not think that it was part of their functions to consider what shape any proposed change should take when it came down to the House. He contended that the language of the British North America Act was unmistakable as to the exemption of Provincial property. all en § 20000 22C0T0 27 REZTCU ; * _ 'vidediy that the Confederation Act did not give the power to tax Provincial property. He dis-- sented entirely from the view expressed by the Gov-- | erament on that point, | , Mr. Rostxsox contended that the Committeo | had not been appointed to find what was | Or what was not the opinion of the Government on the question, but to consider it de novo. Some members appeared vory anxious to saddle the whole thing on the Government in order to avoid respon-- sibility on their own part. He moved that the first clause stand, Mr. Honat®s read the 125th section of Tw British North America Act, which is as follows :--* No lands or broperty belonging to Canada or any Pro-- vince shall be liable to taxation." Hoe thought that clause conclusively showed that such property was not liable to taxation . Mr. Merzoreg contended that this clause did not preévent the Province taxing its own property or giving the power to the municipalities to do so. -- 1Ho thought it unfair that the Committee should shelter itself behind that provision. Mr. Woon said that there was a great difference Kak. _1 ECC SHVOE Mr. Merentrg said that he very decidedly that the Confe give the power to tax Provincia sented entirely from the view e erament on that point. On . the first clause, pro should not tax Dominion '-'nd that Property vested in ha Ais _1 1 I8t Pronavyey ... .. j Oft Proporty and'l;ir:e.;;rm. and that Property vested in corporations and nsed by the Governinent for official purposes should not be taxed, Mr, providing that the O TNEUr as what he had gard to this clause ldings in the city than any expense 1t 'I'or(:_mo thought haw 2x k had heard it stated by the l;;al;:'rv.()} the rural muni-- he believed the im from what Modgins tha; worded diffep. that the first ken up should the argnments h 'Hodgmy, the was AB T fllt\d ad on I'rovince and Mr. Deacox was satisfied that the majority of the Committee and the House was in favour of exempt-- ing Government property from taxstion. HMe sig» gested they should leave this asubject, and pass to the consideration of the other twenty--tive heads of ex-- empted property, A vote was theon taken on Mr. Meredith's anond ment with the following resualt :-- Mr. Hay could add further on thi i that he had not heard on cither n-'ialv.o('potlllxlcE lHouse such reflections on the Attorney--Gemeral's speech as had been advanced in the Committee. (Hear, hear.) Yoas. --Bell ; Wills--6. ell, May, Lauder, Meredith, Miler Mesers. Lauder, Robinson, and to vote. Mr. Mrur®® said he was opposed in toto to giving municipalities the power to tax Government pro-- porty,. (Hear, hear.) Mr, Menwortu was not in favour of taxing the property, but thought it would be unjust to the cities to declare that they would not hear them on the question. (HMear, hear.) Mr. Harpy remarked that there was nothing wrong in the Attorney--General's argument; the hon. gentleman simply pointed out how much the tax would be, and who would pay it. Nays.--Hardr, Wood, Deacon, Graham Harki Hodgins, McMahon, O'Donohue, Robingyon Mw'i';: lians--10, " The amendment was therefor® declared lost. Mr. Deacon's motion was then carried by the fol-- lowing vote :-- Yeas--Hardy, Wood, Deacon {fHModging, M Williame, O' Donolue----7, fHlodgins, MeMahon, Robinson and that proposed by- Mi very well be incorporated Mr. Munrenirw moved an amendment, That the question of exemption of Government property from municipal taxation should be the subject of further enquiry and evidence by this Commitiee, with a view to the determination of the propriety of con-- tinuing such exemption in whole or part." Mr, Woon was not prepared to give an opinion on a legal question. But the Legislature had passed the Revised Statutes, in which it was set forth that certain property should not be taxed, and as a lay-- man, he would suppose it was necessary to state this, or otherwise the property might be taxed. Mr. Lavo®x objected to the Committee giving an opinion on a legal question, on the ground that the members were not all lawyers. Mr. D®Acox, in order to bring the subject squarely before the pulviic. moved as an amendment, " That, in the opinion of this Comunittee, section 125 of the British;North America Act excludes from the con= sideration of this Committee the subject of exomption set forth in sub--section one of section six of the Act re-- spocting the assessment of property ; and that, in the opinion of the Committee, the Legislature of Ontario hbas no jurisdiction to repeal the said sec-- tion of the British North America Act."' Mr. Woon said he had consulted Mr. Langmuir on the point made by Mr. Bell, and he was able to state that the Asylum drew its,water supply at a distance of--a quarter of a mile from the mouth of the sower. Mr. Hay favourod a discussion of the whole question on its merits. | There wers some classes of Government property which he thought ought to be taxed, though with regard to the pub-- lic institutions _ located _ in Toronto, London, Braulqrd. Bellicville. and other places they gou: forred vastly more bencfit on the municipalities in which they were situated than they recetved. After furtheridiscussion, Mr. Hopartxs said if they taxed the Government property in Ontario for city purposes the county pro-- perty would be taxed for town purposes, If the cities did not receive taxes on account of this pro-- porty they obtained advantages in having the Gov-- ernment buildings, which was compensation for any taxes they pay. If such a principle was to obtain, the surplus of the Province would speedily dis-- appear, __ _ Mr. Woon replied that the Asylum grounds were well drained, and that the sewer spoken of by Mr. Bell was not required for the purposes of the Asylum. _ At present they wore thems#lves doing all the sewerage that was required, but if at a future time they felt that they would need the use of the city -- sewer _ referred to, _ he thought _ the Government would endorso the _ view that they would help the city for its construction. With regard to the statement that the Asylum sewer entered the lake at short distance from the source of their water supply, if Mr. Bell had been there and soen that that was the case, he (Mr. Wood) would of course accept the statement. If not, he should be inclined to doubt it unless it was corroborated by Dr. Clarke, the Medi-- cal Superintendent, or Mr. Langmuir, With & population of 600 or 700 in the Asylum of the class confined there, it would be strange, indeed, if there were no cases of sickness, but he belicved the number of such cases was by no means exceptionally large, nor were they to be attributed to dofective sanilary arrangements. Mr. Haroy stated that the rosolution of Mr Nays--Bel!l, Graham, Hay Mr. Brut said that the result of their expenditure was that their sowage was.carried down to the lake near the place whence the Asylum derived its water supply. Fever and other diseases, he understood, were very prevalont in the institution. Mr. Haroy said the Government spent" thousands of pounds for the drainage of the institution, and the City had the benefit of the expenditure. p benefit of a (Government insti-- peli&d wlli):sy\gg: :ll:: sanitary condition of the Asy-- ;ut "to respeot' to drainage is very faulty. It re-- q:'i!:-e: ':he beneflits of this sewer as much as private citizens. , Wills,* Meredith, Mil-- Harkin declined Deacon ;ni's'!'fi wE3 Ns