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Legislative Assemblies of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 3 April 1902, Alberta and Saskatchewan Debates over Confederation with Canada.

1 THE LEADER. REGINA, N.W.T., THURSDAY MORNING, APRIL 10, 1902.

AUTONOMY REFUSED

Dominion Government Declines to Accede to Territorial Request

PAPERS BROUGHT DOWN.

Summary of Demands Made by the Territorial Government Mr. Sifton's Reply Mr. Haultian Introduces a Resolution Expressing Regret at the Action of the Federal Authorities.

THURSDAY, April 3.
The legislature re-assembled to-day after the Easter recess. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Villeneuve (St Albert) asked: (1) Has the Government since the last session of this Assembly considered the question of extending the boundaries of License District No. 8 so as to comprise Athabasca Landing in St. Albert Electoral District? (2) If so, what action does the Governinent intend to take in reference to this question?
In reply Mr. Haultain said: (1) Yes. (2) The matter is still under consideration.
Dr. Patrick (Yorkton) moved for a return showing (1) Copies of all correspondence between the Department of Public Works and Frederick J. Bull of Yorkton relative to the amount of compensation to be paid by the Government for a right of way surveyed through section 7, township 26, range 3 west of the second meridian. (2) Copies of all correspondence between the said Department, and any and all other persons relative to  the amount of the said compensation.  Dr. Patrick said he thought this correspondence would show that before the Ordinance was passed last session a definite promise was made to Mr. Bull that his case would be taken to the courts to determine what amount should be paid him. Since then an arbitary amount had been fixed by the commissioner and offered him, and was refused. While the Ordinance has been passed giving the commissioner power to fix the compensation it would be, said Dr. Patrick, a difficult, thing to say that such coupensation shall be accepted. The motion was agreed to.
Dr. Patrick also moved for copies of all correspondence between Jas. H. Nelson of Yorkton, and any and all other persons and the Department of Public Works relative to the amount of compensation to be paid to the said Nelson for a right of way surveyed through his lands adjacent to the right of way of the Manitoba and North­ Western Railway and within the limits of the municipality of the town of Yorkton. His reason for asking for this return was that the House might get an idea of the opinions of some of the men whose property was affected. Mr. Sifton agreed to the motion saying he had no fear of the opinions of the members of the House when the papers were brought down.
Dr. Patrick further moved for (1) Copies of all correspondence between Sam. Goodacre, secretary-treasurer of the Pebble Lake School District No. 316, and the Secretary of the Council of Public Instruction and the Deputy Commissioner of Education relative to the omission from the area of the said District of section 36, township 25, range 4 west of the second meridian, and (2) relative to an alteration of the boundaries of the said District to include the said section therein, and (3) relative to the claim made by the said District by reason of omission of the said section from the area thereof. Dr. Patrick said that this school district was organised about 1894, and the usual steps were taken by the people of the locality, a petition being sent in which was approved by the Council of Public Instruction, and subsequently by a meeting of ratepayers. A proclamation was inserted in the Gazette but through an error one section was omitted. This error was not discovered for some years until the people were assessed, the lands were sold and purchased by a man who thought everything was all right. The result was he lost his money paid in connection with this matter and the school district found itself under the necessity of refunding the money that had been paid. The ratepayers felt that the people of the Territories as a whole should pay for the mistakes made by the Government. They, therefore, made application for a special grant nearly a year ago, but the matter had apparently not been dealt with up to a recent date. He did not know whether the correspondence would show negligence on the part of the Commissioner of Edution or inability to make up his mind to grant it.  
Mr. Haultain in reply said that this motion was, he presumed, one of those whose main object was to allow the mover to indulge in certain speculations which were not warranted and make a speech. A mistake was made in the office and the Gazette carried it on and one section out of a large number was omitted. The trustees had acted on a letter from the office and not on the Gazette. They sold the land for taxes and the school district did suffer a certain amount of damage through the mistake of the department. A claim was made for a special grant and the reason it had not been made was because they could not arrive at a satisfactory amount. The school district claimed compensation for the taxes they might have levied and other items which could never be reasonably considered. The whole case was how much is the school district entitled to, which was not a very serious matter. There was one reason why he was willing to allow the notion to pass and that was to show how inaccurate the hon. gentleman's statements were.
Mr. G. W. Brown (North Regina) introduced a Bill to amend Chapter 54 of the Consolidated Ordinances 1898 intituled "An Ordinance respecting Chemists and Druggists." The Bill was read a first time and put down for its second reading on Monday.
Mr. Haultain moved that the House adjourn, whereupon Dr. Patrick asked when the public accounts would be brought down. In reply Mr. Sifton said they expected to have them ready on Monday. Mr. Sifton then laid the report of the Public Works Department for 1901 on the table and Mr. Haultain the report of the Attorney­ General's department as required by the Liquor License Ordinance. The House then adjourned.
LIQUOR LICENSE REPORT.
The liquor license report showed that 121 applications had been received for hotel licenses: of this number 107 were granted, 7 refused and 7 withdrawn. Applications for wholesale licenses numbered 39, of which 35 were granted, 1 refused and 3 withdrawn. Two wholesale and 28 hotel licenses were transferred. During the year 29 persons were interdicted by magistrates and 44 by license inspectors, a total of 73. The total amount of fines inflicted and collected for offences under the Liquor License Ordinance was $1,770.50.

Source:

Regina Leader, 1896-1904. Digitized by Google Books.

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Selection of input documents and completion of metadata: Isabelle Carré-Hudson.

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