60 DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FOR 1865.
Tuesday, May 9.
 The Speaker called the attention of the House to a Bill relating to the Charlotte
County Bank, introduced by Mr. Boyd yesterday. As it partook of a local character,
the Bill came under the rule and could not be received.
 Mr. Boyd said in that case he should pursue the usual course, and he therefore
moved that the rule be suspended.
 Hon. Mr. Allen said, that although the Bill was of a somewhat public character,
yet no harm could arise from its lying over till the people were fully notified of
the intention of the Bill.
 Mr. Cudlip thought the rule should be suspended and the Bill be allowed to come
in. Till the affairs of the Bank are fully wound up the people will not feel justified
in entering into new arrangements for the opening of another Bank.
 Mr. Kerr said the Bank could carry out their designs without the passage of such
a Bill as this. Its object is to legislate away the rights of certain parties holding
notes on the Bank. They could, if they choose, close down their business under the
Act without further legislation. He believed that a bank note, payable on demand,
should be held to be good till the demand was made. He thought the Bill a local one.
 Mr. Thompson said full notice of the winding up of the affairs of the Bank had
been given. The object of the Bill was to allow shareholders to sell certain lands
DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FOR 1865. 31
they held and divide the proceeds among
them. They would thus receive a benefit that would not otherwise be made available.
The passage of the Bill would benefit the few interested and injure no one. The people
are desirous the affairs should be closed down, so that another can be established
there, as now they have
to send to a distance, which is very inconvenient.
Mr. Gilbert said it was a principle laid down with regard to all engagements,
that unless the demand were made within a certain time, the claim became void. And
so with regard to this Bank, unless
the notes now out should be handed in within a limited period, the Bank should not
be liable. As the Bill was of a public, as well as of a private nature, he was favorable
to the suspension of the rule.
Hon. Mr. Anglin said several of his
constituents were interested in the Bank and were desirous the affairs should be wound
up ; still he thought that time for
the publication of the Bill should be given.
The shareholders complain that their
property is being squandered by the keeping open of an office in St. Andrews. The
Bill should be submitted to a Select Committee to provide such safeguards as will
secure the interests of the stockholders.
The rule was suspended.
Mr. Cudlip moved the House into
Committee of the whole on a Bill to amend an Act relating to the collection of taxes,
small debts and other matters relating to the Parish of Portland, and also to limit
the action of the Magistrate of the European and North American Railway.
Mr Lewis is the chair.
The Bill was agreed to.
Mr. McClellan presented a petition from C. W. Stockton and others, freeholders of King's County,
praying that the Act establishing the Shire Town at Sussex, near the line of Railway,
be not repealed.
Mr. McMillan read and presented a
petition from Caleb McCully, Alexander Fraser, E. Lobban, and J. Devereaux, against
the return of Richard Hitchinson, Esq., as one of the members of the Coun ty of Northumberland,
on the ground of bribery and corruption, and want of qualification.
Mr. McMillan moved that the House
do on Monday next, May 15th, at the hour of eleven in the forenoon, go into consideration
of the matter contained in the petition against the return of Richard Hutchison, Esq.
Mr. Coram presented a petition from the Common Council, praying that Bill may pass relating
to the Water Supply of the City and County of St. John.
Mr. Cudlip moved and Mr. McMillan seconded a resolution that the Hon. Joseph Howe, of Nova Scotia,
be invited to a seat on the floors of the House.
Mr. Coram moved for leave to bring in a Bill to amend an Act to abolish the Fishery Draft on
the Western side of the Harbor, and also presented a petition in support of the same.
Mr. Cudlip moved the House into Committee of the whole on a Bill for the alteration and amendment
of the local government of the Parish of Simonds, in
the County of St.John
The Bill was agreed to.
Hon. Mr. Anglin presented a petition
from Robert Rankin & Co., and others, praying that a Bill may pass for the improvement
of the Harbor and Steamboat accommodation at Indiantown.
Hon. Mr. Anglin presented a petition from the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of St. John,
praying that a Bill may pass to provide for the registry and conveyance of personal
property in the City and County of St. John.
Hon. Mr. Anglin moved for leave to bring in a Bill to provide for the registry and conveyance of
personal property in certain places.
Mr. McClellan said as he saw several members of the Government in their places, he wished to ask
if any despatches other than those laid before the House had been received from the
Governments of the other provinces respecting a Union of the Maritime Provinces. If
they had, he gave notice that on the 12th inst. he should move the following address
:—
Resolved, That an humble Address be presented to His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor, praying
that His Excellency will be pleased to cause to be laid before this House copies of
all despatches sent to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, or received
from him, and not already laid before theis House, having reference to a Union of
the Maritime Provinces ; also all memorandum or Minutes of Council made by the Government
of this Province, or transacted by the neighboring Colonies, with any correspondence
therewith and relating to said subject.
Hon. Mr. Wilmot replied that all despatches, so far as he knew, had been laid before the House.
Mr. Coram moved for leave to bring in a Bill relating to the debt of the Corporation of the
City of Saint John, and presented a petition from the Common Council praying it may
pass.
Hon Mr. Anglin presented a petition from J. McGrath, and other inhabitants of Saint
John, praying that the Act entitled an Act to abolish the Fishery Draft, may be repealed.
Mr. Gilbert moved the House into Committee of the Whole on his Resolution relating to Free Grants
of Land to settlers and the opening of roads at the public expense.
As nothing was done, on motion of Mr. Kerr, Mr. Needham left the Chair, and the Speaker
resumed his seat.
FREE GRANTS AND OPENING ROADS
Mr. Gilbert said :—To my mind the interests of the new settlers, and the means taken by the Legislature
to promote these Interests, are of great importance. I intended to have submitted
these resolutions to the late Parliment, but its dissolution prevented. I now submit
them to this new House. Looking at the industrial resources of the country, gradually
on the wane, and seeing the people who have almost exclusively devoted themselves
to the lumbering and shipbuilding interests suffering from their prostration, laboring
with little or no prospect of a return commensurate with their labour. Seeing all
this, it is time the Legislature turn its attention to that branch on which the Province
must chiefly depend for its prosperity. I refer to its agricultural resources. We
must not lose sight of the necessity that exists for the opening up of the waste
lands of our Province. By this means we shall increase our population and add to our
revenue. The present system is most objectionable, as it allows a settler to go where
he chooses, but provides no roads by which he can get to his land. This, we know,
discourages him, and he leaves the Province for another home. If the Government would
lay off
lands in townships, and make roads through them, new settlers would not have this
source of discouragement to contend with. I now know many cases where a man who has
settled in the backwoods has to carry his seed wheat and whatever else he needs from
the settlement to the place where he lives, on his back. This is very hard. The country
here is not an open one, as in Western Canada, but is covered with heavy timber ;
and I contend that it is not a sound policy that a new settler should have to spend
his labor in grubbing up stumps on the roads when all his exertions should be put
forth to clear this growth of timber from his lands. Our climate is healthy, our soil
is fertile, and so far as we can compete with other parts of this continent ; but
on account of the thick growth of timber a settler cannot get as quick a return for
his labor as in many other places on this continent. In Upper Canada, the inducements
are much greater than here. What we want is a population. It is this that has developed
the United States. Their prosperity is attributable to the large immigration which
they have received. It is a subject of importance that we offer inducements to settlers
to come here, and at the end of say five years, to give them a free grant. When a
man has lived five years in a place he becomes attached to it, and does not want to
leave.During that time, it may be, he has raised a family, which, the more it increases,
the more dutiable articles they consume, which produces a return to the revenues of
the country. My idea is to lay off say five or ten thousand acres of land a year,
to make free grants of alternate lots, and to make roads through them. By this means
the people will be able to get hold of those large blocks of land which now are held
by speculators in lumber, or reduce the price on them so that new settlers can compete
with them. I hope this matter will be taken up by the Government—a Government I expect
a great deal from—during the recess, and that some provision will be made for it.—
If something of this kind be done, we shall be able to get emigrants not only from
England and Ireland, but also from the North of Europe who, knowing that we possess
a healthy climate, a fertile soil, and that they will receive free grants of land,
and have roads made at the public expense, will be willing to come here. All then
required will be that the benefits to be enjoyed here are made known. This system
has been adopted in Lower Canada, and is to be in Upper Canada. We should act so as
to come into competition with them. We cannot expect to have wealth without labor,
nor labor without population, nor population without inducements. I trust this matter
will receive that attention at the hands of the Government that it demands.
Mr. Kerr.—I wish to ask the hon. member for Westmorland what he estimates the expense of this
work, and where he expects the funds for carrying it out to come from.
Mr. Gilbert.—It is my intention to move the House into Committee on a resolution for the saving
of large sums to the public revenues. The expense of laying out these lots and making
roads will not be more than $4,000 or $5,000 annually, and this amound could be saved
by a reduction of the present expenditure.
Hon. Mr. Anglin.—This seems an unusual mode of instructing the Government. To various plans introduced
by the hon. member for Westmorland it has already been replied, that the Government
have [...]
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