C. 33 amends c. 17 of the Acts of 1896, which amended the Nova Scotia Judicature Act.

C. 34 amends c. 12 of the Acts of 1890, which also amended the Nova Scotia Judicature Act.

County Courts.-C. 35 amends c. 9 of the Acts of 1889, entitled, "An Act to amend and consolidate the Acts relating to County Courts."

Towns' Incorporation.-C. 36 amends the Towns' Incorporation Act, 1895, as regards the proceedings to be taken for non-payment of poll tax, and as to advertising for sale goods taken by distress and in other particulars.

Married Women's Property.-C. 37 amends c. 94 of the Revised Statutes "Of the Property of Married Women." It provides that a married woman may render herself liable in respect of her separate property as if she were a feme-sole, and also that every contract entered into by a married woman otherwise than as agreed shall bind her present and future separate property, whether she is then possessed of separate property or not.

Collection.-C. 38 amends the Collection Act, 1894, in various particulars relating to matters of practice.

Boarding-Houses for Infants. By c. 40 provision is made for the grant of licenses to board children under twelve years of age; and no person other than a superintendent of the poor or of almshouses or an institution incorporated for the purpose is to be permitted to board any such child not being a relative, apprentice, pupil, or ward without legal commitment or without being licensed under the Act. The license is granted by the mayor of the city or town. A register is to be kept by every licensed person, and provision is made for the inspection of the licensed premises and the inmates.

Jury Panels.-C. 42 legalises Jury Panels Assessment Rolls and Revisers' List for 1897.

Civil Expenses.-C. 43 makes provision for defraying divers expenses connected with the civil government of the province.

Minor Amending Acts. In addition to the above, there are a number of Acts making small amendments in various existing statutes. C. 3 of the Revised Statutes "Of the Composition, Powers, and Privileges of the Houses" is amended by c. 1, the Succession Duties Act, 1895, by c. 6, C. 2 of the Acts of 1896, entitled, "An Act to encourage the Establishment of Local Hospitals" by c. 8, c. 44 of the Acts of 1886, entitled, “An Act respecting Gaols, Municipal Lunatic Asylums, and Poorhouses" by c. 12, and the Nova Scotia Game Act, 1896, by c. 13. C. 29 amends c. 30 of the Acts of 1887, entitled, " An Act to amend c. 138 Revised Statutes of Costs and Fees." C. 30 amends c. 31 of the Acts of 1895, entitled, "An Act to provide for the Payment of Prothonotaries and Clerks of the County Court"; and c. 39 amends c. 8 of the Acts of 1896, entitled, "An Act to prevent the Spread of Diseases affecting Fruit Trees."

Here are also the following amendments of the Revised Statutes, 5th Series:

C. 47

"Of Highway Labour" is amended by c. 22

C. 106" Of Juries" is amended by cc. 23 and 24

C. 52 "Of Ferries is amended by c. 25

C. 79

C. 50

"Of Joint Stock Companies" is amended by cc. 26 and 27
"Of Commissioners of Streets" is amended by c. 28.

4. MANITOBA.'

[Contributed by H. STUART MOORE.]

Acts passed-38.

Immigration.-C. 1 deals with the immigration into Manitoba of certain classes of children. The Lieutenant-Governor may authorise any society or agent to carry on the work of bringing into the province indigent, neglected, or dependent children for the purpose of placing them in foster homes or binding them as apprentices. The society or agents shall carefully supervise every child brought into the province by them until the age of sixteen, and shall cause them to be visited at least once in every year, and shall have all the powers and perform all the duties of guardians. The society shall provide a permanent home or shelter, to which the child may return in case the person with whom the child has been placed is unable or unwilling to retain the custody or control of the child. A penalty is imposed for the importation of an indigent child into the country otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the Acts; also for importing any child who from defective intellect, disease, or physical infirmity, which renders him unable to follow any trade or calling, or any child of known vicious tendencies or who is known to be an habitual criminal or who has been reared or resided among habitual criminals or whose parents are habitual criminals, idiots, lunatics, or weakminded or diseased or confirmed paupers.

Foreign Companies.-C. 2 enables any company or corporation duly incorporated under the laws of Great Britain or any other foreign state or country authorised to carry out any of the purposes to which the legislative authority of the Legislature of Manitoba extends, on obtaining a license, to carry on business within the province in compliance with the provisions of this Act; but this does not apply to corporations formed in connection with religious purposes: unlicensed foreign corporations cannot hold real estate within the province.

Joint Stock Companies.-C. 3 amends Manitoba Joint Stock Companies Act with regard to the creation of preferential stock.

The Session 60 Vict. ended March 30th, 1897. The first thirty-five chapters are public Acts, the remainder are private Acts.

Statute of Limitations.-C. 12 enacts that the Statute of Limitations shall not apply to actions upon seed grain notes held by municipalities.

Intoxicating Liquors.-C. 13 amends the Liquor License Act, and enacts that in cities, towns, and incorporated villages there shall only be two licenses for the first five hundred, one for the next five hundred, and one for each additional six hundred of the population. In rural municipalities and in places where there is no municipal organisations, only one license is allowed for first three hundred and one for each additional six hundred of the population. Houses shall not be kept open after ten o'clock, except on Sundays, and shall be kept closed during the whole of election or bylaw voting days.

Mines.-C. 17. The Mines Act, 1895, provides regulations for the management of mines. According to this Act any one may explore for mines on any Crown lands not at the time staked out or occupied. Crown lands can be sold as mining lands; and the grantees must during the first five years spend four dollars per acre in opening up the mines where the land exceeds one hundred and sixty acres, and five dollars per acre when less, and in default the lands will be reverted to the Crown. No person shall prospect on any private grounds unless he has the consent of the owner. The Act provides for the appointment of inspectors, who have power to settle disputes between licensees, and their decision is in all cases final. Miners shall pay five dollars per annum for a license, and are enabled to mine on any lands on which a mining claim is not marked or staked out. The licensees shall have the right to mark out a claim on any Crown lands not for the time being included in a mining claim by planting a mark at each of the four corners. A mining claim for one person shall not be more than about ten acres; but companies of two or more persons may claim as much as twenty acres. If the claim is not worked for the space of three months after it has been marked out, it becomes forfeited. The discoverer of a new lode of ore shall be entitled to two claims. The inspectors under the Act have power to examine and enquire into the state and condition of any mines. General rules are appointed for ventilation, fencing, and security of shafts, the use of gunpowder and other explosives.

Joint Stock Companies.-C. 18 enables companies incorporated under the Manitoba Joint Stock Company Act to dispose of stock, and enacts that the original capital stock shall not be more than two million dollars.

Dairies.-C. 20 amends the Municipal Act. Amongst other things it provides for inspection of stables and cow-houses.

Taxes.-C. 21. The Municipal Assessment Act is amended by this enactment, and the necessary procedure for obtaining a title to land sold for taxes is defined.

Municipal Insurance.-C. 23. The Municipal Hail Insurance Act is amended by this Act. The council of any rural municipality may provide a fund out of which to indemnify any ratepayer whose crop of wheat or

other grain is damaged or destroyed by hail. The rate is levied on the average of the land, and shall never exceed two cents. per acre.

C. 24. The Partnership Act, 1897, is similar in terms to the Partnership Act passed by the Imperial Parliament in 1890 (53 & 54 Vict., c. 39).

Religious Instruction.-C. 26 amends the Public Schools Act, and defines the manner and time of religious teaching within public schools.

5. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.1

[Contributed by H. STUART MOORE, ESQ.]
Acts passed-21.

Land Tax.-C. 3 amends the Assessment Act, 1894, and fixes the land tax at one-fifth of one per cent. on the value of the land. The owner or occupier of the land is required to make a declaration under the provisions of the Canada Evidence Act, 1893, setting out the value of the property to be taxed. In the event of the owner or occupier neglecting to do this, the Provincial Treasurer places a value on the land, and his valuation is final. Under the Assessment Act of 1894 the land tax varied in amount in accordance with the value of the land.

Income Tax.-C. 4. By this enactment the Income Tax Act, 1894, is amended, and incomes derived from wages or salaries or actual manual labour are exempted when they do not amount to a sum exceeding three hundred and fifty dollars.

Sureties.-C. 5 enables a surety company, which shall have complied. with the requirements of every law of this province, and whose invested. capital is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and which has complied with all the conditions of this Act, to guarantee any bonds, undertakings, recognisances, or other obligations.

Board of Agriculture.-CC. 1 and 7 establishes a Board of Agriculture for the province, and empowers the Government to grant a sum not exceeding eight hundred dollars per annum for the purpose of inducing the erection of suitable coal storage houses at Charlottetown for the encouragement of agriculture.

6. NEWFOUNDLAND.

[Contributed by L. S. BRISTOWE, ESQ.]

Acts passed-26.

Supply.-C. I contains a money grant for defraying civil expenses of the

colony.

Revenue.-C. 2 continues (59 Vict., c. 14) granting duties on imported.

goods.

The Session 60 Vict. ended on May 1st, 1897. Of the Acts passed in this Session eight would probably be treated in the United Kingdom as public and general.

ΙΟ

Public Works.-C. 3 is an appropriation Act for constructing and repairing roads, streets, and bridges, and other public works.

Railways. By C. 4 the Governor in Council is empowered to enter into contracts for the construction of certain lines of railway, provision being made for the payment of expenses by debenture bonds of the colony and for the compensation of persons whose lands are taken.

French Treaties.-C. 5 continues the Newfoundland French Treaties Act until December 31st, 1898.

Education.-C. 7 appropriates six hundred dollars annually to scholarships in commemoration of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. The scholarships are divided into Jubilee University Scholarships and Jubilee Collegiate Scholarships.

Local Affairs.-C. 8 repeals ss. 1 to 17 of c. 45 of the Consolidated Statutes (2nd Series), entitled, "Of the Administration of Local Affairs in Outpost Districts," and substitutes new provisions for bringing any locality within the operation of that Act by proclamation founded on a petition by the electors of the locality.

Inflammable Oils.-C. 9 amends c. 39 of the Consolidated Statutes (2nd Series), entitled, "Of Inflammable Oils," and enacts new provisions with regard to the storage thereof.

Warehouse Receipts.-C. 10 amends 58 Vict., c. 11, entitled, "An Act respecting warehouse receipts and other securities in the possession of banks."

Dogs.-C. 12 provides that dogs found at large not clogged or muzzled may be destroyed by the police, with the exception of certain dogs protected by a magistrate's license.

Post Office.-C. 14 amends the Post Office Act, 1891. It imposes penalties for stealing letters or parcels, forging stamps or money orders, and other offences in connection with the postal service.

Lunatics.-C. 15 regulates the confinement of insane persons in the asylum for the insane at St. John's. The superintendence and management of the asylum is vested in the Board of Works, and the appointment and duties of a medical superintendent are provided for. Any person alleged to be insane may be apprehended on a warrant from a justice of the peace, who, if after hearing evidence (which must include a medical certificate) he is satisfied of the person's insanity, may commit him to the asylum, where he is to be detained until regularly discharged.

Insane convicts may also be removed to the asylum or other place of safe custody on the order of the Attorney-General, which may be founded on an enquiry before and certificate of a justice of the peace. Provision is made for the re-committal of an escaped lunatic and for the maintenance of lunatics. Lunatics may be discharged by the medical superintendent or the Attorney-General. Provisions are also enacted for the holding of inquisitions of lunacy, and for the custody of the person of the lunatic and