Document Information

Date: 1870-03-25
By: Assiniboia (Legislative Assembly)
Citation: Manitoba, Reconstituted Debates of the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia, 1870, 2010 at 26-28.
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Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia

Legislative Assembly Chamber, Upper Fort Garry

Friday, 25 March 1870

The President took the chair at two o’clock P.M.

Minutes of previous sitting read and approved, Hon. Messrs. Bird and De Lorme were sworn in as members of the Assembly.

Hon. Mr. O’Donoghue’s bill to convert the two mile hay privilege into a fee simple ownership, (Bill No. 1) was read a second time.

After debate, Hon. Mr. Bunn moved the following resolution:—

“That each representative of this Assembly, or one of them, in cases where more than one has been returned from a constituency, be appointed and authorised to form a committee from his constituency,— said committee to consist of not less than five, and not more than ten members, and the representative appointed in each case shall be chairman. That the business of the committees thus formed, shall be to enquire into the question of securing to the people the Two Mile Hay Privilege, and the best mode of effecting that object to the satisfaction of all parties concerned, and to report at the next session of the Legislative Assembly.”

Hon. Mr. Touron seconded the motion, which was put and carried unanimously.

Further consideration in Parliament of Hon. Mr. O’Donoghue’s bill (No. 1) was then postponed until next session.

Hon. C. J. Bird introduced a bill providing for indemnity to members (Bill No. 4), which was read a first, second and third time and passed by special permission of the House.

Bill.

An Act Respecting Indemnity to Members

Whereas it is considered necessary, in the interests of the public service, to remunerate the Representatives composing the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia,— Be it therefore enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia:

1. That the Representatives in the Legislative Assembly be each paid the sum of Five Dollars per day for each day of attendance in Parliament on the public business. That the sum of Twelve Shillings Sterling, per diem of said amount may be taken up by each member during the session or sessions which may intervene until further arrangements are made by this House. On the completion of said arrangements, each member to be entitled to the balance of the amount due him, counting at the rate of £1 sterling a day.

A brief discussion arose before the passage of this bill, during which Hon. Mr. Bunn, while he did not say that members did not deserve Twenty Shillings per day,— contended that members ought under the present circumstances of the country to sacrifice something for the public good. Although Twenty Shillings a day would not pay many of them, he would suggest that the allowance be ten shillings or twelve shillings per day.

The President warmly commended Hon. Mr. Bunn’s idea, and, while admitting that there was a great deal of force and reason in the arguments of hon. gentlemen advocating the payment at once of the larger sum named in the bill — he said he was rather disposed to favor the adoption of the good advice tendered by Hon. Mr. Bunn. For myself, said the President, I ask one thing, to be allowed to serve my country (cheers).

If the Provisional Government gives me a bed and house accommodation, that is all I want (loud cheers).

Hon. Mr. O’Donoghue then introduced a bill (No. 5) respecting the Two Mile Hay Privilege, which was passed through all its stages by special permission of the House.

Bill.

An Act Respecting the Hay Privilege

Whereas it is desirable to preserve intact what is popularly known as the Two Mile Hay Privilege — Be it therefore enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia:

1. That no person shall be allowed to be a squatter in the rear of any of the occupied lots on the Red River or Assiniboine River, at a less distance than four miles from the river frontage of said lots. Nor shall any person, other than the owners or occupiers of said lots (fronting on the said rivers) be allowed the right of ploughing or otherwise making use of said rear lots without the consent of the proper owners or occupiers of said front lots.

2. This bill to continue in full force until amended or repealed by the Legislature of the country, and to take effect immediately.

By motion of Hon. Mr. O’Donoghue, Hon. Mr. Bunn’s bill (No. 2) as amended — providing for the administration of Public Justice — was referred to a special committee to sit the following forenoon — take the bill into consideration — and also take up the old laws of the Settlement and adopt such as were suitable at present — said committee to consist of the Hon. the President, and Hon. Messrs. Bunn, Hay, Bird, Schmidt and the mover.

Hon. Mr. Gunn seconded the motion.

At half-past seven o’clock P.M., on motion of Hon. Mr. Bannatyne, the House adjourned till one o’clock the following afternoon.