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Date: 1865-02-14
By: Nova Scotia (House of Assembly)
Citation: Nova Scotia, House of Assembly, Debates and Proceedings, 23rd Parl, 2nd Sess, 1865 at 5-7.
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DEBATES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF NOVA SCOTIA. 1865.

TUESDAY, February 14.

PETITIONS.

•              (p. 6)

Mr. Locke called the attention of the Government to a petition which he held in his hand from the inhabitants of the county of Shelburne, for a road connection with the County of Annapolis. As the Government intended building a railroad to Annapolis, the inhabitants of Shelburne naturally wished to have better means of communication with the fine agricultural county of Annapolis than they now possessed. He believed, if the Union of the Colonies was consummated, that Shelburne might become one of the great outlets of trade. (Laughter.) All the people asked was an expenditure of $20,000 or $30,000.

Mr. Bourinot would suggest that the petition lay on the table until such time as the Annapolis Railway was completed.

Hon. Prov. Sec. said that the petition was deserving of consideration; but it should he sent, in accordance with the rules of the House, to the Financial Secretary.

Mr. Killam thought it would be as well to understand whether a petition from the people asking for aid towards some particular object should be discussed by the House, or go first to the Government. As it was now, if the Government did not choose to accede to the prayer of a petition there was an end of it—nothing was heard about it. He thought it best that every petition should come first before the House, who might send it to a Committee or to the Government.

Hon. Prov. Sec. said that he did not see the use of interfering now with an established rule of the House. If any gentleman considered that the Government had not treated any petition presented to them as it deserved, it was always in his power to move for its production, and test the opinion of the House on the subject.

Mr. Locke said he would place the petition in the hands of the Government, with the hope that they would give it that favorable consideration which it deserved.

Hon. Fin. Secretary stated that it was his intention to publish the petitions handed to him, when they made up any number.

Mr. Archibald said that if any gentleman wished, he could always call the attention of the Government in the house to any particular petition in which he felt an interest, and then hand it to the Financial Secretary. He had no doubt that if a road could be made as asked for in the petition in question, a great boom would be conferred on the county of Shelburne.

INFORMATION ASKED FOR

Mr. Tobin asked the Government to lay on the table at an early day, returns exhibiting the extent and nature of the trade of the Provinces of Canada, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland, including a statement showing the value of public property, including railways, steamers, public buildings, &c., including all property that would he transferred to the General Government in ease of the proposed Union of the Colonies being consummated.

Hon. Prov. Secretary recognized at once the propriety of the Government being able to place before the house all the information they possibly could in reference to a question of such magnitude, but he was afraid that his hon. friend had imposed a task which to some extent it would be difficult to perform. It would be difficult in the case of this province and New Brunswick—to give an accurate estimate of some of the public property, the Government House for instance.

Mr. Annand thought there would be some difficulty in procuring a reliable statement, such as that asked for, from some of the provinces, more especially that of Newfoundland. He observed that so far as Canada was concerned the information sought was easily obtainable.

Mr. Tobin said that his reason for asking for the information was that he had heard gentlemen complain that they had not the materials within their reach to enable them to take up this question, and deal with it as it should be dealt with.

Mr. Bourinot suggested that the information sought be furnished by the hon. member for Colchester, (Mr. Archibald,) who appeared to have collected a great variety of statistics on the subject of a Union.

Mr. Archibald pointed out that a great deal of the information required could be obtained […]

•              (p. 7)

[…] in the Public Accounts of Canada, which were within the reach of every gentleman. He saw some difficulty, however, in reference to Newfoundland.