PART IV. REPORT CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES FOR THE YEAR 1887. GOVERNMENT HOUSE, REGINA, 31st December, 1887. To the Honorable The Minister of the Interior, Ottawa. SIR,-It is with great satisfaction that I am able to report a marked progress in the Territories since I had the honor of submitting to you my last annual report. The grain crop throughout the country has been the best for many years. This has been a great encouragement to the settlers and has given an impetus to every class of business. I attribute the good crop in a great measure to a more careful system of farming; and, as the country is better understood, as well as the working of the soils, which vary in the different localities, I believe a failure of crops will become unknown. The agricultural exhibitions held during the year were some twenty in number. Through the active interest taken by Mr. Perley, M.P. for Eastern Assiniboia, arrangements were made whereby representatives of the eastern press attended the exhibitions held along the line of railway. The reports, which have been published from time to time in the papers they represented, have already informed you of the wonderful display of products which were exhibited. Not only was there an exceptionally fine show of grain and roots, but a marked improvement was apparent in the grade of horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. Although it cannot be said that many industries of magnitude have as yet been started in the Territories, it is evident that, before mary years are past, we shall be able to report much progress in this respect. Already the flour milling industry is attaining large proportions and, while large shipments are being made to the east, it now controls the western markets, with a strong probability of a very extensive trade being opened up with China and Japan; good quality of brick is being made at almost every important centre; considerable sums of money have been invested in hop beer breweries and mineral and soda water manufactories; large saw and planing mills are being worked, and others established in the mountains; while minerals are only just beginning to attract the attention of capitalists. I am convinced that there are very favorable openings for woollen mills, tanneries, and beef and pork packing establishments, and I cannot see why, in the western portion of the Territories, railway car shops should not be established, as the different classes of wood used in their construction are manufactured in the mountains. The completion of the new hotel at the Rocky Mountains Park will, I have no doubt, attract a large number of visitors from all parts of the world; and it has suggested itself to me that if a Territorial Museum were established at that point, where exhibits of all territorial products and a collection of the various animals, of which there are such a variety in the mountains, might be seen, another feature of interest, in addition to its already numerous attractions, would be given to the Park. If at such an institution reliable information could also be obtained of the wealth lying hidden in the neighboring mountains, a great impetus would, I think, be given towards the development of our quartz mining. SESSION OF COUNCIL. The Council of the North-West Territories opened on the 14th October and closed on the 19th November. The members composing it were:— Nominated Members. Honorable Mr. Justice Hugh Richardson. Honorable Mr. Justice James F. Macleod, C.M.G. Honorable Mr. Justice Charles B. Rouleau. Paschal Breland, Esquire. Lieut.-Col. Achison G. Irvine. Hayter Reed, Esquire. Elected Members. James H Ross, representing electoral district of Moose Jaw. Moose Mountain. Moosomin. Edmonton. St. Albert. Prince Albert. Calgary. Macleod. I deeply regret to have to add that Mr. Charles Marshallsay, who represented the District of Whitewood, and was a most able and valued member of the Council, died during the Session. Legislation. The following Ordinances were passed during the above Session of Council, namely: No. 1. An Ordinance to legalize By-law No. 61 of the Municipality of the Town of Calgary, passed 10th November, 1887. No. 2. An Ordinance respecting Schools, passed 18th November, 1887. No. 3. An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 2 of 1886, respecting the Administration of Civil Justice. No. 4. An Ordinance respecting the fees of Counsel, Advocates and Clerks in matters of Certiorari and appeals from convictions. No. 5. An Ordinance respecting the office of Sheriff. No. 6. An Ordinance to amend and extend "The Interpretation Ordinance." No. 7. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate as amended Ordinance No. 5 of 1881, intituled: "An Ordinance respecting Mortgages and sales of Personal Property. No. 8. An Ordinance respecting Agricultural Societies in the North-West Territories. No. 9. An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 3 of 1886, intituled: "The Companies' Ordinance." No. 10. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate as amended "The marking of Stock Ordinance, 1884." No. 11. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate as amended the several Ordinances for the protection of Game. No. 12. An Ordinance respecting Statute Labor Districts. 14-11**** No. 13. An Ordinance to amend the Municipal Ordinance of 1885, and also Ordinance No. 7 of 1886. No. 14. An Ordinance to prevent the Pollution of running Streams. No. 15. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate as amended the several Ordin ances respecting Bulls. No. 16. An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 10 of 1885, intituled : Ordinance respecting the Legal Profession." "An No. 17. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate as amended the several Ordinances respecting Prairie and Forest Fires. No. 18. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the several Ordinances respecting Poisons. No. 19. An Ordinance to repeal Sub sections one, two, and five, of Section 29, Ordinance No. 9 of 1886. No. 20. An Ordinance to repeal Ordinance No. 22 of 1884. No. 21. An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 21 of 1886. of No. 22. An Ordinance to legalize a certain By law of the Municipality of Wolseley. No. 23. An Ordinance to incorporate the Calgary Gas and Water Works Company (Limited). No. 24. An Ordinance to incorporate a General Hospital at McLeod. No. 25. An Ordinance to incorporate the Town of Moosomin. As will be noticed, most of the Ordinances passed this year amend and consoli date previous legislation. Of these the most important is that referring to schools, of which special mention is made hereafter. Ordinance No. 12, respecting statute labor districts, introduces new and practical legislation in the Territories, and will, it is hoped, prove of considerable importance. Under its provisions, districts may be formed outside of existing municipalities wherein a simple and economical system of taxation may be enforced, the proceeds to be employed under the supervision of an overseer, for public improvements on roads and highways. FORM OF GOVERNMENT. During the sitting of the Council a memorial was adopted, recommending that a purely representative form of government take the place of our present Council. I think it my duty to inform you that my information from the several scattered centres of population in the Territories does not indicate that such is the general feel. ing of the people. A strong fear is expressed that the establishment of a purely representative form of government will lead to direct taxation, and thus impose on the settlers burdens which they are at present unable to bear. MUNICIPALITIES. No new municipalities have been organized during the year; while, of the eight corporations which are in existence in the Territories, six are in Assiniboia, one in Saskatchewan, and one in Alberta. Four have made returns this year, and taking the returns of 1886 for the four others, there appears to be an aggregate taxation in these eight municipalities of $53,932.07, on a total valuation of real and personal property of $5,610,307.00, or about 9.5 mills on the dollar. This rate is greater in the case of urban municipalities than in rural, the average rate for the former being 13:40 mills on the dollar, and that for the latter, 6.57 mills. The total liabilities, including debenture indebtedness, are given at $96,505.05, of which urban amounts to $42,500.00 and rural, $54,005.05. 11.22 per cent. of amount of taxes imposed is absorbed in salaries. The area comprised in the four rural munici palities is 1,704,960 acres; and in the four urban municipalities about 6,000 acres. SCHOOLS. I am pleased to be able again to report an increase in the number of schools in the Territories. There are now 106 Protestant Public, 4 Public, 17 Roman Catholic Public and 6 Roman Catholic Separate Schools organized, in all 133 schools. At the same date last year there were 93 schools, which shows an increase of 40 schools during the year. Of the total number 86 Protestant, 3 Public and 20 Roman Catholic Schools were in operation during last summer term, with an attendance of 2,747, 80 and 716 pupils respectively, a total of 109 schools with 3,543 pupils, as compared with 76 schools in operation with 2,553 pupils last year, which shows an increase of 33 schools and 920 pupils during the year. Several petitions are now pending for new school districts, and very frequent enquiries are received from various parts of the country with reference to the formation of new districts, so I estimate that during next summer term we will have about 150 schools in operation, with an attendance of from 4,100 to 4,400 pupils. At the late session of my Council the School Ordinances of 1885 and 1886 were consolidated and amended. A change was made in the constitution of the Board of Education with regard to the system of examining and granting certificates to teachers, and also in many other details affecting the conduct of schools and the working of the Ordinance. The grant on account of teachers holding provisional certificates was reduced to $200, as it was felt that the grants in aid of schools were liberal, and that some effort should be made to induce trustees to engage only properly trained teachers. The following gentlemen were appointed to constitute the Board of Education :Protestant Section: The Right Rev. W. C. Pinkham, D.D., Bishop of Saskatchewan; the Honorable E. L. Wetmore; Rev. Andrew B. Baird; B.D.; Rev. John McLean, M.A.; John Secord, Esq., barrister. Roman Catholic Section: The Hon, C. B Rouleau, Rev. H. Leduc, A. E. Forget, Esq., barrister. Secretary: James Brown, Esq. The first meeting of the new Board was held on the 13th instant, when the Right Reverened the Bishop of Saskatchewan was unanimously elected chairman. The Board decided that all regulations heretofore in force are to be continued for the present, and until new members have had an opportunity of considering and revising them. The following appointments were made: Board of Examiners. Protestant Section: Rev. Andrew B. Baird, B.D., Thomas Grover, Esq., B.A. Roman Catholic Section: Rev. D. Gillies, Rev. D. Gratton. The remuneration of the members was fixed at $4 for each day engaged, and actual travelling expenses. Inspectors of Schools. Protestant Section: John Hewgill, Esq., Moosomin, Assa.; Thomas Grover, Esq., B.A., Regina, Assa.; Rev. Charles McKillop, B. A., Lethbridge, Alta.; J. A. Blair, Esq., M.A., M.D., Calgary, Alta.; Rev. D. G, McQueen, B.A., Edmonton, Alta.; P. G. Laurie, Esq., Battleford, Sask.; Rev. Canon Flett, B.D., Prince Albert, Sask. Roman Catholic Section: Rev. D. Gillies, St. Andrew, Wapella, Assa.; M. M, Seymour, Esq., M.D., Fort Qu'Appelle, Assa.; John W. Costello, Esq., Calgary, Alta.; Rev. Henry Grandin, Edmonton, Alta.; Rev, A. H. Bigonnesse, Battleford, Sask.; Rev. Pierre Dommeau, Prince Albert, Sask. The remuneration of Inspectors was arranged by the following resolution, viz. :-"Inspectors of schools shall be paid ten dollars per visit to each school in their districts, not exceeding one visit to each school in each term, unless otherwise instructed by the Board of Education; for travelling expenses they shall be allowed five dollars per day, for each day absent on inspection; but where the railway is used, they shall be allowed the actual fares paid on such railway and such necessary expenses as the Board of Education may approve of. The date for the next examination of teachers was fixed for the 14th February, 1888. It is expected that between fifty and sixty candidates will present themselves for examination. The Board adjourned to the 25th January next, when they will meet to consider and revise the regulations with respect to the examination of teachers conduct of schools and lists of books authorized for use in the schools. Further details with reference to the state of education in the Territories will be found in the report of the late Board of Education, issued in October last, copy of which I send herewith. APPOINTMENTS. The following is a list of the Territorial appointments since my last report: Alfred Workman, Esq....... ..Eden Grove, Wapella, Assiniboia. Arthur Jefferd, Esq........ Pense, Assiniboia. Isaac Gaetz, Esq........ Red Deer, Alberta. do Edward Augustus Nash, Esq...... Battleford, Saskatchewan. Roderick A. McKenzie, Esq.......Blind River William George Knight, Esq...... Swift Current, Assiniboia. Henry Samuel Casey, Esq... ..Inspector N.-W. Mounted Police, William Dennington Kisbey, Esq..Dennington, Assiniboia. Henry Newmarch, Esq........ ...Whitewood Frank Harper, Esq........ do ..Inspector N.-W. Mounted Police. ..... Richard Browne Cooke O'Dono hue, Esq........ Banff, William R. Brereton, Esq.........Victoria Hugh McDougall, Esq... George Murdock, Esq. Thomas Taylor, Esq......... Albert Milton Morden, Esq... Alberta. do Moose Jaw, Assiniboia. ...Lac Ste. Anne do ...Calgary, Alberta. Pincher Creek do ....Alameda, Assiniboia. Inspector N.-W. Mounted Police. Victor Beaupré, Esq............ ...Gleichen, Alberta. Gilbert Edward Sanders, Esq...... Inspector N.-W. Mounted Police. Arthur Richard Springett, Esq...Macleod, Alberta. James Osgoode Wilson, Esq.......Inspector N.-W. Mounted Police. Frederick Steven Proctor, Esq....Fort Qu'Appelle Assiniboia. do John P. Beauchamp, Esq......... Qu'Appelle Station do |