The Portland daily press., 1874-08-04
lnminiNn Notes.

The valuation of the city of Halifax this
year is S19925, 422, an increase of $152 $40 oyer
that Of last year
The Corporation Of Brantford has joined that
of Toronto in recommending the Dominion
Government to aid the construction Of tie
Huron and Ontario ship canal, by granting
1O,09O,0 600 acres of land therefor.
While the Canada First party is trying to get
a footholI in New Brunswick, the Liberal Con-
sentative party of Nova Scotia is endeavoring
to recupeIate its energies in that Province. TIE
latter party has recently formed a Central
Association at Halifax. At meeting of that
body few nights ago, Dr. Upper defended
the right of his party to call itself Liberal
Conservative. expatated on the importance Of
having an effective opposition in Parliament,
and severely criticised the tariff, railroad and
treaty policy OF the Mackenzie government.
He held that the treaty, if ratified unamended
land he contended that its amendment now in
the interest of Canada was iD,practicabe-
would operate dsastrousy for Canada. He
described it as the Fsh-Brown treaty which
had no fish in it at all, and he denounced the
sliding scale arrangement.
The Province of Quebec is just now afflicted
with scandal which seems likely to end in the
disruption of the ministry. 1t all arises over
1uC CACuduSc VI SOSeTuuG4b lduu III bOulitdl
worth, one report says, 100000 for land owned
by pirate party, worth $4,000. Another re-
port varies the proportion little, but does
not alter the fact that huge swindle has been
perpetrated 1t is alleged that the editor of a
government organ in Montreal made $50, 600
out Of the transaction and several members of
the Cabinet are charged with having feathered
their nests. The government is loudly de-
nounced all over Canada, and indignation meet
ings have been held IN Montreal Attorney
General Irwin, who was not a5 all implicated
has resigned in consequence of the swindle
aud there is little doubt that the whole govern
ment will be compelled to submit to a recon
struction.
AT recent meeting oe the Grand Trunk
Railway Company in London, its chairman re-
peated the statement that an enormous error
had been made in estimating the cost of chang
ing the gauge of the whole line 1t was esti-
mated by the company's officers in Canada that
the change would cost e530,000, but ii has
actually cost e930,00o-an excess of 100000
He said: 81 hope and believe that we have
remeded that defect in our organization in
Canada which partly led to such an error" As
it is now proposed to change the gauge on the
portion of the company's road extending from
Richmond to Qnebes and River Du Loup,
1916, 600 more VIII be needed, making the total
cost over a million pounds. For some other
minor underestimate and for the expenses
attendant upon change of gauge and the laying
of steel rails, the chairman claimed thas an
issue of 81 100000 of five per cent stock would
be required, having reference also to the re-
qurements of the road fer 1875 and 1876 He
thought also the track should be doubled on
certain portions of the line. In regard to the
traffic of the line the report was very favorable
Of the new management in Canadl the chair
man spoke i'll terms Of the highest praise.