Sir Wilfrid Laurier presented the report of the special committee annotated to prepare and report with all convenient speed lists of members to compose the select standing committees of the House, which was, on motion, concurred in.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER laid on the table the classification of certain departments of the inside Civil Service.

Motion agreed to, and Bill read the first time.

Mr. JOHN BARR (Dufferin) moved for leave to introduce Bill (No. 32) to amend the Railway Act. He said this Bill is somewhat similar to the one introduced last session. * Its object is to facilitate the crossing of railways by telephones, telegraphs, watermains, viaducts, and so on. The difficulty under the present law is that permission must be asked from the railway company before any such crossing can be made. _ In the rural districts, the railway companies demand $5 for each crossing. In my opinion this is most unjust. If the parties refuse to pay the ?5, they must apply to the railway board. This involves the drawing and filing of plans and the employment of legal counsel and necessitates considerable delay and expense. We know that the railway commission is overworked, and the result is months' delay before the sanction of the board is obtained to any application of the kind. At present telephone companies, small and great, are being built throughout the length and breadth of the country, and are accomplishing considerable good by bringing the rural districts in close communication with the towns and villages; and it is unfortunate that they should be frequently hampered and delayed in their efforts by reason of difficulties and delays in crossing the railway tracks, besides being put to a great deal of expense through having to make application to the railway commission. By adopting this Bill, which provides that the railways cannot demand or receive any compensation from telegraph and telephone companies for the right to cross a railway track, we will relieve the railway board of a good deal of work. Another provision in this Bill is that application may be made to the station master within the jurisdiction, or of the most convenient station master; and if no action be taken by the railway company during fifteen days, the applicants may go on and cross the railway tracks. So far as watermains and viaducts are concerned, they must give fifteen days' notice and pay the expenses of the engineer who will examine the work. If this Bill be carried, it will lessen the work of the railway commission, and relieve the telegraph and telephone and watermata companies from the long delay and expense now unavoidable. Motion agreed to, and Bill read the first time.

Bill (No. 9) respecting the Brandon Transfer Railway Company.-Mr. Turriff. ' Bill (No. 10) respecting Brazilian Electro Steel and Smelting Company, Limited.-Mr. Pardee. Bill (No. 11) to incorporate the Canadian Western Railway Company.-Mr. Pardee. Bill (No. 12) respecting the Collingwood Southern Railway Company.-Mr. Pardee. Bill (No. 13) respecting the Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada.-Mr. Pardee. Bill (No. 14) respecting the Huron and Ontario Railway Company.-Mr. Pardee.