Mr. BOLE.

The point I desire to raise is whether it is advisable we should endorse the principle of incorporating more telephones. A Bill somewhat similar to this was introduced in the Manitoba Legislature a few weeks ago and was opposed by the council of the city of Winnipeg, which I have the honour to represent in this House. They opposed it chiefly on the ground that as the policy of taking over the business of telephone companies by the government was in the air, it would not be advisable to incorporate any more companies, and the Bill was sent back to the committee in order that Mr. WHITE.

they might carefully inquire into the whole question of having telephone business conducted by the government. When the Bill before us was introduced into this House, I regret very much that I was not present and therefore unable to put on record my objection ; and I deem it now my duty to reflect the opinion expressed by the city of Winnipeg, an opinion with which I am in full sympathy and accord. I have in my hands a resolution passed by the city council of Winnipeg on February 20, last, which is as follows :

That as this council have a reasonable hope that the telephone system may in the near future he under government control, they would look with disfavour on the granting of any new telephone charters as complicating the situation, and hereby instruct our solicitors to oppose any such legislation now contemplated at Ottawa.

With the spirit of that resolution I am fully in harmony. A telephone businessf being essentially a monopoly and an important public utility, it is dangerous to have it in the hands of a private corporation. A great many cities throughout the United States, and I think in Canada also, have made thorough inquiries into this subject. The city of San Francisco had an application before it for a charter for a local exchange, but representations were made to the council that the telephone business was essentially a monopoly, and therefore no new telephone company should be chartered and the application was not granted. Instead, the city of San Francisco appointed a commission to inquire into the whole subject, and the commission reported. This is the last clause of its report, as published in the bulletin of the League of American Municipalities in November, 1904 :

Inasmuch as a telephone was essentially a monopoly, that it would simply increase the burden on the -citizens when they increased the number of telephone companies. There is no other public utility with which we come in contact where there are so many objections to competition.

That is the mandate of a commission which has made extensive inquiries, which visited all the important cities on the Pacific coast and examined into the conditions.

Mr. BOLE.

My reason for introducing this Bill is owing to the fact that a decision of the courts of Manitoba holds that disorderly houses kept by one woman are not liable under the provisions of the Act. The amendment is intended to make houses of this character kept by one woman or more amenable to law and order. The necessity of this amendment is demonstrated in the city of Winnipeg, which I have the honour to represent. In that city disreputable houses conducted by one woman have been established oh some of our best streets, and the

good citizens have in some cases found it necessary to take the law in their own hands, by smashing windows and doors in their effort to suppress such nuisances.

3. M. C. Lockhart. Appointed July 5, 1904. Salary $75 per month.

1. What amount was paid last year to the government ot Manitoba for interest on the school trust fund ?

2. Was the total amount claimed by the government of Manitoba paid ? If not, how much was deducted, and for what reason ?