Mr. RAYMOND:

Gently.

Mr. RAYMOND:

I said, gently.

Mr. RAYMOND:

Was not the canal

started in 1823?

Mr. RAYMOND:

They held a centennial

the other day.

Mr. W. G. RAYMOND (Brantford):

The matter came before the committee with reference to these bills and the committee recommended that fees should be refunded. It has been the custom and I think has been carried out without exception, to refund these fees. Without explaining the matter in detail, I think it is pretty generally understood that it is not owing to any fault of the parties that this procedure has been rendered necessary, but rather ' owing to the peculiar method of procedure that sometimes causes these fines to be exacted, that they have to put up money in order to get their case before parliament before prorogation. Certain dates are fixed for the presentation of such bills, and the expiry of the time rendered this motion necessary. I think petitions have to be presented by the 19th of March. I understand there has never been any exception made to the rule in regard to remitting fees, and therefore the committee made the recommendation to the House.