of assessments from the Court of Revision has been attempted to be taken away (s. 37), and the machinery for the collection of taxes and the sale of land for arrears of taxes has been remodelled (ss. 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45). Power is given to municipal corporations to revoke any licences for any trade, calling, business, occupation or purpose which the municipal councils are empowered to grant (s. 49). The Local Improvement Act Amendment Act, No. 45, contains a number of provisions dealing with a special assessment roll (s. 3); the apportionment of local improvement charges in cases of the division of land (s. 5); the raising of temporary loans and the issue of debentures (s. 6); the abandonment of so much of bylaws as relates to the unfinished part of works only partially completed (s. 10), and assessments in cases of works undertaken before the passing of the Act (s. 11). Trust Companies.-The Trust Companies Act Amendment Act (No. 67) repeals and re-enacts a number of the provisions of the principal Act, providing that no Trust Company shall do business unless registered, with certain exceptions specified in the amending Act (s. 2); defining the words "Company Company" and "Extra-provincial Company" (s. 3); providing for the case of companies which have and have not respectively abandoned their trust powers and which have or have not changed their trust names (s. 3); requiring the making of returns by extra-provincial companies (s. 6); and authorising a registered extra-provincial trust company to permit any director or officer to appoint an attorney to act for the company for the purposes of its trust business within the Province (s. 7). Fire Insurance. The British Columbia Fire Insurance Act Amendment Act (No. 28) also contains provisions as to the books to be kept by companies (s. 4). It empowers any company licensed under the Act to insure against loss or damage arising from defects in or injuries to fire extinguishing appliances (s. 2); enables property within the Province to be insured by contract entered into without the Province with any British or foreign insurance company or underwriters although unlicensed under the Act (s. 3). Companies licensed under the Act are obliged to file with the superintendent of insurance the names of all their agents in British Columbia. All policies are to be signed by resident agents, and penalties are imposed upon companies disobeying the provision of this section (s. 4). [Contributed by the HON. H. A. ROBSON, K.C.] Acts passed-III; Public, 95; Local and Personal, 16. Beekeepers.-Act (No. 3) provides for the incorporation of the Manitoba Bee-keepers' Association, with membership open to all persons paying an annual subscription of not less than one dollar. The Association shall be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture, to which Department shall be transmitted certified copies of the minutes of the annual meeting, and also a statement showing in detail the receipts and the expenditures of the Association on December I of each year. Labour Bureau.-No. 6 provides for the establishment of a bureau styled "The Bureau of Labour," to be attached to the Department of Public Works. The duties shall be to collect and publish information and statistics relating to employment, wages, and hours of labour, co-operation, strikes, and other subjects of interest to working men throughout Manitoba. Moratorium.-The Act (No. 10) Respecting Contracts Relating to Land provides: 1. Proceedings to realise under a registered judgment by sales of land shall not be taken or proceeded with until after lapse of one year from date of registration thereof; provided, however, a judgment creditor may prove his claim in proceedings under the "Mechanics and Wage-earners Lien Act." All proceedings under power of sale and foreclosure proceedings are stayed until the interest, taxes, or fire insurance premiums are in arrear for one year. 3. Actions to enforce covenants are stayed for one year, subject to exception in regard to taxes and insurance. 4. All proceedings lawfully taken may be continued after staying period has elapsed. Crop Payments. In all cases in which a bona fide lease has been made, and a bona fide tenancy created, providing for payment of rent by a share of the crop, the lessor without registration is to have the right by No. 13 to the said rent in priority to the lessee or any one claiming under the lessee. The same provision shall apply to agreements for sale of land, and to mortgages, in which payments are to be taken care of by the share of the crop. Dairies.-The Dairy Act, 1915 (No. 14) provides: (1) for the incorporation of five or more persons for purpose of manufacturing cheese and butter; (2) that the powers conferred shall be those incidental to any corporation; and (3) that such associations shall be under the supervision of the Minister of Agriculture. Provision is also made for the incorporation of "The Manitoba Dairy Association," for the purpose of encouraging dairying in the Province. Liquor Licensing.-No. 39 makes provision for the establishment of a Board of Licence Commissioners for the whole Province, for the appointment of inspectors for local option territories, and also for the submission to a vote of a by-law reducing the number of licences by way of petition to the Council in writing, signed by at least 10 per cent. of the total number of persons appearing on the last voters' list. Notaries Public.-By No. 48 no one but a British subject actually residing in the Province shall be appointed a Notary Public. All such commissions granted shall expire in two years unless renewed, unless the appointee is a barrister or solicitor residing within the Province. 1916. Acts passed-145; Public, 125; Local and Personal, 20. - Constitution. By the Initiative Referendum Act (No. 59) it is provided that by petition signed by persons numbering 8 per cent. of the total vote polled at the General Provincial Election last held previous to date of the petition, whose names appear on Lists of Electors last made under "The Manitoba Election Act" and presented in writing to the Legislative Assembly, written two weeks after the commencement of any regular session thereof, the people may submit a proposed law to the Assembly. The Speaker is to verify the sufficiency of the petition or he may refer the matter to a judge of the Court of King's Bench. Such law will then be submitted by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to a vote of the electors at the next following General Provincial Election. Provision, however, is made that, should the Attorney-General be of opinion that such law is ultra vires, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council shall take steps to procure the opinion of the Court, and, should the Court's decision be in the negative, such law shall not be submitted. Provision is made whereby a special referendum may be demanded, in which case a vote must take place not more than six months after presentation of the petition; provided, however, that, where at the date of the presentation of the petition a less period than two years has elapsed from the date of the holding of the last preceding General Provincial Election or referendum vote upon the same or substantially the same proposed law, the said special referendum vote shall not be taken earlier than the expiration of the said two years, and if the law to be submitted is passed by the Legislative Assembly at the session at which it is submitted, without change, it shall not go to a referendum. Provision is made whereby any law in force or any law about to be put into effect may be submitted on a petition, signed by 5 per cent. of the total vote polled at the General Provincial Election last held, to a vote of the electors of the Province, at the next General Provincial Election. The Attorney-General may decide upon the sufficiency of the petition or may refer it to a King's Bench Judge. Provision is also made for a special referendum, but a vote shall not be taken until after the expiration of two years after the last preceding General Election, or after a vote on the same or substantially the same law. The result of the referendum vote is to be published by the Clerk of the Executive Council in the Gazette within thirty days after the election, and on the expiration of thirty days after such publication the result of such decision goes into effect. A full text of all laws to be voted upon, together with argument for and against, are to be mailed to each elector sixty days before the date of the referendum vote. Education. The Public School Act (No. 97) is amended so as to provide for compulsory attendance. All children over seven years and under fourteen years shall attend school for full term in each school year. No child under fourteen is to be employed during school hours while the public school is in session. Provision is also made for the appointment of attendance officers vested with police powers. Penalty $5 to $20, or imprisonment not exceeding twenty days. Provision is made by another Act (No. 87) that where school accommodation is inadequate, as shown by the census, and the district is unable to provide increased accommodation without assistance, the department, after inquiry, shall have power to lend such district such sum or sums as are necessary for that purpose. The provision hitherto in force giving parents right to demand a teacher of Roman Catholic faith is repealed. Provision is made by the Industrial Farm Act, No. 57, to provide open-air employment, with moral and physical reformatory methods, for persons who would otherwise have been kept in idleness in the common gaols, the earnings of such persons so employed to go towards maintenance of their dependants. The Board of Directors of the Dental Association, subject to approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, by itself or in conjunction with the University of Manitoba, may conduct, under the powers conferred by No. 32, a school of dentistry. The University of Manitoba is to be the sole examining body. It is further provided that it shall be unlawful for practitioners to employ any person as an operator in dental surgery, or practitioner in dentistry, who is not licensed and registered, and no such registered person shall practise under and for any unqualified person. Provision is made by No. 55 for the organisation and encouragement of Home Economic Societies with object of stimulating an interest in the improvement of the individual home in both country and town. Trade and Industry.-Provision is made by No. 33 whereby seven or more persons who desire to associate for the purpose of carrying on labour or any co-operative business may do so subject to: (a) Submitting annual returns to Registrar of Co-operative Societies of Manitoba. (b) Setting aside 10 per cent. of net profits for reserve fund. (c) Paying not more than 7 per cent. per annum interest on stock. (d) Dividing the balance among patrons of the Association who are shareholders or, by supplemental by-law, among nonshareholder patrons. |