relating to his principal's affairs or business. False statements given to or used by an agent with intent to deceive his principal also come within the operation of the act, the provisions of which are to be read as forming part of the Criminal Code.

The salaries.

By chapter 7, subject to certain special provisions, an increase of salary amounting to $150 per annum, dating from September Increase of 1 1908, was granted to each member of the inside civil service civil service in consideration of the largely increased cost of living. increases under this act amounted to a total of $209,815.35 for the period September 1 1908 to March 31 1909 and of $359,375 for the fiscal year April 1 1909 to March 31 1910. They applied to 2,702 members of the inside civil service.

Post Office

Chapter 30 amends the Post Office act R. S. 1906 c. 66 by raising the salaries of the five grades of employees A, B, C, D Increase in and E, in the outside division of the Post Office Department by salaries of in each case 50 cents per diem. Chapter 6 amends the Civil employees. Service Act R. S. 1906 c. 16 by raising the annual salaries of stampers and sorters to $500 on appointment with annual increases of $50 up to $600 and of fourth class clerks to $500 on appointment with annual increases of $100 up to $700. These increases took effect from April 1 1909.

Chapter 10 amends the customs tariff of 1907 by extending the period during which equal duties under all three tariffs are Duties on imposed upon raw sugar imported by refiners of Canadian beet sugar imports. root sugar. These duties will apply for the three years 1909-11

to the extent of twice the amount refined of Canadian beet root sugar and for the three years 1912-14 to the extent of an equal quantity of such sugar refined during 1912 and 1913. Under this act the same equal duties are also imposed upon raw sugar imported by ordinary sugar refineries to the extent of one-fifth of the weight of sugar refined in the year. The economic effect intended by these provisions is (1) to encourage the growth of sugar beet in Canada by enabling beet sugar refineries to keep running over a longer period than is possible where the supply comes only from home-grown sugar beet, and (2) to defeat a combination whereby the benefits were destroyed of the preferential tariff extended to British sugar-producing countries.

Amongst the remaining public acts dealing with miscellaneous subjects are the following: Chapter 21 provides for the appoint- Miscellaneous ment of two additional judges in Ontario, making altogether 72 enactments. judges of county and district courts in that province, and for the appointment of an additional district court judge in Alberta, Additional making six district court judges for that province instead of five, judges. Chapter 9, the Criminal Code Amendment act 1909, amends

the Criminal Code in respect of a considerable variety of offences, Amendment amongst other provisions increasing the penalties for carrying of Criminal offensive weapons and withdrawing from the jurisdiction of the

Code.

for loss of registered articles sent by post.

Railway bridge over the Red River.

courts of quarter sessions all cases of homicide. Chapter 29 Compensation amends the Post Office act R.S. 1906 c. 66 by rendering the Post Office Department liable to give compensation for loss not exceeding $25 for each registered domestic article. This assimilates the practice of Canada to that of Great Britain and the United States. Chapter 26 confers power upon the Commissioners of the Transcontinental Railway to enter into agreements with the cities of Winnipeg and St. Boniface for the construction of a bridge over the Red River to serve for vehicular and pedestrian traffic as well as for the purposes of the railway. Chapter 18 amends the provisions of the Government Railways act, R. S. c. 36, with regard to compensation for cattle killed or injured on the railway. Amendments are also made in the Amendment Animal Contagious Diseases act (chapter 3), the Government Annuities act 1908 (chapter 4), the Cold Storage act (Chapter 8), the Dominion Lands act (chapter 11), the Exchequer Court act (chapter 12), the Extradition act (chapter 14), the Government Harbours and Piers act (chapter 17), the I. & P. E. I. Railway Employees' Provident Fund act (chapter 20), the Montreal Harbour Commissioners' acts (chapters 24 and 25), the Navigable Waters Protection act (chapter 28), the Canada Shipping act (chapter 34), and the Yukon act (chapter 37). Railway acts are amended by chapters 5, 31, 32 and 35, and chapter 36 amends the act relating to ocean steamship subsidies.

of various

acts.

Abolition of

crossings.

Chapter 32 contains provisions under which by the joint action of the national, provincial and municipal authorities with level railway the railway companies level railway crossings are to be gradually removed. An annual sum of $200,000 for five consecutive years from April 1 1909 will be appropriated towards the cost of construction work for the protection, safety and convenience of the public at level railway crossings.

Imperial defence.

On March 16, when the navy estimates for 1909-10 were under discussion, certain grave utterances of leading statesmen in the Imperial House of Commons with regard to the future maintenance of British naval supremacy made a profound impression throughout the Empire.

On March 29 the question of Canadian participation in Resolution of Imperial naval defence was brought before the Dominion the Canadian House of Commons on a motion by the Hon. George E. Foster, and as the result of a memorable debate the following resolution was adopted unanimously on the motion of the Prime Minister:

House of
Commons.

That this House fully recognises the duty of the people of Canada, as they increase in numbers and wealth, to assume in larger measure the responsibilities of national defence.

The House is of opinion that under the present constitutional relations between the mother country and the self-governing dominions the payment of regular and periodical contributions to the imperial treasury for naval and military purposes would not, so far as Canada is concerned, be the

The House will cordially approve of any necessary expenditure designed to promote the speedy organization of a Canadian naval service in co-operation with and in close relation to the imperial navy, along the lines suggested by the Admiralty at the last Imperial Conference, and in full sympathy with the view that the naval supremacy of Britain is essential to the security of commerce, the safety of the Empire and the peace of the world.

The House expresses its firm conviction that whenever the need arises the Canadian people will be found ready and willing to make any sacrifice that is required to give to the imperial authorities the most loyal and hearty co-operation in every movement for the maintenance of the integrity and honour of the Empire.

Action by

defence.

Meanwhile, on March 22, the Government of New Zealand, cabled to the Home Government an offer to bear the cost of the immediate construction of a battleship of the latest type and, if New Zealand subsequent events showed it to be necessary, of a second warship and Australia. of the same type. On April 15 the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia made a series of proposals respecting naval defence in a telegraphic memorandum, and on June 4 a new government of the Commonwealth telegraphed an offer to the Empire of an Australian Dreadnought, or such other addition to its naval strength as might be determined after consultation. Arising out of the resolution of the Canadian House of Commons and of the proposals also made by Australia and New Subsidiary Zealand a subsidiary conference was convened under the terms conference of the resolution of the Imperial Conference of 19071 for the on imperial purpose of discussing the general question of the naval and military defence of the Empire. This conference was held in London from July 28 to August 19 under the presidency at the first meeting of the Right Hon. Henry Asquith, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and at subsequent meetings under the chairmanship of the Earl of Crewe, K.G., Secretary of State for the Colonies. The other members of the Conference present were the Hon. Sir F. W. Borden, K.C.M.G., Minister of Militia and Defence, the Hon. L. P. Brodeur, K.C., Minister of Marine and Fisheries (Canada); the Hon. Sir E. P. Morris, Prime Minister (Newfoundland); Col. the Hon. J. F. G. Foxton, C.M.G., Minister without portfolio (Australia); the Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward, K.C.M.G., Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (New Zealand); the Right Hon. J. X. Merriman, Prime Minister (Cape Colony); Col. the Hon. E. M. Greene, K.C., Minister for Railways and Harbours (Natal); the Hon. J. C. Smuts, Colonial Secretary (Transvaal); the Hon. A. Fischer, Prime Minister, Gen. the Hon. J. B. M. Hertzog, AttorneyGeneral (Orange River Colony). There were also present during the proceedings the members of the Home Government responsible for different branches of naval and military administration, officials, and naval and military officers, both British and colonial, the Canadian officers including Major-General Sir P. H. N. Lake, K.C.M.G., C. B., and Rear-Admiral C. E. Kingsmill.

The deliberations were conducted in secret, but the Prime Conclusions of Minister of the United Kingdom summarised the main conclusubsidiary sions arrived at in a statement to the British House of Comconference. mons on August 26 as follows: 1

Bill.

That without impairing the complete control of the Government of each Dominion over the military forces raised within it, the forces should be standardised, the formation of units, the arrangements for transport, the patterns of weapons, etc., being as far as possible assimilated to those which have recently been worked out for the British army; so that should the Dominions desire to assist in the defence of the Empire in a real emergency their forces could be rapidly combined into one homogeneous Imperial army.

That the naval squadrons maintained in far eastern waters should be remodelled on the basis of establishing a Pacific Fleet to consist of three units in the East Indies, Australia and China seas, each comprising with some variations a large armoured cruiser of the Indomitable type, three second class cruisers of the Bristol type, six destroyers of the River class and three submarines of C class.

As regards Australia and New Zealand, their offers of warships were accepted with the substitution of cruisers of the Indomitable type for battleships, the two ships to be maintained one on the China and one on the Australian station. General statements were agreed to for further consideration by their respective governments, the suggested arrangement being that with some temporary assistance from Imperial funds the Commonwealth of Australia should provide and maintain the Australian unit of the Pacific Fleet and that the contribution of New Zealand should be applied towards the maintenance of the China unit, the New Zealand armoured cruiser to be stationed in China waters.

As regards Canada, it was recognised that while on naval strategical considerations a fleet unit on the Pacific might in the future form an acceptable system of naval defence Canada's double seaboard rendered the provision of such a fleet unit unsuitable for the present. Two alternative plans, based upon annual expenditures respectively of $3,000,000 and $2,000,000, were considered, the former contemplating the provision of four cruisers of the Bristol class, one cruiser of the Boadicea class and six destroyers of the improved River class, the Boadicea and destroyers to be placed on the Atlantic side and the Bristol cruisers to be divided between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Agreement was arrived at with regard to various details, including the loan by the Admiralty of cruisers for the training of officers and men and the reception at Osborne and Dartmouth of Canadian cadets.

The conclusions of the Conference were duly considered by Naval Service the Dominion Government, and on January 12 1910, during the session of 1909-10, Sir Wilfrid Laurier introduced into the House of Commons a Bill to provide for the creation of a naval service for Canada. This Bill is now under consideration by the Dominion Parliament.

Strathcona

Trust for the encourage.

ment of physical and mili

tary training in public schools.

On March 13 Lord Strathcona addressed a letter to the Minister of Militia and Defence in which he offered to give a sum of money sufficient to provide an annual fund of $10,000 for the encouragement of physical and military training in the public schools of the Dominion of Canada. This patriotic offer was cordially accepted, and upon its being communicated to the House of Commons on March 24 a vote of thanks to Lord Strathcona was unanimously adopted on the motion of the Prime Minister, seconded by the leader of the Opposition.

The fund will be administered by a trust to be known as the "Strathcona Trust for the encouragement of physical and military training in public schools," with His Excellency the Governor General as patron and the Prime Minister as vicepatron.

The Militia Council report that on March 31 1909 there were under the control and supervision of the Department of Cadet corps. Militia and Defence 176 cadet corps, aggregating 288 companies, with an enrolled membership of over 11,000. Increasing interest in the efficiency of cadet corps affiliated to schools is shown by educational authorities, and a larger number of school teachers are qualifying as instructors. The granting of the rank of lieutenant in the Militia to qualified teachers is stated to be leading to good results.

resources.

By invitation of President Roosevelt an international conference on the conservation of the natural resources of the Conservation North American continent was held at Washington from of natural February 17-23, when the United States, Canada, Newfoundland and Mexico were represented by delegates. The Canadian delegates were the Hon. Sidney Fisher, the Hon. Clifford Sifton and Dr. Henri S. Béland. The conference adopted a declaration of principles respecting the use, development and conservation. of land, water, forests, minerals and game, and advised the establishment in each country of a permanent commission for the conservation of natural resources.

Conservation.

On the return of the Canadian delegates this question was brought before Parliament with the result that a Commission of Canadian Conservation for Canada consisting of 32 members was created Commission of by act assented to on May 19. This act (Chapter 27) provides that the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Mines and the member of each of the nine provincial governments of Canada who is charged with the administration of the natural resources of the province shall be ex-officio a member of the commission, and that 20 other members shall be appointed by the Governor in Council. Of these 20 appointed members at least one from each province must be a member of the faculty of a university (if any) within the province.

Section 10 of the act states that "it shall be the duty of the commission to take into consideration all questions which may Duties of the be brought to its notice relating to the conservation and better Commission. utilisation of the natural resources of Canada, to make such inventories, collect and disseminate such information, conduct such investigations inside and outside of Canada and frame such recommendations as seem conducive to the accomplishment of that end." The commissioners are required to make an annual