January 24, 1868
SENATE VACANCY
Hon. Joseph Bossé, of Québec, has resigned his seat in the Senate to accept appointment to the bench. It is believed that Hon. J.C. Chapais (Agriculture) will be appointed in his stead, solving the problem of Mr. Chapais’ remaining in cabinet while not having a seat in Parliament. Chapais had intended to stand for election in Kamouraska before that election was cancelled owing to a riot provoked by alleged actions taken by the Returning Officer to benefit Mr. Chapais.
ONTARIO TAVERN TAX
The Bill to establish a tavern tax was reported back to the Legislative Assembly without amendment. It will receive third reading later today and is expected to be adopted. Once passed, tavern keepers will be required to pay duties on their licences (in addition to any other fees) in the following amounts:
- in the cities, $12
- in incorporated towns, $10
- in all other locations, including aboard vessels, $5.
PROTECTION FOR BUTTER AND CHEESE MANUFACTURERS
The Bill for the protection of Butter and Cheese manufacturers was referred to a select committee of the legislature yesterday following second reading. Adam Oliver (Liberal, Oxford South), the Bill’s mover, said that the butter and cheese industry had grown in size so as to nearly be the equal of the timber interest and that Canadian cheese, exported to Europe, was displayed on an equal footing with cheese from British and American manufacturers. There are, he said, some 180 cheese factories in the province currently in operation, producing some 12,000,000 lbs of cheese. Last year, cheese export revenues reached $1,200,000. Of the 180 factories, 52 are in Oxford County, the southern part of which is represented by Mr. Oliver.
MONTREAL NEWS
Property owners along Great St. James Street in Montreal are said to be organizing to protest their taxation to pay for the widening and improvement of Little St. James Street.
Meanwhile, exports from that city for 1867 were reported at $15,582,176, up from $12,862,937 in 1866.