January 28, 1868
PARLIAMENTARY INDEPENDENCE
The Ontario Legislature disposed of two pieces of legislation by moving the six months’ hoist.
First, the Independence of Parliament Act introduced by Sir Henry Smith (Conservative, Frontenac), was given the hoist following a lengthy debate. The legislation sought three major changes:
- Preventing members from holding seats in both House of Commons and Ontario Legislature concurrently;
- Removing the requirement for members to stand for re-election before entering the cabinet;
- Excluding from membership in the Ontario Legislature, those who receiving emoluments from the Crown through the Dominion Government and office holders under the Provincial Government.
The second bill, introduced by Edward Blake (Liberal, South Bruce) sought only to prevent dual membership in the Commons and the local parliament. This Bill was narrowly given the hoist on a division of 32 to 30.
Both bills were opposed by the Government, with the Premier arguing that the current system, new as it was, ought to be given a chance to work before alterations were made to it.
POLICE HANDCUFFING
The Globe is questioning the use of handcuffs on a prisoner by whisky detective G. A. Mason and policeman Clark.
The paper recounts a story in which the two officers were escorting the gaol car up Yonge Street towards No. 2 Station when the policemen stopped the van to talk to some people they met on the street. After a delay, one of the prisoners began to complain, arguing that the delay was unwarranted, and upset at the heckling he was receiving from passersby.
Mason and Clark warned the prisoner that if he kept up his complaints he would be handcuffed.
He did and he was.
The paper is asking if this is a case of justifiable use of handcuffs and presumably will seek answers from the police and the mayor.