Hon. Mr. P S G Mackenzie, Provincial Treasurer, Shows Splendid Financial Standing of Province - $905 910,04. (Mackenzie was the Liberal Member of the Legislature for Richmond - re-elected in 1912, with the help of the Nicholson carriage.)

I have transcribed excerpts relevant to certain web site themes: the automobile, the temperance movement, education, forestry.

Comparison of results:

Recalling that the last Conservative Administration were in office from December 17, 1891 to May 28, 1897, when Mr. Marchand assumed the reins of power for the Liberals, he compared the results of the two regimes…

The Treasurer then went on to say that he had seen, from the time the Liberal party took office in 1897, up to 30^th of June, 1911, not only had the public debt been decreased from every point of view, and the interest charges diminished and equilibrium restored, but the party was able to say that it had largely increased expenditure for pubic instruction, agriculture, rural roads and colonization.

The ordinary receipts for the the past year paid out of ordinary revenue consisted of: Legislative and departmental buildings, painting roof and repairs, construction of new library, Jacques Cartier Normal School furniture, iron bridges, Normal School Quebec purchase of land, Dairy School Ste Hyacinthe, repair and construction of farm buildings.

Assets and Liabilities: The honorable gentleman explained that during the 1910-1911, the government had increased the assets of the province, a sum of 21,009,941.12. The funded debt stood at 25,661,284.15

For the current year, among the items that had increased expenditures beyond the estimates, he mentioned 10,000.00 for the committee of organization of the French Language; 6,405.77 for the reception of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, 40,000 for farmers' clubs, 80,000,00 for rural roads.

The Quebec Bridge Subsidy:

Referring to this matter, he recalled in 1900 there was voted to the Quebec Bridge Company the sum of 250,000 to be payable 30,000 per annum for eight years. At that time it was contemplated that the bridge, in addition to being a railway bridge would provide a highway for vehicles and pedestrians. The bridge collapsed in 1907.

The Last Census

The honorable gentleman also touched upon this subject.  In the 1901 census the population of Quebec was 1, 648,898, and under the census of June last it was 2,005,805. The Dominion subsidy to the Province of Quebec based on population, were annually 959, 252.80 being based on moribund census of 1861. Thanks to the persistent efforts of he Prime Minister in leading the successful demand made by the provinces for an adjustment in terms, provided by the BNA Act, the subsidy was increased.

Lands and Forests. Referring particularly to this source of provincial revenue, he said that he receipts for 1910-11 from the Crown Lands Department  had exceeded the receipts for 1909-10 by 79, 181.81. Estimated results for the current year, 1,410,000.00

Licenses: (See: temperance: page 4)

Under this head the honorable gentleman remarked that if we are to judge by the revenue returns, the conclusion would be that the people were drinking to the health of the nation. The revenue from this source last year was 983,663.00 an excess of 88,664.00 over the estimates.

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