nose Our Own Montreal, Apr. 14. Parliament has re-assembled after a ten day Easter recess, but little progress has been made with the business in hand. Everything points toa long session, lasting well into the summer, unless. the Government takes steps to expedite the many Pieces of legislation that are in the committee stage. The Minister of Finance has announced that the budget will be presented in about week; it is unlikely that it will con tain any relief in taxation, even thought there has been a tendency for revenue to increase during the final months of the fiscal year.
Discussion of the current Relief Act in the House has brought out some sharp debate between the Conservatives andthe Liberals, Several former Liberal cabinet ministers urged that steps be taken at once to try and put the whole question of relief ona more actuarial basis. sary expenses of maintenance are] estimated to total $10,000,000, the arent deficit which Mr. Hondo has to puzzle his head over is $6,000,000. And even thought he might attempt, to throw caution to the winds and keep fon borrowing to pay civie pills, he: will not find it a simple matter. The banks are determined not to advance more funds until they are better satisfied with the financial plans of, the city fathers, and the bondholders of the city are' already wondering, what chances they have of receiving} their money.
While it is true that the many unexpected calls of the past few years, and the decreasing revenues of the same period, have made financing very difficult, it is only fair to. add that the city' is beginning to pay for} the many extravagances of the long period of irresponsible administra tions. Once before Montreal reached such a bad state that a Commission 'They suggested that there is every possibility of unemployment—and thus the necessity of some form of state assistance to the needy con tinuing for years to come, and argued that the present workmen' compensation plans, old age pensions, and the like be ce-ordinated into some form of unemployment insurance. The leaders of the Government admitted that the problem was a press~ ing one, but did not accept the fof any essential change from—the present system, which practically amounts to donations to the indigent with no work in return. 'The members of the Opposition further ques-Hloned the necessity of passing legislation of as sweeping a nature as is recommended; the bill drawn up Teaves to the' Cabinet the right administer the funds voted as i ses After discussing it at considerable} length the Senate has passed the Hospital Sweepstakes Bill," which, would legalize gambling of a wholesale nature in this country. As it stands the measure must now proceed to the Commons, where the re-option It will have is very doubtful. Team in follow-debate on the measure, there was comparatively ttle effort to clarify the principle of gambling and make that the point at issue. The hon chose rather to accept sweepstakes fact, and to reason from this that if the money was going to be subscribed it might as well stay; within the country and help to, support the hospitals. 'The whole ques tion, as mentioned in an earlier letter, is a large one. It does seem to me, however, that the dangers accepting sweepstakes, and making! the hospitals largely "dependent on' them for funds, are far greater than the annoyance of seeing considerable sums of money leave the country, Tt is not unlikely that private sources: of charity would dry up when the feeling got abroad that a new and easy way had been discovered—of supporting institutions, and the effect fon the moral sense of the young might be very serious. was put in charge of its affairs for: about five years. 'This may have to' be done again, although Premier: Taschereau, of the Quebec Legisla-_ ture, says that he is willing to accept the verdict of the Montreal voters, and lend whatever assistance he can:
Two Anclent Churches Unite 'The union of two congregations of the United Church' of Canada, both' of which have a history of over 100) years, was consummated in Montreal] last Sunday. The American Presbyterian Church and Erskine United Church were the two parties to the tunfon, and from now on they wilt be known as "Erskine and American United Church". The former dates back to the time when there was sizable colony of American citizens in the struggling city by the banks of the St. Lawrence; the latter—was originally "a Scottish Secession Church, and by joining with—other churches in successive unions it carried its identity in 1925 into the United Church of Canada, Under the new arrangements the! Joint congregation will worship in the building used by the former Erskine members, and the pastors of both uniting bodies will continue as. Joint ministers. The union marks another step towards the consolidation of the old downtown congregations of the city, many of whose earlier members have moved out to the newer sections of the suburban area.
Dr. Richard Roberts of Toronto, tone of the leading preachers of the United Church of Canada, and a former minister of the American Presbyterian Church, delivered the! sermons to the new congregation. He urged the members to carry forward) all the best things of both tradition but to launch out on the new venture with a full consciousness that Canada and the world were crying out for new leadership. He chal-longed his hearers to be guilty of that divine foolishness which—s wiser than the sober and secure wisdom of men, and thus to emulate their Master and the early leaders of the Christian church The committees that are delving into the banking and financial affairs of the country, and the alleged evils of mass buying and sweatshop labour, are getting so far into the byways of their respective investigations that one begins to wonder when ther or not they will ever complete} them. While there may be absolute honesty in the intentions of those taking part, the tendency to try and) show up evils for political purposes is very strong. One heartening suggestion has been heard, however; Mr. Bennett has declared that he intends to press for revision of the British North America Act so that matters social legislation may come under: the domain of the federal legislature.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.