Montreal, Que, Mar. 30.
With boundless," optimism, which can hardly be said to be founded on fact, Mr, 'Rhodes has presented his budget to Parliament, revealing mounting debts and no' expectation Of relief in taxation for some time to come. Despite the gloomy picture that he had to paint, the Minister of Finance considered it gratifying that he was able to announce a surplus on the ordinary account of some $3,000,000. "He did' not neglect to mention that the total debt of the Dominion had Increased by $118,000 000, due to the burdens of relief expenditures, railway de@eits and Interest charges, but he glossed the announcement over with the com= parison of the previous year, when The debt hed increased by $184.00" 000.
There were few important, changes in taxation. The income tax was stiffened somewhat in the higher brackets, in conformity with "the general tendencies. in this country towards increasing the pressure on the people who can afford to pay. The tax imposed a year ago on gold mines was Femoved, but substitutions {in the provisions of the corporation tax are expected to balance this 3 tax remains at 6 only changes in the people of urban Canada in a very diferent way from any other legislative group, met to discuss their prob-Jems and' formulate policies. This past week they have been in congress in Montreal, under the chairmanship of Mayor Camillien Hondo, and they finished up by sending a delegation t0 (Ottawa to present their demands.
The main object for which they assembled was to agree on a method for handling unemployment relief. Alter considerable discussion, "they decided to ask Ottawa to bear the full cost, and a group went up to present this viewpoint. While they were well received "and given an excellent hearing, it is not known what will come from their demands.
In addition to the main purpose of the conference, there as some express sion of opinion on the question of what should be done about munteipal debis. This was where the more radical members came to the fore, and Mr. MeGeer of Vancouver declared loudly that he would see to it that not more than three percent. be paid in future on his municipal bonds. He said that there had been. some suggestion by the bondholders of sending the sheriff in to take over the administration of the city. "It the sheriff does come." added Me. McGeer,. "Ill throw Maquors, which is contrary to the previously expressed policy of heavy taxes. on luxuries. The reason for this was given as being an effort to arrest smugalin
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.