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ScieRces

Coiporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(71«) 872-4503

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CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHIVS/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques

Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques

The Institute has attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which may significantly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.

Coloured covers/
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□ Covers damaged/
C

Couverture endommag^

Covers restored and/or laminated/
Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul^e

Cover title missing/

Le titre de couverture manque

Coloured maps/

Cartas giographiques en coulaur

Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/
Encre de couieur (i.e. autre que bieue ou noire)

Coloured plates and/or illustrations/
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Bound with other material/
ReliA avdc d'autres documents

□

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
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La re liure serr^e peut causer de ''ombre ou de la
distorsion le long de la marge int^riaure

Blank leaves added during restordtion may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II se peut que eertaines pages blanches ajouttes
lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte.
mais. lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas 6ti film^es.

Additional comments:/
Commentaires suppidmentaires;

L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a 6t« possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier
une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger una
modification dans la methods normale de filmage
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D
D
D

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slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalement ou partiellement
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont M filmies i nouveau de facon d
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est film* au taux de reduction indiqui ci-dessous.

10X 14X 18X 22X

12X

16X

20X

26X

30X

24X

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32X

The copy filmed hare has been reproduced thanks
to the generosity of:

D. B. Weldon Library
University of Western Ontario
(Regional History Room)

The image* appearing here are the beat quajity
rossibie conaidering the condition and la gibiiity
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specificationa.

Original copiea In printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with the front cover and ending on
the last page with a printed or illuatrated inprea-
sion. or the back cover when appropriate. All
other original copies are filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or illuatrated imprea-
sion. and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impreaaion.

The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol —^(meaning "CON-
TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"),
whichever appliea.

IVAapa. platea, charts, etc.. may be filmed at
different reduction ratioa. Thoae too large to be
entirely included in one expoaure are filmed
beginning in the upper left hand comer, left to
right and top to bottom, aa many frames aa
required. The following diagrama illuatrate the
method:

L'exemplaire filmA fut reproduit grAca d la
gdnirositi de:

O. B. Weldon Library
University of Westerrt Ontario
(Regional History Room)

Les imagea suivantea ont «t6 reproduites avec le
plua grand soin. compte tenu de la condition et
de la nettet« de l'exemplaire film«, et en
conformity avec lea conditions du contrat de
filmage.

Lee exemplairas originaux dont la couverture en
papier eet imprim6e sont filmte en commenpant
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derniiire page qui comporte une empreinte
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plat, selon le caa. Tous les autres exemplairas
originaux sont film As en commen^ant par la
premiere page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration et an terminant par
la derniire page qui comporte una telle
empreinte.

Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la
derniAre image de cheque microfiche, salon le
caa: le symbols — <»- signifie "A SUIVRE ', le
symbols V signifie "FIN"

Lea cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., pauvent dtre
filmte A dea taux de rMuction diffdrents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre
reproduit en un seul cliche, ii est filmi A partir
de Tangle sup4lrieur gauche, de gauche d droite,
et de haut en baa, en prenant le nombre
d'imagss nAcessaire. Las diagrammes suivants
illustrent la m^thode.

Of a Committee appdWd to Enquire into the necessity, propriety and expeMloy of petitioning
tlie Jegislature, praying for the Abolition of all legal authority for the Colleoiion of debts unjer
one hundred dollars, or such sum as may be decided upon, consisting of Messr*. Dioltson, Holmes,
Rastall, Valentine and Qunn. llaving considered the maiter ns maturely n» the limited time
at our disposal on this occasion will pormit, beij leave to report; —

That after making duo allowance for that
portion of the destitution lately prevalent i.i
a great extent of these United Counties, justly
ntlrlbutiibic to causes beyond human control,
Your Committee are satisfied that a large pro-
poriion of tjie distress consequent on that des-
litnlion arose from the activity which pre*
vailed, for some years previously, in the sueing
process in the Division Courts. Through the
results o( this sueing process, the poor settlers
■were, in inany instances, completely fleeced
"■'d despoiled ol llieir entire availublo means
of existence, and lett utieily destitute of re-
sources when visited by the partial failure in
I he crops of 1868.

Your Committee beg it to be distinctly un-
derstood thai they have no desire to lay tliii
•tate of things to the charge of the Division
Courts, notwithxtanding the ruinous and ex-
orbitant extravaoance of their cost!", and the
grinding oppression on the parf. ot SnduiJual
officers of Kuch Courts in certain instances of
limited occurrence. The Division Courts, in
the opinion of your Committee, aie but a
necessary and ineviuble consequence of the
ptesoiit'stateofe.\isting laws for llie recovery ot
small debts. And so long as the liiw luriiishes
a retuedy for the collection of petty debts, and
"teps m as an extorting agency in the shape
of a duti, in the trinsaulions between man
and man, in the niluie of buyer and seller,
nn interference which, excet)t in ciaes of n
fraudulent nature, your Comniittco nre of
opiiiion it is inexpedient, either on the grounds
of justice or morality, to invok-' ; so lona will
the perpetuation of the Division Conns, or
some sitnilaily oppressive and demoraliziiii;
ins'.runientality be rendered necessary.

Ycur Committee have neither time nor on-
portunity, at present, to investigate tlio
record.s of tlio Division Courts, or to ascortaiii
fortlieiDsolves, from figures, the results of I lie
operations of these Couita for some years past.
They have goad reason to believe, however,
that in a large proportion of cases tried in
Ihojo United Counties, and in Counties adji-
cent thereunto, the sum-total of the heartrend-
ing process of the seizure, sale and sacrifice
of property, alas, in too many instances, with
the Hiter blasting and ruination of life pros-
pects, in a peouniaiy point of view, to say
nothing for thwconsi'iuent inipoverlzatioii of
the community as a whole, and the certain
demoralization of private and pHblic virtue,
honor and juslie, has resulted in barely pay-
ing tlie costs ^f action— leaving the debt still
haiig'ng over the devoted head of the ruined
debtor, and in maiy instances beyond the
reacli of the relentless creditor. It will thus
be seen that to a very great extent, the present
state of things, in regard to the collection of
small debts, is alike ruinous to debtor aa4
creditor.

The application of the machinery requtsito
in working out the suing process in the Divis--
ion Courts involves the outlay of a large
ami>unt ol unproductive labor, which might do
employed to much belter odvautagu in the
prosecution of more laudable pursuits. The
Judges of our County Courts, instead of being

so incessantly engaged in the barrassins and
oppressive process ol grinding the poor and
the unfortunate in the collection of petty
debts, would, by the abolition oi this depart-
ment of their duties, be enabled to devote a
portion of their valuable time to objects of a
higher and more elevating nature, involving
the ci/il, social, educational, and moral wel-
fare ol the people.

It is urged that the abolition of these laws
and Courts would necessarily leod to the total
abulitiou of smoU credits, and consequently
entail great hardship on the poorer and more
industrious classes ,>f the community. Your
Committee are suiisfled that no such re-
sult would ensne. In all rural districts, and
ind in towns a;id villages there art! to bt
found numeroin instatices of meii who have,
for periods ex ending over mai.y jears, tr/ins-
acted buiiiou''s do this i-icdit. system, and who
h-tve r.irely, if ever, sued a customer in the
Division Courts. The honest and dese-ving
custoner would slill have the same credit
extended to him by the lionest and confiding
dea'er, whilo this privilege would only bu
wit held fi-oMi tlie undt-serving and improvi-
dent'

Your Committfc ar? ph'nsel to observe
Ih.-.t this suhjeet is worthy of tlio
attention of it po.iion of the press,
and ,he true fiiends ol the genernl
welfiira of the people, in sever"! parts of llic
Province, The results of the presuiit .tjsteni
ot debt ond credit are the sime tvcry where,
nnd ytur Committee are of opinion" that no
thinking mar. can fail .,o see that the late
crisis through wlncli we li:ive been passing,
and the 0(Piiliuu:il depressed state of our tiiian-
ciiil and general bu.-,iM"s:' system, is, in a
great measure attributable to ihu petty credit
syftcin.

Your Committee are fully aware that it
change so grnat os i3iiivolvo(l in the abolition
of all legal remedy fur the collectinii of petty
d:bl« is at) inipur'ant. mutter, and muit be-
long to a re-organizit.on, to some extent, of
our entire roramereial relntions. Tli»y L>3-
lievo however, that the present, from the ox-
perienos derived from our reuunt trials, is a
|)roper an<l desirable time lo agitate for the
nl;olit:on of these law.-. The^' boUeve lliat
our public men and Legislaloi-s are fully ilivo
to the necessity of a thorough revision of our
entire commercial system and business rela-
tions.

In conclusion your Commiltco b 'i; to re-
commend that your worshipful B lard author-
i;5e and instruct tho Warden and Clerk to
communicate with, and solicit the co-opera-
tion of tho various nmuicipallties in Canada
West, in refcrenoa to the promotion of this
object by disoossion, ai>itation and petition;
and, on behalf ot this Council, to draft a pe-
tition to the tnreo branches of the Legislature,
praying for the abolition of all laws authoriz-
ing the colledieu of debts undei one hundred
dollars in amount ; those laws so ruinous and
demoralizing in their nature and tendencies.

All of which is respectfully o^bmitled.

CObNTY QF ELG.;..

CoMUiTTBE Room, Goderich, Sept. SOtb, 1859.

WILJLIAM GUNN, Chairman.

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iTo THE Warden of the
County of G^Cci^e^Aj

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o/ a ^e/ioU /m^e^ /u {<de/ bonnet/ c^ l^ ^Sor^ioration o^

ROBT. GIBBONS,

Wakt)bn Huron & Bruob.