§ VISCOUNT SANDONasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the arrangements are completed for the union of the Colony of British Columbia with the Dominion of Canada; whether any negotiations have taken place respecting the Railway for connecting that Colony with Canada; and, how soon he will be able to lay upon the Table of the House Papers upon this subject?
§ MR. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN, in reply, said, these negotiations were carried on between the Dominion of Canada and the Colony of British Columbia, and the only manner in which the Home Government had interfered in the matter was by expressing its cordial approval of the proposed Federation. No doubt the construction of a railway between this Colony and Canada formed an integral part of the arrangements contemplated, and according to present information, the wise, liberal and patriotic spirit evinced in both the Dominion and the Colony, gave every hope of a satisfactory result. But the proposition had not yet been laid before the Canadian Parliament, which would meet very shortly, and therefore it would not be courteous to that Parliament, and it would be premature, to enter into a discussion on the subject at present. The Papers, however, would be laid on the Table of the House at the earliest opportunity, after the negotiations had reached a stage at which this would be possible.