THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, that an Act was passed two years ago to annex the Hudson's Bay territory to the Canadian Dominion. It was, however, found that that Act did not give all the necessary powers. The present Bill enacted that power should be given to the Crown to accept the surrender of the lands and rights enjoyed by the Hudson's Bay Company under their charter, and it gave power on the other hand to the Company to make such a sur- 1102 render. There was a proviso that in the event of the surrender of the Company's rights being agreed to, yet that the surrender should not take effect unless within one month the Canadian Parliament passed an Address embodying the terms of the agreement, and unless the Imperial Government by an Order in Council within one month agreed to the transfer of the said powers and rights to the Canadian Parliament.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow.
§ House adjourned at Nino o'clock, till To-morrow, Half-past Ten o'clock.