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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 47

Secretary of State's Department

page 36

Secretary of State's Department.

The fees received in the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1877, amounted to $903,20. The two principle items were Charters of Incorporation. $410 00, and sale of Statutes, £261,90; 8,895 letters, petitions, &c., were received, and 5,978 letters written and sent.

In the Registrar's Branch, 5,250 documents were engrossed and recorded, and 2,277 pages of manuscript additional copied.

In the Queen's Printer's Branch the Canada Gazette continues to show a deficit. The cost for the fiscal year was 3,757,50. The receipts $914,37 The number printed was 1,165, of which 1,084 copies were gratis to official persons, the other 81 to subscribers and advertisers. Of the [unclear: Statutes], 22,000 copies of Vol. I. were printed—17,500 English and 4,500 French. Of Vol. 11 6,000 English and 2,000 French were printed. The cost when completed was $11,137,89, or an average of about 46? cents a volume, including the cost of a number of the Acts printed separately A Supplementary Volume of Criminal Law for 1875–76–77 was also printed for the use of Justices of the Peace, the cost of which was $953,79 for 3,500 copies.

In the Departmental Printing, &c., there was a decrease in the cost of ordinary work, and an increase in the cost of Confidential work. There was a marked decrease in the work done outside of the contractors. The Advertising accounts submitted for audit amounted to $12, 751,58 an increase of $221,29 over the previous year. The expenses of ordinary Depart, mental Printing and Binding were $50,388 27; of Stationery for same, $28 369,03; and of Confidential Printing, $9,139.76; total, $85,897.

The cost of Departmental Printing for six months ending December 31st, 1877, was $21,112 and of Stationery, $13,731. The total amount of advertising in newspapers, receiving Government patronage was $12,751, of which $5,451 was in Ontario, and $3,740 in Quebec.

In the Stationery Branch, there was a considerable increase in the work, but a very small increase in the value of goods issued. The total issue was—
To Departments $4,970
To out side service 7,588
To Queen's Printer 14,189
$26,748

2,315 parcels and cases were packed and sent off. Both paper and freights were lower than at any former period; 22,263 lbs of waste paper was collected during the year and sold for $157.77.

North-West Mounted Police.

On 30th November, 1877, the strength of this force was as follows:—
Commissioner 1
Assistant Commissioner 1
Surgeons 3
Inspectors 6
Sub-Inspectors 13
Constables and sub-Constables 305
Total 329
No. of horses 315

113 men and 133 horses were stationed, with the Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, 1 Surgeon, 1 Inspector and 5 Sub-Inspectors at Fort McLeod; 89 men and 55 horses at Fort Walsh; 17 men and 15 horses at Wood Mountain; 6 men and 13 horses at Pinto Horse Butte; 3 men and 5 horses at Milk River; 27 men and 43 horses at Fort Calgary; 23 men and 20 horses at Fort Saskatchewan; 14 men and 6 horses at Battleford; 24 men and 15 horses at Swan River; 7 men and 7 horses at Shoal Lake, and 6 men and 3 horses at Qu'Appelle; 101 men were discharged during the year; 97 men were engaged, and 32 re-engaged for a second term of service: one man was drowned and two: deserted. There are buildings at all the stations but Wood Mountain, Pinto House, Butte, Milk River and Qu'Appelle. Those at Swan River and Battleford were erected by the Public Works Department, the others by the Police themselves The expense for the fiscal year was $389,493, an average of $1,000 a year for man and horse. This is one-third less than the cost of a cavalry soldier in the United States. In September, 1877. an escort of the Police accompanied the Lieutenant Governor to the Blackfoot crossing of the Bow River, to make a treaty with the Blackfeet and other Indians Not a casualty occurred, nor disturbance of any kind. The efforts to prevent liquor being introduced from the United States have been very successful With one exception every attempt to violate the law has boon detected, the liquor seized and, traders fined or Imprisoned. The Customs duties collected at Fort McLeod amounted in the year to $12,104,33, and at Fort Walsh to $10,430.77—total, $22,53-5.40. Much inconvenience having arisen from the married men having their families with them, it has been determined in future not to engage married men for the service. The farm at Swan River was leased in 1877, the lessee agreeing to supply so much of the produce as might be required for the Police on satisfactory terms. The first attempt at farming was made at Fort McLeod in 1877, and the crops were very good. It is to be hoped the oats required for the use of the post will soon be grown there. A portable saw mill has been set at work at Fort McLeod.

So great is the influence acquired by the force by their uniform good conduct and kindness, that in May, 1877, Inspector Walsh with 15 men was able to go into a camp of over 500 lodges and make prisoners of 13 Assinlboines who had been ill-treating the Sauteaux; 11 of them were afterwards released, but the ring-leaders were sentenced to hard labour in gaol, one for six and the other for two months.