COMMITTEES. 
157 
with the Committee of the other House and then informs 
the other House by message of what it has done’. 
In some cases and always in the case of private bills, Witnesses. 
witnesses are examined before the Committees, and by the 
39 Viet. c. 7, witnesses may be examined on oath if the 
House thinks fit. Previous to this Act it was held by the 
law officers of the Crown in England, that the Canadian 
Parliament could not by statute, vest in itself power to 
administer oaths where such power was not possessed by 
the English House of Commons at the time the British 
North America Act 1867 was passed. And as until the 
year 1871% the English House of Commons, except in the 
case of private bills®, did not possess the power to administer 
an oath Canadian bills giving power to administer oaths 
generally were disallowed. 
To obviate this difficulty an Act® was passed by the 
Imperial Parliament giving the Dominion Parliament the 
right to define by Act the powers, privileges and immunities 
to be enjoyed by the Senate and House of Commons, pro- 
vided such powers, privileges and immunities should not 
exceed those enjoyed by the English House of Commons 
at the time of the passing of such Act bv the Canadian 
Parliament. 
Under the provisions of this Act the Canadian Parlia- 
ment in 1876 passed an Act® giving the necessary power to 
examine witnesses on oath or on affirmation. 
An ordinary public bill is usually referred to one of 
the above Committees but in some cases this course is not 
adopted. The Appropriation Bill is not referred to Com- Appro- 
mittee in either the Commons or the Senate”; and in some en 
cases where a bill was founded on resolutions passed in 
i Burinot, pp. 403, 427. 2 34 and 35 Viet. (i.) ¢. 88. 
8 Under 21 and 22 Vict. (i.) e. 78.  ¢ Can. Com. J. 1873, Oct. sess. p. 5. 
5 38 and 89 Viet. (i.) c. 88, see App, 6 39 Vict. e. 7. 
” Burinot. ». 549.