• • PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY During the Eight Session of the . Twenty-Third ,General Assembly of Newfoundland ' 1919 UNION PUBLISFIING COMPANY, LTD. , { I \

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Proceedings OF THE House· of Assembly . of Newfoundland SESSION 1919 WEDNESDAY, A ril 2, 1919. The General Assembly having, by several Proclamati9ns o, f His Excel­ lency the Governor her.eto prefixed, be·en prorogued until this day, the members thereof met in the Assembly Room. At three of the clock in the after­ noon a message from His Excellency the Governor was delivered by the Gentle ·man Usher of the Bla·ck Rod, commanding the .immediate attend­ an·ce of Mr. Speaker and the House in • the Council Chamber. Accordingly, Mr.

Sp·eaker and the House attended His Excellency the Govern ' o1r in the Council, and, having returned to the Assembly Room, Mr. Speaker in­ formed the House that when 1n at­ tendance on His Excellency th· e Gov­ ernor in the Council Cha. m ber, His Excellenc · y had been pleased to make a gracious spe.ech to b·oth branches of the Legislature, o· f which, for greater accuracy, he had obtained a copy and which he read to the House as follows: Mr. President and Honourable . Gentlemen of the Legislative Council: . Mr.

Speaker and Gentlemen of the Honourable House of Assembly: '\ It is with mingled sentiments of pride and thankfulness that I ' greet you to-day; pride in the wonderful success of the Allied arms in the Great World War which ended in November last; and thankfulness at the termination of a conflict which has caused untold miseries to the greater portion of the human race.

I trust that from· the wreck and devastation of the War, better, more enduring and happier condition , s may arise, ushe·ring in a new era ·, .. , ... '. - Qf peace and contentment, which will in ,some measure justify and atone for the great sacritices of blood and treasure which have been poured forth so freely and unselfishly upon th, e altar of Libert ·y4 At the time of the last session of this Legislature it will be remembered that th. e fortunes of the Allies were most critical, and the War situation was of the utmost gravity.

Under those circumstances a Bill was introduced to postpone for a second time the General

4 11 ' HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS Election, and the Legislature then determined that the term of the pre.sent Assembly should be limited to April 30th., 1919. Thanks under God, however, to the almost superhuman exertions made by the Allies, the tenacity and sustained gallantry of the soldiers, and the continued pressure of the Navy, the situation underwent such a <-~hange during the latter part of the summer and autumn that armis .. tices have been signed with the enemies. The· victory for which we have been hoping and praying has been achieved.

The Peace Conference, which f.ollowed the conclusion of hostilities, ha, s been · in session some rnontbs. Problems of international significance and far reaching importance, which may call for le.gislative . action and approval, are in course of settlement at the ·Conference and my Ministers feel that the Government must be in a position to call the Assembly together wheneve . r necessary without any undue delay.

There are many problem , s of first-class importance connected with the demobiliz-3tion of our soldier , s and sailors, their re-e~tablishment in civil life, the making ot • provision for War de~ts and obligations as well as questions of trans .. portation by land and sea, which call for a new mandate from the country, and a newly elected and full House of Assembly to deal with therQ.

These problems are urgent The object for which the Le·gislature is now called tog.ether is to make provision for that immediate . appeal to the . electorate which the legislation of Ja,st Session necessitates, and to enable the use of the last voters' lists. which was taken over twelve months a2o. fhe work of comoletin2 another list would throw unnecessary exp.en.se on the country, and cau.se delay in appealing to ·the electorate.

Your consideration will be invited, therefore, to oropo .sals for amending the Election Act, in ·order to legalize the use in the forth­ coming General Election of the Voters' List taken in 1917. Care will be had to en,sure that the electoral qualifications of Newfoundlanders who have been .serving in Hi. s Majesty's N·aval and Military forces 'shall in no way be affected by their absence abroa . d on active service during the period of the War, and you will be asked to approve an amendment to the Act to this effect.

You will be asked also to extend the franchise to Newfoundland sailors and soldier .s, under the age of 21 years, who b.ave been over­ seas with His Majesty's Forces. . Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Honomiable House of Assembly: I am happy to be in a position to inform you that there was a

, HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 5 substantial excess of Revenue over Expenditure te> the amount of One Ntillion, On~ Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-seven Dollars and Ninety-four Cents, for the past fiscal year, and it is.gratifying to know that a surplu . s oi" revenue over expenduture for the current fiscal year may also be anticipated as the Customs' Revenue for the .eight months ending on February 28th show. s an increase of One Million, Four Hundred and Fifty-four Thou&c:.nd, ~ix Hundred and Twenty-three Dollars o\·er the receipts for the sam~ period last y,ear.

You will be invited to vote the necessary funds to defray the expen ,ses of the forthcoming General Election. Mr. President and Honourable Gentlemen of the LegislatiVie Council: Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Honourable House of Assembly: ' . The tidings of the death of Prince john ,stirred the sympathetic feelings of Their Majesties' devoted subjects throughout the Do­ minion. It was my sad duty to convey to the Royal Household an expression of sorrow and sympathy of our people in their affliction, ' which has knit even closer together the ties of love and loyalty which bind .us to the Throne.

In response to a summons from the Right Honourable the Secre .. tary of State fo1 the Colonies the Prime Ministe . r attended during the summer the sittings of the Imperial War Cabinet, and re.presented the Dominion in the discussion and determination of vital issues connected with the conduct of the War . .

He .also participated in the deliberations of the Imperial Conference which dealt with varied and . complex problems affecting the present and futu ,re policy of the Empire. . , In November last following upon the signing of the armistlce, the Prime Minister was recalled to London by the British Government to take his place in th~ Imperial War c ·abinet in connection with tQe discussion and formulation of terms of Peace. Later he: · proceedt(, d to Paris with the British Empire delegation and took

part in the Peace ·Confer .ence there, actively interesting himsel£ in all matters affecting or likely to affect the Dominion. Before returning home he represented Newfoundlantl's position to the Imperial authorities a·ad received an a.ssurance that our inte ·rests would be very carefully safeguarded. My Ministers decided to endeavour to raise locally and in Canada the moneys required for the continued pro,secution of the War and issued a Victory War Loan ._ fheir faith in the· patriotism and public

6 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS spirit of the people was fully ju,stified by the magnificent result achieved, the amount of the issue being considerably oversubscribed within a very short period. This response i, s most gratifying as an evidence of the confidence of our people in the resources and possi· bilities of the country. The continual growth and expansion of our trade ancl commerce of late years, combined with the . increasing importance of our relations with the Mother Country, having emphasized the necessity of adequate representatio there, my Mini,sters arranged for the appointment of a.

High ·Commissioner in London to look after the trade and commercial interest ' s of the Dominion. I avail of this opportunity to extend a hearty welcome home to our soldiers and sailors . who hav. e represented Newfoundland so valiantly and well during the past four years amid the ch~nging fortune~s and bitter hardships of War. Mere word. s cannot express our feelings of appreciation and admiration of their wonderful work. Their deeds are eloquent and pass to judgment before them. On land and sea and in the air their worth has been prove · n and their fame has spread far and wide.

Those who have died for the Right have bequeath­ ed us a precious legacy the undying memory of duty p. e·rf ormed even to the death, and the eternal fragrance of that love which exceeds all other . s that a man lay down his life for his friends. Th·eir loss to th. e country can neve· r fully be estimated, because it is impossible to compute the value of the chivalry, honour, self-sacrifice and devotion to duty which .these men poss~ssed in the highe ,st degree. We can , only endeavour to prove worthy of the gloriou . s heritage which they · have purchased for us at such a price.

In taking . leave of you I trust that your deliberations may con­ duce to the further welfare and prosperity of Ne·wfoundland and that Divine Providence may guide you in ·the p_ e·rformance of your duties. It was moved b· y Mr. Downey and s~~onded by Mr. Le·Feuvr · e that an Address of Thanks be presented to His Exc·ellency in reply to the grac­ ious speech with which he had been pleased to open the prese .nt .session I of the Legislature, and that a ~elect Committe be app·ointed to draft such Address in Reply. MR.

DOWNEY:-1 rise to move the appointment of a Select Committee to draft an Address in Reply to the speech with which His Excellen ·cy has opened the pres .en t session of the Legislature. I take advantage of the occasion to give expression to the feeling of thankfuln ·es. s in all our hearts o.ver the assur ·ance that we were warrant­ ed in accepting, that in the immedi­ ate future a just and, it is to be hoped, a lasting peace will . b· e given to the world. The past four years will merit to be c·onsidered an epochal period in the world's history. Its result is that, ..

' HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 7 fortunately, the pr·ospect today for demo ·cr:acy and the evolution of its many promising conceptions are in brilliant c·ontrast to what the future would hold for us had it been po· s.sible that Germany and her allies had been victorious. It is inconceivable to us that a peo­ ple so virile and resour ·ceful, so. per­ severing and so enlightened a. s the Germans c·ould be contented to· · live und·er the system of petty-serfdom that was the ch'aracteristic of their despotic system of Government.

Every clo·ud, we are told, has its silver lining, and even the lurid war­ cloud of the past four years now breaking is sho.wing . a rift of silver in th· e evident determination of al1 the peop·les of Central Europe to end th· e despotic systems of Gove1 ument they have so long endured.

Possibly, in c·ourse 01 f time, they will even come to recognise the debt they ow· e our allies aud ourselves for this happy result, and we, in turn, can congrat­ ulate ourselves that we have had th· e good fortune to be contributory to this through the limited, but effici-• ent, measure of aid we wer· e able to render the Motherland throu ,gh the patriotism and valor of our naval C ·ontingent and our re.giment.

T·he splendid :fighting qualities of our men have attained for Newfound­ land, in the short period of the war, a notoriety and measure of apprecia · · tion that woul~ otherwise not have C ·ome to us fo· r many years, ai1d the country will be ready to accept its liability and give an appreciable, if not a fully adequate, recognition of this-the latter I feel it would be im­ possible to give. In the last session, Mr. Speaker, it was deemed wise to extend the term of the life of the present Parliament, but the date of the exten .sio1 n w·as ar­ bitrarily set to the 30th · April.

The Government, therefore, has no alter- I native but to accept the decision of the Le.gislature in this matter, but as the realisation of the conditions of peace may call for legislation in the Dominions as well as tn the Mother C·ountry, it is deemed imperative that a Parliament, with a mandate from the people to deal ·comprehensively with the many impo ·rtant problems awaiting ratification, should be avail­ able, there is no res· oiurce other than an appeal to the ele·ctorate in the im­ mediate futur ·e.

T·his, in turn, calls for legislation to legali,se the utilisation of the voters' list taken in 1917, and to en­ sure to our Reservists and to the men of the Regiment, the right 01 f fran­ chise which a technicality in th· e Election Act would deprive them of if this were n·ot amended. It is indeed a matter for congratu­ lation that our revenue has r.espond­ ed so materially to the somewhat in­ creased scale of taxatio 1 n of the last session.

This is an evidence of th· e . co·untry' . s ability to confidently under­ take the ·consideration of any econo­ mic pro bl em that the discharge of our war respo 1nsibilities may thrust upon us. Our claim that we are the ''oldest · and mo.st loyal C·olo·ny" has made ample verification during the war, and the measure of sympathy that went out so voluntarily to the· Royal Family 01ver the recent death ot Prince John furth ·er establishes this contention.

It ~s gratifying to know that the Mother Country fully appreciates the measure of sacrifice we made in the intere .st of the Empire and of ht1rnan­ ity during · the war Realisation of this ap·preciation was the calling of this coiuntry into the councils of the Empire in the formulation o· f the conditions of peace, and I entertain no doubt that wh·en the record of the transactions are available, that it will •

• 8 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS be found that our Prime Minister has acceptably and ably contributed to the stabilitating of our new· status a. s a Dom.inion. I move, Mr. Speaker, fo. r the ap­ pointment of a Select Committee. MR. LeFEUVRE :-Mr. Speaker, I rise, sir, to second the motion f«)r the Select Comm-itte to be appointed to draft an Address in Reply to the gracio .us speech of His Excellenc · Y the Governor, so ably pro.posed in his usual eloquent style by my Honoraore . ~nd the memb ·er for St.

Geor .ge's. ' The main features of the speech are references to the signing of the arm1istice in N· oivember last and the consequent c.essation of hostilities and the forthcoming general election. On the occasion of this House being called into session in 1914 I had the privilege of speaking to the motion on the Address in Reply. That, M1~. Speaker, will be called our first Wal'' session. Although ithe peace tre·aty has not been signed, yet it was with thankful hearts that we witnessed the signin . g of the armistice which ended military and naval operations . in No­ V ·efber last.

We little thought when in 1914 we enacted legislation authorising the raising of the V1olunteer Corps in this country that more than four years wo·uld elapse b·efore those bays would be free to again return and that so many of them would never return. Mere words seem inadequate to ex­ press the thanks which are due to those nobile boys wbo so nobly fought and nobly died.

They fought and bled not alone for N·ewfoundland, but for the h· o,nor of that Constitution under which we are governed and which affo·rds us the liberty and free­ dom which we are all so apt to take as a matter o. f course, forgetting that centuries of time have passed and generations of men have come and gone and the blood of martyrs in the ' ·cause of liberty and freedom have given us that epitome of liberty w·hich we call the British Constitution It is this for which our boys have fought and whatever may have been the motive fr1om which they volunteer­ ed .whether the pure spirit ·of patriot­ ism or a f eelin , g of comradeship or otherwise, this we do know that wherever hard work was to· be done, whether the fight was raging at its worst, there the Newfoundlanders won and merited the title of "better than the best." Who, then, Mr.

Speaker, will dare to say that in the proposed amendment to the Election Act giving to every soldier who has gone overseas the right of th· e franchise, irrespective of a.ge, that we are doing a little more than we should do to make some re·C·· ognition of the services of ·OUr boys. The other matter referred to in the speech have been to·uched on by my Honorable friend, and I now pass on ' to His Excellency's remar · k on the financial condition of th· e Dominion. It ·is gratifying, Mr. Speaker, to know that we have had such a su.bstantial balance to our credit at the end of the last fiscal year.

It is equally ple·asing to b· e told that we . exp·ect· a similar balance at the e.nd or the current year. This, Mr. Speaker, is all the more gratifying when we remember the rather depressing state of affairs un­ der which this House met at the be-, ginning of the war. A general feeling of d·epression naturally was felt by all, but we .should b· e thankful to find ourselves better off financially in spite of the fact that war conditions prevailed for over four ye·ars.

Thanks to the British Navy, not forgetting our own brave sailor lads, th· e sea has been kept clear ~nd our products have been marketed in spite of sub­ marines and other perils from the se·a. •

j • HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 9 B,efore I resume my seat I will take advantage of this opportunity to, pub­ licly tender to the Right H·on. the Prime Minister my s.incere congratu­ lations on the high honors lately con­ ferred on him b, y His Majesty tne King, and I also add th, e hope that he may long be spared to enjoy the same. With these remarks, Mr. Speaker, I beg to second the motion that a Select Committee be appointed to draft an Address in Reply to· His Excellency's Speech. MR. MORINE :-Mr. Spe·aker, these are days when pre·cedents ·are being smashed.

One of them is that the Leader of the Opposition sh·ould speak first after the Mover . and Seconder of the Address. ' Now it is the only in­ dependent member of the Ho· u.se who takes the position, as the Official Op­ position have bee. n courteous enough to allow me as se·nior member of the Assembly to make a few remarks at j this stage. We have heard the Mo·ver and Seconder in brief addresse .s.

The ad­ dresses which they have made this after noon have only been enough to make us regret that these gentlemen have been so long under the· stultifying in­ fluence of that side of the House, and have not had an opportunity of de­ veloping the talents which they so evidently possess. Perhaps after the election which i's abo,ut to take place they may grace this side of the House and sho· w to their constitue 1 nts ho1 w fully they deserve their supp ·ort.

I wish to extend my hearty congrat­ ulations to the honorable gentlemen opposite who - since this House last met have had the· honor ·Of Knighthood conferred upon them. I reco ·gnize that the honor bestowed upon the Premie , r is one intended for the C'olony. This has been the custom of late years, and is only one o· f many recognitions given · the ·Colony from time , to· time. This goei s to 1show that though small, we are not forgotten.

The splendid ser­ vices of our brave soldie ,rs and sailo ·rs have called :forth the admiration and gratitude of the motherland, and if we are getting a larger share of these honors, which to outsider 's may be considered out of all pro·portion, still Sir, I think we may claim they are only in equitable P·ropo ·rtion to the quality of the services rendered to the Empire by our magnificent soldiers and sailors.

The honor conferred upon Sir Michael Cashin I regard more as a personal one; quite true he has been one of our many Acting Premiers dur­ ing the past two years, but he has ~ for many years a member of this House. And although a political op­ po,nent of mine, I admire his istraight­ forward and manly qualities, and it is because of the1se :sterling qualities that I off er him my sincere congratulation&. In other days theire were no K.B.E. 's going, honor 's were not so plentiful, but pe.rhaps more este ·emed. I am just thinking if there are no other Knighthoods to be announced.

Is it not among the possibilitie 1 s of the future that wemay soon have a Sir John and a Sir William? The last named has quite reicently returned from abro ,ad, where he v.isited suc, h historic spots as St. Paul's, Westmin­ ister Abbey and the Tower of Londo 1n. So far as I can learn there are so1me people who do not care· a rap whether the honorable gentleman was buried in We.stminister or beheaded in Lon­ don To·wer.

"In the midst of life we are in death,'' ,and I now turn to that refer ,ence in the Speech from the Throne to the great .sorrow which has come to our King and the Queen .in the death of Prince · John. De·ath is no respecter o· f per·sons; the same bur:de· n of sorrow comes to the Palace as to the hovel. On ·Occas·sions such as this I think only of our great ·King as a good father, and of the Queen as the noblest type 0 1 f true wo.manhood, following in

10 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS • • the footstep ' s of that noble woman, Victoria the Good. When we think of them in their affliction, let us cast aside rank and title and remember tl1em only as father and mother. And now, Sir, I want to say I was struck by s~me references made y the previous · speaker~ to peace bei g established. I cannot give assent to the conclusion expressed by the Mover of the Address that the war had ter­ minated. ·Certain terrible phases of the conflict have p·as·sed, but it cannot be Jaid that the war has ended official­ ly or in fact.

We hear and read mucn of the triumphs of democracy, but so far as I can discern there is nothing in the conditions existing in Euro ,pe 1 to-day to warrant us in the conclusion that wars will cease. On the contrary one sees on every hand signs that wars will never cease. Does anyone note a re,solution on the part of the . - peoples of Europe to end wars fo· r all time?

Newsprints have been prone to tell us that Germany's war was caused and maintaine 1d by the classes; that the .common people were not heart and so·ul in the struggle; but I con­ tend that the German · s were one and ind.ivisible in this fight for the mas­ tery of the world, and · let us be no 1 t deceived. Germany and her people; they are of the same mind now as when they went into the w·ar. There is nothing to convince us that she will be any different under the regime o·:f the peasant fr.om what .she ha;s beet) under the rule of a Kaiser. Therefore we should always hold arms guarded on.the Rhine.

"( would like to make one O · r tw0 remarks on the personnel of the statesmen who are now taking par·L in the great world Peace Conference as they appear to me,_ We as Brit­ ishers have the .greatest ad~iration for that o·utstanding WO·rld figure in the person of the Premter o· f Great Britain, Mr. Lloyd George. I regar · d him as the greatest of them all. There • is an an·cient doctrine amongst the people of England that in a grave national crisis God raises up the man who shall lead the people.

There were some who might quarrel with what has been designated a League of Nation .s, and men may dispute as to whetlter such a league is superio1 to a balance of po·wer alliance; but name it what you may, world peace must depend on the three partners, Gr·eat Britain, France and the United States of America. An offensive and defensive alliance between these countries, to which might be added Italy and the smaller nations, is the hope for that peace ·and security w~ all so much desire.

The other notable figures at the Peace Conference are that wo·nderful Frenchman Clemenceau, and that great American, President Wilson; his was a great mi.ssion and we know how faithfully he is endeavo ·r· 1 ing to use th· e great opportunities which are his to serve the cause of justice and humanity. Sir, I would not be· fair if in passing I failed to pay my humble tribute to that other great American who has passed out of life a short time since. I refer now, sir, to Theo ·dore Roosevelt. He was indeed a man's . man, of great fo·rce and character.

He was the most typical American I have ever known, representin . g as he did all that was best and virile in that great nation of which he was so exalted a citizen, a man who did yeoman ser­ vice for Great Britain and her Allies befo·re the United States entered the war. I am in hearty accord with the sentiments of appreciation that have been exp·ressed in this debate to­ wards those gallant fellows, our sol·· diers. But I would like to say by way of warning, let u. s not forget that the empty :flattery of word .s, the empty tribute of words to those who

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 11 have paid the supr·eme sacrifice, and to those who have co·me back to us, will not be enough. It is not what we say of them . , but what we do for them, that will count. I think it was the mover of this Address wh. o said that tho·se who have died have per­ formed the greatest service for this country, and to whom we should be most .grateful; but I want to point out that we should be. grateful al.so to those who have fought and come back to us. When they volunteered they made their sacrifice.

They laid themselves upon the altar of their country then; they dutifully gave themselves up; willingly took their lives in their hands; and mind you, sir, during all this time were con­ scious of the. risks they were t?iking, and the sacrifice which they mi.ght be called upon to pay. It was not when they had paid the ;price, bu_ t when they offered to pay t_he price, that th·ey made the greatest sacri­ fic.e. In this co·nnection I regret to say, sir, that I do not see signs of · what appears to me to be adequate • attempts to meet · the demands of these men.

We are too apt to think that when we have paid pensions to those who· have been wounded, when we have paid our tribute of respect to · tho·se who hav· e died, · that we have in a large degre · e discharged the obli.gations which rest upon us to our soldiers. Meantime, unfo ·rtunately, we a.ttempt to minimis · e in our own minds the debt we O·We these men. We see them, perhaps, moving ar· o·und ' strong, well and apparently happy, and we .say to ourselves that afte · r all these men have gone through the fight have had the experience, and have come back, why should we do anything more for them.

But, can we ever re:place the wasted years, and the wasted opportunities that they perf· o·rce had to let slip by; can we ev·er put them back again ·wher · e they were when they went, or, even still more, they would have: been had th·ey not gone? Four years out of the life of a young man is a period which can never b· e returned to him, and the . occasions which he loses upon which he might profit himself, and the op­ portunities he misses to learn things in these four year .s, we can never compensate him for.

And so, wher1 we meet him on the street, young and strong, and think to pass hini with­ out further thou ,ght, we ought to have in mind these wasted years and wast­ ed oppo·rtunities and the sacrifice that · he has made. Are we grappling with this pro bl em in an earnest way? The Government has held . out some sort of promise that after an election some .such earnest . attempt will be m~de. That is not really satisfactory to me, because it is a promise and nothing more. In the meanwhile valuable time is passing.

In my humble judgment we ought to have met here for ,the purpose ·of consid­ erin . g tt;ntatively at least an ad·equate plan ·of re-establishment of our sol­ die·rs in a more · O · r less permanent Wiay; but, . u.nfortunate, that is an opp·ortunity that we have lost.

With referen ·ce to the pr·opo.sal to hold a general election at this time, I think that really I a. m more · consist­ ent with the stand I to·ok in the last session than anybody branch of the Le·gislature. in either When it was proposed last session to extend th· e time of the House, it was first propo .sed that · the end of the year be the time allotte ·d, but subsequently the 30th April was decided upo·n. I supported th· e bill for the extension. Members of the Opposition in the Upper House opposed it very bitter­ ly; and in this .

House it was o·pposed in a more n1· o·dified way by the gentle­ men on this side of the · Chamber. But I personally supported the bill on the ground tha~ I thought there ought

• 12 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS • to be no election till the men who had fou.ght for the· Empire and our Country had come back. These men are not back yet, and will not be ' back for some time to come. There- fore, I think the election ought not to be held until the Autumn of the year. I supported the bill on another ground as well, and that was that th. e electorate ought not be asked to pass upon the work of the Govern­ ment until they were enabled to pass an . intelligent opinion thereon.

The evidence from which the electorate would be asked to base their opinion would b1e the record that the Govern­ ment has to produce since it acquir­ ed power. That record would . show how the responsibilities of its admin­ istration have been carried out; how the duties of its office have been per­ formed; and how its obligations to the people whom it sought to repre­ sent were fulfilled. In other words, · the manner in which it h.a.d dis­ charged its stewardship woulu have to be shown.

The electoratt could not be expected to· intelligently re­ view the record which the Govern­ ment ought to lay before them un­ less sufficient time were allowed for assimilation of the facts laid before the people. We cannot expect the people to judge the merits or demer­ its of the present administration un­ less they were in a position to have all the evidence before them, and a sufficient time within which to digest that evidence.

I felt last year that if an election had been reached that the people would not be in that happy position to clearly determine the issues of an election conte .st; and . that reason operates just as strongly· in my mind today. In the short time at our disposal it is no- t to be expect­ ed that sufficient facts can be laid before the people to enab 1le them to come to an intelligent decision upon the questions upon which they will be asked to vote; and it is neithe · r fair to the Gover ·nment, nor fair to the people, nor in the interests of the Country, to have an election under such ·c;ircumstances.

Ac,cordingly I too· k the position and made it known in certain quarters so that it might reach the ears of the Government that as far as I was personally concerned I was now prepared to vote for the further extension of the life of Par­ liament; and that if a bill were in­ troduced here today to extend the life of the Government for either six or nine mo·nths that I would give it my hearty support. Reference has been made to · the 30th April in the sense that limiting the life of Par­ liament in that way means that an election ought to be held not later than that date, but that is n·ot the case.

The House might have bee:q extended under the present law on the 30th of April and the Government might have ,gone on until the Fall, when an election would . have been held. If, in the / meantime, anything untoward had happened and it was thought desirable to have the Hous~ summoned that contingency might have been provided against by having an Extension Bill put through at this session, so that if it were fo·und wise to meet befor · e the election of the Fall it might have been possible to do so. However, no such occasion is likely to arise.

There is nothing likely to result from the Peace Con­ ference which would necessitate an unusual .summoning of o·ur· Legisla­ ture; and with confidence we might have looked forward to b1eing undis­ turbed until the election date. It has been very fairly said upon the other side, as it was very fairly said by the Opposition that this House · orig­ inally was elected for fQ·Ur years, and has now lo·ng gone over its time; that it has received no mandate from the people to remain in office; and

I ' HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 13 that, therefore, there ought to be an election.

I accept the G·overnment argument that in the interest of the Government it was not expedient to have the conduct of its , affairs pre­ judiced by election contests during the past few years; but now we are . in the position of an election sprung upon us; and we are told that people will be asked to go to the poll in the month of May, when ice and other physical conditions around our coast may make it absolutely impossible to hold the election at all; when in every district no·rth of Trinity and pro·bably north of Cape Ray it will be absolutely impossible to visit one half of the villages and settlements comprised therein.

It will be impos­ sible to me·et the electors; it will be impossible to lay before them and ask their verdict upon facts connected with the administration of their af­ fairs for the past six years. The people will be called upon to· give a judgment which they cannot hope ~o base on evidence. During the course of the past .six years the Go·vernment perforce has had to keep ·secret many details of their work. It is safe t.o say that the people ,generally d· o not know o·ne half of what has taken place.

We in this House do· not know it; and without b.eing in poss ·ession of all that information we are expect­ ed to criticise upholding or opposi,1g the party at present in power. Dur­ ing the session we have not time to ask :for the information which we de­ sire to be tabled, nor have we time to engage in a discu .ssion which would, through th· e public press, go to the people f o· r their enlightenment. T·he peo·ple in the vari ·ous districts will be asked to V ·ote one· way or the other without the slightest knowledge of the issues upon which they are supposed to pass an opinion.

That is a position which to my mind sh.ould not be allowed to be created. But what the Government is ask­ ing for is a mandate to· come back in order to pass important measures, depending upon very important ques­ tions of policy, but this mandate will be given by the people at a time when they are not in a position to give an intelligent mandate.

Had the election taken place at the cus­ tomary time in the month of Novem­ ber, every question affecting the pol­ icy of the Government could have been discu .ssed upon political plat­ forms, and the people could have given a verdict that would have b1een a mandate indeed, but I am afraid that if the Government is returned at an election in the Spring, force of circumstances will pro·hibit the peo­ ple's verdict from being in a.ny true sense a mandate.

The Government will go to the country as usual, but it will obvious­ ly be impo ·ssible for any organised opposition to place and air their views before the people, and it is in vie· w of this entire lack of opposi­ tion that I con tend the time is . not suited fo· r an election and that a ver­ dict o.f. the people :will be in no sense a mandate, rather will it be as a blank · cheque given to the Govern­ ment from the people; a blank cheque because the people will perhaps have , no opportunity to give anything else. Will the Premier feel, that with such a cheque he will b· e morally autho ·r­ ised to fill it in?

These ar· e thin .gs which occurred to me and which I know will occur to those people, who by means of newspapers are in communication with political life of the country. Standing he·re as an independent member of the House, one unconnect­ ed either to the Opposition or the· Government, possibly having no fut­ ure connection with either p~rty, I say, this po·sition appeals to me very deeply, and I would ask the Govern- ,,

14 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS ment, if it be not too late yet, to take its time over this question and in the interest of the country ventilate every possible argument in the interest of the co·untry I b1elieve that from their • own view point the m'-'.a..toers of the present Government are as anxious to serve the people as I am myself, and ·n view of these things, I ask, is there no1t yet time to consider wheth­ er it will be ultimately expe ·dient to hold an electio · n at this most incon­ venient .season of the year, and if it would not be better to wait until such ' time as the country will be· able and competent to give an honest and a fair verdict.

How can the Govern­ ment feel that they have a moral mandate and that they will. be justi­ fied in P·assing important legislation • in this House? I jio not endeavor to predict the result of the electio ·n. I do not kn·ow enough about the feel­ ings of the country. I would ask that 1fu.,e Premier face these arguments fairly and squarely. Perhaps they do not appe ·al to him. Perhaps it is n10 1t too late fo· r him .to extend the life of . · this Parliament for another year. I may say, Mr.

Speaker, that if the Government were prepared to· con­ sider thi.s po1ssib 1ility, I, myself, am prepared to give my heartiest sup­ port to the bill. THE RT. HON THE PRIME MIN­ ISTER:-I must offer m. y congratu­ lations to the mover and the second­ er of the Address in Reply to the S'peech fr,om the Throne. I realise that the speakers have had, as it were, bricks to make without much straw, because after all there are very few proposals of le. gis~ation em­ bodied in the Speech.

The Speech is somewhat long, but the measure . s foreshadowed therein are e·xtremely short, and their task must therefore be a very embarrassing one, but na­ turally enough they utilise the refer ences that the present times cal ' forth, and altho ,ugh the war may no1 have reached its termination, in th~ opinion of an independent member of this Assembly, yet there is no doubt that the present time is an occasion ·for joy as our ,sailo ·rs and soldierE are coming back to tpeir homelanc ; after doing no·ble dee1ds and perform ., ing their duty to their c. o,untry anf. the Empire.

I thank the Honorable member for Bonavista, the father of the House, for his kindly admonitions. There was much in the way of advice that • we must take fro· m our paternal guardian and receive with filial re­ spect, b·ut even when we d. o receive it with filial respect, it does not nec­ essarily follow, in our years of dis­ cretion, that we should naturally~ and as a matter of co·urse, follow it, I thank him for his kindly reference to myself. I recognise that the honor that has b·een done me by the King • has not bee, n ·due to any merit o~ my own.

I recognise that the great honors which have been conferr ·ed upon me is due perhaps entirely to the office that I had the· go, o, d fortune to occupy by possessing the confid­ ence of the majority of the memb ·ers of ·this House. · The hoil·ors that were given, we·re given to honor Newfound­ land. I have merely been the recipi­ ent of them. Today we have met here · to ask the Legislature for an opportunity to go to the co·untry, and we have decided on this course after due deliberatio · n and careful th.ought. I shall refer to this proposal a.gain later.

Reference is made . in the .speeches here today to my visit to the Home­ land. N·aturally it was to me a ple·asant opportunity to re-visit tho land o· f my birth after many years. It was a great education to a p b blic man of Nfld. to meet the leading figures of the Empire, and not 011ly the great men of our own Empire, -

HOUSE OF ·ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 15 but also the men among our Allies ed the United States made efforts and who have made good b·oth upon the tremendous efforts to su.pply men and battlefields and in the legislative materials. At that · time practically all halls and council chambers. I re- the workshops of England and all the gard the Prime Minister of England mines of England were stripped of as the greatest figure in the Peace men able to bear arms, right ·UP to Conference.

When I had the O ·PPO·r- the age of 50, and every ,soldi.er who tunity of coming across him fir,st had any training at all was shipped early in June last, I was expectin . g to off to France. At one time there were see a man war-worn and bowed down 300,000 sent to France within a few by care . . To my astonishment I saw days, so gr·eat was the struggle, and a man bu·oyant, full of life, good so .great the need of men. The great spirits and activity. Yet he was the question in England was '~c·an we one ,great figure today who has been . hold out?

Is it possible fo· r the Allies bearing heavy burdens from the b1e- to keep going until the great United .ginning of hostilities, a man to States has .got its forces o·ver and can whose unwearying eff,orts we lar.gely give the determining blow in the owe the victorious is.sue of the war. struggle?'' For -months past the anx- In saying this, I do no· t wish to de- iety had bee· n great. Our soldiers preciate other great figures.

Clemen- knew that to give way at all meant ceau, ''The Tige· r of France'' is a re- ruin, and the question was whether or markable man, a man who, when not the German power was sufficient • France was almost worn out with the to break in between the Fre·nch and intensity of the struggle, buoyed up the En.glish, turn their masses on. the her spirit, and inspired her to sus- French and annihilate them and after­ tained effo,rts until victory was achiev- wards crush the English. It was hoped ed.

To his unfailing energy, to his . or expected at that time that there determination to see that France won was any chance of an armistice being out, we owe an incalcuable share of signed for a long while to ·Come, and the victory that has come to us, and the great problem was to get over the then the other .great leaders: the great Americans-to take the shipping away Foch, grim, silent, determined and from other points-from the Pacific, able; cap~ble to grasp and competent from the Indian Ocean, from the South to do; the President and leaders Atlantic, and throw it all in the North of the United States of Ame·ri·ca, Atlantic to bring them over as fast as whose army · was just at that possible.

And they were shipped over time rapidly growing to a po·wer that in immense numbers-in some cases was a telling factor in the War. This as high as 300,000 within a week or so. time last year America had been at And even then the men that were being War twelve months. She had just got shipped over were not all trained men. into the field with comparatively few But the British were grimly holding men. America had only one or two the· Germans and grimly determined division , s in the field, and these were not to give an inch, no matter what not fit for fighting.

That was the happened, and I can tell you this that time when the struggle . was at its even in those days of depression and worst and the crisis at its greatest, uncertainty, there was an unshakable and we were not receiving, and had dete~mination in the British cabinet not not received, from the United States to give in. No matter even if France . ' that aid which they were capable of ~ere beaten and crushed, B.1itain giving and which they did give after- ·.'\ __ would fight on the sea and ,get back ward ,s. But after that crisis had pass- 1f1, ~ d. ~ 1 to the land and win out with the help -

16 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS of America. But the anxiety and strain was there and the situation was most critical. When the Germans made their big effort in July and ac­ complished nothing, they got discour­ aged and lost heart. Then it was that diplomacy and· fighting went hand in hand. The big campaign was started in Palestine and at the same time diplomacy was · exercised with the Turks and Bulgarians, which ended in their abandoning the fight. Then Aus .. tria found that the game· was up, and she collapsed. Germany, finding her· ­ self alone, lost heart.

When she saw that victory was not possible she was forced to come to terms. Now Sir, it is easy eno,ugh to enlarge on this matter, and having been over there, one is tempted to make some remarks about it. Reference having been made to the Prime . Minister of England, I could not refrain from ex­ pressing what I thought of the efforts made by himself and his Government, and the big figures who were working with him. After spending many long days in Council, I learned enough to realize why Lloyd George was such a big figure in the war.

He wa. s al­ ways fresh and full of energy, and had the determination and for~e to over­ come all obstacles of difficulties, and wit enough to devise ways and means of meeting all situations. Now, sir, I wo·uld like to make some short reference to some other matters connected with the Imperial Council. Naturally, sir, you will ap- · preciate that a very large proportion of the work of the Conference was of . a confidential nature.

It had very 1ar~efy to do with the resource . s of the Empire, tabulating and getting in­ formation together regarding all kinds of resources, and determining . how these resources sho·uld be avail- ed of in the near future; how the Empire can be better kneaded to­ gether economically, and how the different portions of the Empire can best ·co-operate with each other for the common good. Among the things dealt with, were naturally tho·se· re­ so·urces which had to do particular­ ly with the defence of the Empire, and which may be called key indus­ tries.

It was a remarkable feature of conditions at the outbreak of the war that many of the resources of the Empire which were absolutely essential to defense, were found in German hands, and it was marvel­ lous to the extent to which Germany had taken over and controlled re-• sources of our Empire which are ab- solutely essential to its safety.

Mat­ ters such as these were dealt with, and other subjects, but the one fea­ ture that .struck me most forcibly was the thordughness of the different committees - and experts connected with the Colonial Office in their prep­ aration of material for the confer­ ence and in dev1sin, g means for the betterment of the E,mpire. With re­ gard to the Imperial War Cabinet, the positio · n was taken that the extension of the idea of an Imperial Cabinet, which had been fo·und best for war, would also be best fo· r peace.

The idea is to bring together the Ministers of the Crown from not only the Home Country, but from the self-governing po1rtions of the Empire and from the native states and British governed parts of India as well.

A decision was taken that the usefulness of the Imperial War Cabinet, having been so strikingly evident, should not cease with the war, but sho·uld c·ontinue during · time of peace, and in order that this idea might be carried out it was also , determined that at any time a Prime Minister should be in Lon­ don, he should be entitled to attend the meetings of the Imperial Cabinet; and further, that if he were not in London, and one of his colleagues in the Ministry should be, the Prime Min­ i.ster would have the right to ·delegate •

• HOUSE OF ASS.EMBLY PROCEEDINGS 17 such Ministe · r to represent bim. I don't know that this p.articular featu .re is ·of much intere ·st to Newfou .ndland, as it would scarcely be worth ou1 while to permanently maintain a min­ ister .in London. It is of more interest to the larger Dominions, and there is every prospect that we shall have in London an Imperial Cab.tnet sitting almost constantly.

It is also a recog­ nized principle that a Prime Minister should have the right to communicate with the Prime Minister of the Home . land on matters of importance, and in ·order to· cle·ar the way to· free 1r com~ munication, particularly on matte ·rs of first class importance, it was decided that the usual channel of communi­ cation, from the cabinet to the Col- , onial Office, and then to the · Depart­ ment which the m.atters co,ncerns, should be shortened by direct com­ munication between Prime Minister and Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister o· f England is a Minister with very one·rous and im­ portant duties to perform and it would not be just and right that any matter not o· f Cabinet importance should fo1m the subject of communication between the Prime Ministe · r of the Unite : d King­ dom and Domin .ion Prime Ministers. If so, they CO'Uld ·only be rele 1gated to Private Secretaries, and the value of this new channel o, f communicatio · n would be lost.

We have taken into consideration the views of the Opposition that · there are pro1blems of far-reaching import­ ance to be grappled with arising o·ut ... o· f the demobilization ·· of our soldie .rs and sailors. Last year we had a sur­ plus and we have another surplus this year. We will be calling upon that \ surplus again as soon as we get the approval of the country. It ls not ab­ solutely the fact that we are mainly giving out the kindly word to returned soldiers and sailors and contenting our selves mer·ely with promises.

We are spending · immense sums O · n returne : d soldiers and sailors for which p.urpose measures were passed in this Hous ,e. ' The Government have been giving an· d are trying to give mo·re than words, and are learning their defects and gaining experience .in relation to these matters affecting o·ur returned soldiers and sailors. There are daily new problems coming up about which we have had not much experience.

We are all aware that it is impossible to measure our debt to o·ur soldiers and sailors, and when the Hon. member for Bonavista states that the efforts of our gallant soldiers and sailors are not adequately recognized he echoes the sentiments of the entire House. It is imposs .ible to fully recognize them because they are immeasurable. How­ ever, the Government are trying to learn where the defects exist · and are earnestly determined to do everything that it is possible to be done· in the matter. We are told that the country should have an opporunity of knowing us befor · e the general election.

Well, if they do not kno· w us, by now I should . like to know when the· y will. My Ho·n. .. friend, I unde:nstand, thinks there should be no appeal to the country just now on the gr· o·unds that the peo­ ple do not know us. . We are what is known as a Natio ·nal Government and . it is surely time the co·untry knew I about the Government. The country ought know by now whether we have done any good and m· u.st also be aware of' any bad things we may have done~ I am prepared for whate ·ver verdict ' may be reco ·rded at the poll. I am not craving for power, nor are my col­ leagues.

The Government are do·ing what they believe is wisest in the country's interest. At the very earliest moment we intend to ask the country . fo· r a ne· w mandate. Mandates are usually set forth with Manife istoes and that is what we propose to do. If the people o· f this country think that there are w.iser heads in the Opposition to carry on the burde · n of Government,

18 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS I will be perfectly satisfied to abide by their decision. I . will n,ot quar ,rel with the . verdict whatever it may be. Personally I am prepared to abando , n o.ffice if the voice of the people wishes it, and I think that my colleagues are of the same mind. We have had a pretty big share of th. e responsibilities of o-ffice during the past two years. Last year the Oppositio 1n vigorously oppo,sed any extension of the life of Parliament, and were anxious to, test their strength and the life of Parlia­ ment was limited to suit their wishes to April 30th this year.

Now they have got to live up to that. The country will then be given an oppo,rtunity of giving a verdict on our stewardship. My Hon. friend thinks that we should declare - o· u, r ·policy now. We will do that in O·Ur manifesto · . That i, s the course ado·pted by all 0th.er Govern­ ments. We are making every effort to try and get home the remainder of our returned soldiers and sailors. Similar effo·rts, I understand, are being made in Lo 1 ndon.

T'he b·ulk of o·ur soldiers and ·sailors are alre ·ady back and they will be given an opportunity . of saying whether we have done our d1uty or otherwise by them · and by the c,ountry. The following Select Co·mmitt~e was appointe · d tQ1 draft an Address .in Re­ ply to the s .peech from the Throne, namely, Mr. Downey, Mr. LeFeuvre, Mr. Tar'ge,tt, Mr. Currie. Rt. Hon. the Prime · Minister gave notice that on to,-morrow he would ask leave to introduc , e a Bill to Amend the Election Act 1913.

Hon. the Minister of Finance and Customs gave notice that he wo·uld on to-morrow move that Supply be grant':" ed to His Maje.sty. It was m- 01ved and seco,nded that when the Ho1 u.se rises it adjourn until · to-morrow at three of the clock in the afternoon. The Ho·use then adjourned accord­ ingly. . THURSDAY, April 3rd, 1919. MR. WALSH:-! ask le,ave to, pre­ sent a petition from · the inhabitants of Trepassey and a number of settle­ ments asking for a ferry. The peti­ tion is very largely and influentially signed. It is signe , d by Rev. Father O'Flaherty and Dr.

Giovanetti and a number of other residents of this locality.

The petition points out that owing to lack o·'f facilities for trav­ e1lling ·by water they are put to con­ siderable inconve ,nience and that if a ferry is put across Trepassey har­ bor .it would do away with a great deal of this inconvenience which these people suffer b1ecause they are isolated from the clergyman and doctor, and if they have to, call either one of these in a hurry, which is ofte, n the case, they must travel down to the· nor.th side · of Trepassey harb ·or, 1 and , very often there is no p,rivate b,oat available with the result that they have to. walk six or seven miles to the south side, which is the principal business part of the har,bor and where the priest and doctor live.

I have much pleasure in givin _ g my hearty support to the prayer of this petition, and I trust that the Govern­ ment will see its way clear to accede to the wishes ,of the petitioners which in my mind, are very reasonable. , I have also a petition from the in­ habitants of Bran ,ch, in the Di.strict of Placentia and St. Mary's. This · peti­ tion is very important and is largely signed; I think by over two hundr .ed ' residents. I would ask the clerk to rea.d the petition. (Cler~ read peti­ tion.) Mr.

Speaker, anybody who is at all familiar with conditions in this particular settlement will appreciate the importance of this requ .est. Branch is one of the most important settlements in the District of Placen­ tia and St. Mary's. Situate as it is o· n a. wild sho,re, they have not any artificial harbor and they have not , ' .; •

• .. HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 19 • had any assistance rendered them for a number of years. When I say assistance, I mean anything of very much importance. The expenditure of twenty, thirty, forty or even one hundred dollars on a big place like this is of very little use. I think the Government should meet the re- my support. I well realise that the claims of the industrious fishermen of that thriving settlement .should receive the favorable consideration ot the Government, when the grants for marine works are being allocated.

But I am of opinion that the b,reak­ water to which the Ho·norable mem- quest o· f petitioner and send a com- ber refers will cost much mor~ than petent man up . there, such as the the sum named in the petition. A few Government Engineer-I understand hundred dollars will not g. o far, and he was sent to .Grand Bank last year a substantial amount will be requtr- and Grand Bank is somewhat similar ed. There are also other sections on , to Branch in my ·opinion, in that it the South West Co·ast where consid- is also situate on a wild sh·ore and erable expenditures on account of is an important fishing centre.

The marine w·orks will have to b·e under­ people of Branch ·contribute largely taken in the very near · future. At towards the revenue of this country, Grand Bank, for example, har·bo· r and if they require t:p.is aid from the improvements must be made which Government, they certainly should will cost a large .sum. Personally I have it. It would be easy to send wish to say that I may be relied up- the Government Engineer over there on to give my support to those pro- and make an estimate of what is ·re- jects which aim at making the fisher­ quired.

I have very much pleasure man's labors as easy and productive in endorsing the prayer of the peti- as possible. tio· n and in giving it my hearty sup- MR. MORINE :-Mr. Speaker, I rise port. to present several petitions which · Mr. Speaker, I have also a very have been entrusted to me by the important and largely signed petition people of that section, on the sub­ from the residents of Trepassey, ask- ject of railway e·xtension alo· n. g the ing for a sum of money to complete North Side of Bo·Iiavista Bay and the a ro·ad from Trepassey to what is Straight Shore of Fogo District. The lo·cally known as the Polls.

I may petitio _ners . are asking that a b·ranch say, sir, that sometime ago part of line · of railway be constructed from our special ,grant was devoted to Gambo ·on the main line to Carman­ making a .start on this road, the com- ville in Fogo District, touching at pletion of which will open up a large Locker Bay, North West Arm, New area of splendid agricultural land. 1 Harbor, South West Arm, Wesley­ The petition is signed by Rev. Father . ville, Cat Harbor, Musgrave Harbor O'Flaherty, Dr. Giovanetti, Mr. Dev- and Dotin . g Cove, and on to Carman­ ereaux, J.P., and o·ver one hundred ville. others.

I give the prayer of petition- 1 trust, sir, that the Government ers my unqualified support, and be- will find it convenient to begin the speak for it the sympathetic support work this present season. The Col­ of the Government. onial Secretary in his address to the HON. MR. CO.AKER:~Mr. Speaker Fogo District Council ·of the Fi.sher­ ! give the petition just presented to men's Union is repo ·rted in certain this House by the Honorable member newspapers to have declared it to be for Pla·centia and St.

Marys on the the policy of the Government to con­ matter of a breakwater at Branch struct this branch lin·e, and I would

• • 20 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS now like to have that ·opinion con- firmed. • There is no more important sec­ tion of the Colony deserving of con­ sideration than the people who earn their livelihood on the North Side of Bonavista Bay and Fogo Stra.ight Shore. Frugal, industrious, hard­ working men who as fish-killers ar· e· · entitled to b· e· classed in the front rank of the Colony. I say it is most desirable that these people be given the facilities of carrying on their avocations in life, which a branch rail way would afford them.

Another str·ong reason why the people · of the North Side of Bonavista Bay and the Straight S'hore of Fogo are entitled to and should be given a railway is that there are virtually no main line roads through this

section of the country. Between Gamba and Carm\':tnville there is nothing but winter paths which for the greater portion of the year are unpassable. It will there-. . f·ore be seen that there is no part of the Island where the physical ·co11di­ tions are such as would justify the fair and reasonable requests of those independent and hard-working peo­ ple to the benefits much must accrue from the facilities to carry on their lab.ors that a line of rail way is bound to give them.

But, sir, I also appreciate the fact that other parts of the country are ~ntitled to the favorable consider­ ation of this Legislature when the financial condition of the ·country warrants the completion of the· branch line . s fo· r which legislation ha al­ ready been enacted, and for further • extensions, for instance, there is the linking up with the line through the Burin peninsula of the important to·wns of B,urin, Great Burin, Lama­ line and co·ntiguous settlements, and I admit that those places may urge their right to railway facilities with equal force .

The people of Bonne Bay also will have to be ·considered at . the same time. Mr. Blackall tells us in a. n in­ teresting report that bey:ond Bonne Bay lies one of the most promi.sin ,g· agricultural areas in this Island, while on the western side of St. Barbe District, if opened up for settlements by a b 1ranch line of rail­ way, is to be found a country of most flattering prospects. I But still I feel that the claim of the North Side of Bonavista Bay is in no way subservient to the call from any other portion of the Island. The terrible condition of the main line of the rail way has already been referred to.

Not alone is the road not effici­ ently operated, but the most serious charge is made that traffic · o· n the ·railway line is not safe for human life. Whether a br'oader line is to be constructed or the road re-railed from end to end is a matter which must in the immediate · future com­ mand the serious attention of the GovernIQ.ent, or else the operatio · n of the road must be abandoned. A large expenditure of many millions of dol­ lars must be made by the company or Government or by · O ·ther means. I ask that the.se several petitions be received and referred to the De­ partment of the Colonial Secretary. HON.

MR. COAKER:-! wish to ' give the petitions presented b1 y the Honorable member for Bo·navista my earnest support. The question of ex­ tending the railway do·wn the North Side of Bonavista. Bay and Fo·go Dis­ trict has several times been up for consideration before F. P. U. Coun­ cils, where it was considered right and proper that the industrious in­ habitants of that sectio · n of Bona­ vi.sta and Fogo to which these peti­ tions refer should be given railway facilities. There is another most important ·

section which will have to be considered by the Government

• HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 21 when the time arrives that the Gov­ ernment can enter upon the work of rail wa v extension. I refer to a • branch railway on the North Side of Green Bay to Hall's Bay, which . should be built from Howley on the main line. And then we have the people of St. Mary's Bay, who, when the Legislature can feel justified in undertaking this work must be given what, after all, is o·nly their right to the benefits their contribution to the general taxation of the country en­ titles them to. Mr. Chairman, I b·eg to give these petitions my hearty support. HON. COLONIAL SECRET.ARY:­ Mr.

Speaker, in suppo ·rting the peti­ tion for ~s:til way extension from Gambo along the North Side ·oif Bona­ vista Bay and through the District of Fogo, with Carmanville as the ter­ minus, I wish to make my position perfectly clear to this House and the people I have the honor to represent. The remarks which have just fallen from the Honorable mem,ber for Bonavista, Mr. Morine, would I think • convey an erroneous impression, if I did not offer a word in explanation to this Ho·use. My position, sir, is this, I strongly favor the building of such a line.

The contributions per capita of the people in the locality which the road would traverse are as great as those received from the more favored portions o.f the Island, which enjoy the benefits o, f the rail­ way as well as having . for their con­ venience and use roads and other transportation facilities. But I want to make it clear that I have made no definite promise in my capacity as Colonial Secretary that this work would be undertaken now. What I did say in my address to the Fogo District Council of the F. P.

U. last December, I am prepared to sta.nd by, and it was this: When the Colony can safely undertake the construe- tion of branch railways, then my con­ stituents could rely upon me to see that they got a square deal. It fur­ thermor · e is not necessary for me to hold out r·oseate promises to secure my election. The people whom I represent trust me to look after their affairs honestly and faithfully.

That I shall do to the best of my ability ·while I have a place in the councils · of the Governm ·ent or on the floors of this House, ·and I can assure my Honorable friend opposite I _have no fears of the verdict of Fogo District when an appeal to the country is made. MR. WALSH:-Mr. would also like to give . support to the petition. Speak ·er, I my hearty During the course · of the debate one prominent member of the Government referred to the necessity fo· r a railway from Trepassey to St. Mary's.

I am glad that the·re is at least o·ne point upon which the Hon. gentleman and my­ self can agree, and I wish that the good intentions of the Hon. gentle­ man would be acted upon by hls party, so that I might have some­ thing more ·than an empty promise to give to the people of my district. I think that the people whom I have the honor to represent are a little bit too wary to be taken in by promises of the sort thrown out.

A burnt child I ·dreads the fire and been too severely near fire again. these people have burnt to venture I The extension of the rail way sys­ tem in the places referred to would open up sources of that ·country. If from a financial view point such policy co1uld be inaugurated on a fin­ ancial basis, then I would give it my' hearty support. It is about time the Go:vernment took up the matter of re­ moving the dan.gers that the present state of our trunk line offers. Apart from the inconveniences resul~ting from delays in handling freight there •

• • • 22 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS is the all-important phase, na.rnely, the safeguarding of the lives of the passen ,gers transported over that system to be taken into consid .eration. I notice that an inquiry into an accident that took place some time ago was started over a year after the accident had happened. One of the results has been that -no action can ""- be taken by those who suffered loss therefrom. I do not insinuate that the delay in thi.s case was intentional, but in my mind it shows a sad lack of attention on the part of those re­ sponsible in a matter of such gr·ave importance.

In reference to the ex­ tension o· f the rail way around Bona­ vista Bay District, if the policy ca. n be carried out with safety to the country's finances, then I am in hearty accord with the p.ropo ·sition, and my attitude will be the same to­ wards any ·other propositio · n for rail­ way construction; but I want .to see that the ·railway to St. Mary's is fir.st completed. MR. CURRIE :-Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see that reasonable members ' of the Government recognise the dis- graceful co·ndition of the railway at the present time, and I am glad to see that the Government is taking up the matter.

It is something the consideration of which cannot be longer delayed; the dangers result­ ing from allowing it to continue in its present state are accruing every day. If we d· o not act soo· n an acci­ dent will ove_rtake us that will re­ mind us in a very trying fashion that we have been trifling with a very serious pro bl em. M MORINE :-1 have been won-, dering what has converted the Gov­ ernment to the new pro·gram which they have 1>resented to this House this afternoon, and which they are prep ·ared to submit to· the ·country.

We on this side of the House are· glad to note that they are prepared to do something of a beneficial nature to the country, but I am not so sanguine that anything can be d·one, b·ecause I think that the financial state of the country at this particular time does not warrant any great burdens. We should not delude ourselves with contemplating ideas and plans which will be impossible o. f performance. If anything can be done, it is indeed well that this important subject should be attended to.

It reflects with great discredit on the Goverp­ ment that the railway line at present is absolutely unsafe for travelling; that it is so, is public knowledge, and the sooner the Go·vernment consider the matter the better; the matter it­ self is of the most pressin . g import­ ance. It demands instant attention, and will not brook delay. The Gov­ ernID:ent o·ught to see that the rail­ way line Is safe for every perso · n who travels on it, and until the railway is in that state the responsibility for every accident which may occur rests on the shoulders of the Government.

Under pr~sent conditions business men are seriou .sly handi.capped, be­ ing unable to· get their freight o·ver the lines. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, I know of no question before the Gov­ ernment at this present time which more imperatively and immediately exacts Government consideration. I need not add, Mr. Speaker, that an honest effort on the part of the Gov­ ernment intending to ameliorate this grave cause ·of dissatisfaction will t receive my sinc·erest support. THE RT;. HON.

THE PRIME · MIN· ISTER:-.:.It is not my intention at this rµoment to occupy at any great length the time · O · f this House, but there i.s one matter which I cannot let pass without a few remarks, and that is the important question of the rail way line. I may say that this is · a matter that must be attended to im­ mediately, and I may say that it has

• • HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 23 been under the consideration of the Government for a long time past. T Government has been trying to do something in this direction ever since I have been connected with it. The line has been kept open under extreme difficulties, for we were faced with a position, at least during the war time, of great doubt and un­ certainty.

Both .submarine and the scarcity of shipping, rendered traffic by sea a matter of greatest concern, and it therefore was most essential that the railway line should at all times be kept open, and the Govern­ ment has at all times been most zeal­ ous to effect this. I do not mean to say by this, that money has been im­ properly or recklessly spent in any quarter.

That the Government has refrained from doing, but what I mean is this, that so serious was the railway problem that the Govern­ ment devoted the greatest consider­ ation and attention to it all through that precarious time, and what we have done is not sufficient. This matter, I say publicly and clearly, was one of the matters re­ ferred to yesterday. There is no need for me to dilate upon this matter. The public can rest assured that what can be done will be done. MR.

MORINE :-Might I suggest to premier for his consideration, that while this matter is under the consid­ £ration of the House that the Govern­ ment take this house into its confi­ dence and discuss this matter in ful­ lest detail. If a public session is im­ practicable, let .the matter be thrashed out in a private ses.sion. I think that such a cou.rse c·ould only be advan­ tageous and no doubt productive of val · uable suggestions.

I do not think that this policy can strictly be called a party one, and it seems to me that the present time is a most opportune for the ventilatio · n of all arg11ments now bearing upon this important pol- ,, icy. The financial aspect of the ques­ tion is grave, and its gravity demands that it receive instant consideration.

I think one afternoon could be devot­ ed to this question with the greatest advantage, and it seems to me most desirable that the House should re­ ceive the entire confiden .ce of the Gov­ ernment, more especially as some ot the members of this House are inti­ mately conne ·cted with the press. By . so doing the Government can avert the needless and futile criticism which must necessarily result if this matter is not discussed. I may say that, I make these suggestio ·ns ill good faith. It was proposed that the petition be received and carried. MR.

MOORE :-Befo ·re the membelis of the opposition get a way with all the money, I beg leave to present a pe­ tition of the inhabitants of Witless Bay who ask that $400.00 be allotted to the fishermen of that Harbo ·ur in order to make the public wharf there a safe place for them to land in stormy weather. I give this petition my strongest support and I trust that the Minister will expedite this matter with the greatest possible despatch. Mr. Currie gave notice of question. Mr. Downey tabled the report of the address of the committee, appointed to reply to His Excellency' 1 s speech. To His Excellency Sir Chas.

Alooc­ ande.r Harris, K.C.M.G., C.B.C., C.V.O., Gpvernor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Dominion of Newfound­ land a.nd its dependencies: May it please Your Excellency: We the commons of Newfoundland in Legislative Session assembled, beg to thank Your Excellency for the gra­ cious speech which Yo·ur Excellency has addressed to both Houses of the Legislature. J. F. DOWNEY, . THOS. LeFEUVRE, A. TARGET 'T. On motion the report was received and adopted. . . '

24 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS MR. CURRIE :-Mr. Speaker, before commenting upon the speech from ths throne, I sho·uld like to join in the chorus of congratulations which have . been showered upon the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister and the Hon. Minister of Finance a.nd Customs on the hon­ ours which have b·een conferred upon them by His Majesty. Verily these are days when one is fo·rtunate to be the premier of this country. My. right hon. friend opposite who assumed the premiership a lit~le more than a year ago as plain Dr. Lloyd, is now the Rt. Hon. Sir William Lloy.d.

As he has told us he has been the lucky reci­ pient of the honours :paid this country. His predecessor has becom - e a peer of . the realm, and who knows that he may yet follo · w in hi. s footsteps and become Lord Lloyd. Sir, it is but natura1 that at this time the war should occupy a large portion ·Of the spee ·ch from the throne. This House has held six session : s since the war lord of Germany hurled de. ­ fiance at the w.orld. To-day, we me~t amid peace.

The clash of arms has ceased save from minor engagements in Russia, and fervently we say thank God it is over; thank God that the hor· ­ ror of it all has all passed. It was difficult for many of us to realize the terrors of the .struggle, situated as we were more than three thousand mile · s away. Thanks largely to the courtesy of my honorable friend the Minister of Finance and Customs, I had the priv­ ilege, as representative o· f the New­ foundland press, of visiting France and the battlefield .a. It was my privilege for a ·rortnight to see the :fighting fro·nt, and to experience the thrills of shell • fire.

When one has had such an ex- perience, one can say with truth ''Thank God it ;ts all over.'' · Peace is not yet restored, but I think the day is not far distant when we shall have it. The representatives of the allied nations are gathere · d at Versailles seeking a solution of the great prob­ lems connecte . d with the establishment of peace, and trying to· arrange the terms to be handed out to Germany, terms which she must accept because she is not in a position to reject them.

What these terms will be we have but a hazy idea, we can only sunntse, but in all prob 1 ability the financial obliga­ tions placed upon her will not be a.ts heavy as anticipated, because Ger­ n;iany is in such a deplorable p· o·sition to-day that it may be unwise to exact from her anything that would make her .condition more perilous than it is At present she is in great danger on account of the onward march of Bol­ shevism; and the safety of Europe de-, mands that 1She be rescued from its de- structive clutche .s. · Our great interest in the war lies in .the fact that our men have gon.e across and taken a very manly and heroic

part in the great struggle. It was my privilege to see them in France, to ~ .. ote the conditions under which they lived, to m·eet the great soldiers under whom they served, and to hear the highest tributes paid to them by all, from the Commander in Chief of the British Army, Sir Douglas Haig himself, down to the Colonel in command of the Regiment. · Every officer with whom I came in contact t·old the same story of our men, and expressed the wish that ,Newfoundland had many more men of .the same calibre to send over.

But their duties overseas are finish­ ed and they are coming back, and they are bringing to us some of the problems anticipated long ago, which I regret that I cannot help saying, have not been met in the way in which they should have been met. Yesterday .the question of re-estab­ lishment was discussed, and what we have d1one regarding it, but I am con­ vinced that this country has not done all that might have been done and . . '

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS . should have been done. My Right Honorable friend, the Prime Minister, said that we are learning by experi­ ence, yes by the experience of oither countries. The Government appar­ ently has not been able to formulate a policy of its own, and even with re­ gard to pensio ·ns followed in Canada. We have, right from the start, copie · d what Canada bas done. We adopted the original scheme of that country, and when that was changed we fol­ lowed suit, and all the time we have been waiting, and are now waiting, to see what Canada does.

The Govern­ ment has made no e.ffort to formulate a pr,oper pension scheme for our men at all. Some effort has been made along the lines of re-establishment, to put the men back in civil life, but even this has not been handled pro­ perly. The gentleman who has bee11 appointed to the post of Vocational Officer, Dr. Blackall, is undoubtedly a man of great ability, and if he had no­ thing else to d· o I believe he would handle .the matter with credit to him­ self and the country, but no man can be Superintendent of Schools and Vo­ cational Officer besides.

No man can fill two such positions and give the · satisfaction in both that the positions demand; and while I say nothing against Dr. Blackall, I cannot help ' feeling that a mistake has been made in passing ·over to liim this important office. I understand that there is a Committee working with him, but this ' Committee has no particular power and only meets occasionally. There is no use in saying that these prob­ l ems have come on us suddenly.

My memory goes back to the late spring of 1917, almost two years ago, when we sat in this House, and when men1- bers of both sides were trying to " come together so that we might have what is called a National Government to deal with such questions. That was almost two years ago, but -no- I thing has been done, and the only in­ formation we have yet is that stated by the Prime Minister yesterday that "the P·Olicy of the Government w~ll be outlined in their Manifesto." I don't think that this is very creditable to the National Government.

An appeal is being made to the country at the present time on the excuse of dealing with the·se ques­ tions. This is the same excuse that has served for two years, and so far I can see it is the same excuse that is going to continue to serve.

It is go­ ing t·o be a case of promise, promise, promise, and no fulfilment, and while it is impossible for us to make an ade­ quate return fo these men who have gone over and made such sacrifices in our behalf, something should be done to satisfy, not all of them, be­ cause there are a few, half a dozen perhaps, whom it would be imp·ossib1e to satisfy, but the great majority con­ cerned. They feel they have a griev­ ance, and justifiable grievance. These questions ought to be handled in­ stantly, without any of this putting off, putting off that we hear so much about the men themselves.

Wh~t is needed is a definite and decisive policy so ithat the men may never know what to expect. The .Prime Minister says that we are profiting by experience but sure­ ly when was ion the other side he must have take · n this matter up and considered it. It was my privilege while there (and let me express my appreciation of the many courtesies, extended by him) to come in contact with a gre·at many of the military leaders of New Zealand, the com­ manders and those · in charge of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and I found that thorough prepara­ tions had been even then made for de­ m·o bilization.

Every man of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was al­ ready provided for. When they re-

• ' .. 26 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS , turned to their country they were met by a committee and provided for on the spot. And that was ,in July, whe11 nobody thought that the war would be ended 'for another year at least. Now I think that we have been very dilatory 1on this matter.

It may be that the Government is not altogether to blame, because we made the mis­ take at the start of handling this question in the wrong way, by leav­ ing it to private individuals, who while they did splendid work, and saved the country tens of thousands of dollars, were acting largely with­ out responsibility or authority, and. were therefore unable to deal with these questions as they should have been dealt with. There are a couple of other mat­ ters in the Speech from the Throne which I would like to make reference. One of these is the forthcoming elec­ tion.

The Gove·rnment has announced its intention of appealing to the coun­ try in May. Well so far as I am con­ cerned I don't raise any objection, even though I do not hold with the position taken by the Prime Minister yesterday. The proper time for a11 election is in the fall, but we have al­ ready had the precedent and the ex­ perience of ·an election in May, anr.l while many things can be urged against it, it works out fairly satis­ factorily.

I ·thoroughly agree with the objections raised by the member for Bonavista, as to the difficulty of get­ ting around the country for canvass­ ing, particularly the northern dis­ tricts, and the difficulty ' of getting the pe.ople · t· o understand the issues before them, in such a short time; and this is the one objection-not that the election is being held in May, but because it is so obviously the inten­ tion of the Government to rush the matter without giving the people any chance to h·ear or understand the is­ sues bef·ore them.

Therefore some district in the country the can­ didates will not be able to visit. I question if a candidate will be able to I get to Fortune Bay in time for nomi- nation, if reports are correct that the election is to be held early in May. And it will be much the same with re­ gard to St. Barbe District. The can­ didate for that district will not be able to canvass it. The hon·orable member for Twillingate, Mr. Coaker, will not be able to canvass his dis­ trict, and I doubt if he will get there in time for nomination. However, I am not going to war with the. Govern­ ment on this question.

They thinl{ that they should have a mandate from the people, and I thoroughly agree that no Government dare go on, situ­ ated as this Government is to-day, without a mandate fr·om the people. The state of affairs existing in this country at the pr.esent time would not be tolerated in any other country un­ der the British Crown. Contrac ,ts have been made and broken, and this House has not been consulted. It is a matter of common property that the contract with the Reid Nfld. Co. has b·ee· n changed and the coastal 1service re-organized, and yet this House is not even asked to confirm that ar­ rangement.

The Government does not think it n.ecessary to take the House into its confidence. N·ow I submit that that is not right, not proper, not constitutional; and in order to pre­ vent matters of that kind going on, I feel that it is time to have an election. , I am not so sure as the Premier seems to be that this Government will c·ome· back. The Prime Minister has said that so far as he is concerned, he is prepared to take his medicine. He will have to take it whether he likes it or not, and I am not so sure that the .dose won't be heavy.

With regard to setting the issues before the people, the Prime Minister says that if the people do not now know the .. )

• • • HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 27 Government, it is time they did. Well, I think they know the Government pretty well. Anybody who has read the papers for the past five or six years, especially: the one controlled by the honorable member for Twil­ lingate, must lrnow the political regu­ lations of the Minister of Shipping and the Minister of Finance, and the characters of some of the other gen­ tlemen connected with the Govern­ ment.

Likewise anybod who has been reading the debates of this House, must have learned from some of the speeches by · the Minister of Shipping the character of the honor­ able member for Twillingate. So l think the Prime Minister is quite right in saying that the people of this country know the Government. They have taken good care that the people should know what kind of people they are; so I concur, that if ithey don't know the Government, it is time they did. I feel confident that the people do know the Governm ·ent, and that the members <>f the Government know each other.

The only ithing is, that they don't express their opinions as • freely as they used to, at least not publicly. There is just one other matter that I would like to deal with, and that is .the financial standing of the country. The

section in the Speech from the Thr·one dealing with . this matter, re­ cords a surplus for the year, and also points out that the revenue for the colony for the · fiscal year is nearly one and a half times as great as the receipts for the same period last year, and because of that the Govern­ ment expects a surplus this fiscal year. I trust that their hopes will not be disappointed, but from an observ­ ation made by the Prime Minister yes­ terday I fear the surplus will be very small.

He told this House that there are big obligations to be met, and knowing what these obligations are, I I cannot help feeling that the sur·plus will be very small, if we have a sur­ plus at all. We can't in the na,tural order of things, expect the same rev­ enue that we have had for 'he past three or four years, and particularly the last two years. The country has had abnormal prosperity, large :fish­ eries, immense prices for our fish, our people have had lots of money and have bought freely; and so far as it has been possible to obtain the goods, this country has gone short of no­ thing.

This large importation of goods, with the high prices prevail- · ing, has naturally given large rev­ enues, because we have ad valor.em duties, but in the days to come we cannot expect a repetition of all these conditions. We may have large fish­ eries, but we are not likely to have the same prices. We cannot yet say what the price will be, bllt we know it will not be anything equal to what it was last year. I know there is like­ ly to be a reduction in the price uf certain commodities~ and that will mean that the revenue of the country will come down.

We have had this past year the· largest revenue that we are likely to have for many years un­ til w.e get a very much larger popu­ lation. In the meantime we are going on increasing our expenditures. We still have an annual expenditure of sev~n and a half millions, when we start paying the annual pensions . to our soldiers and the interest on our war debt, and the most we can hope for, so far as I can see, is a revenue far short of that, unless of course we make up our minds to largely in­ crease the tax on our people. I for one cannot help looking into the future with some dismay .

I think, Sir, that it is not worth my while at present to make any further reference to the forthcoming election. The bill will be before the House to­ morrow or next day, and I may then

' • 28 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS l•llllfi ~J.{1~.!· . '. take advantage · of the opportunity to cornrnent further on it. We are satis­ fied to have an election. The country is tired of the conditions which have been existing for the past couple of years, and tired of all this poliitical manipulation, and I believe firmly . that the pclople of the country will be glad ·of this opportunity to express their disapproval of it. On motion the report of the Com­ mittee to draft the Address in reply was then adopted. A Bill

an Act to amend the election act of 1913 was read a first time. MR. MORINE :-I have privately spoken to the Prime Minister with re­ ference to a couple of matters tha.t I wish to draw public attention t·o. One or two of them it is necessary to men­ tion in connection with this Bill, and the reason I speak about them now is so that they can be provided for in the Bill before the seconding reading of the Bill. It seems to me that it is manifestly imp·ossible to hold an elec­ tion in St.

Barbe early in May month, at least there is the danger that it cannot be done, as I think the con­ struction of the Election Act at pre­ sent is that failure to hold an election in any one district might invalidate all the elections in all the -districts. It is a grievious thing, as I '. see open­ ing out before me election petitions in which I might figure, hence my de­ sire t· o give notice beforehand.

I would suggest at for that particular district, provision should be put in the Bill that is it is physically impos­ sible and inexpedient to hold an elec­ tion on that · day, the Governor in Council ·should issue a Proclamation postponing it and appointing another day. The next point I would like to draw attention to a.t . this time is that with rega .rd to the legalizing of the present list of electors, I think, standing by itself, it is an economical and unob- jectionable thing to do, as men whose · names are not on the list, can regis­ ter on the Supplementary List, and vote.

With regard to the supple­ mental list entitling soldiers to vote, I think that that .should be :prepared by the Militia Department, certified by the Minister of Militia, a.nd copies supplied to returning office·rs. We must bear in mind that some fifteen or sixteen months having passed ~ since ithe list was taken there will be a great number of names to be added and the·re will be a gr·eat number of names to be added than ordinarily w·ould be at a. n election and that the Polling Booths will be kept pretty busy dealing with supplementary ad­ ditions .

Now in on the back of that you have soldiers and sailors crowd- ing in who have become qualified un­ der another

section of the Bill, you will have a great deal of confusion and may prevent many soldiers from voting, especially in the outport booths and I suggest that an amend­ ment be . put in the Bill providing that a list, duly certified by the Minister of Militia of all those soldiers and sail- ors who are· entitle · d to vote whether in the country t·o-day o~ not be pro­ vided and sent to the Returning Offi.- cers and that persons whose names are on that list shall have the same right to vote as if on the regular vot­ ing list in due course.

That will re­ lieve all those from Supplementary List and will greatly expedite mat- ters. Now, there is one other matter I wish to mention, that is with respect to the Districts of St. Barbe and St. George's. I recognise that this is not a time for the redistribution of seats, that is a big question that will have to be d·ealt with in the future · , and 1s not of much importance at the pre- sent time. However, I would make a suggestion which might be acceptable and would be in the interests of jus-

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 29 tice and fair play and that is that the District of St. Barbe be divided into the district of St. Barbe East and St. Barbe West. I notice by the c.ensus that that can be done very conveni­ ently if only divided a little to the southwest of the, settlement of I believe they trade with the eastern side of the coast and that would be a very easy division frpm that point south-west to Bonne Bay at Gregory River. In point of oppu­ lation, St. Barbe is entitled to two members. In p·oint of extent an(l variety of interests it is _impossible for one man to adequately re·present it.

It never has b·een re,presented, no human belng could do it. Now, if it was divided one man could look · after the eastern coast and still have a very extensive and scattered constituency and another man could look after the west coast. There is no party sug­ gestion or partisan bias ·in this mat- . ter. Now the District of St. George, I would not suggest treating it that way. There is no reason for a di­ vision and in fact there are· very many reasons against it. St. George's is one of the districts we usually r'9- f er to as a Catholic district.

By giv­ ing it two members it would adjust the denominational balance disturbed by giving two members to St. Barbe. St. George is an extensive district a.nd jusitifies the, additional member, in that it has a peculiar interest of its own. It is a very important dis­ trict and one of great agricultural promise and I would like to have its importance recognised by the· addi­ tional member · being given to it. You cannot do that in some cases like St. Barbe where · the coast is tre­ mendous and scattered but you can do it in St. George's.

My reason f,or liking tw9 men rather than one man districts is that they do not get into such par·ochial habit of mind and pos­ sessed of such parochial intere ·sts. Without being invidious, one could name one or tw, o districts whose views are so self-centred on their own affairs that their representatives are only delegates of their 01wn little town rather than representatives of the views of the people.

Again I say I do not bring these matters forward for the purpose of embarrassing the Government or to forc·e my views on the other side but I present these things to the consid­ eration of the· Government, if they think well to act upon them they will go through without opposition. Tt only means a few words of drafting and I shall be ve·ry glad to help these things which I think are a public benefit and which will be ,gratefully re­ ceived by those centres. Pursuant to notice and on motion 'of Hon. Minister of Finance supply was gra.nted to . His Majesty. Hon.

Ministe · r of Finance and Cus­ toms ga.ve notice that on to-m·orr ·ow he would move the ·House into Comoe mittee of the Whole on Supply. · lit was moved and seconded that ' when the House rises it adjourn until to-morrow at three o'clock p.m .. The House then adjourned accord­ ingly. ... F 1 RIDAY, April 4th, 1919. T'he House met at three o'clock of These sugge ·stions can be carried out the afternoo ·n, pursuant to adJourn­ without in any way disturbing the ment. present Act. They will n·ot add to the PETITIONS: cost and will be but a proper recog­ nition of these districts.

I might say, Sir, that where you can I like the idea of having two man dis­ tricts rather than one man districts. ' MR. ST'ONE :-Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to present a numbe · r of peti­ tions fr:om several settlem ,ents on the south side of Trinity District on the subject of railway extension, viz.,, • •

30 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS New Perlican, Turk's Co·ve, Winter­ to.n, Hant's Harbor, New· Chelsea, New Melbourne, . Whale' . s Brook , Brownsdale, Sibley's Cove and Lead Cove. The inhabitants of the above places are asking the Government to extend the railway from Heart's Co·n­ ten t to Lead Cove. To my mind, S'ir, the request contained in these peti­ tions is only a fair and very reason­ able one, coming as it does from prac­ tically all of the peo.ple who re·side in the several settlements already men­ tioned.

On a .great part of the south shore of Trinity Bay the harbors are rough and dangerous to shipping, therefore it is m·ost diffic·ult to ·Ob­ tain schoo ·ners to freight their pro­ ducts to mar:let; as a matter of fact small schooners today are almost a thin , g · O · f the past in many fishing • 1 settlements of the Colony. For in- stance, it is not so many year · s since 20 or 25 sail of craft .sailed from Hant's Harbor, and today, if I am not greatly mistaken, there are only one or two; the p·rin·cipal reas ·on of course be:ing that schooners canno · t be obtained.

This past fall the fisher­ men we·re greatly handicapped . and put to all kinds of trouble by not be- · ing in touch with the railway. Schooners to freight their fish away were impossible, therefo ·re they wer~ · compelled to hold their fish over un­ til Christmas or after before any­ body offe·red to purchase same, and when the deal . was put through the men were forced to .sell at a lo·ss ot'. from $2.50 to $3.00 per quintal, which, . according to the number of quintals on that part of the shore represented a loss to the fishermen of more than twenty thousand dollars.

As a result of no facilities to move it, the fish in casks had to be carted ' a distanee · of 8 or 10 miles. Now let us hope that this will never happen again; if so, the fishermen of the several · settle- ments mentioned will be force . d to leave their homes and take up the.ir abode in Canada or the United States. They are not likely to move to another part of the Colony. Now, Sir, I think I have clearly pointed out to the Gov­ ernment the urgent necessity there is for the extension of the railway fro · m Heart's Content do·wn the whole ' shore.

May I expre ·ss the hope that when the Governinent issues its manifesto that provision will be made for r·ailway extension. I also beg to present a petitio11 from the residents o· f Open Hall, in the District of Trinity, asking that the sum of $300.00 be allocated for the purpose ·Of opening up a very necessary road at that settlement. The petition is largely and influen­ tially si,gned b· y Robert Smith and others. I trust that the petition will receive . , at the hands of the Depart­ ment of Public Works, every consid­ eration. Also a petition from New Harbor on the same subject of a road.

The amount asked for herein is but $60.00. Also a p·etition 'from New Harbor, T.B., signed by Frederick Woodman and 300 other residents. MR. TARGETT:-Mr. Speaker, I wish to give my support to the peti­ tions just presented by my colleague, Mr. Stone, but more especially to that one which asks the Government for an extension of the railw :ay from Heart's Content down th· e South Shore of Trinity Bay. In these days, Mr. Speaker, the moto · r b·oat is tak­ ing the place of the schoo .ner. Only ,. a few year : s back . there were · fr.om 24 to 28 vessels fishing out of Hant's Harbor; last year there was one.

As has b·een pointed out to you, Sir, this condition o.f affairs . meant last year the loss of thousands · 01 f dollars to the fishermen of the localities refer­ red to. I therefore · hope that the Government will see its way clear to begin the extension of the railway down the S· oiuth Side of the Bay at the •

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 31 earliest possible date. Many people suffer considerably in the Fall on ac­ count of not being able . to, ship · their fish to St. John's, and now ask fo. r the extension of the rail way from Heart's Content down shore to provide facili­ ties for this purpose. This appears to be a very reasonab 1le request, and I trust that the Government will be able to see its way clear to· accede to the prayer of the petition. HON. MINISTER PUB·LIC WORK~ -Mr. Speaker, I have pleasure i11 supp .orting the petition presented by my friend Mr. T'argett.

I think it is • a mistake that the railway was n-ot extended to this place origi11ally. It is a populous district and pro1vided with the transportatio 1n facility no· w prayed for will reach an era of pros­ perity that it cannot hope to attain to under present conditions. It is undoubted that the people are greatly handicapped in handling their fish through the present lack 0 1f railway fa~lities. I endorse what Mr. Targett has said, and join in urging the Gov­ ernment to give this matter th·eir urg­ ent consideration.

One of these days I may be in the po,sition of having to ask for similar facilities for sections of my district. I b1elieve in rail way extension. I believe that · it b·rings untold benefit to the places to which the li:Q.e .is extended. One day I hope to se· e the sections of our Island that now require this utility provided with branch r·ailways. Some refer· ence has b.een made to an extension of the railway system from St. Mary's to Trepasse ·y. In my opinion that is also a

section of the country that de­ serves to have this service built through. A branch line fro 1m St. Mary's down to Trepassey an. d Colin­ et might be well det1ermined at Whit­ bourne and c.onnect up there with our main trunk line and in this way co· m. ­ plete a very useful circuit. The Gov­ ernment will have to take these . mat- ters up, and make provision fo· r them . . N. o do1ubt the Governm .ent has under consideratio · n a re·constructi.on policy to carry out work in this and other public directions. I have pleas­ ure in supporting the prayer of the petition. MR.

DOWNEY :-In . reference to the petitions just read to the House, I take occa.sion to say that I have no similar petition at the present time to present, but some fiv~ years since I presented a very largely signed peti­ tion asking for the co1nstructio 1n of a branch railway from Stephenville Crossing to Stephenville and Port au Port, and I have in my poss · e·ssion a written promise fro· m the late · Gov-• ernment that immediately upo1n new railway construction being undertak­ en, this would be the· fir.st branch to be given attention, and I have no doubt that the present Legislature will be prepared to redeem that pro­ mise.

T'he District of St. Geo·rge's, fro· m the viewpoint o, f potential we·alth, is one of the greatest in the Island. Its fisheries are most diversified, em­ bracing the co.d, her·ring, salmon, sieal, smelt and halibut.

Its timber and mine ·ral wealth are very gr·eat, an· d it goes without saying that its a.gricul­ tural possibilities are ·without an equal ·in the c.ountry . • A br·anch railway of some 16 miles in length, connecting Stephenville Crossin . g with Pd1rt au Port, would O ·pen up 'nearly 600 squar · e· nliles of territory w·ith po.ssibilities .greater by far than those possessed by any sim­ ilar area in· th.is C· 01 unt~y.

The fertil­ ity o· f the soil 0 1ver this area is of un­ surpassed character and the· climatic conditions ar· e so much superfor to what we generally experience on this side of the country that the raising oif fruit and other of the mo·re sensitive crops may be undertaken with an ab­ solute certainty o.f satisfactory re-

• 32 1 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS sul ts. To us· e an Am.er'ica.nism, the land in this se·ction merely r·equires ''to be tickled with a ho· e to· b·urst into a laughing harvest.'' There are many extensive areas in the District of St. George's, including the Great Codroy Vall 1ey, that, ·on the score of agricultural possib ·ilities, are not surpassed by the cho1icest , portions 0 1f the Anapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and to enable the realis­ ation of the1r very ~eat potential wealth the only thing necessary is the P·roviding of the facilities that will enable the profitable marketing of the.ir p~oducts.

The chief amongst the many drawbacks the District suf­ fers ar· e the w·ant of a road system · a.nd this branch railway. I now desire to sierve notice upon this Legislature that, when the Gov­ ernment takes up the consideration of new branch railways, I shall p.ress my claim for immediate attention to St. George's in this re.spect. I heartily suppo ,rt the propo 1sition for· the extension of the railway through the Gambo and Str·aight . Shore region.

There are quite con­ siderable areas of ,good land to b1e . opened up b· Y ·Such a ·railway, and the entire sectio · n is a busy one indus­ trially, especially in lumb ·ering and :fi,shery ·operations. / I fully r·ealise the very great m:eas­ ure of be·nefit that this co1untry has derived from its expenditures in con­ nection with railway co1nstructi ·on­ in fact, the country was really only discovered industrially when the Cross-Co ·untry Lin1e was built, and the great Cross-Country Trunk Line can never C· 01nfer the measure of benefit upon the country that it is possible "' for it to confer until there are judic- iously s1elected branch lines leading therefrom to promising industrial centres, and I will hesitate at no ,ex­ penditure that can be safely com- passed by the country fio1r the in­ creas · e o· f railw ·ay mil1e·age.

MR. ABBOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I beg leave to present a petition from Open Hall asking fo· r $300 to build a bridge in that locality. The present bridge is broken down, and all the traffic over it is suspended. The petition is signed by the Chairman of the Ro1ad Board, bes.ides a large nltrnber of repr ·esenta­ tive Citizens of that place. I also beg to present a petition from the inhabitants of Bayley's Cove ask­ ing for $100 to put a road to some · agri­ cultural property in that plac ·e.

This petitio · n is signed by 40 or· 50 influen­ tial people of that .district ., I hope the Government will see its way clear to grant the prayer of these petitioners; and I ask that the petition .be ref err·ed to the Dept. to which it relates. MR. DOWNEY:-Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to-day to present two petitions from the District of St. 1George, and I wo·uld preface my remarks in con­ nection therewith by stating that, in my opinion, it is regrettable that pe­ titions, especially tho·se praying for road extensions, cannot receive the I su.fficient and pro1mpt attention that their importance demands.

This, I re­ cognize, is not owing to the, want of sympathy o· n the part o, f the Govern­ ment w,ith petitioners, but it is owing to the fact that our road grant is strictly limited by the Legislature to a per capita allocation which must go in proportionate am.ounts, base , d upon population, to all districts, and that · I there is no balance from which appli- cations coming to the Legislature through petitio ·ns, :such as I have the honor to present to-.day, may have their prayers acceded to.

The usual procedure in connection with petitions is that they are courteo ,usly received and relegated to one or other of the several Public Departments to which they relate, and there they are pigeo ·n­ holed an. d ultimately lost sight of, un- I

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 33 less the Member for the particular District interested in such may be able to curtail exp en di tures in certain parts of his district and thus provide a meag re sum towards realising the object asked for thereby.

The fa.ct that the petitions I now lay before the House are for the constru<.. · tion of new sections of road is absol­ ute proof that the country ha.s not an adequate road syste~, and there is nothing, to my mind, that tends 1nore immediately and directly, or aids mo·re largely in the development of the coun­ try, than an efficient road system and of this, unfortunately, we are lament­ ably lacking in Newfoundland. We have, in the aggregate, a con­ siderable mileage of roads, but, to a very great extent, their location has not been judiciously selected, and the surveys have been faulty.

No attempt has been made to retain a uniformity of gradient, so that in almost every district you will be able to draw a load of in or about half a ton, when sud­ denly you are likely to strike a hill that less than half this amount will constitute a load fo·r, and as it is im­ practicable to undertake the labor in­ volved in the loading and unloading of a tea. m every time one .strike . s a hill of this character, it must follow that the loads from the start must be only about a half of what should consti­ tute an ordinary load, and the loss of time and the expense thu. s involved is merely because one unfo ·rtunate hill has been allowed to cr·eep, in in the original location of the road, that the expenditure of a few hundred addi­ tional dollars would have enabled the cutting out of.

The location, and the surve · y for es­ tablishing gradients, . for all our coun­ try roads should be given greater care than they have in the pa·st, as a road's efficiency is thereby either made or marred. The Agricultural Board in the past year made careful and extensive en- quiry as to the areas of cleared land in the country that are not now under cultivation, as some ten years b·ack there were very large areas, the clear­ ing of which had bee1n paid for under the Land Bonus Act, that had been allowed to go out of cultivatio ·n.

The result of these enquiries is that I a.m warranted in stating that at prese .nt practically all the cleared land in the country is under cultivation and that no further extension of agricultural industry can take place until suitable new lands are made available by the expansion of our present road system.

Some 20 years back, when these bon~ used-clearings were made, those un­ dertaking them took it for granted that the Government would be logical in the matter of its expenditure, and would have made th· e lands so cleared available for successful cultivation by extending the road system thereto, but the necessity for this, unfortunately, was not realised and force of circum­ stances compelled the owners to per­ mit them again to lapse into · the wild state.

The great nece ·ssity for the increased production in the past four years of home-grown vegetables, owing to th~ high cost of imported fo· o·ds, has in­ duced the owners to again bring these areas under cultivation, and the bene­ fits derived from such action a~e very · manifest, but as in very many cases the products of the lands have had to be carried on men's backs for co·n­ siderable distances before a road prac­ ticable for horse traffic could be reach­ ed, and subsequently carried by team a very considerable distance before a railway station could be reached, it must follow that with the lowering of the price of importe , d food stufrs it will be again found impracticable to continue the cultivation of these areas, and once mo,re they will be allowed to go O'U t of cultivation.

The only means whereby this can be prevented is the providing of the '

• 34 HOUSE · OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS facilities in the shape o, f an extension of the roa. d system that will make their .cultivation less ard.uous and more p.rofitable, and I am prepared to sustain the Government in any well­ devised scheme by which any sum u. p to a million do,llars may be pro·vided to give to the country an efficient road system for the des.irable are.as, and there are many such-where such an investment would immediately become reproductive ' . It is a regrettable fact, Mr. Speaker, that in the district of St.

George to-day, and in the choicest agricultural po,r­ tio·ns thereof, there are people volun­ tarily relinquishing the further culti­ vation of exten .sive and well-cultivat­ ed, farms, that in many cases carried fro , m 10 to 20 head of ho·rned cattle each, and the owners thereof are g·o­ ing back to the fishery b·ecause the high price of fish and the ease with which fishery operations can be co1n­ d ucted are more profitable than a-gri­ cultural wo·rk under the gr·eat diffi­ culties that handicap it in that dis­ trict.

In many parts of the· Codroy Valley a farmer having agricultural produ .cts to market is required to load them up- . o· n his team at his farm and haul them from one to as many as, 4 · o· r 5 miles to a ferry; there unload his team and convey the load acros . s (Jne 0 1f the large rivers (which may be nearly a mile or so in width); discharge the load on the 0th.er side; return and re-con­ vey his ho, r·se and truck ac.ross, and then relo ·ad his produc .ts th.ereon and face a further haul of from 2 or 3 to 5, 6 or e1ven 7 m,iles to a railw ·ay sta­ tion, and be subjected to the sam. e in­ convenie .nce on the return journey.

Though these · areas in St. George's District were veritable Gardens of Eden, they co·uld not recoup for the time and labor involved in these ar­ duous and, at times, dangerous pro- , ced·ures that the m.ar·keting of a load ' .of ordinary agricultural pro,ducts thu! calls fo,r.

I have no doubt that when the new Government comes back with a man­ date from the people to deal compre · ­ hensively with matters of this kind, that they will imme .diately consider the propriety of raising a loan o· f the sum that I have ;intimate · d for the con­ struction · of, say, a thousand miles of road, in order to give a re·aso11able chance o· f attaining the measure of ag­ ricultural development that the co·un­ try is capable of. It is hard to get the oridinary man to realise the conditions that actually exist in the, District of S. George , , ow­ ing to its want of a road system.

Take, fo, r instance, the case of the Humber Arm, . in Bay of· Islands. Along the side of the Humber Arm there are five towns, within a distance of seven mile ,s, and, increditable tho' it may appear ; tho' these towns are ;in no c.ase more than two or thr·ee miles apart it is impo·ssible to, reach one from the other unless by walking alo·ng the railway track; and be it remembered that these towns are all centres of large industrial operations a, n. d equipp­ ed with all the advantages of modern c.ivilised city life.

There are costly churches of the different denomina­ tion~, high schools, banks; the tele­ graph and telepho ·ne systems . are in o·peration, and they are well provided with hotel ac.comodations for the large n11mber of American and other sum-. mer visito , r.s. The scenery of the lo-, cality .is admittedly grand in c.harac- ter; the climate is ideal, and the only thing de barring the development to very large pro,portions of the different featu .res constituting its industrial life is the want of the facilities-o · f which a road sy.stem is the chief; to render profitable the prosecution of such.

I m1ay not tr.esp.ass further upon the attention of the Ho.use· at the present mo·ment, Mr. Speaker, espec­ ially as I think that I may re·ckon 4>

• HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS with confidence upo· n the· symp~thetic attention o.f the Gove·rnmient to· the needs of the district when the op­ portu11e moment shall arrive for giv­ ing them practical . attention. MR .. MORINE :-Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to pr.esent several petitio .ns fr·om the inhabitants of Port Bland­ ford, Open Hall, Charlottetown, Bun­ yan's Cove, St. Brendan's, F'air Is­ lands and Tickle Co,ve in the di.strict ot Bonavista upon the question of Bay steamer service. As they ·, are all identical, I need only dr·aw attention to the point which all the petitioners desire to be heard about.

In short it is desired that the route of the, Bay steamer, the s.s. Dundee, should be as it was prior to the change made last year.

The petitio ·ners claim why it should b' e ,so on the ,grounds, and the burden of their complaint is, that vested interests and b1usiness ar­ rangements have been violently dis­ turbed by taking o.ff the steamer · from certain parts o, f the Bay where ·con­ nection could be made by r·ailway, and the prayer o.f the petitione ,rs ts that the Bay stea.mer service that ex­ isted in 1918 with Port Blandford as the terminus should be again contin­ ued or _.some change made ! as may b· e thought desirable.

We know, Sir, that the change was made in the in­ terest of the busin ,ess establishment as what is kno,wn as Port Uni.on. In the first place it was a violent change o.f pri11ciple as well as of detail. The Bay steamers when they were put on their resp ·ective routes were put there a.s extensions if the rail way service. Bay steamers were part and parcel of the railway contract o· f 1898. Later on the coastal steamers were put on by later go.vernments.

The idea · of the Bay steamer service was for the purpose of connecting with all new branch services and for carrying pas­ sengers and freight from place to place, so that the b1enefits of the rail- way were really the means of those boats extending to all outlying pl_aces.

When the change was made to Port Unio·n, it not only interfered with business arrangements and vested in­ terests but it was an abandonment of the policy o. f railway extension by steamers and the idea that we were using the rail way as a feeder to all the boats and the boats as a ree<1er to the railway was entirely changed an· d chan .ged without legislative sanc­ tion or authority. With the· idea of bringing a steamer to p·ort Union, under the circumstance ·s, I have no reason for o,pp.osition. I see the p,rin­ ciple at the bottom o, f it and with whic . h principle I am in accord.

For instance, the business at Port Union , carried , o, n b1Y the F. P. U. Tradin , g Company, is to ·a considerable extent, the b1usiness o, f the share-holders, amongst whom are the :flshermen themselves up and down the coast. ,It is only right and fair that they shoul , d have a direct connection with Port Union to allow people to use it &S' a place . for getting their business sup­ plies and to otherwise accomodate them.

If the busin ,ess con-cern at Port Union was a private business, it would be very wrong to take the steamers off thelr routes for the benefits of a private establishment, but as it is a co-o·perative conce ,rn and its share .. holders representing a very large n11m­ ber - of t;h.e fishermen of t~e country who are investors to a -consideable ex­ tent in that enterprise, then it is per­ fectly justifiable to help · them to· carry on their trade and to have b·eneficial means at their disposal.

I , do not think, however, that the members of th. e Union would dis'regard the rights and b,enefits 0 1f the pe·ople who are not members of the '£!nion. They are too thoughtful for the rights of o,ther.s to have anything done in their own in~ , terests that would be a disadvantage to thoise who are not members of the /

36 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ·PROCEEDINGS Un.ion. If the matter was submitted at their Convention meeting for discus­ sion, I am sure that they would be gen­ erous enough not to do anything that would decrease the facilities 0 1f ·o,ther · s for the purpose of incre ·asing the fa­ cilities of those interested in Po·rt Unio·n, which this change in the Dun­ dee's route means.

I ask that this matter be honestly and fairly considL ered and that arrange ·ments should be made so that the needs and require­ ments of all the people of Bonavista Bay should be met, not to ta.ke away anything from Port Union that would be to the benef.it of others, but to al­ low Port Blandford and all other places represented in the petitions ex­ tra accomodation and what they en­ joyed before the· late change took 13lace The only way to meet the difficulty is to provide adequate steamer com­ munication to, reach the place . s which have been deprived by the change.

The steamer now passing round Bona­ v.ista pa.sse, s above Salvage and then goe. s over to a place called Sweet Bay. From that she goes eastward passing Southern Bay, where there is a rail­ way statio ,n, to, a place called Open Hall and so on down to a number of places where there is no railway com­ municatio ·n. There 1 is no· harbour where passengers and freight can be landed so tha.t she has to proceed aro.und Port Union to reach Claren- · ville passing Southern Bay on the way.

Whereas .if she made a detour four or five miles people coming to St. John's could take the branch line train at Catalina or Bonavista to· come in, sav­ ing themselves time, money, incon­ veniences as well as the exposure of travel. The main objection and com­ plaint is by not allowing the steamer to call at Southern Bay where she will connect with the railway and people who want to go to Port Union to· carry on business can do so, and instead o· f reaching Port Union by steamer · they will reach there by train, thus avoid- . ing unnecessary expense and expos­ ure.

In presenting these petitions I move that the Colonial Secretary bring them before the Executive 1Counc.il for con­ sideration. I ho,pe that the rights of all the people interested shall be fair­ ly considered and that while every true advantage shall be co·nsidered for the big en