PROCEEDINGS • OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY • DURING THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE TWENTY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY . OF 1912 ROBINSON & COMPANY, LIMITED, PRESS Duckworth Street, St. John's, Newfoundland. f

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• • PROCEEDINGS . OF THE HOUSE Of ASSEMBLY Of NEWFOUNDLAND • SESSION 1912 WEDNESDAY, Feb. 14th, 1912 . OPENING OF THE SESSION. His Excelle · n,cy h. a v1ing fixed the hou1 r at whi,ch he P1ropose· d to ope, n t he present Session of the Legisla­ ture at three of the clock in the af­ t ernoon 10rf th'i.s Wednesday, the f OUf· teenth day of Feb1ruary, instant, the Members , of the Ho·use of Assemb1y met in the· Assembly Room at a quar­ ter to three of the clock in the af­ ternoon when M,r. Speaker took the cbair.

At th:ree o. f the clock ·a message from H-is Excellency the Governor was delivered by the Gentleman Ush­ e1r of the Blac· k Rod, 1 Comman ·ding the immediate attendance of Mr. Speaker and the House -in the Council Cham­ ber. Accordingly,Mr. Sp·eaker and the Hous . e attende · d His Exc~ ellency the Governor ·in the Co1uncil Chambe,r, and having returne . d to the Assemb1y R.oom, Mr. Thom . a. s LeFeuvre , , the du- . ly elected rep!resentative of the Dlsr­ trict of Burin, havin : g duly taken and subscribe · d to the prescribed oath ad. ­ ministered by the Hon.

President of the L.egislative c ,ouncil under commis .. sion from Hi:s. Excelleny the Gove,r­ nor, was formally introduced to Mr. Speake , r and the House by Rt. Hon . . the Prime Ministe,r and the Hon. C·o,.. lonial Secretary an· d took his seat. Mr. Speaker informe , d the House that when in attend .an,ce on His Ex­ cellency the Governor in the C 1 ounr cil Chambe:r, H-is Excellen ,cy had been pleased to make a gracious speech to b·oth branches : of the· Legi.slature 1 , a copy orf whic 1 h for p,urposes of great­ er ac:curacy he had obtained, and which he then ,read to the H. o.use. SPEECH FROM THE THRONE. Mr.

President and Honourable Gentl ,e­ men of the Legislative Council. Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen . of the Honourable House of Assembly. It affords me much pleasure to meet the assembled Legislature once more and to invite its co-operation in the conduct of public affairs. Since the close of the last session, the British Empire, of which New­ foundland is proud 1to be the oldest dependency, has witnessed a series of events of unique interest and im­ portance.

The solemnity of the Cor­ onation of the Sovereign and his Consort ·at Westminster was supple­ mented by the personal presence of Their Majesties at the Durbar at Delhi, where they were procla imed Emperor and Empress of India, while the year also '\\ritnessed the appoint­ ment of a Royal Prince to the Gover­ nor-Generalship of Canada, an appro­ priate recognition of the advance of Imperial nationhood; and tho11gh the functions of rthe Imperial Conference, '\\rhich preceded the Coronation, were ,

4 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. not otherwise enlarged, it saw its re­ presentatives treated as full partners jn the consideration of Imperial nation­ hood, and though the functions of the Imperial Conference which precede•.! the Coronation were not otherwise en­ larged, it saw its representatives treat­ ed as full partners in ithe considera:ion of Imperial defence schemes, a depart­ ure warranted by the colonial kins· · men having proved so fully their read­ iness to co-operarte in all measures designed to maintain the security and prestige of the Empire.

In the Festival of Empire which .was held in London recently, this Col­ ony, as you are a ware, participated, and, ·as I enjoyed the opportunity while in England of visiting the Ex­ hibition, I was much gratified with the splendid display made by New­ foundland, and have reason to be­ lieve, from various sources of inform­ ation, that the results cannot but be productive of great good in many ways.

From the collection shown in the Colony's Court, a permanent ex­ hibit w~s made up and installed in the Imperial Inst~tute, where New­ foundland has been granted a largely increased space for a display, to serve as a demonstration of her varied na. ­ t11ral resources and manufactured products.

It must be a source of pride to Newfoundland rthat it has pub­ lic spirited citizens so willing to devote their time and means towards assisting in carrying out so laudable a project, and they deserve our best thanks for their unselfish and long continued efforts. 1t is gratifying to be able to state that the prosperity of this Colony dur­ ing the past year has probably been greater than art any previous period in her history.

The fishing operations of our people, as regards the catch, were on the whole fairly successful, and the prices obtained for dried cod amongst the highest ever realized, a result due to short catches by our compertitors in the foreign markets> and to the purchase by American deal­ ers of considerable quantities of green fish to supply their domest ic de­ mands.

With the exercise of greater care in the cure and the emp loyme nt of new methods in the prep aring of fish for market, rthere seems no ,reas­ on why the Colony should · not main­ tain indefinitely its present for tu­ nate position with regard to its staple industry.

The increased catch of lobsrters in the past three seasons, and their larg­ er size, prove the efficacy of the reg­ ulations enforced for the conservation of this industry, and my Ministers are I encouraged . thereby to believe that, through other measures which will be submitted for your consideration in due course, it may prove possible to still further enhance the val ue and extent of thi~ indusrtr)·. During the past 3r . ~ar the worlt so energetically entered ·upon the p-.!'."e vious season for the .:;ncouragen1ent of Agriculture was pursued on a still more extensive scale.

The operatio11s of the various societies establis11ed under the terms of the Act show ea unabated vigour, and in the autum_11 exhibirtions were held in the Districts . of Burin, St. George's and Harbour Grace which proved highly success­ ful.

The evidence which these affor d­ ed, to even the people of the locali- · ties in which rthey were held, of the variety and extent of the agricultl1ral operations possible in Newfoundland; coupled with the highly remunerative prices now obtainable for farm pro­ ducts, should induce a largely increa s­ ed cultivation of the soil. · In November lasit it was my privi­ lege to personally open the branch railroad to Bona vista, the fir sh: of the series authorized by you in the ses­ sion of 1910. The road penetrates a

section of the country which promis es to afford substantial traffic, and I was extremely pleased to notice the •

• J• HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY .PROCEEDINGS. ' ~ ' - * 5 ' eviderLces of thrift and industry vis- ilJle in all the settlements touched by this artery of rtrade and commerce. The construction of the branches to Trepassey and Heart's Content has been co1nmenced, and it is hoped that these will be completed by the lartter part of the present year.

As a complement to the extension of the railroad system of the Colony, by the construcrtion of the branches already authorized by the Legislature provision will be in1rited for · steam communication on the north east coast and such improvements in the exist­ ing steam services as rthe develop­ ments of trade in the various parts of the Island call for.

In conjunction with railway exten­ sion it is essential that the improve­ ment of our main roads should be un­ del'ltal{en upon lines which will better ensure rtheir permanence, and also their extension through sections of the Island still lacking these facilities, as · they should prove valuable factors in promoting trade and intercourse, • agricult11ral developmen 1t, and the util- ization of natural resources. My Gov­ ernment propose to take this matter into their consideration at an earl)T date, and to formulate a definite pro­ gramme of such improve1nents and ex­ tensions.

The policies of telegraph extension including additional wireless sta­ tions; of adding to the number of lighthouses, fog-alarms, and other aids to na vigartion; and of improving the roads and marine works of the Colony, so actively enterprised by my Government, will be continued during the present ·year, and the necessary legislation to that end will be sub1- mirtted to you.

To extend the advantages of tele­ graphic communication to as many as possible of the outp ort communi­ ties, by utilizing telephones as aux­ iliaries to the tele gra ph sys tem, has for some time occupied the attention of my Ministers, and experts repre­ senting the most :niodern telephone ystems have visiited the Colony and studied this pro .blem at length, as well as the imprqveme ·nt in conjunc­ tion therewith, of telephonic facili­ ties for St. John's. A measure to deal wi1th this subject is jn prepara­ tion.

The question of combatting that wl).ich is known as the Great White Plague or Consumption, has been en­ gaging the serious atte11tion of my Minis 1ters. The tendency to-day of er1- lightened administrations and progros· · sive legislation is to grapple witl1 the problem in a comprehensive m;111ner.

One of the first acts of my Ministr:)rs on assuming office three · years a .!_SO was to recommend to my predeees­ sor rthe appointment of a Commis­ sion to enquire into this whole q·ueB­ tion, the work of which Comm is Rion during the intervening perio~j 11as shown the need for the creation of permanent agencies to cope with this ' disease. I am glad ithat, through the munificent generosity of three of our , , citiz.ens, and of the corporation of which they are the head, the Govern­ ment is assured of a substantial fac- tor towards rthe accomplishment of this aim, a large central sanitarium in St.

John's and smaller buildings for the same purpose in the other elect- oral districts, so that the financial provision you will be called upon to make need therefore only be for administration and maintenance. I feel sure the people of the Colony will hail with pleasure and thankfulness the announcement that this matter is now to be taken in hand with the completeness which its gravity com­ pels and that private generosity has been enlisted in so laudable an under­ taking. I am equally pleased rto ob­ serve that through the beneficence of another corporation in our midst, the cirty of St.

John's is being provid- ed with auxiliaries that mus1 t be bene- • • • 1 I \ ' J I I I I ( \ '

• - 6 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCE~DINGS. r 'I ~, , • J 1 I , I I • ficial to the health of its citizens. The Old Age Pension measure, ap­ _pr.oved by you last session, has re­ sulted so satisfactorily that, in ac­ cordance with the intention foreshad­ owed then, it is proposed to ask you this session to increase the vote by another twenty thousand dollars, vrhich will enable provision to be made for four hundred additional _pensions, the amoun:t voted last year providing for a similar ·number.

More­ -over, my Governme~t, feeling itself .bound to recognize the claims of those .on the list of permanent poor to in­ creased aid towards their mainten­ ance, have decided to add to the -ap­ propriation for this purpose - so that the annual payment to those deserv­ ing persons may be substan .tially in­ creased.

In furtherance of the policy of my Ministers as to increasing the appro · ­ priations for educational purposes as speedily and as liberally as the Col­ ony's finances warrant, and of other­ wise promoting educational effort, pro­ posals will be submitted to you for · providing pensions for the teachers of our public schools.

This measure, 1 while nort involving any additional bur­ d. en upon the Colony for some years, '\vill give those in the teaching pro­ fes sion a guarantee of much value in encouraging them to remain therein and will likewise, it is believed, as­ sist greatly in uplifting the general I I I status of education in the Colony.

The generous appropriation made for new school buildings, and for remodelling ' existing ones on modern hygienic prin­ ciples, has been applied to these pur­ poses, and the beneficial effect of this policy should make themselves felt in the improvement of the health of rthe pupils attending these schools, and in better results accruing from their studies. • ' During the past summer thanks to the good offices of His Majesty's Min­ isters and the London County Coun- cil, my Government were able to avail themselves of ithe services of a distin­ guished English specialist in the treat­ ment of the insane, to report upon rthe present Lunatic Asylum, and recom­ mend such improvements as seemed to him necessary.

His report will be laid before you. In conformity with his conclusions you will be asked to ap­ prove of the conversion of the present building into a Poor Asylum, and the construction of a modern hospital for the insane. Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Honourable House of Assembly: I am pleased to be able to inform you that the revenue for the fiscal year ending on the 30th June last was nort alone largely in excess of the esti­ mate, but also realized a very hand­ some surplus over the expenditure for the same period.

The Estimates for the coming fiscal year will be laid be­ fore you, and have been framed with due regard to economy in the adminis­ tration of public affairs without, how­ ever, impairing the efficiency of rt:he • • various services. Mr. President and Honourable Mem­ bers of the Legislative Council: Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Honou~ rable House of Assembly: The decennial Census has been tak­ en during the past fevv months, and I trust that before the session closes it may be possible rto lay before you an interim report, setting forth the salient facts regarding the growth of popul~ tion.

Negotiations are still proceeding between my Ministers and companies operating steamships on the North At­ lantic, with a view of securing an im­ proved ocean steam service, and it is hoped that they will have reached a stage ere long which will allow of your dealing with them. Ait the Imperial Conference in Lon­ don last summer, it was resolved that His Majesty should be approached

• r HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROC ,EEDINGS. 7 with a view to the appointment of a Royal Commission represent_ing the United Kingdom and the self-goven+­ ing Dominions, to in vestigaite and re'"" ' . port upon the n~tural resources and the improvement of the trade of the E1npire, and in accordance with the terms of this Resolution my Ministers have been invited to nominate a re­ presentative for Newfoundland there­ on, and have done so accordingly. During my stay in England I had the honour of being commanded to visit Their Majesties in their High­ land home at Balmoral.

Our King and Queen both displayed a keen in~ terest in the progress and advance­ ment of Newfoundland and its peo­ ple, and, before my depariture, His Majesty charged me with a message to all who dwell in this ancient Col­ ony, wishing them health and hap­ piness and the fullest measure of success.

I was specially pleased to be in a position ito assure Their Ma­ jesties, not alone of · the unswerving loyalty and devotion of the people, 'but that Newfoundland was enjoying a degree of prosperity unequalled in her history, and with every prospect of its long continuance. • Irt is with infinite pleasure that I take this great public opportunity of conveying to you the King's graciOllS and sympathetic message In conclusion, I trust that Almigl1ty God may long be please<i to 1)rosper this Colony and rthat He mi:1y g·11itle ')7 0lt aright in the work upon wl1!ch you are now about to enter.

RESOLUTION OF CONDOLENCE. THE HON. THE PREMIER:-B .e-· fore p1ro·ceed1ng to the regular and f 0 1r­ mal work of the session, I feel I ex­ press the ·desire of Hon. members when I invite them to place on re· cord a ,resolution expressive of th·eir sympathy in ~he loss which the c·oun­ try and the Legislature has sustain- ed in the re1ce·nt death of Sir James Winter, Mr.. A. J. W. McNeily, and Hon. D.

J. ·G,r.eene, three citizens who, for many years, occupied se: a~s in this Le·gi.slature, and ·at ·differen l t periods held many of the high offices of state which this Legislature · . h.as the pow­ er to confer on its membe.rs, or from adminis .tr.rutions which this Legisla­ ture controls. w . e ar· e too near the life ... work . of ou.r frie ·nds to form a corr 1e!ct peI"S­ pective o· f their careers, 0 1 r place a just estimate ·on the value the services wh.ich they re·ndere . d the State, and the part the: y played fair the past fo1rlty years in the more do- mestic r·oles of citizenship.

S'ir James Winter and Mr. McNeily were r1eturned to this House first, I think, in 1873, Mr. ·Gr·eene following in 1878, and fro· m these dates un ~il the tim. e o.f their decease they o·ccu­ pied a consp'icuous place in the pub­ lic life of the Colony, each man se~m­ ing to fill a p·articular role,- playing a p·articul3.ir part.

Fo 1 r over seventeen years it was my privilege to1 b1e a m. ember of th. e Legislature wiith Sir James Winte,r. and for nearly thirty ye·ars I was C ·onnected with him p.ro.fessiona.Ily, and in that way I had many op.portu­ nities o.f studying the va.ried qualifi­ cations which he posses ·sed, and which fitted him in so marked a degre . e for the legislative,p ·rofessional and judtcal duties he was cal'led upon rt· o perform. His life, for th·os. e wh: o· were near him, and closely associated and iden­ tified with his wo 1 rk, was an interest­ ing study. The keynote of his charac­ ter w1. s Thoroughness.

All his ener­ gies we.re · seriously and conscientio ·us­ ly devoted to whatever duties happ ·en­ e1 d to be assigned to· him for the ti'.me being. He nev·e·r had an idle mo­ ment, and large and sm.all matters

8 HOU~;E OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS , . ' were a.ttended to wi1th a detail which at once compelle · d admiration. • In his public caree,r he came near- . ' er one's idea of the sta tesman th.an tl1e politician. H a,ving fixed views in relation to large public questions, he was ever ready to stand or fall by his c·on victions. In tha t way b.e was more of th€ statesm an than the poli­ tician, who ·tr'ims his sail to the . ' changing bre.eze.

Quiet, unostenta- tious and unassuming , , he probably did as mu.ch real wo·rk for the state ~ ' as any man who ever satt in this Leg- islature and the Journals and public Statutes eloquen tly p,r·oc1aim the work he has done, and s·tand as monuments to his industry and abi.I~ty. He was an able, convinc~ ing debat·· er, posses sed of g reat Parliamentary cou rage.

I have been in this House on more th '1 n one oc·casion when. po: ljtical crise · s arose, well ca'lculate · d to illustraJte the characters of the parti- c·ip3:nts , and on tho·se b~c: as: ion1 s I have never known Si·r Ja.mes Winter to lack that p'lacid courage which alone is capable of giving a politi­ cal defea t tl1e semblance of victory. As a la wyeir h· e pos.sessed a fine, ju­ dic·al mind, and his name will b· e for ·eve· r identified with those important legal decis ·ions involving intern ::lrtion­ al as well as ·domestlc disputes whteb have come befo ·re the courts the past forty years. during • Mr.

M·cNeily, for near:iy a quarter of a century , w a.s a member of this Legislaiture, a.nd for a p·ortion of that ' , time occupied the Speaker's Chair.

Those who were in the House with him when he held that high judical ofiic · e will bear me 0 1 ut when I state th ·=tt he mo re than upheld the tradi­ tions for fairness between the par- • ties in the House thait cha racte ·rized the decisions of those who had gone b·efore him. • As Speaker, he brought to t11e con· side ,ration of the impo ,rtan1 t questions tha ~ from time to time came befor:~ · him, an impartial and judical mind, wi1th a wea lth o.f pr. e·cedent , which . was at once satisfying and co1nv,inc­ ing, sustaining the best tradi­ t ions of the speake ·r's chair from our · fi,rst speaker, John Bin.gley Garland to his immedi ~ute pre·dec·essor in o.f­ fice, my Right H 1 on. friend who n· o· w so ably 1eads bis Majes ty's Opposition.

He was an eloquent and flu 0 nt speak­ er,poet ica1 an· d classic i1,and a,mongst h_is literary remains .,whiich I trust may some day be collected and compi !ed, "l plac · e should be g·iven to '"5ele'"~ . :ions from his reported sp· e· e·ches. Mr. Greene,at the time of his death , , w :i.s a member of the Upper Cha al)e·r, but fo· r a great many years had. re­ p,resen ted Fe .... ·ryland in this b1';"l,n0 11 of the Le·gislature. An earne·:;t ::And painst ·1.king member, he proved for many years a faithful and efficier1t rep1resen ta ti ve.

He was a g,r· e~ ait favorite ill the H1ouse, a.nd, as the records show, was ready on every occasion to c·ont;;ibute wo1rds o· ~ warning or encourageme11t ir1 relation to the various mea ~ l1res thait came before th. e House. l!J ··e : cjs­ ing his best judgmen t in the ~riti~ism of public affa'irs ., he at the sa 11t:l time raJr·ely failed to impart into t!:le de­ bate a wealth of humor , whicl1 often relieved the discussion of cl11lln r~· ss and mono .tony.

All three men, for ne· a,r'ly a h 'l,J.f cen..; tury, were p.y1ominent in our ''ittle world , and their ,removal with in a few days of each othe r bri n gs l:ome to tlS , in a. very d1ramatic mann ;:."'. , he unc·ert o. .inty of ou, r tenure of Life \Ve can ill a.ffor d to 'Jose m en of tJ1?::; ~lass t r~Jn ed as t h.Py wer e in the publ:c ser­ vice orf the Colony. As Ne wfoundland g· r·OWs and i!eve1-

.I • • • - \ H Ol~ SE OF J\S SE n,1 ELY PROCEEDINGS. 9 ops, , as the administratior1 of P~lb1ic aff a.irs becomes moire imperial at 1 ome and abroad, as th~ W'Ork of public r11t~n co:tne to be something :µior e than il1e ID;e·re collection of t~e p·ublic te-1el}-ue, 3:.~d th~ p~y:i~g of sala.:ries to t:µe p1ub­ . ~ic oJficials, the yery best \11 ~1te1 rial will be requir ,ed in our public life if ' • .. • R • ' Newfoundland i~ to b_~ld her ,?lq,ce tn the match of Empire in which, clS an .

" -· O_ vers~a D·ominion. she h9lds to--rlay so P1rom.inen t ~nd proud a p,la,ce. ' . ~ ~ Wha,t we require are men who stand. n9t for pa1rty but for the s,tate· ' . , ,_ wh? aillf 1to ~erve thei 1r coun~ry ,' 'not for the p,rospect o! f making a fo_rtune , , bu, t for the 1re·warci of readiD:g in' t'he nation's eye.8 the h.app:iness -and l:,o~- ten tfil,ent of the people. · 1 Ou.r priva.te interests and Gtrr pr i- , ' • f 1. • yate affairs are like, a well \liaciI \line-i a ~ my,e~ch qeparit .ment daily ~11d ~61,lr­ ly ~ u .pt'll' 'ised and ::t.1ttended to, < • · tiz­ en vieing with citizen to emulate '! ~ .,. r ~ -.. , e·9-Ch ot 1 1c~:· in th.e 'York in 'Vl~i ~:1 · <:~ur J1 iD ~nga- 6£d, ac~uate_ d by o,nly· u1r13, nl:>­ tive---Jto do what is 1righ1 t a,nd ' to od­ va.nce l1is own interests - .

Hi2 J1,)n1e. Gf ' l ic.t he is ~he he "iid. , the pa,ttern o f the 1 ef-. i: regulated staite, (,\.,..!, ~- <le · pa,rtment of which is car-efu·11y ,i11<l ju­ dic:iously supervised and gove 1·r:_t:) d by him. But is t his true o- f our public af- • fairs? Is riot the op· p. o·site more near ' ' , the truth? Do not the majori ·ty of us too ' often fo,~~get tha ~ we ~t.re mer ?!v t11e . . tempo r a1 r y trustees of the pub1 Ic per- formin _ g for them that busineSR Vll1ich , it is nei ther practical no,r ~ ~1nvcnier1t ' .. for them to car,ry on themselve<:; ·? 1\.

"'lj ' . . . . is it not true also that in lhe Pleciti11n - . ' of Parliamen t s and administrations, ' we do not give the same consitle r!:t rtion and thought and judgmeiit tl1at we pay to 011 r private aff q-i1rs? Too often , in the busy life , we lead, • we a,re apt to pas, s hasty judgment on the p·ublic acts of others. Too oft8n we ascribe to those oc.cupying posi­ tions of public trust motives whi.ch would be m.ore 'likely to inf.luence our­ selves if we weire in their place.

When our friends h a,ve pas'sed beyond our reach; when. lying cold in death, we assuage our g:r~ef by laying costly wreaths and f1lowers upon thei1r bier, bestowing upon them all private and public manifest a,tions of our res· p·ec t and so,_;:"row; but when we have them wi1th us we deny them ordinary jus­ tice, we refuse to give them a flower of cpnsideration, of love or justice, b: ~ ~ plot and pl~· JJ: agai1i!st them and · ?flib~ i;:.-: ,tely ~i1:11 at misunde;r~rt:andi. ~g an~ misint~· rp,reting their every act.

Let us lea.rn to give them the flow­ ers when they are wi 1 th us, when they can scent their perfume , , and when they will re·pre.sent t, o us so·rnethin , g 1no,re tha, n mer· e vain regrets. There is nothing be.fore any of u8 but six fee 1t of mo ther earth. and tl1e rr1emory of the friends we mourn to..!day must bring this convinc .ingly home to eve-ry one of us.

"The boast of He,raldry, the pomp of Power, And all tl1at Be, auty~ alJ t l1a1t Wealth e'er gave, Await a.like the inevit a.ble· nour, The paths of Glory lea- d but to the Grave." This is n 0 1 t ~ he time no·r the plac · e for a panegyric on "the life wo,rk of our friends , bu1t when time has mel­ lowed our judgments, ,the· future · Pedley , or P1 rowse will pause to give a pa,ge of tribute to ~ heir worth, a tribute to their courage , to the power of the pu· rposes for w 1 hich they stood , and to the sin~eri t y of the'ir convictions.

I beg to move th8 fo ll o-v'v i ·?11:~; J:' 2-:i-1 t1- tion: - R ESOLV E D-Th at th is H 0 u-::e of Assembly desires to r eccrd an

IO HOUSE OF AS . EMBLY PROCEEDINGS. expression of its heartfelt sorrow at the decease of Sir James Win­ ter, Alexander J. W. McNeily, K.C., and the Hon. Daniel J. Greene K.C., for many years mem­ bers of this Branch or the· Legis­ lature. Their high attainments and thorouhness in the work under­ taken, rendered them a valuable a cq uisition to the Legislature. vVhilst mourning rtheir loss, the members of this House desire to oonvey to their relatives de·ep sym­ ~1a thy in their bereavement. MR.

KENT-I rise fo,r the purpose of seconding the r·esol ution : proposed by the Prime Ministe 1:r, and do so to express the entire and full sympathy of the Oppo· si~ion in ·the resolution. It is a matteir of very great t r·egret :LO me, and I am sure to the whole House that circumstances ove1r whic.ih he has. had no control have p1 r·evented the Rt. Hon the Leader of the Opposition from being he.re to second the resol u­ tion . .

For he could l1a ve spoken from personal connectio · n and relation with the deceased as m.embers o.f this House Unfortunately, they had passPd out, their life wo,rk as. members oif this House had been co1mpleted by the time I ha· d first the honou , r of a se·at here. We all recog-­ nize that in expre .ssing ou· r· sympathy in the ·death of three such promin­ ent men, we a,re ·doing s.omerthing un· ique in our history.

I do not think ther · e was e.ver a time in ou1 r' history when thre · e such prominent men pas­ sed .away in such a sho,rt space of tim·e, so rthat the Legislature was cal­ led upon to express its sym.pathy for all on the one oc·casio .n. Sir James Winte .r, Mr. McNeilly and Hon. D. J. Greene filled a large ·space in the P·Ub· lie .life of the Colony. Si1r James Win­ ter led in every de·partment of public life with which he was connected. In thi, s House he .rose · to the highest off1i~e i.n its· gift-the honourab1e and responsible position of Prime l\1inister.

In his p.rofession, he was a leader at the Bar, attained to· the Supreme Benc· h and was Pres1ident of tl1e Law Society fo, r years . . In every walk of life 'his tho,roughness brought hi. m to that pos·ition whic· h he deserved and whi·ch the people amo·ng whom he lived believed and knew he earned. Mr. McN eily was one o.f the bright· est 0 1rnaments mentally of the gener­ ation now passing away. His literary work will be .remembe 1 r.ed and recog­ nize - d as cla.ss 1 ical in generations to come.

We all know the peculiar mer­ it of h'is lite .rary productio 1ns and where any matte 1r - of high . literary at­ tainment was required h, e was select­ ed to perform the ·duty. It is unne­ cessary to go into the· particular me1r­ its of these p1roductions, they are known to ·every member o!f this House. The Hon. D. J. Greene wa. s a]s, o a man of high attainments, and was, perhaps. the· most genial ma, n that ev­ e1r he1d a seat in this House. This peculiar genius had more or less the effect of coverin . g the b1righter and deeper genius whic . h he displaye . d in his profess ;ional career.

H' e was a man with a keen insight of law and know­ ledge of the public life of the c, o~on.y ann was possessed o:f an unerring judgment. I do not wish to, further de­ lay the House at the pr,esent time as there are many othe : r matters to be cliscussed thiis afternoon. I merely \lrish to j.oin in this · e x p 1 r e1 s s i on of sympathy to1 the fam· ilies o.f the deceased. They will ~ ~ ~lld a large p]Rce in the history :1f the Co 1 lony. ~re may i1ot be able to form a proper perspective of their careers • • f

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. II but we a,re the best generation to ap p1raise the per·sop.ali ty of each, and , I think the entire opinion of this House is that all tl1ree were esteen1ed jn life and are regretted in ' ·death. The r· e1solution was unanimously aidoote ·d. MOTI ON FOR ADDRESS IN REPLY. MR. P. F. MOORE.-Mr.

Speaker, I beg ~o move 1tha. t a, n address be p,re. ­ sented to His Excellency the· Gove ·rnor in reply to the Speech fro · m the Throne and in rising to pe,rform this important duity I would say, a~ the outs .et, that I am deep'ly sensible of the high honor ·conferred on me in my selec 1tion fo· r this important ta,sl\:. I am also well aware of the difficul· ties which beset my path and I there­ fore ask that ithe House would view my shor t comin .gs with the leniency which iit has shown in the pa.st to honorable members . , under simila . r cir· c.umstances.

As His Excellency points ou1 t in the opening pg,ragraph of his Speech, the past year 11as been unique in the an­ nals of ,~he British Empire. Newfound­ land is not alone the oldest but the mosr t loyal of the Colonies, and it did its part nobly in 'the C· oronaLion festi­ vities. The celebr otion . s both in St. Jol1n's and in the outpo :its were of tha ~ wl101e-11earted and universal c 1 har­ acter~ always associated with New~ foundl ~. nd's

part in e·verything that pertains to make clear its loyal '- y to , the sove :'ei gn and to· the Br~tish Em­ pire. We ,rejoiced in the Coronation, and we laid the Corner Sto11es of a l\1emorial to King Edward at the Gen­ eral Hospital, and of a Seaman's In­ stitute on vVate1r Street, named afte1r I<ing George; we car:rie· d out a pr~­ gramme which covered th.rep days, an· d .in which every form o;f popular reJoicing was included.

We follo ·wed with interest the ro1yal jou,rney through India and glorie · d in its. suc­ cess and i.f, .as seems . possible now~ the Duke of Connaught should visit the Colony while he remains in Can­ ada, he m.ay co·unt upon a reception which wi'.11 te81tify to him that New­ foundJ .and's claim to the first place in loyalty and devo~i.on is not maide without the strongest foundation.

To tl1e s.uccess of the Festival of Empire . in Londo · n last yeair His Ex­ cellency the Go·vernor gives his per· sonaJ testimony so far .as Newfound- land is concerne ·d, and 1thJs House · wil,L, I am sure, fully ag.ree with him . that the outlay ma,de by us on ac­ count of that exhibition w.as amply justified because flt b·rought home to the British people, as never b·efiore,. · the varied re·sources .and possibilities. of Newfoundland.

It is a matte 1r if or p• r'ide, too, tha1t we have in the C·olo­ ny rr1en o:f public spirit who contribute their time and money in order to en-­ sure the success of the affair. Regardless o.f paJrty, we can all re­ joice in the prospe ·rity that ha, s at­ tended the Colony of late years. From a material point of view, the Speech furnishe · d many subs 1tantia.I gro·unds or cong.ratulation upon the excellent p· o·sition whic · h our Col1ntry O ·ccup[es a, t the present time. It is very pleas-, ant to note the vast strides in the deve '1o.pment of ou, r· var'ious resou1r· c·es ..

It is satisfacLory to kno· w that every branch o.f ind us try in this Colony is­ to-day flourishing as never belfo· re~ O~r fisheries have now reached a stage beyond all p,re.cedent, the· prices o·btained for our codfish have never been e· q ualled b·e.fore. TbJis fact is due to the enlarged ma,rkets which the C·olony is securin . g abroad, and to the lar.ge. pur·chases of green fisb by - '

' • 12 HOUSE OF ASS~:MBLY PROCEEDINGS. ' Americans and Canadians, whe·reby the foirtunate position the Colony has gained in its markets f o· r dry fish is maintained even better than previ­ ously. As I a. m not as fully conversant on fishery matters as the gentlem , a, n who is as.sociated with me in this mo­ tion to-day, I will leave it to him :o deal mo,re fully with this matter and with the proposed legislation re­ spec~ing the lobster fishery and con­ tent myself with exp·ressing tl1e hope that the fishermen of Newfoundl and may long c·ontinue to secure as good prices as they have the past ye~r.

We can all conc·ur in the expecta­ t·ions of His Excellency regarding the development of · a,griculture which has shown s11ch wonde,rful strides under the stimulating influence of the Gov­ ernment's agricultu:r ·al policy. The exhi 1bitions that have been held have been, as he says, a complete proof of the possibilities of the Country in this respec ~, , and as the Branch Ra,il­ roads are constr ·ucted the develop­ ment of agr·ic·11lture must follow even more larg·ely.

The opening of the Bona vista Bra,nch Rai'lroad } . a.st fall was an oc­ casion long to be rem em be.re· d and the providing of rail way extension for that important district, was . a m.ea sure a,mply justified by t~e success­ ful place the d·istrict occupies in ou.r indus .L 1 rial avocations, and one which its enterprising people ha· d certainly deserved. I look forward, M,r.

Speak~ er, with confidence to the dj·strict of Ferry1and , of which I have the honor to be one o.f the .represen tatives , wtt­ nessing the opening of its br13,nch rail ! road during the fall of the pres,.. ent yea, r and also that to Heart'e Con ~ ent. I am glad to note that the Govern . ment intends to inaugur '.1.te a policy of road extension and improvement. An·yone who repi resen ts an outport district n1ust realise that ther · e is no matte,r of greater concern to the p_eople of '~ hese districts than that of good roads.

Fo· r the past two o· r three ye.i.rs the Governmen ~ has been able, through its ove,rf1lowing · r·evenues, to make speclal provision for roads, but a gene r·aI measure inaugurating mod­ e,rn 1nethods of road building will be productive of the very gr eatest good '. o the people of all pairts o.f the Col· ony. In the s ·1.me way, I am g"ad to see that the Government will con .. tinue its policy of extending the tele­ graph lines, providing more wir eless s · ations and adding to the number of Lighthouses and mar'ine wo· rks.

It is gratifying to know that since this Gove rnment took office more than 400 miles of tele .g,raph line have been bufl ~' th.-;, t 23 lighthouses and fog alarms have been erected, more than eve r accomplished before , w bile the sums expended on Marine Works have also been large,r than ever in our his· tory. It will also be a s atisfaction to know that the Government is to un­ de-rtake the iinstaflation of a general system of telephones for the Colo1:ny.

In many of the smaller outpor ~ s whe,re the trade would not warr ·ant the es­ tablishment o.f telegraph offices an· d the pir·ovid;ing of skilled opera L o~rs, the installation of teleph ·ones in the Post Offices or some similar place will be of great service to the people and ought to a,dd considerably to the Revenue of the Postal Teleg·,raph De· -partment. The establishment, too, of a public Telephone System in St. Jol1n's is in l·ine with mode rn ideas on this subject everywhere and will, 1 believe, be welcomed by the com- munity. The determination of the Govern-

' HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEE _DINGS . 13 • afte · r that time the c·alls c·annot be ment to grap ·ple w·irth Consumption · t d·t bl d th · cely very g . r eat . c·onsidering the con,ditions. t.s mos ere i a e an e p,r1n necessar · y to qualify for a pens :on. It generosity of the Reid Newfoundland will be a satisfastion to everybody Comp any in providing the sanitaria that the Poor Asylum is to be aban-nece ssary for the purposes has doned and that the pre·sent Lunatic earned them ge·ne,ral public approval Asylum, which is n· o· ~ longer fit_tedi for and w1ill help greatly in facilitating the Government's wo,rk.

The prevai· the purpose for whiich it is now us­ ed, is to be converted into a P .oQI" ence of tuberculosis is the greatest .Asylum and a new Lunatic Asyl111 m menace to public health that exists in · · constructed. Th1is is a step in the this Island to-day, and the Govern:- right direction and one that certa~nly ment's policy will co.mmend itself on will, I thiink, commend itself both to g1rounds of humarnty as we11 as of this House and the , c;ountry at large .. public interest.

While on this para- The Lunatic Asy!lum has been the graph, I think I would be justified : !n sub·iect of much unwelcome comment express ·ing the thanks of this House, · in late year · s and to modern 1i1Ze it an· d of the whole c·ountry, through the -.. wi1i, in my humble opinion, prove of · Reporte ,r's Box, to the Reid New g.reat benefit to the tnmates . and a foundland Co., for this very practical great relief to their relatJ 1ve,s.

That exp,ression of their inter ·est 'in the H.is Exce1 1lency is: able to announce a welfare of ou.r peop1e, an· d in doing substantial surp ·lus o.f ,revenue as a so, I am sure I . am voicing the se· nitl· result of the last fiscal year is ::a. ments of all. matter for congra .tulation.

It is. cer- The decision which Hds Excellency ta;inly wonderful how thi1 s Colony has Intimates that the Government will p,rospered in late years and a large provide another 400 Old Age Pe·n- share o.f the c·re.c1it must be given to sions this year is one that wi11 be the present Government which, when hailed with 1sati · s.faction by th 1 e toil- it took office, found itself facdng the worn fishe ,rmen oif this Colony, who largest ·defii1cit in our 1revenue in mod­ are now at Ia.st . assured of some p.ro- ern times, but the Gove ,rnment has vdsion in their old a,ge, and who can siince been able, th.rough :good gener­ see fo, r themselves . that an honest . , alship, to so imp1rove the c·onditions earnest effort has been made to cope in the Colony, as to bring abo1ut s.ur­ with thts matte · r after it h· a1 d been pluses that have never b"een approach ­ played with by others for S· O many ed.

The ·people of the Colony h·ave yea 1rs. A c·ommendable step in the cause fo1r tha,nks at the m.ann. e. r tn . same direction is represented by the whf.ch it has progressed. Not alone estab 11 'ishment of a pens iion for teach- have the f.ishermen been .success .ful ers.

Thlis scheme as I und ' ei r·stand it, but tl1e iron mines , and the pulp mills . m.e!1.ns tha t for 14 yea,rs to come there the lumbering industry and a111 the will be no burden upon the Colony m'ino · r pursuits that have . been follow­ on this account, because the funds ed, have shar ·ed in the gene .ral ~d­ belonging to the teache.rs whic · h have vancement until it is ·doub · tful if, all be'en handed O ·ver to the ·Gover ·nment, things conside ·red, there is any more will P·rovide enough in interest to ·prospero · u. s port· i,on of the Br itis . h Efil"o P'ay a1: 1 the charge . s that can fall upon pire to-day than this Islland home of the Colo,ny durin~ g that period and ours.

May these favorable c· o,ndiition&

• HOUSE OF AS~EMBLY PROCEEDINGS. long co·nti.n ue and may our ~r· ade sti11 further exten · d as the years . go by. We shall await with interest, Mr. Speaker, the P1r·om:is.ed Report on the Cen·sus, and also the result of the neg·o.tiati.ons for an im:proved At'lan­ tic ser·vice. We shall hope that the· Imperial Tra·de Commission on whic: h the Colony i. s to be rep1r·esented will • result in some advanta ,ge to N1ew· foundland, and · likewise tha!- the ef· forts o. f tl1e Gover .nn1ent to· advanc . e the \interests of the Colony may con­ tinue to meet with a generous meas­ ure of succes .s.

It is pleasant to know from His. Ex .. cellency that · Thei 1r Ma,jesties th. e King arid Quee · n who· visited u: s. so,me 10 years ago, show suc· h interest in the oldest Colony and our p1eople will, I am sure, feel higl1ly grati= · i1ed at the kin-dly message which the King sent to us. Let us hope th 3.,: before many years Their Majesties , may horoUir · us with a vis-it again, and that the.

Col~ ny may be enjoying the same favor­ able conditions a, s. no· w prevai1 1 , so that the reception which our King and Queen would certaLnly re·ceive f.ro- m their loyal atid devoted subjects would exceed anything yet a ~.tem:pted. With these brief and inadequate re­ marks, Mr. Spe1.,ker, and wishing this Colony a long continuance of the prosperity it now enjoy 1s, I be; g to move the appointment of a Co·mmit­ tee to draft an address in reply. MR. LeFEUVRE.-Mr.

Speaker,­ In rising to second the motion for the appointment of a Committee to draft an address in reply to the gracious speech of His Excellency, so ably pro­ posed by the member for Ferryland, I may say that it is not my intention to inflict upon the House a speech of un­ due length His Excellency's Speech refers in its opening remarks to ithe Coronation of T1h 2ir l\la_jesties c·t1r beloved King and QL:.·2e1~ \Vhich auspicious event took place 10_st year a.nd in celebrating -vvhich, all Newfoundlanders, so far as '\Ve ,,vere able, took part, than whom their Majesties have none more loyal than the subjects of the Oldest Colony of the Empire.

Reference is also made ito the Festi­ val of Empire; that grandest of n10d­ ern pageants also held in London last year, and in which this Colony took part, nor does he forget to mention, thosfl citizens of ours, \.Vho gave tin1e, and talent, to ithe arranging of exhibits, and the general supervision of the Newfoundland products. The entire country jubilant over the • lS of the Messrs. Reid on just now generosity their of- fering the Goi-rernm snt the ex1)e~1di1 tu1 · e of the sum of $100,000.00 in building sanitaria.

These sanitaria or homes . for Consumptives '\Vhen establish0d and working, will be an unqualified blessing, to each comm1111ity in wl1ich they are erected, and to the cou:1try as a whole. Any one acquainted ''.rith the ravages of that dre:=td diseas8, . which yearly claimR more than 1.000 victims cannot but realise from a com­ mercial standpoint what a loss tl-tis means to the Colony. Placing the earn­ ing power of each at $300 gives a total of $300,000, and as the greater part of thi.s sum would be spent on -dutiable goods there is a direct loss tel the re­ venue of probably nearly $100,000.

This is the commercial side of the question, but there is another phase of this subject, the pathetic. There are few who have not had friends, or relatives, die of this disease, few who have not had opportunities to trace with apprehension the first signs of the dreaded White Plague and feel that another victim will soon be claim­ ed; and in spite of all that friends could do; go to an untimely grave. The Association for the Prevention of

l HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. Consumption has done m-uch t o try a n d cope \vith the di sea se, and much cr sdit is dt1e that ass ociation, but thr ough lack of proper homes for sush ca ses, their work has been mt1ch hindered. The Messrs.

Reid by their philanthro­ phy will place such homes \Vithin reach of all, in outports as well as city; and I am glad to note thait the fish market s of that quantity, and a ~ a conseqt1ence \Ve . may reasonably E'.'C­ pect high figurs to rule for spring catches, as the Americans have reliev­ ed us of a quantity of fish, that would otherwise be held over in salrt bulk for spring delivery.

It · i1s well known that the· lobster fishery around our coasts had for some people of the outports are not slow to " express themselves, and hence we read in the daily papers of meetings called, and resolutions passed; resolutions of appreciation and thankfulness appre­ ciation of ithe princely generosity· c:!: the lVIessrs. Reid and thanl~f11lness that our wealthy and influential citizens are devoting their wealth to such noble purposes.

The Government, ever ·ready to as­ sist a good work, whether for the com­ mercial or social bertterment of the people will gladly appropriate a vote at this session for the maintenance of these institutions. . His Excellenc · y remarks on the gen­ eral prosperity of the country. '1 his prosperity is guag·ed by ithe success or non Ruccess of our fishery. Last year this fishery on the v1hole, was not as many would wish it, especially our West Coast shore fishery, which during the two best months of the sea­ son '\vas almost a blank. Indeed over the entire West Coast the trap fishery was a complete failure.

This shortage on the West Coast was 8ome\vhat balanced by the success of the Nortl1ern fishery; and later in the -season we had a general improv­ ment all rot1nd, and this coupled with high prices, secured for our fish lasi t seasoil. rro11ght the value of the catc·h up to a fair voyage.

The high prices obtained for our cod­ fish last year was chiefly due to a shortage in the American catch, and ·the consequent demand for Newfound­ land fish, some thirty thousand quint­ als being sold in a green srtate to that marl{et, thus relieving the foreign dry • the last three years have sho·wn. an in­ crease in catch, and the effort rthat is ab out to be n1ade with a view to its preservation will tend to preserve that increase.

In 1911 we exported 28,644 cases valued at about half a million dollars which was an increase of four thousand cases over rthe previous . year, with an increased value of about one hundred and twenty thousand dol­ lars. Twenty years ago we exported near­ ly three time · s that quantity of lobsters~ at a price per case of a.b<il1 t c>r1e-l1a1 t ,_ !'. present day prices.

This goes to sh r:\'v that at the present prices . if \VG \ a :1 'get our catch up to what it \V~l s t "·.1: " '"'- . ty y·ea· r· s ago, our lobster fls .hery, in­ stead of being worth only half a mil­ lion dollars will be worth one and a half millions.

And surely such a fish- . ery as ithis; employing as it does be­ tween four and five thousand of our fishermen, is worthy of consideration; and as foreshadovved in His Excellen­ cy's Speech, the Government will bring in practical legislation tending to pre­ serve the seed or spa'\\rn bearing lob­ sters, and this can only be accomplish­ ed by devising means for those lob­ sters being placed where the seed can mature. It has been estimated that an eight inch lobster carries five thousand eggs and a fourteen inch ·lobster carries forty thousand.

It will be readily seen that, supposing only one per cent of these eggs came to maturity that tQ.e eight inch lobster would produce fifty and the larger one four hundred, but in order to insure the propagation of •

• 16 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. these eggs the mother lobster must be either put back into the water by the fishermen, or placed in some proper reservation where irt can mature. Further Encouragement of Agricul­ ture.-In this respect the Government on coming into power, introduced leg­ islation and appointed a board to carry on the agricultural policy of the Gov­ ernment.

This board ai t once set to work or­ ;; , : ~~.ln g agricultural societies all over ' ' the island, and to-day we have about eighty of these societies distributing the best of seeds and literature among the people; as well as the best breeds of caJttle and sheep. The Government's policy of holding agricultural shows or exhibitions, is one that has gained much general popularity, and judging from the great interest of the people of Burin dis­ trict in our exhibition of last October, will, I feel sure, create a healrthy riv­ alry all over the country, as to which district will put on the best exhibition.

In spite of adverse comments with re­ gard to Burin's agricultural possibili­ ties, the result was highly successful. There were nearly five hundred ex­ hil~ itors and more than six hundred ex­ hibit• and these · exhibits, e,xcel1ent as t~2y were pronounced to be, did not do the district justice, owing to the ex- 1ended period of dry weather last sum­ mer, which had a damaging effect up­ on the crops. This exhibition has done much to awaken agricultural interests in Burin, as I feel certain, has also been the case in the districts of Harbor Grace and Carbonear and St.

George's, where al­ so . exhibitions were held. Much may be said with regard to the Govern­ rr Pn1t's agricultural policy, so . far, the results are m.atter for congratula· ti(. 1Il. I could say a great deal about the Burin exhibition, but suffice it to say that it awakened many of our people to the agricultural possibilities of their own district; and many doubt- ful ones who visited our exhibition came prepared to see the worst; they came, saw, examined and finally ad­ mired and were convinced.

Branch Railways.-! am glad to notice that a reference is made to rthe Government's branch railway policy, a policy that has been carried into ef­ fect without loss of time; and the im­ portant town of Bonavista is alread .y enjoying railway communicaition with the capital.

Speaking as an man, I can readily outport business understand the great commercial advantage of such connection to the residents of Bona­ vista, and principally the business peo­ ple who are now engaging largely in the packing of fish in casks; and in­ stead of having to ferry ithese casks and other freight on board the coastal boats, often at great risks in stormy weather, they can load them in the freight cars and have them conveyed safely overland ito the city for trans­ shipment.

The district which I have the honor to represent does not as yet enjoy the advantage of railway connection, hav­ ing as we do to travel many miles east or west to make connection; buit, Sir, we cling to the hope that, on the com­ pletion of the proposed branch to For­ tune Bay we shall see a continuation . of that branch right through the penin­ sula of Burin. At the present time, however, we are more concerned in main line roads.

It is a fact that until recently we had no main line, but since the ad­ vent of the presenrt Government, a road has been almost completed that will encircle the district and touch every settlement when complete, and thus place the districrt on an equal with other districts as regards main line roads. 'telegraph 'extension.-The Premier in his manifesto to the people on his assuming the Leadership of the Peo­ ple's Party, pledged his party to tele-

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. 17 graph extension. How thoroughly rthat promise is being carried out is shown by the fact that in Dist. of St. Barbe alone, no lees than 250 mile . s of line have been co11structed, and I am glad to note tha1 t provision will be made at this session for the further extension of that service, there being many de­ aervi .ng settlements not yet sharing in the advant.age of that great commer­ cial facility. Nor should I fail to mention that Burin district has also been favored in ' this respect.

I refer to the connecrtion of the important settlement of Flat Is­ lands with the main land by cable; and the establishment of an office now working there, and much appreciarted by residents of that community. Gar­ nish, also an important settlement in For~une Bay, in direct connection witl1 Burin by road, has also been connect­ ed; which is an equal advantage to Burin as ito the people of that com­ munity.

Telephone Extension.-As a result of the Governr11e11t's energetic tele­ graph policy tl1e majority of the im­ portant outports are now connected by telegraph, but rt,here are many smaller communities which do not warrant the maintenance of telegraph offices, but on the other hand the importance of man:y of these places during the fish­ ing season a s bait resorts, and rtl1e con­ sequent gathering of many fishing ves· sels calls for some mea11s of rapid com111unicati on and thit;j ar1"';~a.nta!2·e can be gained by telephonic connection.

The pul)lic ar e already i11del1ted to the present administration for a daily ·telegraphic fishery report and the ad­ dition of the telephone would make th e service cc~r:1"!')let · ;:·.

Sr)eaking 0f Bt1rin district in this connection I wish t () h <l. ~, P i t n n rl er~ t n 0 d t h at r d o n t1 t spea1 r s2lfishly bl1t 1{11cwing Burin as I . do I can in perspective by compari- .son the n:irre r 0 adi1~'l dic:rer~1 t"he needs of other districts in this re- spect; for not only for fishery news purposes but also to the business peo· ple of Burin, the telephone will be of inestimable benefit, and I feel sure that the same applies to other out· ports.

Old Age Pensions.-It is with grati­ fication, Sir, that I notice rthat our aged fishermen are to be again re· m,embered and that the Govt. will at this session appropriate · ano~her­ $20,000 to provide pensions for an ad­ ditional 400 deserving ones. At last session provision . was made for four hundred which were distributed am­ ong the eighteen districts according to population.

If there was one promise in our · Leader's manifesto, that was looked upon with doubt by the public I be­ lieve it \Vas the "Old Age Pension ,cheme" but ithe manner in whic~ -. has been carried out has compelled the admiration of all, and I believe · our Leader's i1ame will be revered by posterity, as being the man who insti· tuted the Old Age Pension Scheme for the benefit of the fisherman in his de­ clining years.

From , ti'me to time we are trE ated in. the p·ress to suggestions with re­ gard to our teachers' salarieg and pen­ sions; some of which may be practic­ able; and many of which are highly impracticable; and it is gratifying to kno\v that a scheme will be considered at this session ito place them on the same basis as civil servants as regards pensions, "\.Vith a view to encourage thern to remain in the profession.

The steady exodus of teachers from th3 pro­ fession has resulted in our schools be­ ing supplied with young and inex­ perienced ones; many of whom follow their predecessors' · example and use it as a stepping stone to other posi­ tions. Some eigl1teen years ago I t ool-c charge of a public school, at a salary of $200.00. At the present tim e a. ' teacher of the same grade gets nearly

r8 HOUSE OF· ASSEMBLY PROCEEDING '.:: . dr1 uble ithat sum, due to increase . d Government grants; and the pre.sent a(Imi11istrat if}n has already , done much to help educational interests , especial­ ly in providing schools in settle;ments where none existed before; and I be­ lieve that wi1th the adoption of the new pen sion scheme, the exodus from the tea ch ing profession \Vill be consider­ ably reduced; and the teachers, en­ couraged by the prospect of a sub­ stantial pension, will stay and gain ex­ perience in the profession; and thus the benefit of .this experience will be participated in by the · pupils.

An in-, r ter .esting feature in connection -Yvith this scheme is its comparative cost­ lessness. As is well lrnown a · scheme, though a wholly inadequate one, has been · in exisrtence for about twenty years.

The accumulated surplus, now over $50,000, which belongs to the teacher s, is being ·handed over to the Gove rnment, and forms a nucleus of the nevv scheme; so that, although great · inducement will be held out to retair1 teachers in the profession, and so give to children and parents the benefits of ripe experience; the a~tual cost to the Colony for many years to come will be little or nothing. - Ne-vv Lunatic Asylum and Poor Asy- lum.-The fact that the Government intend giving their atte11tion at this session to both these institutions, will be hailed with approval throughourt the Colony .

The pres_ent administration has a.lready made substantial addition t o and improvements on the General Hn spit al , a.nd that institu ition has now be<'.nme a credit to the city anrl to the Colony. This condition does not ap­ ply . unfortunately, to ithe other two institutions, but I gather from His Ex­ c ellency 's Speech that a p:ieasure will be introduced, which, when carried in­ to effect, will, no doubt, place both the se insrtitution _ s on a par with the -0ne already referred to.

I 8hall not detain the House longer, but before I close I ,should like to make brief reference to the p 2rs cna. l l)Oli cy of tl1e Rt. Hon. the Pre1ni er. I r efer to his nersonal visits ito the ·vari ous " Districts of the Colony, which are very inuch appreciated and enjoyed by the people. During the last year , the Rt. Hon. the Premier .paid t-Yvo visits to, ' ·the District of Burin, his last visit be- ing in October, when, at the invita­ tion of the Ag·ricultural Committee, he personally came and opened the Agri­ cultt1ral Exhibition. Not for some time will that visit be forg otten.

Th e splen- : 'Vveather, the immense gathering of people, and chiefly the presence and the brilliant address of the Premier · \vhen he fo.rmally opened tl1e exhibi- · tion, combined to render it a note­ worthy occasion. I would be 1 a... in my duty as a representative of that district if I ,did not make some refer- . ence to the deep public appreci 1ation of these visits. With these few remarks, Mr. Speak­ er, I beg to second the motion. MR. KENT-Mr. Speaker.

In :rising I wish i.n t~e first place to exrtend hearty congratulations to the hon­ membe1 · s who mo·ved and seconded the motion fo-r a Commit ~ e1 e to draft the ".'1dd1ress in reply. We have had from both these gentlemen an expres- - sion o.f their views of the policy, or what is "- ermed the ·policy. of th~· present Governrqent as outlined in· the Speech delivered by His Exce~­ lency the Governor this afternoon. I wish to welcome to ~ his House the hon. me,mb·er fo· r Bur1n, MT. LeFeuvre I think he has shown that the latest member will be an acquisition to :.he speaking and deb 0 Jting powers of the· House.

He gave us a ve·ry inte1rest­ in g address on the speech from the Throne as it presented i ' self to him_ Now I wish before refer1ring to the· Speech f1r·om the Throne to express : my 're·gret, an· d the regret of ... he House that ci,rc·umstances have p·re- • '

HOUSE OF i\S~E }fBLY PROCEEDINGS. 19 vented the Rt. Hon. Leader of the Opposition from being present he1re to-da ,y. Membe ,rs of tl1e Hous , e ar· e .aware that he lives at some disitance from the city, and that dur·ing the past week we have had very unusual ·weD_,the1r, which has prevented him from being here in ·time fo.r to-day's :sess .ion. It was his intention to come in on Monday last, s. o as to be su.re , to be he.re to-day; but . unfdrtuna~. ely no train has got through f1rom Whit­ ·bourne since that ~ime. I have to ,express my regret and that of my col .. leagues at his absence to-day.

It is very difficult to be seve 1re in c1 r· i~icism ·Of the train service at the· present time. \!\Te know · that ~he -conditions are a little unusual, but still I cannot help s · ying that I do no ~ consider the conditions such tha~ they ought not to have been coped with.

As a ma~ter ·of fact an eng'ine and plough c·ame throug·h f1ro· m vVhitbourne on Mon- day, and the road w :1.s open, so that · a train cou: 1 d have gone through, at • any t·in1e between then and now .I myself saw the conditions thc:tt exist­ -ed. for I w·--: s on '.· 11e spot at Brig us Junction, and if an effort commensur­ ·ate with the difficulties h 'ld been made they could have been ove,rcome - Howeve·:~ . Mr. Speaker.

I a,m sure that these difficulties will be taken into ·considera :bion, and that the debate up· on this moti.on will not close this af­ te· t '"noon, but that oppo,rtunity will be given the Rt. Hon. leader of the Oppo­ ··sition to deal with the Speech f.rom the Throne. I ·do not propose aj_ such short notice to ·deal wi ~h it in detail. Not until this af~e· rnoon did I know defini 1tely that this duty would de- my exp,erience of this House , , a.nd I have been here n.ow eight yea1rs, I have never hear · d a speech which said so little in so many words.

It has been c·ustomary to describe the speech from the Throne when it is padded an· d filled out lik. e tl1at of th1s a.fte•rnoon as a balloon. I do not think we have ever had a larger balloon pr"esen~ . ed to tlie country than this one. There is no m.ea.sure of any con­ structive po'licy in tl1e whole speech Pe1rhaps ~ the me. m.bers of the Gov­ e.rnm ,ent look upon past sessions as Di closed bo·ok as soon as they were ended,and have evidently forgotten to look back and see how fo,r· me: ~· efforts have develope · d and the res.ults thait h 1.ve accrued.

Again, Si1r, the,re are many subje ·cts of suprem . e importance to the people of this country upon which the people have been wa]tjng fo,r enlightenm ,ent, and upon which for the pa.st twelve mon Lhs members of this House -:i .nd the public have be~n a.nxiously awaiting pronouncements . But w· e c.ome here qnd find that ~here is no quest1 ·on of public importance definitely dealt with in the Speech There can be no question1. buL that the country at the pr·esent time is enjoying prosperity, but what is ,_he ca11se of it.

Take the matters referre · d to by the hon. members opposite who have jus+ spoken. and by the Minis.te,r of Fin:nce during his visit to London. 8.nil yo11 will finrl thai t the cat1se of this prosperity dates back to the see·ds sown by ~h. e late administration.wh.jch a.re no· w bearing fruit. and which the hon. gentlemen opposite now c1.-.·im to be main factors in br'inging i,_ about, We are told tha;t the pulp industry is -volve upon me. I have not seen the growing. Yes. it has been growing -speech nor a co·p· y of it. I have only from its institution 11ere. whicb wa.s heard it read.

But fr~om hear1·ng i·t bef th b. t1· • ore e co 1 m ina . . on n~w in ~~we,r this afternoon, I may say that in all was in exis ~ence. That that gre"Jt in- •

• 20 HOUSE OF ASSEMBl,,Y PROCEEDINGS. <lustry has grown has been the result ()f the policy of the late administra­ tion. The m:ining development, and nearly all the othe . r industries !n ex- istence wer. e initi a1ted, planted and .grown through the !abouts of the pre­ vious go1vernment. I ask the hon. membe ,rs o~ the opposite side, if th,ere is one Act t'o which they can pioint as ·const 1ructive poli ·cy up· o· n whic · h the present prosperity of the coun ~ry is based. I don't think th·ey can.

We h '1.ve had for the pas 1 · three years a ·f.renzied rush by c·ontractual legisla- tion with pa1rtt.es about whom the country at large knows no .. hing. We ·are told nothing atout Messrs.

Tiref­ ethen and Lo·rd; nothing about the question of c·old s Lorage, which was .,rushed through ·this House last ses­ sion. and which we " rrrP- :if· ·nirl we could not get through qujck enough, t r- ~'la . hle th e c ontractors to begin their operati 1ons in time fo, r · the fi.sh­ E' rv . l th ink tha t the failure -at l· e1 st so far as the people of the ~ oun\try know of this at~ · empt of the G'.';"lrernment to start a consrtructive policy is suffjcient 1 ~T clear for any pe· ·. ·son to see.

Again , S'ir, we had all hoped, in view of the rev.en ues refe1r­ red to by ithe hon. gentlemen, and in the speech f.r.om the Throne, . and which the org 'tns of the Government have been proclaiming for the past year, that the people at large would benefit in some way by a reduction in taxation, ~ s a result of these in­ creased revenues. But the Speech from tl1e Th,rone is silent upon that ma.L ter. We are not to'ld that this in­ crease in revenue is to lead to a re­ duction in ·tax.,tion. I ·think that all wi11 reco 1gnize that some· such ,reduc­ tion is necess "'.ry.

We al:I know that the cost of living in this city is in- ·creasing to an alarming ex Lent , wben . viewed f1rom the earning powers of the people. Something must be done by any Government, which bope 8 to retain the confidence of the people, to attempt to reduce the te· r;rible cost of living in this country. On the Gov· ernment devolves the ,responsibil ,ity.

We should have e·xpected tha t instead of being wa.sted on trips, these boun­ tifu1 revenues might have been spent in inc1r·easing the salaries or the mem­ bers of the Civil Service, who are unable to live upon the small pittance they rec·eive at the present time, and who are receiv ·ing s1.la:ries inadequate to the wo,rk they are doing. It is all very well for the Minister of Fjnance to say that if they don't like it they can clea:r out.

Unfor tunately they can't, and I 8,sk that the Government be more gene1rous th R . n they are to the Civil Servan+s. an· d that so·me ef­ fort be made by which the burd ·eri imp.osed upon the people may be lighten ed. In the speech f1rom the Throne there is one pa,rt I think in which we all ta.ke a partic ·ular inter­ est at present. I 1refe 1r to those mat­ ters whj ch come under the heading of Imperia:l Matters. We know that at the present tim - e the B1ritish Empi-re is jn a formative state.

It is growjng tow ·\rds the t1l,timate condition. when it is hoped tha ~ an empire r-enowned fo· r its solidity, its justice and fai.~ play will be evolved . and that it will be a permanent ins titution embracing all the colonies within its dom" tin. The triennial Colonial Conference took place last summer. We had ex­ pected that some refe 1rence to the work of this confer ·ence wot1id 11..i.ve been outli'ned. and thrut some nracti­ c1.I result would have been sho,v11. but we have been dis1appointed in this , . I am sure that when the Prim2 vrin:'~- te, r is deali.ng wi1th this questton he • •

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. 21 will give us the superabundance of results of the labours of the tl1ree gentlemen who attended the co . .1.fer- -en·ce. The Fes,tiv .al of Empire was no doubt an 'intere ·sting displa}r, anfl -one which gave the s.i,ghtsee,rs of Lo:'l don an .oppo"'tunity of visiting th8 \01- ·-0nies in imaginati,on,bUJt it ls ve~~,, ha·rd to compute the prac~ical resul~s of it un ~il we have the ;retu :rns before us.

We have no returns, and as fft.r «as I am a ware there is no evidence of the p1r· ac~ical results that l1£t. .,-o eil· sued, ais referred to by the 11011. mem­ ber for Ferryland, M1r. Moore.

I ha"{~ no doubt that the me·mbers .Jf the ·Government who visited Lond\)n.. f:)n­ joyed a visi~ to the Festi,ral of E1n- -pire, and we,r· e glad to see S')m ~ f~­ miliar features ithe1re. 'f'l1ere n.rc se,·­ er2.1 matte,rs touched upon in t"!l.is 'Speech, but, as I have said oefo!'e, there is nothing of a constructi,rc~ 11a­ tu·re suc· h as we would natura• _ly ~x­ pect from a Gove1rnment. which bas ·been in power for three years. D11r!r1g ·th 0 . t pe•:'iod they have acco nptisl1E.d ·no p,rac:ical results. There is the Old Age pension schem 1e. It is admi·tted ·that tha. t is a misno ·mer.

This sub­ ject was dealt with a ,_ length last ·year -;,nd it was shown that it was not an old aige pens.ion ·scheme, and the circu'Jars iss.ue· d only s:erved to conf'irm ~ his opinion. I am sor1rY I have niot with m. e the circulars pub~ lished show.ing the conditions untie ·r ·whj ch these old age pensions were granted, which conftrmed the ldea th qt it was me·rely for relief, a.nd not a claim bas.ed upon service du·ring a life worn out in the industry of the country. In conclusion, Mr. Spe.aker. I should like to take this, the first opportunity • ··1 have had to extend my congratula- -ti:ons to the RJt.

Hon. the· P1remier on the honour conferred upon him and on the Colony, by his being 1 raised to the dignity of a Pri.vy Councillor. It is an honor which. I am sure he will apprecia~e as being a,, r·ecogni1tion of . a laborious c·rureer, and of the dignity of the off,ice of Prime Ministe,r of this Colony, which he now occupies. I should like also to express my regret on the reti1r·ement of the late Presi­ dent of the Legislative Council, S;i1r Edward Shea, who occupies a unique position in this Colony.

He is one of the pioneers of the foundation of the Colo~y's constitution, and it is a mat· ter of great regret to a'll me,mbers of this House. that one of his expe ,rience ~'ind lrnowledge should pass from the position he has filled with s- o muc. h honour. I also wish to extend to l\1r. Ha,r,ris my congratulations on his election ~o the P1residency, and I hope that the reciord of his predeces­ sor will be to him as ~.n inspi.ring star . and that he also will enjoy the respeci and es Leem that Si·r· Edward S11 ea 11as earned. t< T. H 0 N TH E PR 11\/J E M I N IS TE R .- M:r.

Speaker, it would be ungracious to my fri 3 itl c n the o·ther side who l1as deliv· e.red so very ·interesting a speech if I ·did not say some~hing b1riefly in reply ·to the various po1nts that he has ma.de. First I should l ike to jo:in with him in the congra~ulations ten­ dered to ithe proposer and seconder of the motion in. reference t0 the Sne0c>h f:r-om the Throne. The ve,r· y eloquent speech of Mr. Moore v1a.s in itself r: trea~ to everyone who heard it. But we have heard h.jm before, a.n<l the,re­ fo,re it is no great surprise to us; but a. s my hon. r tien·d. M,r. T<:Pnt has pointed out. Mr.

LeFe11vre . who to.ok I ' his sea-<- in the House for the fjrst time to-·day h"', s ea.s:ly establisl1ed a

• 22 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. ·claim to be conside ·red a very im.po1r­ tant addition to ~he debating powe ·J.· o: this Ho·use. Further I sh· OU~ d like -to jo·in in the regret of my f!r:i-e· n· d op­ posite ·that the Rt. hon. the leader o.f the Opposition is not here this even­ ing, and that he should have been :Pirevented from being· pre.s e 11-~ b y causes "over which he h.a,d no c·on t ·;"Ol,'' as m. y hon. friend puts .it.

What­ ever else we m,ay differ on there is no -one on this side but will always re­ _giret tl1e absenc · e of the hon. me·m· be ~· because 11e is able to bri11g to the consid ·eration of public quesitions .an expe .rience which very few can. At tl1e same time I think tl1at after list­ ·ening· 1 to the spee ·ch tha ~ has just been de'livered our reg1rets can11ot 8~nd ·need not be as full as if the part of the Opposition ha. d not been so well sus '-- ained by my hon. friend Mir. I<ent.

We all hope tha1t for many yea:rs the present leader of the Op- position will be sp··•1red to ·Occupy the . posit~on. and if anything should ne- ccssi Late his leaving that positio ·n, ·then I s;hall be the first to welcome ·my fr'iend on the other side of the Ho11se. My friend Mr. Kent refe •rred to the Speech from Lhe Throne 8s one of the balloon c·haracter·. Well, I am not going to \rie with him in the dis­ cussion of s.peeches of a balloon cha.r­ a_. rter h "C'lJ1 se I far c:v I shou] d run the risk of being worstE:d.

My hon. 'friend has ha· d an experience in bal- loon speeches -'- hait would make it di­ ffic1i't fo, r me to ,rie with h:·i:n. It may ·be a balloon speech, but it resembles ·the balloon in the lofty m.anner in ·whf ch jt soars. and tlie only danger . from the balloon a.spect is that it ma· y come down upon the Opposition. My f : n · j end has pointed out tha ~ there ·has been no 1refe1rence in the S·pe·ec·h . character. Well if ever there was a Government that has made an honest effo,rt to construct .and correct leg­ islation it is this Gov1 ernmen ~ .

I am not boasting, but I am prepared to submit the wo·rk of this Government for the 1ast three ye·ars, b·oth practi­ c.2'1 leg·islation and legislation of a re­ med. i.al character, and I am p1r·e·pared to back it against that of any p.revious legislature. If the Trefetl1c11 a11d L~ r d arrangemen ~ has n·ot been ca:rried out, if it is not ac~ually in 0 1peration to-day it ls not the fau1t o.f tl1is legislature.

We ar. e merely in the position of the Government of Si1r Robert Bon·d, who, a:iiter devoting days and weeks to a policy for smelting Lron ore on Bell Island found them ,selves 10 or 15 ye.ars afterwards in precisely the same position as the ·day ~ hey start­ ed. I am prepared to ad.mit the sin· ceri1ty of the le 3-.der of the Opposition, when he introduce · d the Fog Wree Zone scheme. and the s~eam. ship ser­ vice which was to bring us to the other sid' e in th,ree or four d,ays. \i\The 1 ;e is it to-day? I d·on't wi.sh to throw cold wa ~er upon it.

It was put on the Statute Book, and afrter 5 years we ".re exactly in the same po­ s :tton with .regard to it. The same tbing applies to the smelting on Bell Isla .nd and a thousand and one mat­ te:"s intro ·duced by the late Govern­ ment. I ~1m prepared to back the leg­ i sla ;_ion of the past 3 years against any legislation between the years 1901 and 1909 when the 'late admd.nistra­ tion was in power.

It is a. ve1ry easy thing to make arrangements and con­ trac L with people to c·ome here and open up ou,r resou ·rces. and we can't do mor~ tha. n satisfy ourselves that tbey ~.re financially sound and able to undertake these schemes. But afteir t-o any measure o.f a constructive the contracts have been made p'eople •

I HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PR 1 0CEEDINGS. very often find that it will not pay to invest their money in them, and this is true not only of pubaic but privaite affairs. Tl1ere a.ire thou . s.ands of people who try to wo.rk up all kinds of pr·opel'lties, and find that the only outcome of theiir labours is loss of time and money out of p,ocket. I don't think it is generous, and I don't think it is fair 1to .re.fleet upon the ef­ forts of this Governm .ent to bring capital into thi.s country. We have today in N ewfoundla,nd a very large and Up-'to-date Wool facto,ry.

The op­ errution of this factory is one of the results of the legislation of last year. Employment i. s being found for a large number of men. In addition to this a large dock is being built ·at Hr. Grace · , as a resu'lt of the enc·our­ agement which the · Governmen~ gave to those who inaugurated it. I might go on to enumeir~te many instances in proof of the posi.tion that I am con­ tending for. • The hon. gentleman has referred to the Harmswo,rth industry and claim . s that it was introduced in~o the colo­ ny ~Y the late adu1inj str8 1tion.

I ma. y remind my hon. friend that there rure some mem be,rs si ~ting on th j s slde of ~he . House who had soimethin g to do in Jntroducing the H.armsworths to the colony, and I am P'repared to pro­ duc· e documentary evidence aJ. "ny time to show that they had as much to do wjth it as those who a.re now sit~ing on the other side. I do not care how soon this statement is chal­ Ieng-ed. But what does his ct 1.im amount to? A stranger came to the Colony. Mr.

Beeton. without any !re­ ferences to anybody heTe .ard wi'J.hout beJ:r.g acquaiinfLe. d wfith anybody in the island. wjth thp exception of Sir c ~ .venrl~sli Bo:v1 e _ who was then Gov­ ernor of the island. He c·ame here to investigate and as a tresulrt of his in­ 'restigations he entered into a con­ tract with the gove ·rnment.

The mak­ ing of a contract is. nothing in an en­ terprise of this character unless it is, followed by further operations and in the case o- f the Harmsw .orths these operations were effected and the pre­ sent industry ts the result This Government has .recognized that the most i,mportant of our indus­ tries is the fisheries. and it has been their aim to develop this ind us1try along the lines that would b· e moist. conducive to the betterment of those engaged in it; and even if results are som.etimes fruitless it mus~ be· borne in mind that as much energy a,nd wo.rk are put into unde 1rtakings without a present result as in matters . more quickly acconiplished.

My hon. friend made a ve1ry strong plea for the civil se·rvants of the col­ ony, and I heartily agree with him that it is not in keepi .ng with the dig-­ n'ity of the colony and this legislature to have its servants 0 1 r any of them underpaid. The public do not requtre · it and it is not fair or just to those in the civil service. Howeve ·r,we must . cut our ga1rments according to our­ clo~h, and we cannot afford to add many thousands of dollars i.n sal.ruries, if the people who will have to con­ tribute them, have to live on half as· much.

It is very easy to say that the civil se,rvan 1ts should be better pa.id, but my hon. friend should not fo 1 rget that he sat on thi . s side of the House for seven years and never · made one motion th "It Lhe salaries of civil servants should be increased. MR KENT-How do you know that? · RT. HON. PRIME MINISTER.-! know it because I sat on this side with the hon. gentleman and kepit my eye on him. During all the yerurs that • •

• HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. he . sa~t here I challeng~ my hon. friend to quote one mo·tjon of his proposing that one solita:ry salary be increased. but bei.ng a lawyer, an<l: a clever lawyer, he knows that when vou have no case the best cours . e to "' a·do·pt is to call the othear side nam.es. MR. KENT.-You are also a lawyer. RT. HON. PRIME MIN~STER.-1 know it but I have not had the ex-' pffiience along these line · s that my learned friend has had.

He c.alls the s;i('• ·cl1 from the Thro _ne a "balloon speech." You can searc · h the records , . of this H1ouse foi r the p·ast fi,fty years • ' and on every 0 1 ccasion thait the Hous . e has opened you will find that the Le· ad~r of the Opposition has tried to make fun of the speech fro _ m the I • Throne. He has 1to say somethin .g.

It i.s expected farom him, and those wh 'J know the gentleman who now leads the Opposition must sympathize with him in his misfo :rtune in having to ruttack a speech a·gainst which there can be no sound argument. 1:1 ·r;r'al\i ng 0f the Old J\_ge Pensions, the hon. gentleman says that they do not car:ry out the idea of Old Age Pen­ sions. Well,v1e have given the peo·ple much more than the fo:rmer Govt. ev­ e.r gave them, fo1r while we heard a lot about Old Age Pensions during the pa.st ten or fifte ·en years., nothing re­ sulted untf1 the present government came into p· o,we·r.

The latP gove.rn­ men L appointed a Commj ssion of six O · r seven gentle ·men. consist~ng of Messrs. Pitts, Bowring, Jackman, Grieve. O'Dwyer and, I think, Hon. • • John Harvey. Tha.t comm1ss1on W8.. s appointed seven o. r eight years ago. bl1t up· to the present ti.me nothing has been done by them. and they "1a·v-e ne,:rer submitted any scheme for the assistance of the old people of the colony. L')sL. year we gave four bun- d~ed perso11s pensi?ns at $ .. 50.00. Of course We know that thia sum Will I ' • not support those who have, r~ceived, I them, but it has bee~ a grea~ help . to them.

This year we shall give fou, r ' . I , hund ;red more pensions of $50.00 and next year four hundred more, c.i,111 by • tha. t time every old man who cleser"\;"~g,. a pension to assis ~ hi, m will. been embraced in our Old ~ge f-'en· sion scheme.

That is the· cause of tl1e· bitter feeling on the otl1er siJ.e of· the House for we have do.n,'") '\vl1at they failed to do; and whe11 we go, back to the c: o·untry a,t the en<.l of , 011r term to defend our poli~y, ". e , shall be able to show the peop · e ha~ all our claims have been justified,, . and that we have been able to carry out all our p,romises witho ·ut one 0e!l.t I ' , of additional taxation.

We have gi'v- en them light houses. incirea .sed edu­ catlon grants, a second s.teame , r ~11! the Labra .do·r, a northern servi~e in < winter, B.ranch Railways . , Old Age Pensions, and all the . other ~hings. that we promtsed. I know the people­ of t.he colony very little if, when it jg shown to t· hem that we have acco1n­ plished _. all that we promised, they will not ~ respond in our favour. What · Vvas the argument used ~1 gaLnst our · policy last elec~ion? Our opponents , said that if we carried ou, r promises into effect there was nothing in store · for the colony but bank·ruptcy and confede,ration.

These were the stock· in-tr n.de rurgumen L s and we saw and h rd them everywhere we went. The, ea oppositj 1 01 n papers were full of them. and published p.rehisto iric cartoons ; showing the c·ountry being given over · to Canada. Their prophecies . have not been fulfil1 ed . I am thank~ul to say' a,nd to-day we have not only carried , out ou:r policy but we have la1rge sur ­ pluses every year that we are able •

• • HOUS J~: OB' ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. to give back to the people. I join in the regret of my hon. friend that Si1r Edwrurd Shea has re­ signed the Presiden ·CY of the oi ~he~ r h b He is the las~ link that c ·t.m er. binds the Le·gislature to a genera .. tion, the majo :r'iity of whom have now passed away, and we can fo1rm some idea from him of the calibre and character o· f the J!Ublic men of six~y years ago of which he is so fair a a'& p,resentative.

There were in those days strong men, big in fra .me and brrin, wh. o fought the battles of the colony against the Fren·ch,wo · n fo· r the people Responsiible Government, an. d the liberty of the pjress. Anyone who is acqua,inted with the history O · f the colony will remembe i.r that a very conspicuous figure in all these move­ men · s was our f,riend, Sir Edward Shea.

It is a m1.itter of congiratulation a.nd satisfaction that one who has ha· d 13uch a di.stlngu'ished public life . who h.as upheld the best traditions of our public men 2.nd who now takes off his harness, cari leave as a legacy to his children, if not wea.lth and fojrtune a miore p·riceless . one of an unsullj 1ed name in both public and private life. I thank my hon. friend for his per­ s.onal allusion to myself. The honour has been c·onferred up·on me not fo1r anything that I have done, but be­ cause of the f.act that I h1~ d the. hon­ our to represent this colony at the Corona +ion.

It is very kind of my ho·n. friend to suggest that it wa_ s oth­ e·rwise but it is one of the accidents of life to have the privilege of be'ing premier o.f the co·1 ony in Coron a ti on year. It is to this thai t I owe the hon­ our and not to .any work of mine for there are othe ·rs who deserve the hon· ours far more than I do. I have no objection to my friend's reque~t that the · debate be postponed for we have no -desire to rush i.t or any legislation th1rough the House,.

We court the fullest enquiry · into all matters and for that reason I readily agree th.at fu:rther debate be adjourn ed till the next s.itti:ng of the House. On motion of Rt. Hon. the Premier a~d Hon. Colonial Secreta.ry the further discussion of the Speech f1rom the Throne was deferred until the next Sitting. Mr. Kent gave Notic · e of Question. R~. Hon. the Prime Ministe: gave Notice that he w.011ld on to-mor,row ask leave to introduce a Bill to Amen · d

Chapter 120 of the Consolidat­ ed Statutes (Second Series .), er titled "01 f Harbor Maste · r· and Harbor Reg· ulatio ·ns for the p·ort o· f St. John's.'' It was moved and secondPd that when the House rises i: t adjourn un­ til Monday, Feb1ruary 19th at th:ree of the c1ock in the afternoon. The House then adjourned accord- ingly. MOND.A. Y . . Feb. 13th. The Hou,se met at 3 p.m. pursuant to adjournment. COB.RESPONDENCE. RT. HON. ~ THE PREMIER laid upon the table of the House a copy of the correspon ·dence between the ' B·ritis . h Government .and this Govern- ment in relation to the status of Do­ minion Navies.

CORRESPONDENCE RE DOMINION NAVIES. • Rt. Hon.'-· Harcourt to His Excellency the Governor. [Copy] Downing Street, July 14, 1911. Sir ,-I have the honour to transmit to 3rou. to be laid before your Minis­ ters, the accompanying copy of a mem-

26 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. or and um o· f conference between the British Admiralty and representatives -0f the Dominion of Canada and Aus- -tralia on the subject of tl1e status of Dominion Navies. 2. This matiter was mentioned at the last meeting of the Imperial Con­ ference on the 20th June, and it was .agreed that it should be published sim­ ultaneously in this country and in Canada and the Commonwealth. 3. I will rtelegraph to you the date on which publication will take place. I have, etc., L. HARCOURT.

The Officer administering the Govern­ ment of Newfoundland. {Copy] ... ,_,. .... _____ _ DOMINION NA.VIES. Memorandum of Conference Between the British Admiralty and Repre­ sentatives of the Dominions of Can­ ada and Australia. The Naval services and forces of the Dominions of Canada and Australia will be exclusively under rthe control -0f their respective Governments. 2.

The training and discipline of the naval forces of the Dominions ' uniform with the training and discip- line of the fleet of tlie United King­ ·dom, and, by arrangement, officers and n1en of the said forces will be inter­ ·changeable wirth those under the con­ trol of the British Admiralty. 3. The ships of each Dominion nav­ al force will hoist at stern the white ensign as the symbol of the authority ,of the Crown, and at the jack-s 1taff the ·distinctive flag of the Dominion. 4. The Canadian and Australian 'Government will have their own naval stations as agreed upon and from time to time.

The limits of the sita­ -tions are as described in

Schedule (

A) Canada, and

Schedule (

B) Australia. 5. In the event of the Canadian or Australian Government desiring to send ships to a part of the Bri1tish Em- pire outside of their own respective stations, they will notify the British Admiralty. 6. In the event of the Canadian or Australian Government desiring to send ships to a foreign port, they will obtain the concurrence of the Imperial Government, in order that the neces­ sary arrangements with the Foreign Office may be made, as in the case df ships of the British fieeit, in such time and manner as is British Admiralty Office. usual between the and the Foreign 7.

While ships of the Dominions are at a foreign port, a report of their proceedings will be forwarded by the officer in command to the Com­ mander-in-Chief on the station or to the B1ritis. h Admiral~y. The officer in command of a Dominion ship so long as he remains in the foreign port will obey any instructions h~ may receive from the Government of the United Kingdom as to the conduct of any in­ ternational maitters that may arise, the Dominion Government being informed. 8.

The Commanding Officer of a Dominion ship having to put into a foreign port without previous arrange­ ment, on account of stress of weather, damage, or any unforeseen emergency, will r·epojrt his arrival and reason for calling to rthe Commander in Chief of the station or to the Admiralty, and · will o b~y, so long as he remains in the foreign port. any instructions he may receive from the Government of rthe United Kingdom as to the relations with the authorities, the Dominion Goyernment being informed. 9.

When a ship of the British Ad­ mir:aLty meets a ship of the Dominions, the senior officer will have the right of command in matters of ceremony or international intercourse, or where united action is agreed upon, but will have no power to direct the move­ ments of the ships of the other ser­ vice unless the ships are ordered to •

• ~ HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. co-operate by mutual arrangement. 10. In foreign ports the senior of­ ficer will take command, but not so as to interfere with the orders that rthe junior may have received from his own Government. 11. When a court martial has to be ordered by a Dominion, and a suffici­ ent number of officers are not avail­ able in the Dominion service at the time, rthe British Admiralty, if. re­ quested, will make the necessary ar­ rangements to enable a court to be formed.

Provision will be made, by order of His Majesty in Council and by the Dominion Governments respective­ ly to define the conditions under which officers of the different services are rto sit on joint courts-martial. 12. The British Admiralty under­ takes to lend to the Dominions during the period of development of the ser­ vices, under conditions rto be agreed up­ on, such flag officer and other officers and men as may be needed. In their selection preference will be given to officers and men coming from, or con­ nected with the Dominions, but they should all be volunteers for the ser- • vice. 13.

The service of officers of the British fleet in the Dominion Naval Forces, or of officers of rthese forces in the British fleet, will count in all re­ spects for promotion, pay, retirement, etc., as service in their respective forces. 14. In order to determine all ques­ tions of seniority thart may arise, the names of all officers will be shown in the Navy List and their seniority de­ termined by the date of their com­ mission, whichever is the earlier, in the British, Canadian or Australian • service. 15.

It is desirable, in ithe interests of efficiency and co-operation, that ar­ rangements should be made from time to time between the British Admiralty and the Dominions for the ships of the Dominions to rtake

part in fleet exer- cises or or any other joint training · considered necessary 11nder the Senior Naval Officer. While so employed, the, ships will be under the command of that officer who would not, however, interfere in the internal economy of­ ships of another service further than absolu 1tely necessary. 16.

In time of war, when the naval service of a Dominion, or any part thereof, has been put at the disposal of the Imperial Govt. by Do,minion a u. ~h- ­ ori1ties, the ships will form an integral part of the British fleet, and will re­ main under the control of the British Admiralty during the continuance of· the war. 17. The Dominions having applied . to their naval forces the King's Regu­ lations and Adrniral 1ty Instructions and the Naval Discipline Act, the British Admiralty and Dominion Governments will communicate to each other any - hanges which they propose to make in those Regulations or that Acit.

June 1911. (Schedule A.) CANADA. The Canadian Atlan.tic Station will include the waters north of 30° north latitude a.nd west of the meridian of · 40° west longitude. The Canadian Pacific Station will include the waters north of 30 ° north latitude and east of 180° longitude. (Schedule B.) AUSTRALIA.

The Australian Naval Station will in­ clude:- On the North-From 95° eant long- ­ itude by the parallel of 13 ° south lat­ itude to 120° east longitude, thence north to 11 ° south latitude, rthence to the boundary with Dutch New Guinea to the boundary with German New uinea in latitude 8 ° south, thence east rto 155 ° east longitude. On the East-By the meridian of 155 ° east longitude to 15 ° south la ti- - tude, thence to 28 ° south latitude on

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ~-> ROCEEDINGS. the m.eridian of 170° east longitude, tl1ence south to 32° south latitude, thence \Vest to the meridian of 160° east longitude, thence south. · On rthe South-By the Antarcti ~ Cir­ cle. On the West-By the meridian of 95° east longitude. (Copy.) PREMIER MORRIS TO HIS EXCEL­ LENCY , THE ADMINIS"rRATOR. 12 Ai1gust, 1911.

His Excellency the Administrator,- ! have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication, covering Despatch No . . 155, in original, from the Righit Honourable the Secre­ t·ary of State for tl1e Colonies, with accompanying copy of a memorandum of a conference bet,veen the British Admiralty and the representatives of the Dominion of Canada and the Com­ monwealth of Ausitralia, on the sub­ ject of the Status of Dominion Naval Forces.

I return herewith the Despatch, as well as the memorandum, and would he grateful if you would arrange to let n1e have a copy of both these docu­ ments, if you -should have them in the office. I had not an opportunity of subn1it­ ting to Ministers the memorandum referred to until last evening, and I now desire to convey to you an ex­ pression of their opinion in relation rto it, with the request that you may be good enough to transmit the same to the Secretary of State for the Col~ onies.

The memorandum purports to be copy of a memorandum of a confer­ ence between the British Admiralty and represen itatives of the Dominion of Canada an.d the Commonwealth of Australia on the subject of the status of Dominion Naval Forces. In para­ graph 2 of the Despatch, covering this memorandum, and signed by the Sec­ retary of State, Mr. Ha,rcourt says: " This maitter -vvas mentioned at the ''last meeting of the . Imperial Confer­ " e11ee on the 20th June, and it was.

"agreed that it should be published "simultaneously in this country, and " in Ca11ada and the Commonwealth." It might be implied, from rthis para­ gr::tph, that the subject m, at~er of the· men1orandum, the details of the doc­ ument, and the principles embodied tli.erein, might have been disclosed at. 1the Imperial Conference, or that a. copy of it might have been read to the Conference. This, however, was not done. It will be found by reference to the Min­ utes of the last meeting of the Imper­ ial Confere11ce that tl1e only refer­ ence ito this matter made at that meet­ ing was from Mr.

Pearce, one of the representatives of the Australian Gov­ ernment at the Imperial Conference; who merely referred to the Confer- · ences which were taking place at the Admirality between that body and the representatives of the Canadian and Austra:lian Governments, with regard to the Status of Dominion Naval Forces, and theij_" co-operation with the Royal Navy. It 'vas then agreed, on rthe suggest­ ion of Mr.

Harcourt, that a memoran­ dum embodying the conclusions reach­ ed at the conference between the Brltish Admiralty and the representa- ­ tives of the Dominion and rthe Com­ monwealth referred to, should, when drawn up, be incorporated amongst the papers to be published in connection with the Imperial Conference. But the terms which the said mem- ­ ora.nd um was to contain nor any of them were never suggested or fore­ shadowed, and you will notice by the reports of the Imperial Conference · that there is no record of its having been tabled or presented.

By reference to Scl1edule "_!\.," of the memorandum in question, i:t ap­ pears that the Canadian Atlantic Sta­ tion includes the waters north of 30 l J t

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. 2<} degrees north latitude, and west of rthe meridian 40 west longitude. This includes the waters surrounding New­ foundland, and you will observe that, under the provisions of paragraph 4 of the memorandum, the Canadian Gov­ ernment may establish their stations in the waters referred to in

Schedule ''A." Although ithis memorandum between the British Admiralty and the Can­ adian Government c~uld in no way con­ fer any right on that Government to come into the ter:ritorial waters of Newfoundland, and will confer on it.hem no more rights than are held and possessed by the navies of any for­ eign power, it is open to a contrary inference which is likely to create a feeling· of doubt and uncertainty in the Dominions affected by this memoran­ dum.

Ministers would strongly contend, and would do so successfully, that the rights enjoyed by the community of Newfoundland cannot be lessened, parted with, changed or ceded with­ out their consent, and tha1t the con­ stitutional mode of procuring that con- ent is through the Legislature of New­ foundland, which consent would be the essential preliminary to the slightest modification of their territorial or maritime rights; and Ministers feel satisfied that this contention must be borne out by His Majesrty's Govern­ ment, and, indeed, that the Canadian and Australian Governments themsel­ ves would be the very last to contend for a contrary position.

With a view, therefore, of !there be­ ing no misunderstanding hereafter, Ministers suggest that the attention of the Canadian Government be drawn by the Secretary of Sitate for the Col­ onies to this matter, and that it be made clear that the zone in which their navy may operate in the North . A1tlantic waters should in no degree encroach on Newfoundland's territor­ ial and maritime waters. and that it ue pointed out to them that the mem- · or and um ref erred to in no way alters the status existing previous to the cira,wing of that memorandum.

The Newfoundland Government, or its representatives at the Imperial Conference, were not consulted in re- ­ lation to this memorandum, nor were the Newfoundland members of the Conference present when rthe terms of· ' the memorandum were agreed upon, nor were they .given an opportunity or· considering its principles or details, and the writer saw it for the first time , when it was forwarded by Your Ex- · cellency a few days ago. E. P. MORRIS, Prime Minister. S1R W. H. HORWOOD TO SIR E.P .. MORRIS. Government House, Seprt. 26th, 1911.

Dear Sir Edward Morris,- ! beg to forward, herewith enclosed,, the Despatch received from the Right · Honourable the Secretary of State, in reply to your communication on the · subject of the Strutus of Dominion Navies. Yours sfncerely, W. H. HORWOOD. Right Honourable Sir Edward Morris, Prime Minister. SECRETARY HARCOURT TO AD­ MINISTRATOR. Newfoundland, Number, 215. Downing Street, Sept. 13th, 1911. Sir,-1 have the honour to acknow- ­ ledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 70 of the 14th Augusit, transmitting a communication from your Prime Min­ ister on the subject of the Status of Dominion Na vies. 2.

In reply, I have to request that you will inform your Ministers that rthe Canadian Stations were formed for

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. the purpose of assigning to the Canad­ ian fleet a definite area of action, in the same manner as Commanders in Chief of Stations abroad have a defin- ite command, ments discussed and in the arrange­ with the Canadian Ministers, Newfoundland was express­ ly excluded as requiring special pro­ visions.

In determining ithe limits of the Canadian Atlantic Station, there was no intention on the part of His Majesty's Government or of the Gov­ ernment of Canada to al1ter the exist­ ing position with regard to the con­ trol and jurisdiction of the Govern­ ment of Newfoundland over its terri­ torial waters, or to empower the Dom­ inion Governmenit to establish a sta­ tion in those waters without the con­ sent of the Government of N e\vfound­ land. 3. The supervision of the New­ foundland fisheries is now carried out by a ship of the Imperial Navy, and there is no present intention of dis­ turbing this arrangement. 4.

I trust that this statement will be satisfactory to your Ministers. 5. I am sending a copy of the cor­ respondence to the Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada for ithe in­ formation of his Ministers. I have, etc., L. HARCOURT. To the Officer Administering The Government of Newfoundland. PAPERS TABLED. HON. COLONIA .L SECRETARY la.id upon the table of the House Re­ port of the Newfoundland Savings Bank for the Year en·de· d 31S1t Decem­ be1r 1911. QUESTIONS. MR.

KENT asked the Minister of Marine and Fisherie . s to lay on the table of the House a CO'PY in detail. of all expenditures made by or through his Departmen1t in the District of St .. John's East from January 1st, 1911, to date, giving in eac· h case name of parties, dates. amo11nts and pu:rposes of each such payment, also a copy of the returns 1relating to ea. ~h such payment. HON. COLONIAL SECRETARY.­ In the absence of Ministe . r I beg to state that the informa \tion is being prepared, and will P1robably be\ tabled next sitting. MR.

KENT asked the Minister of Public Wo1rks ito lay on the table or · the House a copy in detail of all ex­ penditure made by or throu ,gh his De­ partment in the District of St. John's '. East from January 1st, 1911. to date, giving in eac· b case names of pa:rties , dates, amoun~ and purposes of each such pa.yment. also a copy of the re­ turns relating to such payment. MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS.- PRIME MINISTER TO ADMINIS- I beg to tallle the information asked TRATOR. for. Prime Minister's Office.

His Excellency the Administrator,- ! have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of yes1terday's date, enclosing copy of a Despatch from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colon­ ies, No. 215, on the subject of the Status of Dominion Navies. E. P. MORRIS, Prime Minister. September 27th, 1911. MR. KENT asked the Hon. the Minister of Finance and Customs to lay on the table of the House a fully det::liled statement of a·11 expenditures made to or on account of the Railway Contracto · r under the Railway Exten· sion Act. 1910. to date. for construc­ tion or any othe , r purpose.

HON. MINISTER FINANCE AND CUSTOMS.-T beg to table the infor ­ mation r·equired.

HOUSE Ub" ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. 31 HARBOR REGULAT ·IONS BILL. Pursua ,nt to· notti:ce and leave grant- The House me.t · at th1ree of the ed, the Hon. Prime Mini1ste1r intro- clock in the afternoon pursuant to a·d- duced a bill to amen · d

Chapter 120 of · journment. the Consolidated Statutes (2nd series) entitled "Of Harbour Master and Har­ bour Regulations for the port o.f St. John's," and irt wa~ read a first time and ordered to be read a second time on to-morrow. COMMITTEE ON ADDRESS. Motion fo1r Com.mittee to draft Re­ p1y to Speech from the Th:r-one. SIR ROBERT BOND-I understand tha ~ the motion for the Select Com­ mittee to draft an addres . s in reply to the speech delivered by His Excellen­ cy the GoveT·nor on Wednesday la:st was deferred in order that I should have an op.portunity of c;riticisi11g that speech.

Of course the delay was en­ ti.:rely unneces isary, inasmuch as I could exercise my right of criticism upon the 1report of the a,ddress; but I am entirely conscious of, and grate­ ful for, the kind consideration and courtesy that was intended. A . s I shall ·probably have amendments . to pro­ pose , I shall ava:il of the report stage of the Com.rnittee to then address the House in reference to His Excellen­ cy's speech. The motion then passed, and His Honor the Speaker appointed the fol­ lowing on the Committee, Mr. Moo:re, M1r. I--'eFeuvre, Hon. Colonial Secre­ tary, Mr. Kent and Mr. Dwye :r. Rt. Hon.

P.rime Ministe . r gave no­ tice of motion. Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Bon· d gave no­ ti c·es of question. Mr. Kent gave notice of que.stion. It was: moved and seconded that when the House ris.es it adjou~ rn till Thu,rsday nex~, the 22nd inst. at three of the clock in the afternoon. The House then adjourned accord­ ingly. PAPERS 'I~ ABLED. Hon C.olonial Se.cretary tabled th. e • Report of the Co1m.miss.ion on Public Health up to December 3ls·t, 1911. · Hon. Minister of Finance the follo 1wing: - tabled Statement of Customs Reve .nue col­ lected in the Colony d urin . g the year ended 30 ~ . h June, 1911.

S ~atement of the Imports and Ex­ ports of the Colony for the year end­ ed 30th, June, 1911. A compara "ive statement of goo·ds, wares a.nd merchandize, imported in­ to the Colony during the years ended 30th June . , 1910, and 30th Jun.e, 1911, showing incre ·ase· and decrease for the year 1910-1911. . A comparative s Latement of revenue received .at each of the Outports for the years 1909-1910 an· d 1910-1911. A c·omparative statemen~ of Light Dues, showing coll.ection at each Out- . port for the years 1909-·1910 and 1910- 1911. A return of the Bank Fishery for the year ended 30th June, 1911.

A state ·ment s.howing the revenue collected on goods, wares . and me·r· chandise impo,rte · d through the Post Office. Sta:ement showing the move ·ments of shipping during the year ende · d · 30th June, 1911. An abstract of shipping for the year en·ded 31st ~ nnR.FJSS IN REPLY. Mr. Moore, on behalf of the· Select Comm.i ~ tee app.ointed to draft an Ad­ dress in Reply to His, Exce'llency's

• 32 HOUSE OJ-' ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. Speech, presented the, report of the sessions. We stand to-day on the Select Committee, as follows:- threshold of a new parliamentary "House of Assembly year, the, 4th session of the 22nd Gen.- "Newf.oundland. era.I Assembly. In the 01r·dinary coui.&e "'To His Excellency Sir Ralph.

Champ· neys William .s, K.C.M.G., Gove :rnor and Commander-'in~Chief in and ov­ er the Isl'.1.nd of Newfoundland and i ~ s Dependencies: "'May it Please Your Excell ency: ·- "We, the Common ,s of Newfound­ "'' land in Legislative Session assemb­ '' led, beg leave to thank Your Ex· " cellency fo1r the gracious Speech '' which Your Excellenc ' Y has addresr­ "sed to both Houses of the Legisla­ "'ture. (Sgd.) "P. F. MOORE, "THOS. LeFEUVRE, "R. WATSON.

"'Assembly Room, ''February 22nd, 1912.'' SI R RC n,r. 0 T BON D.-T r-. ~ e to IDO \~? an {' l (J rlmpnt +-n the Address in Repl:v t~ the Speech with which His Excell ency the Gove rnor opened this Legislatt1re on the 14th inst., and in doing so I shall off er some criti-. cisms upon that Speech.

Having care- fully considered the same, I am forced to the conclusion that it is more re­ markable for thrut which it does not contain, rather than for that which it does contain, vvith one exception, ·and that I shall deal 'vith at a subse­ quent stage of my remarks. li t seems -to me that His Excellency's speech cannot fail to be disappointing to those who have pinned their faith to the promises profusely made, and which have been so often repeated, by the present Government.

It can­ not fail, I think, to be disappointing to every man, be he Tory or Liberal, who 11as the welfare of this country ·at heart, for, it portrays a complete abandonment of policy and principles that have found expression in ithe opening speeches of the past three of events this would be ithe last ses­ sion before a General Election, but, as the present Government were re­ turned to power in May 1909, possibly we may witness another session of this Parliament before the curtain drops, and th! e People's Party malre tl1eir final exit fr-0n1 this Chamber.

Be this the last session or be it other­ wise, it vritnesses the near approach of the dissolution of the governing body, and, we might reasonably have expec ited therefore that in the Speech before us there would be revealed an intention on the part of the Govern­ ment to redeem the past, and to per­ form works mete for repentance.

It is well, I think, thaJt the responsibil­ ity for this document, which is term­ ed "the Governor's Speech," should be clearly defined, because, there are doubtless thousands in this cot1ntry vvho verily believe that -the pledges and assuranct),S set fo:nth from time to time in the opening Speech of the ses­ sion are pledges and assurances for the fulfilment or non-fulfilment of . which the representative of our Sov­ ereign is responsible.

We in this House , , of course, know full well that the opening Speech is a document prepared by the members of it.he Gov­ ernment, and is supposed to fore­ shadow their policy for the informa­ tion of this House. The Constitution which imposes upon His Excellency the Governor the duty of delivering this Speech on behalf of his Minis­ t1-~rs, :it tJ.~e Shlll e ti111e exone1·atef: 11im from all respon.1ibility in the prem­ ises, and, for eVt'rY word in it.he open­ ing Speech , , places the whole respon-, sibility upon his Minuisters.

It is well that it is so, it is well that it should be clearly understood that it is so, for otherwise, d11ring it.he past two or three years, the Crown, which is the fountain of honour and truth, might

I) HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. 33 · have been brought into contempt, for, Sir, the opening speeches have con­ tained the most solemn obligations ci Dd pledges that have not been ful­ filled. Those pledges would ,appear to ha,re been given but to soothe pub­ lic feeling, and to create a favourable atmosphere in whlch the members of the Government mighrt pursue the eve11 tenor of thej r way. Liest we for­ get, let us from tl1e threshold upon which we have just stepped look back­ ward for a few moments.

In the open­ ing Speech of the first session of the present Parliament the Government, through the lips of the then Gove rnor 1 declared "that the burden of taxation borne by the fisherme11 and working classes of the Cf~lony is too great, and calls for such _ adjustn1ent as will lean more equitably en rthose who at pres­ ent feel most SE riously the increased cost of living· ilt this Colony." This declaration was accompanied by an intimatior ... that t tie tariff would be im­ mediately revise<l.

We now know ithat this \vas nothinh less than a piece of cruel deception; a mere pretext of a talfilment of a pledge given . by the leader of the Gover11ment a fe\v months previous -vvhen seeking the ,rotes of these "overburdened" people.

In the manifes 1to issued by Sir Edward Morr'is to the Electors . in 1908,he said, "Reduction of taxation so that it will bear equitably on the working classes can be best accomplished by placing o, n the free list such items as tea, sugar, pork, and the other prime ne­ cessaries on which very high taxes are now imposed." If this language meant anything more than deception, then, we must regard it as a promise, that provided rthe "People's Party," so-called, was returned to power the tariff would be so revised as to place "tea, sugar, pork, and other prime necessaries" on the free I ist.

The paragraph in the opening Speech of the first session of this Parliament, to which I have had reference, was a renewal of that promise.

Three . years have now p_assed since that pro­ mise or pledge was given, and still "the weary Titan staggers under the too vast orb of its fate." Still the . · "overburdened fishermen and labour- - ing classes," as the Governmenrt ad­ mit, "feel most seriously the increas­ ed cost of living in this country," must pay duty on "tea, sugar, pork, and other prime necessaries." We have novv entered upon rthe fourth year since that all-important pledge was given to the people, and what do we find?

Why, that the pledge finds no renewal i11 the Speech before the House, neither is there any indication 1tl1at a revised tariff is to be. pro­ posed for the adoption of this Ho.use. The "wea1ry Titan" must still stag­ g·er on, the ''overburdened iisher­ men and labouring classes" must still bend beneath the weight of "increased cost of living," while the ni11e Deities fro1n the height of their ministerial Olympus look do\vn in co11tempt upon the people t:r ·- have duped. But, worse still.

The extravagance of the present Government, their wasteful expenditure of public money, and the enormous arid most onerous obliga­ tions that they have placed upon the Colony renders such revision of the tariff as I have been referring to, al­ most, if not altogether, impossible without a reduction of the Civil list. The placing of tea, sugar and pork upon the free list would reduce rthe revenue by the sum of three hundred thousand dollars per year.

In view of the obligations with which the Colony has been burdened, it would puzzle wiser heads than those of the Govern­ ment to devise a revision of the tariff under which that large amount of tax­ ation may now be dropped. In the matter then of this promised re.duction of taxation rthe people have been most wantonly and cruelly deceived. Mr. Gladstone, than whom no higher auth- rity has ever lived, declared that "One

34 HOUSE OF ASSEl'it:BLY PROCEEDINGS. of the very highest duties of all ·who are intrusted with the adminis 1tration of public affairs under all circum­ stances, and at all points, is to eschew and to repudiate the raising of any ex­ pectations except what they know rthey can fulfill." This is a standard of po­ litical morality that I regret to say the present Government fall very sh(>rt of, Sir, I cannot refrain from contrasting the conduct of the pres­ ent Government in this connection with that of their predecessors in of· fice.

During eight years of the laite Government's administration taxation was reduced by nearly a million and a half dollars, or about two hundred thousand dollars per annum. And I am in a position to .state that if the late Government had been r eturned t o power at the iast Election,the bur·dens of taxation t11at now weigh so, heavi­ ly upon all c.~lasses of the co mmunity would, long ere this , have been remov­ ed. This would 11ave be e11 but the sequel of the policy that I i 11augurated during my term of office.

Sir, there is an eternal justice in this world, and the his1tory of natio n s as well as of individuals has demonstrated the truth that what men sow th ey shall reap. The people are reaping to-day that which they sowed at the lasrt election. They sowed to the wind, and they must expect to reap a whirlwind. The expenditure of borrowed millions is affording them at present a tem­ porary shelter, but rthat must n eces­ sarily disappear before long , and then we shall all feel tl1e full blast of the storm.

Increase of taxation, and not a reduction thereof, is what the peo­ ple uf this country musi t now look for­ ward to. The folly of the few has made hard the lot of the many. But, to pass . to another point.

In the open- . ing Speech of the first session of the present Parliament the Government declared their intention to provide a bounty for the clearing of land so as "to induce a greater number of our people to turn their attention to the cul1tivation of the soil." Three years have passed awa~r since then but no bounty has been provided for the clearing of land, and as there is no mention of such a bounty in the Speech before us, we are justified in concluding that the Government have abandoned the bounty idea for the "new agricultural policy." Instead of fulfilling their pl edge and enc oura.g­ ing "a greater number of our people t turn their attention to the cult~va­ tion of the soil, ithey have deemed it more expedient to provide a bounty of five or six thousand dollars a year for three of their supporters in this House who are supposed to devote their att'=::::tion rto the formaticn of so­ cieties for the promotion of, greater excellence in kitchen garden produce, a,nd to warning the "fisherman-farm­ er" against the danger of prod uci~g cankerous, or what the le::trned Min­ ister of Agricul iture last Ression so aptly designated "fierce looking po­ tatoes." I had the pleasure last ses­ sion of dealing with some phases of the "new agricultural policy.'' I shall not repeat those ob ser vati ons now~ al­ though no less an authority than that great scho1.ar and statesman, Lord Morley, in his life of Richard Cobden, declares that "repetition is th e p u.blic man's most effective instrument in securing r efor m s," and , that ' 'he musrt not shrink fron1 inc essant repe ­ tition." However , Sir, there will be many opportunitie s for applying that instrument of t 1rtt-::re during the ses­ sion.

At this tim~ I wo uld only ob­ serve tha1t the "new agrict1ltural pol­ icy," which has taken the place of the bounty to "fi shermen-farmers," promised in the op ening Speech of the first sessio · n of th'is Parliament, was truly a marvell cus con ce pt io11. U YJr1 8r it the Gove)rnment may secure faithful allegiance by farming out positions of emolument to their suppvrters in this House, or, they may practice without

HOUSE OF · ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS . 35 . fear of consequences the most exrten- sive electoral briber~y in the ·distribu­ tion of live stock and seeds. But alas, Sir, that is not the worst phase. Un­ der .it the country has been sacrificed ito party politics and its agricultural adv·ancement has been put back at least a generation: The late Govern­ m ant had, vvith the almost unanimous approval of both branches of the Leg­ islature, laid the foundation for a Model Farm and Experime11tal Station, where tl1e boys of our country might .. receive a scientific and practical train- ing in ag·riculture.

Every civilized country in the world is to-day endeav­ ouring to advance agriculture by such means, yet here in this country of vasrt undeveloped resources, and where so few ave11ues of employment open out l<J Lhe rising· generation; in this coun~ try \vhich perforce at the present time se11ds more than a million of money abroad for agricultural produce that might be raised at home, we find a Government \Vhich flaunts ·before the public as the "People's Party" denying to the children of the pe0ple they re­ present the advantages tha:t are every­ vvhere else afforded.

Sir, can you con­ ceive of anything more 11npatriotic or u11just? Can you conceive of a greater rea.ch c f confidence and trust. A Gov­ ernm.ent like a trustee is responsible fer the proper administra ition of the entate. If a trustee l)etra .,ys the con­ fidence repcsed in him as such he is ~very properly indicted before the cr11rts cf law and punished. Thank Gcd thejr is a Co11rt before which ithe present ·Government may be indicted for the inal-administration of the vast estate fur vrhich they are trustees, and tha1t is the higl1 Cot1rt of public opin­ icn .

Before that Court I indict them this day. vVhile on this subject of P griculture~ there is, I would remark, a11other very grave omission in the Sp~ech under review. There is no re­ fcrs-:1ce whatever to the Governmenrt's i111:r1ig·ration policy.

They had such a policy in view, for, in the opening Speech of the Second Session of this arliament we vv-ere told that measures were "being de,vised for the settlement of unoccupied lands along the line of railway by ithe establishing there of farming colonies composed of suitable agricultural emigrants from the Brit­ ish Isles." Two years have passed a'vay since tb_en but we have no "farming colonies" established along the line of railway, and this House and the public have been left entirely in the dark as to the measures rthat were "being devised"?

What class of emigrants did the Government propose to bring in here? For two years this House a11d the public have been living in a state of expectancy, wondering vvhat the schen1e could be rthat 'vas tal-ring so long time to "devise," and what class of people we we~re to have added. to the population of the Colony. Last year fifty-eight thousand per­ sons emigrated from rthe rural dis­ tricts of Scotland ovving to the in­ creasing burden of rates or taxes. Was any attempt made by the Govern­ n1ent to induce those people, or any of them, rto settle in this Colony?

It will be ad1nitted, I think, that no more desirable emigrants could pos­ sibly be found than those brawny, brainy, thrifty Scotch folk. Was that stream of emigration pe.rmitted to flo-vv past our doors without any ef­ fort being made to turn at · least a portio 1n oif it this wa,y? The Govern­ ment ha v-e admitted that "the burden of taxation borne by the fishermen and vvorking classes is too great." Then, if that is trl1e, why do they not endeavor to induce, sui1table emi­ grants to come here and share that burden of taxation with our people?

In this matter they have been exhibit­ ing less comn1on sense than in their cond uc1 t of the financial affairs of the Colony, and that is saying a good deal. Are you una""\vare, sir, that instead of inducing a thrifty peL'ple to Gorn~ hel'e •

• HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS. and help bear the bur ,i.en of taxation, they have been actually aiding a scheme to bring pauper children here anci· which would . entail increased burd­ ens on this Colony? Such is rthe truth. Let me draw aside the curtain and let in the li-ght on this matter.

Shortly before tP,is immigration policy was an­ nounced by the Government through rthe lips of His Excellency the Govern­ or, some philanthropic gentlemen in England had i.naugurated a scheme to p-rocure the emigration, to the Colonies of the Empire of pauper children, ot the waifs and -strays of the large cities of Great Britain. They laid their scheme before rthe Premier of this Col­ ony. It was approved by the Govern­ ment, and the Premier, Sir Edward Morris, on behalf of the Government pledged this Colony to most extraor­ dinary liberalit