PROCEEDINGS OF THE DURING THE FIFTH SESSION OF 1"'1-IE TWENTY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1913 ST. JOHN·s, N.F. Robinson & Company, Limited, Press 1913

• ' ' PROCEEDINGS () .F"' THE HOUSE OF EMBLYOFNEWFOUNDLANU SESSION 1913 W1 El)NESDAY~ MJ1reh 5th, 1913. His .Excellency I1avfug fixed the ' l1our at '\vhich he proposed to open the present Session of the Legislature, at tl1ree of the clock · in the afternoon of ' this vVednesday, th·e fifth day of A!Jarc11, ii1stant, the ~rembers of the .l-l 011se of .. L\.sse1nbly met in the A_ssem­ bJy Room at a qua.rt.er to three of the c~locl< in the afterr1oon, when Mr. Speaker took the Chair.

At three ·of the cloclc a message from tlis Excelle11cy the Governo1· was de­ livered b)r the Gentleman Usher of the Blacl{ Rod, co111manding the im- 1nediate attendance of Mr. Speaker a.nd the I-louse i11 th-e (~ouncil Cham- ' "JPr. /\.cc~ordingly, M1·. Speaker and 11•8 l-Ic)t1se attended· Ifis Excelle11cy . Ji~ Governor in thE:~ Cot1i1cil Cha1nber, ICl havtng returned to the Assembly Rloorn· ~· r,.rr. Spealrer infor1ned the .

I-louse tl1at \\rl1er1 in. attendance 011 His FJxcellenc~y tl1e (}overnor in t11e (~ol1ncil Cl1amber, His Excell-ency l1ad b~e11 pl<~ased to n1ak.e .a gracious speecl1 to both bran ·cl1es of the Legis­ lature, of which, for g-reater accuracy, h,e had · obtained a <:!Ol>Y:1 and which he react to the Rouse • SPEECH FROM rrHE THRONE. Mr. President and Honourable Gentle men of the Legislative Council: Mr.

Speaker and Gentlemen of th Honourable House of Asse\mbly: Understanding it to be usual for th Legislature 1to meet in the early pa1 of the year, I made a special effort t arrive in time to greet you. rrhis is a occasion of muc.b. interest to me, ef pecially because it is my :fir,st such eJ perience in a Dependency of the Crow enjoying Responsible Government.M earnest desire is tQ col""operate wit the Legislature and the peo.ple in th maintenance of those principles, an in insuring,as far as lies in my powe1 bhe material welfare of this most ai cient Colony and those who dwell witl in it.

Though a comp.rurative1y ·briE period h1as elapsed since my appoin1 inent to the Governorship, I do nc come to yo, u entirely unacquainte with the history, the resources and tb great pos1s1bilities of your coun 'try, an I rejoice with you in 1its unexample prosperity and in the glowing pro• pects wh,ich the future holds out .

4 I-IOUSE ()F .:\SSltl\lBJ""' Y P . R 0Cl£1£DING·S I desi'fe to express to you, as the representatives of the peo,ple of New* foundland, my deep gratitude for the whole-hearted kindness with which we have been welcomed amon . g you. For my ow11

part I shall devote my ener­ gies to the welfiare and advancement of our land. His lVIajesty Tl1e Ki11g received n1e in l)rivate audienc~ on my appointment as yot1r Governor and dis·playecl t·l1e widest knowledge of Newfoundland and ·the 'Present state of its affairs. His Majesty recalled his previous visits here with keen pleasure and bade me say to you that tl1is, his1 most ancient Co1'on)r and its loyal people would a1 wa)" S be 11eld in affectionate. remem · bran(e l)y their King.

It is cl specia.l gratification to n1c that my arrival amongst you coincides wi1Jl1 the time when the financial pos1i­ tio11 of tl1e Colony is so assured that my l\~i11isters fin, d themselves in t 1--, position tl1at, having launched large public 11ndertakings,and ensured their completion and maintenance, they are .enable(l,a ,fter providing for ·every pub­ lic sery·ice, to ren1ove the taxes from certa .in articles w1I1ich en 1 ter into ·daily cons11mption by the ·fishing and labor­ ing classes, namely, :dUgar, tea and s·alte(l pork and beef barrelled.

The amot1nt collected in duties on the irn-• ports of tl1ese articles the pa.st fiscal year was three hundred and eighty­ five tl1ot1sand dollars, and t1l1is remis­ sion of dt1ty will represent the largest reduction of taxa;tion that ha. s ever been undertaken at any one time in the history of the Colony.

That this red11ctio11 is both 1Jossi,ble an, d justifi~ able is e vident frorn the fact that four years ago the total re·venue was t'vo million eigl1t 11u11dred and twenty-nine -thous a11cl dollars, and that for the last ~;ear jt \Va_ s ·three million, seven 11nn­ (l1~ed and thirty-six thous ,and dolla .rs, -representing an increase in four years of over nine hundred thous .and dollars or at the rate of more than two hun­ dred and twenty-five thousand doll 1a,rs per annum, and that the Trade of the Colony has shown a similar gratifying increase, having advanced from twen ­ ty-three million onie hundred and six- ty-five thous 1and, four hundred and thirty-nine dollars in the year Nine­ teen hundred and eight, to Twenty~ eight 1nillion, six hundred and eight thousand,two hundred and nine1ty-ni11e dollars in the ye:ar Nineteen h llndred and twel,re.

During t·he past year the Railwa.r Contractor has made substantial pro­ gress with constru ,C'tion work. The rails have been laid on the whole of the Heart's Content Branch, and wiitl1~ in a few miles of Trepassey on the Brianch which traverses Ferryland District. Operatio!,ls on these two Branches will be resumed early in the spring, 1and it is ho,ped to h~ve both Branches open for operation d 11 • · the summer.

The work qf constructli.ng the remaining three Branches, 1 thosP to Bay de Verde, Fortune B~"~T an· d Bonne B:;ty, will also be comn1e11c(:~'1 t'b.is ye,ar, and car.ried towards comple­ tion as rapidly as possible. It is no,\· thirty years since the railway polic · y wa. s inaugurated in Newfoundl ·an·d, and the progress the Island has made within that period in all department~ of trade and industry, social an·d ed11- cational advance, is d11e more la.rgely to the railroad t1han perhaps to n n)' otl1er agency.

This record of tJ1e ad - ,·antages tha;t h,ave followed in the wake of r a.ilway extension ab11noantl}~ justifies, not alone the construction of the mai11 line, but also the brnn c1l1es from time to time undertaken, and will warrant the constructio11 of other brancl1es in the futu ·re,as the :f;\nancial circumstances of the Colony admit. The Old Age Pensions Act, no"\v in operation two years, has proved high · •

• HOUSE OF ASSEMBI__,Y · PROCEiiDINGS 5 ly succes .sful in amelioraiting the con .. · nection' · witl1 the ·Labrador service~ dition Of 11,l:any of OUr toil cWOrn fisl1er- the great im,portance Of whicl1 to the . . men. Already its benefits have been fishing industries of tl1e Colony it extended to eigl1t hu11dred person · s · 'vould be impossible to exaggerate.The and you will be invited to provide for Contractor has also undertaken the · an additional four hundred this year .

You will ·be c.alle 1 d upon .to consider a measure creat~ng · a Fund for the re­ lief of tl1e dependents of the bre·adwin­ ners who lose their l~. ves 'vh.ile bat­ tling with the seas in our fishing and mercantile vessels. Here 1 toifore, unless in exceptional 1 instances, appeals have been made to private generosity to de1al with such cases, but my Minis­ ters feel tha:t it would be in the inter­ ests of the c.ountry that the State should a't least take some

part in ma]:\:­ ing prov1sion for those who suffer by the disasters that all too frequently rob the homes around our seaboard -0f their mainstay. During the Session an agreement will be subm1tted to you for ratifica­ tion, in which certain capitalists un­ dertake the erection of factories on the south-west coast of the Island for t11e con version of the waste ·products of the fisheries into fertilizer ·and glue, and for the utilization the.rein of t 1 he dogfish which of late years 11a ve be. ~ come so great a pest to our fishermen .

The successful development of this industry will afford opportunities for its g.rad ual extensio , n to otl1er parts of the seiaiboard, and tl1e premane11t locating of an enterprise here which will measurably enhance the e.arnings of our people. The advantages of the ·daily t ra.in service ha ·ve now become fully appar­ ent, and thoroughly j t1stify this step in advance. The Contractor has recent­ ly lat1nched a second steamer of the finest class to ply in conjunction with the S.S.

"Bruce" and furtl1er improve this service.My Ministers feel that tl1e time has come when a similar pro­ gressive step should be taken in con- construction of a new modern steam ... ship for this route which will be re·ady" to begin the . s~ ervice the coming sum­ mer, and 1ny Ministers believing tl1at the service should now be a weekly instead of a fortnightly one, will ask: you for the necessary authorization: for a contract to tl1is effect .

It is pro­ posed to reorganize the su.bsi·diary ser­ vice for the northern part o.f the Lab­ rador coast, which h·as been ca.rried out the past four years, so that it may - ~ore conveniently com·bine with th~ pr9posed new service. The Govern ­ ment have also in contemplation tl1e improvement of the existing coastal steam service in Notre Dame Bay, on tl1e N,orth East Coast, and in B·aY St. ·George.

In view of the success of the Dock · at Harbour Grace, brought into exist­ ence as the result of a guarantee of in­ terest 1by the Legislature two years ago, wbich guarantee it now seems manifest the Government will not be ·called upon to make good, my Minis ­ ters are of the opinion that like en­ couragen1ent should be given for the establishment of shi·p-ya:rds 1and simil .. ar ·docks in other parts of the country~ which wo11ld result in greatly increas­ ing ship building operations, and the construction of ves.sels for the Bank· sealfishe ,ry, and the conveyance of' products to foreign markets.

You will therefo .re be aske 1d to enact a meas:­ ure ha,·ing this ~uject i11 view. Dl1ring the past four years Tel~ graph extension, to the amount of some five hundred miles · o.f wire,has been car.ried out in various parts of the country, and cables laid to im·· .; porta .nt settlements on outlying is- lands connecting them with the main

6 J:IC>tJSit OJ- 1 ' _.\SSE.MBI.,"\'. .. PROCF:t<:JJINGS sy,stem .. It is proposed during the pre­ sent year, to continue this work, and to complete in most essentials the Telegraph system of the ls'l1and. The Legisl 1ature of the Province of Quebec, at its last Session, having granted a Charter to British and Can­ ·adian capita~ists for the construction of a railway through Canadian Labra­ dor to its eastern boundary, and the parties ha ''ing applied to my ·Govern­ ment for a similar con·cession through Newfoundland Labrador, YOll will be invited to approve the neces,sary legisi­ Jation for this purpose.

In view of the possibilities of fur­ ther developing the Laibrador fisher­ ies, my lVIinisters have taken u,p with His Majesty's Government the matter of a survey of tl1e Labrador coast,and it is hoped tl1at the Admiralty will be able to devise a means whereby this im uorta .nt work niay be carried out. • A p11blic utility that promises to be of great serv--:ice ·to ot1r fisl1ing popula· tion 11as been pro,rided ir1 the Dredge, purchased by the Govern1nent a year ago,and doing service on vario11s· p.arts of the coast fo, r several montl1s past.

Following on the generous provision macle b)~ the Legislatt1re · in recent years on behalf of Education, my Min­ isters co11sider the time opportune for the establishment t1nde,r the present Boards of S'peci,al or continua:tion schools, to be conducted at night in st1itable seasons, for fisl1ern1en, far­ mers, mechanics and labourers, where,.. in our :roung men rnay perfect them- -selv·es in their chosen avocations by _a.c(1uiring instruction in subjects cal­ culatecl to assist them in more S"' - - ~essfttlly carrying on these pursuits.

E11q uiiries will be institute,d without - delay \VIth a 'rie\v to utilizing the - agencies best calculated to carry this policy into effect. -;. Negotiations are in progress where--by the Bflitish Consular service in For· • eign Countries will be rendered avail-' able to Newfoundland to assist -in de­ veloping its trade abroad. The result· will, I hope, soon refiect itself in still more increased .sales abroad of the · Colony's staple products. Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Honourable House of Assembly.

I am gratified to be able to inform you that the Ileven ue for the past . year substantiaJly exceeded the Esti­ mates and that the expenditures on account of the public service h,aving. been undertaken with dt1e regard to eco11omy, a surplus Revenue of Two hundred and eleven thousand dollars was realized over Expenditure, al­ thougl1 very generous increases were made in several appropriations.

It is · also gratifying to know that a surplus of Re.venue over Expenditure for the . current fiscal year, of whic · h eigl1t months has now elapsed, may be ex- . pected, as the Customs Revenue for : this period sl1ows an increase of One hundred and eighty-seven thousand five hundred and twenty-eigl1t dollars . over the sa1ne period for the last fiscal year. The ac.counts for the past . yea.r, an· d the Esti1nates for that which . is to e11sue, will be laid before J"Otl in due course, and I feel satisfied that you will ader1uately provide for the needs of the public servict3. • Mr.

President and Honourable · Gent ... lemen of the Legislative · Council Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Honourable Hottse of Assembly. J The s11)lendid contributions of the great Overseas Dominions of the Em· pire towards perfecting Imperial de­ fence have thrilled t11e loyal hearts of British st1bjects in e·very clime, and . evoked the admira.tion of the world. · My l\finisters, feeling confident tha~ · the patriotic sentiment of this cot1n­ try wot1ld impel it to play its

part in·:

ff(){JS l-1: <)ft' ASSBl\tIJiJt Y l'ROCBEJ)INGS 7 the · splendid d~ama of Imperial con­ solidation, have opened negotiations with His Majesty's Government, with . the end in view of ascertaining how such participation might be ·best ef­ fected, and I hope that, !before this Session closes, it may be po,ssible to lay before you the views of His Mar jesty's Ministers in this respect, an· d to invite from you the enactment of such measures as will give effect to the decision reached .

In the .. award of 'the Hague Ar;bitra­ tion fishery dispute between Great Britain and the United States, it was suggested for the consideration of the parties thereto that a certain delim1- tatlion as to specified 1bays on our coasts should be accepted , but my Ministers finding themselves unable to agree with this propo .sal, a Con­ ference was held .at Washington in April last ·between representatives of the United States, the Dominion of Canada, and Newfoundland , .at whiich an arrangement was effected where­ by the · delimi'tation of all o· f the !bays on the coast of Newfoundland con­ tinues as heretofore . ' .

It is a pleasure to me, a. s I am sure it will be to you and the country , that the material ·circumstances of the people of Newfoundland show such marked improvement in recent ye.ars . The fisheries have, on the whol~ , maintained their 11ormal yield , and where in some localities there has been any shortage in the catoh, it has been more than made good by • the increas ·ed price . The other ind us!"' tries have had eq u.ally encoura;ging results, so that within the past four years Newfoundland h1as enjoyed ad~­ gree of prosperity never 1before ~qur al­ led.

During this period its trade has increased by twenty-three per cent. and as there has been a substarrtial surplus of income over ·expenditure each year, my Government llave ·been able to invite and obtain from you largely augmented appropriations for Public Works, Education, Increased Communication by land and sea, and the creation of the new and highly important service of Old Age Pen-. sions, as well as the inauguration of other humanitarian undertakings un- .. ' ' approached in the annals of th· e Col- ony .

I sin·cerely trust that wide­ spread prosperity may long abide with this ancient Colony, and lbe furthered by judicious legislation and an en­ lightened con.duct of its affairs . It is my earnest hope also that in this good fortune every class and

section of the people may patrlcipate. As the life of this General Assem ­ bly expires on the thirty-first of May next, it has been felt desirable that the time of meeting should 1be po.st poned to as late a date as consistent with the adequate consideration o! the matters to come ibefore you. I invite your earnest consi ·deration of the measures to which I h 1 ave r~ ferred and of such others as m·ay be submitted to you, and I pray ~hat Divine Providence may guide You in. your deliberations. . RESOLUTION OF c .oNDOLEll\!CE . RT. HON.

PRIME MINISTER:- Sin.ce last me8ting, in tl1e words of the Psalmist, "One bas come to his grave in a full age, like as a shocl( of corn cometh in in his season" ;-the inost pict11resqt1e figt1re i11 our pt1blic life bas passed a \Vay. In this respect , Sir Ed·\vard Shea stood alone. Eigl1ty years ago to-da) T Newfoundla11d emerg ­ ed from its Political infancy , as a Crow11 Colony~ a11d ass11med the garl) of Representative Go,rernment. The late Sir Edward SJJ.ea was then . a young man entering on the serious duties of life, a11d from then on until 1855, when Vle were granted Respon~

Q • o HODSI~ ·OF i\SSI~M13T..-Y PROCEEDINGS sibl~ Government, took a lea,ding

part in all tl1at co11cer11ed the welfare of this country and its people. In 1855 the first Parliament under Responsible Government v1as elected and we fi11d . ' him a member of that Parlian1ent, re- presenting the District of Ferryland which District he co11tinued to re­ present for man)~ years. Frorr. this it will be seen that he was a member <>f t~is Legislature, and of this branch, ;probably before any of the present members were born.

Ile was one of those who had fought for Responsible ·Government, and in 1857, two y.ears afterwards, in tl1e great agitation on the French Shore r1uestio11, which led · to the important pronouncement from the Secretary of State, the late Henry ·~ Labouchere in relation to the po'\\"ers · ' -•of tl1e Legislature of this Colony, he took a very pron1inent part. He was -a member of the Legislative Council from 1866 until 11is death, going out :from that for a short period in 1869 to ,.co11test the District of Ferryland -on ~he questior1 of Co11federation.

He was Colo11ial Secretary from 187 4 .to 1885, and a· member of the Executive ·Council from 1859 to 1885. From 1885 until 1912 he occupiecl the important -position of Presiclent of the Legisla­ ~- tive Cot1rtcil. He 'vas Casl1ier of ·the ·Newfoundland Savings Bank from 1885 t o 1905 , and 11as on occasions, during t he abs·ence of tl1e Governor from this .. Colony, acted as Deputy Governor. In all these various positions of pub­ lic trust, he performed his duties with ·scrupulous honesty .

He "\Vas a fine type of the obliging, painstaking of- . ficial, and would have made l1is mark in · a larg·er sphere as a diplomat or nigh · officer of state . He was gifted as few men with qualities \vhich would 11ave made him renowned wher­ ever exercised and which woul(l have ' ,shone all .. the more cons :picuous, the larger the theatre. · . He \Vas more of the Statesman tl1an t he Politician. 'T'b.e accidents of llfe assigned : him to positions · \Vhere the value of his labour did not always ap­ pear.

Some· of. the best work perform ­ ed by him twas· at the Council Board , \vhere he was always re1narkable for his i11oderation, justice, and wise Coun ­ cil. Under different circumstances b.e . . might have 'been ~ great leader, the idol of the people; but . he prefBrred retirement. His \Vas the quiet work behind the scenes, but i1one the less valuable and important to the coun ­ try, and to the party he so faithfully served. The credit · due to his work often went to others. It is generally the case in Pltblic life.

The success of the party, the policy and the meas­ ures, is due as a rt1le to the partner ­ ship, but too often the partnership credits are ur1eqt1ally divlded. The People the principal partner, ' without whom nothing could be accom - plished, are rareiy even thanked for the part they play. The life of a pub;ic 111an is always an arduous one, often he is in 11is .grave before his policy has borne fruit. . - Often 11e has to trust to posterity for the vindication of his name. Not ·so with Sir Edward S;tiea.

His career \Vas a singularly fortunate one; his reverses \1lere fe\V a11d of short dura ­ tio11; and in the evening of his life he wa,s given convincing proofs by the pt1blic of their appreciation . of th~ faithful , honest service he had given the111 for se,re11ty years . It \vas my good fortune to have been inti1nate with him i11 public and private life for nearly 30 ye ars, and duri11g that time had n1any opportuni ­ ties of stt1dying his fine characteris -. tics. One might say t11at for over seventy-five ~Tears p.e filled a large space in t11e public , social and' journ · alistic world.

No N ewfot1ndland pub­ lic man has ever had buried in hiH . grave inbre t1nrecorded history. He was inti1nate and acquainted with, and took a very large

part in all the important · qu-es'tions that --have

HOUSE OF ASSEMBI~Y PROCEEDINGS 9 :made Newfound}and history during the ' past three-quarters of a century. He was associated . with all the g·reat per· ·s.~nages i~1. Church and State, plthlic, . professional, commercial and journal­ istic! life . . F'or over fifty yea.rs ·he editecl the · ,~Ne\vfoundlan· der,'' a journal always i·egarded as foremost for the value of its pronou11cements on all current top· ics.

He · 'vrote but little, bt1t \vhat he ' .did \Vrite was telling, et'fective and worth . reading. ·Jn an age when vit· n~eration was regarded as more po­ tent and convincing than argument, Ile refused reeourse to methods oth'er t'han those Which were at once fair ·and honourable.

Ht1 always realized tl:te responsibility and seriousness of his position, and the dignity of his profession, feeling · that he was not .alone an editor,· but .a teacher and a ~uide \Vhose writings influenced and formed the character of his readers . • : ·Gentle and amiable of disposition, he : <~ould be strong and firm when occas­ ion demanded, and when high prin­ <.:iple was at stake, :Wild horses could not draw him from the path of duty. A fine type, a unique figure, a man whom one could not know intimately ,,ritbout coming under his l~fluence ' ca.ptivated by his refined, scholarly, intellectual charms.

To the present generation he was known to few. Ile had outlived his age. His .old friends and colleagues had all passed a way. . rrhe men he had grown up with. his companions, those who1n he had bat~ tled witl1 and against in public life, l1ad long since paid the debt of na­ ture. His illustrious brother, Hoyles, Carter, Rogerson Kent, Carson Mor-' ' ris, Glenn, O'Brien, Parsons. Warren, Talbot, I"ittle; Flogsett, Wl1ite\vay. Winton, Renouf, and . a host of others. .F-Ie \vas the last leaf on the tree! The mossy marbles rest On the lips that he had !)fessed In the bloom.

And the names he loved to hear, Have been carved for 1nany a year On the tomb. He had been blest with a long life ·and a successft1l career; had exceed­ ed the years of the Psalmist by over a score, e\,.en Death dealt kindly with him. His end was painless.

He fel1 asleep with all the loving ministrations of those who were so dear to him J!rot1nd, ·his couch. 'He died . with his armour on, for do we not all remem ­ ber that only the · very last sessioi1, when enfeebled health forced him to . resign the office . of President of the Legislative Council. he still stood to his post of duty, and as a Councillor, (·ontinued in the performance of hi:3 .,v ork.

He seems to have realized, in his death, the sentiment so beautifully expressed by the gTeat American poet, William Cullen Bryant: - "So live, that, when the st1mmons comes to join The in11umerable caravati t11at movAs r1 1 0 the pale realms of shade, where each shall take , fiis chamber in the silent halls · of death, 'l,hou go not, like the qt1arry-slave at night, Scourged to his dungeon; but, sus­ tain'd and sooth'd By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave .I-'ike one who 'vraps the drapery of his couch ~l\.bout him, and lies down to pleasant dreams." Sir, Death is the superior law .

Whatever else \Ve may evade ther€~ , can be no evading the service of that summons. Death is particularly sad when it carries off in middle age those whc> have had no opportunities of fulfili­ ing the promise of youth, those from whom great things are expected; but in the case of our departed friend, it was not so. I-Iis death was the natu-

f IO HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS ral termination of a long and. eventful ear.eer. He had performed every task assigned to him .. Nell. In this case there is no sorrow for him, but rather for those whom he has left behind to mourn their private and national loss. Th us, day after day, we see departing :those who, by their work, example, high ideals and lofty character have ·done so much to lift Newfoundland to the high plane ·upon which she · .stands to-day. · '. · · · ' .

Let lts ·not be cast down; let tis 'not feel that the country which · 1o~es the ·wise guidanoe of·-'·tho·se . who have pass­ . ed avray, is to -, permanently suffer, but let us rather resolve that their life's wo1·k, the traditions they have . left · us, · their imprint on our own national life, will s1erve as an example, ·an in­ centive to emulate their virtues. A good man like Sir Edward Shea does not die. His soul goes marching on. The ideals he set, the pow·er of the purposes for which he stood, still live. There is no de.a:th.

W:h1at seems so is transition; This life of mortal br·eath Is but . a subu~b· of the life elysian Whose portals we call death. 'There is another 11ame that I wish to join in connection vvith this re­ solution,-the nam~ of one e\ .. en more -dear ito some of us than whom I have just mentioned. I refer to the late Mr. Seymour. He was one of our­ selves. He was a m·ember of this present Parliament. He was with us here at the last session, actually one of ourselves, apparently as well in health as any of us, as far as we knew in the prime of life.

He had been ailing for a short while before, but no one had the slightest idea that the Reap·er \Vas so soon to cut !1im do·\,Y11. In his case it is not neces­ sary to burden this motion with any · 1engthy remarlts, for his public life and his life as a citizen is well known to the whole count~y. For a gre~t many years he "\vas Sheriff of the ~u­ preme Court ancl , ~Judge of ·the Cen-. . ' tral District Court .in I-Iurbour ' Grace. '', I ' ! ' 111 . these . position~ everyone . knows how he pei·formed his · duties.· · He w~s . . a man of boundless energy.

It was impossible to be near him and not be inoculated with ·his virility and .. his enthusi'asm.: : He ·was · n1or'.e than · sue cessful 'in Harbour· Grace. In admin­ istering · the law ·tie 'at the. same time tempered jtistice with mercy: . ·•He will not be remembered so well by his ·work in his official capacity as ·by his work as a citizen. · For day·s; weeks, nay, months:, he would work gratuitously and without any 1compen.sation.

His in­ terest was the same whe·ther as mem­ ber of the Synod, a worker in the Tem­ peran,ce cause, · on Ro·ad · Boards, School Boards and St1nday School Boards, and every other department of citizenship to ·which he was call­ ed. His is a loss that cannot be made good. ·He not alone performed the work allotted to him, but was all the time looking for more worlr. He was the very best type of citizen.

He was elected a inember of tl1is Cham­ ber four years ago for the District in which he had lived for a number of years, and 'perhaps no better evidence of the manner in which he carried out his judicial duties can be had than that he was elected by a large major­ .ity of those amongst whom he had administered the l·aw. There is1 1 another I desire to include i11 this :resolution, one who also held a seat in this House for a number -of years,-the late William Duff.

He first came into this House in 1889. and he represented the Dis ­ trict of Carbonear, from that time until 1900~ having been elected in '89, '93, and '97. . During all these years · -that lie .was in this Chamber, there wa. & ample opportt1nity thing of tl1e n1an. ' ' pf learning ' If I were some­ asked . , l

HOUSE . OF ASSEMBLY PROCEnDINGS Ir to: say what \Vas his · chief characteris-. ' tic I · would say, Integrity.' He was a ' . splendid type of the country that he represented, a country whose sons have gone all over the world, and in all countries h 1 ave :attained the top of the . professions. There is no part of the world to..:.aay in whiich there are not leading Scotch doctors, Scotch divines, Scotch lawyers, bankers, in · fact Scot ·chme11 le1ad'ing in every branc . h o.f trade or pro·fession. We can best judge what is ·done in otl1er coun­ tries by Scotchmen,if we look at Can·a­ da.

Who have performed the greaJt works there?The 1C.P.R. the B1ank of ' ' Montreal,and all the other great in·sti­ tutions and works; why, th. e Allans, Strathconas, Mou~t Stephens. and so on all Scotch. And M·r. Duff was a good .representative of that country.In this House he never took a very active

part in debating. He did not actively identify hin1self '\vith. either party, but on cor11mittees, in work done out of ses~ion. in any work or measure for . . the am<:lioration of the . p.eople~ or in the interes.t of the district that he re-.. pre$e11ted .he \Vas always first. He was a man that t11e. country might well be proud of, and his death is a loss to the, public, .to th,e .country and . . ' .. ' to his district.

I, . myself, was very ' . closely a11d intimate~Y . connected with him, having been . a leader of a small party in this House from ·1898 to 1901, . . ' ' of wl1ich party he was a member, and . for that and 111any .other reasons my duty this evening is particularly sad in havi:q.g to n10\re this vote of sym­ pathy.

It is d.ue to the memory of our friends to place on record a resolution expressive . of ot1r S)11npathy, and I beg to subn1it the following: - • : RESOL VED-·-Tl1at this House of Assembly desires to place on record an expression of its heartfelt sor-, row at the decease of Sir Edward Dalton Sh.ea, K11ight; Alfred H. Sey- mour and William Duff. for some . . . time members of this branch of the Legislature. Whilst mourning their loss, Members of this House desire to convey to their relatives deep sympat~y in their bereavement. MR. KENT.-Mr.

Speaker, I rise to second the adoption of the resolu­ tions of condolence proposed by the Rt. Hon. the Premier and in doing so­ l am sure that I express the feelings of every member of the House, the deep regret of everyone on the death of three such gentlemen since the last meeting of this Legislature, three gen­ tlemen who have occupied each in his own day very prominent positions in this chamber and in the country. Sir Edward Shea, perhaps, stood out more prominently in the public life of the C0lon)" than either of the other two ..

He had been identified with public · life here from the tin1e that we were granted Responsible Governm·ent in 1855 until the day of his death a few weeks ago. He occupied the highest positions in the Colony. He occupied on n1any occasions, the position of Deputy Governor, or c\.dministrator of tl1e. Governme11t; he 11eld the office of Colonial Secretary, I think for 12 or 14 years under successive govern­ me11ts.

I-Ie occt1pied a s-eat in this As­ sembly, commencing ~t the time that Responsible Government v.ras ·grant­ ed. and after he passed from here . to tl1· e otl1er Chamber his services were at the disposal of the Colony up to tl1e tin1e of his death. ' ' l\tir Sey1nour will be better re1nem­ bered in connection with his offici~l life rather than his legislativ · e one. J-Iis ti1ne in this Chamber was brief~. bu~ duri11g the time he was 11ero .

I think that all the n1embers of the I-Iot1se. . no matter with what party th~y were identified, recognized that 11e was a u~eful and indefatigable · 1nen1ber, intensely . interested in all tl1at concerned the country. I think

I 2 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROC~~EDINGS also tl1at tb.e late JVlr. Duff will not be . so especially remembered · as a member of tl1is House. His life had been spent rather 111 the development < Jf business affairs in the country. He was typicall) t a business man. ·The :success he acl1ieved in this regard wiii remain as a memorial for time to come. These three gentlemen represent three different phases in our life, and that perhaps in a double sense. Sir F.dward Shea represented the politic· a,l and journa.listic side: lVfr. Seymot1r the official and judicial and Mr. Duff . business and sturdy worth.

Tl1ey re· presented also tne three stocks from which the people of Newfoundland ha ·ve come, the English, Irish and Scotch. Sir ~Jdward Shea was of Irish extraction, Mr. Seymour was English and Mr. Duff was Scotch. "fhey re­ presented everything that is typical of N e\vfo11ndland. I am sure that we all regret their death and I think that it is befitti11g th.at we should :place on reccJrd th e expression of our sympathy and that a copy of this expression of sy1npatl1) 1 should be forwarded to the relatives of the deceased. MR. PARSONS.-Mr.

Speak-er, J ri s~~ to support th.e . resolutions of syr;1pathy now before the Hol1se. I feel at a loss to find la11gl1age to ex­ press the sorrov.r I feel at the death nf three such disting11isbed men. Wl1ile death is at all times sad I think that in the case of Sir Edward Sh.ea regret is tempered witl1 happines~ i11 t ha.t he had reached a good old age, well past fot1r-score. To hin1 it must 11a lTe b·een a blessing to be laid to rest <-tinidst a harvest of years. ·Death witl1 n1y frien .d 1VIr. Seymour came l111der pai11ful circumstances.

J .... ast April lie sat 11ere an1ongst us . appar­ ently hale and hearty. To-day we ·see his empty chair. From my heart I feel his loss. He came to Harbor Grace in the early seventies and from that tin1e to the time of his death he al\Va}rs tool{ a great interest in ever) ,.­ thing ter1ding to tl1e building up · ot~ the town, socially and otherwise. , In church matters he w·as an inde·fatigable \Vorker and St. Pa11l's church sustain~ · a heavy loss in bis death . When he · came there first he entered into busi ­ ness.

Then he was appointed sub·­ collector of Customs, then Sheriff and then Judge · of the District Court. IR matters :relating to his position offi .~ - cial and otherwise, everyone always . found him most obliging, courteous and kind. M : r., Duff came to Harbor Grace ill the early sixties. He was an energetic: and virile Scotchman.He entered · th•·· firm of Patterson and r"'oster and some yea.rs later went into busineS. himself wiltb . Mr.Balmer the firm beinc styled Duff & Balmer, and to-day he. leaves behind hi1n the flot1risbing ; business of Duff & Sons.

When we l<Jok at this empty seat we are re·­ rninded that Death is certain, the hotir unknown. It applies to all. Yes-no · n1atter "rhat we may be, no matter · · ho\v good h.ea.lth we ma,y enjoy, we 11ave . all eventt1ally to meet deatl1 : To-day we have before the House resolutions in connection with . three men· who had been all mc>re or 'less in.timately con~ nected with the ·public affairs and bt1siness side of the count .ry.

But there are 0thers 'vho have lJeen , call- ' ed away under sadder - circ11mstances; · pe·rhaps; bread win·ners have been sud -·· d e11ly snatched from their families, ' who could ill-afford tb.eir loss. ' on .· ' behalf of' some of the berea ve·d, as a · representative of Harbt'r Grace ·I ' . have to tha.nk the people of St. _John's :.ind tl1e out.norts ._ V\rho responded so generol1sly to the -call for assistance.

I refer to tl1e generous respons · e to t11e call for the "Erna Fund.-" r~ou did nobly, and. so I ·feel . it my duty to re­ turn the thanks of those in my· dis- - trict who are now partal{ing of the benefits of tha. t fl1n. d, I feet ' •t . . . . i . 1n.:r

• HOUSE O~" ASSEMBLY PROCJ~EDINGS dut;~ · to mentio11 tl1is matter. • ' • :1 We are all mortal, Sir, · and we ·l\.11<)W not the. day nor the hour when tl eatn will com~ but let us all be ready ar.d let us all have one fixed idea, that whether we are in p-qbl~c or priv­ ate life that we will do our duty rightly and f.earlessly, so that when ' the call eomes and we too have to p~f?S to the great beyond, we may be· received in­ to the glories of Eternal life. The resolution, as read, . was un· a,nimously adopted. ADDRESS IN . REPLY. . ' MR.

BENNETT.:-It is my, pleasant duty this afternoon to rise for the pt1rpose of proposing that a select committee be appointed to draft an address in reply . to the . Speecl~ from t.b· e T.hrone, \\rith which IIis Ex~ellency tl1e Governor has opened the Legis ·1ature. ln rising to fulfil this duty I feel and appreciate how unworthy · I am to do justice to this i1n.portant . occasion. · The Speech . that ha~ been .. read. is of such importance a11d of st1ch a character, that it W()Uld require the attention, criticism and review ·of a much abler mind than inine to do it justice.

However, I am ' as~ured iri my positio11 by the fact that the gentle111an associated with me on tl1~ occasio11, the Hon. member for 'I'rinity · '· Mr. Sqiiires; is one whose w-01~-known ability and power of ora~ to~y are a;n assurance that he will n1~re. than fulfil any shortcomings ot . 1nin· e · • • I . would era ve tl1e. permission of the . . ' H~use . before entering upon the · sub- ject n1atter of the Sp.each to refer t(l one or two n1atters that will meet the ctPilroba,tion of . this Assem .bly.

Last j-"ea1~ . ·when ·we n1et here the . ' Sp~ef~h froui ·the "rhrone was deliver- 0.d by Sir Ralph Williams. · In the or­ dinary course of events his term of off ice expired . and 11e left our shores a few short weeks ago ..

I think it will b.e adn1itted by all that he fulfilled the duties of his 11igh office to the satisfaction of the people and I know that on the day of his depa1·ture His Excellency expressed how sorry he·" felt in leaving our people, whom he had learnt to love, and in whose fu­ ture he would continue to take a great interest. , I should like to avail of this oppor ­ tunity of expressing a hearty wel­ come to th· e present Governor.

We· have heard his voice for the first time in his official capacity •and al­ thougl1 he js suffering fro1n a ·heavy cold, we must have been pleased with the highly dignified, clear and bril ­ lia11 t manner in 'vhich he read the Speech. He was gracious enough to say in the opening part of the Speech that '\Ve were not altogether strangers to him; for he had made himself familiar with our history, and with · " the various i11dustries and enterpri& es of our people. lVfay we also ex- · . press sitnilar sentiments towards him • although he h·as recently com' e' to our · sh·ores .

His high reputation and his splendid record have preceded him v\re know of 11im as a· man of very high literary attainments, as one who, in tl1e colon'ial office and in the official worl\: in \vhicl1 he has engaged in Greater Britain has done his work vv~ith 1?1uch distinctio11.

Ile co111es to us. fro1n a part of the Britisl1 Empire ,,·l1icl1 basks almost in eternal sun- • Bhi11e at a time when our country is irj tl1e grip of the ice-king. 011r hills are co,ier-ecl witlJ snow and frost reigns. supreme, but when he has been here · a short while he will find that vve have 011r periods ·of clin1ate as en· joyable and as healthful as are to be fo11nd in any part of the J1Jmpire. I am sure also that he will find hearts heI·e throb bing as warm and as loyal' to the Throne of Great Britain as ex· ist e!sewhere.

He will find that the pl;opl e · of Newfoundland are ready to S ~ lO\V their devotion, estee1n and re-

• HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY . PROCEEDINGS ' . spect for him. a.s the representative of our gracious King. . . ."YV e were all pleased to hear through ::r!s Jijxcel1ency the message from His Majesty a11d to be assured once more of the keen interest which he has al~ way 8 taken in the welfare of our peo­ ple. It is needless to say that we fe~ } very _rhar1l\.ful for this kindness on tJ1e part ,Jf'. l:r~s lvt:ajesty.

Bf.::~f<.)"A going into the details of the ~)J.l'~ech From the 'fhrone I should ii .ti~: tc; lJt })6J.~n1itted to congratulate tl1e ! · t"i tne 1\1 jnister on the very able a11d co1nvrehe11sive state1nent that is now before us. I am sure that from the sta11dpoi11t of importance it is second to 11one of the Speeches that have been read .to this .._1\ssembly. We have had during the past four years in each sessi<?n Speeches tha,t foreshadowed n1atters of great magnitude and im­ portance. Great <levelopments have be(~n rna<lc and we l1ave seen the great str.ides thtit the Colony has taken dur­ ing tl1at 1;eriod.

We were almost sat­ isfj ed th~1r the li1nit had been reached when these . great 11ndertakings had been ca.rried out in such a thorough mariner by the Government, but to­ da~~ \Vf> 11a ve the cro\vning act of the adrr1inis~r~tion of the pres~nt Gov­ ernrnent. We all ren1ernber 11ow in his mani°festo four years ago Si1· Ed­ ward ~1lorris looked forward to the fut11re of the Colony witl1 great op­ tin1ism ancl outlined his policy of de­ v·e.IopmQnt. vVe can reme1nber I1ow a grea ,t many people took it up and tl1rew it aside as being impossible and lln\vorkable.

Since that time, how­ <~ '.·cr, a great man~r of these pessimists c111d critics have bee11 converted, for . . .. 1 L :1as ~)c zn proved that the policy of tl10 I)ri111e Minist'Ji could be carried Cllt \vitQc11t ai1y increaRe of taxatio11. It ,,·as thc>ltght that the limit had · been reached "'hen the branch railways were ('.011tracted for and great improve~ 11·1011ts vvere made in our public works, and \Vhe11 the great undertakings that we see around ·us were carried into'. effect.

It was thought then that ,ve could go no further, but the crowning : act, the greatest undertaking of the ad1ni11istration is no\v before us. No government has ever done a11ythi11g that can be compared witl1 it, for the Prime Minister lJromises the 1)eople to 11a11d back to them an amount of Sltch magnitude as no other adminis­ tration e· v er had the courage or the ability to a·pproach. I refer to the first

section of the Speech in which His Excellency sa)rs that i11 view of the prese11t satisfactory financial state of the Colony the duty will be removed fro1n t(~a, sugar. pork and · corned and other barreled beefs.

This · on the face of it may not appear to be· an important matter, ])ut when Wt realize what it means we must be filJ­ ed with admiration for the men who ' have had th· e courage a11d the char­ acter to pay back to the people one., tenth of the whole of the reven11e. · One can hardly realize the pluck an<l the optimism to be found in the men · who are strong enough to take a step such as this, which has never · been · approached · i11 the annals of respon­ sible governrnent.

A man who goes to his grocer to-morrow morni11g-to Knowling's, to Ayre's, to Macpher­ son's, or to Bearns' or any othe1· store, to purchase a pound of tea, will find that

whereas he had to pay 40 cents before it will cost him only 30 · cents. 'I'o-morrow he will have· to pay .. or1ly 5 cents for a pot1nd of sugar that · cost him 8 cents before. Fisherrnen bei11g st1pplied i11 the spring a11d re· · quiring 100 1>ot1nds of tea will have to l)Uy $30.00 for it i11stead of $40.00 as . they had to pay before. 'l~l1e man \Vhc> . lJuys 100 pou11ds of st1gar: no ma,tter on what !)art of the island .he lives '''ill ha'\'e to pay 011ly $5.00 and not_ $8.00 as he did formerly. It means $370,000 off the revent1e in favor of tl1e people best entitlep. to it, th~ p~o- · ple who can least afford to i1ay taxes ..

HOUSE OF ASSElVIBLY PROCEEDINGS I ,5 ·r'h.e 11ecessaries of life that are reliev-. . . . . ed from duty by this administration are those that are used almost entirely. • ' • ·'' ' ; ' I 1 br the working cl~sse·s of the Colony~ the fishermen, laborers and' mechan-. . ics. We have often heard the cry: .. "'· ' ··; 4 "I~egisiate ·for a free breakfast table," but the G·ov~rnment· has 'go~e further and ·given a free c},inner ~n~ ·tea table a8 ·well. " In the fisherman's and work-, . . .. ing mar1's home he has now free sugar, tea, flour, br~ad, pork, corned beef and oil.

He has also free lines and twines to enable him to earn his liYing. Is !,lot this a record that any Go,ier11ment could be proud of? When this glad r1ews g9eS forth into . . the homes of the toiler . s there will be a loud chorus of acclaim to those who have done what no other Government did before. No other Government has ever done as much to help the poor man along and to make his life easier for him. Last year, if I remember right when we were discussing the ' . Speech from the Throne, the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Robert Bond, taunted the Gover·nment on their fail­ ure to reduce taxation.

He accused them of deceiving the people of th·e Colony and drew a weird picture of the people down-trodden and over­ b11rdened with taxation. The Govern­ n1ent has taken up the challenge and to-day we see the result. I am only sorry that the Rt. H·on. gentleman is not present so that we migl1t hear \v·hat position he would take antl wl1al criticisms he would l1ave to offer.

The ren1oval of these taxes will inake a very great reductio11 in the a.mou11t <)f the revenue. but we have much assurance in the fact that for some years \Ve have been enjoying large surpluses, and that we can rely upon the wisdom and ability of the Government that has been able to n1eet and overcome every difficulty during their term of office. 'Ve can safely rely on the Hon. Minister of 'Finf1nce: to set fprth in his Bl1dget how this reduction will be met to the satisfaction of the people. I The next item of the Speech deals with branch railways.

We l\now that already one of these lines is in op-. . ' era ti on twelve months and tl1e peo- ple of that . part of the island already know the advantages to 1 be derived from . the railway. The ':rrepassey line, which runs througl1 Ferryland district, is now near completion and also the line to . Heart' ti Coi11...:).11t. :\' cI:t ' year we hope to see both these lin~s in operation. The other lines, . the Bay de Verde, Burin and Bonne Bay branches will be rushed forward next season.

This will mean that all these important centres will be linked up \Vith the railway and this must be a great facility to the people. I hope the Government will not stop, but continue to b11ild branches so that the people of all parts of the country ·will reap the advantages of the rail-. way and increase tl1ereby the tradP and commerce of the island. I now come to the Old . Age Pen­ sions. Ho11. members will r.emember that the Government promised . 400 more pe11sions this year. This will 1nake i11 all 1200 old people i11 the is­ land who are in receipt of old age pensions.

Last year 400 pensions were voted and now we have 400 more. If I am correctly informed this will cover all the people of the age of 75 years in the island who are in need of pensions. I do not tl1ink that this movement has been dealt with in a right manner by those who do not see eye to eye with us, for we have heard much adverse criticism of it and it has been described on the floors of this House as a ''pauper's dole." What are the facts? We are giving these old people of the age of 75 t11e sum of $50.00 a year towards their sup- , port.

I say it is unkind and untrue a11d unjust to attempt to bring those men who have availed themselves of the offer of the Government tinder the - • •

' 16 HOUSE OF ASS.ElVIBI-f Y "PROClt .leDINGS description of paupers. The vote was never intended for that ].)Urpose but it has merel)r given back to those wlio have toiled in their health and prime of life and . earned revenues for ' ' the Colony, a portion of their own money. 1,hey laid the foundations of • the splendid prosperity which we now · ~moy and I would like to see the amount increased to $100.00. How- . ever we must cut our garment accord­ ing to our cloth a.i1d, therefore, we pay them $50.00.

I know that this am­ owit is appreciated very highly by 99 .Per cent. of those who receive it; I know that they are thankful to those who were not content with mere pro· mises, but have done their best to help ·then when they can no longer do the work which they did for years, and I ·know that their blessings will follow . the efforts of the Prime Minister and his colleagues. I ·hope that later on the age limit will be reduced from 7b to 70 and I am convinced that the Government will be only too glad to do this when the finances of the Col- ·ony permit them to do so.

Another bright feature of the Speech deals with a question that has been oocupying the attention of '.thoughtful men for some tim,e. We all know of the sad exper- ience we have had in the great loss of life among our sail- ors and fishermen. Unfortunately in this country the life led by our peo­ ple is of a very hazardous nature, hence the great 11arvest reaped annu­ ally on the ocean, where a great num ­ ber of our men meet a watery grave . Nothing has ever been done to allevi­ ate the sutrerings of those who are left when the breadwinner is drowned.

We ' b.ave 11ad many serious disasters ot Jate years, notably the Erna, Regulus. Little Jap, Greenland and Trinity Bay (lisasters. It is to the credit of our people that, when tl1ese sad disasters • · ·occur, they are open-hearted in their ·charity and all contribute as much as ' tl1ey can . to the ' various ' collections ~ ' ,. tl1at are . made. . Were .it not for this . ' ' . . ,, ' kind-hear ,ted an.<;! practical S)"mpathy ' ' , ma11y w.ould be left practicaJly des - titute .. ; It . is a matter . of , .congratula .. . '· .. • ' ' tion, ther~fore, .that the .

Go. vernme~t ' . has taken up . this matter, for it must . " . • 1. . '. ., • ; not be forgotten ~hat . wh,tle great d~s-. ' . . ' ' . asters appeal . most ... strongly ; to. QUr . . • • • -, ' • , 1 sympathy, the man .who falls over-. . . . . board, .or the two . men who are drown - ed through the t1psetting . of their . dory ' . deserve as much sympathy froin us ' ' ' as any others. lt is only a mf).tter of degree 8.nd.H. while the family ~~ffe~ ' ' f' t : I • ' . ' I just as much in these cases, too often .. ~ . ' . . . ' nothing is done for them.

" For that reason we rej,oice to know th.at 'the .,. r .f "; • . ' ' ' · ' ' Governrile11t will provide for those families who ·are bereft of their bread - ,· ' winner. . . ', . . I understand that on tl1e west coast ' . . a new enterprise has been started for the manufacture of fish offal and the dog fish, which has . been such . au enemy to our codfish. . I have very ' . little data in this connection, but I • understand that my hon. friend, Mr. Moulton, the member for Burgeo, is identified with the venture, which ie more than a mere experiment.

If it proves a success, as I hope it will, it will n1eari. a new departure and the • opening up of an ind us try that will mean more employment f.or our peo ­ ple. In the past too much has been throw11 overboard that might have been turned into a valuable asset, as is don. e in other places. I feel sure that all . ' ' the members will join with me in \Vishing this ne'\v venture. every sue -. cess.

A friend of mine told me that he was in Gloucester and paid a visit to the Gorton-Pew fish packing fac ­ tory, where he saw a sight that would gladden the . hearts of those who are interested in the packing of fisq . ' . T·here were three schooners ther~ with fish from Newfoundland, and hundreds of '\\roinen and children were employed . Every part of the fish was

• IJOtTSE 01'_,_ ...i\SSEMiiLY PROCE~:DINGS used anu. t1othi11g vvas tl:iro"''ll a"\va)r. 1'he fisl.. 1 rere packed Ull and sent to ever)r pa!"l of thE; U11ited States a11d Ca11ada. \Vl1ile 1)arts of it \Vere n1ar1u­ factured and used for other J)Urposes. 'l'hat sho'h'S llS wl1at can be done in this respect and 110\v \Ve ca11 save a large amot111t of inorlf~Y by 1nant1fac­ tl1ring the offal a11d fisl1es tl1at are 11ovv thro\v11 a"\Va)' as ltseless.

I: tl1ere- fore, 11ope that tl1e lle\v ir1dt1stry '\Yill be s1tccessful, anri tl1at the Govern- 111e11t \Vill assist \Vl1at should be a11 object lesson to ot1r fisher1nen. It is a \Vell k110 \Vn fact that in this cou11try a larg;e 11ur11 lJer of. people are isolate<l for a long period fron1 the rest of !the world .

One can hardly l1nderstand nowad·ays. a ina.n ed- ucate·d, industrious, am 1 bitious, liv­ nig in a part of tl1e world where he is cut off from the rest of tl1e world for six m·or1ths of the year; but there are places \Vhere up to the present date sui;h co11ditio11s have ex­ isted and not insignificant places, but ' large, i1nportant centres of districts. • These places have 110\v been linked tip by- the telegra11l1 'vire and the cable and insteacl of bei11g shut off during· tl1e 'vhole winter, wher1 navigation ,·vas in1possible, they can not alone get in co1nmunicatio1l \Vith St.

Joh11's, but with any part of the world. That s11rely is a. boon that will l)e remen1-• • bered bJr these-; people. rl,he wonder is to n1e tl1at the)· have be.:~n so 1011g· i1eglected and 11ot resented their abando111nent. Sir I1Jd ward l\r'.Iorris, cluring his J)eriod1cal trips around tl1e country to find out for 11in1self the exact state of affairs, has bee11 re­ sponsible for a great many of these re1nedial i11easures, and has thereb}~ . . . conferred a boon and ~ blessing . upo11 tl1ese people t.l1at will.

I a111 sure, be , . _appreciated by the1r1. . .Another feature whicl1 I tl1i11k . i11ost C(>n1m et1da ble is the ~ecQring of a dre(1g·e. \iVe all .knOv\r tl1at .tl1e ' ope11i11g lIP of the water\va~ys and har bours of our cot111try are of paran1ount i111portance; \Ve all ki10\\T tl1a, t i11 some places it is very difficl1lt for the fish­ er111e11 to carry on their a vocations: we all lr11ow tl1at there are certain places where it is impossible to float vessels of any reasonable size, and the Government a year ago took up tl1e ma.tter of purchasing a clredge. 1"11e cost \\'as very sn1all iI1cleed com ­ pared witl1 tl1e •ralue of the \Vork wl1ich sl1e is doi11g.

I ur1derstand she cost te1.. t11ousand pounds, or fift~r tl1ousand dollars. 'fl1e actual cost of building· sucl1 a ship, and she is prac ­ tically 11e\v, \vould be $100,000. She l1as been here, some of yot1 have see11 lier, a11d k110\v wl1at she ca11 do. Al­ re~1dy in one of tl1e ot1tports, in the district represe11ted by my friend, l\/fr. En1ersou, stea1ners 11ave bee11 able to get into places that i1othing larger tl1a11 a fishi11g jack cot1ld get into previot1sly. What must that n1ean to the fisher111an and tl1e bt1siness man?

What a sa.ving i11 labour to the man who formerly had to remove his fish or supplies fro1n a large vessel and bring them ashore in boats; and that saving is i1ot alone for tl1is year or next year, bt1t for all time. I hope tl1at this dredge \Vill be al)le to go arot1nd ancl re1nedy tl1e defects in all the other harbours of the Isla11d whicl1 are crying out for st1ch i1n­ provement. We have here i11 St. John's a condition of things that re-· quires immediate attention.

Our pub ­ lic coves and waterways are all filled up, and our merchants are handicap ­ ped i11 every . possible way by the im- practi9a bility of getti11g their ves­ sels and schooners in close to thei1 \\rharves owing to the shallowness of the water. While I have 110 ilesire to oppose my friends, the repr~sentatives of the outports in their desire to get all the use they can out of the dredge, still I. hope they wi!l recognize that \Ve here in St. .Tohn's have our needs

r8 1-IOUSE 01'' ASSE1VI13I~Y PROCEEDINGS also, and I trust that the ti111e is not far distant when sl1e will return here and do that work which so much needs to be done . .l\ _ great deal has bee11 said ever · v .. t ime this House opened on the mat- ,ter of education. Education is, a11cl should be, of paramount importance , and should have the urgent considera ­ ·tion of every government . It i3 a matte r of boast of the Gov­ ernment that during their term of of­ fice they have voted more money for education than any other Government. ever voted in a like period .

Only for the last ten or twelve years has this matter of Education been a serious concern to our Governments or Leg­ islatures; only during recent years have large votes been given to ren1- edy the state of affairs which now ex­ ists. But from that expenditure, it is only the voter of the future that will , to any great extent benefit. What ' "about the young man at the present time who has been rob bed of the ad­ vantage of this Education. The Govern ­ ment 11as to-day adopted a system by which every young man \Vith ambi - ·- tion, whetl1er in St . .

John 's or in the 1 outports, "\vho has not had the ad­ vantages of Ed11cation, in his youth, \Vill be able to go to the night schoo l ·and acquire knowledge which will pro- mote his general welfare in life. This point has been well taken by the ~ Government; it is one which has nev ­ er been spoken of in the House before , ·at least in my time; and I think it quite time that something should be done for the taxpayer of the present generation, who is providing the m·oney for Education that is not be­ ing voted.

I am glad that the Gov­ ernment has been able to do some­ thing to enable them to improve their -educational capabilities. We are also informed that the Gov­ -ernment are negotiating so that the British Consular Service in foreign countries "\Vill be in a position to re­ present the interests and trade of Newfoundla11d. I understand from the Pre1nier that this does not involve the expe11diture of one dollar , while we shall obtain Consular representa ­ tives in all countries . This is an achievement that the Government lnay feel proud of, and one \Vhich in­ volves it in no expense.

There was 011e ·very patriotic fea ­ ture in the Speech which His Excel ­ lency the Governor delivered to the House , when he referred to the great scl1eme of In1perial Defence and we ' as Britons must necessarily feel proud of it. As such citizens, we have a great heritage and a great privilege . • Our position in this country, our in .. dependence is rendered possible by the power of_ the Great Country which stands behind us, the great Empire of which we form a part; stronger and more bou11d together to-day than ever in its history.

We have seen evidence of this in the recent action of our great neighbour Canada "\Vhich has ' given three Dreadnoughts to the Im- perial Government. Not alo11e is that a tribute of Canada's loyalty, not alone an enor111ous sum to send over for such a purpose, but it is tlte intima tion to the world that though tl1ey may regard the Old Country decadent , that though they may say that Great Britai11 is on the \Vane, thej r will get an answer· t.hat her children are ready to help her out, that she and her col­ onies are drawn closer than ever.

Not alone Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India are to prove this; the rest of us must consider what part we are to take in the drama. Let us play a part worthy of ourselves; let us put for\vard every possible effort to play our

part in this "\Vorld movement. For if our independence is ever tl1reaten · ed we have to look to that countr~ which watches over us, her children for if she is ever weakened, our whol~ fabric \Vill crumble like dust beforE

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS 19 ..., the \Vind. I 11ope that the House and the country will back up this pur­ pose and demonstrate their true loy­ aJt:y· to tl1at Mother Country 'vhich g·ave then1 their infant nurture. It 1nust be admitted that this coun­ try for tl1e past 4 years has enjoyed such a period of i)rosperity as never before. When the Gov·ern1nent carne into power, they bad to face a deficit of $366,000, a legacy fro1n our predeces ­ sors i11 office, and that had first to be met. It \Ve.s rnet. The Government ra.ised a loan and paid it off.

Since tl1at time ''re l1ave had tl1e agreeable ex­ perience of large surplus·es annuall)' (tl1ot1gl1 I do i1ot say that t11e Govern- 1nent are responsible for tl1is) but we drew that revenue from a people contented and confide11t in their Gov­ ernment and tl1e future of the Colony·. '"rl1eyT \Vere i1ot afraid to spend their money in the Colony. ·when tl1e his­ tor)r of the past 4 years is writte11 the financial st1ccess of the present ad­ n1i11istration is seen. In 1909-10. the reve1111e exceeded the estimates by $350,000. Next year 1910-11 t11ere \vas a st1rplus above that again ·of $175,000.

Jn 1911-12 a. 8Urplus above that again of $211,000. And this yea1~ for the 8 months of the current year which will expire on June 30th, we have in compariso11 \vith the san1e period last year an increase of $186,000; making in all an increase for the period of 4 years o~ $900,000, or an averag·e of $225,000 for tl1e year. A great deal of tl1is mon~3y has gone in improving public \vorks. $600,000 has been spent 011 public wc-rks _ . roads, in places wl1ere tl1ere wer, e never roads be­ fore) \Vharves to protect the fisher­ men in tl1eir a,vocations.

This sum in fo11r years \varrants the Government in e11tering upon otl1er matters which will be considered OI' have been con­ sidered in tl1e past. The general trade of the Colony for the past four years has increased from $23,000,QOO to $28, .. 000,000, an increase of 28 per cent . Surely a creditable showing. vVe nev­ er had sucl1 an advance before in a period of 4 years iri the history of this Colorr)'·. Our 1)a1)er ai1d pulp industry I1as no\v i11cr·eased from $1,000,000 to $3,000:000 per year; more than twice as much as ot1r wl1ole mineral indus­ try.

Tl1ere is a flourishing industr)r, t"\\'O fi11e to\\·ns, '"'here a fe\\'" yea.rs ago tl1ere was but pri1neval forest a11d still furth·er develop1nent is going on. If tl1is does not \Varrant the Govern- 111ent ir1 Jooking forward to a continu­ a11ce of prosperity I don't lrnow what i)eople 'vant. The Bell Island mines are looking forward to a production of 1,600,000 tons of ore this year. 1,l1ey 11a ve never approached tl1is a1n- 011nt t1p to the present time. Tl1at 1,G00,000 ·\vill mean a tax pay111ent of ~~120,000 per year. Four years ago · it \Vas co11sidered i1n1)ossible to get oile dollar fron1 it.

To-day the two com­ pa11ies pay $120,000 a year and it has . not in.terfered with their work in the least. 1.,l1ey l1ave not had to reduce tl1eir work; they have not had to cur­ tail tl1eir exp·enses a dollar. During tl1e four years we have seen $105,000 granted for educatio11, a. su111 never approached before by any administration. I hope there will be still further money granted for this. purpose. 'Ve hav"'"e seen great works undertaken such as branch railways, . lighthouses, telegraph extensions and · cables.

A great many of us }{now the condition of the General Hospital be- ­ fore tl1e Government came into of- . fice. Those of us who were occasion- · ally called there by business will re­ me1nber how inad.equate the place , \Vas for its purpose. Go into it to-day and you will see something that will make you glad and proud to feel that the Colony possesses such an institu­ tion. I challenge successful contra­ diction when I say that in any part of .the world, scarcely a city of tl1is.

20 HOUSE OB' ASS:EMBI~ \T PROCEEDIN(~-S size or dot1ble its size is there, 'vhere yot1 '';rill find such an institution · bet­ t€r equipped. Then tl1ere is the Luna­ tic ... .\.sy'l111n to ·1Je constructed and the olcl Asy·l 11n1 to be remodelled as a Poor 1\sylun1. Tl1e insane 11ave had to live 11p tc) the present in a11 institu­ tio11 11ot properly constructed or equipp·ed to effect their cure or ameli­ orate tl1eir conditio11.

Tl1e Govern­ ment i1n1)orted experts on this sub­ ject a11d proposes to act t1pon t11eir ad\rice. 011ly recently tl1e Govern- 111er1t Ei1g·i11eer can1e back fro111 Eng­ lancl \Vitl1 pla11s arid ec1t1ip1nent for t.he instit11tion. wl1ich will be 011e fitted to ct1re or i1111)rove the condition of the 11nl1a1)PY perso11s \Vl10 go there. I have i10 do11bt that it will be as good of its ki11d as tl1e Gen·eral Hospital is nO\V, The old T""unatic _._t\_syl111n is to be re- 1nodellecl a.s a Poor A.sylu111. It is im­ possible to keep tl1e poor inmates any long·er ji1 the r)resent position.

It is not a pro11er plac·e; they shot1ld be ln the cot1ntr~,r \vhere tl1ey can get son1e fresh air a11cl exercise: for we must re111e1nber that inany of them are out­ l)Ort p·eop1e acc11ston1ed all their ii\res to 11e free to go out at all times. I co11:~·ratulate the Govern1nent that they ha,,,. e seen their way clear to under­ take this great enterprise. It is a scandal "'vvhich I have always protest­ ed ag·ainst here, and I am glad to see the cons11n1n1ation of my desires in that respect.

The ge11eral tracle of tl1'"" Colo11y has been st1ch that it must be gratifying to llS all. rrl1e price of fisl1, OUI' staple prorlt1ct) \vas never better. T11e good price last year more than macle up ' for tl1e sl1ort ca tcl1. I a111 safe in say· i11g tl1a t the price of fisl1 ~.-.Till never go l)aCl{ to its old level. I have tl1is afternoon made n1ention of 011e new market \\'e have found for it. The Unit~d States are capable of taking a g·reat deal more of the fish of this cou11try. If we can find some such way as this to dispose of ot1r surpl11s catch we shall keep llP the price.

If you have too large a eaten you glut th~ marltets and the p1~ice goes down. It should be the policy of the Govern- 1nen.t and the trade to avoid glt1tting · tl1e markets. There is one other 111atter in rela­ tion to our fisl1eries, and that is the Saln1on fishery. We l1ave constitutecl a Game a11d Inland :b-,isheries Board 'vl1ose g·ratt1ito11s \Vorl{ in the foster· i11g of our inland fisl1eries, is of great vall1e. 1"'hey have i11deed done a11 e11or1not1s a1nount i11 the protection of the rivers -vvhich bring the salmo11 to breed i11 our waters.

A man who \Va11ts to catcl1 sal1no11 will go to tl1e n1ost convenient place for then1, to the • n1ot1tl1s of the rivers. rrhat kind ot thing has bee11 stopped; nets are not allowed to be l)Ut in tl1e waters ot the rivers. This conditio11 of thjngs sl1ould soon dou b1 e ot1r sal1non, a11d the salmon fisheries of this country sl1ould becon1e resources secon.d only to the codfishery. It will be a great 11enefit, not only to the fishern1en. but to all the people of tl1is Colony. Mr.

Speal{er, before talii11g iny seat, I must congratulate the Prime Nlinister on tl1e splendid v-indication of his polic)r si11ce he took office. I an1 sure we have admired t11e way in '\Vhich he undertook a task that would have staggered most n1en, and could never be accomplished except by a n1a11 of stre11gth and optimism. His \vork for the last five yea.rs is sucl1 as i11ust ran]{ him first an1011gst all tl1e Prin1e l\:Tinisters of tl1e Colony. '_rhe bran_cl1 railways, old age pen­ sions~ educatio11 grants. telegraph ex­ tension and other works would have seernecJ by themselves e11ough.

But to-day tl1e greatest act of his adn1inis­ tration has bee11 consumrna.ted when l1e put tl1e principal foods of the peo­ ple on the free list, the necessaries· of life for the fishermen of the co11ntry. It is

an act which · \Vill be endorsed by

• lIOlJSE OF .c\SSEMBI,"\~ PROCB~:DIN<:;.S 21 everyone in tl1is Flouse and everyone in this Country. The work the Pre­ mier has done tl1e past four years m.t1st entitle him to ra11k a111011g the best Premiers N e\vfou11dla11d evet had. In co11clusion I echo tl1e \visl1 of I-Iis Excellency the Governor that Divine 1>ro"'.ride11ce i11ay gt1ide us in our u11- dertal\:i11gs. I hope t11is session \Vill be frat1gl1t 'vitl1 good to tl1is country and its people. 1-\ncl \vhe11 \Ve lea.ve this fiot1se and go agair1 before the (~ot111tr)'· \\·e shall ha.ve justified 011r ex­ iste11ce and our presence here.

Tl1e peo­ ple of this country \Vill say "Have these men carried Ollt their co11tract with us "rhen \Ve gave tl1em our votes?" And we can go to them \vi th the f11llest confidence tl1at we 11a ve do11e ,~vl1at the:y expected of us, and we 11ave d()Ile 011r dt1ty. I 11ave r11ucl1 plea.sure, Sir, i11 111ov­ i11g that a Con1n1ittee be a1>pointed to draft a11 Address in Reply to the Speecl1 from the Throne. MR.

SQ U IR ES . .:_I rise to second the n1otion so eloquently made by the Hon. inember for St. .Joh11's \Vest. a11d 'vot1ld talie this opport11nit.v of joining with him in a11 expression of· ",.elcome to Their Ex­ cel] encies M.r. and l\!Irs. Da vidso11. Ne,vfoundland l1as continuously been honoured ·by His Majesty's Govern­ ment by the higl1 and noble class of men \Vho have acted as representa­ tives of His Majesty at Government Ho11se.

The office of Governor of Newfol1ndland has not been filled by pired--one \Vl10 nover tur11ed his back but marched forvvard and put clear tl1inking and vigorous action into the a.dn1inistration of ot1r affairs. We welcome to our shores His Excellenc'r ~ ::\Ir. Davidson an· d M ,rs.

Davidson, and are pro11d that they, too, have alread~y· taken 11igl1 ra11k a1nongst tl1e scholar­ ly and noble representatives of Their l\1ajesties the King 'and Queen, who have won d istir1ction iP. their success­ ful efforts to \visely admj_11ister the in1portant affairs of the various de- 1)e11de11cies of t11e British Crown, with \Vl1ich tl1eir lives 11a ve be·e11 identified.

I3orn i11 185H of Scotch-Irisl1 l)arent ­ age. ed11cated at Can1bridge, of whicl1 historic seat distinguished the Ceylon Thence 11e by step of learning he was a scl1ol1ar, he entered Civil Service in 1880. has :pro.gressed step • up the ladder of dis- tinguished achievements until His l\1Iajesty the Ki11g honoured hir11 with tl1e disti11ction of being His Majesty's perso11al represe11tative-the Repres­ e11tative of tl1e Tl1rone of Great Brit­ ain, in Britain's Oldest Colony. Ot1r la11d ,\'~as not a s111iling la.i1d whe11 he ca111e to us.

In its exterior aspect the greeting was an icy one, bl1t beneatl1 tl1e frozen exterior, New­ foundland showed through her sons tl1e warmth and loyal)ty of her gre.et- ing.

True, it . is that, we ,cannot offer l1im the beautiful foliage and luscious fr11its of the s11nny southern land; but vve do hope tl1at the rugged grandeur of 011r foa111-bea.ten cliff~. the beauty of ot1r snow-capped peaks, the regal the Imperial Go1.rernment by men \vho claim rank and t)ffice merely because · splendolir of may, in so1ne m.easure at least, re- our Northern Aurora, . '1f social status or political service, bttt rather by inen who ranl{ i11 the class of Empire B11ilders an(1 have won by their ow11 capacities a11d achieve­ ments the positions to wl1ich tl1ey 11a ·\Te been appointed.

Of such ·a type was the respected · Sir Ralph Williams, whose term of office so ·recently ex- con1pense him for the l)least1re of the inore docile cli1nate of the south. New­ foundla11d 11as alwa:ys been noted for· its 11ospitality and good cheer. Our local beloved poetess, Isabella White­ ford Rog_erson, sang of her adopted 11ome:-~

22 HOUSE 01-i~ ASSEM13LY PROCEEI>INGS ']-,l1e ocean's foan1 breaks n1adly round thee, With rocks ais \Vil· d ·as e'er were piled, I~ atl1 nature bound thee • \Vhat tl1ough thy winter's sno\v see1n sad and dreary, '"rl1y sleigh-bells o\vn a cheerful tone, Tl1y \V<)odfire's cl1eery. rrhus Ne~' foundlanders have tat1gl1t to prize the hospitality cheer of life; tat1ght by been a11d the strugg·le of its people with an environn1ent sadly adverse to gra11ting favours except as the reward of toil. A people self­ relian t, inclependent and loyal, made so by the 11ature of their avocation.

The men vvho struggle with tl1e almost invincible might of the frost king; who compel a rocky soil and · cold clin1- ate to yield an increase; who call t1pon the treacl1erous ice-floe and all­ devot1ri1J £;· sea to deliv-er up their wealth; these are the men wl10, with an exterior as calm and cold as the mantle which drapes our hills, exitend a vvelcom.e to Their Excellencies of warm, e11tl1usiastic loyalty. May the R11ler of the desti11ies of nations guide the steps of hi1n who has departed fro1r1 us and continue to our new Gover11or tl1e administrative s11ccess­ es of the past.

Fron1 a social standpoint, New­ fol1ndland is specially honoured in hav­ ing at Government House a lady vvho brings with her the best associations and traditions of son1e of the most no1)1e anfl ancient families of Great Britain. \i\Te feel that lVIr. and lVIrs. Davidson, in t11eir social relationships \vith thP i1eople, will become endeared by tl1 e bc>nds of perso11al friendships and esteem a.s they did during their eight and one-half years' administra­ tion at Seychelles.

And whe11 the brief years of his term of office have expired and we find ourselves facing the time of his departure from our shores, may they both feel that life has been richer bee a use of the years of Imperial service spent in. this northern clime; and may we hope that when tl1eir min<ls revert to that lone land, 'vl1ich saclly t11ey forsook, 1..-,hey inay recall t11at sweep of savage splendour, rrhat land "\V-hicb meast1res eacl1 n1a11 at his worth; .. i\nd feel in men1ory 11alf fierce, ha.lf ' tender, 'rl1e Brotherhood of me11 that kno\v tl1e North.

I ca11not let this inoment pass with­ Ollt referring to the loss our As­ sembly has sustained by the (leath of Mr. .i\.. H. Seymo11r, one of the re­ l)resenta.tives for tb. e l)istrict of Har­ bour Grace. I k11e\v Mr.

Seymour i11 tl1e days when he \Vas tl1e Sheriff of tl1e Supreme Court of the Nortl1ern District, later as Jt1dge of the Harbour Grace District Court, and fi11ally as 011e of the representatives of the District of Harbour Grace. .c\..11 who kne"· v him respected hi1n for his ability and un­ tiring energy; those wl10 were privileg­ ed to be i11timately acquaintecl witl1 11im knew of his sterli11g loyalty ancl de\rotion to 11is beliefs; a11d dt1ring 11is later years 11E~ stoo{l as a mor1un1e11t of self-mastery, struggling on to do his work of life faithf11lly ai1d well 1111- der physical conditions ·w11ich, \Vere it not for tl1e unfailing loving kincl­ ness of his wife, would have re11dered life unbearable.

But such is life, so glicling on, It glimmers lil{e a meteor a11d is gone. As the inost importa11t 1natters 1·e­ ferred to in Flis Exc(~llency's Speech have been already fully d-ea1t with b}'" · the hon. rnember for St. John's West. in. 11is able adclress , J shall not ven­ ture to detain you more than a mo­ ment or two. I do feel, ho\vever, that I should not let this opportunity pass without some reference to the phen­ omenal development of our Island during recent years, an. d tho abund-

HOlTSF~ OF ASSEMBI~Y PROCEJi~DINc;s 23 ant prosperity \\rhich has been our portion. It will be reme1nbered tl1at whe11 in the years 1908 and 1909 th& present A.dministration laid before the electorate its manifesto, the country was told that the Manifesto itself was a mere vision, a dream of the night, a. gaudil~y· painted bubble put forward to delude the electorate ·in th.e hope of securing offic1e at any cost .

The coun · try was told that to hope to carry Oll~ such a programme would inear1 an immediate increase of taxation, to f;ontinue it wo11ld mean burdensome taxation, and to bring it to comple­ tion would result in utter bankruptcy . 'J~rue it was, tl1at tl1e manifesto of 1908 and 1909 was a vision, but it was a vision in tl1e same se11se that the plan of tl1e architect is a vision of tl1e 1nansion to be.

Tl1e prese11t Prin1e 1\<Iinister and his immediate associates in the Executive, were tl1e architects .of the country's undertalrings, and to­ day, in the brief space of four years, we see the structure of progress which ~as been erected. They had their visions, built them proud, and their minds were full thereof, until to-day , ,instead of a mere picture painted and hung upon th.e walls o. f hi.story, they have erected the firm and substantial inonument of these promises complet­ ed, or so nearly completed as to be capable of being already looked upon as an accomplished fact.

And that has been done not only withot1t in­ ereasing taxatio11, but at this tl1e be­ ginning of the fifth session of this Assembly, the Minister of Finance feels himself i11 a position to recom ­ mend a substantial reduction in taxa ­ tio11, so distributed that the labour i-ng and fishing population will 1·eceivt the full benefit. Had this Adminis­ tration merely carried out its pro­ n1ises of 1908-9, it would have beer1 a 1•ecord one in the developme11t of t11e resources of our Island hon1e.

It 11as placed its Old Age Pension scheme, with its 1200 pensio11ers, upon a sound . fina11cial basis; successfully handled the branch railwa3 r scheme, complet­ ed the Trinity-Bonavista line and brought two branches practically to completion with three others on th'~ verge of construction; with its light -­ h·ouse development; its telegraphic and telephonic · extension; its gigantic - a11y. increased educational grant; and witl1 the multitudinous mi11or propo ­ sitions wl1ich 11ave been brought into frt1ition during tl1e i>ast four years ; to have accomplisl1ed so great under ­ takings would have ir1 itself been st1fficient to niark an epocl1 in the political a11d industrial history of the country, to have given the assurance of the dawn of a new day in the his ­ tory of Newfoundland and the develop ­ me11t of its resources in a "'ay so marked as to be without rival in past decades; yet to these is now added th.e crowning glory, the climax in statesmanship, such a reduction in taxation as will make almost all the necessities of life of the greater part of the people of the country, the lab­ oring man and the fisher1nan, entire ­ ly free from taxation. rrrue it is that our opponents , me11 of exceedingly conservative ideas, did really feel that the word prosperity as pictured by the prese11t Administration, spelled ruin, but no"' these men inust rise in admiration and applause of tl1e Gov­ ernment for the accomplishment of its vision, for the suggestion that the next step will be towards the reduc ­ tion of taxation 011 the toilers of our country is the ultimatum of good gov­ ernment.

I notice \Vith pleasure that it is the intention of the Government to ap­ propriate during the present session a sufficient sum of money to increase the number of Old Age Pensioners by the further substantial number of 400. It vvould be difficult for one who was not intimately associated with outport life to realize the incalculable bene ­ fit which has accrued from a mater-

• HOUSE OF .i\.SSEl\fBl,V .J->ROCEEDINGS ·fal and moral standpoint from this Old .Ag-e Pension . 'I,ime was \vhen the only assistance given \Vas on tl1e basis of the pauper dole. 'I'he fisher · man slaved his life long, from early morning· till late at night dt1ring the fishing seaso11, to earn a c~omp·etence 'for himself and family, and then when a11 old n1an, if the fort11nes of the voy­ age had not been \.Yell with l1im, he found l1imself compelled to se-elr as­ sistance fro1n the relieving officer, be­ ing deprived thereby of his right to take

part in pt1blic affairs and of his independenc~e as a man, in spite of the fact that he n1ay l1ave given his wl1ole life and the lives of his sons and daughters to the uplifting and up­ kee r> of the Colo11y.

The idea evolved by the present administration of re­ lieving this burden, of treating the aged as pensioners of the Crown, en­ titled to consideratio11 at the hands of the people, has made tl1e old men feel that tl1at \vhich they ·are now ·drawi11g from the G.overnment is not a :tnere cl1aritable consideration '\Vhich is dole(l Oll t to them as pauper relief, but is inoney which the whole people are subscribing to them as a public recog11ition and r·eward of tl1eir years of toil.

It i.s i11y privilege to have some personal 1{11owledge of outport life and . representing the large and important constituency of Trinity, I kno,,.. tl1e incalc11lable benefit 'vhich this pension scheme has accomplished .in the t1plifting of our people, in the improvement of their financial status . 1n ·the helping of men to a more independent livelihood . There . are few problems with which it is so difficult 1to deal :as that of poor relief-as to how far a man may give · ·something for nothing and yet not rob the 1recipient of his m.anhoo·d· and independence; but .

I do think that so far as our local conditions are con~ cerned the problem has been solved in its best and highest aspect by the Old Age .Pension Act and the selec ~ tion tl1roughout tl1e Island of N e\v ~ fot111dland of this year a total of 1200 inen \vl10 are pensioners of the people and receive some recog·nition for the labors of .past years.

It is my hope, as I feel it is the l1ope and ambition of those 111ore inti1nately associated with the n1anageme11t of the affairs of t11is Colony than it is my privilege to be, to look for-vvard to the day when this Old Age pc~nsion idea will be ex­ tended, "rvhen the age limit \vill be 70 and not 75, and wher1 sufficient funds '\iVill be available to bring every 111an, and some of the \Vome11 too, \vithin the scope of the Act. As a Harbor Gracian, I am pleased to 11ote t11e reference in the Speech to tl1e dock at Harbor Grace.

I feel tl1at a new era has 1been entered up-. 011 in co11nection with activities of tl1is kind wl1en the Legislature passed

an Act guaranteeing dividends in con­ nection with this undertaking. In our country, '\i\rith its limited capital, it is exceedi11gly difficult to get large and important public utilities of this class financed, and it is in1perative that some encouragen1ent should be given by tl1e Government so that people who have the money may be the more will - ing to invest it in undertakings of this sort, ''rhich not only provide em­ ployment for the wage earner, but at the same time, because of the · nature of the industry ·Creruted, materially im­ prove 011r industrial resot1rces.

Ship building and ship-repairing constitute a class of ·work for wl1ich our people are eminently fitted, and the creation of the marine docl;: at . Harbor Grace, and, , I trust, the subsequent develop­ n1e11t of other similar undertakings in other parts of the country, must cer­ tainly give a material impetus to the , ge11ius of our P.eople as s:µipbuil ,ders. I would . also call attention to the ' ' multitudinous efforts of the . pr,esent · Administration to develop our .fqre_ign · fish . trade. • This latest plan of ar­ ranging with the I111perial autl1orities

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS whereby the British Consular service in foreign countries will be available to N ewfot1ndland to assist in the de­ \7elopment of this trade should be made no small factor in tl1e securing of ft1rther markets for our staple J>roduct. 'l.,he hon. mo·ver of this resolution has already referred to the very sup­ sta11tial i11creases i11 revenue during · the past four )'ears. )7 ear after year tl1is Ad1ninistra .tion has been making st1bstantial ap1)ropriations for the in­ creased pt1blic service of the Colo11y, and tl1e many· (Jetails to which tl1is Gover111nent pledged itself and so suc­ cessfully elev eloped; but tl1ere has been 110 shadow of a sugg·estion that these propositio11s, gigantic as tl1ey have bee11 i11 tl1e aggregate, have bee11 l>eJ·o11d t11e (jolo11)r's means; on the otl1er ha11d, the stin1t1lus given by the business-like ad111inistration of af­ fairs l1as l1ad such action t1pon tl1e la.tent power for trade \Vl1ich we have \vithi11 ot1r coastline tl1a,t the cou11try has responded i1obly to the progres­ si,re ideas of tl1e administration with ' tl1e result that year after year tl1ere has lJee11 a surpllts; year a.fter year tl1(~ reve11t1e 11as gro\v11 larger and la.rger, t111til to-day it has reached the n1agnific~ent figure of over three and a half million dollars, '"·ith a st1rplus for last year of $211,000, and an esti­ mated surplt1s for the curre11t year of o·ver $220,000, the increase for the eight inontl1s of the curre11t fiscal year over and above the corresponding eight rnontl1s of last year being $187:000.

N ewfoundlar1ders will be proud to note that J)aragrapl1 in His Excel­ lenc~y·s speech \Vhich refers to the contribution of Britain's Overseas l)ominiona to Imperial Defense, ancl suggests the possibility of our Colon~· participating in some way i11 the gen· . . eral. patriotic movement. Already, Newfoundland is doing something for I the En1pire~ and herself in the develop- ment of the Naval Reserve.

Our country's wealth in coin may be small , but it is i1ot small in the more im­ porta11t wealth of sterling manhood and experienced seame11, and I feel confident that the whole population \Vill respond joyol1sly to any practical pro1)osition wl1ereby Newfoundland inay take her place with the other eolo11iPs i11 this T1n1)erial sentin1ent. 1£11gla11d, l\1lotl1e1 of Nations, Cries to the native born: "Have you forgotten your duty? Do yol1 your birthrig·h t scorn?" Calls to tl1e Sons of Empire ­ Pale~face, dark a11d red-­ rr'he ricl1ness of your living Ye O\Ve to Engla11d's dead.

P 1 ro1n far-off islands westward, I1.,ro111 tl1 e distant la11d of morn, l?ron1 the loyal south and trusty nortl1 The rallJ'"iJ1g cry is borne. \'Te hear thy call, Oh, England, dear, \Ve 11ear, and we obey. rr11e Spirit of our Fathers Whicl1 mal{oes llS great to-day.

I would lil{e to have the opportun­ ity of referring to that most important of all i11atters,-tl1e inauguration of a i.vl arine Disasters Fund, as well 'lS tl1e Ra,ilway policy, the daily cross- · country service, the proposed Labra- dor ''reekly n1ail and freight service~ tl1e educational programme, telephone and telegraph extension, and other in1- porta11t propositions outlined in the Speecl1, but the hour is already ad­ \ranced . . ancl I feel I should not tres · i)ass on tl1e time t1sually allotted the Leader of tl1e Opposition for his ob­ servations on tl1is occasion, I shall conseqt1entlJr, reserve further corr1~· ment until the measures intende . d to· inake effective the proposed pro~ gram1ne are before the House.

MR. KENT • ..:...Mr. Speaker, I wish, first, to express my congratulatibns to· the 11on. member for St John's West, • Mr. Bennett, and the hon. member for ' Trinity, Mr: Squires, upon the very able and eloquent n1anner in which

• I-IOUSI:t OJ:i~ ASSEl\tfBLY PROCEEDINGS they have presented to the I-louse tl1eir id·eas upon tl1e Speech from the Throne. It is always interesting and instructive to listen to either of these gentlemen. They have their ovvn fix­ ed ideas on matters pertaining to the public life of the Colony, and they ex" press them clearly from their point of view. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, we do 11ot all , and probably it is better that we sl1ould not all, see eye to eye with eacl1 other in matters political.

It is in the interests of the country that tl1ere should be differences; that matters of public importance should be thrashed out from various points of view, so that the best results may be arrived at. This is the final session of the present Parliament, and is· in" augurated by the accession of a ne\v Govern.or. I wish, Mr. Speaker, to join in all that has been said in wel­ ·Coming lVlr. Davidson as the represen· tative of His Niajesty in the Colony. I · thjnl{ that those wl10 have seen Mr.

Davidso11, ''rho have spoken to him, .,or who have had anytl1ing to do with 11im since his arrival here, must be convinced that he is a man of more ·than ordinary intelligence; a man of ~high culture; a man well trained in :administrative affairs, and one who, I ·am sure, knows his duty to the people of this country, and is prepared to do it. That is, I think, the impression that must have struck any person who has had anything to do with Mr. Dav­ ldson.

On behalf of the members of the Opposition, I beg to tender to Mr. and lVIrs Davidson a hearty welcome • to the Colony. 1,his is the closing session of this Parliament, as I have ·said before. I regret very much that the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Bond, the Leader of the Opposition, has, by cir- ·cumstances, been prevenfed f1·om be­ 'ing present here this afternoon. He . has been called to England, and 'vill ibe detained there for some short time, ·but he expressed the hope before he ~left that he wot1ld be here before the close of this session to take

part in the discussion of the matters which will come before us, and I think everyone here vvould welco1ne the ex­ perience of Sir Robert in the discussion of these matters, no matter· on wl1at side of the House one occupies a seat. I hope he will be here this session, but whether he js or not, he will come bacl{ with renewed vigour, and ''The11 this I-louse meets again he \Vill occupy the seat wl1ich my Ri.ght Honourable friend novv occupies. '1,he S1Jeecl1 from the Throne, Mr.

Speak ­ er, contai11s many things which it was anticipated it would contain; but there are many other matters to 'vhich it "-"as expected reference 'vould be made. I have not read the Sr)eech myself yet. I have heard it read by you Mr. Speaker, and by His ' Excellency in the other room. I re- gret that the practice of supplying the Leader of the Opposition-or the per­ son who, for the iime being, fills tl1at office-with a copy of the Speech from the Throne before meeting has not been followed. RT. HON. SIR E. P. MORRIS.­ It has ne,rer been done in Ne\vfound­ land. MR.

KENT.-It is usual everywhere else. ·under the present circumstances it is almost impossible to follow a long speech such as the one we have had this afternoon, a person hearing it will naturally take in the salient features which punctuate it. Now, l\lfr. Spealrer, the first item in the Speech is that relating to the reduc­ tion of taxation.

I am sure, Sir, that all the people of Newfoundland would be !)leased to have the taxes which bear upon them lightened; but I am afraid that in the present instance the reduction, coming at such an hour in the existence of the Government, will be looked upon rather as a death-bed repentance than as a boon to the people of the country. The re­ sources of the country are good, the

HOUSE OF .l\.SSF:MBl,Y PROCEEI)JNGS revenues a.re good, and it \Vas pointecl out to tl1e Government session after session that instead of squandering those revenues in \vasteful ancl ex­ travagant antl useless expenditl1res, they sl1oul(l 11a ve bee11 utilized i11 a reduction of taxatio11. You are piling t1p on tl1e one hand burdens \Vhich must remain as permanent and last­ ing taxes t1pon the people of this country. You are cutting off legitim­ ate sources of taxa.tion, \Vhich yot1 cannot avail of, in order to meet a. defect. Take the . Bell Island. tax.

That was blazoned forth as 011e of the great triun1phs of tl1e Gover11ment. l \Vo11ld look tlf)On tl1at a.s a great triu1npl1 for the Bell Isla,nd lVlining Con11)a,nies over the Government. "rhcy :1re tie<l up frJr ten years. You ca11r1ot 1>11t one ce11t of ta.xatirJn 11pon the111; l)tlt if yo11 'va11t taxes to meet tl10 i)tllllic 0x:penses of the country, it is to the f'ishern1ar1 a11d. the fa.rrner an<1 the labo11rer you mt1st go to get these ta.xes. No ·m.atter what our obligations are for t11e next ten years, you ea11not increase the am.ot1nt of taxes 11pon the Bell Island Companies.

Yo11 11ave a contract signed and sanc­ tion f'(l b:)' t11e l"egislaturl~ to that ef­ fect. 'f'he next item, Sir. in th. e SJ)eech from the Tl1ror1e refers to Brancl1 Rail\va)TS. No,·v. this problem of Bra11ch Rail,vays has formed. per­ ha1)s, the most promine11t feature of disc11ssio11 clt1ring the past fo11r years, a11d I thir1k that the cot1ntry is be- coming more and more convir1ced every year tl1at the Contracts which ,,.. are the basis of these branch lines of rail wa:y are almost :ruinous to tl1is co11ntry.

We have five branches al­ ready· cor1tracted for, ancl not one of tl1e1n is 'vithin a long <listance of lJe­ i11g completed. The rails are laid into Bona vista; certain stations, snow fences and other equipment have been put in there as extras; b11t the line is not equipped as required by the Contract, and it will be a long time before it is equipped. rrhe rails a,re laid i11to Tre1)assey, but pra.ctically nothing has been done towards the eqt1ipment of that line.

The t1ltimate cost of tl1ese branch railways before they are con11)leted will be almost fab­ ulous. \Ve figured out in the begin­ ning that the cost of these branches would be bet'\veen seven and eight mil­ lion dollars, bl1t I believe that it will be or1e and a half times greater than that figure, before tl1ese lines are fl1ll)' er1uipped and ready for handing over, t111cler the final c~ertificate, by the Cor1tractor. '"l 1 hen, when you thi11lr of tl1e many obligations facing the Colony, and \vhen you see the Goverr1111er1t 011 the eve of a General Electio11,-after squandering millions e·very )rear for the past four years­ coming down an<l offering to reduce taxation, you mt1st be absolutely cer­ tain tl1at t.l1ey will 11ave to replace that ta.~\:atio11 by C)ther ki11ds, or go some­ where else to get n1oney to pay our expenses.

Again, Sir, the next item . in the Speech from the Thro11e, is the· Old Age Pensions. No'\\i·, Sir, I con­ tended before, and I contend again, that tl1is is not an Old Ag;e Pension. An old Age Pension is a reward for merit, vvhich a man can claim with in­ depe11dence, and with a feeling that it is his of right and of justice. The present scheme, Sir, is not that and ' tl1e proper name for it is An Assist- ance to the Aged Poor.

Any person who \Vill read the application form that every man who applies for an. old age pension has to sign, will be· convinced that this is the object, and. i1ot the granting of an Old Age Pen- sion. A 1nan who applies for this old age pension has to state what are his n1ea11s of st1pport. He also has to state on ·whom he is dependent for his support-that 11e is a depierident .. The old fisl1erman who has worked . :;t11d toiled hard, and who has, per­ haps, saved ~ little, will not be grant­ ed an old age pension under· that

HOUSE 01-1" ASSElVIBI-1-Y~ J>ROCE:B:DINGS scheme, as outlined in these appli­ cations. The11, Sir, he 11as to be vouched for by four sponsors, ·and all the facts as regards his means and as to who contributes towards his st1pport, have got to be vouched for by these four persons. 'l"'hat is not :an Old Age Pension. That, Sir, if called by its proper i1ame, is an As­ sistance to tl1e Aged Poc)r: and, if so called. I, for one, would have no fault to find with it. ~r1he next item is the Relief Grant. rrhis, Mr. Speaker, of course, is a matter in which we all concur.

I tl1ink, Sir, that any assist­ ance given to those who are bereft of their breadwinner is most deserving. I regret tl1at, in the consideration of this matter, the Government did not see its way to extend the op-eration of this fund to those who meet with ac­ cidents in mines or are killed in the logging or lumbering industries of the co11ntry. The risks on land are great in this country, and are growing every year.

The factories, for instance, claim their quota every year; and I am sorry t11e Government 11ave 11ot seen their '\Vay to extending this very beneficial ineasure to those who suf­ fer from accidents on land. But, Sir, notwithstanding this, we welcome the ·measure that has been made for those who "go down to the sea in ships." Pro vision is next made for the t1tiliza­ tion of what are called Waste Pro~ ducts of the Fisheries-dogfish and ·such other fish as have not heretofore been of any commercial value. This would be all right; bt1t I may repeat here an objection I have already made in this Legislature.

I object entire!}~ to this metl1od of legislating by con­ tract. It is creating a monopoly which I believe is improper. Here it is evi­ dently the intention to subsidize u11~ der contract some company.

I do not ltnow what or \vhom until I see tl1e details of the scheme; but I think the proper way to legislate for such an in­ dustry as is outlined here is not to contract with a11y particular individual or any particular co1npany, but to hold out inducen1ents to our local capital­ ists to co1ne in and participate in such industries. vVe have men in this country -vvho, if a venture is shown to b~ a paying one, will invest their capita.I and develop it. Take the \vhale fishery....

All the capital that was in,rested in that vvas invested by ' the people of the Colony. 'ro-da) r most of these factories are rt1nning, and paying good returns on the money i11vested. I think that if that encouragement 'vere given to local capital by bounties or othe:... wise ·and proper inducements held out that a c1iversified industry wo11ld arise in whi(lh competition and other incidents 0 f commercial business vvould develop . The main object of this paragrap:b. of the Speech is certainly good, but the 1r1€'thod does not recommend itself to :.) !Jr mind. \Vith reference to the train service, l\Ir.

Speaker, there has been a gr~at deal of complaint during the puBt t,·v 13lve months regarding the mail alld train service. We do not know wh,1t ti1e causes of it are. It is ascri'herl oy di~erent parties to different caus~s -to want of equipment on the r:.i.il·­ '''ay and to the immature state of the whole service, when the daily cross­ country service was started, to divert­ ing rolling stock, etc., to construction work. In summer time it is put down to congestion and in winter it is as­ cribed to storms.

To my mind this House should know the cause, and I hope that before we rise that we shall have papers and documents brought here and laid on the table to account for the very unsatisfactory way in \Vhich the whole mail and train ser­ vice of the Colony· has been conduct­ ed during the past twelve months. Nearly every bt1siness man that I have spoken to dttring the past six months has had a complaint to make regard­ ing both these services.

IIfJUSE 01<' i\.SSEMllL Y PROCEEl)lNG ·S 29 ... L\.s it is getting late, Mr. Speaker , tl1ere are only one or two other mat­ ters to which I vvrill refer . Regarding tl1e n1atter of Education I am glad to see that the Government proposes to make e11quiries "\ivithout delay into the agencies that are best calculated to bring about the estab ­ lisl1n1ent of conti11uatio11 schools . What the schen1e or idea is I do not know. rl"'here is 110 pro1nise in tl1e Speech that any action 'vill be tak­ en during the present session ii1 this connection.

The Speecl1 only says ·'enquiries will be made," that may mean anJrthing, or it may mean noth ­ ing. No doubt if the Go,rernment has a definite schE~n1e to propose in this connection we sl1all hear it during the session. There is one statement in re­ lation to the increases made b)T dif­ ferent governments in the Education Grant to which I cannot s11bscribe. Mr. Bennett, the member for St. .John's West, said it was the proud boast of the present Government that during their term of office of four Jrears, they have granted more 111oney to the cause of Education than any other preceding Gove1·11ment.

Now, speaking absolutely a11d as a matter of gross amount, that statement is true; but speaking relatively, a,s re­ gards the amount of revenue at tl1e disposal of the Government-that ls not true, and I will show you how it is not true. If you take the amount of the increase i11 tl1e Education Grant compared with the amount of revenue at the disposal of the Govern­ ment during the fo11r years from 1904 to 1908 and the four years from 1908 to 1912, the increase in the Education G1 .. ant was from 7.01 per cent. in 1904, to 9.06 per cent. in 1908, or an in· -crease of 2.05 per cent. during these four years.

The increase from 1908 to 1912 was from 9.06 I>er cent. in 1908 to 9.29 per cent in 1912, an in­ crease of only .23 or not a quarter of .one per cent. during these fo11r years.

Again if yo11 compare it as regards the increase of income . rrhe increase in the Education Grant duri11g· the four years 1904-1908 was 20.22 per ce11t of • the i11crease of the re-v ... enue of tl1e Col- ony and fron1 1908 to 1912 it was only · 15.13 per cent. of i11creased reve11ue Ir1 otl1er words the relative increase in tl1e liJducation Grant con1pared witl1 the increase of income was about 5.09 per cent. g·reater (luring the first period tha11 during the S ·ecor1d.

Rela ­ tively then, Sir, the increase during the four years previous to tl1e ad vent of tl1e prese11t Governme11t "\Vas gr.eat ­ er than duri11g the past four years . It is to be expected tl1a. t the man who has an income of a thousand dollars \Vill pay more for educatio11 tl1an a n1a11 V\Tith an income of seven hun ­ dred, and that the amount of expendi ­ ture will be in a proportion in each case, and while absolutely the n1an \vith an income of a tl1ousand dollars pays more than the man with seven hundred, yet, relatively the latter may be paying more, a11d that is what 'vas <lo11e.

Another paragraph I 11otice in the Speech . fron1 the Throne is one relat ­ ing to Imperial Defence . This is the great problem that is to-day confront­ ing the Empire, --l1ow to provide pro­ perly and efficiently for the defence of the scattered portions of the Em­ pire . Newfoundland has been doing her portion in the past in this matter and I had expected a more definite pronouncement from the Prime Min­ ister than he gives us this evening in the Speech from the Th1,.one.

Ever since 1909 the Prime Minister has been annually attending the I1nperial Defence Confere11ce. vVe have had no statement from the Pri1ne l\finister as to what was done at these Co11fer­ ences. There has been no state1ne11t f1·om 11im as to what part he took or what is expected from Ne,vfoundland. press some years ago that we were except that a despatch in the pt1blic

li()US:B: OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINC~S. prepared to mEt11 a \vl1ole fleet of Dreadnoughts Novv I thinl{ tl1at the Prime Minister ov·;es it to tl1is coun­ try tl1at l1e should take a serious

part i11 these Conferences, and if the para­ grapl1 in the SpE3ech n1eans anything, he should be in a position before 110~ to tell us "\\7hat 11e has bee11 doing ih this importa ,11t n1atter. Sur<~ly it is st1rpri~ing to find tl1at after all that 11as })ee11 c1one it is only IlO"\V annol1nc­ ed tl1at the Gover11n1ent has opened I1f r~·otiations a11cl are a"\vaiting the view cf the Trnperial Govcrnn1ent. The Hon. J11e111ber for St. Joh.n's vVest referred to tl1e preceding Government I was for a very sl1ort time a me1n ber of that Gover111ner1t and the Rt.

I-Ion. the Prime lVIi11ister was for a long time a me111 ber of it; and R, short tin1e before he left he spoke of the good "\vork of tl1at Governn1ent and pointed out how the people of the country were living better a.i1d more comfortably because of the red11cti<)Il of taxation a11d otl1er benefits \Vhicl1 had a.ccr11e(l ti1ro11gl1 that Go·vernment. I tl11!1k that the record of the last Go\·c-)rnn1e11t will compare favol1rabl;y with ~t11y g·overnment that prececled it or tha,t will con1e after it, if we consid­ er 1 lie position of the late Government at tl1e time it assumed office.

It went into cffice a few months after the Min­ ister of Fi11ance on the floors of this House told tl1e cou11try that t1nless we sold the railway to Reid for a million dollars the country would be bank­ rupt, and, within three or four years the late Administration brought the Go\'ern1r1ent out of that position and I11to the prosperous position which it ccntin11ed to occupy until that Adminis­ tration went out of office in March, 1909. .D11ring the whole course of that Go,~ern1nent's existence it had a sur- pl11s revenue and· a continually in­ creasing trade.

As for the deficit in 1908-9 I as one member of the· Go,r- ·' ernment, i:-ept1diate that. 1 (io i1ot hold myself responsible for that year's ad1ninistration, considering that the late Goyernment were in office onl:'l two-thirds of that t1111e and the present Govern111ent were in office during tl1e other one-third, so that I consider that tri.e preser1t aan11n1stratio11 is as lnucl1 rcspo11sible--if respo11sibilit:y· attacl1ed n.t all-for any deficit that existed that yea,r as tbe Government that preced­ etl it.

D11rint~ 8'\'t~r)' year of the a.d- 111i11istratir.)Il t1p to that year s11rpluses \Vere prcf\"ided, ar1d tl1E-~ large st1m of $500,000 p1nc0d to the credit of the (;olon:v as a reSf}r\·e. Tl1e last three .rears the s11r1Jll1ses \Vere $69,000, $125 ,000 and $107,000. '"rhese '''ere the last three :rears of the Govern­ n1 en t' s existE~nce.

During that admin­ istratio11 they provided more a(~com­ modation for fisl1.crn1en in th.e way of l igh tl1011ses an cl . other such facilities thaJ1 aJl forn1er go\,.ern1nf.;nts; ancl if one goes i11to the n1atter it will be f011ncl that their efforts in this direc­ tion were eve11 grea,ter than those of the i>reser1t Go1.rer111nent, considering· tl1at tl1e f(Jrmer had i1ot at th·eir 11ands ar1")rthi11g lil{e tl1e sarne an1ou11t of fur1ds available for the p11rpose. ' . Of co11rse~ Nir.

Speaker, the va.rious n1atters whicl1 are included in tl1e Speech from the Throne will come up in concrete form at some time or an­ other d11ring the session; but altho11gh there is a great deal of ma,terial in the Speech there js nothing which foreshadows any concrete legis1a.tion. 1 l'hat ha.s been, I tl1ink. one c)f the de­ fects of tl1e pres·e11t Go·vern1ne11t. rJ'h.ere has been 110 reaJly· co11structjve . lP~~·is­ lation d11ring· their whole · J)eriod of· office. Tl1e reve11ues 11a:'.re bee11' ·in­ cr.easing· but the~r cannot point to one measure of p11blic usef11lness \Vhich led to these increa.ses.

Tl1ey point to the Harmsworth · and A .. E. Reed en­ terprises; but tl1ey were there before • "' • ' • I " .

HOUSE OF ASSEMI3T~1" PROCEEDINGS. they can1e i11to power. The Bell Is­ land mines and the fisheries were there before they came into power, and they car1not point to one feature of their whole policy, notwithstanding their extravagant promises, which has l)enefitte(l the miner or the fishermen. Take the pro1nise of new markets . Before the last election the cour1try rang with promises of these new mar­ kets; but can the Governmen t point to one new inarket where our fish goes today, that it did not go for1nerly. Mr. Bennett, the men1ber for St.

John's ·west said that they ' \Vere ()ll the fringe of opening u11 new rr1arkets. That, Sir, V\'as said four years ago and has be-e11 said year after year. I·Ie said that we were on the fringe of opening up tr1e marltets of the U11it~d States, allhougb . there is no mor·e foundation for making that statement tha11 existed four years ago . It is simply a case of "live horse and get grass." I do not think, Mr.

Speaker, that the Government, notwithstanding the large and increasing revenues which they have enjoyed have in any way contributed to bringing about the in­ crrnsed trade that l1as been tal{ing place in the Colony. The roots of that trade \Vere laid by their predecessors before they assumed office; and these roots will continue after they have left office and it is necessary to · have them rem.oved from office in order that these roots may extencl and bring forth fruit and flourish for the lasting good of the Colony and its people. RT. HON.

PRIME MINISTER.­ .Jnst one or two words in reply to my learned friend the acting leader of the Opposition; and as we do not pro­ pose to sit after 6.30, I · shall be as brief as possible. I want to con­ &'fatulate him on his tempo1·ary as­ sumption. of the leadership of the Op­ position. I am sure he will believe me sincere ~vvhen I say that I regret very much the absence fron1 tl1e I-louse and col1ntry of his leader, Sir Robert Bond, and I re-echo tl1e 'vish that it may not be very long before he \Vill be back again so that we inay hav·e the benefit of 11is ex1)erience in this House.

It must be ad1nitted, how­ ever, 'that the abse ,nce of Sir Robert Bond is some,vhat mit­ igated by the very adroit and clever way in which the acting leader has assumed the duties of his i1ew posi­ tion. We all l1ope he will occupy that position for very ma11y y.ears , and that when he leaves it 11e \Vill have qualified for a11 old age pensio11. I wol1ld also like to congratulate 1ny colleague for St. John's West, Mr. I3ennett , and also l\!Ir. Squires, on the • ':rery able adclresses they have deliv- ered this evening.

Of course it is nothing new to listen 'to similar inter­ esting speeches from them; but to-day I think they have done a great deal to lift the debate to a higher plane. I unite in their expression of regret over the departure of Sir Ralph and Lady vVillian1s. They did much to e11dear then1selves to the peopl·e of New ­ foundland during tl1eir stay 11ere, and 110 ma11 could have done more to make himself acquainted with the needs and requirements of the Colony ithan our late Gov,ernor. As to our new Governor I am sure e\rerything said about 1him will become an accomplished fact.

He comes to us with the very highest eer­ tiftoaites, bearing the bran·d of one of our greate ,st universitites-Cambridge ,; and a splendid record in the service of our King. I can only hope that tl1e same good fortune will be his as fol- lowed his predecessors . My learned · friend began his ad- dress with a complaint that the Lead­ er of thie Opposition had not been served with a copy of the Speech from the Throne and if I had not inter-' jected 1at the moment that such was not the custom, it might have gone abroad that we l1ad done I •

• IIOUSI~ Ol1"' ,...\.SSEMBI.;Y PROCEEDINGS. something 'vro11g·,, son1ethi11g that had 11ever boon done before. Now it is not ust1al to forward the leader of the OpJ)Osition an advance copy of the Speech, neithe:r is he consulted as. to what should go into it. I:t m'a,y be the custom of other countries to so favor the Opposition Leader,! am quite su,re it was not done by 1tl1e late Gov­ ernment.

Tl1e next point raise 1d by iny lear11ed friend was in relation to the reducti(in of taxation, and this he characterized as a death-bed repent­ a11ce, meaning· that what was being clo11e to-day shot1ld have taken place four years ago. I 1vant to tell him that \V e have a very good !)recedent, for it is exactly what Sir Robert Bond did in 1904 on the eve of a general elec tio11.

If rn y friend \\1 ill look up the Jour11al of 1904 he vvill find i11 the Speech from tl1e Throne that exactly the sc-t111e tl1ing· 'vas done~ the duty be­ ing removed from flour, n1olasses, and keroEene oil, Now I know -something about tl1at red uctio ,n. I was a me.mber of the G o \r­ c1:rnr11ent at the tjmc, and tl1e histor)­ of that red11ctio11 wot1ld n1ake interest- ing reading. Bui t mJr mouth is closed, thougl1 no one 011 this side of the Ho11se need be ·ashamed to have the story told. A · death-bed repentence ! \Vl1y, Gir. we were pledged to it.

It was part of the large policy we went to the country on, a policy that was tried in tl1e ·crucible of two elections. \Ve received not one .but two mandates from the people, for we were really elected the first time, and would have come back 1tl1en with a large majority if it had not been for the very large expenditures of money made by the the11 Government, expenditures whicl1 left a. (leficit of $350,000 which we had to provide for in the first session. \Ve sl1ot1l(l have r·educed taxation the first session, he says. We \.Vere pledged , ' . to it as early as we oould,and we are now ca.rrying out that pledge.

Did my hon. friend expect we could vote $100,000 for Education, $200,000 for Lighthouses, a like amount for pub1ic 'vorl(S. find a dredge, provide old age pensions, do all we have done with .reduced taxation. To cut down the revenue and then rettempt to ca,rr}r ot1t these necessary works would hav e been absurd ridict1lous and s11icidal. ' The positio11 is different 11ow.

Havi11g fulfilled all obligations, · with a lar,ge surplus for the past y·ear,of $211- 000, after havi11g met all possible expenditu1~e, iand the prospect ot· an inc1reased revenue · d u r i n g the current fiscal year, we find 've are in a P'Osition to take the taxes off these necessaries of life , lVfy learned friend says we shall have to put then1 baclr again next session . That is not so. But has he aband­ oned all hope of con1ing back that he says we shall ha.ve to do 1 this. Or does h, e serve notice th,at if he comes bacl< 11 e will put them on again?

Now which of the two positions does he take ?,Eith ­ er \Vill be perfectly satisfactory to us. Becat1se if he 1neans tl1at he will put tl1e1n back it mt1st result in less 'Totes for him in the country,and if h· e 1ne:1ns that we will put it bacJr, it certainl~~ duggests his belief that he does no\. expect to gain control of the <~ountry's affairs. Bt1t it ma.tters not wl10 will come bacl{ the taxes will ne,rer again be put in force. They alI'e taxes that never should have been there. 1.,he tax on tea is a tax on a beverage 11sed mostly by the very poorest 01: our peo­ ple.

VerJ- · little tea is drunk by the rich, tl1ey have their wi11es and otl1e1 beverages. The la.d.ies use it at their afternoon teast but that is abc·ut all. rI'he popr Inan uses it three or four tin1es daily,-it is his pri11cipal drink \vhether in the mines, in the cabi.Y1 or cuddy of his fishi11g ho.at or on the· banks. And that is the r~ason why - ' \lTI.?. removed the cluty from that a,rticle .. because by so . doing we wottld bene~

fit the great mass of our people. Then there is sugar. So1ne people \Vill say this does not affect the !Joor ma11, as lle uses it ·very little. It was b~ca,use tte could not afforcl to buy it, that we have redt1ced the duty and brought the price within 11is reach. \Ve beard wonderful boa.sting vvhe11 the dt1ty was taken off molasses beca11se it was tl1e poor 1nan"~ S\veetening. We now propose to help the poor ma11 ta l1ave l1is su~ar as well as the ricl1. A1tli t11e ~a!ne ls true of pork and beef. '"rhe~r are pect1liarly the food o'f t11e poor man.

The 'vealthy n1an has his fresl1 beef a11d po11ltry, and tl1e redt1ctio11 of the tax on salt beef and pork will riot be11efit him at all. R11t it \:vi11 make t11ose a.rticles cheap­ er tl) t11e p<Jor ina11. ,.T'l1e11 ms,. learn­ ec1 friend 11as sc}111ething to say «:tbo11t tl1e Bell Islan(l tax. It wol1ld take a l'l1jla,df1lphia lawyer. and that is sa)'­ ing a good deal,to explain "rh,at the • polic)' <>f the Opp<Jsition is ii1 rela- ti<)n to tl1e Bell Island ore tax.

Tl1e I""eader of the Opposition, Sir Robert Bo11d. told us wl1en the tax was put c>n t11at "'re would drive the compan­ ies out of the co1111try, a11d the acting leader finds fault 'vith us for making a ten :rears arra.nge111ent, tying the tax up, as 11e terms it. No\v \Vl1at are tl1e facts? M)r frien 'd says tl1e tax is . • • .. • ~ ' "· t tied up for te11 years. He evidently _ forgets tl1at fot1r years have passed and there are only six n1ore to run. No'v I would lil{e him to tell us wl1at his policy is. Is it his policy to put more ta.xes 011 Bell Island?

Because if it is he inay go a little too far, and the <"'ompa.nies may inake it up by taking it fro1n the · wages of every • oo 0 I J '\ • 0 -;• ~ • i j • o !"' • I .' 0 man "rorlring tl1ere. We ·are getting· an a\rerge of $1.00,000 a year for ten .. 'f• years or a million dollars· in all, and w.hen the ten years are up it , will be time eno11gb to consider ,,...ether the ta.x should be incre~ s- ell and new terms entered· up~ '... . . on.

I doubt if anything· can be found . ' .., 3 '") .... in justification of an i11c-rease; b11t what the f11tt1re \Vill shovv is another inatter. \Ve \\rere told tha.t w'e sbo11ld p11t a ta:\ 011 tl1e <.;Op})er co111pa11y \vorking· at Tilt Co,re. But the mine is Il<)\V close(l and n1ay never be \vorlr~ ed agai11. Our policy is not to driv9 •':apital a'~a:r, b11t t<J flncourage it. Ot1r taxatio11 of the. Bell lslar1d companies \Vas different fror11 the ordinary.

We \Vent to them and pointed out they were getting the benefit of all the p11lt­ lic services of the Colony, and sug­ gested they shol1ld contribute some- · tl1ing to\vards the upkeep of these ser­ vices. They asked t1s what ·we want.­ eel and \\re told them a,bout $100,006 <l year, c.111d they willingly gave it. We rlid 11ot enforce a tax on tl1em, as it \VOUld not 11ave rJee11 in the i11terests _ of the Colony to clo so. 1\..gai11, Sir, \vl1at is true of tl1e Bell Island tax is equally true of the branch rail ways, so far as the policy of the Opposition is concernecl.

N aither angels nor men can tell where they stand on the question of branch rail­ ways. Mr. Shea last year on the floors of the House declared that · rail­ ways were the ver.y existence and lite of tl1e country, tb e while my friend opposite says they are ruinous. Not ruinous to the country, Mr. Spe.aker, bl1t c~ortainly to the Oppositio11. 1.,hese: branch railwa) 7 S are alright, and we· in tend to bl1ild . ev<-3ry one of them ..

We l1ave been spending only one mil- · lion dollars a year, and that repre·. sents an interest tax of onl:y $35,000 ; a ~rear. \Vhy if \Ve were to come h·ere. annually and ask for this amo11nt as an i11creased grant for poor relief it would oe a wonderful thir,ig ancl wo11ld receive the full endors.ement of the Opposition. But if we ask ~or the same .. a11iount to build railv,rays, or to de­ velop the country, we are on the high road to ruin, confederation, banlc:-• ruptcy and _othier things. The san1e is also trt1e of Old Age Pensions. · He: does not 0 bj.~ct to the pension, he -.. • "

34 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS objects to the name. This is a case of, 'vVhat's .in a name~' 'a rose would smell as sw-eet if cal1ed by any other name." Call it "assistance to the poor" and he will support it. Does the ~on. gentleman want us to !have a christening and rename the bill? We 'have adopted th· e name used in Eng- lan· d and N·ew Zealand, .and we are giv­ ing a larger pension than they are giving in E11gland. 1,rue the New Zealar1d pension is great·er than ours, but it is a much wealthier cou11try . That style of argume11t is only play - ing wi'th tl1e House.

The lion . gent- ­ leman should dispense with academic ,discussions and be s·erious. He says the applicants have to be vouched for. Is there anything wrong about that? He knows the enquiry i. s neither elaborate nor particular, for he has probably recon1m ·ended as many per­ sons for a pension as anyone. There have been over 80 pensions granted to residents of the East End ·during the last few years, and he has re­ ·commended more than twe11ty of .these, all of whom now receive pen ­ . sions. There is no politics in the mat- ter.

I havie never recommended a . single pension myself. so that it might not be . said it was a political dodge of mine. Of ·the 70 or more pensions which are being paid in tl1e West End quite a few were recom­ ·mended by Mr. Ellis, my op­ ~ponent last election. That doesn't look 1ike politics, does it? It is , easy to go out in the high 'vays ·and byeways and find what the Oppo­ sition papers would call supporters to give these pensions to. But that is not what was done.

Every· appli- ·cation was judged on its merits, whether it was recommended by mem· bers of thie Opposition, def P.ated ca11- ,. didates or anybody else. The appli· ~ cant has not to be vouched for by ·four persons, but by two that is all . the Act calls for; and I am sure the :aged people don't object to that or do not Sltffer any incon v1enience by it. So that there is nothing in that objection at all. Then be referred to the Re­ lief F unel and while praising the J:.Jeg­ islation 011