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oHAP.1] PRINCIPLES OF IMPERIAL CONTROL 1027 
the royal pleasure. The Anglo-American Company had 
opposed its passing in the Senate; their objections had 
been overruled, but the Act was reserved because the Privy 
Council of the Dominion thought that it might be held to fall 
ander the charge of prejudicing the rights of Her Majesty’s 
subjects not resident in the Dominion. The Canadian 
Government, however, asked that the royal sanction might 
be given at an early date, the company on its part petitioned 
the Imperial Government for its being refused the royal 
assent, and on October 29, 1874, the Secretary of State 
intimated that he had not felt entitled to take the responsi- 
bility of deciding what steps should be taken with regard to 
the measure ; then he continued : ‘it seems to me to be 
clearly within the competency of the Dominion Government 
and Parliament to legislate’ on the matter in question, as it 
was one ‘involving no points in respect of which it would 
appear necessary that Imperial interests should be guarded, 
or the relations of the Dominion with other colonial or foreign 
governments controlled’. ‘It is obvious,” he added, ‘that 
if the intervention of Her Majesty's Government were 
liable to be invoked whenever Canadian legislation on local 
questions affects or is alleged to affect the property of absent 
persons, the measure of self-government conceded to the 
Dominion might be reduced within very narrow limits. It 
is to the Dominion Government and Legislature that persons 
concerned in the legislation of Canada on domestic subjects 
and its results must have recourse, and this Government 
cannot attempt to decide upon the details of such legislation 
without incurring those complications which are consequent 
upon a confusion of authority.” No action was taken on 
the Bill, and in the next session a new Bill was brought in 
in which the rights of the parties interested were more care- 
fully adjusted than in the previous Act, and this Act, after 
modification in both Houses, was passed into law and re- 
ceived the royal assent from the Governor-General! The 
+ Canada Sess. Pap., 1875, No. 20. This correspondence and all other 
relating to disallowance or reservation of Dominion Acts is reprinted in 
Provincial Legislation, 1867-95. See also below, p. 1044. 
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