Responsible government in the Dominions: Responsible government in the Dominions

Responsible government in the Dominions (Vol. 1)

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Multivolume work

Identifikator:: 1896933912

Document type:: Multivolume work

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Press

Year of publication:: 1912-

Collection:: Economics Books

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Volume

Identifikator:: 1896934455

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-236504

Document type:: Volume

Author:: Keith, Arthur Berriedale http://d-nb.info/gnd/119086794

Title:: Responsible government in the Dominions

Volume count:: Vol. 1

Place of publication:: Oxford

Publisher:: Clarendon Pr.

Year of publication:: 1912

Scope:: LI, 568 Seiten

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part II. The executive Government

Collection:: Economics Books

CHAP. 1V] THE GOVERNOR AS HEAD 243 The decision of the Privy Council was obviously correct. As the Secretary of State pointed out in a private letter to Mr. McInnes, there was no parallel in the history of constitu- tional government that a body of men, five-sixths of whom had never been members of the Legislature, should be permitted to carry on a Government for three months with- out any public sanction or approval. Although it was clear that the conditions existing in British Columbia had made the position of the Lieutenant-Governor a very difficult one— the bitter personal feeling shown between the rivals for place and power intensifying the embarrassment as the rivals were so nearly equal in numbers—it was nevertheless impos- sible to approve action so completely contrary to any ordinary theory of responsible government. The Governor of Newfoundland in 1861 dismissed the Kent Ministry from office, expressly on the ground that he had been attacked by Mr. Kent in the House of Assembly, and his action was upheld by the results, the new Ministry securing firm hold of office.l In December 1891 the Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec— Mr. Angers—decided to dismiss from office the Mercier Ministry. For some months before, it appears, he had declined to treat them with full confidence, and had only maintained them in office pending the result of further investigations into their conduct. It was alleged against them that they had received moneys in connexion with the Chaleurs Bay Railway, and a commission of three justices was appointed to investigate. The report of the commission asserted positively that certain ministers, including the Premier, had received payment in connexion with the railway, and the Lieutenant-Gevernor then took the decisive step of declining any longer to continue the Ministry in office. In his letter of dismissal he alleged among other things that the ministers had illegally spent money without his sanction, and had completely misinformed him and misled him as to public affairs. The drastic step thus taken by Mr. Angers was deeply Prowse, History of Newfoundland, pp, 488, 489; above, p. 224. n. 3. R2

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