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.
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