cHap. vii] CABINET SYSTEM IN DOMINIONS 311
effect, and the new controllers were re-elected to their seats
after appointment in the usual way. In 1895 their position
was entirely changed by their being called to the Cabinet
instead of being left as subordinate ministers, a change which
was not contemplated by the Act creating the offices nor
intended by the framer of the Act! The result was that
on the formation of the Government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier
in 1896 steps were taken by an Act of 1897 to restore the
arrangements as they existed before 1887, the two depart-
ments being given ministers with seats in the Cabinet as usual,
and their salaries were raised in 1899 to the usual figure of
ministerial salaries? On the other hand, another experi-
ment tried in 1887 still holds good ; the office of Solicitor-
General, then created, is filled by an officer who may sit in
Parliament, but who is not a member of the Cabinet. It is
his duty to assist the Minister of Justice in the counsel work
of his department. In New Zealand the Attorney-General
may or may not be a member of the Executive Council, and
may or may not be a member of Parliament. In 1875 the
Victorian Attorney-General was in the Government, but not
in the Executive Council, and in 1892 the Attorney-General
of the Cape had no seat in Parliament.
In the case of the Dominion of Canada the first Cabinet
consisted of thirteen members, who, as was desirable in the
case of a Federal Cabinet? consisted of five members from
Ontario, four from Quebec (one being a representative of
the English part of the population), two from Nova Scotia,
and two from New Brunswick. The ministers were Minister
of Justice and Attorney-General, Minister of Militia, Minister
of Customs, Minister of Finance, Minister of Public Works,
Minister of Inland Revenue, Minister of Marine and Fisheries,
Postmaster-General, Minister of Agriculture, Secretary of
! Canada House of Commons Debates, 1896, i. 1065 seq.
* Thid., 1897, ii. 4122-30. See Acts 60 & 61 Vict. c. 18: 62 & 63 Vict.
zc. 23 and 24.
+ See the Act 50 & 51 Vict. c. 14, and No. 22 of 1908. So in New South
Wales from 1875-78 the office was not political.
« For Sir W. Laurier’s views on this topic see House of Commons Debates,
Mav 15, 1909.
