November 19, 1867

JOHN ROSE NEW MINISTER OF FINANCE

Hon. John Rose (Lib-Con, Huntingdon) has been appointed Minister of Finance to replace the resigned Hon. Alexander Galt.

The announcement was made yesterday in the Commons as the Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald moved that a writ of election be issued for Huntingdon, the riding now vacant, owning to Mr. Rose’s acceptance of the position in the Cabinet.

In response to a question from Luther Holton (Lib, Châteauguay), the prime minister acknowledged that the position had first been offered to, and declined by, Hon. William Howland (Inland Revenue) who preferred to maintain his less onerous present appointment.

The prime minister confirmed that with the appointment of Mr. Rose, the monetary policy of the Government will remain as it was when established by Mr. Galt in July.

The position of Secretary of State for the Provinces, made vacant by the resignation of Hon. Adams Archibald following his defeat in the recent elections, will not be filled.

NOVA SCOTIA MLAS TO PROTEST CONFEDERATION

At a caucus of the newly elected members of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia, held on November 7, 1867, in the Assembly Room at the Provincial Building in Halifax, the members declared their “unanimous and unalterable determination to use every lawful and constitutional means to extricate the province from the operation of the British North American Act” and that they expect the new administration will begin communications with Her Majesty and the Imperial Parliament to bring that about.

The members also protested against the taking of seats in the Commons by those of their province elected to that body lest that action be seen as an acquiescence on the part of the province to their membership in the Dominion.

THE TELEGRAPH

News arrives by telegraph from Great Britain that the government there intends to take possession of the telegraph lines and incorporate them as part of the postal system.

In the Commons yesterday, Aquila Walsh (Conservative, North Norfolk) inquired of the Government whether such a policy would be pursued by the Dominion Government. In response, Sir John A. Macdonald said no decision would be made until the British policy was finalized.

Meanwhile, the Ottawa Times publishes an opinion from the Trade Review that the rates charged for electric telegraphs and express transportation of goods are too high and therefore inhibiting the transaction of business in the Dominion. A reduction in rates “will enable the commercial public to enjoy the advantages of the telegraph and express much more than they now do” and that any reduction in rate will increase such participation that revenues will not be negatively affected.

“Without the telegraph,” they write, “the world would seem to have gone backwards half a century, and the trade of the country would be revolutionized on the backward track.”

COMMONS REPORT

The Commons met yesterday at three o’clock in the afternoon. Alfred Savary (Anti-Confederate, Digby) presented a petition seeking the removal from office of Hon. William Young, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, for illegal conduct and other misdemeanours.

Hon. William Howland (Inland Revenue) gave notice that the Public Accounts will be tabled today.

Dr. Thomas Parker (Lib, Centre Wellington) will move for the tabling of any correspondence between the Dominion Government and the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, it being suspected by the Liberals that the selection of Hon. John Sandfield Macdonald as premier of Ontario was made at the direction of the prime minister.

Louis Masson (Conservative, Terrebonne) will seek an answer of the Government as to whether it intends to assume the power to appoint magistrates in the Dominion.