In a patronage connection much was said at this time as to the possible retirement or removal of the Montreal Harbour Board, which was composed of Liberals. At the banquet to Mr. Monk, already mentioned, C. C. Ballantyne made a speech praising the Hon. L. P. Brodeur-who, as Minister of Marine, had charge of this Harbour and who was said to have "taken it out of politics"-a course which it was stated Mr. Hazen would continue. No changes, therefore, were made in its personnel. At Ottawa Mr. Monk also dismissed in December about 150 employees of the Department of whom it was stated that 111 had been temporarily appointed just before the Elections. The Staff correspondents of the Labour Gazette, about 50 in number, were discharged as being partisans while, in connection with similar charges against Intercolonial employees, Mr. Cochrane appointed Emile Galley of Quebec, E. T. C. Knowles of St. John, and James McDonald of Halifax, to make an inquiry. A few other dismissals were made in different Departments with the natural result of much Liberal criticism in the press. The reply was that in 1896 the new Liberal Government had similarly dismissed 180 Welland Canal employees and replaced them by partizans; that an official return in 1897 showed 250 officials dismissed without investigation; that between 1896 and 1898 150 officials lost their positions in Montreal for being Conservatives.

To return to the Ministers it may be said that the first official speeches of the Hon. W. T. White aroused considerable interest, and that at Lansdowne, on Nov. 2nd, he outlined his personal convictions and public policy very fully. As to himself he had entered politics and the Conservative Party by the front door and without reservations; he had severed his connection with all financial institutions and it would not be for lack of effort if he did not live up to his new responsibilities. Mr. White described himself as in favour of Public ownership of utilities, as opposed to Tariff changes made without most careful consideration, as a personal admirer of Mr. Borden for rare qualities of leadershippatience, quiet strength, honest purpose, idealism and progressiveness." In the matter of policy he wanted Tariff stability in prosperous times coupled with a constant study which would make easy necessary adjustments to changed conditions; he believed in Protection for the farmer, the manufacturer, and the labourer alike; he wanted Dominion co-operation with the Provinces so as to provide the farmer with better roads and the extension of free rural mail delivery; he favoured the moderate expenditure of public money for national purposes but with a dollar's value received for every dollar spent; he hoped to help in conserving our British heritage and strengthening the Imperial association; he believed Canada to be only on the threshold of a greater expansion and urged special consideration for the agricultural interests:

The prosperity of Canada must depend upon the productions of the farm more than upon anything else. We must seek to make country life attractive, to give the farmer all possible advantages, to assist in facilitating production. And we must be just and fair and generous to the West. It is a great market for the manufacturers and farmers of the East. The interests, the needs of the West, must be continuously borne in mind. Anything we can do to promote its settlement, to develop its resources, to assist in marketing its produce to the best advantage, will be work well done for the whole of Canada.

At Gananoque, on Nov. 4th, Mr. White declared that young men of to-day would see Canada with a population as large as that of Great Britain and with this Dominion as the centre of the Empire. "Just as sure as we are sitting here to-night we are only at the beginning. In some great scheme of Imperial federation—I do not know how it will be worked out-Canada will have an important part." The Naval question and the Nationalist position in Quebec naturally brought Hon. L. P. Pelletier to the front. At Quebec, on Dec. 9th, the new Postmaster-General was given a banquet attended, also, and addressed by Messrs. Hughes, Burrell and Nantel. The Hon. Thomas Chapais presided. Mr. Pelletier was explicit as to personal position. "I was invited to enter the Cabinet and was not asked to abandon a single article of my programme." At the same time Mr. Borden had on his side made no pledges. The Government would not proceed with the construction of ships; "it will consult the Empire and the Admiralty and the policy of the Government will then be submitted to the people." The Minister stated that Commander Roper, R.N., had, on Sept. 20th, reported to the late Government condemning the Naval conditions and delays of the moment while Admiral Kingsmill had, on Oct. 9th, reported condemning the policy of local construction as valueless for Defence purposes. The Borden Government had already arranged a reduction of rates on parcel postage to France, there had been a reduction in cable rates to England, and further negotiations were in hand. The Harbour Commission of Quebec would be abolished and replaced by a Commission of three and negotiations were pending for a great Union Station in that city.

As to the Quebec Bridge matter the Postmaster-General said: "The contract for the substructure has been given long ago to Mr. Davis for $3,350,000 and the work is well under way. The work for the superstructure was signed on the 4th of April last for $8,650,000. The apparent contractor is the St. Lawrence Bridge Co., but there is another Company associated with it. The date for the completion of the work is five years."

A. Lavergne, M.L.A. (Nat.), also spoke and said that to serve Canada was to serve the Empire, that Canadian patriotism had a double aspect and that the Nationalists believed Canadians, in emergency, should rally to the British flag. "The Laurier Navy would have been of no use either to Canada or the Empire. If

we participate in Imperial wars we should do so as equals, however. Nobody in this country has the right to change the constitution without consultation with the people." C. H. Cahan, K.C., A. Sevigny and J. M. Tellier, M.L.A., also spoke, as well as the visiting Ministers. On Dec. 7th Mr. Pelletier had received from Mr. Herbert Samuel, the British Postmaster-General, a cable stating that the reduced rates would come into operation on Jan. 1st. Cable letters and week-end letters were to be given a special rate and so, also, with deferred messages. The new deferred press rate was 5 cents a word. In the Commons, on Nov. 30, Mr. Pelletier stated that the Canadian Government had approved, through Lord Strathcona, of the Pacific Cable Board's decision to lay a direct cable between Australia and New Zealand. It may be added here in connection with the Naval question that, pending definite decision as to policy, certain details were allowed to go through as already arranged. In the official Gazette (Nov. 11) there was published the statement that "the Naval forces of Canada" would, with the King's approval, be designated the "Royal Canadian Navy" and the vessels "His Majesty's Canadian Ships"; while on Dec. 29th appeared the statement, in accordance with preceding Imperial arrangements, that "All ships and vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy shall fly at the stern the white ensign as the symbol of the authority of the Crown and at the jackstaff the distinctive flag of the Dominion of Canada."

Colonel Sam Hughes, Minister of Militia and Defence took hold of his position and work with aggressive energy and with every indication of public interest. He had summed up the electoral decision on Sept. 26th with the statement that as "the National policy of Canada was fixed in 1878 so its Imperial policy was fixed in 1911"; he stated on Oct. 17th that the Militia leaders of the country, the heads of Colleges, and representatives of Cadet corps would be called in conference to discuss Militia problems and the Conference, when it met, proved a great success; he announced on Dec. 6th that the guns which had been practically abandoned at Signal Hill, Esquimalt, B.C., in 1905, would now be mounted; he stated on Dec. 14 that improved barrack accommodation for Toronto and new Militia quarters at Montreal would be at once put under construction, reforms inaugurated in the Schools of Instruction, and a new method of uniforming the Militia arranged. At a banquet tendered the Minister in Montreal, on Dec. 20th, he declared that Canadians stood for "one flag, one King, one Navy and one Empire" and that the only navy for Canada was the British Navy. As to the Militia: "We have in our 7,000,000 population a million and a half capable of bearing arms. Give me a million of those men capable of hitting bulls-eyes and no foe can cross the borders of Canada. We have no leisure-class in Canada to keep up our military force and we have no militarism here. The people manage the Militia.

force of Canada." Le Devoir, the Nationalist organ, did not like this speech and attacked the Minister in terms translated (in part) by the Toronto Globe as follows: "He has invited 25,000 school boys to go and make exercises in the fields and learn to become debauchees and play the fool at the expense of the State. He has drawn a map of the country as a vast field for manoeuvres where he proposes to enroll the nation and teach them, democratically, the art of shooting human game at a convenient distance."

As to other Ministers the Hon. C. J. Doherty was banqueted at Montreal by the St. Patrick's Society on Nov. 13th. The occasion was not a party one and Chief Justice Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, Sir Alexandre Lacoste, ex-Chief Justice of Quebec, H. B. Ames, M.P., Senator Dandurand, E. B. Osler, M.P., Mayor J. J. E. Guerin and J. C. Walsh (Chairman) joined in personal tributes to the new Minister of Justice. In his address Mr. Doherty made an eloquent appeal for high ideals and high conduct in public life; incidentally he suggested a public monument to D'Arcy McGee. A few days before this (Nov. 8) he had been given a banquet by 250 supporters in his own constituency and had defined politics as simply "working patriotism." At a succeeding meeting under the auspices of the 12 newly-organized Conservative Clubs of Maisonneuve Mr. Doherty and Mr. Hazen joined in strong support of the project, which had been launched by E. W. Villeneuve of Montreal, for the collection of $100,000 to erect a national monument to Sir George Etienne Cartier. An influential Committee was organized with Sir Charles Tupper, Bart., as Hon. President; Mr. Borden, Lord Strathcona and Lord Mount Stephen as Hon. Vice-Presidents; Mr. Villeneuve as President and C. A. Pariscault, John Boyd, H. J. Gagne and F. A. Jackson as Hon. Secretaries; George Baril and A. Fraser as Hon. Treasurers. As to matters of general policy the Hon. A. E. Kemp declared, on Nov. 2nd, in Toronto that "a complete re-organization and cleaning up of the big spending Departments at Ottawa, putting them on a sound business basis, will be one of the first duties which the new Government will undertake." In response to Hindu representations from the Pacific Coast a Commissioner was appointed to look into the situation. The principal appointments made by the new Government in October-December, 1911, were as follows:

*NOTE. In succession to Mr. S. N. Parent, ex-Premier of Quebec, resigned Oct. 6, 1911.

Canadian Member, International Waterways Commission

Canadian Member, International Water-
ways Commission

Superintendent of Indian Agencies
Chief Geographer of Canada
Member, and Chairman, Commission of

into

Thomas Chase-Casgrain, K.C., LL.D.

Henry A. Powell, K.C., ex-M.P.
Glen Campbell, ex-M.P.
Joseph E. Chalifour.

Guillaume Narcisse Ducharme.

Inquiry into Government Departments.. Hon. Alfred Bishop Morine, K.C.
Member, Commission of Inquiry
Government Departments
Member, Commission of Inquiry into
Government Departments

Hon. Aide-de-Camp to H.R.H. the Gover

Richard Stuart Lake, ex-M.P.

Lt.-Col. H. R. Smith, C.M.G., I.S.O.

Colonel A. P. Sherwood, C.M.G., M.V.O.
Lt. Col. S. B. Steele, C.B., M.V.O.
Commander C. D. Roper, R.N.
Colonel J. P. Landry.

Lt.-Col. R. E. W. Turner, v.C., D.S.O.
Lt. Col. V. A. S. Williams.

Harbour Commissioner of Quebec

Harbour Commissioner of Quebec

Phillip C. H. Primrose.

Louis Olivier Taillon, K.C.
Victor Chateauvert.

J. B. Letellier.

Narcisse Belleau.

Inspector of Dominion Land Agencies*... Charles W. McWhirter.

Western Homestead Inspector
Police Magistrate of Winnipeg

The appointment of the Waterways Commission, as above, was a matter of some public discussion. The Canadian Commissioners were to be appointed by the King, on advice of the Canadian Government, and the Canadian personnel of the Commission was duly named by the Laurier Government on Aug. 11 and included Sir George C. Gibbons, the Chairman of the former Canadian Section, with Aimé Geoffrion of Montreal and A. P. Barnhill, K.C., of St. John. A preliminary and informal meeting was held at Washington with the Commissioners appointed by the United States-Thomas H. Carter of Montana, J. A. Tawney of Minnesota and F. A. Streeter of New Hampshire. Eventually, however, it was announced that the new Government considered it necessary for its representatives to be in harmony with Conservative policy and the new appointments were duly made as stated. Mr. Leonard's selection to take charge of Transcontinental Railway construction was a most popular one as combining experience, character and capacity.

Nationalist

Meanwhile, Mr. R. L. Borden's first Parliament The Meeting as Premier, and the 12th since Confederation, had of Parliament; been called to meet. There was also to be a Royal Governor-General for the first time in Canadian history. On Nov. 16th, H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught proceeded in state to open the Dominion Parliament and performed the function amid a degree of public

and Liberal Policies

* NOTE.-In succession to the well-known R. E. A. Leach, one-time Liberal organizer in Manitoba.