5th General Assembly of Newfoundland

5th General Assembly of Newfoundland

Colonial Building seat of the Newfoundland government and the House of Assembly from January 28, 1850 to July 28, 1959.
History
Founded 1853
Disbanded 1855
Preceded by 4th General Assembly of Newfoundland
Succeeded by 6th General Assembly of Newfoundland
Leadership
Elections
Last election
 Newfoundland general election, 1852

The members of the 5th General Assembly of Newfoundland were elected in the Newfoundland general election held in 1852. The general assembly sat from 1853 to 1855.

John Kent was chosen as speaker.[1]

Ker Baillie-Hamilton served as civil governor of Newfoundland.[2]

Although Baillie-Hamilton was opposed to any change in the colony's system of government, in March 1854, Philip Francis Little and Robert John Parsons, with the support of Joseph Hume, were able to persuade the secretary of state for the colonies, the Duke of Newcastle, to grant responsible government to the colony.[2]

Later in 1854, the assembly passed a Representation Act to double the number of seats in the assembly; this satisfied one of the conditions set by Newcastle for implementation of responsible government.[3]

Baillie-Hamilton delayed the upcoming general election until May 1855 because he felt that a winter election would be unfair to Protestant voters living in remote areas of the colony.[2]

Members of the Assembly

The following members were elected to the assembly in 1852:[4]

Member Electoral district Affiliation
John Henry Warren Bonavista Bay Conservative
Clement Benning Burin Liberal
John Bemister Conception Bay Conservative
Edmund Hanrahan Liberal
John Hayward Conservative
William Talbot Liberal
Peter Winser Ferryland Liberal
George Henry Emerson[nb 1][4] Fogo Conservative
Hugh William Hoyles Fortune Bay Conservative
George James Hogsett Placentia and St. Mary's Liberal
Ambrose Shea Liberal
John Kent St. John's Liberal
Philip Francis Little Liberal
Robert John Parsons Liberal
Stephen March Trinity Bay Conservative

Notes:

  1. ↑ By 1854, Emerson had aligned himself with the Liberals, bringing their number to ten.

By-elections

None

References

  1. ↑ "The Speaker of the House of Assembly". House of Assembly.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, Frederick (1982). "Baillie Hamilton, Ker". In Halpenny, Francess G. Dictionary of Canadian Biography. XI (1881–1890) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  3. ↑ "Shift Towards Responsible Government". Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage. Memorial University.
  4. 1 2 "Elections". Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador. p. 684.
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