“The Press” In 1866

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31224, 23 November 1966, Page 20

“The Press” In 1866

November 23 An event took place in the Provincial Council last evening, which, had it happened in a neighbouring province, might have been deemed too ordinary an occurrence to excite much remark, but which here is such a rarity as to amount to a positive sensation. There was a Ministerial crisis. The Government, failing to obtain a majority on a question they considered of vital importance, formally announced their intention of placing their resignations in his Honor’s hands. The Opposition was led by Mr Wynn Williams, whose combative propensities, hitherto exercised at the expense of the City Council, have now been gratified on a larger scale by turning out an

Executive. He moved a resolution to the effect that the sums placed upon the estimates for bridging the rivers should be devoted to increasing the grants to Road Boards and Municipalities. A very animated debate followed. On a division the numbers for and against the motion were equal, 19 for each, and the Speaker, in order, as he said, to leave the question still open for discussion, gave his casting vote with the Noes; but the Government, having previously declared that they should stand or fall by their original proposal, considered an equality of votes equivalent to a want of confidence, and announced their resignation. The Council adjourned till Tuesday, to give time for the necessary arrangements.