THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. SATURDAY JUNE 5, 1948. Newfoundland's Divided Opinion

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1948, Page 4

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. SATURDAY JUNE 5, 1948. Newfoundland's Divided Opinion

For several weexs past, we are free loans to Britain in appreciation old in a cable message today, a of what the Mother Country had civil war of words” has been waged done for the island in its time of n Newfoundland, in preparation for poverty.

For several weexs past, we are told in a cable message today, a “civil war of words” has been waged in Newfoundland, in preparation for an important referendum to decide the island’s future form of government

This change was brought about nor through any industrial revival but merely because of the Allies’ use of the strategic advantages of the island as a defence base.

Latest reports of the polling, which took place this week, suggest that the referendum was inconclusive and that the people may have to go to the ballot box again. The electors were asked to say whether they favoured responsible self-government, confederation with Canada or continuance,of the Commission of Government.

Work was available for everybody at high rates of pay and increased prices were obtainable for industrial products; in fact the island had never before experienced such prosperity.

Revenue continues to increase, as a result of prices of exports remaining high and because avenues of employment are provided by airports and American bases.

For some years Newfoundland public opinion has been divided %>n the question of whether self-govern-ment, or union with Canada, should be sought, and the referendum was the direct outcome of a visit of seven members of the Newfoundland Convention to Ottawa some time ago.

These circumstances started a movement to urge the redemption of the pledge made by Britain in 1934: that when the island was again selfsupporting the former constitution would be restored.

A third issue (Continuance of Commission of Government) had the effect which usually attends triangular election: the referendum did not give either self-government or union with Canada a conclusive majority. Prior to financial difficulties, aggravated by the economic blizzard which swept the world in the 1930’5, Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion, but it was forced to consent to the institution of government of commission in 1934.

To find out whether Newfoundland had returned to a self-support-ing basis and also to discover w'hat form of Government the people desired. the British Government decided that a National Convention should be elected by popular vote to investigate the economic situation and submit to the Dominions Office recommendations on the forms of Government which should be presented to the electorate in a referendum.

The arrangement was conditional upon a pledge given by the Government of the United Kingdom that when the island had again become self-supporting the former Constitutional status would be restored. In the meantime Britain undertook to meet any deficits between revenue and expenditure. Until 1941 the Budget continued to show a deficit and there was much unemployment despite a long-term policy of economic rehabilitation adopted by the commission. The outbreak of World War II had great beneficial effect upon Newfoundland’s economic state. From 1941 there was a marked change in the employment situation and this was immediately reflected in the revenue returns. Instead of a deficit, the Budget showed a surplus for the first time for many years. That has been repeated every year since, and instead of the island depending upon Britain to make good deficits, Newfoundland made interest

The National Convention of 45 members failed to achieve the purpose for which it was set up, mainly through members becoming partisans of opposing policies. To ascertain what the relations between Great Britain and Newfoundland would be in the event of a return to self-government, a delegation visited London last year, but injudicious statements by the Dominions Office caused resentment by the delegates and no good purpose was achieved.

Later on, Canada welcomed the delegation to Ottawa and gave it all the information desired regarding what would happen if Newfoundland became a province of Canada. The referendum held this week was the culmination of propaganda pro and con self-government, union with Canada, and continuance for at least five years of the present Commission of Government under a Governor appointed by the British Crown. Stalemate is an unsatisfactory development.