Newfoundland History

Relations of Newfoundland With Canada in 1912

[Canadian Annual Review, 1912; for full citation, see the end of the text]

 

With Newfoundland there was naturally a close relationship. On June 3rd the Island and the Mainland of Canada were connected through a daily express service by train from St. John's to the opposite seacoast and thence by steamer to North Sydney . It was a year of exceptional progress and prosperity; the policy of the Morris Government was of a practical and beneficial character; the generous equipment of a Tuberculosis Sanitarium by the Reids of Railway fame evoked appreciation in Canada as well as locally; the question of Confederation remained dormant despite Canada's willingness to negotiate and the statement of Dr. W. T. Grenfell (Apl. 10th) that it would promote immense development in Newfoundland; the Hon. M. P. Cashin, Minister of Finance, had a surplus of $172,000 for 1910-11 and an estimated one of $175,000 for 1911-12; the Census of 1911 showed a population of 239,027 or an increase of ten per cent. in the decade. In trade matters Canada gained slightly on the United States and the total trade of the Island increased from $25,300,000 in 1911 to $28,500,000 in 1912. A local appointment of much interest to Canadians was that of P. T. McGrath, journalist and politician, to the Legislative Council.

 

Source: J. Castell HOPKINS , The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1912, Toronto, The Annual Review Publishing Company, 1913, p. 120.

© 2004 Claude Bélanger, Marianopolis College