Newfoundland History

Newfoundland in 1932

[This text was published in the Canadian Annual Review ; for the full citation, see the end of the document.]

 

Shortly after the opening of the Session the House of Assembly, on Feb. 18, 1932, sent an Address to the Governor asking him to inquire into a series of charges made by the former Minister of Finance, Hon. P. J. Cashin, against the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Sir Richard Squires, and certain of his colleagues, regarding the administration of public money. Mr. Cashin had resigned from the Cabinet on Feb. 1, giving as his reason that a certain Minute of the Council had been falsified without the knowledge of the Government. In replying to the Address on Mar. 22, the Governor stated that the charges were without foundation. Further accusations against the Prime Minister were followed by a series of riots in St. John's . The resignation of the Government took place on May 7. The result of the General Election held on June 11 was an overwhelming victory for the Opposition (the United Newfoundland Party), Hon. F. C. Alderdice being appointed Prime Minister. A Redistribution Act passed prior to the Dissolution of Parliament had reduced the number of seats in the House of Assembly from 40 to 27.

 

Source: The Canadian Annual Review of Public Affairs, 1932, Toronto, The Canadian Review Company, 1933, p. 350.