19th General Assembly of Newfoundland

The 19th General Assembly of Newfoundland was a legislative assembly of the Colony of Newfoundland. Its members were elected in the Newfoundland general election held in November 1900, and the assembly met during the period from 1901 through 1904. It operated within Newfoundland's colonial parliamentary system before the territory joined Canada in 1949. The election produced a government led by the Liberal Party under Robert Bond, a major Newfoundland political figure who served as premier during the assembly's life. Lawrence Furlong was selected as speaker, giving him responsibility for presiding over debates and maintaining parliamentary procedure. Sir Charles Cavendish Boyle served as colonial governor, representing the British Crown in Newfoundland and forming part of the constitutional structure within which the assembly worked. The assembly's membership consisted of representatives elected from Newfoundland's districts. As with other colonial legislatures of the period, seats could become vacant during the parliamentary term, and by-elections were held to replace members for various reasons. The available reference material identifies the general election, the Liberal administration, the speakership, the governorship, and the existence of by-elections, but does not provide a complete account of the assembly's legislation, individual electoral results, or the reasons for each vacancy. This was a historical public institution rather than a commercial brand. Its significance lies in Newfoundland's constitutional and political history: it illustrates the operation of representative government in the colony at the beginning of the twentieth century and the transition between successive elected assemblies. The 19th General Assembly ended in 1904, when its parliamentary period concluded and a subsequent assembly took its place.

The 19th General Assembly of Newfoundland was constituted following a general election held in November 1900. It was part of the representative institutions of the Colony of Newfoundland, which maintained its own legislature under British colonial authority. The assembly began sitting in 1901 and continued until 1904. The Liberal Party formed the government after the election, with Robert Bond leading the administration. Bond was one of the colony's principal political figures and later became premier of Newfoundland. The assembly selected Lawrence Furlong as speaker. In that office, Furlong presided over proceedings and served as the assembly's principal parliamentary officer. Sir Charles Cavendish Boyle was the colonial governor during this period, providing the Crown's representative presence in the colony's constitutional system. Members were elected from Newfoundland's parliamentary districts. The assembly's membership was not necessarily fixed for the entire term: seats could become vacant, and by-elections were held to fill vacancies for various reasons. The reference material confirms that such by-elections occurred but does not enumerate the constituencies, dates, replacement members, or causes of every vacancy. The assembly sat through the early years of the twentieth century and concluded its work in 1904. It was therefore one link in the succession of Newfoundland's pre-Confederation legislative assemblies. Its historical importance is institutional rather than commercial. The assembly provides evidence of how representative politics, party government, legislative procedure, and colonial administration operated in Newfoundland before the colony became part of Canada in 1949. The surviving summary information is limited, so a fuller account would require consultation of parliamentary journals, election records, and contemporary Newfoundland newspapers.

• 1904

  End of parliamentary period

  [1]19th General Assembly of Newfoundlanden.wikipedia.org

  The 19th General Assembly's period of operation ended in 1904.

• 1901

  Assembly begins sitting

  [1]19th General Assembly of Newfoundlanden.wikipedia.org

  The newly elected assembly began its parliamentary work, with the Liberal Party led by Robert Bond forming the government.

• 1901

  Speaker selected

  [1]19th General Assembly of Newfoundlanden.wikipedia.org

  Lawrence Furlong was chosen as speaker of the General Assembly.

• 1900

  General election

  [1]19th General Assembly of Newfoundlanden.wikipedia.org

  Members of the 19th General Assembly were elected in a Newfoundland general election held in November.

Historical colonial legislature and representative institution of Newfoundland.

1. 119th General Assembly of Newfoundlanden.wikipedia.org