LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CANADA. 69 
now occupied and cultivated as such, though the city of Charlottetown extends beyond 
the old town site, and covers a portion of thecommon. The county town of Prince County 
was not established at Princetown, but at a point on the shores of Bedeque Bay, on the south 
coast, now called “ Summerside.” 
As we have just seen, there was an attempt made in Prince Edward Island to 
establish parishes as in other parts of the old colonies, but, in the course of time, these 
local divisions became practically useless, and are seldom mentioned now, except in legal 
proceedings connected with old land titles. It is only in Prince Edward Island, I may 
add, that we come across the term “royalties ” as reservations of the crown, in the vicinity 
of the old settlements. In the other provinces, however, provision was made for the 
establishment of commons,’ though, in the course of time, they, too, in the majority of 
cases, were leased for private purposes and ceased to become available for the general use 
of the community. The legislature of Nova Scotia, for instance, passed an act in 1816 to 
lease twenty-five acres of the Halifax common, in half acre lots, for 999 years.’ 
In this island, the several divisions to which we have referred appear to have been 
established chiefly for representative and judicial purposes. No system of local govern- 
ment ever existed in the counties and parishes, as in other parts of America. The legis- 
lature has been always a municipal council for the whole island. 
VI.—TueE ESTABLISHMENT OF MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE PROVINCES OF THE 
DOMINION. 
We have now brought this review of local government up to the time when a 
new era in the history of political institutions commenced in all the provinces of British 
North America. The troubles which culminated in the Rebellion of 1837-8 led to the 
reunion of the Canadas and the concession of a more liberal system of government to the 
people. The British authorities recognised the necessity of leaving the people free to 
control their own internal affairs, and of giving up that system of paternal government 
which had worked so unsatisfactorily. Between 1840 and 1854 all the provinces were 
granted responsible government in the real sense of the term, and entered almost 
immediately on a career of political and national progress which was in remarkable 
contrast with the condition of things previous to 1840. The legislation of the province 
was distinguished by greater vigour as soon as the people obtained full control of their 
,own taxation and revenue. The result was the improvement of the communications of 
the country and the passage of measures in the direction of increasing the responsibilities 
of the people in the management of their local affairs. 
In the speech with which Lord Sydenham, then governor-general, opened the legisla- 
ture of 1841, he called attention to the fact that it was “highly desirable that the principles 
of local self-government, which already prevail to some extent throughout that part of the 
province which was formerly Upper Canada, should receive a more extended application 
and that the people should exercise a greater control over their own local affairs.”* The 

! Nova Scotia Archives, Aikins, p. 700. * Murdoch, iii. 415. 
* Assembly Journals, 1841, p. 8. 
