592 



NEW BRUNSWICK. 



made '' for a period of ninety days next preced- 

 ing any general election held in this State, 

 when any proposed amendments are pending." 

 Tli ere had been publication of the amendments 

 two years before prior to a general election, 

 and through a misapprehension of the terms of 

 the new act, a second publication this year was 

 not deemed necessary ; but the State Supreme 

 Court, by a decision rendered late in Decem- 

 ber, decided that such publication should not 

 have been omitted, ami that the election was 

 therefore illegal and of no effect. 



NEW BRUNSWICK. There were no changes 

 in the Executive Government of the Province 

 of New Brunswick in 1888. Three members 

 of the Legislative Council died during the year, 

 viz., Mon. William Hamilton, who was the last 

 surviving member of the Council appointed 

 directly by the Crown, Hon. John Lewis, and 

 Hon. W. M. Kelly. Dr. Lewis, a member of 

 the Assembly, resigned during the year, and 

 H. R. Emmerson was elected in his stead. 



Air ri cult lire. The year was remarkable for 

 excessive rainfall and early frosts. At St. John 

 the rainfall during the twelve months was 

 55'675 inches, against an average of 41 '959 

 inches for the preceding eight years. The au- 

 tumn freshets were unusually high, and consid- 

 erable damage was done to bridges and to the 

 crops stored on low lands. Nearly all crops 

 were below an average, owing to the wet har- 

 vest and early frost. 



Iti 1886 the Provincial Government imported 

 from Europe and the United States a number 

 of pure bred stallions, retaining the ownership 

 and leasing the animals at public competition 

 annually. In 1888 a further importation was 

 made, and, in order to encourage the raising of 

 pure bred stock, an importation of pure bred 

 mares was also made. The latter were sold at 

 public auction, subject to the restriction that 

 they should be kept in the province and bred 

 to pure bred sires of their respective breeds. 

 The sale was very successful. An importation 

 of pure bred sheep was made at the same time, 

 and the animals were sold under restrictions. 



The Legislature in 1838 passed an important 

 act relating to agriculture. The Board of 

 Agriculture, which formerly supervised the 

 expenditures for this service, was abolished, 

 and a Department of Agriculture was created, 

 presided over by a member of the Executive 

 Government, who is known as the Commissioner 

 for Agriculture. Hon. David McL^llan was 

 appointed commissioner. Under the new law 

 the province is divided into sixty districts, and 

 in each district an agricultural society may he 

 established. A membership of fifty and a sub- 

 scription list of $100 is necessary to constitute 

 a society, which will receive a charter and 

 also an annual appropriation from the pro- 

 vincial treasury. The object of establishing 

 this new department is the promotion of im- 

 proved husbandry and stock-raising, the hold- 

 ing of exhibitions, airl the dissemination of 

 information in regard to agriculture. 



Legislation. The principal other acts of gen- 

 eral interest passed by the Legislature in the 

 session of 1888 were: An act relating to mines 

 and mining-leases, providing for the forfeiture 

 ot leases under which no minerals have been 

 raised for twelve months continuously, or in 

 case of breach of conditions, and exempting 

 limestone and gypsum from crown royalty. 

 An act prohibiting the killing of moose, deer, 

 or red deer for three years. 



Shipping. The following shows the number, 

 description, and tonnage of vessels registered 

 in New Brunswick on Dec. 31, 1880 : 



There was a loss on tonnage of 31,790 tons 

 from the previous year. 



Conimeree. The foreign trade of New Bruns- 

 wick during the year ending June 30, 1888, 

 was as follows: 



The principal countries with which this trade 

 was carried on and the value of the trade with 

 each were as follow : 



Imports from Great Britain $2,142.694 



Exports to Great Britain 2,709,522 



Imports from the United States 3,022,221 



Exports to the United States 2,648,355 



Imports from the West Indies 305,775 



Exports to the West Indies 24,095 



The largest item in the export trade is com- 

 posed of proilucts of the forest, which were 

 valued at $4,891,832, of which a little more 

 than half was sent to Great Britain. The 

 United States imported $981,235 worth of pro- 

 vincial lumber, and $1,209,538 worth cut in 

 the United States was manufactured in and ex- 

 ported from the province to the United States. 



Railways. The following new lines of railway, 

 in whole or in part in New Brunswick, were 

 opened for traffic during the year : The Riviere 

 du Lonp and Temisconata Railway, from Ed- 

 mundston on the New Brunswick Railway to 

 Riviere du Loup on the Intercolonial Railway, 

 90 miles, of which 13 miles are in New Bruns- 

 wick ; the Fredericton Railway, connecting 

 the Northern and Western and New Brunswick 

 Railways, 1 mile long. The follo.wing lines 

 were under construction during the year : The 

 Central Railway, from Norton on the Inter- 

 colonial Railway to the head of Grand Lake, 40 

 miles ; the Albert Southern Railway, 12 miles; 

 the Fredericton and Woodstock Railway, 66 



