THE ADMINISTRATION OF SIR HENRY BARELY 79 



then addressed himself to Mr. Chapman, who readily undertook the 

 duty, and when the House met, on the 8th of April, that gentleman 

 appeared as Attorney-General, with Mr. O'Shanassy as Chief Secre- 

 tary, Mr. George Harker, a retired grain merchant, as Treasurer, 

 Mr. E. D. Ireland as Solicitor-General, Mr. Henry Miller in charge 

 of the Customs, and Mr. Duffy back in his old place at the Lands 

 Department. Much indignation was expressed in the House and 

 out of it at Mr. O'Shanassy taking office with the party that had 

 overthrown the Ministry with which he had voted on the test 

 question. It was alleged to be against all precedent and sub- 

 versive of party Government. In his vindication he pleaded that 

 he had only accepted the position under great pressure, and after 

 repeated refusals. 



The session came to a close on the 4th of June, after nineteen 

 months of almost continuous sitting. It had been singularly barren 

 of beneficial legislation. Ignoring the failure of Mr. Haines' mea- 

 sure, Mr. Chapman submitted a new Bill for a redivision of the elec- 

 torates, and an increase of the members from sixty to ninety. Its 

 consideration formed the chief work of the Assembly for a couple 

 of months, and it evoked an immense number of petitions and 

 formal demands from meetings under the auspices of " The People's 

 Convention," an irresponsible outside parliament that made the 

 Eastern Market a lively arena of debate during these years. In 

 committee the number of members was increased to ninety-three, 

 and the Bill passed without a division. But it was thrown out 

 in the Council by fourteen votes to twelve, although it in no way 

 trenched upon the privileges of that House, or contemplated any 

 alteration in its numbers. 



The third session opened on the 7th of October, and the Gover- 

 nor's speech intimated that the failures of the preceding session were 

 again to be taken up. When the Bills for altering the electoral 

 districts, increasing the number of members, and shortening the 

 duration of Parliaments from five to three years, were passed, a 

 dissolution of the Assembly would be necessary to bring those 

 changes into operation. To expedite the passage of these clamor- 

 ously demanded measures of reform, no other important legislation 

 would be submitted, it having been tacitly agreed to leave the 



