Blair having resigned the Premiership for the purpose of becoming a member of the Government of Canada, fil£j» as Minister of Railways, the Honorable James Mitchell, who had been a member of the Government of New Brunswick from March, 1883, and Provincial Secretary since February, 1890, became Premier and Attorney-General. Mr. Tweedie became Provincial-Secretary, and was succeeded as Surveyor-General, by Mr. A. T. Dunn, while Mr. White continued as Solicitor-General, and Mr. L. P. Farris became a member of the Government without office. The House met on February 4th, 1897. The speech from the Throne which was delivered by the new Lieutenant-Governor, the Honorable Abner Reid McClelan, made a kindly reference to the death of his immediate predecessor, the Honorable John J. Fraser, who had died two months before in Europe. References were made to the dairy industry which was attracting much attention, and bills in amendment to the laws relating to agriculture were promised. At this session the ill health of the Premier practically condemned him to silence, and Mr. Tweedie assumed the position of leader of the House on most occasions. The bill relating to agriculture placed all matters connected with that great industry, in tlie hands of a member of the Executive, who took the title of "Commissioner for Agriculture." This bill was opposed by Dr. Stockton, the leader of the Opposition, and also by seven of his followers, Messrs. Pitts, Sumner, Shaw, Lockhart, Howe, Pinder and Black. It was agreed to by a vote of twenty-eight to eight.

In December, 1897, the Hon. James Mitchell died, and Mr. Emmerson was called upon to form a new Government. As Premier, he continued to hold the* Department of Public Works. The only change in the Government was, that Mr. White who had been Solicitor General became Attorney General. The office of Solicitor General was not filled. The previous June the Hon. C. H. LaBillois had been appointed Commissioner for Agriculture. The Legislature met on the 10th February, 1898r and the principal feature of the speech from the throne related to the improvement of agricultural conditions. It was stated that the stock importation made during the recess, in accordance with the recommendation of the Farmers' and Dairymen's Association, had met with popular approval as evidenced by the interest manifested in the sale and the satisfactory prices realized. The speech went on to say:—"Past efforts have resulted in a large increase in the dairy products of the country, and I am led to hope that like efforts will result in stimulating and encouraging the farmers of New Brunswick to produce their own wheat supply, as of other cereals, thereby saving to their pockets the large annual drain therefrom now necessary in furnishing bread for their own tables.

"My Government strongly entertain the opinion that butter of the best quality, can be profitably manufactured within the Province during the winter season, through the agency of dairies supplied by auxiliary skimming stations located at suitable points, and, with the view of demonstrating the possibility of conducting this enterprise successfully, have established one such winter dairy at Sussex. As there can be no doubt that great benefits will accrue to the Province should this experiment prove that the enterprise can be made generally successful, you will be glad to hear that the results thus far have been eminently satisfactory. In furtherance of the interests of dairying, the Government have established, and are now conducting a dairy school at Sussex, where all interested can obtain, free of cost, instruction in the most approved methods of butter and cheese making.

"The active and continued interest of a large portion of the progressive business element of St. John, in a Provincial exhibition, has been brought to the notice of my Government, and should the plans matured by the association in charge involve particular and substantial recognition of agricultural exhibits without lessening the usual display of the products of other industrial arts, a bill authorizing financial assistance on the part of the Province, will be submitted for your approval."

The bill promised by the Government, which was introduced by the new Commissioner for Agriculture, authorized the Government to grant assistance, by way of bonus, to persons or companies erecting mills for the grinding of wheat, by the Hungarian or other roller process, in localities where no such mills are at present established, or the conversion of any existing mills or into mills equipped for such roller process. The location, style, and capacity of the mill were to be approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, who were to prescribe the amount of the bonus in every case, and the conditions upon which the same may be granted. The bill also provided for the purchase by the Government, of such quantities of seed wheat and other seeds as might be thought desirable, the same to be placed on sale at convenient points, in order to afford an opportunity to the farmers to obtain the best seed at reasonable prices. This bill was opposed by the Opposition, but not vigorously. Dr. Alward said it was a question, where and when this thing was to end. If the Government gave aid to one special branch of agriculture, it was more than likely that a demand was to be made upon them to give aid to others.

Hon. Mr. Richard thought it was well to bonus wheat mills, because more money was paid out of the Province for wheat that should be raised here, than for any other crops. To this Dr. Stockton replied, "We buy oranges, but I don't think it is desirable to encourage the raising of them." The bill was agreed to. Under this Act twenty-seven roller mills have been already erected, of which three have been destroyed by fire, leaving twenty-four in operation. The total capacity of all the mills of this class in the Province is 1,260 barrels 2w of flour every twenty-four hours. If run night and day they would he capable of grinding 1,500,000 bushels of wheat in a year or if working by day only, 750,000 bushels. Their capacity is therefore easily beyond the present wheat production of the Province. Most of these mills, however, are fitted with machinery for grinding buckwheat, etc.

Something of a sensation was produced at this session, by Mr. George W. Fowler, one of the representatives of Kings County who, on March 10th, gave notice of the following motion:

"Whereas, it is advisable that an institution be established in this Province for the teaching of the science of agriculture.

Therefore resolved, that in the opinion of this House, the amount of the annual grant of $8,844.48 to the University of New Brunswick, should be discontinued with a view to the better enabling the Government to provide for the establishment of a school of agriculture."

This notice of motion provoked a great deal of indignation among the friends of the University. On the day when this motion was to have been discussed, the College students gathered in a body in the galleries, possibly for the purpose of overawing the Legislature. Mr. Fowler finding that the motion had caused so great an outburst of loyalty to the University, withdrew it. In doing so, he said: "There is no member in the House a better friend of higher education than myself. It is desirable, if the University be maintained, it shall be made capable of performing the best possible work and there is no denying the fact that there is a certain under-current that the institution is not." At this point Mr. John Black prevented Mr. Fowler from continuing his remarks, by rising to a point of order, which was, that if the member for Kings intended withdrawing his resolution, he had no right to use the notice of motion for the purpose of making a speech. Mr. Fowler withdrew his motion, but it is a matter of regret that the subject could not have been fully discussed at the time, for nothing is more certain than that there should be better facilities in connection with the University, for agricultural education. Since that time two new Professorships have been established, Engineering and Forestry, and the graduates of Engineering are quite as numerous as those in Arts; but there is this difference, that the graduates in Engineering are all men, while a considerable proportion of the graduates in Arts are women. As there is not sufficient employment in this Province to give positions to all the graduates of Engineering, in the University, that chair is at present an active agent for sending our young men out of New Brunswick.

The Legislature of New Brunswick was dissolved on January 28th, 1899, and the House met on March 23rd. A considerable number of changes arose out of the election, the most important of which were, in the city of St. John. Dr. A. A. Stockton, who had been leader of the Opposition, resigned his seat in the Legislature for the purpose of running as the Conservative candidate for the House of Commons, for the City and County of St. John. This necessitated a change in the leadership of the party, and that position was filled by Mr. J. Douglas Hazen, one of the members for Sunbury. Mr. Hazen had previously sat in the House of Commons of Canada from 1891 to 1896, as a representative of the City and County of St. John.

The Honorable Henry Emmerson resigned the Premiership on the 31st of August 1900, and on the following day the Honorable L. J. Tweedie became Premier, with the following cabinet:

Honorable L. J. Tweedie, Premier and Provincial Secretary; Honorable William Pugsley, Attorney-General; Honorable A. T. Dunn, Surveyor-General; Honorable C. H. LaBillois, Chief Commissioner of Public Works; Honorable L. P. Farris, Commissioner for Agriculture; Honorable G. F. Hill and Honorable H. A. McKeown, members of Council (without portfolio).

Mr. Hill resigned from the Government at the time of the general election in February 1903, and Mr. Sweeney was taken in, without portfolio, in March. In the same year Mr. McKeown became Solicitor-General. In 1904 Mr. Dunn was appointed Collector of the port of St. John, and on February 7th, 1905, Mr. F. J. Sweeney, who had been appointed Solicitor-General, was appointed Surveyor General. Mr. McKeown had resigned as Solicitor-General to contest one of the St. John constituencies for the House of Commons. On February 7th, 1905, Mr. Wendell P. Jones, one of the members for Carleton, became Solicitor General. There were no other changes in the cabinet until the death of Lieutenant-Governor Snowball, which took place on the 24th of February, 1907. Honorable L. J. Tweedie was appointed Lieutenant-Governor on March 2nd, 1907. The new Lieutenant-Governor called on the Honorable William Pugsley to form a ministry. In this ministry Mr. Pugsley retained his office of Attorney-General, and provisionally that of Provincial Secretary. Mr. LaBillois retained his office of Chief Commissioner of Public Works, Mr. Farris, that of Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Sweeney, the Surveyor Generalship, and Mr. Jones, the office of Solicitor General, while the Honorable Clifford W. Robinson, who had been Speaker, for seven sessions, became a member of the Government without office, the understanding being that he was to become Provincial Secretary as soon as the House was prorogued. After the conclusion of the session, the Hon. C. W. Robinson on April 15th, 1907, became Provincial Secretary, and was re-elected for the County of Westmorland by acclamation. On May 31st, he was called to the Premiership on the resignation of the Hon. William Pugsley, who was returned to the House of Commons for the City and County of St. John, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Dr. A. A. Stockton. Mr. Robinson became Provincial Secretary and temporarily assumed the duties of Attorney General. The other members of the Government continued to hold the same portfolios as before. In July, the Hon. James Barnes, one of the members for Kent, became a member of the Government without office. In October, the Hon. Mr. Robinson resigned the office of Attorney General, and the Hon. Mr. McKeown was appointed in his place and returned for the County of St. John by acclamation, in the place of Dr. Ruddick who resigned on November 8th. At a later day Premier Robinson resigned the Provincial Secretaryship, and E. H. Allen was appointed in his place. The General Election took place on the 3rd March, 1908, and resulted in the complete defeat of the Government which, with various modifications, had ruled the destinies of the Province for twenty-five years. The Government resigned on the 24th day of March, and the Hon. J. Douglas Hazen was called upon to form a Government, which he did immediately, taking the position of Premier and Attorney General. The Hon. James K. Flemming became Provincial Secretary, the Hon. John Morrissy, Chief Commissioner of Public Works, the Hon. W. 0. Hazen Grimmer, Surveyor General, the Hon. Harry F. McLeod, Solicitor General, the Hon. David V. Landry Commissioner for Agriculture, and the Hon. Robert Maxwell, President of the Council.