§ Captain PEELasked the Secretary for the Colonies what were the circumstances which prevented Her Majesty assenting to the Act passed by the Newfoundland Government in 1897 for amending Chapter 124 of the Consolidated Statute, Second Series, entitled Of the Coast Fisheries; whether any protest was made by the Newfoundland Government against the refusal to give Her Majesty's Assent to the Act; whether the Governor acted upon his own responsibility, upon the advice of Ministers, or as the result of instructions from the Imperial Government; if upon instructions, were such instructions general or special instructions in respect of this particular measure; whether the law has since been amended; and, if so, in what way 1501W were the objections met which prevented the Act receiving Her Majesty's Assent.
Mr. HARCOURTThe ground for the refusal of assent to the Bill of the Newfoundland Legislature of 1897 amending Chapter 124 of the Consolidated Statutes, Second Series, was that it was feared that it would make it more difficult to secure the observance of treaty rights. The Governor was specially instructed to reserve the Bill unless its operation was confined to the parts of the coast outside the treaty shore. No protest was made by the Newfoundland Government. An agreement was afterwards come to with France, when the matter ceased to have any bearing on treaty questions.