new administration which had just
been formed under the premiership of Sir Robert Peel, and which lasted
just one hundred and forty-five days. The creation of this
administration was due to the action of King William IV, in dismissing
his advisers on the death of Earl Spencer, which removed Lord Althorp
from the House of Commons. The king had grown to detest his cabinet for
their reforming spirit, but his designs were thwarted by the failure of
Sir Robert Peel to form an administration capable of facing the House of
Commons. As a consequence, Viscount Melbourne again became premier, and
a renewal of the negotiations with the government in regard to the
casual and territorial revenues was rendered possible.

The House of Assembly was still determined to keep the question of the
casual and territorial revenue to the front, and at a later period in
the session another address on this subject was prepared by the House of
Assembly, to be laid before His Majesty. In this address the grievances
with regard to the management of the Crown lands of New Brunswick were
recited, and the willingness of the legislature to provide for the civil
establishment of the province was stated. The address urged the benefits
that would result to the people of New Brunswick from placing the net
proceeds of the Crown-land revenues under the control of the
legislature. Attached to this address was a schedule of salaries
proposed to be paid out of the casual and territorial revenues,
amounting in all to L10,500 currency. The address was transmitted to the
governor to be forwarded to His Majesty. No specific answer was ever
made to this proposal, a fact which was probably due to the confusion,
incident to the change of government, which took place about the time
the address reached Downing Street.

{CUSTOM-HOUSE SALARIES}

Another matter which engaged the attention of the House during this
session, and in which Wilmot took an active interest, was the settlement
of the salaries of the custom-house officials. Although the surplus
revenue from this source went into the provincial treasury, the amount
thus received was much less than it ought to have been, in consequence
of the large salaries which were paid to the officials. In the year 1830
the amount of custom-house duties collected in the province was L16,616
18s. 11d. sterling, from which was deducted for salaries L7,073 6s., or
nearly one-half of the whole amount. The House of Assembly objected