The 8th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia sat from 1899 to 1900. The members were elected in the British Columbia general election held in July 1898. Robert Beaven was asked to form a government but was not able to garner sufficient support, so Charles Augustus Semlin became premier. After a major government bill was defeated in February 1900, Semlin's government was dismissed. Joseph Martin succeeded Semlin but his government was subsequently defeated on a motion of no-confidence. An election followed later that year.
William Thomas Forster served as speaker.
Members of the 8th Parliament The following members were elected to the assembly in 1898: MemberElectoral districtPartyFirst elected / previously electedNo.# of term(s)Alan Webster NeillAlberniOppositionopposed to the Turner administration18981st termHans Lars HelgesenCaribooOpposition1878, 18983rd term*John Charlton KinchantOpposition18981st termCharles William Digby CliffordCassiarGovernmentGovernment candidates supported the Turner administration18981st termJohn IrvingGovernment18942nd termJames DunsmuirComoxGovernment18981st termWilliam Russell RobertsonCowichanGovernment18981st termWilliam George NeilsonEast Kootenay NorthGovernment18981st termWilmer Cleveland Wells (1899)Government18991st termJames BakerEast Kootenay SouthGovernment18864th termDavid Williams HigginsEsquimaltOpposition18864th termCharles Edward PooleyGovernment18825th termJames Douglas PrenticeLillooet EastOpposition1894, 18982nd term*Alfred Wellington SmithLillooet WestGovernment18894th termRobert Edward McKechnieNanaimo CityOpposition18981st termAlexander HendersonNew Westminster CityGovernment18981st termJohn BrydenNorth NanaimoGovernment1875, 18943rd term*John Paton BoothNorth VictoriaGovernment1871, 18904th term*Ralph SmithSouth NanaimoLabourRan as Labour-Oppositionist; opposed to Turner administration18981st termDavid McEwen EbertsSouth VictoriaGovernment18903rd termFrancis Lovett Carter-CottonVancouver CityOpposition18903rd termRobert MacphersonOpposition18942nd termJoseph MartinOpposition18981st termCharles Edward TisdallOpposition18981st termRichard HallVictoria CityGovernment18981st termHenry Dallas HelmckenGovernment18942nd termAlbert Edward McPhillipsGovernment18981st termJohn Herbert TurnerGovernment18864th termJohn Frederick HumeWest Kootenay-NelsonOpposition18942nd termJames M. KellieWest Kootenay-RevelstokeOpposition18903rd termJames Morris MartinWest Kootenay-RosslandOpposition18981st termRobert Francis GreenWest Kootenay-SlocanOpposition18981st termCharles William MunroWestminster-ChilliwhackOpposition18981st termThomas William ForsterWestminster-DeltaOpposition18903rd termRichard McBrideWestminster-DewdneyGovernment18981st termThomas KiddWestminster-RichmondOpposition18942nd termPrice EllisonYale-EastGovernment18981st termFrancis John DeaneYale-NorthOpposition18981st termCharles Augustus SemlinYale-WestOpposition1871, 18826th term*
Notes:
By-elections By-elections were held for the following members appointed to the provincial cabinet, as was required at the time: Francis Lovett Carter-Cotton, Minister of Finance, acclaimed October 15, 1898 Joseph Martin, Attorney General, acclaimed October 15, 1898 Charles Augustus Semlin, Premier, acclaimed October 15, 1898 John Frederick Hume, Provincial Secretary and Minister of Mines, acclaimed October 15, 1898 Alexander Henderson, Attorney General, acclaimed August 31, 1899
By-elections were held to replace members for various other reasons: Electoral districtMember electedElection dateReasonAlberniAlan Webster NeillDecember 15, 1898A.W. Neill resigned, having accepted money from government for road work done after the electionCowichanWilliam Russell RobertsonDecember 28, 1898W. R. Robertson resigned, having accepted money from government for work done after the electionVancouver CityCharles Edward TisdallJanuary 25, 1899AcclaimedC.E. Tisdall resigned; a clerk in his store sold cartridges to a provincial police officerVictoria CityRichard HallFebruary 2, 1899R. Hall resigned; his company sold coal to Government HouseAlbert Edward McPhillipsA.E. McPhillips resigned; a fee was paid to his firmJohn Herbert TurnerJ.H. Turner resigned; a branch of his firm sold goods to the governmentEast Kootenay NorthWilmer Cleveland WellsFebruary 28, 1899Death of W.G. Nielson January 6, 1899West Kootenay-NelsonJohn Frederick HumeFebruary 28, 1899J.F. Hume resigned; a police constable and prisoner had stayed at his hotel
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Other changes Vancouver City (Joseph Martin res. on appointment as premier, February 28, 1900)
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