The members of the 17th General Assembly of Newfoundland were elected in the Newfoundland general election held in November 1893. The general assembly sat from 1894 to 1897.
The Liberal Party led by William Whiteway formed the government. The Tory Party filed petitions against 15 Liberals including Whiteway and James Murray, an independent, alleging corrupt practices during the election; the results of those elections were set aside. The Tory Party temporarily held the majority and formed a government led by Augustus F. Goodridge in 1894. Following the by-elections, the Liberals regained the majority and formed a government led by Daniel J. Greene. After Whiteway won re-election in a by-election, he became Premier again.
George Emerson was chosen as speaker.
Sir Terence O'Brien served as colonial governor of Newfoundland until 1895, when he was replaced by Sir Herbert Harley Murray.
On December 8, 1894, London banks suspended credit to the Commercial Bank of Newfoundland and requested payment on some of its loans. The bank was unable to meet these obligations and requested its merchant customers to repay their loans; the merchants, themselves financially strapped, were unable to comply. On October 10, known as Black Monday, the Commercial Bank closed. This caused a run by customers on the two remaining banks, the Union Bank of Newfoundland and the Savings Bank of Newfoundland. The Savings Bank was able to cash a large cheque at the Union Bank, but the Union Bank was subsequently forced to close. Neither of the two closed banks would ever reopen. This resulted in the devaluation of Newfoundland's currency, the shutdown of many businesses and widespread unemployment in the colony. Early in 1895, banks from Canada opened branches in Newfoundland to fill the void. The value of the Newfoundland dollar was set to the same value as the Canadian dollar.
Members of the Assembly The following members were elected to the assembly in 1893: MemberElectoral districtAffiliationFirst elected / previously electedHenry J. B. WoodsBay de VerdeLiberal1889George E. Moores1893Sydney Woods (1894)1894John B. Ayre (1894)Tory1894Donald MorisonBonavistaTory1888Alfred B. Morine1886Samuel Blandford1889James MurrayBurgeo-La PoileIndependent1889Henry Y. Mott (1894)Tory1894Dr. James S. TaitBurinLiberal1889William B. Payne1893James J. Pitman (1894)1894Henry Gear (1894)1894William DuffCarbonearLiberal1889Michael P. CashinFerrylandLiberal1893Daniel J. Greene1878Thomas C. DuderFogoTory1893James O. Fraser, Jr.Fortune BayTory1893Henry DaweHarbour GraceTory1893Robert S. Munn1889Eli DaweLiberal1889William Whiteway (1895)1859, 1873, 1889, 1895Frank J. MorrisHarbour MainLiberal1889William Woodford1889James McGrathPlacentia and St. Mary'sLiberal1889George Emerson1885Richard T. McGrath (1894)1894Michael Tobin (1894)1882, 1894William J. S. DonnellyTory1878, 1893John T. DunphyLiberal (1894)1894Charles DawePort de GraveTory1878, 1893Alexander A. ParsonsSt. BarbeLiberal1893James W. KeatingSt. George'sLiberal1893Michael H. Carty (1894)1882, 1894James Patrick FoxSt. John's EastLiberal1893Thomas J. Murphy1886John P. Fox (1894)1894Charles Hutton (1894)1894Lawrence O'Brien FurlongTory1893Edward MorrisSt. John's WestLiberal1885James C. Tessier1893Martin W. Furlong1893Patrick J. Scott (1894)1873, 1894G. J. Tessier (1894)1894Thomas P. Jackman (1894)1894William WhitewayTrinityLiberal1859, 1873, 1889Robert Bond1882James H. Watson1874, 1893William H. Horwood (1894)1894George W. Gushue (1894)1894George M. Johnson (1894)1894Jabez P. ThompsonTwillingateLiberal1889Robert Bond1882Gilles Foote (1894)1894Augustus F. GoodridgeTory1880, 1893Michael T. Knight1885, 1893
By-elections By-elections were held to replace members for various reasons: Electoral districtMember electedAffiliationElection dateReasonBay de VerdeSydney WoodsLiberalMay 22, 1894Results of 1893 election set asideJohn B. AyreToryBurgeo-La PoileHenry Y. MottTorySeptember 10, 1894Results of 1893 election set asideBonavistaDonald MorisonToryOctober 2, 1894D Morrison named to cabinet; required to run for reelectionAlfred B. MorineA B Morine named to cabinet; required to run for reelectionFogoThomas C. DuderToryT C Duder named to cabinet; required to run for reelectionTrinityWilliam H. HorwoodLiberalOctober 16, 1894Results of 1893 election set asideGeorge W. GushueGeorge M. JohnsonTwillingateGiles FooteLiberalM T Knight named to cabinet; required to run for reelectionBurinJames J. PitmanLiberalNovember 10, 1894Results of 1893 election set asideHenry GearPlacentia and St. Mary'sRichard T. McGrathLiberalResults of 1893 election set asideMichael TobinJohn T. DunphyWJS Donnelly named to cabinet; required to run for reelectionSt. John's EastJohn P. FoxLiberalResults of 1893 election set asideCharles HuttonSt. John's WestPatrick J. ScottLiberalResults of 1893 election set asideG. J. TessierThomas P. JackmanSt. George'sMichael H. CartyLiberalNovember 12, 1894Results of 1893 election set asideBay de VerdeHenry J. B. WoodsLiberalFebruary 27, 1895S Woods resigned seatHarbour GraceWilliam WhitewayLiberalR S Munn died December 17, 1894Eli DaweE Dawe named to cabinet; required to run for reelectionSt. John's WestPatrick J. ScottLiberalP J Scott named to cabinet; required to run for reelectionEdward Patrick MorrisG J Tessier resigned seatTwillingateRobert BondLiberalSeptember 16, 1895JP Thompson resigned seat
Notes
References