Talk:Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island

A fact from Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 14 June 2007. The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that when the first Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island was elected, there were only five qualified voters in the three-member district of Victoria?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2007/June.

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Canada: British Columbia / Governments Mid‑importance

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Howay & Scholefield's roster[edit]

I'm quoting from their British Columbia: From the Earliest Times to the Prenent", Vol II for use in adapting to page content overleaf:

pp.156-157, Vol II
The life of the first Legislative Assembly expired in 1859. It had been composed of seven members, its successor, which was elected early in 1860, and thirteen members. These Legislatures were elected for three years. The members received no indemnity. the suffrage was limited to persons owning twenty acres or more of freehold. The high qualification led to a peculiar incident in the celebrated Nanaimo election held on June 23, 1859. the candidate was Captain John Swanson, of the Hudson’s Bay company steamer Labouchere and Captain Charles E. Stuart was the only qualified voter! According to the return Captain Swanson was duly elected by a majority of one! The Colonist very rightly remarked thereupon: “This caps the climax of all elections that were ever heard of, where the Anglo-Saxon language is spoken”.
The Legislative Council of Vancouver Island for 1860, which was a body nominated by the Governor, con sisted of: Hon. John Work, Hon. Roderick Finlayson, Hon. David Cameron, judge; Hon. Donald Fraser, clerk; Rev. Edward Cridge.
The House of Assembly as elected consisted in 1860 of the following members: for Victoria City, George H. Cary and Selim Franklin; for Victoria District, H.P.P. Crease, A. Waddington and Dr. W.F. Tolmie; for Esquimalt Town, G.T. Gordon; for Esquimalt Town, G.T. Gordon; for Esquimalt District, Dr. J.S. Hemlcken and James Cooper; for Lake District, G.F. Foster; for Sooke, W.J. Macdonald; for Saanich, John Coles; for Salt Spring Island, J.J. Southgate; for Nanaimo, A.R. Green.
Before the expiration of this House there were a number of changes, of which the most important were the resignation of Messrs. Crease and Waddington and the election of Joseph W. Trutch and Dr. James Trimble as their successors; the resignation of Messrs. Cooper and Green who were succeeded by R. Burnaby and D.B. Ring respectively; and the resignation of G.T. Gordon and the election in his stead of Thomas harris, who was himself succeeded by William Cocker.
p.158
The Legislative Council, which was re-nominated in 1863, was composed of the following persons: Hon. Roderick Finlayson, Hon. Donald Fraser, Hon. David Cameron, Hon. Alfred J. Langley, Hon Edward G. Alston and Hon. Alexander Watson.
p.159
The House of Assembly as elected in 1863 contained thirten members, for though Victoria had three more member,s Esquimalt District had but one. The constituencies and their representiaves were: Victoria city. Dr. J.S. Helmcken, G.H. Cary and Selim Franklin; Victroria District, Dr. William F. Tolmie, Joseph W. Trutch and Dr. James Trimble; Esquimalt Town, William Cocker; Esquimalt District, Robert Burnaby; Lake District, George F. Foster; Sooke District, William J. MacDonald; Saanich District, John Coles; Salt Spring Island District., J.J. Southgate; Nanaimo District. D.B. Ring.
The Speaker of this House, as of its two predecessors, was Dr. J.S. Helmcken, the Clerk was E.J. Nesbitt.
the number of voters in each district was: Victoria Town, 331, Victoria District, 97; Esquimalt Town, 50; Esquimalt District, 61; Lake District, 57, Sooke District 15; Saanich District, 29; Salt Spring Island District, 29; Nanaimo, 32.