NEW BRUNSWICK. A province of British North America.
2. It is bounded north by the river Reatigouche and the bay of Chaleur, east by the gulf of St. Law rence, south by Nova Scotia and the bay of Fundy, and west by the state of Maine. Its length from north to south is one hundred and eighty miles, breadth one hundred and fifty miles, giving an area of twenty-five thouaand square miles.
The oapital of New Brunswick is Fredericton, a small place sixty miles back from the southern , shore, or eighty miles up the river St. John, at whose mouth is the city St. John, with a popula tion of forty thousaad.
New Brunswick was originally part of the French province of Aaadie (see NOVA SCOTIA), but was mnde a distinct province in 1784, having been first settled by the Preach A.n. 1639, ceded to the Eng lish in 1713 by the treaty of Utrecht, and settled by the British government in 1764.
The government ia its three Innnehes resembles, as closely as circumstances permit, that of England.
The Executive Department.
This consists of the Governor and the Executive Council.
3. The Governor or repre Bents the sovereign, end is captain-general and commander-in-chief of the militia of the province, and, together with bin council, hns, ia general, the same powers as governors of other colonieee,such as the appointmeot and commissioning of sheriffs, ooroners, magistrates; and other officers. He does not preoide in chanottry or vice-admiralty, but is one of the court of piracy.
By provincial act 21 Vict. e. 9, the lieutenant governor and executive council, together with a chief superintendent (who virtually has the sole control), form the provincial hoard of education.
The Erecutive Counci/ consists of nine members: six offiaeholders,—viz.: provincial secretary, nttor ney-genernl, solicitor-general, chief commiseioner of the board of works, surveyor-general, and post master-general,—and three non-officeholding mem bers.
Those members of the council who take office must he elected hy the people ; aod if they tare mem bers of the house at the time of their appointment they thereby vacate their seats in the legislature and go back to their constituents for re-election : and members so holding office are at once a part of the legieloture and of the executive. The governor
and council, as the government, have the appoint ment, practioally, at least, of all public officers ; but the council commonly consult the wishes of the re presentatives of the counties where the appoint ments are made.
4. The expenditure of the public moneys is vested in the executive department ; but the budget of the provincial secretary (who corresponds to the prime minister) must be laid before the house of asaembly and passed by them.
The house cao investigate the affairs of any de partment by calling on the governor to order the mapere connected therewith to be brought before them.
The Legislative Department.
5. This coosiete of the Legislative Council, or Upper House, and the Lower House, or House of A asembly.
The Legislative Council consists of twenty-three members, appointed by the orown on the recom meodation of the governor nnd eauncil,—practi eolly appointed by the governor and council.
They are usually men of wealth and politioel in fluence, Rod hold their seats for life or during.goad behav ior.
Prior to 1834 the legislative and executive eoun eile were uoited, but since that time they have been distinct bodies; hut a seat in the legislature does not prevent one's being a metnher of the executive. In 1862 the executive council was oomposed of two members of the legialative counall and seven mem bers of the house of assembly.
The apportionmeot of representatives to counties Is based upon the population,—eight couaties send ing two each, one sending three, and five sending four each, while the city of St. John sends two.
6. The House of Assembly consists of forty-one members, elected hy the people.
The provincial act 18 Viet. 1855, c. 37, g 20, pra• vides that the candidate shall be a male Britieh subject, of age, nod for six months previous to the tcste of the writ of election legally seised as of free hold, for hie own use, of land in the province of the value of three hundred pounds over and above all iacumbrunces whatever eharged upon or affecting the eame.