24th General Election: 30 October 1913
Party composition: People’s 21, Union 8, Liberal 7. Total Assembly membership 36.
William Coaker of the Fishermen's Protective Union decided to set up a political party. The Union (or Unionist) Party entered into an electoral pact with the Liberals.
During the First World War, Newfoundland made considerable sacrifices. Newfoundland had no military forces before the War. The islanders built up the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. Appalling casualties on the Western Front made conscription a live issue. The People’s Party invited opposition leaders to join a National government.
When Sir Edward Patrick Morris resigned in 1918, the Liberal leader William Lloyd was invited to lead the coalition government.
Before the 1919 election the Liberal and Union parties linked themselves in the Liberal Reform Party. In May 1919 the People’s Party leader, Sir Michael Cashin, moved a motion of no confidence in a ministry he seems to have quit minutes before. The motion passed so Cashin became Prime Minister.
Read more about this topic: General Elections In Pre-confederation Newfoundland
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