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in the district schools of his neighborhood and attended St. Dunstan’s College, at Char- lottetown. His first active employment was as a clerk in service of Owen Connolly, at Charlottetown. Helater went into the employ 'of Peake Bros. & Company, of that place, with whom he remained for some years. Subsequently he entered the Merchants’ Bank, of Halifax, now the Royal Bank of Canada, and remained with them eight years, being employed at Halifax, Char- lottetown. Summerside and Souris at vari- ous times. From 1884 to 1899 he was engaged with the Merchants’ Bank of Prince Edward Island as manager at Souris, and in the year last named he engaged on his own account in the mercantile business at Souris, in which he has continued to the present time, meeting with a gratifying de- gree of success. In 1900 Mr. Hughes was elected a member of Parliament for Kings county and re-elected in 1904 on the Liberal ticket as a supporter of the government of the Hon. Wilfred Laurier. He has at all times taken a deep interest in political mat- ters and has served as vice president of the Kings County Liberal Association, of which he was one of the organizers. In Parlia- ment he is a member of the agriculture and colonization, banking and commerce. private bills, railways, canals and telegraph lines committees. the latter being one of the most important in the Dominion Parliament. Mr. Hughes has been very active in promoting the extension of the government railway system of Prince Edward Island, about sixty miles of which has been constructed since he entered Parliament, the work being at .the present time projected as rapidly as is found necessary. The project of construct— ing a tunnel from Prince Edward Island to the mainland is also at the present time a

PAST AND PRESENT OF ’

live issue and in 1905, under the heading of Improved Winter Communication, the gov— ernment voted money to construct the most powerful and up—to—date ice-breaking boat that can be built to run between Prince Edward Island and the mainland. In the interest of Kings county Mr. Hughes suc- ceeded in having a number of wharves and piers built and repaired and also succeeded in having the breakwater at Souris made permanent by the construction of rip-rap work on the seaside, constructed of hard stone from Nova Scotia. He has also been instrumental in obtaining for Souris a new postolfice and customs house building which

is now in process of construction and which

will cost about twenty thousand dollars. It will be built of Prince Edward Island sandstone, with freestone trimmings, and will be a fine addition to the struc- tures now adorning this city; also a fish curing establishment in which large quantities of cod. hake and other kinds of fish are cured in the latest and most scientific manner. thus adding to the value of the catch to the fishermen. In all matters affecting Prince Edward Island and the surrounding provinces Mr. Hughes has been active in advancing their best inter- ests. In religion he is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic church at Souris.

In 1887 Mr. Hughes married Miss Annie McWade. of Souris “7 est, a daughter of the late Michael McVVade. who came with his parents from Ireland many years ago and for a time taught school. afterward becoming a successful merchant at Souris West. To Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were born two children, William, now a student in St. Dunstan’s College, and Charlotte, who is attending school in a convent. Mr. Hughes is public spirited and untiring in his