150 HISTORY or PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

The assembly met in February, and adopted a resolution, by a vote of twenty-three to six, pledging itself to introduce a measure to confirm the award of the connnissioners in all its provisions. The action of the assembly in thus, without hesitation, honorably abiding by the award of the commis- sioners, without eavil or complaint, was highly creditable to its character; but the avard did not meet with the same degree of approval at the hands of the landowners who were parties to the appointment of the commission. The Duke of Newcastle addressed a despatch t0 the governor, dated the fifth of April, 1862, enclosingr a draft bill, drawn up by the proprietors, for settling the differences between landlords and tenants on certain townships, in the preamble of which it was stated that the commissioners, in providing that the value of land should be ascertained by arbitrators, to be appointed by the landlords and tenants,- exceeded the autho- rity intended to be given to them by the assembly and the proprietors, and if their suggestion were adopted, disputes and litigation between the landlords and tenants would ensue. Thus these gentlemen completely ignored the award of the commissioners, and proposed to substitute a remedy of their own. In thus acting, they had the support of the colonial secretary ; for although, in the despatch by which the draft bill was accompanied his Grace did not express positive approval of the landowners’ proposals, he, nevertheless, stated that it would give him great pleasure it' Sir Samuel Cunard’s anticipations as a proprietor were realized in reference to the bill.

Two acts had been promptly passed by the assembly on the land question,—one to give efi'ect to the report of the connnissioners, and another to facilitate the operation of the award in cases of anticipated difficulty; and the 10 'al gov- ernment framed a minute in which they atlirmed, in refer-