OUR ISLAND STORY

THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER ‘ 7 Persons Prominent in Our Island Story

No. I———Lieutenant Governor Ready

Of the fifteen representatives of the Crown placed at the head of the Government of Prince Edward Island previous to the Con- cession of Responsible Government, thespeople were most deeply indebted to Lieutenant Governor Ready. ' The others performed their public duties with more or less regard to their own interests and their oWn dignity, and more or less regard for the interests of the absentee landed proprietors and the officials. Too many of them treated the people’s elected representatives with scant court- esy, and seemed to regard the development of the Island’s re- sources as of secondary importance. But Lieutenant Governor Ready tried in a practical way to provide means by which condi- tions throughout the Island could be improved and its inhabitants enabled to obtain satisfactory results from their labors. Several times he visited every part of the Island and obtained by personal investigation information regarding the requirements of the people. Then he went to the Mother Country and to France and purchased pure bred stock in horses, cattle, sheep and swine and such other things as were most of all required by the farmers of the country. By his advice the Central Agricultural Society-was formed. After several years had elapsed, the first Society for the promotion of agriculture became “The Royal Agricultural Society” by which the chief industry of the Island was, in many ways, practically promoted. While he was at the head of affairs roads throughout the length and breadth of the Island were considerably extended and improved; Under his direction an inland mail service was established. Mails were then sent as far Westward as Traveller’s _ Rest and thence to Bedeque and Tryon; and, eastwardly, to