In 1839 a new Diocesan See was established for the combined colonial territories of Newfoundland and . A further division took place in 1845 at which time New Brunswick was set up as an independent diocese with its own bishop. From that time on the Province of Prince Edward Island has remained the sole area associated with the of Nova Scotia by virtue of coming under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Nova Scotia . Two subsequent events eroded the position and power of the Church of England on Prince Edward Island as the 'established church'. The first was the struggle for 'Responsible Government ' which ended in the concession of ' Representative Government ' in 1851 and the granting of'Universal Suffrage' to the eligible portion of the island population in 1853. This threw open the Executive and Legislative Councils to the voting voice of the franchised element of the island. The second development was the passage of a "Free Education Act" in 1851 which began the decline of the dominance of the Church of England over the field of education in the province. The Fourth "Bishop of Nova Scotia " Bishop Hibbert Binney was consecrated at Lambeth Palace on March 25th, 1851. The Letters Patent which he received designated him as the fourth "Bishop of Nova Scotia and its dependencies" during the will and pleasure of the Crown. They also conferred upon him: the same power, authority and jurisdiction in and throughout the said islands of Prince Edward as was given and granted by the afore- said Letters to John Inglis the late Bishop of Nova Scotia and its dependencies but no further or otherwise.10 Prince Edward Island was thus maintained as a separate area attached to the of Nova Scotia only in that it had been placed under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Nova Scotia until it be "divided or formed into a separate ". The understanding and recognition of the special status enjoyed by Prince Edward Island was consistently upheld throughout the years and under a number of successive Bishops, as long as the matter was periodically brought to the attention of those in charge of running the of Nova Scotia . 70. Letters Patent of Bishop Hibbert Binney , March 25th, 1851. Letters Patent Roll, British Museum, Manuscript Room. 45