6_> PAST AND PRESENT OF making himself familiar with the condition of the people, and gaining a personal knowledge of their needs. He was an an¬ cestor of Lord Milner , the late great viceroy, who, himself a great man, may well take pride in his ancestor's high character and ability. Shortly after his arrival he caused a general election to be held. The Legisla¬ ture was convened on 14th January, 1825. In the opening speech, His Excellency gave, as his reason for so soon calling the mem¬ bers together, the need of revising and con¬ tinuing such beneficial acts as had expired, or were about to expire, and for considering such other measures as were necessary for the welfare and good government of the Is¬ land. He announced his intention, when the season permitted, to make himself person¬ ally acquainted with the state of the Island. Much useful legislation was enacted at this session. Among other matters, the Legislature took up and enacted measures for the encouragement of education; for the preservation of oysters; for regulating ju¬ ries ; for regulating pilots; for regulating the fisheries of the Island; for preventing in¬ juries arising from improper burning of woods (a very live question in Canada to¬ day) ; for providing revenue; for regulating the performance of statute labor. A large sum, from the small revenue, was devoted to roads and bridges. A bill to prevent the importation and circulation of base copper coin was introduced, but, on the motion for the third reading, got the six months' hoist. It has an interest in itself, as indicating the difficulty people experienced owing to the want of proper circulating currency. A curious case of treatment of an ob¬ noxious petition occurred on the 7th Febru¬ ary, when, after reading a petition on be¬ half of the inhabitants of Lot 28, it was moved that it lie on the table; the attorney general moved in amendment, that it be thrown under the table, and the amendment was carried. The House went carefully into the ex¬ penditure since 1820, severely criticising many of the items. The various grievances and complaints against the late lieutenant- governor, and against the registrar of the court of chancery, and the proceedings men¬ tioned in the last chapter, were gone into very fully, and submitted to His Excel¬ lency. The Assembly also took up the trade and commerce of the Island. They called attention to the act of the British Parlia¬ ment, regulating trade between His Maj¬ esty's possessions in and the , and other places in and the , whereby the monopoly of colo¬ nial trade had been relaxed, and a more ex¬ tensive market opened to the commerce of the British possessions, greatly to the bene¬ fit of the neighboring colonies, each <>f which has one or more ports from which the free trade may be carried on, but no port in this Island is named in the act, whereby this colony is deprived of this commerce; and begged His Excellency to bring the matter to the notice of the secre¬ tary of state, with a view to having one or more island ports thrown open to this trade. They suggested Charlottetown , Three and as the ports which would most benefit the trade of the Island, by being made free ports. The House was prorogued 24th March, and met in its second session on 12th Oc¬ tober, of the same year. In the meantime Colonel Ready had endeavored to make himself fully acquainted with the state of the Island, and had visited almost every