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The 1878 British Columbia general election was held in 1878.


Political context


Issues and debates


Non-party system

There were to be no political parties in the new province. The designations "Government" and "Opposition" and "Independent" (and variations on these) functioned in place of parties, but they were very loose and do not represent formal coalitions, more alignments of support during the campaign. "Government" meant in support of the current Premier; "Opposition" meant campaigning against him, and often enough the Opposition would win and immediately become the Government. The Elections British Columbia notes for this election describe the designations as ''"Government (GOV.) candidates supported the administration of G.A.B. Walkem. Those opposed ran as Reform (REF.), Opposition (OPP.), Independent Reform (IND.REF.), or Independent Opposition (IND.OPP.) candidates. Those who ran as straight Independents (IND.) were sometimes described as Government supporters (IND./GOV.).''


The Walkem Government

See Notes on the previous election.


Byelections not shown

Any changes due to byelections are shown below the main table showing the theoretical composition of the House after the election. A final table showing the composition of the House at the dissolution of the Legislature at the end of this Parliament can be found below the byelections. The main table represents the immediate results of the election only, not changes in governing coalitions or eventual changes due to byelections.


List of ridings

The original ridings had remained twelve in number, electing 25 members of the first provincial legislature from 12 ridings (electoral districts), some with multiple members. There were no political parties were not acceptable in the House by convention, though some members were openly partisan at the federal level (usually
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
, although both
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
and Labour allegiance were on display by some candidates). These ridings were: *
Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was the ...
(three members) * Comox * Cowichan (two members) *
Esquimalt The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de ...
(two members) *
Kootenay Kootenay, Kootenai, and Kutenai may refer to: Ethnic groups *The Kutenai, also known as the Ktunaxa, Kootenai, or Kootenay, an indigenous people of the United States and Canada **Kutenai language, the traditional language of the Kutenai **Ktunaxa ...
(two members) *
Lillooet Lillooet () is a district municipality in the Squamish-Lillooet region of southwestern British Columbia. The town is on the west shore of the Fraser River immediately north of the Seton River mouth. On BC Highway 99, the locality is by road abou ...
(two members) *
Nanaimo Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "H ...
*
New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...
(two members) *
New Westminster City New Westminster City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1871 to 1912. For other electoral districts in New Westminster, please see New Westminster (electoral districts). Demographics Politica ...
*
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
(two members) * Victoria City (four members) *
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
(three members)


Statistics

*Votes 6,377 *Candidates 46 *Members 25 Vancouver Island 3,714 votes, twelve seats 309.5 votes/seat *Upper Island 695 votes, four seats (173.75 votes/seat) **Comox: 52 votes (52 votes/seat) **Cowichan: 292 votes (2 seats 196 votes/seat 83 voters/seat) **Nanaimo: 351 votes (351 votes/seat) *"Greater Victoria" 3,019 votes, eight seats (377.375 votes/seat): **Victoria: 309 votes (2 seats 154.5 votes/seat) **Victoria City: 2,523 (4 seats 603.75 votes/seat) **Esquimalt: 187 (2 seats 93.5 votes/seat) Mainland 2,271 votes 11 seats (excluding Kootenay's) 206.45 votes/seat : *Interior 1,817 eight seats, 227.125 votes/seat (excepting Kootenay): **Cariboo: 788 votes (3 seats 264 votes/seat) **Kootenay: unknown (acclamation) **Lillooet: 241 votes (2 seats 51 votes/seat 120.5 votes/seat) **Yale: 788 votes (3 seats 57 votes/seat 262.67 votes/seat) *Lower Mainland 454 votes (3 seats 151.33 votes/seat: **New Westminster: 309 votes (2 seats 154.5 votes/seat) **New Westminster City: 145 votes (145 votes/seat) Note that these figures refer to votes actually cast, not the population ''per se'' nor the total of the potential voters' list.


Polling conditions

Property requirements for voting instigated for the 1875 election were dropped. Natives (First Nations) and Chinese were disallowed from voting, although naturalized Kanakas (Hawaiian colonists) and American and West Indian blacks and certain others participated. The requirement that knowledge of English be spoken for balloting was discussed but not applied.


Results by riding

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Edwin Pimbury Edwin Pimbury (January 3, 1834https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/232522229/edwin-pimbury – April 6, 1909) was an England, English-born farmer, merchant and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Cowichan (electoral district), ...
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Government , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=3 ,
Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was the ...

Opposition , align="center",
George Cowan George A. Cowan (; February 15, 1920 – April 20, 2012) was an American physical chemist, a businessman and philanthropist. Education He conducted early research in the Manhattan Project. George served 39 years at Los Alamos National Labo ...
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William Smithe William Smithe (born William Smith; June 30, 1842 in Matfen, Northumberland, England – March 28, 1887 in Victoria, British Columbia) was a British Columbia politician. Smithe was born William Smith in England and moved to Canada in his youth, ...
, ,      , ,      , align="center", John Evans , ,      , - , ,      , align="center",
Wellington John Harris Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by m ...
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New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...

Government , ,      , ,      , align="center",
George Anthony Boomer Walkem George Anthony "Boomer" Walkem (November 15, 1834 – January 13, 1908) was a British Columbian politician and jurist. Life and career Born in Newry, Ireland, Walkem moved to then Colony of British Columbia in 1862 and served as a member of ...
1 , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Donald McGillivray , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=, Comox
Opposition , align="center", John Ash , ,      , - , ,      , align="center",
Ebenezer Brown Ebenezer Brown ( – June 5, 1883) was an English-born wholesale merchant and political figure in British Columbia. He represented New Westminster from 1875 to 1878 and New Westminster City New Westminster City was a provincial electoral dist ...
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New Westminster City New Westminster City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1871 to 1912. For other electoral districts in New Westminster, please see New Westminster (electoral districts). Demographics Politica ...

Government , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Esquimalt The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de ...

Opposition , align="center", Hans Lars Helgesen , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Preston Bennett , align="center" rowspan=3 ,
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

Government , ,      , ,      , align="center", Frederick W. Williams , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", John Andrew Mara , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Kootenay Kootenay, Kootenai, and Kutenai may refer to: Ethnic groups *The Kutenai, also known as the Ktunaxa, Kootenai, or Kootenay, an indigenous people of the United States and Canada **Kutenai language, the traditional language of the Kutenai **Ktunaxa ...

Opposition , align="center",
Robert Leslie Thomas Galbraith Robert Leslie Thomas "'R.L.T." Galbraith (1841 – May 12, 1924) was an Ireland, Irish-born merchant and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Kootenay (provincial electoral district), Kootenay in the Legislative Assembly of B ...
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Forbes George Vernon Forbes George Vernon (21 August 1843 – 20 January 1911), Lieutenant (ret.) British Army, was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1875 to 1882, and from 1886 to 1894, representing the rid ...
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Charles Gallagher Charles Gunter Gallagher (September 21, 1925 – June 20, 2007) was a farmer and political figure in New Brunswick, Canada. He represented Carleton County and then Carleton North in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick as a Progressive ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Lillooet Lillooet () is a district municipality in the Squamish-Lillooet region of southwestern British Columbia. The town is on the west shore of the Fraser River immediately north of the Seton River mouth. On BC Highway 99, the locality is by road abou ...

Opposition , align="center", William M. Brown , ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center",
William Saul William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" ,
Nanaimo Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "H ...

Opposition , align="center",
James Atkinson Abrams James Atkinson Abrams (November 11, 1844 – April 24, 1914) was a business owner and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Nanaimo in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1878 to 1882. He was born in Napanee, ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Opposition , align="center",
Thomas Basil Humphreys Thomas Basil Humphreys (March 10, 1840 – August 26, 1890) was an English-born miner, auctioneer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Lillooet from 1871 to 1875, Victoria District from 1875 to 1882 and Comox from 1887 to ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center",
James Thomas McIlmoyl James Thomas McIlmoyl (August 24, 1840 – March 27, 1933) was a farmer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Victoria in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1878 to 1882. He was born in Ontario, of Scottis ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" rowspan=4 , Victoria City
Independent
Opposition
, align="center",
Robert Beaven Robert Beaven (January 20, 1836 – September 18, 1920), son of James Beaven, was a British Columbia politician and businessman. Beaven moved to British Columbia from Toronto, where he had been educated at Upper Canada College, because of ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center", James Smith Drummond , ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center",
John William Williams John William Williams (6 April 1827 – 27 April 1904) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from Northland, New Zealand. Williams was born in Paihia on 6 April 1827. He was one of the sons of Marianne Williams and the pioneering New Zea ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center", William Wilson , ,      , - , , align-left", 1 Premier-Elect and Incumbent Premier , - , align="center" colspan="10", Source:''
Elections BC
, -


Byelections

As customary, byelections were held to confirm the appointment of various members to the Executive Council (cabinet). In this Parliament, all three such byelections were won by acclamation: **
Robert Beaven Robert Beaven (January 20, 1836 – September 18, 1920), son of James Beaven, was a British Columbia politician and businessman. Beaven moved to British Columbia from Toronto, where he had been educated at Upper Canada College, because of ...
, Victoria City, July 10, 1878 **
Thomas Basil Humphreys Thomas Basil Humphreys (March 10, 1840 – August 26, 1890) was an English-born miner, auctioneer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Lillooet from 1871 to 1875, Victoria District from 1875 to 1882 and Comox from 1887 to ...
,
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
, July 10, 1878 **
George Anthony Boomer Walkem George Anthony "Boomer" Walkem (November 15, 1834 – January 13, 1908) was a British Columbian politician and jurist. Life and career Born in Newry, Ireland, Walkem moved to then Colony of British Columbia in 1862 and served as a member of ...
,
Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was the ...
, August 3, 1878 Walkem's byelection acclamation confirmed him as Premier; Executive Council appointments were decided and made by the
Lieutenant-Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
in this period, not by the Premier directly, but by the L-G in Consultation with the Premier (as still is the case, though only as a formal technicality, not in practice). The Premier's position itself was technically an appointment, as there were no political parties nor leaders, other than unofficial ones for each faction in the House to whom the Lieutenant-Governor would turn if their known caucus was sufficient to form a government. Other byelections were held on the occasion of death, ill health, retirement and/or resignation for other reasons. These were won by: ** George Ferguson,
Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was the ...
, October 29, 1879 (replacing John Evans, who died August 25, 1879). ** William James Armstrong,
New Westminster City New Westminster City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1871 to 1912. For other electoral districts in New Westminster, please see New Westminster (electoral districts). Demographics Politica ...
, Acclaimed December 20, 1879 (day of return of writ). Byelection caused by resignation of
Ebenezer Brown Ebenezer Brown ( – June 5, 1883) was an English-born wholesale merchant and political figure in British Columbia. He represented New Westminster from 1875 to 1878 and New Westminster City New Westminster City was a provincial electoral dist ...
November 1881 because of ill health, ''Victoria Standard'' November 19, 1881.


Composition of House at dissolution

''Note: Government/Opposition status applies to candidate at time of election in 1878, not at time of dissolution in 1882.'' , - , ,      , align="center",
Edwin Pimbury Edwin Pimbury (January 3, 1834https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/232522229/edwin-pimbury – April 6, 1909) was an England, English-born farmer, merchant and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Cowichan (electoral district), ...
, align="center" rowspan=2 , Cowichan
Government , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=3 ,
Cariboo The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia, Canada, centered on a plateau stretching from Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the caribou that were once abundant in the region. The Cariboo was the ...

Opposition , align="center",
George Cowan George A. Cowan (; February 15, 1920 – April 20, 2012) was an American physical chemist, a businessman and philanthropist. Education He conducted early research in the Manhattan Project. George served 39 years at Los Alamos National Labo ...
, ,      , - , ,      , align="center",
William Smithe William Smithe (born William Smith; June 30, 1842 in Matfen, Northumberland, England – March 28, 1887 in Victoria, British Columbia) was a British Columbia politician. Smithe was born William Smith in England and moved to Canada in his youth, ...
, ,      , ,      , align="center", George Ferguson , ,      , - , ,      , align="center",
Wellington John Harris Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by m ...
, align="center" rowspan=2 ,
New Westminster New Westminster (colloquially known as New West) is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver Regional District. It was founded by Major-General Richard Moody as the capita ...

Government , ,      , ,      , align="center",
George Anthony Boomer Walkem George Anthony "Boomer" Walkem (November 15, 1834 – January 13, 1908) was a British Columbian politician and jurist. Life and career Born in Newry, Ireland, Walkem moved to then Colony of British Columbia in 1862 and served as a member of ...
, ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Donald McGillivray , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=, Comox
Opposition , align="center", John Ash , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", William James Armstrong , align="center" ,
New Westminster City New Westminster City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1871 to 1912. For other electoral districts in New Westminster, please see New Westminster (electoral districts). Demographics Politica ...

Government , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Esquimalt The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, British Columbia, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de ...

Opposition , align="center", Hans Lars Helgesen , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", Preston Bennett , align="center" rowspan=3 ,
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

Government , ,      , ,      , align="center", Frederick W. Williams , ,      , - , ,      , align="center", John Andrew Mara , ,      , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Kootenay Kootenay, Kootenai, and Kutenai may refer to: Ethnic groups *The Kutenai, also known as the Ktunaxa, Kootenai, or Kootenay, an indigenous people of the United States and Canada **Kutenai language, the traditional language of the Kutenai **Ktunaxa ...

Opposition , align="center",
Robert Leslie Thomas Galbraith Robert Leslie Thomas "'R.L.T." Galbraith (1841 – May 12, 1924) was an Ireland, Irish-born merchant and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Kootenay (provincial electoral district), Kootenay in the Legislative Assembly of B ...
, ,      , - , ,      , align="center",
Forbes George Vernon Forbes George Vernon (21 August 1843 – 20 January 1911), Lieutenant (ret.) British Army, was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of British Columbia from 1875 to 1882, and from 1886 to 1894, representing the rid ...
, ,      , ,      , align="center",
Charles Gallagher Charles Gunter Gallagher (September 21, 1925 – June 20, 2007) was a farmer and political figure in New Brunswick, Canada. He represented Carleton County and then Carleton North in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick as a Progressive ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Lillooet Lillooet () is a district municipality in the Squamish-Lillooet region of southwestern British Columbia. The town is on the west shore of the Fraser River immediately north of the Seton River mouth. On BC Highway 99, the locality is by road abou ...

Opposition , align="center", William M. Brown , ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center",
William Saul William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" ,
Nanaimo Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the Canada 2021 Census, 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "H ...

Opposition , align="center",
James Atkinson Abrams James Atkinson Abrams (November 11, 1844 – April 24, 1914) was a business owner and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Nanaimo in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1878 to 1882. He was born in Napanee, ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" rowspan=2 ,
Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Opposition , align="center",
Thomas Basil Humphreys Thomas Basil Humphreys (March 10, 1840 – August 26, 1890) was an English-born miner, auctioneer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Lillooet from 1871 to 1875, Victoria District from 1875 to 1882 and Comox from 1887 to ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center",
James Thomas McIlmoyl James Thomas McIlmoyl (August 24, 1840 – March 27, 1933) was a farmer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Victoria in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1878 to 1882. He was born in Ontario, of Scottis ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center" rowspan=4 , Victoria City
Independent
Opposition
, align="center",
Robert Beaven Robert Beaven (January 20, 1836 – September 18, 1920), son of James Beaven, was a British Columbia politician and businessman. Beaven moved to British Columbia from Toronto, where he had been educated at Upper Canada College, because of ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center", James Smith Drummond , ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center",
John William Williams John William Williams (6 April 1827 – 27 April 1904) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from Northland, New Zealand. Williams was born in Paihia on 6 April 1827. He was one of the sons of Marianne Williams and the pioneering New Zea ...
, ,      , - , , , , , ,      , align="center", William Wilson , ,      , - , , align-left", , - , align="center" colspan="10", Source:''
Elections BC
, -


Further reading & references

*'' In the Sea of Sterile Mountains: The Chinese in British Columbia'', Joseph Morton, J.J. Douglas, Vancouver (1974). Despite its title, a fairly thorough account of the politicians and electoral politics in early BC.


See also

* List of British Columbia political parties {{British Columbia elections
1878 Events January–March * January 5 – Russo-Turkish War – Battle of Shipka Pass IV: Russian and Bulgarian forces defeat the Ottoman Empire. * January 9 – Umberto I becomes King of Italy. * January 17 – Battle o ...
1878 elections in Canada 1878 in British Columbia