Untitled - Memorial University of Newfoundland

o l e i n Newfoundland's religious l a nds c a p e .
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The Great Depression (1929 -3 9 ), s ignalled by the stoc k
market crash of October 24 , 1929, was a peri od of worldwide
economic catastrophe . Canada wa s hi t unusually severel y . 3
Dependence on the export of a f ew staples made i t s eco nomy
vu lnerable to fluctuations i n world trad e . N::lwfound land, t oo,
was hit a harsh bl ow.
The grim depression of the ' t h i r t i es struck
Ne wf ou nd l a nd f a r harder t han Canada . Wor ld fish
prices sa nk so l ow that Newfoundland fishermen we r e
flung on r elief. Their boats ro tted in [t he ]
harbour while a hard-pressed gove rnme nt tried i n
vain t o feed the fishing pepp Le, ke ep the railways
running, and me e t the debt .
The government was faced wi t h decreasi ng r e venue but i nc r eas -
i ng welfare demands. The i sland's borro wing sources dried up ,
an d the gove r nment was c onfronted with the spectre of imminent
ba nkruptcy. S
The govern ment turned des pairingl y t o Britain f or
assistance. A r oya l co mmissi on recommended t he suspension of
domi nion s t atus until t he island was again self-supporti ng .
In 1934 respons ible government was r eplaced by a commission
gove rn ment appointed by Britain. I n r e t ur n , Newfoun dland
received funds from Britain's taxpayers a nd began t '.:l s lowly
r ecover f rom the worst stages o f f i na ncial c ollapse. 6
However, i n spite of an i mp r ovement i n world con ditions by
1935, t he social and economic condi tions of Newfound land's
popul ation were l a r ge l y unaffected; abject pove r ty still
predominated i n many Newfoundland c ommuni t i e s . St. J oh n ' s was