Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/358

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•THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — ALBERTA

Dominion Land Survey system. Each district is a body corporate and governed by a council of six elected by a general vote of the electors. The chief executive officer is called a Reeve. All towns are incorporated under the Towns' Act of 1912 and amendments thereto, except those incorpor- ated by special acts. The town council consists of a Mayor and six councillors elected by those whose names appear on the last revised assess- ment roll. Persons qualified to vote are males or females of the full age of 21 years who are assessed for 50 dollars or upwards, and sons and daughters of such persons, if 21 years of age and resident in the municipality. The cities of Alberta carry on their municipal government by the authority of special charters granted by the Legislature.

Area and Population. — The area of the province is 255,285 square miles, 252,925 sq. miles being land area and 2,360 sq. miles water area, The population in 1916 was 496,525 ; in 1906, 184,412, and in 1901, 73,022. In 1916 the rural population numbered 307,776 (52,399 in 1901), and the urban 188,749 (20,623 in 1901). Population of the principal cities, (1916) :— Calgary, 56,514 ; Edmonton, 53,846 ; Lethbridge, 9,436 ; Medicine Hat, 9,272 ; Red Deer, 2,203 ; Wetaskiwin, 2,048.

The vital statistics for 5 years are given as follows : —

-

Births

Marriages

Deaths

Excess of births

1914.

1916.

1917.

1918.

1919.

13,(38/. 13,331 13,576 14,890 14,130

4,623 4,230 4,270 4,040 4,718

4,147

4,058 4.047 7,924 5.507

9.538 9,273 9,529 6,966 8.623

Instruction. — In the school system all grades, both primary and secondary, are included under the term of public school. The same boards of trustees control the schools from the kindergarten to entrance to the university. All schools are supported by taxes levied by the local board, supplemented by Government grants. The grants are distributed to en- courage the highest grade of teachers, regularity of attendance of pupils and general proficiency based on the report of Government inspectors. All schools are provided with a small library. Three Normal schools, at Calgary Camrose, and Edmonton are established for the training of teachers. The attendance during 1918-19 was 663. The University of Alberta, organised in 1907, had (1917-18) 615 students. In 1919 there were 3,046 schools, 63 being consolidated schools, with 121,567 pupils.

Justice and Crime. — Judicial power of the province is vested in the Court of Superior Civil and Criminal Jurisdiction, styled the Supreme Court of Alberta consisting of two divisions, the appellate and trial divisions respectively. The law provides for five judges in the appellate division, and six in the trial division. The judges are appointed by the Dominion Govern- ment, and hold office for life unless impeached by Parliament. There are also minor Courts of Civil and Criminal Jurisdiction such as District and Police Magistrate's Courts. The district courts have full jurisdiction over all matters up to 600 dollars. By the Small Debts Act of 1918 Justices have jurisdiction over matters up to 50 dollars.

District courts have power to grant probate of wills and are courts of record for a trial without a jury of any person charged with a criminal offence provided such person consents. The system of procedure in civil and criminal cases conforms aa nearly as possible to the English system.