made to him, and, by suggestion, exhortation and remonstrance, seek to prevail upon them to modify or abandon a policy of which he may be unable to approve. Should they persist in their advice, the governor-general, as a last resource, can demand the resignation of his ministers, or dismiss them from office, and call to his councils a new administration. Such an extreme step, however, as the dismissal of a ministry appears in Canada to be reserved to lieutenant-governors. No governor-general has ever resorted to it. When differences arise between a governor-general and his cabinet with respect to a question of public policy, it sometimes happens that fuller inquiry enables the governorgeneral to overcome his objections to the suggested course, or, it may be, that his representations successfully appeal to his ministers and induce them to modify or withdraw their proposals.

One would naturally be disposed to surmise that disinterested and friendly co-operation of the character indicated, on the part of a prudent and tactful governor-general, could scarcely fail to prove of distinct mutual advantage, at once to the representatives of the crown and to his advisers; and so indeed it has proved. Thus Lord Lansdowne, in his letter of farewell to Sir John Macdonald, observes: 'I have often made the reflection that the position of a Governor-General in this country is one that might be very agreeable or almost unendurable, according as his relations with his Prime Minister were or were not friendly, frank and characterized by complete trust on each side'; and several of the prime ministers of Canada have publicly acknowledged the benefits they derived from association with various governors-general whom they served, and to whose wise and prudent counsels they have declared themselves much indebted.

A governor-general is appointed during pleasure, but in the absence of any specific provision in that regard his tenure of office is limited to six years. The Colonial Office regulations are quite clear upon this point. Notwithstanding this, the practice has been, at any rate up to a comparatively recent period, to consider the term as one of five years, and any extension beyond that period as a matter of arrangement