The De Cosmos ministry was the combined Cabinet that governed British Columbia from December 23, 1872, to February 9, 1874. It was led by Amor De Cosmos, the second premier of British Columbia. The ministry was established after the McCreight ministry lost a motion of no-confidence on December 19, 1872, regarding poor administration of public affairs.[1] De Cosmos's government was dissolved following his resignation, in order for him pursue a career in federal politics.
On February 4, 1873, the government announced its intention to create a fourth portfolio to handle financial matters. This was deemed necessary for efficiency, as "upon going into office, they had found great difficulty in arriving at particulars respecting finance".[3] The minister would also have the duty of collecting information relevant to agriculture, in order to aid the development of the nascent sector. Prior to the establishment of this ministry, these duties had been the responsibility of provincial secretary. The government faced criticism over the new ministry, as they had come to office pledging to reduce spending, but emphasized that the new minister would replace several clerks and thus ultimately reduce costs.[4]William James Armstrong was appointed the inaugural minister on February 28.[5]
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