commission n Rule by governor and six commissioners appointed by the Crown which replaced self-government between 1934 and 1949; esp in phr commission of government.
   1933 Nfld Royal Commission Report 224 We therefore recommend that the Newfoundland Government, recognising that it is impossible for the Island to surmount unaided the unprecedented difficulties that now confront it, should make an immediate appeal for the sympathetic co-operation of Your Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom in the adoption and execution of a joint plan of reconstruction, of which the following would be the main features:- (a) The existing form of government would be suspended until such time as the Island may become self-supporting again. (b) A special Commission of Government would be created which would be presided over by His Excellency the Governor, would be vested with full legislative and executive authority, and would take the place of the existing Legislature and Executive Council. (c) The Commission of Government would be composed of six members, exclusive of the Governor, three of whom would be drawn from Newfoundland and three from the United Kingdom. [c1934] [1960] BURKE (ed White) 51 "We Must Close Our Little Store on Sunday Morning": And since 'Commission' took a notion / For to cross the briny ocean / We must close our little store / On Sunday mornin'. [1939] 1974 BRIDLE (ed) i, 57 In view of all these circumstances the Commission of Government have felt that it would not be inappropriate to ascertain from the Government of the Dominion of Canada whether they would be prepared to make provision for this coastal defence of Bell Island. 1974 CAHILL 14 You voted for Commission of Government! Merciful Christ, you must be out of your mind!... A bloody crowd of civil servants brought over from England together with a bunch of lounge lizards from St John's all put in charge of this island by a clique of anti-Christs in London, and you vote to keep them there!

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