title: 31st General Assembly of Newfoundland
text: # 31st General Assembly of Newfoundland
  
  The members of the 31st General Assembly of Newfoundland were elected in the Newfoundland general election held in October 1956. The general assembly sat from March 19, 1957, to July 28, 1959.
  
  The Liberal Party led by Joey Smallwood formed the government.
  
  John R. Courage served as speaker.
  
  There were three sessions of the 31st General Assembly:
  
  | Session | Start | End |
  | - | - | - |
  | 1st | March 19, 1957 | June 12, 1957 |
  | 2nd | June 20, 1958 | September 10, 1958 |
  | 3rd | February 23, 1959 | July 28, 1959 |
  
  Sir Leonard Outerbridge served as lieutenant governor of Newfoundland until 1957. Campbell Leonard Macpherson succeeded Outerbridge as lieutenant governor.
  
  ## Members of the Assembly
  
  The following members were elected to the assembly in 1956:
  
  | Member | Electoral district | Affiliation |
  | - | - | - |
  | Joseph P. O'Driscoll | Bell Island | Liberal |
  | Joseph R. Smallwood | Bonavista North | Liberal |
  | Uriah F. Strickland | Bonavista South | Liberal |
  | John T. Cheeseman | Burgeo and La Poile | Liberal |
  | Eric S. Jones | Burin | Liberal |
  | George W. Clarke | Carbonear-Bay de Verde | Liberal |
  | Myles P. Murray | Ferryland | Liberal |
  | Isaac Mercer | Fogo | Liberal |
  | John R. Courage | Fortune Bay and Hermitage | Liberal |
  | Beaton J. Abbott | Gander | Liberal |
  | Edward S. Spencer | Grand Falls | Liberal |
  | William R. Smallwood | Green Bay | Liberal |
  | Claude A. Sheppard | Harbour Grace | Liberal |
  | Philip J. Lewis | Harbour Main-Bell Island | Liberal |
  | Matthew P. Whelan | Harbour Main-Bell Island | Liberal |
  | John A. Forsey | Humber East | Liberal |
  | Charles H. Ballam | Humber West | Liberal |
  | Earl W. Winsor | Labrador North | Liberal |
  | George Sellars | Labrador South | Liberal |
  | Patrick J. Canning | Placentia West | Liberal |
  | Stephen K. Smith | Port au Port | Liberal |
  | Llewellyn Strange | Port de Grave | Liberal |
  | James R. Chalker | St. Barbe | Liberal |
  | William J. Keough | St. George's | Liberal |
  | Augustine M. Duffy | St. John's Centre | Progressive Conservative |
  | James D. Higgins | St. John's East | Progressive Conservative |
  | George M. Nightingale | St. John's North | Liberal |
  | William J. Browne | St. John's South | Progressive Conservative |
  | Malcolm M. Hollett | St. John's West | Progressive Conservative |
  | James M. McGrath | St. Mary's | Liberal |
  | Arthur S. Mifflin | Trinity North | Liberal |
  | Samuel J. Hefferton | Trinity South | Liberal |
  | C. Maxwell Lane | White Bay North | Liberal |
  | Frederick W. Rowe | White Bay South | Liberal |
  
  Notes:
  
  * 1 2 3 4 Elected by acclamation
  
  ## By-elections
  
  By-elections were held to replace members for various reasons:
  
  | Electoral district | Member elected | Affiliation | Election date | Reason |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | St. John's South | Rex Renouf | Progressive Conservative | June 18, 1957 | W J Browne resigned in 1957 to run for federal seat |
  
  Notes:
  
  * ↑ Elected by acclamation
  