a Representative Assembly to Newfoundland was introduced in the British Parliament. Governor Cochrane returned to Newfoundland in August with the power to call an election and did so on 25 September 1832. However, full responsible government would not be granted until 1855. 1st general election: 1832 Party composition: Conservative 10, Liberal 5. Total Assembly membership 15. After many years of agitation the British Parliament provided Newfoundland with a local legislature. Unfortunately the ethnic and religious disagreements in the colony, between the predominantly Irish Catholic and British Protestant inhabitants, caused the system to work even less well than in other parts of British North America. 2nd general election: November 1836 Party composition: Liberal 11, Conservative 4. The elected leaders were dominated by reformers, who were mostly Catholic. The appointed Legislative Council was mostly composed of conservative Protestant merchants. However, the two Houses did not meet, when Chief Justice Henry John Boulton discovered some of the writs from the election were not sealed, and called another election. 3rd general election: May 1837 Party composition: Liberal 11, Conservative 4. Total Assembly membership 15. A new election was called by Chief Justice Henry John Boulton after he discovered some of the writs from the previous election were not sealed. This was disputed by many Reformers and many did not run for election. However, in this election the Reformers took most of the seats. 4th general election: December 1842 Party composition unknown. Total membership of the Consolidated Legislature 15 elected and 10 appointed members. The experiment was tried of combining the Assembly and Council in a unicameral legislature. The British Parliament twice extended the term of this legislature. By 1847 the whole system broke down. A bicameral legislature was restored, which continued until 1932. 5th general election: November 1848 Party composition unknown but divided between a Liberal majority and a Conservative minority. Total Assembly membership 15. Support grew for the introduction of a government responsible to the Assembly, which was being introduced elsewhere in British North America about this time. 6th general election: November 1852 Party composition: Liberal 9, Conservative 6. Total Assembly membership 15. The campaign for responsible government continued and was accepted by the Colonial Office in London. 7th general election: 7 May 1855 With this election, Newfoundland becomes the last British colony in North America to achieve responsible government. Party composition unknown but divided between a Liberal majority and a Conservative minority.