A  matter  of  great  public  interest,  with  which  the  Premier  was
associated  as  a  matter  of  policy  was  the  retirement  of  the  Royal
North- West  Mounted  Police  from  all  Civil  duties  after  43  years  of
continuous  service  throughout  the  West  in  both  military  and  civil
work.  The  action  of  the  Dominion  Government  in  announcing
the  withdrawal  of  the  Police  in  this  respect  and  its  re-organization
as  a  purely  military  body  had  not  been  unopposed;  the  Government
of  Saskatchewan  had  protested  and  that  of  Alberta  had  requested
two  months'  extension  from  Jan.  1;  the  Presidents  of  many  Live-
stock and  Agricultural  associations  in  Alberta  had  petitioned  against
the  step  and  described  the  R.N.W.M.P.  as  essential  to  the  enforce-
ment of  criminal  law  and  as  widely  respected  for  its  probity  and
fearlessness.  Meanwhile  the  work  of  organizing  a  Provincial  force
was  under  way  and  on  Feb.  5  Mr.  Premier  Sifton  announced  that
the  Alberta  Provincial  Police  Force  had  been  established  by  Order-
in-Council  and  would  be  administered  by  a  Commission  composed
of  Major  P.  C.  Primrose,  Police  Magistrate  of  Edmonton;  Lieut.-
Col.  G.  Edward  Sanders,  P.M.  of  Calgary,  and  A.  G.  Browning,
Deputy  Attorney-General:  "This  Commission  will  be  in  entire  and
absolute  control  of  the  law  enforcement  in  the  Province.  No
member  of  the  Government  nor  any  member  of  the  Legislative
Assembly,  will  take  any  part  in  recommending  the  appointment  of
anybody  to  the  Force,  or  the  appointment  of  any  official  of  any  kind.
The  Superintendent  of  the  Force  will,  consequently,  be  appointed
by  the  Commission,  and  all  his  subordinates.  Major  Primrose
will  be  Chairman  of  the  Board,  and  Mr.  Browning  Secretary."  On
Mar.  1  96  men  of  the  authorized  150  were  sworn  in  under  Supt.
