Daniel Joseph Greene

Who was Daniel Joseph Greene?

Daniel Joseph Greene was a Newfoundland politician who briefly served as the colony's Premier.

A native of St. John's, he studied law at Laval University and became a lawyer. Daniel Greene was first elected to the House of Assembly in 1875 and became Leader of the Opposition in 1887. In 1889 he became a minister in the government of Liberal Premier Sir William Whiteway. A year after the controversial 1893 elections Whiteway's government was dismissed by the governor Arthur Murray due to petitions alleging corrupt electoral practices. Murray appointed Tory leader Augustus F. Goodridge as the new premier and helped the minority government stay in office. However, Goodridge resigned in December 1894 after the collapse of two banks.

Greene had become acting Liberal leader due to the disbarment of Whiteway from holding electoral office. On December 13, 1894, following the collapse of Goodridge's government, Greene was sworn in as premier.

Green's government promptly passed the Disabilities Removal Act allowing candidates who had been disqualified because of election irregularities in 1893 to seek election again. Specifically, it allowed Whiteway to return as Premier which occurred on February 8, 1895 when Greene resigned.