December 6, 1917

Today is the 90th Anniversary of the Halifax Explosion, as it has become commonly known, although in looking for material for this post, I discovered that it was referred to as the Halifax Disaster at the time. The largest man made explosion in history, prior to Hiroshima. As with most things some legal material sprung up around the explosion. The most interesting case being, R. v. Mackey (1918), 52 N.S.R. 165 (S.C.) On March 15 it was determined that the caption (nee captain) of the Mont Blanc was to be released on bail, opposed by the crown, while awaiting trial on manslaughter charges which were later dropped. The ruling that Mackey be released on bail was appealed and on April 3, 1918, at (1918) 52 N.S.R. 165 (C.A) the ruling of March 15, was upheld.

In 1985 another case came before the courts regarding the trust of an individual who had been badly injured and rendered “mentally incompetent” in the Halifax Explosion, at this point the individual was around 68 years old and living in a facility which claimed that the trust, which had been set up by his father after his injuries in the explosion, should be paying his fees for the facility. (1985) 72 N.S.R. (2d) 157 (S.C.T.D.).

And in Bentley Estate v. Briggs (1991), 101 N.S.R. (2d) 112, title to lands in Halifax was contested after the title holder was killed in the Explosion and the lands had been conveyed various times over the years.

In 1918, several pieces of Legislation were passed regarding the Halifax Disaster, as it was referred to at the time. Chapter 18, of 1918, The Halifax Disaster Provincial Loan Act was passed which in s.3 stated “The sum realized from the sale of debentures of Nova Scotia or of Nova Scotia stock issued for the purpose of raising the said sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or any part therof, shall be paid into the Provincial Treasury and shall be paid and applied for purposes in connection with conditions created by the explosion in Halifax Harbour on the 6th day of December, A.D., 1917.”

Chapter 19, of 1918, is, An Act to Authorize Cities, Towns and Municipalities to Contribute to any Fund for the Relief of Sufferers from the Halifax Explosion and to Validate Contributions already made. Chapter 61 was an Act to Incorporate the Halifax Relief Commission.
And in Chapter 63, An Act to Enable the City of Halifax to Borrow Money, it was specified that the city of Halifax could borrow up to $500,000, “to defray losses or replacements occasioned to City property by explosion of 6th December 1917…”.

I just had to add this, pictures from Dalhousie after the explosion (including the library) and an eye witness account by Thomas Raddall, multi-time winner of Governor General’s awards for writing.