Colonial Despatches

Mr Elliot
In acknowledging this return I should take the opportunity of requiring Governor Douglas, in peremptory terms, to obey the instructions he has recd to send home quarterly accounts of the whole Revenue of B. Columbia (this is only the Customs Return) from whatever source derived, & also of the public expre.

We are extremely hampered from want of such information.

Copy to Treasury.

I quite agree with Mr Blackwood as to the improper remissness and indeed disobedience of orders on the subject of furnishing financial returns. But we must remember that Capt. Gossett [Gosset] is the Officer on whose aid the Governor must depend for being able to send such documents, and how unmanageable he is we have had evidence in former despatches. Seeing the spirit which he has displayed, I would submit that the admonition to be sent out ought to be made to fall on the right party, and I have prepared for consideration a draft conceived with that object.

I think the draft (herewith) is very useful—& indeed necessary.

Mr Elliot
The only report of the Revenue & Expenditure of British Columbia which Governor Douglas has send home consists of an 'Abstract' shewing the amounts recd & expended to February 1859—Gov/5439, No 127, 8 April/59.

In Jany/60 (2313) he sent a statement of the Customs Revenue for the year 1859 & promised a Statement of the whole Revenue & Expenditure for that year. This Statement however has not been been received.

From time to time Governor Douglas has reported the amt of the Customs receipts, but he has supplied no information whatever since February 1859 as to the other sources of Revenue or as to the Expenditure.

With regard to the instructions that have been given to him; the Book of Colonial instructions which is in the hands of his officers contains explicit directions that periodical returns are to be supplied.

These directions were repeated in a despatch from this Office dated 5th May last which the Governor acknowledged—but which he has not as yet obeyed.

And his attention was called to this despatch by a subsequent one dated 25th of October last.

"Statement of Customs Revenue (including Duties, Harbor Dues, Entrance Fees, Head Money &c) collected during the Quarter ending September 30th 1860," with comparatives to preceeding quarters, signed by W.D. Gosset, Treasurer.