Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Cardwell, Edward 8 May 1865, CO 60:21, no. 6402, 433.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1), Marginalia (1).
Seymour reports that he has closed the most recent session of the Legislature and, after
noting that the new standing orders
worked extremely well,provides a list of the various ordinances passed. Seymour explains that two ordinances, one of which is intended to increase the salary of the governor to four thousand pounds, were
passed with suspending clauses.Blackwood minutes that
the increase to the Governor's salary will require attentiondue to the colony’s debt.
No. 44
8th May 1865
Sir,
I have the honor to inform you that I closed the Session
of the Legislature of this Colony on the 11th Ultimo. I
enclose copy of my proroguing address.
2. The Standing Orderswhich
which I framed for the Adoption
of the Council have been already laid before you. I am happy
to say that they worked extremely well. The press and public
were admitted to the deliberations of the Board, and it tells
well for the labours of the Nominated Legislators of this Colony
that neither within the Council chamber nor without, by press or
public, was an expression uttered in favourof
of applying for more
liberal institutions. Not a single instance occurred during
the Session in which the members nominated on the election
of the people were arrayed against those who sat by virtue
of their official position.
which I framed for the Adoption
of the Council have been already laid before you. I am happy
to say that they worked extremely well. The press and public
were admitted to the deliberations of the Board, and it tells
well for the labours of the Nominated Legislators of this Colony
that neither within the Council chamber nor without, by press or
public, was an expression uttered in favourof
of applying for more
liberal institutions. Not a single instance occurred during
the Session in which the members nominated on the election
of the people were arrayed against those who sat by virtue
of their official position.
The only Colony, or place without an "opposition."
3. I shall report separately on the various Ordinances
passed. I now simply forward aList
List of them [printed]:
No. 1. An Ordinance to extend the term of the Steam Traction
Engine Ordinance, 1864;
No. 2. An Ordinance to amend the Law of Evidence;
No. 3. An Ordinance to amend the Duties of Customs;
No. 4. An Ordinance in aid of the Trustees' Relief Act;
No. 5. An Ordinance to encourage the construction of a line of
Telegraph, connecting the Telegraphs of British Columbia with the
Telegraph lines of Russia, the United States, and other Countries, and
for other purposes;
No. 6. An Ordinance for the construction of a Toll Bridge across
Thompson River at Lytton;
No. 7. An Ordinance to amend the First Telegraph Ordinance, 1864;
No. 9. An Ordinance to apply the sum of £225,946 12s 8d sterling
out of the General Revenue of the Colony of British Columbia and its
Dependencies to the service of the year 1865;
No. 10. An Ordinance to amend the Dues leviable at the Port of New
Westminster;
No. 11. An Ordinance for the formation and regulation of
Municipalities in British Columbia;
No. 12. An Ordinance to amend the Excise Laws;
No. 13. An Ordinance for imposing a duty on Gold;
No. 14. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Gold Mining Laws;
No. 15. An Ordinance for the regulation of the Harbours of British
Columbia;
No. 16. An Ordinance to prohibit the sale or gift of intoxicating
Liquors to Indians;
No. 17. An Ordinance to prohibit the unseasonable destruction of
Game;
No. 18. An Ordinance to exempt certain articles from Road and Ferry
Tolls, and for other purposes;
No. 19. An Ordinance to prevent the violation of Indian Graves;
No. 20. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Bankruptcy and
Insolvency in British Columbia;
No. 21. An Ordinance respecting Marriage in British Columbia;
No. 22. An Ordinance for regulating the amount and application of
the Fees to be taken in the Supreme Court of Civil Justice, from suitors
therin;
No. 23. An Ordinance respecting Arrest and Imprisonment for debt;
No. 25. An Ordinance to facilitate the creation of Ports of Entry
in British Columbia;
No. 26. An Ordinance to declare the limitation of Foreign Suits and
Actions;
No. 27. An Ordinance for regulating the acquisition of Land in
British Columbia;
No. 28. An Ordinance further to facilitate the construction of the
Overland Telegraph;
end
List of them [printed]:
No. 1. An Ordinance to extend the term of the Steam Traction
Engine Ordinance, 1864;
No. 2. An Ordinance to amend the Law of Evidence;
No. 3. An Ordinance to amend the Duties of Customs;
No. 4. An Ordinance in aid of the Trustees' Relief Act;
No. 5. An Ordinance to encourage the construction of a line of
Telegraph, connecting the Telegraphs of British Columbia with the
Telegraph lines of Russia, the United States, and other Countries, and
for other purposes;
No. 6. An Ordinance for the construction of a Toll Bridge across
Thompson River at Lytton;
No. 7. An Ordinance to amend the First Telegraph Ordinance, 1864;
No. 9. An Ordinance to apply the sum of £225,946 12s 8d sterling
out of the General Revenue of the Colony of British Columbia and its
Dependencies to the service of the year 1865;
No. 10. An Ordinance to amend the Dues leviable at the Port of New
Westminster;
No. 11. An Ordinance for the formation and regulation of
Municipalities in British Columbia;
No. 12. An Ordinance to amend the Excise Laws;
No. 13. An Ordinance for imposing a duty on Gold;
No. 14. An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Gold Mining Laws;
No. 15. An Ordinance for the regulation of the Harbours of British
Columbia;
No. 16. An Ordinance to prohibit the sale or gift of intoxicating
Liquors to Indians;
No. 17. An Ordinance to prohibit the unseasonable destruction of
Game;
No. 18. An Ordinance to exempt certain articles from Road and Ferry
Tolls, and for other purposes;
No. 19. An Ordinance to prevent the violation of Indian Graves;
No. 20. An Ordinance to amend the Law relating to Bankruptcy and
Insolvency in British Columbia;
No. 21. An Ordinance respecting Marriage in British Columbia;
No. 22. An Ordinance for regulating the amount and application of
the Fees to be taken in the Supreme Court of Civil Justice, from suitors
therin;
No. 23. An Ordinance respecting Arrest and Imprisonment for debt;
No. 25. An Ordinance to facilitate the creation of Ports of Entry
in British Columbia;
No. 26. An Ordinance to declare the limitation of Foreign Suits and
Actions;
No. 27. An Ordinance for regulating the acquisition of Land in
British Columbia;
No. 28. An Ordinance further to facilitate the construction of the
Overland Telegraph;
end
In addition to the above, which have already become
Law, there were two Ordinances passed with suspending clauses.
The one, proposes to raise the Governor's Salary to four
thousand pounds ayear
year, the other, to introduce a decimal
system in the keeping of the Public Accounts.
year, the other, to introduce a decimal
system in the keeping of the Public Accounts.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
Acknowledge.
Acknowledge.
The increase to the Governor's salary will require
attention. The Colony is getting into debt, but it is
occasioned by public works—roads especially—which must,
I presume, be constructed at almost any cost if the Colony
is to thrive. It is clear that roads are the pioneers of
civilization to a wilderness, & that without them neither
food can reach the Miners, nor gold get to the Coast.
ABd
10/7
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Newspaper clipping, unnamed, no date, copy of governor's speech
proroguing the Legislative Council.
