Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Carnarvon, Earl 4 April 1867, CO 60:28, no. 5077, 15.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
No. 55
4th April 1867
My Lord,
I have the honor to forward an Authenticated and two
plain Copies of an Ordinance passed at the recent session of the
Legislature of this Colony, entitled;No. 2.
No. 2 An Ordinance in aid of the Municipal Taxation in Victoria.
No. 2 An Ordinance in aid of the Municipal Taxation in Victoria.
2. I forward the report of the Attorney General which is
sufficiently explanatory.
Minutes by CO staff
Ordinance in aid of the Municipal Taxation of Victoria.
The Corporatn of Victoria can, under Sec 24 of
their Act of Incorporation (1862), make by-laws for raising
funds—An Ordce to comprise those by-laws is not
required, but this Ordce has been passed
(as I understand)
for the purpose of enabling the Corporation to give full
effect to the By-Law, by testing the returns, examining
Witnesses &c, which the Act of Corporation does not enable
them to do. From the wording of sec. 1 I think it quite
possible that there has been some irregularity in making
the By-law. But we have no means of proving whether the
provisions of sec 24 have been fully complied with.
It seems a little doubtful whether the 7th paragraph
of the By-Law is not in the nature of a Tax upon personal
Estate, which is forbidden by that section. But this is
a matter for the Colonists. The Act is only for a year,
& the A.G. states that a proper Incorporatn Bill is to
be prepared. Sanction it.
(as I understand)
for the purpose of enabling the Corporation to give full
effect to the By-Law, by testing the returns, examining
Witnesses &c, which the Act of Corporation does not enable
them to do. From the wording of sec. 1 I think it quite
possible that there has been some irregularity in making
the By-law. But we have no means of proving whether the
provisions of sec 24 have been fully complied with.
It seems a little doubtful whether the 7th paragraph
of the By-Law is not in the nature of a Tax upon personal
Estate, which is forbidden by that section. But this is
a matter for the Colonists. The Act is only for a year,
& the A.G. states that a proper Incorporatn Bill is to
be prepared. Sanction it.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
H.P.P. Crease, Attorney General, to Seymour, 31 March 1867,
reporting on the ordinance as per despatch.
Other documents included in the file
Draft reply, Buckingham to Seymour, No. 39, 20 June 1867 conveying “Her Majesty’s … confirmation and allowance" of the ordinance relating
to municipal taxation in Victoria.