Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Hankin, Philip J. to Leveson-Gower, Granville George 24 June 1869, CO 60:36, no. 8149, 83.
Abstract
Hankin, Philip J. to Leveson-Gower, Granville George 24 June 1869, CO 60:36, no. 8149, 83.
Despatch to London.
Minutes (1), Enclosures (untranscribed) (28), Other documents (1), Marginalia (2).
No. 17
24th June 1869
My Lord,
I have the honor to forward a correspondence addressed to Your
Lordship by Mr G.W. Cox [W.G. Cox]
late StipendiaryMagistrate
Magistrate of this
Colony, with a copy of a letter from Mr Cox
to Governor Seymour requesting that the correspondence might be forwarded.
Magistrate of this
Colony, with a copy of a letter from Mr Cox
to Governor Seymour requesting that the correspondence might be forwarded.
2. I have inquired carefully into this matter, in order to give Your Lordship every
information in my power, and I find that
when the reductions consequent on the Union of the Coloniesand
and
the failing state of the Revenue were made, Mr Cox as Junior
Stipendiary Magistrate, was the first among that class of
Officers whose appointment was abolished.
and
the failing state of the Revenue were made, Mr Cox as Junior
Stipendiary Magistrate, was the first among that class of
Officers whose appointment was abolished.
3. He was however, by letter of the 1st May, and the subject
is again enlarged upon in the letter of the 11th May (both
enclosed) offered another appointment of a lesspecuniary
pecuniary value
certainly, but he was to retain his Commission and act as
Justice of the Peace.
pecuniary value
certainly, but he was to retain his Commission and act as
Justice of the Peace.
4. This appointment Mr Cox declined to accept.
5. Subsequently Mr Cox received Three hundred pounds (£300),
as full compensation for loss of Office.
6. With regard to Mr Cox's claim forSalary
Salary for the Months of
June and July 1868, I do not see how such claim can be
maintained for by the Colonial Secretary's letter of 28th May
1868 he was informed that the abolition of his Office would take
place on the 31st May.
Salary for the Months of
June and July 1868, I do not see how such claim can be
maintained for by the Colonial Secretary's letter of 28th May
1868 he was informed that the abolition of his Office would take
place on the 31st May.
7. The case of Mr Harbor Master Cooper to which Mr Cox
refers, I scarcely think parallel.
He came forward, andoffered
offered to resign his
Office (an Office which had been specially created by the
Imperial Government in 1858), for a specific sum of £600, which
offer the Government of British Columbia accepted.
offered to resign his
Office (an Office which had been specially created by the
Imperial Government in 1858), for a specific sum of £600, which
offer the Government of British Columbia accepted.
8. Mr Cox's case was fully, and frequently gone into, by the
late Governor in Council, and it was then clearly decided, that
the compensationmade
made had been ample, and I have no reasons to
offer to Your Lordship for reversing that decision.
made had been ample, and I have no reasons to
offer to Your Lordship for reversing that decision.
9. I am not acquainted with Mr Cox myself, but I have always
understood he proved himself an energetic and painstaking Officer.
I have the honor to be
My Lord
Your Lordship's most obedient
humble Servant
Philip J. Hankin
Administering the Government
My Lord
Your Lordship's most obedient
humble Servant
Philip J. Hankin
Administering the Government
Minutes by CO staff
Sir F. Sandford
Mr Cox's demand is for two months Salary of his late Office. He has not the slightest claim to it as the Ag Governors despatch clearly shews.
Mr Cox's demand is for two months Salary of his late Office. He has not the slightest claim to it as the Ag Governors despatch clearly shews.
He was told on the 2d May 1868 that his Office was to be
abolished & he was offered a more subordinate one with about 1/2
(as I gather) the
Salary of his own Office.
Salary of his own Office.
This he refused & he was told that his Office wd be abolished
on the 31 May & he was offered 4 months Salary or 9 months leave
of absence. He finally accepted $1500 (4 Month's Salary) in full
compensation for the loss of his office—but having recd it in
Aug, he claimed Salary for May and June.
He might have made
a grievance of receiving only 4 months pay
instead of 9 Months on abolition of his Office.
a grievance of receiving only 4 months pay
instead of 9 Months on abolition of his Office.
Answer that Lord Granville regrets that Mr Cox's claim for two
months Salary of his late Office is not one that it is possible
for him to entertain under the circumstances of the case.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
G.W. Cox [W.G. Cox] to Seymour, 14 May 1869, asking the governor to forward
the "accompanying letter and correspondence to the Secretary of State."
Summary of documents accompanying Cox's letter to the Secretary
of State.
A.N. Birch, Colonial Secretary, to Cox, 27 April 1867, instructing
him to proceed to the Columbia District as Stipendiary Magistrate
and Gold Commissioner.
D. Maunsell to Cox, 12 December 1867, assuring him the governor
had never expressed "suprise at your having left your district
without express orders being sent to you to do so."
W.A.G. Young, Colonial Secretary, to Cox, 27 April 1868,
concerning the disposition of Mr. Vowell, Chief Constable.
Young to Cox, 1 May 1868, acquainting Cox that the
office of Gold Commissioner for the Columbia District would
be abolished and offering him an appointment as Deputy Collector
of Customs at Fort Shepherd.
Treasury receipt signed by Cox, 8 August 1868, for the sum of
$1,500 in "full payment of compensation for loss of office
consequent upon abolition of the Magistry of the Columbia District."
