Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to forward to Your Lordship an authenticated and two plain Copies of an Ordinance passed by the Legislative Council entitled— An Ordinance to create a further duty of Customs for the Public service.

2. It has been passedspecially specially to provide the means of maintaining the Telegraph, from the lower Fraser to Cariboo, which was about to be abandoned by the Western Union Telegraph Company, who offered the line to the local Government if the working of it would be undertaken. Much pressure was brought to bear upon me for this purpose; but I regarded myself as precluded from assuming this new service in the present financial position of the Colony without some special provision for the expense. It was importantto to establish the principle that disbursements must not be promised when there are no funds from which to make them. But I brought the subject before the Council in my opening Address as Your Lordship will have seen.

2. The result after much discussion, is the imposition of an additional duty of half a dollar per gallon upon Spirits which I think the least objectionable mode of raising the required funds, and it will probably furnish more than the required amount.

3. Great importance is attached to the maintenance of the Telegraph by the people of the Mainland, and not unnaturally. For purposes of Police, and the transmission of official intelligence it is very valuable. And on many occasions it might save greater expenditure than it will cost.

4. Under these circumstances I have no hesitation in recommending the Ordinance for Her Majesty's confirmation, and herewithI have I have the honor to annex the Attorney General's Report to the same effect.