Colonial Despatches

Referring to my Despatch No 147 of the 17th November last, I have the honor to forward to Your Lordship a copy of correspondence which has passed between Lord Lisgar and myself uponthe the subject of ensuring pensions to the Officers now in the service of British Columbia who will be affected by the Union of this Colony with the Dominion.

2. I think it right that provision for these pensions should be clearly made by Act of Parliament of the Dominion, and I have little doubt that Your Lordshipwill will take the view of the matter which I have expressed in this correspondence. If any of the Officers to whom the arrangement applies should accept other Office from the Imperial Government, or the Government of Canada, the pension may be suspended during the time he may hold such appointment; but I think that the right to electwhether whether he will take such other office should rest with him.

3. The Report of the Privy Council of Canada of the 7th January forwarded to me in Lord Lisgar's Despatch of 9th January contains a provision that in consideration of the loss and inconvenience I shall be subjected to by the termination of my employment here upon theUnion Union of this Colony with Canada, half a year's Salary shall be paid to me. I should observe that I did not make any official application for such an allowance. In a private Note to a leading member of the Canadian administration I had alluded to the prejudicial effect upon my own position which would be produced bythe the Union. I mentioned that although I confidently hoped for an appointment from Your Lordship to other employment elsewhere I yet might be some time without such occupation. And I asked whether he thought that it would be unfair to request that I should be placed in the same position as if I had obtained a year's leave ofabsence absence from my government, in which case I should be allowed to draw half my Salary for that time. The provision in the Minute of Council has I believe originated in what thus passed in private correspondence without any formal request.

4. I trust that Your Lordship will not regard this provision as objectionable. Ihave have some confidence that you will look upon the special circumstances of the termination of my service here as giving me a claim for other employment; but some time may elapse before any suitable vacancy occurs; during which period without this moderate provision from the Canadian Government I should sufferserious serious loss and inconvenience from the effect of a measure, which I know has been brought to a successful issue mainly through my personal exertions.