Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to forward to Your Lordship an authenticated and two plain copies of an Act passed by the Legislative Council entitled— An Act to amend the Tolls Exemption Ordinance, 1865.

2. The Attorney General'sReport Report is annexed.

3. This Act is practically a measure of relief to the owners of a certain Flour Mill which is on the wrong side of the Toll Bar at Clinton. All the other Flour Mills in the Upper Country are beyond the Toll Bar, and the Wheat with which they are fed is already exempted from tolls, while the chief Market for all the Flour produced is also beyond, in the Mining Districts of Cariboo, and Omineca, where gold fields haverecently recently been discovered. The result is that almost all Flour consumed is already free from Toll, and the Mill below the Toll gate is placed at a great disadvantage in competing with its rivals, while the Public gains little or nothing by the retention of the Toll on Flour which is not collected. Little foreign flour is now used above the Cascade range, our own production being sufficient; and the cost of carriage in the case of Foreign flour constituting ample protection.

3. I regard this measureas as just, harmless to the Revenue, and I recommend it for confirmation.