Colonial Despatches

I beg leave respectfully to submit to your Grace the following short statement of a grievance for which I have no redress except through the Colonial Department of Her Majesty's Government.

On the 1st of November 1859 my Son John Heseltine of the Stock Exchange, London received a letter dated "9th Septr Victoria Vancouvers Island" announcing the death of his Brother Samuel Heseltine (Her Majesty's Inspector of Steam Machinery in that Island and the Colony of New Columbia) which took place on the 5th of the same Month.

This letter which was signed "Wootton" stated further that my deceased Sons effects had been placed by the Writer in the hands of the Registrar, as being the legal Administrator and that he alone could receive the pay due by the government to the deceased at the time of his death.

On receiving this communication, my Son having died unmarried and Intestate and I being his sole next of kin, I wrote to the Registrar a letter dated 15th Novr 1859 giving him instructions as to the disposition of the property that had been handed over to him by Mr Wootton to whom I also sent a Copy of my Instructions to the Registrar.

It is now several weeks since my Son John Heseltine received a second letter from the same Henry Wootton dated Fort Victoria 19th May 1860 in which he says "The effects of your Brother have been sold and realized nearly £300 which is more than sufficient to pay all debts" but I have never to the present moment got any account from the Registrar of the effects that have come to his hands nor of the pay due to my deceased Son which he has received from the Government nor has he in any way acknowledged or noticed my letter addressed to him on the 15 Novr last.

I have reason to know that the debts of the deceased were very inconsiderable in amount. The expenses of his Funeral were defrayed by the Members of the Masonic Fraternity resident on the Island who kindly attended his remains to the Grave, his rent was paid in advance so that none could be due, and I have conversed with the person who attended on him the last few days of his life and who assures me that he had no debts except such small sums as might be due for his weekly expenses.

Under these circumstances I respectfully submit that Mr Williams, the Registrar whose conduct is in question has failed in this instance to discharge a duty which he was bound by the tenure of his office to perform and as I have no means of redress except through the Department of Her Majestys Government over which youryour Grace presides, I therefore humbly pray your Grace that he may be required to render an account with proper vouchers of the effects of the deceased which have come to his hands and to remit to me such balance as may be due thereon.