Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Murdoch, Thomas William Clinton to Rogers, Frederic 20 July 1861, CO 305:18, no. 6482, 176.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (6), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (3).
Murdoch writes Rogers to forward Newcastle a proposal from accounting firm
Coleman, Turquand, Youngs & Co., regarding the audit of the HBC's financial records relating to costs
incurred by the company on Vancouver Island, prior to its reconveyance to the Crown.
Considerable discussion of the dispute between the company and the Crown appears in the minutes and included documents.
Murdoch to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Emigration Office
20 July 1861
With reference to your letter of 2nd instant
I enclose herewith for the consideration of the Duke of Newcastle, the copy of a Letter from
Messrs
Coleman Turquand & Co
offering to undertake the examination of the accounts between H.M. Government and
the
Hudsons Bay Co in
connection with Vancouvers Island, and stating the rate of
remuneration which would be charged for themselves and their Clerks.
As it is possible
that the examination may involve some considerable
expense, I would submit whether it would not be desirable to consult
the Lords Commissoners of the Treasury before
Messrs Coleman's
offer is finally accepted.
that the examination may involve some considerable
expense, I would submit whether it would not be desirable to consult
the Lords Commissoners of the Treasury before
Messrs Coleman's
offer is finally accepted.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
The number of days or weeks which this investigation will occupy can, I suppose be only conjecturally assumed. Otherwise it is an important element in the amount of the expense which the Treasury will have to sanction.
The number of days or weeks which this investigation will occupy can, I suppose be only conjecturally assumed. Otherwise it is an important element in the amount of the expense which the Treasury will have to sanction.
ABd
22/Apl
Mr Fortescue
To Treasury, for considn. Request
to be provided with their Lordships opinion whether the Services of these accountants
may be
accepted on the proffered terms?
To Treasury, for considn. Request
to be provided with their Lordships opinion whether the Services of these accountants
may be
accepted on the proffered terms?
TFE
22/7
I have sent you in today a letter from
Messrs Coleman offering to
undertake the examination of the H.B.Co's accounts at certain specified rates. This letter has
been delayed more than it ought to have been, but not by my fault. On receiving the
C.O.
letter of 2d Instt
I thought the safest course was to enquire at the Treasury,
privately, whether there was any person they were in the habit of
employing in such matters—or whether their experience would afford
us any assistance. From one cause or another the answer was delayed,
and it was only on Wednesday that I was in a position to
act. The
general result of what I learned at the Treasury was that they had
paid upwards of £8000 to Quilteo & Ba[name partly off microfilm] for a report on the
[Weedon?]
Stores all [of?] which was of no practical use—and therefore that we
shd employ some one else.
I therefore wrote to Mr Coleman on
Wednesday—had one interview with him on Thursday—and received this morning the letter
I now enclose.
act. The
general result of what I learned at the Treasury was that they had
paid upwards of £8000 to Quilteo & Ba[name partly off microfilm] for a report on the
[Weedon?]
Stores all [of?] which was of no practical use—and therefore that we
shd employ some one else.
I therefore wrote to Mr Coleman on
Wednesday—had one interview with him on Thursday—and received this morning the letter
I now enclose.
Mr Coleman appeared to me to take rapidly and clearly the main
points to be enquired into—and he promised me to make the examination himself. I presume
that his appointment should be from
the Colonial Office, but he will require instructions and, unless I
hear from you to the contrary, I will send a Draft for your
consideration in the
course of a few days. I presume that you [one
word off microfilm] wish to have the examination [start] as early as
possible. Mr Coleman would prefer putting it off for a short time,
but I told him the matter was urgent—and he in consequence undertook
to put other matters aside in order to proceed with it at once.
course of a few days. I presume that you [one
word off microfilm] wish to have the examination [start] as early as
possible. Mr Coleman would prefer putting it off for a short time,
but I told him the matter was urgent—and he in consequence undertook
to put other matters aside in order to proceed with it at once.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Coleman, Turquand, Youngs & Co. to S. Walcott, Emigration Office,
19 July 1861, outlining the fees to be charged for examination of the Hudson's Bay Company's accounts.
Other documents included in the file
Elliot to G.A. Hamilton, Treasury, 29 July 1861,
forwarding copy of the land board letter with an explanation of the need for a professional
review of the Hudson's Bay Company's
accounts, and asking whether the terms proposed by Coleman, Turquand, Youngs & Co. appeared reasonable and could
be accepted.
Colonial Office to Coleman, no date, marked "Cancelled. Vide
Treasy/7614," accepting the terms offered by Coleman, Turquand, Youngs & Co.
and outlining in detail the government's position in the dispute with the HBC concerning compensation for costs incurred by the
company on Vancouver Island prior to the colony's
reconveyance to the Crown.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Fortescue
This is forwarded in pursuance of Mr Murdoch's note within. Of course the letter cannot be despatched until we receive the Treasury sanction for incurring the expense.
This is forwarded in pursuance of Mr Murdoch's note within. Of course the letter cannot be despatched until we receive the Treasury sanction for incurring the expense.
TFE
25 July
Other documents included in the file
I send you a Draft of instructions to be issued to Coleman
the Accountant in case his appointment is decided upon. I promised Mr
Fortescue I would prepare them unless I heard from him to the contrary.
It would perhaps be inaccurate to address the instructions to the Firm but I saw
Mr Coleman himself & he promised [to] undertake
the matter in person—which is, I think, a matter of importance. I have therefore addressed
the letter to him, but [a] verbal
alteration or two would of course trans[fer] it to the Firm.