Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Kennedy, Arthur to Pelham-Clinton, Henry Pelham Fiennes 4 June 1864, CO 305:22, no. 6971, 272.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (2), Other documents (1).
Kennedy reports that the public accounts of Vancouver Island
have never been transmitted to England for audit.He asks if the Secretary of State and the Lords of the Treasury have authorized this
practice.Blackwood’s minute indicates that the public accounts of Vancouver Island are of
no concernto the Imperial government. He recommends that
the public Accounts ought to be audited by a responsible Officer to [Kennedy] & the Colony.
No. 32, Financial
4th June 1864
My Lord Duke
It appears that the public Accounts of this Colony have never been
transmitted to England for audit, the Auditor's action being final.
I would wish to be informed whether this is the practice authorized
by the Secretary of State and the Lords of the Treasury.
Minutes by CO staff
Sir F. Rogers
With "the Public Accounts of this Colony" the Imperial Govt has no concern. The Ho: Assembly votes the money required for the public service, & appropriates it. The Auditors in England do not audit the public accounts of Canada, neither is it incumbent on them to audit the V.C. accounts which stand on the same footing as the Canadian Accounts. There is, however, in V.C.I. a Crown Land Fund, (and, as I contend, also other sources of incidental revenue belonging to the Crown,) of which we ought to have had Estimates of appropriation & the account of the expenditure from the time of the establishment of Representative Govt in V.C.I. But we have never had such separate & distinct Estimates or accounts. The proceeds of the Crown Estate have been applied to the general service of the Colony in the same way as other monies voted by the Assembly. This ought not to have been the practice. But taking into consideration that if we were now to desire the Govr to send home Estimates & accounts they wd not reach us for a year or more—that before the expiration of that time we hope to have arrived at a settlement with the Assembly respecting the Civil List, it appears to me scarcely worth while to alter the present system. On the whole I shd , therefore, suggest that Govr K. be informed that the public Accounts ought to be audited by a responsible Officer to him & the Colony, & that it is not usual to audit them in England.
With "the Public Accounts of this Colony" the Imperial Govt has no concern. The Ho: Assembly votes the money required for the public service, & appropriates it. The Auditors in England do not audit the public accounts of Canada, neither is it incumbent on them to audit the V.C. accounts which stand on the same footing as the Canadian Accounts. There is, however, in V.C.I. a Crown Land Fund, (and, as I contend, also other sources of incidental revenue belonging to the Crown,) of which we ought to have had Estimates of appropriation & the account of the expenditure from the time of the establishment of Representative Govt in V.C.I. But we have never had such separate & distinct Estimates or accounts. The proceeds of the Crown Estate have been applied to the general service of the Colony in the same way as other monies voted by the Assembly. This ought not to have been the practice. But taking into consideration that if we were now to desire the Govr to send home Estimates & accounts they wd not reach us for a year or more—that before the expiration of that time we hope to have arrived at a settlement with the Assembly respecting the Civil List, it appears to me scarcely worth while to alter the present system. On the whole I shd , therefore, suggest that Govr K. be informed that the public Accounts ought to be audited by a responsible Officer to him & the Colony, & that it is not usual to audit them in England.
ABd
27 July/64
I would write that the accounts of the General Revenue
in a
Colony possessing Reprve Institutions like V.C.I. are not
subject to audit in this Country, but that the Crown Revenue, that is
to say the moneys derived from the disposal of Lands and other sources
not under the control of the Assy ought to have been so audited.
That in case it shd appear probable that the Assembly will not take
over the Crown Re on the terms offered by the D of N. steps should
be at once taken to place this Audit on a proper footing
prospectively—submitting annual statements of Estimates & the
accounts similar to those furnished in Crown Colonies (but verify
this). And that in any case a statement of past receipts &
expenditure [of] the Crown Fund should be compiled and sent to
England.
Colony possessing Reprve Institutions like V.C.I. are not
subject to audit in this Country, but that the Crown Revenue, that is
to say the moneys derived from the disposal of Lands and other sources
not under the control of the Assy ought to have been so audited.
That in case it shd appear probable that the Assembly will not take
over the Crown Re on the terms offered by the D of N. steps should
be at once taken to place this Audit on a proper footing
prospectively—submitting annual statements of Estimates & the
accounts similar to those furnished in Crown Colonies (but verify
this). And that in any case a statement of past receipts &
expenditure [of] the Crown Fund should be compiled and sent to
England.
