Colonial Despatches

Mr Elliot
When the Rl: Engineers sailed for B. Columbia in the Autumn of 1858, the regulated number of women were selected to accompany them, but, there not being room in the Vessel, they were sent after them in a Troop Ship. The wife of Sergeant [Mc]Coll was one of the number selected, but not being able thro' illness, to undertake the long Sea Voyage another woman was substituted for her. In 1860 Colonel Moody proposed that the Wives and intended Wives for the remainder of the Detachment should be sent out—that passages should be engaged for them & the Cost defrayed in the first instance by the Imperial Govt, to be repayed by stoppages from the Men's pay. Colonel Moody referred to the case of Sergeant Coll & recommended that his wife and family should be sent out at the public expense. The general proposal was recommended by the S. of S. to the Treasury & War Office & sanctioned by those Departments but the W.O. demurred to making an exception in favor of Mrs Coll, and she went out on the same terms as the other women. This decision of the W.O. (9021) does not appear to have been communicated to the Govr. Stoppages to the extent of one half of the cost of his wife's passage (£l05) have been made from Sergt Coll's pay & Col: Moody recommends that the remaining half should be remitted. There is some degreeof of hardship in the case, in as much as illness or temporary inability to endure so long a voyage deprived his wife of the opportunity of joining her husband free of expense. Sergt Coll bears a good character and will no doubt if he remains in the Colony, prove a desirable settler.

Mr Jadis
I think that all that we can do is to submit this appeal for favorable considn to the W.O. With reference to their letter of 15th Sepr 1860 about sending out the wives of the detachment of Royal Engineers, say that the general reasons therein agreed to were duly carried into effect, but that it appears that by some accident the decision which it contained on the particular case of Sergt Coll was not conveyed to the Govr for the infn of Colonel Moody. The Govr has, however, carried into effect the general directions, and under these, Sergt Coll has accordingly been subjected to the stoppages required by the decision of the S. of State for War that he was to be dealt with in the same manner as the rest whose wives & families did not go out by the original opportunity.

He has paid in this manner, it appears, £＿ by deductions from his pay, being one half of the cost of the passage of his wife & family. Col: Moody applies for the remission of the remaining half. Sergt Coll bears a good character, & it was by a misfortune, & not by any fault of his, that he was deprived of the benefit of his family's going out free with the first party. Such being the circumstances in his favor, the S. of State for War alone can judge whether or not there may be general considerations which would render an assent to the application for indulgence to Sergt Coll improper or inconvenient.

R.C. Moody to Douglas, 22 October 1863, supporting McColl's application for full or partial remission of the passage money.

W. McColl to Moody, 6 October 1863, explaining the circumstances of his case and asking to be relieved of the cost of passage for his wife and family, with a note by Moody at the end recommending the remission of the remaining one half of the amount due.

Elliot to Under-Secretary of State for War, 15 January 1864, forwarding copy of the despatch and requesting a decision regarding remission for McColl.