No. 5
17 January 1863
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 46 of the 4th ultimo transmitting the Proclamations noted in the margin
British Columbia
Proclamation No. 3 - 1862
" " 4
" " 6
" " 7
" " 8 Proclamation intituled "Ditches—Rules and Regulations under The Gold Fields Act, 1859." .in
which you have issued as Governor of British Columbia.
I have laid Proclamations 3, 4 and 8 before the Queen and am commanded to acquaint you that Her Majesty hasbeenManuscript image been pleased to confirm and allow them.
You will communicate this decision of Her Majesty to the inhabitants of the Colony in the usual manner.
Proclamation 6 should have appended to it a schedule of, or should specify by reference, the Imperial Laws which it is sought to introduce within the Colony and Her Majesty's decision upon it will be withheld until this amendment is effected.
On Proclamation 7 I have to observe that to tax water carriage for the improvement of land carriage appears to me at first sighttoManuscript image to be a measure of questionable propriety and I shall abstain from advising Her Majesty to take any course upon this Proclamation until I have received from you an explanation on the subject.
The Proclamation intituled "Ditches—Rules and Regulations under the Gold Fields Act 1859" remains under consideration.
I have the honor to be
Sir,
Your most obedient
humble servant
Newcastle