No. 70
I have had the honor to receive Your Lordship's despatch
No. 6 of
20 January 1867 forwarding a letter from
M
John Cooper in reply to the notification Your Lordship caused to
be
made
made to him that his Official connection with
British Columbia
was at an end.
M Cooper requests that a reference on the
subject may be made to me.
2. I think highly of
M Cooper's practical abilities;
but any representations I made at home in his favour were to a
great extent unofficial as I consider that I have no authority
over a Public Officer of this Colony when on leave of absence
myself.
M Birch, who was in full possession of the
Administrative Authority
declared
declared
M Cooper's connection with the
Colony at an end on account of his absence without leave. I formerly
imperfectly understood the case from
M Cooper's statement but
I now see no reason for advising the reversal of the decision at
which Your Lordship has arrived.
3.
M Cooper's office is not wanted; and as regards
himself personally he is clearly to blame for not furnishing the
fullest information respecting the supposed deficiency in the
funds of the Columbia Hospital during the time he acted as Treasurer
for
the
the institution.
4. I would beg leave to refer to my despatch No. 15 of the
8 January 1867 on this subject.
Minutes by CO staff
M Elliot
M Cooper's case is of course new to me, but from reading
the papers it appears to me you have had a most troublesome
& not very deserving gentleman to deal with—& I suppose that
this despatch—as in the case of 1940—may be put by.
There is nothing more to be done in the case, and I agree
with
M Cox that this should be put by.