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Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Grenville, Richard 30 November 1867, CO 60:29, no. 1213, 518.

Abstract
Despatch to London. Minutes (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2), Other documents (1).
Seymour forwards a report from a commission, which examined the sales of Real Estate in Vancouver Island in default of payment of taxes. Seymour asks Buckingham to furnish a fair average instance of the manner in which public business was conducted in Vancouver Island before Vancouver Island was merged with British Columbia. Minutes by Cox, Rogers, and Adderley discuss the report’s findings and remark on the irregularities discovered in how business was conducted on Vancouver Island. Included documents describe the findings of the commission on Vancouver Island real estate tax sales.
No. 157
30th November 1867
My Lord Duke,
I have the honor to forward the report of a Commission which I appointed to examine into the sales of Real Estate in Vancouver Island in defaultofManuscript image of payment of taxes.
2. I am not at present invoking Your Grace's assistance in dealing with this troublesome case. But I beg that you will carefully peruse the report as furnishing a fair average instance of the manner in which public business was conducted in Vancouver Island before that Colony was (at present unfortunately for us of the Mainland) merged intoBritishManuscript image British Columbia.
I have the honor to be,
My Lord Duke,
Your most obedient
humble Servant.
Frederick Seymour
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Rogers
If this is a fair average of the way in which public business was conducted in Vancouver Island it is a wonder that that Govt did not get into more difficulties than they did. Put by.
CC 5/2
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Most outrageous certainly. I think I shd reply that Mr Seymour will no doubt report how these irregularities escaped detection, who are the public officers who are chargeable with them, and whether they are still in the public service.
FR 5/2
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& in what way they were remunerated.
CBA 6/2
B&C 6/2
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Report of commissioners appointed to inquire into the Vancouver Island real estate tax sales, 18 November 1867 (eighteen pages).
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Newspaper clipping, Government Gazette, 1 February 1867, containing copy of the report as noted above.
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Buckingham to Seymour, No. 9, 8 February 1868 instructing Seymour to report on “how these irregularities…into the sales of Real Estate in Vancouvers Island in default of payment of taxes…escaped detection,” and which public officers were responsible for real estate on Vancouver Island as well as the remuneration the public officers received.