Sargeaunt to Elliot (Assistant Under-Secretary)
Offices of the Crown Agents for the Colonies,
Spring Gardens, London, S.W.
23 March 1867
Sir,
I transmit to you, for the information of the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, a letter with its enclosure received from the Government of Vancouver Island requesting the Crown Agents to pay to Mrs Curry of St John's Chapel, Weardale, the proceeds of the estate of John Curry deceased, late a member of the Police Force in that Colony. I also enclose a Declaration from Mrs Curry, from which it would appear that she is the legal representative of the deceased.
Under the circumstancesManuscript image set forth in the enclosed papers I have the honor to apply for His Grace's authority for making payment of the amount in question without the production of Letters of Administration.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant
W.C. Sargeaunt
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
If the Law will admit of dispensing with Letters of Administration I apprehend that authority might be given to Mr Sargeaunt to act as he proposes.
ABd 25-3
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Mr Holland
Give the authority?
TFE 25/3
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Mr Elliot
Though the payt may not be strictly regular, I should inform the Crown Agents that they may make this payment to Mrs Curry if they are satisfiedManuscript image and there seems to be no reason why they shd not be satisfied, of the correctness of the statements. These cases must often have occurred. I should have thought that with the receipt the agents might get a simple form of indemnity signed, in case the payment should be disputed.
HTH 25/3
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When this letter came down to me, I did not observe (if they were there) the former papers. Those papers give additional evidence of Mrs Corry's [sic] identity & relationship. Therefore prepare letter to Crown Agents, authorizing them to pay the amount to Mrs Corry, without lettersofManuscript image of Administration if they see no reason to doubt her identity and relationship to the deceased. Draft.
TFE 26 March
Other documents included in the file
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Elliot to Crown Agents, 28 March 1867, authorizing payment of John Curry's estate to Mrs. Curry.