Hamilton to Under-Secretary of State
Treasury Chambers
27th March 1867
Sir,
I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to state, for the information of the Duke of Buckingham that under the circumstances represented in your letter of the 18th Inst, My Lords will not object to the payment to Messrs Clarke & Skinner, Contractors for the supply of Meat for the Troops in British Columbia of the sum of £568 which has been awarded to them as compensation for losses sustained by an unexpected withdrawal of the Troops in 1863; and the consequent abrupt termination of their contract, before the expiration of the term for which it was made.
My Lords concur with His GracethatManuscript image that this sum is chargeable to Imperial Funds.
My Lords observe, that, in consequence of the decision conveyed to His Grace's Department in the letter of 22nd December last No 19020/66, that no further payments should be made to the Colonial Government in respect of their claims for arrears of expenses of the Royal Engineers for previous years, there is a balance to the credit of the Grant for British Columbia of about £2000—being portion of the Supplementary Vote taken last Session under the impression that the arrears claimed were properly payable to the Colony, out of which Balance the sum of £568 can now be paid.
If the Secretary of State sees noobjectionManuscript image objection, My Lords will direct the issue of this sum to the Crown Agents on behalf of the Colonial Government on the understanding that the Governor will satisfy the claim by a corresponding payment out of the Colonial Chest.
I am,
Sir,
Your Obedient Servant
Geo. A. Hamilton
Minutes by CO staff
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ABd 29 March
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It will perhaps be satisfactory to the Duke of Buckingham to see that the Treasury admit the claim of these Contractors in B. Columbia, and will be able to pay it out of Imperial Funds without a fresh Parliamentary vote.
But the B. Columbia Govt has been so lax and untrustworthy in financial matters,
 
that whilst expressing a general concurrence in the course proposed by the Treasury, I would express an opinion to them that instead of their now paying the money to the Crown Agents to the Credit of the Colony, the payment should only be made after the Governor has reported that he has paid the amount to the Contractors. The correspondence should then be sent to him for his information and guidance with instructions to make the payment and an intimation that immediately on it's being reported, the same amount will be paid to the Crown Agents to the credit of the Colony.
TFE 29 March
CBA 30/3
B&C 2/4
Other documents included in the file
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Colonial Office to Hamilton, 6 April 1867, agreeing to the payment but suggesting it be delayed, with explanation.
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Draft reply, Buckingham to Seymour, No. 18, 6 April 1867 informing Seymour that, once British Columbia’s government pays the contractors that supplied meat to troops in British Columbia, then the Treasury will make a payment on behalf of British Columbia to the Crown Agents.