No. 28
25th March 1870
My Lord,
I have the honor to forward an authenticated and two plain Copies of an Ordinance entitled— An Ordinance granting a Supplemental Supply of Two hundred and one thousand five hundred and eighty fiveDollarsManuscript image Dollars and five cents out of the General Revenue of the Colony of British Columbia and its Dependencies for the Contingent Service of the Years 1868-9 respectively.
2. The usual Report from the Attorney General is annexed. Remark is scarcely necessary from me, as the expenditure which is now made legal had almost all been incurred before my entering upon theadministrationManuscript image administration of the Government, and the Bill is framed in accordance with what has been the usual practice. Many of the items of the Supply granted in this Bill had however been already authorized in the Ordinary appropriation Ordinances for the years mentioned; and it is not obvious to me why another enactment should be required for this expenditureifManuscript image if the liability was incurred within the allotted period and did not exceed the amount assigned although the money may not have been actually paid out of the Treasury until after the close of the year. The system which has been pursued renders Supplementary Supply bills unavoidable, introduces a great deal of complexity and apparent confusion in financialstatementsManuscript image statements, and I am disposed to think arises from a misunderstanding of the instructions of the Lords of the Treasury upon which it is said to be based.
I have the honor to be,
My Lord,
Your most obedient
humble Servant
A. Musgrave
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
CC 3/5
Manuscript image
Mr Herbert
This mode of submitting Supplementary Expenditure for sanction—i.e. the mere transmission of a Supplementary Appropriation Ordinance without a particle of information as to the total to which the Expenditure has been brought for the year—& total amount of Revenue to meet such expenditure—is obviously altogether defective.
Very detailed directions were given as to the statements which shd accompany Supplementary Appropriation Ordinances—in the D. of Buckingham's printed desph to the Straits No 243 Nov 27/68Manuscript image (annexed for reference), which was sent out to B. Columbia for the late Governor's guidance some time since (see D. of Buckm to Govr No 105 Decr 7/68 dft in 12,125/Treasury/68). I should think it wd be advisable to draw the Governor's attention to that despatch, & instruct him to supply the information prescribed in it, to accompany Supplementary Appropriation Ordinances, on future occasions. On the present occasion, it seems hardly worth while to raise any question as to the Supplementary Expendre provided for 1868 & 1869. I presume it may [be] sanctioned, & the Ordinance (No 2 of 1870) confirmed.
The Governor raises a question as to the proper interpretation of the Treasury instructions, as to Supplementary Estimates, by which his Govt has been hitherto guided. His views do not seem to be very clear, &Manuscript image I think it wd be of service to him to send him a copy of the Straits Auditor General's report of Oct 13/69 (being in print, we have no doubt a spare copy of it) annexed to 248/14,155/69 Straits Settlts, circulated with a dft herewith. This Report gives what I believe is a current explanation of the standing Treasury Instructions, referred to, on Supplementary Estimates, & will probably solve Governor Musgraves doubts.
WS May 9
Manuscript image
Yes. Draft at once.
RGWH May 10/70
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Three printed copies of ordinance not on microfilm.
Manuscript image
H.P.P. Crease, Attorney General, to Musgrave, 23 March 1870, reporting on the ordinance as per despatch.
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Granville to Musgrave, No. 48, 14 May 1870.