Colonial Despatches

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch of the 2nd September last No. 4 referring to the amount of salary to be assigned to you as Governor of British Columbia and enquiring at what rate Mr. Hankin shouldbe be paid during the period he administered the Government between the death of Mr. Seymour and your own assumption of the Government.

It appears from your despatch that Mr. Seymour had whilst he held Office drawn a sum of £1,000 from the Crown Fund in addition to the £4,000 assigned by local Act to the Governor together with his travelling expenses.

I have to inform you that Mr. Seymour neverreceived received any official authority to draw this £1,000 from the Crown Fund, nor had that step been submitted either officially or unofficially to the Lords Commissoners of the Treasury, whose concurrence was requisite for it.

Under these circumstances and in the existing state of the finances of British Columbia I cannot sanction the payment of salary at a greater rate than £2,000 to Mr. Hankin during hisAdministration Administration of the Government and £4000 to yourself. But I am of opinion that any motion that may be made for a reduction of this Salary below that sum may be met by pointing out to the Council that a reduction of the salary has practically been effected by discontinuing the payment of the £1000 hitherto paid to Mr. Seymour from the Crown Fund.

I request that youwill will inform me what amount has been drawn from the Crown Fund on this account and up to what period the accounts of that fund have been sent home for Audit.