No. 49
20th April 1871
My Lord,
I have had the honor to receive Your Lordship's Circular Despatch of the 7th March respecting the General inconvenience caused to your department by the irregularity and lateness of the dates at which the annual"BlueManuscript image "Blue Books" of the Colonies are received.
2. On account of the great distances between the Settlements, the want of facilities for communicating with some of them, and the time taken in doing so, it is more than usually difficult in this Colony to comply with the regulations for the completion of theReturnsManuscript image Returns during the first quarter of the Year. The materials for preparing some of them cannot be received in Victoria before April.
3. I presume that the Book for 1870 will be the last forwarded from this Colony to Your Lordship's Department, as in future the local statistics will be included in those of the Dominion; but these lastReturnsManuscript image Returns I hope to be able to transmit in June.
I have the honor to be,
My Lord,
Your most obedient
Humble Servant
A. Musgrave
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
CC 25/5
Mr Meade
Put by.
No more Blue Books will be received from B Columbia as the Colony is about to be merged into the Dominion of Canada.
WR 26/5/71
RM 26/5
K May 26/71