I have the honor to forward a Letter addressed to Your Lordship
by
M Justice Crease, respecting the personal effect, which in
his opinion Confederation appears likely to
produce![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/co_60_44/co_60_44_00015v.jpg)
produce upon his
position and prospects as a Judge of the Supreme Court of this
Colony.
2. I confess I do not see that
M Crease has any ground for
complaint, or for appealing to Your Lordship for special
interposition on his behalf. When he applied to me for the
appointment of Puisne Justice he was fully aware of the
negotiations
then![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/co_60_44/co_60_44_00016r.jpg)
then in progress for the union with Canada, and of
all arrangements contemplated, though he may not perhaps have
had much personal confidence in their being conducted to a
satisfactory result. He knew that no provision had been made
for any Official Pensions in this Government; and ought to have
known that
none![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/co_60_44/co_60_44_00016v.jpg)
none were likely to be made in the existing state of
the Colony. His position is much better now than then, when
Union was still uncertain. By the Canadian Statute 31. Vic. C.
33 retiring allowances after fifteen years service are granted
to the Judges of the Supreme Courts of the other Provinces of
the Dominion, and I have
every![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/co_60_44/co_60_44_00017r.jpg)
every reason for believing that this
provision will readily—indeed, must in fairness—be extended to
the Judges of
British Columbia.
M Crease has now an assurance
of a Pension of which there was no certain prospect and scarcely
a probability when he accepted the Office of Judge. But, he is
not satisfied with this; and wishes that special
arrangement![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/co_60_44/co_60_44_00017v.jpg)
arrangement
should be made in his case that the time during which he held
the appointment of Attorney General should be counted as part
of his period of service as a Judge in respect of his future
claim to pension.
3. I do not myself regard
M Crease as having any peculiar
title to this concession which I believe
to![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/co_60_44/co_60_44_00018r.jpg)
to be most unusual, and
have not therefore thought myself at liberty to urge a request
for it upon the Government of Canada as part of the arrangements
on Union. But, in my Letter to him of the
13 February, I
remarked that it would of course be open to him at a future time
to submit any personal representations upon the subject for the
consideration
of![Manuscript image Manuscript image](https://hcmc.uvic.ca/~coldesp/jpg_scans/jpg_thumbnail/co_60_44/co_60_44_00018v.jpg)
of the Government of the Dominion.