No. 25
28th July 1857
Sir
1. I have the honor of forwarding herewith copy of a communication, accompanying the Rules of Practice for the "Supreme and Inferior or Summary Courts of Civil Justice of Vancouver's Island," which I have this day received from Chief Justice Cameron, and now transmit forHerManuscript image Her Majesty's final approval or disallowance.
2. The Rules of the Supreme Court passed the Council without amendment, on the 17th day of February last, as stated in my Despatch of the 24th of that month; but the Rules of the Inferior or Summary Court, having been only this day completed, have not been yet laid before the Council, and are nevertheless forwarded for the reason that there is a safe and free conveyance today by the Hudson's Bay Company's Steamer "Otter" to San Francisco, which will greatly lessen the postage charge on this packet, and there is moreover no reason to suppose that the Council will consider it necessary to alter or amend them.
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3. I take this opportunity of requesting you to inform me, of the amount of salary or emolument which Mr Cameron is annually to receive from Her Majesty's Government, for his services as Chief Justice, and to direct how I am to draw for payment of the same.
4. May I trust that Her Majesty's Government will take that matter into their early and favorable consideration, as Mr Cameron is clearly a zealous and most useful public servant, and having no private fortune of his own, he naturally looks to his profession for the support of himself and family.
I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedient humble Servant
James Douglas
Governor

The Right Honble Henry Labouchere Esqre
Her Majesty's principal Secretary of State
For the Colonial Department.
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
Perhaps Sir F. Rogers cd give us an opinion on these rules of Court.
There is nothing in the terms of the appointment of Mr Cameron to be Chief Justice of V. Couver's Island, or in the circes which led to his nomination to that Office, to justify the presumption that H.M. Govt intended to give him a salary. I apprehend we concluded that, as a matter of course, such Salary wd be paid by the Hudson's Bay Company: or by the appropriation of the recently convened Legislature. When Mr Cameron was appointed by the Govr Judge of the Supreme Court in 1854, the Governor provided him with a Salary of 100 a year. See Mr Douglas' desph 3206 of /54.
ABd 15 Sepr
Rules to Sir F Rogers in the first instance.
HM S 15
Other documents included in the file
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Draft, Fortescue to John Shepherd, Hudson's Bay Company, 21 October 1857, forwarding extract of the despatch concerning Cameron's salary and advising that the government was not prepared to provide the desired funds.
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Draft reply, Labouchere to Douglas, No. 14, 6 November 1857.
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Draft reply, Labouchere to Douglas, No. 1, 6 January 1858.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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1. Rules of Practice for the Inferior Court of Civil Justice of Vancouver's Island, dated 6 February 1857 and signed by David Cameron.
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2. Rules for the Supreme Court of Civil Justice of Vancouver's Island, dated 12 February 1857 and signed by Cameron.
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3. Chief Justice Cameron to Douglas, 27 July 1857, enclosing a draft of rules for the Inferior Court of Civil Justice and for the Supreme Court of Vancouver Island as published 18 February, with explanation.