Colonial Despatches

I transmit to you herewith copies of a correspondence between this department and the President of the Society of Solicitors before the Supreme Court of Scotland relative to the admission of Members of that Society to practice before the Supreme Court of Vancouver's Island.

The Solicitors before the Supreme Court of Scotland are at present excluded from practice in Vancouver's Island by the terms of the Order in Council of 4th April 1856, for establishing Courts of Justice in the Island, which only admits to practice Attorneys, Solicitors and Proctors of the English and Irish Courts and Writers to the Signet of the Scottish Courts. I have no doubt, however, that this phraseology was not adopted with any intention of excluding Solicitors of the Scotch Courts, and they appear to me fairly entitled to the privilege of practising in Vancouver's Island.

The Local legislature has power to amend the existing Order in Council conferred on it by the Act 12 and 13 Victoria Cap. 48, Section 2, and I have to instruct you to bring before that body a measure for the purpose of admitting the Solicitors before the Supreme Court of Scotland to practice in the Courts of Vancouver's Island.