Colonial Despatches

With reference to my despch. of this days date, approving of the measures you have recently taken for granting occupation without purchase of certain lands situate within the surveyed districts of Vancouver Island, I think it may be desirable to send you confidentially the enclosed copy of an opinion obtained for the Law Advisers on the question, to whom the right of disposing of the proceeds of the sale of public land will belong, when the rights of the Hudsons Bay Co have ceased. The opinion has of course no practical application until that event may take place. But it is as well you should be early informed on the subject as I believe that discussions respg. it have already taken place in the Legislature of the Island.