Murdoch to Elliot (Assistant Under-Secretary)
Emigration Office
16 February 1863
Sir,
I have to acknowledge your letter of 2nd instant, with a despatch from the Governor of VanCouvers Island requesting instructions as to the answer to be given to an Address from the Legislature of that Colony, in which they ask for copies of the correspondence between the Colonial Office and the Governor, and between the Governor and the Hudsons Bay Co respecting the Townsite of Victoria.
2. As far as relates to theManuscript image correspondence between the Colonial Office and the Governor I am aware of no objection to the production of the papers which the Legislative Council desire to have. As regards the correspondence between the Governor and the Hudsons Bay Co I can express no opinion, as no complete copy of that correspondence has been sent home. Upon that point the Governor must I think be left to his own discretion—but if one part of the correspondence is produced it does not occur to me that there can be any objection inManuscript image principal to the production of the whole.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your Obedient
Humble Servant
T.W.C. Murdoch
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
ABd 17 Feb
Mr Fortescue
Write to the Governor in accordance with the opinion submitted in this Report?
TFE 17/2
CF 18
N 19
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Newcastle to Douglas, No. 6, 21 February 1863, informing him that he may grant the legislature's request for correspondences between Douglas and the Colonial Office, but the request for those between Douglas and the HBC is up to Douglas's judgement.