No. 17
9 May 1863
Sir,
I have the honor to inform you that I have authorized the agents General to accept and pay six Bills amounting to £5000 drawn by the Treasurer of Vancouver Island on the 27th February.
The only funds in the hands of the Agents which can be appropriatedtoManuscript image to meet these drafts is a sum of £26,000 the proceeds of the Debentures issued under the Loan Act of 1862, and I have to enjoin upon you the necessity of limiting your drafts to that amount. In drawing Bills upon the Colonial Agents it is necessary that you should send advices of such Bills, and you should on no account omit tospecifyManuscript image specify the objects for which they are drawn.
The financial reports both from Vancouver Island and British Columbia are less methodical and complete than those of any other Colony, and I must impress upon you that any administration must be viewed unfavorably which fails to dischargetheManuscript image the important duty of presenting an intelligible and fair account of its financial proceedings.
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your Obedient Servant
Newcastle