I have received
Sir James Douglas's Despatch No. 4 of the
3rd of
March enclosing a copy of a Resolution passed by the Legislative
Assembly of
Vancouver Island representing the necessity of appointing a
Barrister from this country to fill the Office of Chief Justice,
and and
stating that the House would be prepared to vote a pension of five
hundred pounds (£500) per annum to the present Chief Justice.
The arrangement which the House of Assembly desire to effect is one
which appears to be very well worthy of adoption, but I cannot propose
to any Member of the Bar of England to go to
Vancouver Island until I
have the
means means of giving him a sufficient assurance that his Office will
have the independent and permanent character which is on public grounds
so desirable but which the Laws now in force do not confer.