Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Kennedy, Arthur to Cardwell, Edward 4 May 1865, CO 305:25, no. 6187, 371.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (7), Enclosures (untranscribed) (3), Marginalia (2).
Kennedy forwards Resolutions from the House of Assembly stating the conditions upon which
they were prepared to accept the Crown Lands and vote a Civil List. In response to
the proposed civil list, Kennedy provides a summary of his own expenses and conveys his belief that it is because
of low salaries such as those proposed by the Assembly that he has
failed to secure the services of men of capacity and character.Kennedy expresses concern that the proviso attached to the resolutions would be
fraught with danger and mischief and opposed to the wishes of every sound thinking and loyal subject in the Colony.Blackwood minutes that
this is a very unsatisfactory result.Elliot minutes that the
petty body at Vancouver is exceptionally obstinate and unmanageable, and is among the worst specimens of a Colonial Assembly.
No. 27, Miscellaneous
4th May 1865
Sir,
1. I have the honor to transmit a copy of Resolutions passed by the
Legislative Assembly of this Colony on the subject of the Crown Lands
and Civil List together with my reply thereto.
2. This result has been arrived at after various and rather animated
debates extendingover
over 16 or 17 days and ultimately carried by the
casting vote of the Chairman of the Committee in a full House, the
opponents of the Resolutions being understood to be wholly averse to
voting the Civil List and the acceptance of the Crown Lands.
over 16 or 17 days and ultimately carried by the
casting vote of the Chairman of the Committee in a full House, the
opponents of the Resolutions being understood to be wholly averse to
voting the Civil List and the acceptance of the Crown Lands.
3. I will not needlessly occupy your time in recapitulating the
propositions submitted to you, but I think it is desirable that I
should put you in possession of my opinion upon some of them.
4. The Legislative Assemblyconsiders
considers the scale of salaries proposed
by the Duke of Newcastle in his Separate Despatch dated 15th June
1863 "as far too high", namely,
Governor . . . . . . . . . . £3000
Chief Justice . . . . . . . 1200
Colonial Secretary . . . . . 600
Attorney General . . . . . . 300 with practice
Treasurer . . . . . . . . . 600
Surveyor General . . . . . . 500
considers the scale of salaries proposed
by the Duke of Newcastle in his Separate Despatch dated 15th June
1863 "as far too high", namely,
Governor . . . . . . . . . . £3000
Chief Justice . . . . . . . 1200
Colonial Secretary . . . . . 600
Attorney General . . . . . . 300 with practice
Treasurer . . . . . . . . . 600
Surveyor General . . . . . . 500
5. I wholly dissent from this opinion and I think that much of the
official scandal and defalcation which has occurred among the public
officers inthis
this Colony has resulted from the low salaries which
failed to secure the services of men of capacity and character.
this Colony has resulted from the low salaries which
failed to secure the services of men of capacity and character.
6. I append a price list of what I am now paying for the necessaries
of life and from which the cost of living of a married public officer
may be readily calculated. To this must be added the high rate of
house rent and servants wages. A four-room wooden house
unfurnished,and
and within reasonable distance of the Public
Offices, cannot be obtained for less that £100 to £150 per annum. A
female servant cannot be obtained for less than $30 per month or £72
a year exclusive of her board and lodging, which estimated at prices
ruling here cannot be less than $20 per month or £48 per annum.
and within reasonable distance of the Public
Offices, cannot be obtained for less that £100 to £150 per annum. A
female servant cannot be obtained for less than $30 per month or £72
a year exclusive of her board and lodging, which estimated at prices
ruling here cannot be less than $20 per month or £48 per annum.
7. The wages of men servants range from $30 to $50 per month or £72
to £120 per annum, to which must be added theirboard
board at £48. I am
paying a
Chinaman for cooking my dinners, alone £120 per annum, in
addition to board and lodging which may be put at £50 additional.
board at £48. I am
paying a
Chinaman for cooking my dinners, alone £120 per annum, in
addition to board and lodging which may be put at £50 additional.
8. With these facts before you it is superfluous for me to state
that I am at a loss to understand how gentlemen of common capacity
can be found to accept office or how they can "make ends meet" upon
their official salaries.
9. Head Clerks in merchants offices in Victoria receive £600per
per
annum.
per
annum.
10. As I presume the salary of Governor is included in the
Resolutions of the Assembly I think it well to call your attention to
the opinion of my Predecessor as recorded in the Blue Book on affairs
of British Columbia, Part 2, Page 1, presented to Parliament 12th
August 1859.
11. I will state what I think a reasonable fixed establishment for a
Governor of this Colony to enable you to judge how far his salary is
excessive, andI
I may here remark that he has no additional allowances
of any kind, such as fuel, light, or caretaker of Government grounds.
1 Butler, $50 per month or £120 per annum.
1 Footman, $30 do £ 72 do
1 Cook, $40 do £ 96 do
1 Housemaid $30 do £ 72 do
1 Housekeeper and
Ladies Maid $40 do £ 96 do
1 Groom $40 do £ 96 do
1 Gardner or Caretaker
of House and grounds $50 do £120 do
Board for above at
$20 per month each £336 do
Keep of two horses Hay
£7.10s per ton, Oats
17/ per 100 lb or $1
per day each £146 do
____
Making a total of £1154
for servants and horses alone
The
The hire of a close carriage to go however short a distance at night
is $10 or £2.1s.3d exclusive of gratuity to driver. Bad coals are
$11 or £2.5.5 per ton and Firewood still more expensive. One ton of
coals per week all year round is the least to be calculated upon, or
£118.1.8 per annum. Colza oil which costs 3s/6d per gallon in
London cannot be obtained under 8s/ here. Wine and all luxeries in
proportion.
I may here remark that he has no additional allowances
of any kind, such as fuel, light, or caretaker of Government grounds.
1 Butler, $50 per month or £120 per annum.
1 Footman, $30 do £ 72 do
1 Cook, $40 do £ 96 do
1 Housemaid $30 do £ 72 do
1 Housekeeper and
Ladies Maid $40 do £ 96 do
1 Groom $40 do £ 96 do
1 Gardner or Caretaker
of House and grounds $50 do £120 do
Board for above at
$20 per month each £336 do
Keep of two horses Hay
£7.10s per ton, Oats
17/ per 100 lb or $1
per day each £146 do
____
Making a total of £1154
for servants and horses alone
The
The hire of a close carriage to go however short a distance at night
is $10 or £2.1s.3d exclusive of gratuity to driver. Bad coals are
$11 or £2.5.5 per ton and Firewood still more expensive. One ton of
coals per week all year round is the least to be calculated upon, or
£118.1.8 per annum. Colza oil which costs 3s/6d per gallon in
London cannot be obtained under 8s/ here. Wine and all luxeries in
proportion.
12. There are the names of three hundred persons on the Government
House visiting book who expectand
and ought to be invited in addition to
the Officers of Her Majesty's Navy, American State Governors, and
Naval Officers of all Nations who frequently visit the Colony.
and ought to be invited in addition to
the Officers of Her Majesty's Navy, American State Governors, and
Naval Officers of all Nations who frequently visit the Colony.
13. I will only add to this outline that a Governor who exercises
common hospitality and maintains his position in decency will leave
this Colony after his term of Government poorer than when he
commenced it.
I never knew an instance in the W. Indies & N. America in which this
did not occur.
14. I have already in former Despatches stated my views on the
subject of Union of theseColonies
Colonies as well as on the real or supposed
claims of the Colony on the Hudson Bay Company.
Colonies as well as on the real or supposed
claims of the Colony on the Hudson Bay Company.
15. The proviso contained in these Resolutions that in the event of
Her Majesty's Government declining to accept the preceding conditions
"the officials shall be made responsible to the people by election to
the Legislature or otherwise," I do not profess clearly to
understand. If it aims (as I believe) at responsible or party
Government I have no hesitation in stating my opinion that the
introductionof
of such a measure under the existing circumstances of
this Colony would be fraught with danger and mischief and opposed to
the wishes of every sound thinking and loyal subject in the Colony.
of such a measure under the existing circumstances of
this Colony would be fraught with danger and mischief and opposed to
the wishes of every sound thinking and loyal subject in the Colony.
16. The following facts will enable you to form an opinion on this
part of the Resolutions.
17. The total population is about 6000 souls of whom about 2000
are British male subjects—the remainder made up of Americans,
Germans, French, Italians and Chinese.
18. There
18. There are 15 Members elected to the Legislative Assembly for
nine separate Districts. The number of registered voters at the last
general election was 1051.
The highest number (Victoria City)
who voted for any Member was . . . . . . 229
Esquimalt Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Victoria District . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Esquimalt and Metchosin District . . . . 72
Lake District . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Nanaimo District . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Saanich District . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Sooke District . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Saltspring District . . . . . . . . . . 16
___
Total 511
The highest number (Victoria City)
who voted for any Member was . . . . . . 229
Esquimalt Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Victoria District . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Esquimalt and Metchosin District . . . . 72
Lake District . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Nanaimo District . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Saanich District . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Sooke District . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Saltspring District . . . . . . . . . . 16
___
Total 511
19. The American element in thepopulation
population possesses and exercises
great influence over the press and voters who are connected with them
in trade, which would be largely increased by the adoption of the
form of Government proposed.
population possesses and exercises
great influence over the press and voters who are connected with them
in trade, which would be largely increased by the adoption of the
form of Government proposed.
20. I think it is unnecessary for me to add more than an expression
of my regret that the Legislative Assembly should have left this
important question in so unsatisfactory a condition.
I
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
This is a very unsatisfactory result. I apprehend that the acceptance of a Civil List, to endure for only 2 years, & accompanied with conditions, wd be an anomaly in the history of Civil Lists and a precendent to be stoutly resisted. The Assembly considers that it has a strong case against the Govt on acct of the bad arrangement it made with the H.B.Co by the indenture of 1862; & they use this complaint as a lever agt the Govr when they are pressed for a Civil List. Whether the Assembly have good grounds or not their view of the case will always form an obstacle to any arrangement between the Crown and the Legre, and until some mode can be devised for overcoming this impediment we shall have to content ourselves with the Crown Revenue. Fortunately that Revenue is more than sufficient to pay the Governor & the Colonial & Private Secretaries, & if the discovery of gold in V.C.I. proves valuable the Crown funds will be improved, & put us still more at ease. Fortunately also the Chief Justice' salary is secured. The other public officers must be paid by votes of the Assembly. If the House shd reduce the existing rates of salary, or if they shd cease to vote salaries at all the public
wd suffer inconvenience to such an extent that a storm of
indignation wd be raised even in a place like Victoria where there
is not much sound public opinion. But such conduct would never
justify or drive the Impl Govt into incorporating V.C.I. with B.C.
unless there were weighty and independent reasons for that measure.
This is a very unsatisfactory result. I apprehend that the acceptance of a Civil List, to endure for only 2 years, & accompanied with conditions, wd be an anomaly in the history of Civil Lists and a precendent to be stoutly resisted. The Assembly considers that it has a strong case against the Govt on acct of the bad arrangement it made with the H.B.Co by the indenture of 1862; & they use this complaint as a lever agt the Govr when they are pressed for a Civil List. Whether the Assembly have good grounds or not their view of the case will always form an obstacle to any arrangement between the Crown and the Legre, and until some mode can be devised for overcoming this impediment we shall have to content ourselves with the Crown Revenue. Fortunately that Revenue is more than sufficient to pay the Governor & the Colonial & Private Secretaries, & if the discovery of gold in V.C.I. proves valuable the Crown funds will be improved, & put us still more at ease. Fortunately also the Chief Justice' salary is secured. The other public officers must be paid by votes of the Assembly. If the House shd reduce the existing rates of salary, or if they shd cease to vote salaries at all the public
wd suffer inconvenience to such an extent that a storm of
indignation wd be raised even in a place like Victoria where there
is not much sound public opinion. But such conduct would never
justify or drive the Impl Govt into incorporating V.C.I. with B.C.
unless there were weighty and independent reasons for that measure.
ABd
4 July/65
This petty body at Vancouver is exceptionally obstinate and
unmanageable, and is among the worst specimens of a Colonial
Assembly. The idea of Responsible Government at such a place would
be preposterous. It is a little community of 6000 Souls.
I suppose that we must continue to pay out of Crown Revenues as many
of the most important salaries as we can. If by good fortune a gold
revenue springs up, I should make this Assembly pay the penalty of
it's own perversity by keeping the Revenue in the hands of the
Executive Government, which seems the only quarter in which for the
present there is any hope of public spirit or intelligence.
TFE
7 July
The Civil List Resolutions of the Assembly. This Despatch dated 4
May has not been answered for the reasons explained in the Minute.
There are some later Despatches bearing upon the Subject which I
believe Mr Ebden gave Mr Elliot yesterday.
[VJ]
Mr Cardwell
This is a despatch showing that the Vancouver Assembly have refused the Civil List. Mr Southgate, who has just arrived from the Colony, tells me that they would not be so much opposed to the Civil List in itself, but that they are dissatisfied with the idea of having the expensive machinery of two Governments for two Colonies so closely connected and containing between them so very moderate an amount of population. Union is what they seek, and if theycould
could have Union,
they would readily concur in providing adequate salaries for the
Officers of the United Government.
This is a despatch showing that the Vancouver Assembly have refused the Civil List. Mr Southgate, who has just arrived from the Colony, tells me that they would not be so much opposed to the Civil List in itself, but that they are dissatisfied with the idea of having the expensive machinery of two Governments for two Colonies so closely connected and containing between them so very moderate an amount of population. Union is what they seek, and if theycould
could have Union,
they would readily concur in providing adequate salaries for the
Officers of the United Government.
There seems something in this plea: and at all events I should be
for going on at present with our Crown funds for ourselves, enjoying
as we do a fair chance of finding them suddenly much more valuable
than at present.
TFE
20 July
Mr Elliot
I should say that the Ansr to this despatch—6187—on the Civil List question had better be postponed until Mr Cardwell has gone fully into the question of the Union of V.C. Island with
Columbia.
I should say that the Ansr to this despatch—6187—on the Civil List question had better be postponed until Mr Cardwell has gone fully into the question of the Union of V.C. Island with
Columbia.
Wait, therefore, until an interview has taken place between Mr
Cardwell and Govr Seymour on the Union subject.
ABd
24 Augt/65
The Union of the 2 Colonies renders it unnecessary to notice this
despatch at this late date.
Put by.
[ABd]
20 Sepr 1866
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Resolutions confirmed by the House of Assembly on 3 May 1865
stating the conditions upon which they were prepared to accept the
Crown Lands and vote a Civil List, signed by R.W. Torrens, Clerk
of the House.
Kennedy to Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, 4
May 1865, expressing concern at the position taken by the house,
the resolutions differing "so materially from those proposed in
the Duke of Newcastle's Despatch dated 15th June 1863."
Price list giving the cost, in American dollars and British
sterling, of various goods and services available in the colony, as
per despatch.