I have to acknowledge your letter of
27 inst, with a despatch from
the Governor of
Vancouvers Island, enclosing an application from M
G.H.W. Brown for a lease of a Coal Mine in that Colony on certain
specified conditions.
2. The Governor expresses an opinion that it would cause future
embarrassment to deal with such an application until general rules
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for the decision of questions of this description have been settled.
There can be no doubt that he is right. And as in
M Cardwell's
despatch of
17 inst (also enclosed in your letter) the Governor
was desired to prepare for consideration the draft of a fresh Land
Ordinance, which would include regulations for the Lease or Sale of
Mineral Lands also, he should, I think, be informed that the decision
on
M Brown's application will be suspended until
M Cardwell has
had an opportunity of
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considering the proposed Ordinance.