Dickson to Cardwell
 

[Note on microfilm as follows:]

Memorial to the Queen by Mr J. Dickson M.D. against Governors order for his removal from the Office of Coroner.
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Without any covering letter but enclosed in an envelope addressed to the Rt Honble E. Cardwell &c &c.
Minutes by CO staff
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Put by till the Governor's despatch arrives. The Govr is going to report.
ABd 16 Apl
Wait for the report.
TFE 16/4
See 4662 recd 14 May.
This Memorial has been recd from the Govr in Desp N 16 [of] 4 Mar.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Petition, Dickson to Queen Victoria, 12 February 1866, explaining his dismissal from office and asking for redress, with enclosures.
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Douglas to Dickson, 9 January 1860, appointing him Coroner "for the Districts of Victoria and Esquimalt, and for the Districts lying adjacent thereto."
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Handwritten copy of notice from the Colonial Secretary's office inserted in the Government Gazette, 9 January 1860, advising of the appointment of Dickson as coroner.
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Printed copy of a bill entitled "An Act relating to the office of a Coroner," no date, introduced by Dickson into the Legislative Assembly.
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Resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly, 7 June 1865, requiring the governor to submit certain returns relative to the services of the coroner and the fees paid to him, signed by R.W. Torrens, Clerk of the House.
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Kennedy to Legislative Assembly, 21 June 1865, advising that he was not in a position to supply the requested information and submitting that there was "no 'Coroner' in this Colony, having jurisdiction and that there is no authority vested in the Government to appoint one."
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Torrens to Dickson, 21 June 1865, forwarding copy of the resolution as noted above and asking that the necessary returns be submitted to the house.
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W.A.G. Young, Colonial Secretary, to Dickson, 19 July 1865, pointing out irregularities relative to claims in connection with coroner's inquests and asking that he conform to the "rules and regulations for keeping the public accounts."
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Dickson to Young, 24 July 1865, advising that he was "not conscious of any departure from rules or regulations in my possession," and including an explanation of his legal position.
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Young to Dickson, 10 August 1865, asking for clarification of the section of his letter referring to "the laws relative to the duties of Coroner in this Colony" and asking under what authority they were applied.
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Dickson to Young, 22 August 1865, advising that he referred to "the common laws of England bearing on the duties of Coroners," and describing his recent difficulty in gaining access to certain records.
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Young to Dickson, 14 September 1865, advising that he had been appointed by the governor of the colony and not by any English act or local act, and explaining why depositions must continue to be lodged in the colonial secretary's office.
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Dickson to Young, 23 September 1865, expressing regret that his "previous communications failed to satisfy His Excellency, as to the correctness of my views of my duties and responsibilities," and explaining in detail the source of his authority.
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Young to Dickson, 1 February 1866, advising that due to retrenchment the office of coroner was being disposed of, the duties being transferred to the Stipendiary Magistrate for Victoria.
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Copy of Instrument of Revocation, 1 February 1866, certified by Young.
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House of Assembly to Kennedy, 13 February 1866, forwarding copy of resolution passed 9 February 1866 disputing the dismissal of the coroner and advising that "the House does not recognise the right of His Excellency to remove the Coroner other than by the usual process required by English Law," signed by Torrens.
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J.S. Helmcken, Speaker, to Kennedy, 2 February 1866, forwarding copy of a resolution.
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Resolution of the House of Assembly, passed 2 February 1866, asking the governor to transmit all documents "showing the cause or causes" which led to the removal of Dickson as coroner, signed by Torrens.
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Dickson to Cardwell, 15 February 1866, forwarding a petition to the Queen appealing his recent dismissal as coroner in Vancouver Island and providing a detailed background to his appointment and subsequent loss of office.
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Certificate of Lumley Franklin, Mayor of Victoria, 15 February 1866, testifying to the respectability of Dickson and certifying that the enclosures to his petition were all correct copies.
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Young to Dickson, 20 February 1866, advising that his petition and enclosures would be forwarded to England as requested, and asking him to submit copies of same "as all documents forwarded to the Secretary of State should be in Duplicate."