Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Trevelyan, Sir Charles Edward to Merivale, Herman 24 November 1858, CO 60:2, no. 12078, 308.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2), Other documents (2).
Trevelyan informs the CO that the “Forms of Cash Book, Waste Book, Journal, and other Books”
are being printed for the Treasurer of British Columbia. He also transmits a copy of the “Instructions of 1848” to establish a “good system of account.”
The minutes forward all the Treasury’s documents to British Columbia for their reference and use.
Enclosed is a draft from Merivale to Trevelyan agreeing the established forms and proceeding should apply in British Columbia and advising that the printed instructions had been forwarded to the governor; a
draft from Lytton to Douglas forwarding the enclosures; the Audit Office to the Treasury concerning the system
of accounts to be established, related forms, and instructions for the treasurer of
British Columbia; Inland Revenue to the Treasury stating that stamps for various duties as requested
by Gosset applied only in the United Kingdom but that dies could be provided for colonies requiring
similar stamps.
Trevelyan to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Treasury Chambers
24 November 1858
Sir,
With reference to Mr Elliot's letter of the 11th
Instant,
1
enclosing an application from Captain Gosset, the
Treasurer of British Columbia, for Stationery etc, I am
directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury
to transmit herewith Copy of a Report from the Commissioners
of Audit, with Copy of the printed Instruction of
1848,
2
and I am to request that you will move Sir E.B. Lytton to inform
My Lords whether it is intended that the general system of
Accounts prevailing in other Colonies, should be applied to
British Columbia, in which case My Lords will direct the
preparation of the NecessaryEstimates
Estimates, Warrants and other
forms required by those Instructions.
Estimates, Warrants and other
forms required by those Instructions.
In the mean time, My Lords are of opinion that the Copy of the
printed Instructions of 1848 should be forwarded to the Treasurer of the
Colony, for his guidance, in establishing a good system of Account.
Sir E.B. Lytton will observe that the Forms of Cash
Book, Waste Book, Journal, and other Books are now being printed.
I am also to transmit herewith Copy of a Report from the
Commissioners of Inland Revenue, on Capt. Gosset's proposal that a supply
of Stamps for deeds &c should be sentout
out to British Columbia.
out to British Columbia.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
I think the Treasury Instructions of /48 should be sent to the Govr of B. Columbia, to be communicated to the Col: Treasurer, for his infn & guidance, together with a copy of this Letter and its enclosures—from which Capn Gossett will learn that he has made an erroneous suggestion in regard to the stamps he asked for for the Colony. As to the T-y enquiry whether it is intended that the general system of accounts, applying to other Colonies, should be extended to B. Ca, it is at present a little embar[r]assing to answer in the very early stage of affairs in this new place. But as it is clear that until the Colony is self supporting Parlt will have to maintain the establisht I think that the Treasury should at once send out the Instructions addressed to Governors of all Crown Colonies; for an account framed in a proper form, will have to be rendered to the Commrs of Audit in England. When the Colony can pay its own way, & the accounts are rendered to its own local Authorities, the Instruction of the T-y may be operative or not.
I think the Treasury Instructions of /48 should be sent to the Govr of B. Columbia, to be communicated to the Col: Treasurer, for his infn & guidance, together with a copy of this Letter and its enclosures—from which Capn Gossett will learn that he has made an erroneous suggestion in regard to the stamps he asked for for the Colony. As to the T-y enquiry whether it is intended that the general system of accounts, applying to other Colonies, should be extended to B. Ca, it is at present a little embar[r]assing to answer in the very early stage of affairs in this new place. But as it is clear that until the Colony is self supporting Parlt will have to maintain the establisht I think that the Treasury should at once send out the Instructions addressed to Governors of all Crown Colonies; for an account framed in a proper form, will have to be rendered to the Commrs of Audit in England. When the Colony can pay its own way, & the accounts are rendered to its own local Authorities, the Instruction of the T-y may be operative or not.
ABd
25 Novr
I should certainly send all the papers and instructions to the
Governor and direct him to conform to the same in his financial
proceedings. I should tell the Treasury that no Legislative Council
has yet been created at B. Columbia, but that Sir E.B. Lytton is of
opinion that the Governor ought to follow all the established forms and
proceedings in financial matters to the utmost extent possible under the
existing institutions of the new Settlement, and that the printed
instructions have accordingly been forwarded to him for his guidance.
Mr Jadis, Drafts may be prepared.
TFE
2 Dec
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Merivale to Trevelyan, 10 December 1858, agreeing the
established forms and proceedings should apply in British Columbia
and advising that the printed instructions had been forwarded to the
governor.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Edward Romilly, Henry Arbuthnot, and W.L. Maberly, Audit Office,
to Treasury, 19 November 1858, concerning the system of accounts to be
established, related forms, and instructions for the treasurer of British
Columbia.
Charles Pressly, Henry Roberts, and James Disraeli, Inland Revenue,
to Treasury, 18 November 1858, stating that stamps for various
duties as requested by Gosset applied only in the United Kingdom but
that dies could be provided for colonies requiring similar stamps.
Footnotes
- = Elliot-Tre, 15 Nov 58 FIND Elliot-Tre, 15 Nov 58. Cf. Trevelyan to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary), 16 November 1858, 11765, CO 60/2, p. 292.
- = Treasury. NEED TO GET. Copy of the printed Treasury instructions of 1848.