No. 230, Miscellaneous
               
            
            
               
               
               7 November 1859
               
               My Lord Duke
                
            
            
               I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Grace's
               Despatch No 6 of the 
26th July, acquainting me that it was
               not in your power to sanction any increase to the salary assigned
               to the Colonial Secretary, and that you had therefore, no
               alternative but to direct me to 
accept
accept 
Mr Young's resignation
               of that Office.
               
               2.  I notice that your Grace leaves in my hands the selection
               of a Gentleman to fill the responsible position of Colonial
               Secretary, and you trust that I may be able to replace 
Mr Young
               by a Gentleman, either well known, or well recommended, who is
               now in the Colony and who may be willing to give his services
               for £500 a year.
               
               3.  It is difficult to find a person so well qualified for
               the office of Colonial Secretary, as 
is
is 
Mr Young, for with
               considerable experience, he combines attention to business,
               and suavity of manner, and his ability is undoubted, while in
               all respects I can place the most perfect reliance on his
               judgement and integrity; a consideration of the highest importance
               in a Colony where I am necessarily often called away from the
               seat of Government.
               
               4.  As I have found no one capable of replacing him, I have
               prevailed upon him to remain in Office for the time being; and
               
I
I have communicated to him the expression conveyed in your Grace's
               Despatch No. 7 of the 26
th, of your readiness to entertain
               any proposal which I shall make for increasing the salaries of
               the Public Officers of the Colony whenever the Colonial Revenue
               will bear such burthen.
               
               5.  With respect to your Grace's remarks on 
Captain Gosset's
               proposal to undertake the combined duties of Treasurer and
               Colonial Secretary of 
British Columbia, I am of a like opinion
               with Your Grace, that the arrangement 
would
would not work well, the
               two offices from their nature being incompatible.
               
               6.  I have agre[e]ably to your Grace's instructions, communicated
               to 
Captain Gosset how irregular it is for him to correspond with
               a subordinate member of the Colonial Office in reference to his
               personal official position, and I have also pointed out to him
               the manner in which all such correspondence should be conducted.
               
               Minutes by CO staff
               
                
                  
                  
                     Mr Merivale
                     Mr Young having expressed his wish to resign the appointment
                     of Colonial 
Secy Governor Douglas was authorized to offer it
                     to some other gentleman on the spot.  He now reports that he has
                     found no one capable of replacing 
Mr Young, and that 
Mr Young
                     has been persuaded to remain in office for the time being.