Colonial Despatches

I send you an Act passed in the recent Session of Parliament to make further provision for the regulation of the Trade with the Indians, and for the administration of Justice in the North Western Territories of America.

This Act applies as you will perceive to the territories over which the Hudsons Bay Company recently enjoyed a license of Trade: excluding both the Charter territories, and also British Columbia. It has been considered necessary by Her Majesty's Government and by Parliament that provisions to this effect should be made in order to enable the Crown to take measures for establishing order in the administration of the executive, and in the conduct of trade, in those vast regions, in caseany any urgent reason for doing so should arise.

But Her Majesty's Government have not any immediate intention of advising Her Majesty to exercise the powers given her by this Act.

I should however be glad to receive from you, at your convenience a report as to the persons whom you may consider eligible for Magistrates in these North Western Territories, with which your long service under the Hudson's Bay Company has made you to some extentfamiliar familiar: and also as to any regulations for the conduct of the Indian Trade which your experience may lead you to consider advisable.