Hamilton to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Treasury Chambers
22 July 1863
Sir,
I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to transmit to you the enclosed copy of a Report (No. 250) from the Commissioners of Audit dated 7th Instant, with a statement of payments claimed credit for in the Account of the Colonial Treasurer of British Columbia for the year 1861, under the authorityofManuscript image of the Governor, which are not provided for by the sanctioned Estimate of the year, or have not been otherwise notified to the Commissioners of Audit as having been submitted for the approval of This Board, and I am to request that you will move the Duke of Newcastle to inform My Lords whether he sees any objection to the admission of the several charges to which attentionhasManuscript image has been drawn by the Commissioners of Audit.
It is requested that the statement may be returned.
I am, Sir,
your obedient Servant
Geo. A. Hamilton
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
The Treasury & the Crs of Audit are in possession of all the accounts & documents which we have had on the subject of these items. If they cannot throw light on the items neither can we. I believe that all the Treasury want is that we shd say that we see no objection to the admission of the different charges. But if you think more is requisite we must write either to Captn Gosset, in this Country, to see if he can explain the matter, or to the Governor.
ABd 24 July
As Major Gosset is retiring, I would not refer to him, being that at all events it is hardly likely that he could explain matters of this kind at a distance from the Colony and from the records of his office.
I should express an opinion to the Treasury that the several charges may be admitted (otherwise the public accounts will be inconveniently kept open for the subject on which there exists no rational doubt)—but I would say that the Governor's attention will be called to the appearance in these Accounts of an item which the Crs of Audit had disallowed (vizt the sum of £60 stolen from a Constable) & that he will be instructed to furnish a report to this Dept containing the information previously called for by the Bd of Audit. Write also to Governor accordingly.
TFE 1 August
I agree. For drafts.
Other documents included in the file
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Elliot to Geo. Arbuthnot, Treasury, 6 August 1863, recommending admission of the several charges in question, and stating that the governor would be asked to report on one of the items.
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Draft reply, Newcastle to Douglas, No. 44, 9 August 1863.
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
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Commissioners of Audit to Treasury
Audit Office, Somerset House,
London W.C.
7th July 1863
My Lord,
In transmitting for consideration the state of the Account of Captain W.D. Gosset R.E., Colonial Treasurer for British Columbia for the year 1861, we beg to enclose a statement of certain payments, claimed credit for therein under the authority of the Governor which are not provided for by the sanctioned Estimate of the year or have not been otherwise notified to this Office as having been submitted for your Lordships approval.
We have also to notice that credit is claimed for a sum of £60 as cash stolen from a Constable who had been sent into the Forks of Quesnelle to collect Revenue, but which sum has been disallowed by us; and we have called by Query for any special directions that may have been given by the Governor in respect of this loss, and forevidenceManuscript image evidence that the amount had been included in the sums brought to account in Revenue.
With reference to the proclamation authorizing the issue of Road Bonds which accompanied Mr Peel's letter of 2nd July 1862, we have to notice that the moneys raised upon Bonds during 1861 amounted to £2,250 on account of the Harrison Lilloet Road; and that a sum of £1951.4.5 was borrowed from the Government of Vancouver's Island as a temporary Loan for a short period, bearing interest at the rate of one per cent per mensem, for the purpose of paying off certain Bonds which had become due.
Should your Lordships be pleased to approve the state of this account we have to request that it may be returned to us with your Lordship's Warrant to sign and pass the same.
The Estimate and papers are returnedherewithManuscript image herewith as requested in Mr Peel's letter of 2nd Decr 1862 No 17407.
Hamilton, George Alexander to Rogers, Baron Blachford Frederic 22 July 1863, CO 60:17, no. 7264, 301. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/B635TE10.html.

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