Colonial Despatches

I have received your Despatch No. 40 of the 7th of July enclosing the copy of a Proclamation entitled "The Sunday Observance Act 1863" No. 6.

I have no doubt that the object of this Act is good but I think it would have been better in a matter concerning the ordinary life of individuals if instead of merely adoptingcertain certain Imperial Statutes probably inaccessible to the large majority of the Colonists, and which are partially obsolete in this Country as with regard to the punishment of the Stocks (1 Car 6.1 and 29 Car 11.6.7) you had framed certain regulations enacting formally and in words, so much of the English Law as was properly applicable to British Columbia.

Nor do I see what object could be answered by adopting the Act 13 Vict. C. 23, which is also wrongly described.

The Act 13 Victoria does but alter "An Act of Henry the 6th." And if the Act of Henry the 6th isin in force in British Columbia it is quite clear that the amending Act being passed before British Law was introduced to the Colony is also in force there without express adoption.

This error is so obvious that I am surprised that it did not attract the attention of the Attorney General whose report I may observe does not accompany the Proclamation.

I have not advised the disallowance of the Act but I should wish you to submit to the Legislative Council the propriety of repeating it and re-enacting it in an amended form.