Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Birch, Arthur Nonus to
Cardwell, Edward 10 October 1865, CO 60:22, no. 93, 393.
Abstract
Birch, Arthur Nonus to
Cardwell, Edward 10 October 1865, CO 60:22, no. 93, 393.
Despatch to London.
Minutes (3), Other documents (1).
Separate
10th October 1865
Sir,
My attention has been drawn by the Treasurer to Clause 96
of the Colonial Rules and Regulations, which states that:
Should any Civil Officer of a Colony be called to administer the
Governmentof
of a Colony when the Governor may be absent on leave, he
will (unless some other arrangement has been made and sanctioned
on his assumption of the Government) be entitled to receive only the
Governor's half Salary and no part of his own Salary.
of a Colony when the Governor may be absent on leave, he
will (unless some other arrangement has been made and sanctioned
on his assumption of the Government) be entitled to receive only the
Governor's half Salary and no part of his own Salary.
2. Previous to Mr Seymour's departure for England he informed
me that I was entitled to draw the half salary of the Colonial
Secretary in addition to the Governor's half Salary. Itherefore
therefore
removed into the Government House to enable me to dispense such
hospitalities as are expected, and are indeed necessary, from the
Chief Officer in a Colony like this where as yet there are no
suitable Hotels for the accommodation of Visitors.
therefore
removed into the Government House to enable me to dispense such
hospitalities as are expected, and are indeed necessary, from the
Chief Officer in a Colony like this where as yet there are no
suitable Hotels for the accommodation of Visitors.
3. If the Secretary of State's sanction is requisite, I have
the honor to request that you will convey to me the necessary
authority. Noadditional
additional expense being entailed on the Colony by
the arrangement. I will only add, that it is quite impossible in
this expensive Country to keep up an Establishment at the Government
House upon half the Salary of the Governor.
additional expense being entailed on the Colony by
the arrangement. I will only add, that it is quite impossible in
this expensive Country to keep up an Establishment at the Government
House upon half the Salary of the Governor.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
The Colonial Regulations are very clear on the point, and it is difficult to understand how they could have been misconstrued either by Mr Seymour or Mr Birch.
The Colonial Regulations are very clear on the point, and it is difficult to understand how they could have been misconstrued either by Mr Seymour or Mr Birch.
When Mr Birch wrote this Desp. he was not aware that
the Act giving an additional £1000 to the Govr had been
confirmed. The
Acting Govr is of course entitled to half
of the increased Salary which will augment his emoluments
from £1500 to £2000. Had he been aware of this increase
the present application would probably not have been made.
Acting Govr is of course entitled to half
of the increased Salary which will augment his emoluments
from £1500 to £2000. Had he been aware of this increase
the present application would probably not have been made.
VJ
3 Jan
The Colonial Regulations say that a Civil Officer called
on to administer the Government shall have half of the Governor's
salary and none of his own. Governor Seymour, however, and
Mr Birch settled that Mr Birch should draw half of his own
besides. He has therefore been drawing £1500 as half of
the Governor's salary and £400 as half of the Secretary's.
It would have been very difficult to sanction such an
arrangement in the teeth of the Regulations.
But
But the embarrassment is removed by a fortunate accident.
By an Ordinance which takes effect from April last, the Governor's
salary is raised from £3000 to £4000. Mr Birch's moiety is
therefore increased from £1500 to £2000.
I think that this renders the answer plain and I annex a
draft accordingly.
TFE
15 Jany
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