Trutch to Cardwell
15 Pembridge Crescent
Bayswater, London
January 24th 1865
Sir,
I have the honor to inform you that in accordance with the
terms prescribed to me by His Excellency
Governor Seymour as
essential to my continuing in the office which I now hold, I have
negotiated the sale of all my private rights in the public works
of the Colony, and within a fortnight after my arrival at
New
Westminster shall be freed from all pecuniary interests in such
public works.
On my way home I was detained a month in
New York in
consequence of the dangerous illness of my brother who was travelling
with me, and since my arrival here I have been entirely occupied in
negotiating the introduction of Steam Traction Engines into use
on the roads of
British Columbia, an object in which His Excellency
Governor Seymour takes great interest. So much of my time has been
thus absorbed that it is impossible for me to complete my business
arrangements here and return to the Colony by the
1st April the
time named to me by His Excellency the Governor.
I have therefore to solicit the extension of my leave of absence
until the
15th May and in support of this application most
respectfully represent that I am not
drawing any official salary during
my absence from the Colony, and that up to the present time I have had
no leisure to devote to my private affairs during my stay in England.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
I suppose it would be conveying a sort of imputation on
Mr
Trutch's bona fides to ask him to furnish the S. State with a
precise account of the sale of his interest in the public works
of the Colony. To do so, however,
wd be more satisfactory.
On the other hand if he should be found still to have any
interest in the public works after having told us that he had
divested himself of his property his situation would be in
jeopardy. With that hold on
Mr T and hoping that he is
dealing fairly with us I
shd , myself, accord him full
confidence and be satisfied with his assurance that he had
divested himself of his local property.
Grant him the extension of leave for one month which he solicits?
He says that the sale of his property will be completed
within a short time after his arrival in the Colony. It is
there accordingly that he ought to produce to the Governor any
evidence requisite to satisfy
Mr Seymour of the completion
of the transaction. I annex a draft to that effect, and giving
him at the same time his extension of leave.
Other documents included in the file
Rogers to
Trutch,
18 February 1865, granting an
extension to his leave of absence, and advising that upon his return
to the colony, he must satisfy the governor of his divestiture of
"all pecuniary interests in the public works of the Colony."