Colonial Despatches

I have received and laid before The Queen the Ordinances passed by the Legislature of British Columbia, which are enumerated in the annexed Schedule; and I am Commanded to inform you that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to sanction and confirm them.

I take this opportunity of stating that although I consider the Ordinance No. 16 a very proper Enactment, I doubt whether the 4th Clause will effect all that is intended by the Legislature. It will no doubt facilitate the collection of evidence for a conV.C.I.n under the 6th Clause. But considering the strictness with which penal Laws are construed, it would probably not aid a Justice in conV.C.I.g a person of "selling, bartering or giving" intoxicating liquors under Section 1, inasmuch as the fact of being in anIndian Indian's tent with spirits is not made evidence of having given them, but only of an intention to give, which intention is not punishable by the Ordinance.

I also have some difficulty in understanding clearly the effect of the 7th Clause of the Ordinance No. 13, "Imposing a Duty on gold." There seems to be some typographical error in it.