Colonial Despatches

Mr Elliot
September is rather late to deal with Estimates of Expenditure for the current year.

They were not introduced into the Council till April—& the Appropriation Ordinance was passed on the 1st May.

The peculiar Financial condition of the Colony & Governor Seymour's expectation probably of hearing some decision in regard to his appeal for a Loan of £50,000 from the Imperial Treasury may, however be taken as a sufficient excuse for the late introduction of the Estimates. But I do not see why it was to take him 3 months nearly before sending them home—& then without a word of comment or Financial information—nor why it was to take the Colonial Secretary an equally long time to prepare the meagre Report on the Estimates he has made.

The Estimates are satisfactory to the extent that the Estimated Expenditure is brought within the Estimated Revenue.

The Estimated Revenue is $576,000—being more than the actual Receipts for 1867 namely $475,250—tho' less than the Revenue estimated for that year namely $675,350. The Colonial Secy explains on what grounds this increase over 1867 is warranted, & states the Customs Duties for the 1st Quarter of this year exceeded by $47,407 the receipts of the same Quarter of last year.

The Estimated Expenditure is $572,353—that for 1867 having been $701,711—the actual Expenditure is not given—the chief cause of reduction being that there is only $70,000 in the place of $170,000 for repayment of temporary Loans, & it is satisfactory to find from the Colonial Secretary that "a greater portion of the Loan by Debentures paid under the Exchequer Debenture Ordinance of 1867 & which do not fall due until 1869-1870" has been paid off, & "a portion of the temporary Loan paid off absolutely."

There have been reductions of Offices, but what is not shewn.

In fact there are Returns which ought to accompany Estimates & other information wanting to shew a really correct view of the Finances—no return of Assets & Liabilities so that it does not appear whether the various Govt Officers have been paid their arrears of Salary for 1867. The Returns called for by His Grace's despatch of the 10th April (Ty 3274) tho' promised on the 8 June (7429) by the next Mail have not been recd.

Under these circumstances I think the Estimates should be sent to the Treasury with a recommendation that they should be sanctioned, adding that in consequence of the incomplete state in which they have been sent home, the Duke of Buckingham proposes to address to Govr Seymour similar instructions to those he proposes to address to Sir H. Ord (see printed draft) & which are now before their Lordships for consideration.

As a new Colonial Sec is to be sent out it wd be well if he were there before the next Estimates are introduced, tho' I am afraid it will not be easy to find a good man [remainder cut off microfilm].

Duke of Buckingham
[Minute cut off microfilm]

Proceed as proposed.

Three printed copies of ordinance not on microfilm.

H.P.P. Crease, Attorney General, to Seymour, 14 May 1868, reporting on the ordinance as per despatch.

W.A.G. Young, Colonial Secretary, to Seymour, 23 July 1868, reporting on the estimates of revenue and expenditure for 1868.

Printed copy of "Colonial Estimates, British Columbia, New Westminster: Government Printing Office, 1868."

Rogers to Secretary to the Treasury, 15 October 1868, forwarding copy of the despatch and ordinance for consideration, and noting that instructions would be sent to Seymour regarding the proper preparation of financial returns.