Sargeaunt to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)
               
            
            
               
               
                     Offices of the Crown Agents for the Colonies
                     
                  
                     Spring Gardens, London, S.W.
                     
                  
               21st May 1868
               
               Sir,
                
            
            
               I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 
4th
                  Instant, transmitting for any observations which may occur to
               the Crown Agents for the Colonies copy of a Despatch from the
               Governor of 
British Columbia, with a letter from the Auditor
               General, suggesting that the Sinking Fund of 
British Columbia
               Loans should be invested in the purchase of the Debentures of
               that Colony which he states are selling below par.
               
               In reply I have the honor to state, for the information of the
               
Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, that
it
 it appears to the Crown
               Agents that the proposal of the Colonial Authorities might with
               advantage be sanctioned, and the Debentures of 
British Columbia
               added to the list of Colonial Government Securities in which the
               Sinking Funds of that Colony may be invested.
               
               It is desirable to vest this discretionary power in the
               Trustees,
because
 because if the investments were in future to be
               confined to the re-purchase of 
British Columbia Debentures, the
               steady demand thus created would result in an increase of price
               and deprive the Colony of any profit from the arrangement.
               
               The Crown Agents see no grounds to fear that the public credit
               of the Colony would suffer, even in the least degree, by the
               proposed re-purchase.
               
            
            
               I have the honor to be,
               Sir,
               Your most obedient Servant
               
W.C. Sargeaunt
               
               
               Minutes by CO staff
               
                
                  
                  Sir F. Rogers
                     This information was asked for by the Treasury in 4244.
                     
 
                  
                  
                     Send them a copy?
                     
                  
                  
                   
                  
                  
                     At once.
                     
                  
                  
                  
                   
            
            
               Other documents included in the file
               
                
                  
                  
                     Elliot to Secretary to the Treasury, 
29 May 1868, forwarding
                     copy of the letter from the Crown Agents for consideration.