Murdoch to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Emigration Board
20th January 1868
Sir,
I have to acknowledge your letter of
16th inst, with one
from
Coll Chamberlayne submitting an application from
Lieut Allman, of the 3
rd West India Reg
t, for a grant of land
in
Vancouvers Island, on his retirement from the service to
become a Settler in the Colony.
2. In
Vancouver's Island before its union with
B. Columbia no
privileges in the acquisition of lands were granted to Military
and Naval officers becoming Settlers there—and Crown Lands
could be obtained only by purchase on the conditions specified
in the Proclamation dated
6 Septr 1862.
3. We apprehend that this state of things still continues, as
the Act of Union 29 & 30
Vic. c. 67 (passed
6 Augt 1866)
declares (sec 5) that notwithstanding the Union the laws of each
Colony shall remain in force until otherwise provided by lawful
authority—and we are not aware that any contrary provision has
yet been made on the subject.
4. If
Lieut Allman were
desirous of settling in
B. Columbia he
would as a subaltern of 10 years standing be entitled to a free
grant of 200 Acres, on presenting to the Governor, within one
year of its date, a memorandum from the Office of the General
Commanding in Chief specifying his rank, date of retirement, and
length of service. No other document from any Department of the
Government is necessary.
I have the honor to be,
Sir
Your obedient
Humble Servant
T.W.C. Murdoch
Minutes by CO staff
At once.
Sir F. Rogers
As I am in doubt whether the Colonial Regulation referred to
applies to such a case as this, I defer altering the draft
until you consider the point.
An officer in a Reg
t quartered in
Jamaica wishes to settle in
Vancouver Island
& sends his application for a Grant to the Colonel of his Reg
t
who sends it on to the Secretary of State. It is a
matter in which the
Govr of
Jamaica is in no manner
whatever concerned
True.
& on
which it would be out of the question to
ask him for a report—"explanations & remarks from the
Govr
without which no conclusion can be adopted. L[edger] F[olio].
The cause of delay is not easy to explain, but say that the
delay in answering his letter has arisen for the fact that
"it
was accidentally opened in
Jamaica & then sent on in the
Govt Bag to the
Secy of State without explanation which
necessitated a reference back to the
Govr?"
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