No. 25
3rd March 1869
My Lord,
I have the honor to forward to Your Lordship Copy of a letter addressed to me by the Attorney General, relating to the proceedings which tookplaceManuscript image place in the Legislative Council on a motion made by the Senior Member for the City of Victoria to obtain the reduction of the Salaries of those Officers guaranteed by "The Crown Officers Salaries Act 1863."
2. As, in the late Session, so in this, I directed the Officers whose Salaries were under consideration to withdraw from the Legislative Hall,untilManuscript image until the matter should have been disposed of, one way or the other. Now, as in 1868, the Resolutions in favor of reduction were thrown out, in their absence.
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See Journals of Leg. Council 1868, p. 34.
3. I have more than once expressed the opinion that the Governor's Salary is somewhat high for the Colony to pay during its present financial depression. But it is certainly nottooManuscript image too high to cover the expenses of the Office I hold, nor to repay the very arduous and responsible duties attached to it.
4. Even in the early days of the Colony, when its Revenue was comparatively small and the social expenditure of the Public Officers moderate, Sir James Douglas recommended that the Salary attachedtoManuscript image to his office should not be less than five thousand pounds a year.
I have the honor to be
My Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient
humble Servant
Frederick Seymour
Minutes by CO staff
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Sir F. Sandford
The Council upheld vested interests, & threw out Motions for reducing the Civil List Officers Salaries—none of the Officers whose Salaries were affected voting.
CC 26/4
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As the question will probably come up again—I sd acknowledge this despatch—but send a confidential despatch to the Governor asking him to consider carefully and report, as to the propriety either of abolishing, or of reducing the Salaries of future holders of the offices in question (in case the proposal sd hereafter be carried in the Assembly.
FRS 10 May '69
WM 10/5
G 15/5
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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H.P.P. Crease, Attorney General, to Seymour, 11 February 1869, stating his concerns respecting the motion to repeal the Crown Salaries Act.
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Granville to Seymour, No. 34, 19 May 1869.
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Draft reply, Granville to Seymour, Confidential, 19 May 1869.
Seymour, Governor Frederick to Leveson-Gower, Granville George 3 March 1869, CO 60:33, no. 4630, 105. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/B69025.html.

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