Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to acknowledge Your Lordship's Despatch No 6 of the 22nd January last, respecting Mr Crease's application on the subject of his emoluments as Attorney General, in which I am directed to report whether my experience would lead me torecommend recommend an adoption of a fixed Salary and the abolition of fees. I have since received your Despatch No 23 of the 8th March by which I am acquainted with the appointment of Mr Phillipo as Attorney General in succession to Mr Crease who has been promoted to the Office of Puisne Justice, and that Mr Phillipo had been informed that his emoluments whether arising from Salary only or partly from Fees would not be less that £800, Eighthundred hundred pounds, sterling.

2. I now have the honor to report that in my opinion it is preferable to remunerate the Attorney General by a fixed Salary. In Mr Crease's case I should have thought £700, Seven hundred pounds, sterling, sufficient to include a fair commutation for the average amount of fees received by him; but this point has already been settled by Sir Frederic Rogers' Letter to Mr Phillipo. There may, however, be some little difficulty inhaving having the Salary, fixed by the Crown Salaries Act, increased by the Legislative Council especially if the Colony should be in a state of transition to Union with Canada; but in this case the £300, Three hundred pounds, sterling, additional which has been promised to Mr Phillipo must, if possible, be made up to him from the vote which now supplies the Fees paid to Mr Crease.