Colonial Despatches

I have had the honor to receive Your Lordship's Circular Despatch of the 20th February on the subject of the Penal Code now in preparation for the Colony of Jamaica,with with the intention that it should be subsequently adapted to the circumstances of each of the other Crown Colonies respectively, and of such other Colonies not being Crown Colonies as may desire to avail themselves of it, and that it should be submitted to their respective Legislatures forconsideration consideration with a view to its enactment.

2. As British Columbia is now about to be united to the Dominion of Canada, and by the operation of the 91st section of the British North American Act 1867 the Criminal Law, including the procedure in Criminalmatters matters, is among the subjects reserved to the exclusive authority of the Parliament of Canada, it appears to me that the expediency of adopting the proposed Code and providing for the cost of preparation, is not a question that fallswithin within the province of the local Legislature.