Public Offices document.
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1).
Stephenson writes to Merivale to provide a report from the “Commissioners of Customs,” which is written in response
to Swanston’s complaints about the “Collector of Customs at Port Victoria.”
The minutes agree that Douglas should be informed of Swanston’s memorial and that Douglas should be told to transmit to the government “all memorials” received.
The file encloses a report from the Custom House to the Treasury, which discusses
Swanston’s incident with Victoria Customs.
I have laid before the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's
Treasury your letter of the 3d ulto, enclosing the Copy of a
letter from Mr Robert Swainston [Swanston], in which he complains of
the conduct of the Collector of Customs at Port Victoria, Vancouver's
Island.
In reply, I am directed bytheir their Lordships to transmit to you for
the information of Sir William Molesworth, the Copy of a Report from the
Commissioners of Customs on that subject.
Mr Elliot
Signify the approval of the S. of State as to the conduct of the local
authorities towards Mr Swanston, and furnish the Governor with the
remarks of the Commrs of Customs which I have noted in pencil.
Mr Merivale
I send this to you as it particularly engaged your attention before.
Looking to the minutes, I conclude that the Governor should be
instructed that he ought to have forwarded Mr Swainston's Memorial in
the first instance?
I think the whole of the letter of the Customs had better be
communicated to the Governor. He should also be cautioned, that it is
his proper course to transmit all memorials, although in this case he
gave reasonable ground for the omission. The circular proposed in the
minutes on 5020 had better be postponed for the proposed revision of the
Colonial Regulations.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
L.R. Dawson and J. Goulburn, Custom House, to Treasury, 11 August
1855, reporting that "the proceedings of the Collector appear to have been
justified and the allegations of the applicant fully and satisfactorily
answered."